PROFESSIONAL
Internship Program
The ClimateSense Professional Internship Program is designed to build adaptation capacity in recent post-secondary students, as well as host organizations within the public and private sectors.
​
We are excited about our next round of intern opportunities, coming soon!
A number of Island organizations were selected to host a recent post-secondary graduate for a six (6) to twelve (12) month internship for 2021. During this time, our interns worked with mentors within the host organization to complete a sector-specific adaptation project, and also took part in ClimateSense Training and Development Programs.
​
We are pleased to present our 2021 Internship Projects.
Abegweit First Nation
The project goal is to design and initiate an asset inventory, risk assessment and adaptation strategy for the First Nation, which considers the expected effects of climate change.
​
Action Femmes IPE
PEI Women's Action
The goal of this project is to develop and implement adaptation strategy for Action Femmes, with a focus on the effects of climate change on Acadian and francophone women in PEI - to raise awareness and engage with the francophone community of climate change adaptation issues, while training several members of the community to become climate change champion.
Le projet de stagiaire de ClimateSense auprès d’Actions Femmes IPÉ, un organisme sans but lucratif qui représente les femmes acadiennes et francophones de l’Île-du-Prince- Édouard, était de développer et de mettre en œuvre une stratégie d'adaptation , en mettant l'accent sur les effets du changement climatique sur les femmes acadiennes et francophones de l'ÎPE tout en formant plusieurs membres de la communauté à devenir des champions du changement climatique.
​
Canadian Centre for Climate Change & Adaptation
The goal for this project is to investigate the creation of a non-governmental organization serving the interests of climate change and adaptation officers in Canada including incorporation, board of directors, draft by-laws, registering as a charity under the Income Tax Act, scheduling of reporting requirements under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act, etc., as well as creating a final business plan, promotional activities, website presence and operations manual.
​
City of Charlottetown
Project #1: Planning and Policy: Identify gaps and develop a policy for development that considers Climate Change Adaptation, to be included in City by-laws and contribute to PEI Climate Adaptation Plan.
Project #2: Infrastructure Resilience: Review climate risks to City infrastructure, and select an infrastructure project for implementation (stormwater management, coastal protection, etc) Project to contribute to Properties & Infrastructure, Water, Energy and Tourism recommendations of the PEI Climate Adaptation Plan.
*Please note that Project #1 is paired with the Municipality of Victoria, and Project #2 is paired with the Town of Stratford.
​
CreativePEI
The goal for this project is to develop and deliver a series of community-engaged arts outreach activities for targeted segments of the population to inspire action on climate adaptation. The project will build CreativePEI's adaptive capacity by encouraging our members to adapt their practices to changing realities, expand their skills in community-engaged arts practices and explore climate change adaptation as emerging subject matter for their work.
​
Department of Agriculture & Land
Project #1: Development of a pest monitoring/ surveillance program in response to the climate change impacts on crop production. This new system will be established to facilitate the identification of new pests and pathogens that could be introduced to the Island under the future climate as suggested in PEI Climate Change Adaptation Recommendations Report.
Project #2: Assess new agricultural market opportunities that producers may diversify into, in response to changing climate conditions in PEI. This will involve a review of past and projected climate trends for PEI and identifying new crop varieties that will be suitable to these variables (temperature, growing degree days, frost-free days, precipitation, etc.). Other emerging opportunities in the agricultural sector (other than potential new crops to the region) that could arise due to new climate conditions may also be explored. Furthermore, the Intern will assess the industry in PEI to determine: 1) capacity to accommodate for market diversification as an adaptation strategy to climate change, 2) the barriers to adopting new crop varieties and/or other emerging opportunities, and 3) policy implications so that the DAL may better support the agricultural industry to adapt.
​
​
​
The goal of this project will be to development and delivery of inquiry models/lessons that target select specific curriculum outcomes from the Prince Edward Island science curriculum that are conducive to the integration of climate awareness/resilience/adaptation. Delivery of the lessons will entail a few different formats. One of which involves the co-facilitation (along with classroom teachers) of climate-related lessons to students in classrooms across the province of Prince Edward Island.
​
Department of Education & Lifelong Learning
The ClimateSense Professional Internship Program is designed to build climate change adaptation capacity in recent post-secondary graduates as well as host organizations within the public and private sectors. Interns will complete an internship placement with a provincial government department, non-governmental organization, business, industry association, or other external organization. Interns will work with mentors within the host organization to complete a sector-specific adaptation project and will also take part in the ClimateSense Training and Professional Development Program.
This internship involves placement with the PEI Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (Forests, Fish and Wildlife Division).
​
Department of Environment, Energy & Climate Change
Department of Health & Wellness​
The ClimateSense Professional Internship Program is designed to build climate change adaptation capacity in recent post-secondary graduates as well as host organizations within the public and private sectors. Interns will complete an internship placement with a provincial government department, non-governmental organization, business, industry association, or other external organization. Interns will work with mentors within the host organization to complete a sector-specific adaptation project and will also take part in the ClimateSense Training and Professional Development Program.
This internship involves placement with PEI Department of Health & Wellness.
​
Department of Social
Development & Housing
​
This project will consist of three components:
1. Using results from the recently completed energy efficiency audit; plan the appropriate and feasible retrofits to the existing buildings.
2. Assess what climate adaptations could be made to the exterior of older buildings and green areas to foster positive actions toward climate change.
3. Planning for new builds. Consideration would need to be given to green infrastructure, location of the building, and connecting to transportation systems. This component would also be looking at new builds in relation to the province's sustainable transportation project.
​
Island Nature Trust
The goal for this project is to analyze the natural areas owned by Island Nature Trust to develop and implement a stewardship plan to create resiliency against the impacts of climate change and improve natural carbon sinks to maximize carbon sequestration. Examples of this work would include transitioning from borealized forests to more resilient Acadian forest ecosystems, planting native species along coastal properties to protect against erosion, and removing invasive species.
​
Municipality of Victoria
The goal of this project is to work with the community on the implementation of a climate change adaptation action policy to incorporate into the Municipality's “Vision 2035” and EMO plans. There are serious concerns relating to erosion and sea-level rise as well as critical infrastructure close to the sea. There is a commercial fishery and thriving tourism sector that are being affected by climate change.
*Please note this project is paired with Project #1 for the City of Charlottetown.
​
PEI Watershed Alliance (PEIWA)
​
Project: Work with watershed groups and PEI Watershed Alliance members to address knowledge and communication gaps around climate change and adaptation including developing and delivering presentations (or other communications) to the watershed community
- Identify and address ways that watershed groups can be more inclusive in their communications and programming to engage more BIPOC populations and other under-represented stakeholders.
- Research and compile resources on habitat resiliency techniques and other adaptation techniques to be shared with watershed groups with the potential to develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for these climate change monitoring and adaptation techniques.
- Develop climate change education materials that groups can use in community and school presentations
- Develop resources (e.g., video, print, etc) that groups can share on their social media platforms, websites and newsletters relating to climate change adaptation
​
Town of Stratford
The goal of this project is to assess coastal infrastructure vulnerabilities, with a specific aim of developing and implementing adaptation measures for wastewater pumping stations as well as coastal properties.
This project will ultimately provide the Town with the capacity to implement concrete adaptation measures to coastal effects of climate change. At present, the Town does not have the human resources to undertake this important work.
*Please note this project is paired with Project #2 for the City of Charlottetown.
​
.png)
University of Prince Edward Island
The objective of this project is to develop a GIS- and web-based visualization tool to support the exploration of spatiotemporal patterns of rainfall across PEI, using the state-of-the-art technologies in geospatial data analytics, machine learning, and online mapping. Particularly, the developed tool will incorporate historical and future climate data from various sources (e.g., weather stations, radar images, reanalysis datasets, CMIP6 climate projections).
Delivery of a novel visualization and mapping tool which allows local farmers to explore the spatiotemporal changes in rainfall patterns for the entire island of PEI as well as for individual farmlands. A final project report summarizing the key findings from this project will also be submitted.
​
Wind Energy Institute of Canada
The goal of this project is to support the site's research program in collecting, processing, and analyzing data from the meteorological towers and other site infrastructure. Analysis of data will provide insight into the impact of climate change on wind turbine power production, icing, major weather events, precipitation, etc. Understanding the impact of climate change will aid WEICan in planning future renewable energy installations and in developing control algorithms for renewable energy generators and batteries.
​