The summer of 2026 is off to a whirlwind start in the field! Our FIVE college interns have been working on a bunch of projects these past few weeks, including eelgrass restoration in Duxbury and Plymouth, DNA sampling for herring, electroshocking for shad in the South and Indian Head rivers, marine invasive species monitoring, intertidal mussel surveys, and RiverWatch water quality sampling with citizen science volunteers. They also were critical in supporting the striper tournament and are gearing up for the Great River Race on August 9th. You can usually recognize them by the NSRWA Subaru and fully suited up in waders — stop and say hi!
Hi everyone! My name is Avery Sands and I’m from Marshfield, Massachusetts. I’m a recent graduate from Trinity College in Connecticut, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and a minor in Legal Studies. I’m so excited to be back for my third summer with NSRWA. As a Rachel Carson Council National Environmental Leadership Fellow this past year, I completed a self-designed honors thesis project assessing mercury concentrations in ponds surrounding a waste incinerator in Hartford County. As a South Shore resident, the resilience of our rivers, beaches, and wildlife within the watershed have continuously been a source of inspiration in both my life and career. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to work on NSRWA’s conservation and outreach projects again this summer!
Hi! My name is Isabel Miller and I grew up in Hanson, MA near the Indian Head River. I’m going into my senior year studying wildlife and conservation biology at the University of Rhode Island. I have always loved animals which has led to me using my education to help preserve their homes for the betterment of not only wildlife, but the people that live alongside them. This past semester I spent a lot of time with amphibians and reptiles learning how they both support and depend on healthy wetlands. I’m thrilled to learn about the rivers that feed that place I call home, and I know that working with NSRWA will provide an amazing opportunity to do so!
Hey! My name is Luke Gerhart, and I am from Scituate, Massachusetts. I am a rising senior at UMass Boston, studying Environmental Science as a Bachelor of Science with a track in hydrology. I have always been interested in nature and the small creatures that call it home, and I have always wanted to learn more about the environment and conserving it. The ocean has always been a home landmark for me, and learning more about the water and rivers with NSRWA is a dream come true. I cannot wait to just get out there and experience all the wonderful things about wetlands and conservation head-on!
Hello! My name is Helena King, and I’m from Plymouth, Massachusetts. I am a rising senior at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. I am majoring in Environmental Science, and I also study Dance! For the autumn 2025 semester, I was studying abroad in the country of Bhutan (in the Eastern Himalayas), with the School For Field Studies. My time there was extremely influential on my heart and soul. I am so excited to be working on various watershed projects in my surrounding area. I feel incredibly fortunate to be under the wing of Alex, and the rest of the wonderful NSRWA staff this summer. Home sweet field work! ♡
Hello everyone! My name is Ryan Hughes and I am from Marshfield, MA. I took 2 gap years during COVID and am graduating from the University of Oregon this summer. During my time at Oregon, I majored in Environmental Science with a more specific focus on ecology and plants. These interests have allowed me to explore the west coast and have given me a lot of excitement for my future internship here at NSRWA. I look forward to working with everyone and helping out with projects like eel-grass monitoring and the Great River Race where I have participated in past years. I hope to contribute positively and can’t wait to get started!