Oregon Applied Sustainability Experience

Since its pilot year in 2017, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Oregon Sea Grant have administered the OASE program through funding obtained by an EPA Pollution Prevention grant. Third- and fourth-year college students and graduate students are recruited to conduct research that helps Oregon businesses reach their waste prevention and sustainability goals. Students are located at the business fulltime for 10 weeks during the summer. The EPA grant helps offset program costs, and intern stipends are administered by Oregon Sea Grant.

This is a win-win program that supports environmental workforce development, waste reduction, environmental protection and economic savings.

Program Approach

The OASE team works with various companies within Oregon to identify projects that may benefit from participation in the program. Through this program, the OASE team enters into agreements with these companies to identify the roles and responsibilities of the host company and the OASE team in accomplishing the project. The OASE team then identifies and recruits undergraduate and graduate students with skill sets that may make them successful in completing the types of projects that are submitted by companies and vetted by the OASE team. The OASE team pairs these interns and their respective skills and interests with the participating company’s proposed project to develop project assignments.

The OASE team provides technical and program support to the interns throughout the project. The host company’s identified site coordinator is also available to provide on-site resources and support to the interns. The interns develop recommendations for improvements that follow the Program’s goals and prepare reports detailing their efforts and any results of implementation, if applicable. The OASE team will publish a summary of these reports and follow-up with participating companies regarding implementation to verify savings and other benefits. 

All information gathered and reported to the OASE team under this program is confidential. The only published documents are the success stories prepared by the interns, which are reviewed and approved by the companies at the end of the internship. The OASE team also uses these success stories for reporting and program marketing purposes.

Internships are open to any college student in Oregon with junior or senior standing, or attaining graduate or advanced undergraduate training, in business, economics, engineering, environmental science, green chemistry, physical science, or sustainability science.

This internship provides $6,700 per student working full-time for 10-weeks. Interns must be available to work onsite at the businesses on a daily basis. Housing costs are not provided, but limited funds may be available to support program-related expenses.

Mid-March-April: Intern recruitment and site visit. Host businesses are selected. Oregon Sea Grant receives and vets student intern applications. Businesses interview top candidates for their position.

May: Preparation for Intern. OASE will coordinate a meeting between businesses, technical advisors/mentor, and interns to finalize project scope. OASE hosts an event to showcase past projects and introduce the new cohort.

June-August: Intern Arrives! Interns attending mandatory training hosted by OASE, work full-time for 10 weeks on their projects, and prepare final reports and success story presentations.

• OASE Summer Program: (tentatively) mid-June - late August
• Mandatory Training/Orientation: Mid-June; Location TBD
• Public presentation: Opportunities to present your OASE work will be announced.

September-October: Wrap Up. Approve final case study for dissemination. Interns present at community events. Program evaluations are submitted.

By the end of the internship, each intern will provide the business and project team the following:

• a final detailed project report, following OASE's outline
• a success story summarizing the project for an external audience
• a presentation of project results to be delivered to the project team, business management, and external partners

There are five main members of the OASE project team: 

• Pollution prevention intern 
• Host company, represented by their site coordinator
• OASE technical advisor/mentor(s): DEQ, professors, others
• OASE developer and coordinators: DEQ, Oregon Sea Grant, Oregon State University, Portland State University
• OASE program administrator: Oregon Sea Grant

OASE interns have been placed at the following host businesses:

• Ant Farm Café
• Boeing
• Columbia Sportswear
• Craft Brew Alliance
• EcNow Tech
• EMA Architects
• GoBox
• Green Hammer
• Hummingbird Wholesale
• Knife River Concrete
• Lamb Weston Potatoes
• New Seasons Market
• Northwest Green Chemistry
• Nossa Familia Coffee
• RiverBend Materials
• Stanley Tool
• Stumptown Coffee
• West Linn Paper
• Yogi Tea
• and many others!

What is the Oregon Applied Sustainability Experience (OASE)?

Since 2017, Oregon Sea Grant (OSG) and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has matched talented engineering, chemistry, sustainability and environmental science students with Oregon businesses to create sustainability solutions. Summer projects focus on research and education that can help improve efficiency, save money, and reduce waste through energy or water audits, toxics use reduction, green chemistry, and life cycle assessment.

How are students chosen?

• OSG and DEQ solicit student applicants
• Students apply through the eSeaGrant online application process
• Student applications are reviewed and ranked through a panel reviewer process set up by OSG and DEQ
• Top student candidates applications are sent to Host Business
• Host Business reviews all referred applications and directly contacts student(s) for interviews
• Host Business ranks students post interview (1st choice, 2nd choice, etc.) and sends that information to OASE Coordinator and OSG
• Host Business communicates intention to offer position to their top candidate
• OSG will speak with top candidate and make the final offer (if top candidate declines the position – takes another job, drops out of the running – OSG will reach out to the next in line candidate)

What about insurance?

OASE does not provide insurance to scholars. 

Are there training opportunities?

Students are required to attend two half-day trainings that cover basic concepts of sustainability and pollution prevention, project management, report writing and professional conduct. Students and businesses representatives are required to attend a Meet and Greet social event where past successes will be highlighted and the new cohort will be introduced.