Environmental Science & Policy

In the same way that I.T. - information technologies - was the one of the principal drivers of economic growth in the past quarter century, the prolific New York Times columnist Tom Friedman has been famously saying that E.T. - energy technologies - will be the next great global industry. "Green tech" is one of the fastest growing sectors of our economy and workers in the industry not only command higher salaries and increased job security, but they also can take solace in the fact that they are helping to improve the planet's environment and the people and places that depend on healthy ecosystems.

The burgeoning "green" industry is extremely interdisciplinary. It combines elements of both physical science (physics, chemistry, biology) and social science, such as economics and politics. This job sector offers numerous opportunities in engineering and other technical fields, business, policy and government, non-profit, and more. If you want to be a leader in the next great global industry, an internship in environmental science and policy is the best place to start. The industry can be approached from many different perspectives. For instance, environmental consulting firms help organizations reduce their energy usage and save money, policymakers look for ways to influence public decision making on environmental matters, engineering firms design and build more energy efficient products, non-profit conservation groups raise awareness about specific environmental issues, and many corporations even have Chief Sustainability Officers to help guide their company's environmental programs. In short, organizations of all kinds and sizes know that it's good to be green and there are numerous ways to get involved in the industry.

Past environmental science and policy Discovery Interns have:

• Researched and implemented more environmentally friendly business practices.
• Promoted their company’s environmental initiatives to the media and other clients
• Worked with environmental protection agencies on conservation measures.
• Worked with policymakers on environmental legislation.
• And much, much more…

Testimonials

I had the ideal experience since my interests were environment, business and design. CE placed me in a business that is extremely environmentally conscious where we create and market high-end home décor.  I got to see it all!

My passions are the environment and media. CE placed me in an internship involving both my interests where I got to work in a television studio learning about production, but they also allowed my to interview people on environmental topics. We eventually made an amazing documentary on environmental policy and I got to experience the entire process

I have to admit that I surprised even myself in the business meetings. No one expected the high school intern to say anything, but I stepped up, spoke up, and shared ideas during the conferences. They even used a few of my ideas within their operations!