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From the Field

Oct 5, 2026

My Summer in the Swamp: An ACRC Research Experience

This summer I was lucky enough to work as a research assistant for the Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center. I was born and raised in Juneau, but it wasn’t until I returned from my undergraduate experience down south that I realized I dreamed of having a job where I could be outside and soak in all the magic of Southeast Alaska. Last year I began taking environmental science classes at the University of Alaska Southeast so I could start my journey towards graduate school. Working at ACRC was such a wonderful experience that presented me with a wide range of opportunities to explore the many areas of environmental science. Throughout the summer, I worked with graduate/PhD students, professors, research scientists, and my fellow classmates. I was quickly enamored by the fieldwork, wearing waders and rubber gloves to tromp out to a beaver pond and collect water in a part of Juneau I had never been before. Bug nets became an important accessory as we bushwhacked further into the summer months. In the lab, we learned how to process water samples to analyze alkalinity, turbidity, Total Suspended Solids, and absorbance. We also spent time sorting bugs under a microscope, patching waders, and learning the importance of a triple rinse.

Sydney Jones is sampling in a landslide stream.

Sep 25, 2026

Streams, Sound, and Science: An ACRC Intern Experience

Hello! My name is Ash, and I’m a junior in environmental studies at UAS. I moved from Western North Carolina to Alaska in 2025. As dearly as I love the Appalachians, I wanted to explore somewhere new. My background is in visual arts and digital media, though I’ve always been nature-oriented, with a personal goal to spend as much time outside as possible. Conservation is also very important to me, so it’s been exciting to dive deeper into this field.

Sep 22, 2026

A Summer in the Streams: My ACRC Internship Experience

This summer, I had the most incredible time during my internship at the ACRC. As a research assistant, I took part in a wide range of environmental science research projects happening here in the Tongass. Through this internship, I developed skills in scientific fieldwork, lab analysis, and data entry. I participated in a wide variety of research, including weekly stream sampling, paddling on Mendenhall Lake to analyze turbidity, exploring and sampling beaver ponds, analyzing pollutants in the tissue of mussels, and soil science.

four ACRC interns pose in a meadow with snow-capped mountains in the background

Sep 11, 2026

Learning the Ropes of Field Research: An ACRC Intern Experience

Hi, my name is Jasmine! I am in my third year of studying environmental science at the University of Alaska Southeast. During the summer of 2026, I had the wonderful opportunity to work at the Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center as an intern. Before this summer, I had no experience with outdoor research in the field and in a lab. Throughout the summer, I was able to learn methods for ongoing research that ACRC performs, assist graduate students with their data collection, and even take on a small individual project where I was able to put the skills and knowledge I had gained into action.

Jasmine Louwagie stands in a stream with a device to measure stream flow

Dec 26, 2025

Getting to know the streams: An ACRC Scrapbook

When I first applied for the ACRC, I was super excited about the idea of getting to work in environmental sciences. I was excited to spend time outside doing field work as part of my job. Although there were many things about this job that I was expecting to enjoy, there were also things that I appreciated unexpectedly.

Dec 26, 2025

Understanding Glacial Stream Systems - An ACRC intern experience

The Juneau icefield melts into the major watersheds of Juneau, Alaska. These glacial rivers are essential for salmon, whales and all other aquatic wildlife. This summer I worked on research understanding the linked ecosystems within the glacial watersheds with projects that ranged from methane sources to juvenile salmon behavior. The organization I worked with, Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center, is based at the University of Alaska Southeast and is closely connected to the USDA Forest Service to complete research projects.

Aug 16, 2025

Art Meets Science: An Intern’s Reflection at ACRC

Hello my name is Lelehua Fujimoto Vertido and I’m an intern at ACRC through Sealaska Heritage Institute. I'm Alaska Native, grew up in Juneau, and I’m going into my second year at UAS as an Environmental Science major. Through this internship I gained valuable experiences and insight that I will carry with me wherever I go.

Aug 5, 2025

Bikes, Bugs, and Baby Salmon: A summer of field science with ACRC

Hi! I’m Jake Watkins and I'm a soon to be senior at UAS studying fisheries and ocean science. This summer at ACRC, I’ve been working alongside Blake Toney as a research technician looking at juvenile salmonid responses to extreme flow events. I’ve known about ACRC and some of the rad fisheries ecology work that they’ve been doing since I started studying at UAS. I was definitely most intrigued by all the extensive hands-on work they were doing. When I heard about a potential position being available I knew it would be a great opportunity to learn some invaluable field and lab skills. Additionally, thoughts surrounding graduate school have also been lingering in my head and I thought this position would help me better understand the grad school process.

Aug 26, 2024

In the Field with Finn: Summer as an ACRC Intern

My name is Finn Finnegan, and I am going into my fourth year at UAS pursuing a BA in environmental studies. Working with ACRC over the summer has been a great opportunity to expand my experience in environmental research and gain a deeper understanding of our local environment here in Juneau.

Aug 14, 2024

Tracking Salmon at Davies Creek: A summer internship experience

Hello, my name is Corban. I am entering my second year at UAS. When I started this internship, I was pursuing a major in environmental science; however, after my time with ACRC, I am switching my focus to Biology. I first learned about this internship from a professor of mine. It seemed like a very good opportunity to me, and I was tired of working in retail, so it felt like a necessary change. I was originally interested due to the more humane ways Lindsey captured and handled the fish. Additionally, being outside and hiking most days was very appealing to me.