Meet our summer 2019 interns!

August 12th, 2019 by Emily Eckart

New Jersey Future’s internship program is developing the next generation of thinkers in smart growth. We offer graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to assist us with various projects, including research, writing, communications, and administration. We appreciate their wide-ranging contributions! See a list of our previous interns and learn how to apply.

Here is what this summer’s interns worked on, in their own words.

Teun Deuling and Emily Simroth

Teun Deuling
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University
Field of Study: City and Regional Planning

I am a graduate student in City and Regional Planning at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. I graduated cum laude from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, in 2014 obtaining a degree in Public Policy and Law. I am particularly interested in how to address challenges in our built environment, such as brownfield redevelopment and healthy aging, through the application of land use instruments. Prior to attending Rutgers, I was directly involved in developing a model land use plan which enables Dutch municipalities to regulate and foster the transition towards renewable energy.

At New Jersey Future, I worked with Tanya Rohrbach on completing an “Implementing Aging-Friendly Land Use Decisions” guide. Unfortunately, the built environment of many communities in New Jersey does not accommodate the needs of an aging population in terms of housing, transportation, and walkable downtowns. The guide will help local leaders and residents to formulate and implement land use decisions aimed at creating aging-friendly communities. As a co-author, I developed the guide by compiling existing literature, creating case studies of best practices, and participating in the participatory planning process with communities.

Miles Franklin
University of Chicago
Major: Environmental and Urban Studies

Miles Franklin

This summer, I had the pleasure of interning with Moriah Kinberg at New Jersey Future. I worked on two projects: reading and analyzing Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Long Term Control Plans (LTCPs), and filming the Adopt-A-Catch Basin public service announcement for the City of Paterson. The first project was the most intensive. I was responsible for condensing reports that exceeded 1,000 pages into smaller, more manageable pieces of information. The second project gave me the opportunity to coordinate, direct, and write a public announcement for a township via a YouTube video. Outside of these two major projects, I also worked with Emily Eckart to take stock photos for New Jersey Future to use in presentations and blog posts. This internship allowed me to hone my social, professional, and time management skills, all while working in a field directly related to my Environmental and Urban Studies undergraduate major.

Emily Simroth
University of Michigan
Major: Double Major in Environmental Studies and Creative Writing and Literature

This summer I worked with Gary Brune, supporting the development of the Jersey Water Works Lead in Drinking Water Task Force report through policy research and writing. During the earlier weeks of my internship, I researched lead policy options and drafted policy overviews for discussion by the task force subcommittees. Often my research focused on analyzing the actions that other states and towns have taken to address lead in drinking water to determine if New Jersey can benefit from their methods. I identified potential obstacles to implementation and equity concerns, as well as key questions for discussion. Following the mid-summer meeting of the entire task force, I provided additional investigation of unresolved policy issues and assisted with the organization of the final report recommendations. Throughout the summer, I also took meeting notes at subcommittee and task force meetings. During my internship, I learned a great deal about the complex policy issues surrounding lead in drinking water, and I look forward to following what actions the state of New Jersey takes to address this health threat.

Kenzie Smith

Kenzie Smith
Gettysburg College
Major: Double Major in Environmental Science and Public Policy; Minor in Writing

I worked with New Jersey Future’s Mainstreaming Green Infrastructure team (Louise Wilson) to evaluate the progress of moving green infrastructure to the forefront of stormwater management practices. I created and distributed a survey that sought to gauge understanding of and involvement with green infrastructure among developers and design professionals. The results indicated that understanding and interest have increased in the last three years, but involvement has only moderately increased. This disconnect is likely due to a perception of higher costs associated with green infrastructure. I also gathered an extensive inventory of green infrastructure practices in the five New Jersey Future pilot towns: Bridgeton, Byram, Evesham, Hammonton, and Newton. The inventory found nearly 50 acres of drainage area being managed by green infrastructure practices. I also researched individual sites that make extensive use of green infrastructure, so that the information may be included in the new update to New Jersey Future’s Developers’ Green Infrastructure Guide as examples of successful green infrastructure.

Read Kenzie’s blog post about how changes to New Jersey’s stormwater rule could affect engineers.