Environmental Policy

My remote internship has been a wonderful experience. I have loved connecting with professionals who work within my field of interest and learning about marine life conservation. I hope that one day I will be able to visit the Institute in person! As an intern, I worked within the environmental law and policy team. During this time, I researched dolphinariums and legislation pertaining to dolphins in captivity. Ultimately, this assisted with the organization's promotional and development work surrounding the new dolphin sanctuary being built in Greece. I think I underestimated how flexible the role was and I worried about this very much before I started. I loved how I could work on everything in my own time. I think I would advise others not to worry about this.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my remote internship. It has been so exciting working on a project that I am passionate about. Being able to carry out research knowing it could help rescue dolphins from dolphinariums across Europe motivated me to work harder during this project. My research skills have greatly developed and I learnt how to effectively search for legislation and information in different countries. It has contributed towards my personal and professional development as I have gained confidence in my ability to successfully conduct research and write a report independently with guidance. Although sometimes it has been difficult, I am proud of the report I have produced and am excited to hear about the updates on this project in Greece! My supervisor, Phoebe, has been so helpful throughout this experience.

I feel this internship has set me up for a better understanding of what legal studies are. I feel empowered to be successful through the tools I have learned throughout this process. I have learned how to properly examine legislation and compare it to those of other government organizations. This internship has allowed me to create a better understanding of how to find resources and other information systems to create real-life experience for comparing law and legal culture for future jobs. The skills I have learned through creating this legal comparison has allowed me to build on my critical thinking skills.

My role as an Environmental Law intern was to provide support to marine conservation staff on special assignments, such as legislation-related projects. The internship placement aims to protect the biodiversity of the Greek islands and the Mediterranean through multidisciplinary research and conservation efforts. The team aims to reach out to anyone interested in marine conservation and protecting marine life. They also work with people worldwide, although their work is primarily based in the Mediterranean. The work involves long-running research projects to monitor changes in marine diversity and populations to assess the impact of anthropogenic stressors and climate change. My main takeaway was the amount of research I did on marine mammals and what legal jurisdiction they have, compared to other countries. I was able to acquire knowledge that I would normally never have.

Towards the end of my internship I truly began to feel that I could make a difference to the environment with the sort of work I was doing and I felt hopeful for the future. I feel as if my research and writing skills have massively improved since starting the internship and I feel more confident that my work is good enough for a professional setting. I now have a better idea of what it is like working in an environmental policy setting and also how much hard work goes on behind the scenes to make positive change happen!

After this internship, I feel immensely more empowered to be successful in the field of law. I got to interact with senior members of my host organization and contributed greatly to their endeavors through my research. I prepared a report on Dolphinariums, Aquariums and Dolphin Hunts in Asia, with a focus on laws, legislations and civil society action. This contributed to a broader Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary project. Through this internship, I was especially able to hone my research skills, which will be essential for the study of law. The independent nature of the work has also taught me skills that are particularly important for a law student. Further, analyzing laws through a practical lens is sure to have equipped me better for future work opportunities. Planning the research design was positively challenging and obtaining feedback was insightful. My supervisor was friendly and supportive, the online interactions were smooth, and our discussion paved the way for a great start to the internship. I think anyone starting a new internship must keep an open mind, expect the best, and make the most out of a learning opportunity!