In collaboration with the Graduate College’s Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP), PRI is offering hands-on summer internships that will enable undergraduate students from populations underrepresented in graduate study at Illinois to explore careers in applied science. This opportunity is open to students at any U.S. undergraduate institution.

During the 8-week summer program, interns will be immersed in hands-on field and lab projects, led by scientists from the Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois State Water Survey, and Illinois Sustainable Technology Center. Interns will also participate in professional and career development activities and will learn about the pathway to graduate study.

Each summer intern will receive:

• a $4,000 stipend
• funds to cover travel to and from Urbana-Champaign
• on-campus housing and meals, plus supplies for workshops and symposiums

There are opportunities in atmospheric science and climate; biology, ecology, and environmental science; geology; sustainable energy; and water supply and safety.

To learn how to apply, please complete our interest form. The application deadline is Monday, February 10, 2025.

2025 Projects

Assessing watershed conservation effects using Pollutant Load Estimation Tool (PLET)

Elias Getahun, ISWS

This SROP research project aims to evaluate the impact of conservation practices on nonpoint source pollutants, specifically sediment and nutrients, within an Illinois watershed. Utilizing the Pollutant Load Estimation Tool (PLET), the project will develop a customized watershed model to simulate surface runoff and pollutant loads under various land uses and management practices. The student involved will receive comprehensive mentorship and undertake several key activities: setting up a watershed model using PLET, developing a PLET model tailored to an Illinois watershed, and simulating runoff, sediment, and nutrient loads. They will analyze how different land uses and management practices affect these loads, providing valuable insights into the dynamics of nonpoint source pollution. Additionally, the student will evaluate the effectiveness of various best management practices (BMPs) in reducing sediment and nutrient loads by comparing simulated pollutant loads under different BMP scenarios. This evaluation will identify the most effective strategies for mitigating nonpoint source pollution. Finally, the student will prepare a poster presentation summarizing their research findings, highlighting the impact of conservation practices on pollutant loads and the benefits of implementing BMPs in the watershed. This research opportunity will equip the student with essential skills in watershed modeling and a comprehensive understanding of the role of BMPs in reducing nonpoint source pollution. Through hands-on experience and mentorship, the student will gain valuable insights into watershed management complexities and the importance of conservation practices in protecting water quality. This project aims to advance scientific knowledge in watershed management, contributing to effective strategies for managing nonpoint source pollution and promoting sustainable land use practices.

Capture and in-situ conversion of CO₂ using novel plasma technology under ambient conditions

Chinmoy Baroi, ISTC

The continuous rise of CO₂ emissions due to energy production and industrial activities contributes to the escalating issues of global warming. Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is regarded as a vital component in the decarbonization portfolio. Solid sorbent materials-based CO₂ capture is gaining interest over the current state-of-the-art solvent-based capture process due to the drawbacks of the solvent-based process (corrosivity, susceptibility to oxidation, waste generation, and massive water requirements). However, the major drawback of sorbent-based adsorption technologies involves the energy-intensive temperature/pressure/vacuum swing regeneration steps. The CO₂ conversion typically necessitates different elevated temperature and pressure combinations due to the molecule’s stability against forming another product. Thus, it remains a challenge to develop a simultaneous capture and conversion system that operates under ambient temperature and pressure for cost-effectiveness and safety. This project seeks to solve this problem by developing a novel carbon sorbent/catalyst-assisted plasma system that can provide a low-cost option for simultaneous CO₂ capture and conversion at ambient temperature and pressure, with the adaptability to both point-source (PC) and direct air capture (DAC) applications.

From waste to wealth: CO₂ mineralization in WTE ashes for materials recovery

Chinmoy Baroi, ISTC

Concrete production accounts for 9 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions, and 7-8 percent of these emissions can be directly attributed to cement production. Approximately 60 percent of CO₂ emitted during cement production comes from the calcination of limestone, a calcium source that releases CO₂. The emissions due to calcination can be reduced if limestone is replaced with alternative sources of Ca that do not release CO₂ upon calcination. A potential alternative source of Ca is waste-to-energy (WTE) ash. WTE ash is a by-product of waste incineration. In the United States, ~12.7 percent (35 million tons) of waste is incinerated at WTE facilities. Due to waste incineration, ~10 million tons of WTE ash is generated annually. These ashes are typically landfilled because they are concentrated in heavy metals such as Pb and Cd. The proposed project aims to develop novel chlorellestadite-based cementitious materials from WTE ash that develop strength upon exposure to CO₂. To develop chlorellestadite-based cementitious material, the WTE ash will undergo a thermal treatment at 700°C. The ash obtained after thermal treatment is enriched in chlorellestadite (Ca₁₀(SiO₄)₃(SO₄)₃Cl₂) and can be exposed to the CO₂ sourced directly from the flue gas of a WTE facility to develop valuable products such as concrete blocks. Overall, the successful implementation of the proposed work will enable the diversion of WTE ashes from landfills and develop novel cementitious binders with reduced CO₂ footprint.

Design a “magic” biochar to mitigate forever chemicals (PFAS) from biosolids

Wei Zheng, ISTC

The application of biosolids in agriculture offers a sustainable approach to enhancing soil health by providing nutrients and organic matter while reducing the reliance on chemical fertilizers. However, biosolids often contain PFAS — commonly known as “Forever Chemicals” — that persist in the environment and resist breakdown. Our research aims to provide a sustainable solution for treating PFAS-contaminated biosolids using a “magic” biochar, thereby preventing pollution of water supplies by these forever chemicals. The undergraduate student will conduct laboratory studies to produce a series of designer biochars and evaluate their effectiveness in immobilizing PFAS within biosolids.

Environmental DNA to advance biodiversity conservation

Mark Davis, INHS

The SROP student will primarily generate environmental DNA data for threatened and endangered biodiversity throughout the Midwest. Work will include DNA extraction, quantification, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative PCR (qPCR), metabarcoding library prep, gel electrophoresis, and other lab tasks. The student will synthesize, analyze, and interpret data. Finally, the student will participate in field sampling in local aquatic systems, filtering water, and preserving eDNA. The student will be exposed to a myriad of genomics projects and researchers, and trained on required protocols, while also having the flexibility to learn other methods of interest.

Last year’s SROP, Savanna Palmer, did work resulting in an incredible discovery.

Adventures in arthropod collections: Build your own arthropod biodiversity project using the INHS Insect Collection

Tommy McElrath, INHS

Arthropods are the most diverse group of organisms and are hugely important in nearly all ecosystems. Although many types of arthropods are poorly studied, the extensive specimen collections held by the Illinois Natural History Survey provide a rich opportunity to gain understanding and make unexpected discoveries. The student will choose a focal group, such as centipedes, true bugs, soldier beetles, or flesh flies, that has not been comprehensively surveyed in Illinois. They will spend time databasing and identifying that group in the INHS Insect Collection while learning best practices in insect mounting, preservation, and data stewardship. One or two local field collecting trips will also be arranged to suit the student’s project and schedule and to add specimens to the collection. Finally, they will summarize and present their findings at the end of the summer. Potential results include finding new species worthy of conservation, new species in the collection, new state records, or documentation of range expansions to human activities or climate change.

Spatial variation of microplastics in Chicago

Andrew Phillips, ISGS

Plastic production and waste are growing at an exponential rate and micro- and nanoplastic (MnP) pollution is ubiquitous in the environment. Despite growing research into this critical emerging contaminant, our understanding of MnP transport and fate is still lacking. This project links with an existing ISGS project (mapping the geology of Chicago with changing land use) to investigate the distribution of MnPs with depth between two sites of differing land use. The project will investigate whether MnPs are distributed as expected with depth and whether the amount of MnPs differs between a wetland site (typically with water-logged soil) and a terrestrial site (with drained soil). The student will be trained to prepare and analyze sediment samples for MnPs, including digestion and extraction of MnPs onto filters and analysis of particles using microscopy.

This project is a close collaboration with Sophie Comer-Warner, Ph.D., a current BRIDGE Fellow and an aquatic biogeochemist, specializing in carbon and nitrogen cycling and micro- and nanoplastic pollution in large river systems.

Training on insect identification using taxonomic and molecular tools, and data management

Doris Lagos-Kutz, INHS

The U.S. Midwest Suction Trap Network (STN) has been in operation since 2005 and continues to generate data mainly for agricultural services. Suction traps have been deployed throughout the midwestern U.S. to monitor the distribution and migratory patterns of the Asian invasive soybean aphid and the dispersal of other aphids and insect pests, including invasive species. For this SROP research project, I am looking for a student to explore the abundance patterns of the recently detected invasive species the corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (DeLong & Wolcott), a vector for the corn stunt disease. As part of this project, the student will be trained to identify insects using taxonomic and molecular (DNA extractions and PCR) tools. Also, the student will be trained in curatorial and database best practices associated with the collected specimens. Lastly, the student will become familiar with different types of data analyses and the archival of data via the STN website by updating the online database https://agpestmonitor.org.

The undergraduate intern will be encouraged to present findings at U. of I. Plant Sciences and Undergraduate Research symposiums.