GRASS
E3B Graduate Resource Association of Student Scientists
Outreach Committee
The E3B Graduate Student Outreach Committee seeks to build community between the graduate and undergraduate students in the E3B department. We offer resources and professional development workshops for undergraduates to help them pursue graduate school and/or careers in Ecology/Evolution. We additionally organize community development events where grads and undergrads can mingle, explore nature, and have fun!
General resources:
Interested in research opportunities outside E3B?
The E3B Outreach Committee Compiled a list of research opportunities outside E3B
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Last updated:
3/4/25
Summer Mammal Research Interns
Field work
Through this work, the successful candidate will gain experience working in the field conducting tick collection and identification, general field-research techniques, and science engagement with the public.
What you will do (one or more of):
1. Conduct field collections of ticks in a variety of NYC and Long Island greenspaces
2. Conduct data collection
3. Manage field notes and datasheets
4. Prep field materials (i.e. fill tubes, organize equipment)
5. Work as a part of a field crew of 3-4 people
6. Engage with the park-going public and answer questions about our work
This is a full-time, temporary and seasonal position for Summer 2025 (May to July). Work weeks are generally M-F and weekends, weather depending. Overnight stays near field sites on Long Island will also be required. Hotel or Airbnb accommodation will be provided. Daily hours may be irregular and may include weekend work, but weeks will not exceed 35 hours per week.
This will be a fieldwork-intensive position. Hires should be capable of working in challenging environmental conditions (e.g. rain, heat, overgrowth, steep slopes, fog, vector-infested habitat, etc.).
Apply here: https://forms.gle/pMxMrVNu2dhuKJwX6
If you have more questions, you're also welcomed to contact Richie Konowal (crk2167@columbia.edu) besides the graduate student listed here
Skills or knowledge required:
- A passion for ecology, epidemiology, and/or the natural sciences
- A positive attitude and ability to work in a dynamic team environment
- The ability to work outside in various conditions
- Valid driver's license and willingness to drive to field sites within NYC and on Long Island
- Veterinary (technician) or similar experience is highly desirable
- Previous field experience, especially experience with mammal capturing/handling is required
Funding for Undergraduates:
Yes ($22.50/hour)
Additional Information
Start:
7/1/25
End:
10/1/25
Time Commitment:
Daily hours may be irregular, but weeks will not exceed 35 hours per week.
Professor:
Maria Diuk-Wasser
Interested? Send an email to:
Ursula Bergwerff
Summer Avian Research Interns
Field work
Through this work, the successful candidate will gain experience working in the field conducting avian sampling (including mist-netting, IDing, banding, processing, and blood collection), general field research techniques, and science engagement with the public.
What you will do (one or more of):
1. Participate in avian point counts
2. Conduct avian banding surveys using mist nets
3. Collect and process avian biological samples
4. Collect and process bird-attached ticks
5. Conduct ecological assessments of larger public spaces such as parks and preserves
6. Coordinate data collection and management of a field crew of 3-4 people
This is a full-time, temporary and seasonal position for Summer 2025 (May to September). Work weeks are generally M–F, but occasional weekend work may be required. Daily hours may be irregular, but weeks will not exceed 35 hours per week.
This will be a fieldwork-intensive position, so RAs should be capable of working in challenging environmental conditions (e.g. rain, heat, overgrowth, steep slopes, fog, vector-infested habitat, etc.).
Apply here: https://forms.gle/eR2Yw7QKexdDjrE3A
If you have more questions, you're also welcomed to contact Richie Konowal (crk2167@columbia.edu) besides the graduate student listed here
Skills or knowledge required:
Required qualifications:
- Previous experience handling, extracting birds from mist nets, and banding birds
- Available early mornings and weekends, flexible schedule (due to the - unpredictable nature of fieldwork)
- The ability to work outside in various weather conditions
- The ability to work in a standing position for long periods of time
Preferred qualifications:
- Local (NYC) bird identification experience highly preferred
- Previous experience processing and collecting avian blood samples
- A passion for ecology, epidemiology, and/or the natural sciences
- A positive attitude and ability to work in a dynamic team environment
- Valid driver's license and willingness to drive to field sites within NYC and on Long Island
- Access to a personal car and a driver's license is strongly desirable
Funding for Undergraduates:
Yes ($22.50/hour)
Additional Information
Start:
5/1/25
End:
10/1/25
Time Commitment:
Daily hours may be irregular, but weeks will not exceed 35 hours per week.
Professor:
Maria Diuk-Wasser
Interested? Send an email to:
Yasmin Tavares
Summer Tick Research Interns
Field work
Through this work, the successful candidate will gain experience working in the field conducting mammal sampling of raccoons, mice, etc. (including trapping, processing, and tissue & blood collection), general field-research techniques, and science engagement with the public.
What you will do (one or more of):
1. Conduct small mammal and medium mammal trapping and sampling
2. Conduct occasional field collections of ticks
3. Conduct ecological assessments of larger public spaces such as parks and preserves
4. Work as a part of a field crew of 2-4 people
5. Manage field notes and datasheets
6. Prep field materials (i.e. fill tubes, organize equipment)
This is a full-time, temporary and seasonal position for Summer 2025 (July to September). Work weeks are fluid and weather dependent and will likely include weekend work. Daily hours will be irregular (early morning, evenings and weekends), but weeks will not exceed 35 hours per week. Overnight stays at Long Island and Staten Island field sites will also be required. Hotel or Airbnb accommodation will be provided.
This will be a fieldwork-intensive position, so RAs should be capable of working in challenging environmental conditions (e.g. heat, overgrowth, steep slopes, fog, vector-infested habitat, etc.).
Apply here: https://forms.gle/89bzqPaKgKGWbM1F8
If you have more questions, you're also welcomed to contact Richie Konowal (crk2167@columbia.edu) besides the graduate student listed here
Skills or knowledge required:
- A passion for ecology, epidemiology, and/or the natural sciences
- A positive attitude and ability to work in a dynamic team environment
- The ability to work outside in various conditions
- Valid driver's license and willingness to drive to field sites within NYC and on Long Island
- Previous field experience is preferred but not required
Funding for Undergraduates:
Yes ($22.50/hour)
Additional Information
Start:
5/1/25
End:
7/31/25
Time Commitment:
Daily hours may be irregular, but weeks will not exceed 35 hours per week.
Professor:
Maria Diuk-Wasser
Interested? Send an email to:
Yasmin Tavares
Quantifying iridescent hummingbird feather color
Lab work
Black-chinned and ruby-throated hummingbirds hybridize where their ranges overlap in Texas and Oklahoma. The main morphological difference between these species is the color of males' iridescent throat feathers. Males in both species perform complex acrobatic courtship displays in which they expose their iridescent throats to females. Because iridescent color appearance depends on both the illumination and viewing angles, the appearance of a male’s throat feathers may change throughout his acrobatic display from the perspective of the female. This research will help us understand the role iridescent color may play in speciation in these hummingbirds. You will gain experience in spectrophotometry.
Skills or knowledge required:
No skills/knowledge required, but experience with a spectrophotometer would be great
Funding for Undergraduates:
No
Additional Information
Start:
2/5/25
End:
12/31/25
Time Commitment:
min 2 hr/week but can be flexible
Professor:
Kira Delmore
Interested? Send an email to:
Rachel Urban
Building floral 3D models
Computational work
Flowers are cool, aren't they? A group of flowers called Pedicularis, known for its exceptional floral diversity, might just become your new favorite plants. The goal of this project is to build a dataset of Pedicularis floral morphological traits using a 3D modeling approach. Here is a subset of the floral 3D models we have so far: https://sketchfab.com/eatonlab/models You'll learn how to create 3D models like those on the website from photos using the software Agisoft Metashape.
Skills or knowledge required:
No skills required.
Funding for Undergraduates:
No
Additional Information
Start:
12/2/24
End:
12/2/25
Time Commitment:
2 hours/week
Professor:
Deren Eaton
Interested? Send an email to:
Yue Yang
The impact of climate change on Purple Martin migration
Field work
We will be performing a reciprocal transplant using eggs from geographically separate populations to discern the plasticity of migration timing in Purple Martins. This research will help us to understand the threat of climate change for Purple Martins due to phenological mismatch. Tasks undergraduates may assist with include nest monitoring; performing reciprocal transplants; working with Motus towers and the Motus website; trapping, measuring, bleeding, banding, and tagging all age classes; data entry and quality checking; and helping to prepare field equipment for transplants, banding, and tagging.
Skills or knowledge required:
No skills required, but previous experience with handling birds and working with Motus are definitely helpful.
Funding for Undergraduates:
Yes
Additional Information
Start:
5/9/25
End:
7/20/25
Time Commitment:
30-45 hours/week (may vary weekly)
Professor:
Kira Delmore
Interested? Send an email to:
Shasta Corvus
External Funding
For opportunities that don't come with funding, you may be able to get support through the Federal Work-Study Program, which provides funds for part-time employment to help needy students to finance the costs of postsecondary education.
If you are interested, please reach out to the graduate student and/or professor sponsoring the research opportunity, who will help you with the application. The FWS program is a US government-sponsored program, and funding decisions are made by the Department of Education. Funding through FWS for research opportunities posted here are not guaranteed.