NonDuke/Student Intern Summer Internship Nicholas Institute

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Evaluating effectiveness of nature-based solutions: Summer internship at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Duke University

Position Summary

We are looking for a student to support our work to develop metrics to monitor the effects of nature-based adaptation projects on community risk reduction and species/habitat climate adaptation.

Nature-based adaptation projects involve the protection, restoration, or management of natural or semi-natural ecosystems to help nature and people adapt to climate change. As governments, funders, and communities increasingly look to nature-based solutions for climate adaptation, it is essential to understand how effective these projects can be in providing the multiple benefits desired. This is particularly important when these projects are intended to reduce community risk; insufficient information about risk reduction is one of the most-cited reasons that nature-based projects are not used. It is also critical to understand how nature-based projects are affecting habitats’ and species’ ability to adapt to climate change, since these projects are often intended to address biodiversity loss. These outcomes are not frequently measured; project monitoring tends to focus on how successfully the project was implemented and a few ecological outcomes that do not directly address the resilience of affected habitats and wildlife. We are conducting a project to address these gaps by developing a set of metrics to measure the performance and reliability of nature-based climate adaptation projects for species and habitat climate adaptation. In this phase of the project, we are focused on coastal wetland restoration (salt marsh and mangroves) and inland watershed management projects (e.g., floodplain reconnection, levee setbacks, wetland restoration).

The student will primarily support this effort through interviews with nature-based project staff and researchers who conduct monitoring and on-the-ground measurements of project outcomes. Goals are to understand what is currently measured to evaluate projects, assess how that aligns with our draft metrics lists, and get feedback on the feasibility and utility of our recommended metrics. Additional tasks may include literature review to support metrics development, identifying methods for measuring selected metrics, participating in meetings with relevant subject matter experts, and collaborating on design for a data system to organize metrics data.

This student will work with Nicholas Institute staff under the guidance of program director Lydia Olander and US Fish and Wildlife Service partner Todd Jones-Farrand. The student may also work with faculty and student collaborators at Duke and external collaborators.  This is a full-time (40 hours/week), paid position for summer 2025.  Work will likely be conducted in a hybrid model, using a combination of remote work and regular in-person meetings, but there may be options for primarily remote or in-person work depending on student preference.

Key tasks:

• Collaboratively developing interview questions for nature-based project staff and researchers
• Conducting informational interviews with nature-based project staff and researchers
• Searching academic literature, gray literature (reports from government agencies and NGOs, including project reports), and online resources to identify metrics and methods to monitor community risk reduction and species/habitat climate adaptation.
• Drafting interview summaries, slides, and other materials to communicate project results with partners, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders

Skills

• Conducting informational interviews
• Literature review and synthesizing information from multiple sources
• Use of Excel to organize information
• Familiarity with the concepts of nature-based solutions and ecosystem services
• Interest in coastal wetland and inland watershed nature-based projects
• Excellent oral and written communication

To Apply:

To apply, please send your resume or CV and a cover letter to Katie Warnell, katie.warnell@duke.edu.   We will begin interviews on Monday, February 10th on a rolling basis.

Anticipated Pay Range:

Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $0.00 to USD $0.00. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position; the candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at: https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Education

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Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.