Environmental Policy

My favorite part of the internship was expanding my knowledge on marine conservation laws through my research, since I'm interested in marine conservation and the legal field, and marine conservation legislation is a combination of those interests. I also enjoyed the new experience of writing a long report, since this was the first time I've written a research paper over 15 pages. I felt that my final product was something I could be proud of, which makes the time I spent during the internship worthwhile. The internship contributed to my personal and professional development by forcing me to improve my organizational skills. Since I didn't have designated hours, I had to make sure I spent enough time on my assignments to complete them to a high standard. This meant I had to spread out my working hours in order to pace myself, which resulted in an improvement in my planning and organizational abilities. This internship was a highlight of my time in high school, and I will be sure to recommend it to my friends.

My remote internship has been a wonderful experience. I have loved connecting with professionals who work within my field of interest and learning about marine life conservation. I hope that one day I will be able to visit the Institute in person! As an intern, I worked within the environmental law and policy team. During this time, I researched dolphinariums and legislation pertaining to dolphins in captivity. Ultimately, this assisted with the organization's promotional and development work surrounding the new dolphin sanctuary being built in Greece. I think I underestimated how flexible the role was and I worried about this very much before I started. I loved how I could work on everything in my own time. I think I would advise others not to worry about this.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my remote internship. It has been so exciting working on a project that I am passionate about. Being able to carry out research knowing it could help rescue dolphins from dolphinariums across Europe motivated me to work harder during this project. My research skills have greatly developed and I learnt how to effectively search for legislation and information in different countries. It has contributed towards my personal and professional development as I have gained confidence in my ability to successfully conduct research and write a report independently with guidance. Although sometimes it has been difficult, I am proud of the report I have produced and am excited to hear about the updates on this project in Greece! My supervisor, Phoebe, has been so helpful throughout this experience.

I feel this internship has set me up for a better understanding of what legal studies are. I feel empowered to be successful through the tools I have learned throughout this process. I have learned how to properly examine legislation and compare it to those of other government organizations. This internship has allowed me to create a better understanding of how to find resources and other information systems to create real-life experience for comparing law and legal culture for future jobs. The skills I have learned through creating this legal comparison has allowed me to build on my critical thinking skills.

My role as an Environmental Law intern was to provide support to marine conservation staff on special assignments, such as legislation-related projects. The internship placement aims to protect the biodiversity of the Greek islands and the Mediterranean through multidisciplinary research and conservation efforts. The team aims to reach out to anyone interested in marine conservation and protecting marine life. They also work with people worldwide, although their work is primarily based in the Mediterranean. The work involves long-running research projects to monitor changes in marine diversity and populations to assess the impact of anthropogenic stressors and climate change. My main takeaway was the amount of research I did on marine mammals and what legal jurisdiction they have, compared to other countries. I was able to acquire knowledge that I would normally never have.

Towards the end of my internship I truly began to feel that I could make a difference to the environment with the sort of work I was doing and I felt hopeful for the future. I feel as if my research and writing skills have massively improved since starting the internship and I feel more confident that my work is good enough for a professional setting. I now have a better idea of what it is like working in an environmental policy setting and also how much hard work goes on behind the scenes to make positive change happen!