Invasive species intern recognized for stewardship of Alaska’s coastal waters

Photo of Mia holding a small crab discovered while setting traps for invasive European green crab. The crab she is holding is native to Alaska.
Mia Siebenmorgen Cresswell

By Maia Draper-Reich, Danielle Verna, & Kate Morse

In January, the Alaska SeaLife Center announced that the Council’s former intern Mia Siebenmorgen Cresswell would receive one of its 2023 Alaska Ocean Leadership awards. These awards are given to Alaskans who have made “significant contributions to the awareness and sustainability of the state’s marine resources.”

The Council was proud to support her nomination for the Ocean Youth Award category, which recognizes an individual or team of youth up to 19 years old who has displayed a dedication to promoting the understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s oceans. This honor includes a $500 cash prize.

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Community Corner: Citizen scientists help the Council monitor our region

By Lisa Matlock, Outreach Coordinator

Lisa Matlock

One of the Council’s federal mandates involves environmental monitoring. With a small staff and vast geographic area, this monitoring takes many forms. Monitoring is often done by staff or contractors, but some monitoring takes place thanks to the Council’s volunteers and interns – all citizen scientists.

Since 2014, the Council has had high school interns in the community of Cordova who help monitor for aquatic invasive species. Three interns, Sarah Hoepfner, Cadi Moffitt, and currently Cori Pegau, have volunteered to hang sturdy plastic “settling plates” in the Cordova harbor each spring, to be picked up in the fall. The interns check the organisms that accumulate on the plate for critters such as invasive tunicates and bryozoans.

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Internship opportunities for 2015-2016 school year

Curriculum creator Katie Gavenus (green hat at left) shows Whittier students how oiled water affects bird feathers. Photo by Lisa Matlock.
 Alaska Oil Spill Curriculum contractor Katie Gavenus (green hat at left) shows Whittier students how oiled water affects bird feathers.

THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS FOR BOTH INTERNSHIP POSITIONS HAS PASSED. We are no longer taking applications. Thank you for your interest in the council.


The council is currently recruiting for two interns to complete two different projects this school year:

  • Hydrocarbon Research Intern: The intern will complete a project comparing the historic and present properties of Alaska North Slope crude oil.
  • Environmental Education Intern: Intern will be trained to present K-12 Oil Spill Curriculum lessons for a variety of ages. The intern will then coordinate and travel to at least five PWSRCAC communities to present lessons to youth.

Both of these internships are appropriate for undergraduate students. The Environmental Education Internship may also be appropriate for a graduate student.

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