OHH Traineeship Practicum Program
Note: The information on this Web page is also available as a PDF file.
The practicum experience will offer the opportunity for graduate trainees to work with a practicing professional in aspects of oceans and human health. The trainee will help design specific projects with the assistance of three individuals: a faculty advisor to act as the main contact for the trainee and help her or him identify appropriate practicum sites, monitor the progress of the project and make an assessment of the completed project; a site supervisor to act as the practicum host, direct the on-site experience and contribute to the final evaluation of the practicum project; and a Washington Sea Grant coordinator to oversee trainee placement, assure that all necessary administrative requirements are complete and maintain the practicum database.
Trainees are responsible for making all practicum arrangements such as sending out inquiries, setting up meetings, and initiating a written agreement between the site and the school. The nature of each practicum will depend on the specific opportunity, but all placements will include: an organizational profile that reflects the trainee’s understanding of the chosen site; a project description, with an issue statement, literature review, methods for investigation, work plan and final product; a self-evaluation of the practicum experience, including accomplishments and impacts on the trainee’s professional development; and a poster presentation that describes the mission, goals and objectives of the project, including results or findings. Posters will be presented either at a dedicated poster reception at the University of Washington, the Northwest Fisheries Science Center or a joint meeting of the NOAA/NSF-NIEHS Centers for Oceans and Human Health.
The PNW Consortium offers a diversity of potential practicum experiences that includes working with NOAA scientists, non-profit organizations, tribal communities and public health entities. In addition to practicum opportunities with PNW Consortium members, other examples of potential practicum hosts and experiences available to trainees are listed below:
- The Washington State Department of Health prepares human health assessments pertaining to oceans and human health issues. Topics of previous health assessments have included evaluation of contamination in proposed commercial shellfish sites, evaluation of chemical contamination in the fish and shellfish of the Lower Duwamish Waterway and examination and evaluation of levels of heavy metal contamination in geoducks.
- The Quinault Indian Nation’s Department of Fisheries manages fish and shellfish resources for the tribe and currently runs a monitoring and research program on harmful algal blooms (HABs).
- Members of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community’s Water Resources Program analyze complex environmental factors affecting their fish and shellfish resources, such as bioaccumulation of toxins in local waters.
- Dr. Russ Herwig, UW professor and Washington Sea Grant’s Marine Ballast Water Specialist, identifies pathogenic viruses, bacteria, non-native plankton and other organisms in ships’ ballast water that may be hazardous to human and marine health and develops treatment technologies to eliminate or reduce the concentration of potentially toxic organisms.
- The Pacific Shellfish Institute, a nonprofit organization, develops and disseminates scientific and technical information to government officials and the public on environmental, regulatory and animal/human health and safety issues pertaining to bivalve shellfish.
- Taylor Shellfish, a local shellfish company, monitors and analyzes the effects of nutrient pollution and genetic growth on shellfish aquaculture development.