Communications Landscape Analysis

Morton Arboretum

Mentor

Jessica Turner-Skoff, PhD, Treeologist, Science and Conservation

Company Overview

The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to collecting and studying trees, shrubs, and other plants from around the world, to displaying them across our 1700 square acres. Over 1 million people visit our living laboratory each year. Join our Science and Conservation department to act locally to protect trees in the Chicago region, work globally to prevent the extinction of trees, and to inspire and engage the next generation of tree scientists.

Internship Description

Given the population density and richness of institutions in the Chicagoland Region, there are numerous non-profits/government institutions/higher education institutions that promote science communication in formal and informal settings (example: The Field Museum Women in Science, C2ST, Astronomy on Tap, Illinois Science Council, Science in Society). The intern will conduct extensive research and participate in networking to understand the scope and scale of science communication groups in the region. The Intern will conduct a Gap Analysis of Science Communication institutions and groups in the Chicagoland area to help build a professional network and to coordinate outreach efforts. (This link could serve as an example to follow).

This would be a perfect internship for a student that is interested in pursuing science communication as a career or wanting to increase their skills in science communication. If the intern is interested in science outreach and education, this internship could help develop an understanding of the outreach opportunities that exist in a large metropolitan community. This position could also help the intern become aware of potential career opportunities.

 Qualifications

• Strong skills in interpersonal relationships, organization, and critical thinking required.
• Self-motivated and willingness to network.
• Ability in disseminating information and communicating key messages verbally and in writing. 
• Open to constructive feedback.
• Well-versed in Microsoft Office and willing to learn new skills.

Responsibilities Will Include

• Development and management of a large database of science communication non-profits, including determination of key information about each organization that should be highlighted in the database. 
• Producing a short, written report of key findings of the analysis.