Location: Based in San Luis Obispo, California (map), at the Si​stla Laboratory. Frequent travel to agricultural fields in Monterey County and elsewhere on the California Central Coast (Monterey, Santa Maria, and Oxnard). ​

Format: In-person

Internship dates: June 2 to August 15, 2025

Stipend: $8,000​​

Time Commitment: The internship is a full time (40hr/week), 11-week commitment. Over the 11 weeks, the intern may take up to five days off for personal reasons, vacation, or illness. If participation is less than 100%, the stipend will be prorated.

Background: Plasticulture, the science and practices of using plastic in agriculture, has greatly transformed the industry. However, plastic used in agricultural fields is prone to entering the environment, including the soil, water and air, because they are exposed to the elements and to equipment used in the fields that cause breakage and degradation. An assessment, conducted by CMSF and MBNMS, of watersheds in agriculturally dominant areas have shown high amounts of agricultural plastic fragments after heavy rainfall. Watersheds that drain into National Marine Sanctuaries can easily transport plastic pollution into marine ecosystems during heavy rainfall, creating marine debris. CMSF and MBNMS, leads scientific research on agricultural plastic pollution and solutions in watersheds through a partnership with UC Cooperative Extension, local growers, researchers from Washington State University, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and industry representatives.

Tasks: CMSF seeks one (1) intern for the Summer of 2025 to assist with research on documenting the fate and consequences of plastics used in agriculture. The intern will work in Dr. Seeta Sistla’s lab at Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo, California). The Sistla lab focuses on characterizing the extent and biogeochemical consequences of agricultural plastic pollution in fields and neighboring waterways.  An interest in ecosystem or global change ecology, geospatial science, or related fields is welcome. This intern will gain professional development and research experience through fieldwork, data analysis, outreach preparation, and project support in agriculture fields that drain into MBNMS, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. This internship position will help document the extent of existing plastic pollution in California agricultural fields, and explore end-of-life solutions for plasticulture. Data collected will be analyzed and presented at educational outreach events tailored to agricultural stakeholders. ​​

Duties include:

• Field Sampling for visible macro-plastics and microplastics in agricultural fields;
• Lab-based processing of macro- and microplastics collected from agricultural soils;
• Assist with project management and creation of outreach materials;
• Analyze data collected and share results at educational outreach events with agricultural stakeholders;
• Create social media content to highlight end-of-life management of agricultural plastics;
• Collaborate with the Plasticulture intern based in Monterey on project tasks;
• Other tasks may arise as projects evolve.
  

Skills Gained: The intern will gain hands-on experience with agricultural research and gain public speaking skills from interpreting data to a wide audience. The intern will gain perspective on the nexus of land-to-sea, sustainable agricultural practices, plasticulture management, and barriers to reduce plastic pollution. The intern will learn to work with a dynamic group of CMSF colleagues, industry partners, universities, farmworkers and agricultural professionals. The intern will contribute to research for plastic pollution/marine debris prevention from agricultural fields that drain into National Marine Sanctuaries.​​

Eligibility/Requirements for Intern: