The SUNY Biological Field Station Internships, offered by the State University of New York at Oneonta, are immersive summer research experiences for high school and undergraduate students interested in environmental science, biology, and ecology. Based at the Biological Field Station near Otsego Lake in Cooperstown, New York, the program places students in hands on research projects focused on topics such as water quality, fisheries, plant and wildlife surveys, and watershed ecology. Interns work closely with faculty and researchers, gaining experience in both fieldwork and laboratory analysis, as well as data interpretation, scientific writing, and presentations. A typical day includes a mix of outdoor data collection, lab work, and collaborative research activities, along with weekly seminars and a final project presented through a technical report and poster. The program runs for about nine to ten weeks during the summer, is paid, and emphasizes real world scientific research, teamwork, and exposure to professional environmental science careers.
Designing studies, testing hypotheses, and drawing evidence-based conclusions.
Running experiments safely and accurately using real scientific equipment and procedures.
Making sense of numbers and datasets to find patterns, test ideas, and support decisions.
Gathering and evaluating information systematically to answer a question.
Breaking down a challenge and working through it methodically to a solution.
Guiding a group toward a shared goal and keeping everyone moving together.
Students conduct hands-on field and lab research in water quality, watershed ecology, and environmental monitoring.
Interns perform plant and wildlife surveys, fieldwork, and laboratory analysis under faculty mentorship.
Students gain experience in aquatic research through fisheries studies and water quality projects at Otsego Lake.
The program builds foundational research skills including data interpretation, scientific writing, and technical presentations.
Community Experiences
Loading...