INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME

2017

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IntroductionThe University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (SRC) is offering its fifth eight-week internship programme for highly motivated university level students interested in pursuing geoscience careers. The UWI-SRC monitors earthquakes and volcanoes for the English-speaking Eastern Caribbean and maintains the largest seismic monitoring network in the Caribbean. It is also part of a regional effort to establish a tsunami warning system for the Caribbean and operates a dynamic education and outreach programme to raise public awareness of geo-hazards. The SRC is well poised to provide relevant work experience for current undergraduate to post graduate level students.

Programme OverviewC.O.R.E. (Creating Opportunity from Research Experience) interns will have an opportunity to work closely with SRC staff on current research projects. The internship is designed to give successful candidates a full understanding of the operations of the SRC through hands-on involvement in the work of the various sectionswithin the department. Four days per week, interns will work directly with supervisors on a research project with one day each week being reserved for information sessions. These one-day sessions will give the intern an opportunity to interact with other sections within the SRC, which include electronics, seismology, volcanology and education/outreach. Interns will have valuable career enhancing, field, laboratory, and research exposure. The CORE 2017 programme is designed for third year to post-graduate level university students interested in the following disciplines:

• Seismology• Volcanology• Electronics• Education&Outreach• Computer Science

Goals & Objectives: C.O.R.E. is committed to identifying future geoscientists and communications practitioners. Thisprogramme will provide students with hands-on work experience that should enhance formal classroom instruction.Theprimaryobjectivesoftheprogrammeare:

2014 CORE Intern Kelly Bhim mixes a solution for hydrothermal fluid tests which are used to determine volcanic gas concentrations.

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1. ToprovideopportunitiesforCaribbean-borninternstogainrelevantworkexperience.2. Toattractanddeveloptalentedandcapableuniversitystudentswithapassionforlearningwhoseek

tobewellroundedinacademicandextra-curricularactivities.3. Toprovide projects that students can use for transitioning into post-graduate and PhD research

projects. 4. ToencourageanddevelopcollaborationsbetweentheUWIdepartments.

Profile of Target StudentsThe programme is open to students at the undergraduate to post-graduate level and is available ONLY to CARICOM Nationals. Interns will be selected based on their completed CORE application form and interview.

Incentives: • Relevant work experience• Stipend• Field trips

Important Dates April 30th, 2017 Application deadlineMay 15th, 2017 Selected applicants will be notifiedJune – Aug, 2017 Internship period (specific dates vary by project)

Research Projects Academic Supervisors are an integral part of the Internship process. They provide a research topic on which students must complete extensive reading and information gathering to understand the background of each project. Along with the skills learnt during their University careers, students will be encouraged to hone their analysis and problem solving skills in a dynamic work environment.

2015 CORE/CCRIF Interns Abigayle Maxwell (left) and Aaron Santana (right) learn about data processing from TTMP Research Assistant Kafele Reddock (centre).

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The Trinidad & Tobago Microzonation Project -Dr.IliasPapadopoulos,EngineeringSeismologist

The Trinidad & Tobago Microzonation Project (TTMP) is ajoint collaboration between the Ministry of Planning andDevelopment and the Seismic Research Centre. Its maingoal is to define the local geological conditions affecting the

shaking effects in urban areas under seismic excitation. Among its sub-tasks, we need to define past geological conditions in coastal areas, namely the reclamation of land and the usage and expansion over time of the urban environment. For that task we seek a person to scan, georeference and digitize several maps dated from the colonial era up to the present and implement them in a GIS environment.

Qualifications-FinalYearUndergraduateorPostgraduatestudent.ExperienceinGISenviromentand ability to digitize data is required.

Internship Period – June - August

Some of the instruments used to collect data for the Microzonation Project.

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Patterns in Pre-Explosion Seismic Data at the Soufriere Hills Volcano-Mr.RoderickStewart,DirectorMontserratVolcanoObservatory

MVO scientists have recognized a distinctive pattern in the seismic data for a few days in advance of two large explosions. In one of these, the pattern was very subtle. The purpose of this project is to determine if a similar pattern, or any other pattern, is present before other large explosions.

This computer-based project involves processing and analysis of continuous RSAM seismic data, which is sampled once per minute. This will be done using MATLAB, a high level computer programming language.

Project Tasks• Literature search• Compile list of large explosions at the Soufrière Hills Volcano.• Analysis of RSAM data to look for patterns in advance of these explosions.• Construction of a model reference pattern.• ProcessrawRSAMdatatolookforthereferencepattern.

Qualifications - Final YearUndergraduate or Postgraduate students studying a physical science,preferablyPhysicsorGeology,wouldbeideal.Candidatesmusthavestrongwritingandresearchskills as well as an understanding of numerical data analysis. Experience in computer programming is essential; MATLAB experience would be an asset, but is not required.

Note: • Interns will be based in

Montserrat for the duration of this project ( Regional round-trip airfare between Montserrat and home country , basic accommodation will be provided).

• Interns responsible for own health/accident insurance (check student coverage) UWI-SRC/MVO not liable.

Internship Period – June - August

Some of the computers used to process and monitor seismic data at the MVO.

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Strengthening the efficacy of the UWI-SRC’s Student Outreach Programme - Ms. Stacey Edwards, Education Officer

The UWI Seismic Research Centre (UWI-SRC) has been operating a structured public education and outreach(E&O)programmetopromotegeo-hazardawarenessintheregionsince2001.Inaneffortto foster a culture of disaster risk reduction and to encourage the next generation of Caribbean geoscientists, the UWI-SRC has identified students at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels as a major target group for implementing its outreach activities. The Centre is committed to providing informative, meaningful and engaging workshops that are student-centred. Incorporating practical activities and impactful communication and teaching tools are an important component of these student workshops. As the student outreach programme continues to grow, there is need to archive the tools that are currently employed for the benefit of all facilitators, identify additional resources (films, models, activities etc.) that may further enhance the student workshops and conduct research into best practices in science education particularly at the secondary level.

The intern will be responsible for the aforementioned activities and will work with the UWI-SRC’s E&Oteamtorefinepedagogicalstrategiesforitsstudentoutreachprogramme.Otherdutieswillinclude assisting with the UWI-SRC’s photo archive and providing support as needed for the Centre’s generalE&Oactivities.

Qualifications –FinalYearUndergraduateorPostgraduatestudentsstudyingeducationpreferablywith a specialization in the natural sciences/geography would be ideal. Candidates must be creative, critical thinkers with an interest in using an inquiry-based approach to teaching science particularly at the secondary level and/or informal science education programmes. Candidates must have strong writing and research skills, competence in Microsoft Excel and must be able to work independently. Experience with lesson planning and familiarity with the use of technology in the classroom would also be useful.

Internship Period – June 5 – July 28

Students cut out a volcano 3D models as part of volcano awareness week 2015 activities in St. Vincent.

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Design of a Seismic Data Acquisition and Volcano Monitoring Modules using Open Hardware Platforms - Mr. Lloyd Lynch, Instrumentation Engineer

The UWI-SRC monitors active volcanoes in 8 islands of the Lesser Antilles. The backbone of the monitoring has historically been – and still is, the continuously recording seismic network. For the past20years,geodetictechniqueshavebeenintegratedtothemonitoringsuchasGPSnetworksand gas/hydrothermal monitoring. Crucial to this monitoring network is the data aquisition phase where recorded data is pulled from remote monitoring stations to be processed at the UWI-SRC office in Trinidad. This projects seeks two electronics designers to aid in developing an earthquake data acquisition module and a multi sensor (gas, pH and temperature) remote volcano monitoring device.

Qualifications –FinalyearUndergraduateorPostgraduateComputerandElectricalEngineeringorComputerSciencestudents.FamiliaritywiththeArduinoandRaspberryPiOpenSourceHardwarePlatforms.ProficientinCand/orPythonProgramming.

Note: Two interns will be hired for this project.

Internship Period – June - August

UWI-SRC Electronics Technician Stephen George tests monitoring component circuits for errors.

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Programme Activities

• Interested students must submit a completed application form by April 30th, 2017. No applications will be considered beyond this date. Only suitably qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.

• First day of Internship Orientation– Supervisors will discuss internship expectations, introduce interns to supervisors, outline intern tasks, work culture, dress code, work hours, tour of building, introductions to staff and other activities as necessary.

• Weekly Journal Entry/ Reflection – Interns will have the opportunity to reflect on their involvement in the research project and on their experience within the programme via submission of a weekly journal entry.

• Information Session (once per week approx) – Interns will rotate among various UWI-SRC sections to learn more about the functions of each section.

• Field Trip – Students will participate in at least one field related session.

• ProjectPresentation–InternsarerequiredtodeliveranoralpresentationontheprojecttoUWI-SRC staff at the end of the internship.

Completed application form along with detailed CV, cover letter and references should be sent to:Email: info@uwiseismic.com with the subject: CORE Internship 2017

For more information contact: Stacey EdwardsClevon AshTelephone +1 868-662-4659 ext 310, 408Email: info@uwiseismic.com