IDEM educates Cape Girardeau resident through internship

Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) intern Courtney Bonney collects information on stream flow and dissolved oxygen levels in Buck Creek. Data taken from streams across the state will be used to further explore water quality in Indiana. Interns provide valuable staff resources to the agency during the busy summer season when most assessment tests are done.

Each summer, college students look for programs where they can stretch their intellectual muscles and obtain real-world experience in a field that interests them. For Courtney Bonney, her work with the Office of Water Quality at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) will make a difference in Indiana’s water quality.

A resident of Cape Girardeau, Bonney attends the Indiana University-Bloomington School of Public and Environmental Affairs, where she is working toward a dual master’s degree in sustainable development and toxicology & risk assessment. Over the summer, she is putting her education to use while sampling rivers and streams in areas around Indiana. She and her colleagues check for a multitude of things, including algae and nutrients in the water, which can negatively impact aquatic life. The project provides data that will be used to forge new criteria in establishing updated water quality standards.

Bonney, who hopes to one day work in pollution prevention, is finding the internship especially useful. “I’m learning how the government functions, which will allow me to work more effectively with policy makers in the future.”

In the meantime, Bonney is also working on a secondary project working to pinpoint the sources of negative impacts. “I’m able to see a project full circle, going from planning to implementation, and making sure everything is done correctly,” stated Bonney. “That’s sustainable development, and that’s the best part.”

The benefits, however, are not all one-sided. While IDEM trains interns on the job, the agency gains eager hands for projects, freeing staff members to work on other technical projects.

“I’m thrilled we can help prepare the environmental leaders of the future,” said Thomas Easterly, IDEM commissioner. “The projects our interns are assisting with are wonderful opportunities to participate, to engage, and to set their course for the coming years. This is a learning experience that cannot come from a book.”