CW3E Internship Program

Applications for Summer 2025 have closed. Applications for Summer 2026 will open in late 2025, please check back then. We are very excited to welcome our next intern cohort this June!

Purpose

  • The Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E) leads research and operational programs aimed to better understand and improve the predictability of extreme weather events in the western U.S., such as atmospheric rivers, among many other research areas. For more information on what we do, please browse our website.
  • The goal of the CW3E Summer Intern Program is to provide summer research opportunities to undergraduate students who are interested in one or more of CW3E’s research areas. This program welcomes applications from both students with prior research experience and students who have not had prior research experience or may not have access to a research lab at their home institution.
  • All undergraduate students are encouraged to apply, regardless of experience level. The goal of this program is to provide summer research opportunities to undergraduate students who are interested in one or more of CW3E’s research areas.
  • We encourage students to apply who have not had prior research experience. This program welcomes applications from both students with prior research experience and students who have not had prior research experience or may not have access to a research lab at their home institution, however, the overall goal of the program is to expand access to summer research opportunities to those who may not have had them before.

Program Details

Timeline: 9 week program from June 21 – August 23, 2025 (dates are tentative)

Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus in La Jolla, CA. One intern located at Scripps will be co-hosted with the Aspen Global Change Institute (AGCI) and have the opportunity to travel to Colorado for one week of paid fieldwork. One intern will be located in Colorado, co-hosted with the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council (YVSC) and Colorado Mountain College (CMC).

Compensation: $20/hr for 35-40 hours/week primarily during regular business hours. Paid housing on the UCSD campus and travel to San Diego are provided. The Colorado-placed intern will also have housing provided. Other costs, including food and parking will not be reimbursed and are the responsibility of the intern.

Program Eligibility

  • Undergraduate students are eligible to apply. We will also accept applications from undergraduate students who plan to graduate in May/June of the internship year.
  • No prior research or professional experience is required. All students who are interested in gaining hands-on research experience in one or more of CW3E’s research areas are encouraged to apply, regardless of experience level.

Application

Applications for Summer 2025 have closed. Applications for Summer 2026 will open in late 2025. Please check back with us then!

  • Each Year, our application consists of several short and longer answer questions to gauge your interests, motivations, and experience.
  • You will also be asked to upload a copy of your resume, unofficial transcript, and contact information for at least one reference. An official transcript may need to be provided upon request.
  • Applications will be evaluated primarily based on your submitted resume and short/long answer responses. Points will be awarded for clearly articulating your motivations for applying, how you hope the program will benefit you, and any unique experiences/perspectives you will bring to CW3E.

Desired Outcomes

  • Students will complete a research project guided by an advanced graduate student, postdoctoral scholar, or staff researcher at CW3E, YVSC, AGCI, and/or CMC.
  • CW3E and partners will provide a hands-on and interactive learning experience for the visiting students. In addition to the primary research project, there will also be organized weekly discussions and other events.
  • Students will gain skills in areas including meteorology, data analysis, scientific visualizations, and oral/written presentations.
  • Students may have the opportunity to participate in fieldwork in sites across the western U.S.

Program Expectations

  • In-person attendance. Dormitory housing on the UCSD campus, or in Colorado, will be provided.
  • Students will keep a detailed research notebook of their methods and results so that work on their project may be continued after the program ends.
  • Students will deliver a 2-page summary and a final research presentation of their project at the end of the internship.

Potential Project Topics

  1. Improve forecasts and verification products using HPC data workflows for the forecast season
  2. Data impact study of Atmospheric River Reconnaissance 2025
  3. Exploring Seasonal Shifts in Atmospheric Rivers in Future Climate
  4. Evaluating Soil Moisture Variability in the CO Mountains (AGCI, internship in La Jolla, CA – field campaign in CO)
  5. Monitoring climate and soil moisture indicators in the Yampa Basin (YVSC, internship in Steamboat Springs, CO)
  6. Monitoring climate and soil moisture indicators in the Yampa Basin (internship in La Jolla, CA, field campaign in Steamboat Springs, CO)
  7. Evaluation of artificial intelligence weather models for forecasting atmospheric rivers over Antarctica

Please refer to this page for a summary of previous years’ interns and their projects.

Contact

For more information or questions about the program please contact Laura Martin.