Silent Spring Institute

Duration: Minimum 2 months between June - August

Location: Newton, MA

Position Title:  GIS and Environmental Health Research

Housing: Housing will not be provided.

For more information: Silent Spring Institute - Mass HEIS project  

Description:
• Participating in public training sessions of the tool; contributing to outreach materials and organizing
• Acquiring, editing, and rendering environment and health data; documenting process steps
• Creating themed maps for translation to an online media

Qualifications:
Excellent academic record. One or more courses that have used GIS. Energetic, flexible, constructive outlook. Excellent attention to accuracy, ability to work independently within a multidisciplinary team. Commitment to careful and impartial research in a context of partnership between scientists and the public.

Funding:
Available through the Center for the Environment Summer Leadership Fellowship Program; see application instructions.

Requirements:
Students must submit a resume as well as complete the MHC Universal Application

About the Organization:

Silent Spring Institute, a non-profit institute studying the environment and women’s health, especially breast cancer, is seeking an outstanding summer intern to manage our information center.   We are a multi-disciplinary team with expertise in epidemiology, toxicology, chemistry, GIS, outreach, development, library and information science, and communications.  Annual budget of approximately $1 million supports a staff of 13, working with collaborating investigators at Harvard, Boston University, Brown, University of Southern California, etc., and activists at Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, Hurricane Voices, Alliance for a Health Tomorrow and nationally.  Current research focuses on breast cancer and endocrine disrupting compounds from drinking water pollutants, household exposures, and other sources.  This is an opportunity to be part of a nationally recognized, innovative, mission-driven team.

MassHEIS project – Massachusetts Health and Environment Information System
MassHEIS is an online health and environment mapping resource for all municipalities in Massachusetts developed by Silent Spring Institute. This internship will provide an excellent opportunity for a student to put into practice their ArcGIS desktop skills and learn ArcIMS and ArcGIS Server to aid environmental health research.