Water Dawgs is a paid summer program that provides freshwater science education, professional development, and internship opportunities for local high school students from groups typically underrepresented in STEM. Programs aimed at recruiting and retaining students in freshwater science typically focus on undergraduate and graduate students. However, students often make important decisions about their interest in STEM fields and STEM careers during their high school years. Thus, we need new educational approaches that increase interest in freshwater science and promote freshwater science careers beginning at an earlier age.
Water Dawgs consists of two parts:
- Summer training program– participants will receive training in freshwater science and Adopt-A-Stream water quality monitoring protocols
- Internship– participants will intern with a citizen science water quality monitoring group