By UW Sustainability | Jan 9, 2023
Washington Applied Sustainability Internship (WASI)

Washington has a free intern program for businesses to host a full-time, 10-week intern to conduct onsite or virtual research at your business. The Washington Applied Sustainability Internship (WASI) Program is jointly administered by Washington Sea Grant and the Washington State Department of Ecology. WASI is a summer internship program designed to link dedicated engineering, chemistry, sustainability and environmental sciences students with business and industry in Washington. Interns are placed at a host business to research identified pollution prevention opportunities and analyze, recommend, and/or implement process changes to find and use safer chemical alternatives, reduce hazardous and solid wastes, conserve energy and water, reduce water contaminants and emissions, increase efficiency and cost savings, and improve employee health and safety. These pollution prevention internship projects benefit Washington’s waterways and other natural resources.

Any business in Washington state is eligible to apply. WASI will recruit and pay the intern $7,500 for the ten-week internship. Applications are due on February 17, 2023.

Apply now

The program is specifically looking for businesses in the following sectors:

  • Food and Beverage Manufacturing and Processing
  • Chemical Manufacturing, Processing and Formulation
  • Automotive Manufacturing and Maintenance
  • Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing and Maintenance
  • Metal Manufacturing and Fabrication
  • Supporting Pollution Prevention in Indian Country

This is the second year of the program. The initial pilot year had two internships: 

  • The Harborview Medical Center (HMC) intern implemented a sterile blue wrap recycling program that recycles 19,200 pounds of plastic and saves nearly $4,000 per year. UW Medicine, which manages HMC, hopes to roll the program out to other facilities.
  • The Crane Aerospace & Electronics intern researched safer alternatives to PFAS-containing aqueous film forming foam, or AFFF, used for firefighting. She helped Crane narrow down the alternative options so they can assess which will work best with their process and products. 

If you have any questions, contact Jenny Yoo (jenny.yoo@ecy.wa.gov).