The Oregon Applied Sustainability Experience (OASE) internship program connects environmental science, chemistry, sustainability and engineering, students with Oregon businesses to conduct pollution prevention research projects. Projects focus on preventing pollution and saving resources and money by reducing toxic chemicals, energy, water use and solid waste.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and
Oregon Sea Grant partner to administer the program. Oregon businesses host interns for 10 weeks during the summer. Interns receive a stipend and are paired with a technical advisor and an academic mentor who provides additional support and resources. Recent companies include Pacific Seafood, Boeing, Tofurkey and New Seasons Market. Check out the
OASE Success Stories to learn more about the interns' work.
OASE is dedicated to selecting a diverse pool of students and prioritizes BIPOC and underserved applicants.
Applications are open for businesses in December and spring for students. Visit the
OASE website to apply.
Benefits
- Allow businesses to find solutions to sustainability-related challenges they may not otherwise develop or implement.
- Help businesses improve processes and materials using pollution prevention techniques and principles.
- Provide students with practical experience applying sustainability principles through hands-on internships. Participation in the program will allow students to strengthen their networks, build their resumes and improve their potential job opportunities.
Exceeding goals
OASE interns helped businesses:
- Save $6,699,708 annually
- Prevent 286 tons of hazardous waste
- Reduce the use of 118.7 million gallons of water
Host businesses fully endorse the intern program:
“Our intern experience was very helpful. Our intern was responsible and reliable, and helped focus our team on important improvements to our processes. The program administration process was efficient and effective, too.”, Penny Machinski, West Linn Paper Company
“Hosting an intern was immensely valuable for Craft Brew Alliance, resulting in tools that are helping us save resources, and projects that have been installed!", Julia Person, Craft Brew Alliance
Funding
The Oregon Applied Sustainability Experience internship program is funded by the EPA's Pollution Prevention Grant. Future program development is dependent on identifying and obtaining funding. Please visit the OASE website for donation opportunities.
Contact
For more information, contact Lisa Cox at DEQ and Jenny Engels at Oregon Sea Grant.