We offer a popular Semester 2 internship paper (SCOM 434) for students studying towards a Postgraduate Diploma in Science Communication.
We aim to carefully match students to internship projects that suit their skills and interests, and enable them to develop these skills further through real-world experience in a workplace environment, including in the remote space.
Students are expected to undertake a project and contribute to an organisation at a professional level, implementing practices and principles in effective science communication that they learn in their first-semester course work.
We are immensely grateful to these organisations for supporting our programme, and providing opportunities for students to extend their skills and grow their professional networks as they embark on their careers.
Some of our more frequent internship hosts
Tūhura Otago Museum
Otago Museum shares the natural, cultural and scientific stories of Otago, Aotearoa New Zealand and the world. The Museum has been collecting objects for over 150 years, although many of the items in the collection are far older. The collection includes over 1.5 million objects, which come from around the globe. These objects tell visitors more about the world – from here in Dunedin to deep space, from millions of years ago to envelope-pushing research – through galleries, exhibitions, displays, tours and talks.
NHNZ Worldwide
An Emmy-winning, factual specialist documentary production company focused on turning the best story ideas into great television. NHNZ is wild about storytelling, and aims to show both humans and animals at their most adventurous and most intriguing. With offices in Dunedin and Auckland, New Zealand, and staff based in the US, the UK and China, the company has built a strong team of global production partners, recently completing projects for NatGeo Wild, Channel 5 UK, PBS, TLC, HGTV, Arté, TVNZ and National Geographic.
The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Based in Wellington, Te Papa is New Zealand's national museum of art, science, and natural history. The name Te Papa Tongarewa translates to “our container of treasured things and people that spring from mother earth here in New Zealand” in Māori. It comprises five major collections, focusing on art, history, Māori taonga (cultural treasures), Pacific cultures, and natural history. An average of more than 1.5 million people visit every year. Te Papa operates under a bicultural philosophy, and emphasises the living stories behind its cultural treasures.
Forest & Bird
Founded in 1923, this is New Zealand's leading independent conservation organisation — protecting wildlife and wild places, on land and in the sea. Over 80,000 members and supporters make it possible to advocate for better legislation and policy to protect nature. Members engage with local and regional councils to speak for nature in local and regional planning forums and educate their communities about conservation and environmental issues.
Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor/ Kaitohutohu Mātanga Pūtaiao Matua ki te Pirimia (OPMCSA)
The OPMCSA has a small team that provides science-based evidence to the Prime Minister to inform the programme of government. The OPMCSA may also assist Cabinet Ministers with requests for science advice. The central focus is advising the Prime Minister about how science can inform good decision making in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Ministry for the Environment/ Manatū Mō Te Taiao
The Government's primary adviser on environmental matters. The Ministry also has a stewardship role. This involves taking a long-term perspective on environmental issues when making decisions. The Ministry's work involves legislative and regulatory change, policy implementation, organisational development, partnerships and engagement, investment and funding, environmental reporting, and governance and leadership.
New Zealand International Science Festival (NZISF)
The organisation's mission is to inspire and educate people of all ages and backgrounds about the importance of science in our daily lives and the positive difference it makes. Through its biennial festival in Dunedin, NZISF ensures quality science education is accessible and affordable for everyone. Since the inaugural festival in 1997, NZISF has engaged over 200,000 participants across Aotearoa, celebrating all areas of science, from the mysterious outer limits of the universe to the marvelous inner workings of robotics, with all the weird, wacky, weighty and wonderful stuff in between. It features guests from New Zealand and abroad alongside local talent, where Dunedin is transformed into a city alive with science.
Orokonui Ecosanctuary / Te Korowai o Mihiwaka
A community-led, not-for-profit conservation project near Dunedin, Orokonui manages 307 hectares of Coastal Otago forest, which, thanks to a 9km predator fence, is free of introduced mammalian predators allowing native wildlife to thrive. Pests have been removed, habitat enhanced with weed control and planting, and many rare and endangered species re-introduced. Visitors enjoy a peaceful encounter with nature, and from which they may take recreation, refreshment, new knowledge, new skills and a new commitment to conservation.
Ocean Media Institute (OMI)
OMI serves to enrich and expand the public's understanding of ocean science and conservation through the collaborative creation, exhibition, and open-distribution of innovative visual media as well as artistic approaches to ocean education.