WELCOME TO THE NEW HOME OF THE NATIONAL HISPANIC ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL!
NHEC announces the 19th NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENTAL STEM INSTITUTE
July 26 - August 4, 2024
Welcome to the NHEC Website!
NHEC PROGRAMS AND INFORMATION
NHEC 14th NEW JERSEY/NEW YORK ENVIRONMENTAL STEM INSTITUTE
June 21-30, 2024
To Students, Educators, Environmental Organizations, Federal Agencies, and others:
If you have not seen our earlier emails, the National Hispanic Environmental Council (NHEC) is holding its 14th NY/NJ Environmental STEM Institute from June 21-30, 2024 at the SpringHill Suites Woodbridge in Woodbridge, NJ (about 25 miles from Manhattan) and at various sites in northern NJ and Staten Island.
NHEC is still accepting applications from top college STEM students (undergraduates, aged 18-22), especially people of color and from underrepresented communities. We have a number of remaining slots we are eager to fill, with your assistance.
As with all our Institutes over the last 18 years, NHEC covers all costs – airfare, meals, housing, science equipment, more-- for those selected to attend. Funding comes from our sponsors – the U.S. Forest Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and U.S. EPA. There is no fee to apply or attend. Students are competitively selected from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Further—with the strong support/funding of the U.S. Forest Service, a long-standing sponsor--there is a new feature to our Institutes. Participating students will receive an educational stipend provided by FS for their hard work in this intensive program. Thus, upon successful completion of the Institute (as determined by NHEC), each student will receive a check from NHEC for $600. Students will receive their checks after the Institute.
NHEC Institutes are a rigorous, science-heavy, hands-on, 10 day residential environmental STEM program. Taught by NHEC's skilled Instructors, most with advanced degrees including Ph.D's, the Institutes feature multiple high-level presentations on environmental/natural resource issues, environmental science principles, and related field methodologies. Every Institute ends with student teams giving a Final Presentation on each of the Field Study sites. The Institutes are designed to give college students a high-quality science experience, while providing in-depth exposure to federal enviro agencies and their mission, especially of our sponsors. As for our 2024 Institutes, NHEC held its 9th CA Institute back in January, and will hold its 19th annual NM Environmental STEM Institute July 26-Aug. 4.
The Institutes core element is the Environmental Field Studies, where students conduct air, water, and soil testing, plant/vegetation surveys, tree mensuration, and more, with professional-grade science equipment and instrumentation, including for example eDNA. Other learning includes site visits/field exploration on public and private lands; learning/conducting experiments at federal research labs; sessions on federal internships/jobs in enviro/natural resource STEM fields; and more.
Another core component is the active participation of role models—scientists, researchers, and technical experts—especially those of color—from Institute sponsors and other partners. Role models attend to interact, share scientific information, provide mentoring in academic, career, and research pathways, but especially to inspire the students–-to show that "I made it in this field and so can you".
Regarding eligibility—students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA; love science and be passionate about the environment; are pursuing a science degree in an environmental, natural resource, or agricultural major; possess science-relevant academic coursework; and possess relevant environmental experience(s), past or present. As this is a federally funded program the Institutes are open to all. Applicants must be US Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents to be selected. Past Institute students are eligible to apply/attend.
Students will explore diverse ecosystems in natural forests, national parks, and other public/private lands; labs and other facilities; and more. NHEC's agency sponsors are actively participating in planning and on-site.
Overall, Institutes are designed to help build the next generation of scientists, researchers, and professionals of color in environmental, natural resource, and agricultural science fields, an area within STEM that still remains severely underrepresented for people of color.
Last—students should note that staff and scientists from our federal sponsors will be at the Institute seeking to meet/recruit/hire students for new federal STEM opportunities in internships and jobs, science and technology, climate change and environmental justice, and more.
Please see the attached NY/NJ Institute Fact Sheet for more information on NHEC, the Institutes, how to apply, and how to contact us. Qualified students should act promptly on this unique opportunity, as remaining slots will go fast.
Finally, we ask that you kindly forward this information on to interested students and related colleges, organizations, and more. NHEC sincerely thanks you for your help. For more information or questions, call NHEC at 703-683-3956 or our website at www.nheec1.org
Roger Rivera
President, NHEC
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WHAT WE DO
Aside from being the nation's largest and oldest Hispanic environmental organization, NHEC hosts a variety of events around the nation.
- NHEC STEM Institutes in New Mexico, New York City, Southern California, Northern California and the Pacific Northwest
- NHEC National Latino Forums and Roundtables
- NHEC Career Conferences
NHEC: Creating the next generation of scientists!
The NHEC STEM Institutes are an intensive, residential, strongly science-based, hands-on, from a week to 10 days long conservation education and conservation career programs for top college STEM diversity students, aged 18-22, deeply interested in and actively pursuing an environmental/conservation related major and career in the sciences.
Using our award-winning Environmental STEM curriculum taught by NHEC’s skilled instructors, many with Ph.D’s, students receive in-depth environmental and conservation presentations on a range of issues/methodologies.
There is also a citizen science component to the Institutes. Students conduct Environmental Field Studies (air, soil, water testing, plant inventories, tree ecology, biological assessments, birding, more) using professional-grade, often high-tech equipment. Students will also visit, learn, and use sophisticated environmental science equipment for data and specimen analyses in environmental laboratories. Working in teams,students collaborate, prepare, and give a Final Presentation on the last day of the Institute, using all the data, observations, and metrics they have collected during the program.
If you are a student and want to be considered or if you are an educator, parent or councilor and want to let your students know about the Institutes, be sure and send us your email in the SUBSCRIBE section or through our CONTACT section both below.