Columbia University Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University

Summer Internship Program for Undergraduates (June 2nd-August 11th, 2009)

Themes: Analyzing Global Databases

The Lamont-Doherty Summer Intern Program offers the chance to experience scientific research as an undergraduate. The program is open to US citizens or permanent residents who have completed their junior or sophomore year in college with majors in earth science, environmental science, chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, or engineering. Neither graduating seniors nor international students are eligible. Applicants should have an interest in conducting research in the Earth or ocean sciences. Two previous Earth- or ocean-science courses are desirable if they are available to the student. All students are required to have at least one year of calculus. Students choosing research in geochemistry and chemical oceanography are required to have at least two semesters of college-level chemistry. Students choosing research in marine biology are required to have at least two semesters of college-level biology. Students choosing research in geophysics should have at least three semesters of college-level physics. Minorities and women are encouraged to apply.

The Marine Geoscience Data System group at Lamont provides a freely-available tool called GeoMapApp that allows the exploration and visualisation of global data sets (www.geomapapp.org). With GeoMapApp, users can create custom maps and grids, import their own data sets and grids, and explore and visualise a wide range of global data sets. These include a multi-resolutional digital elevation model of the oceans and continents; plate tectonic information; undersea feature names; shipboard topography, gravity and magnetics data; earthquake catalogues; deep sea core data; Alvin submersible photos around hydrothermal vents; rock sample geochemistry; satellite-derived gravity and geoid grids; seismic reflection profiles, and more. GeoMapApp is written in Java and works on any type of computer. All interns will be instructed in the use of GeoMapApp during the second week of the intern program. Interns will be encouraged to use GeoMapApp during their research projects, as well as after they have returned to their undergraduate institutions. However, both the student and the supervisor will design the research program, and therefore individual projects may contain variable amounts of data collection and data analysis.

The following members of the Lamont research staff will act as research mentors:

Andrew Juhl. Expertise: Biological Oceanography, Aquatic Ecology, Eutrophication, Water Quality, Microbiology. Current Research: Measuring Persistence of Sewage Indicator Bacteria in Hudson River Sediments.

Bill Ryan and Frank Nitsche. Expertise: Marine and Environmental Geophysics, Seafloor Mapping, Sediment Processes in Estuaries and on Continental Margins, GIS. Current Research: Bathymetric Investigation of the Norwegian Sea. Bathymetric Investigation of the Western South Atlantic.

Dallas Abbott. Expertise: Impact Cratering, Marine Geology and Geophysics, Mantle Plumes, Precambrian Tectonics. Current Research: Using Deep Sea Core Samples to Verify the Sources of Holocene Age Megatsunami Deposits. Using Deep Sea Core Samples to Verify a Crater Candidate for the 536-545 A.D. Downturn in Climate. Using Deep Sea Core Samples to Verify a Caribbean Impact Crater Candidate.

Christopher Zappa. Expertise: Climate Modeling, Physical Oceanography. Current Research: Infrared Measurements of Global Sea Temperatures.

Jennifer Arbuszewski and Peter deMenocal. Expertise: Paleoclimate, Geochemistry, Proxy Development. Current Research: Reconstructing Sea Surface Temperature: A Global Calibration of the Mg/Ca Paleothermometer.

Veronica Lance. Expertise: Biological and Biogeochemical Oceanography. Current Research: Phytoplankton Response to Increased Atmospheric CO₂.

Timothy Crone. Expertise: Mid-Ocean Ridge Hydrology, Fluid Flow Modeling, Ocean Acoustics, Image Analysis. Current Research: Tracking Baleen Whales Using a Seismometer Array in the Eastern Pacific. Calibrating a Seafloor Camera System Used for Measuring Fluid Flow through Seafloor Hydrothermal Vents.

Jim Gaherty. Expertise: Earthquake Seismology, Geodynamics, Geophysics, Tectonics. Current Research: Seismic Analysis of Faulting, Continental Rifting and Seafloor Spreading in the Gulf of California.

Andrew Barclay. Expertise: Seismology, Marine Geophysics. Current Research: Understanding the Behavior of Ocean-Bottom Seismometers.

Jerry McManus. Expertise: Paleoceanography, Paleoclimatology, Low-Temperature Geochemistry, Sedimentology. Current Research: Past InterGlaciations (PIGS):Climate Variability during Warm Times. Icebergs!

Donna Shillington and Alberto Malinverno. Expertise: Marine Geophysics, Seismic Reflection and Refraction Methods, Continental Margins. Current Research: What Can the Roughness of the Basement Tell Us about Continental Breakup and the Formation of Mid-Ocean Ridges?

The Cooperative Institute for Climate Applications and Research (CICAR) will sponsor a summer intern to work on the research project in Climate and Society below. CICAR is a joint research partnership between Columbia University and The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Malgosia Madajewicz. Expertise: Climate Adaptation, Hydroclimatology. Current Research: Evaluating Impacts of Climate Information.

STIPEND: Students will receive a stipend of $4000 for this 10-week program. In addition, the student will receive free, air-conditioned housing at Columbia University in the City of New York. (Local students who are accepted to the program and who prefer to live at home will receive an additional $1000.) Students will also receive free bus transportation between the Columbia campus and Lamont. Students who are traveling to Lamont from more than 200 miles away will be reimbursed for a round-trip supersaver fare.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Application form must be submitted by March 1, 2009.

There is an online application form. It is posted at: http://webapp.ldeo.columbia.edu/interns

The online application form asks for the following files:

-Resume with description of computer skills (if any).

-A statement of interest. This statement can include a description of a particular research project that the student wishes to undertake or it can be a more general statement of the three areas of current research that interest the student most. We recognize that students with no prior research experience may have difficulty formulating a research project and we will not penalize students who do not submit a detailed project description. The goal of our program is to teach students about the research process and we encourage students with no prior research experience to apply. The student should also include a statement of the characteristics of a good scientist.

-letters of recommendation

In addition to the online application form, send the following material by regular mail (NOT email):

-Official college transcript(s);

The transcript(s) must be mailed on or before March 1, 2009.

Mail to: Dr. Dallas Abbott

Summer Internship Program

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Palisades, New York 10964

Email: dallas@ldeo.columbia.edu

For more information, look at our web page: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/education/programs/summer-internship/intern-program-faqs. Decisions for all but the waiting list will be made on or before April 15, 2009. The National Science Foundation is funding this program for the summer of 2009. Every year the research projects and advisors change. Please look for the yearly posting of new projects on the first of February.