UF’s Thompson Earth Systems Institute helps students build sustainable STEM careers in Florida
With environmental challenges on the rise in Florida and beyond, the demand for skilled and informed STEM professionals has never been greater.
At the forefront of cultivating these leaders is the University of Florida's Thompson Earth Systems Institute, or TESI – a component of the Florida Museum of Natural History, which helps advance communication and education about Earth systems science to inspire Floridians to be “effective stewards” of the planet.
TESI alumni have gone on to work as science communication professionals in key industries statewide, such as media, education, and environmental advocacy.
“TESI showed me how much the natural world infiltrates every sector of our lives,” said UF alumna Brittney Miller, who now works as an associate editor at Florida Trend magazine. “To this day, I still draw on those many connections for my stories.”
Miller is one of 25 interns who has completed the 2021-founded TESI Environmental Communicators Internship – a program that teaches students to develop social media content, write newsletter articles, and create videos focused on communicating Earth systems issues to the public. Miller believes that having a TESI feature story in her portfolio from the internship helped her get accepted into the Science Communication Master’s Program at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
“This internship remains one of our strongest programs, and several of our students have gone on to land jobs in science communication,” said Megan Ennes, the TESI director and the assistant curator of museum education at the Florida Museum. “Now we’re looking for sustainable funding streams to continue offering experiential learning opportunities.”
UF alum Ellen Bausback, who works as a contractor writer and editor at the Glenn Research Center at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, said the TESI internship helped her “get a lot of practice writing concisely, summing up scientific and technical information, and thinking about what your reader really needs to know, which is all still very important in my job now.”
Along with the immersive, hands-on learning the internship provides, the experience also helps students come away with clearer goals and a greater measure of self-reliance.
“While I developed plenty of resume-building skills and proficiencies, I also learned to feel confident in my creative abilities,” said former TESI intern Isabel Yianilos. “And, especially, I learned to never give up on the path I'm passionate about. This has been an especially important lesson to remember while job searching.”
The Environmental Communicators Internship is just one of TESI’s Environmental Leaders Programs that encourages students to develop their skills in science communication, leadership, and advocacy — because, when it comes to the planet, it’s an all-hands-on-deck approach.
The 2021-founded Environmental Leaders Fellowship and the Environmental Leaders Network also support TESI students through mentorship, skill-building, and networking opportunities tailored to bolster their careers and amplify their impact. Fellows attend seminars featuring environmental experts, receive mentoring from professionals in environmental fields, and take part in a multi-day spring break field experience focused on environmental challenges across Florida.
“The TESI spring break field experience was one of the most transformative opportunities that shaped my career trajectory,” said Sarisha Boodoo – a former TESI intern, fellow, and one of the founders of the Environmental Leaders Network, who now works as a science communicator at Florida Sea Grant.
Former TESI fellow Kamya Bates said the program helped her find her path in environmental sciences while she was a pre-veterinary medicine student at UF. Fellow Isabelle “Izzy” Gain received a Champions for Change Award from the UF Office of Sustainability for her exceptional stewardship of the program. And Connor Milton and Alexandria “Alex” O’Donovan found the TESI experiences to be transformative for building their professional resumes.
To further support TESI program participants, the Environmental Leaders Network provides educational workshops, networking activities, and social events for more than 400 students across 68 majors – providing students with the resources and connections to pursue successful environmental careers.
“TESI is committed to providing meaningful experiences for our students,” Ennes said. “We’re continuing to grow and expand.”