Internships

Christopher Li ’26

Major

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Project Title

StreamWatch Water Quality Monitoring Program

The StreamWatch program at The Watershed Institute collects data on the water quality of freshwater ecosystems in central New Jersey by performing weekly tests for E. coli, turbidity, chlorides, nitrates and orthophosphates. These tests can give insight into the overall health of the local aquatic ecosystem. My project focused on using the software ArcGIS StoryMaps to create an interactive webpage about the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed. This resource allows visitors to view water quality data from 60 sites monitored by the StreamWatch program and to learn about different forms of water pollution and current threats to the ecosystem. In addition to its value as an educational asset, data insights from this resource offer a foundation for The Watershed Institute to recommend and implement environmental initiatives to protect and restore natural habitats. Through this internship, I gained experience in ArcGIS and learned how to operate various laboratory equipment utilized in the testing of water samples. The experience also allowed me to cultivate a personal interest in developing solutions to aquatic ecosystem threats.