The Institute awarded eleven paid summer internships to UVA students for environmental, climate change, and sustainability work in 2026.
Every summer, the UVA Environmental Institute partners with the University Career Center to offer paid summer internships for UVA students interested in environmental, sustainability, and resilience work. The 2026 cohort includes eleven paid internships for students doing everything from environmental communications to hands-on restoration.
One intern, Rachel Basoah-Sarfo, will be working with Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute (REWI) this summer.
Rachel Basoah-Sarfo, an engineering student at the University of Virginia, will intern with REWI this summer. (Photo contributed.)
REWI is an independent nonprofit that works to solve renewable energy, wildlife, and related natural resource challenges by leveraging essential collaboration and actionable science to generate positive real world impacts.
When asked to explain her project, Basoah-Sarfo shared, “This summer, I’ll be supporting REWI’s solar ecosystem research by co-leading a literature review and meta‑analysis on how vertebrate biodiversity is affected by solar farms. Alongside REWI scientists, I’ll organize and annotate research in Zotero [a free, open-source research and reference management tool], help build story maps that translate science into accessible visuals, and contribute to a publicly citable resource that strengthens REWI’s ongoing biodiversity work.”
“I’m looking forward to diving into research that helps us understand the full ecological story behind solar energy,” she continued. “As a systems engineering student, I’m excited to explore how technology, biodiversity, and decision‑making truly connect, and to apply what I’ve learned in the classroom to a real project with real impact. It means a lot to contribute to work that supports both clean energy and healthy ecosystems.”
For more information on all undergraduate student opportunities, visit environment.virginia.edu/explore/student-training-engagement. For information on how to get involved in, apply for, or support student internships in green careers, email environment@virginia.edu.
EI-Funded Internships Summer 2026:
Rachel Basoah-Sarfo (Systems Engineering 2028) with Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute (REWI)
Molly Kaufman (Civil and Environmental Engineering 2026) with Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)- Virginia Coasts and Watersheds
Tara Udani (Environmental Science and Data Science 2027) with Backwater
Rosie Strickland (Environmental Thought & Practice and English 2028) with Green Fin Studios
Marco Antonio Velazquez (Computer Science 2027) with Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) - Louisiana Coasts and Watersheds
Lucy Getacho (Government and Global Sustainability 2027) with The Nature Conservancy
Alia Karim (Political and Social Thought 2028) with Prime Coalition
Kayla Johnson (Biomedical Engineering 2027) with Calyx Global
Gabriella Oakes (Global Studies 2027) with Prime Coalition
Iman Amin (Government and Economics 2026) with World Bank
Connor Frucci (Economics 2027) with Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF)
