During the Spring 2022 semester, I took BIOL-308 (Botany), which included an on-campus internship as a course requirement. I collaborated with Chad Peevy, the Assistant Director of Grounds/Landscapes, for my internship project. My focus was on examining the ODU tree canopy and its impact on heat islands. This internship involved two primary components: analyzing the ODU tree canopy and identifying heat islands present on our campus.

The first part was to identify the heat islands on campus. To do this, I utilized satellite data from a variety of different sources and used an overlay method shown to me by Mr. Peevy to create “hotspots”. These “hotspots” are termed heat islands and can be seen in the darken images below. The four main heat islands on campus were identified to be the SRC, the Webb Center, L.R Hill (sports complex), and Monarch Way.

Because of the extensive tree canopy across the campus, Chad advised me to select a single heat island and concentrate on studying the adjacent tree canopy. Consequently, I decided to center my study on the Webb Center. This involved both identification and measurement of the tree canopy in close proximity to the Webb Center. The snapshot below displays my final data plot.

Upon completing the internship, Mr. Peevy granted me the opportunity to select a plant to cultivate in a small area in front of the Oceanography Building. I decided to plant a Nissa Aquatica under Mr. Peevy’s guidance. He demonstrated the correct planting technique, ensuring minimal disruption to the ground and soil and avoiding interference with the nearby plants’ root systems.

You can view my final presentation for the Internship here: