“Creative,” “colorful,” “exciting” . . . this is the feedback we continually get from our customized marine research projects. IGS is an industry leader and has been placing students in Hawaii, Palau, Fiji, Australia, Thailand and the mainland USA since 1995.

We have run semester-long field studies that included turtle research in Hawaii, fish monitoring in Fiji and Great Barrier Reef coral studies in Australia. Our customized internships match the individual with university researchers with the goal of creating a high-quality marine learning experience.

In Fiji, past students have laid transects in marine protected areas to help monitor fish populations. Focusing on reef indicator species like the trigger fish, comparing past populations with current populations allows researches to gauge the overall health of the reef.

In Palau, Micronesia, students have worked with researchers from the University of Sydney on fish ecology and reef health. We have had students get their dive certification on the island and join researchers on the dive boat to do offshore collections. Other students have stayed closer to the beachfront and done their collecting using snorkel and mask. Specimens are then brought to the laboratory for analysis.

In Hawaii, students have worked with world-renowned scientists in the lab to study coral ecology and health. Their research contributes to publications in top scientific journals. Thirty minutes from Waikiki, students have a great opportunity to work on the island in the day and hit the town at night.

In Sydney, Australia, students have worked at a major university fish laboratory. Graduate students conduct experiments primarily on fish behavior and publish their works in academic journals. Setting up the experiments, conducting research, and going into the field to collect or release fish are all in a day’s work.

Job Duties

1. Collect specimens
2. Lab analysis
3. Set up experiments
4. Publish results
5. Update findings on website