SCRUB Awarded Grant for Internship Study of Digital Signage and Sustainability

The Samuel S. Fels Fund recently awarded 25 grants to Philadelphia nonprofit organizations to support internships for graduate students during the summer of 2010. These internships are full-time and take place over the summer. The interns are paid a stipend of $6,000. The internship position description and contact information for applicants are below.

The Samuel S. Fels Fund was founded in 1935 by Samuel S. Fels, a Philadelphia philanthropist. The Fund is a private foundation with a broad interest in community programs, education and the arts. Grants are restricted to organizations located in the city of Philadelphia or focused on local issues.

SCRUB, the Public Voice for Public Space, seeks a graduate student intern to research, report and organize data on the energy used by various forms of accessory and non accessory digital signage. Driver distraction and other safety issues related to digital signage, often in the form of huge electronic billboards, are receiving attention from the public and regulators. However, the energy consumption issues related to the rapid spread of digital signage are not. SCRUB is dedicated to protecting and improving the city’s distinct visual environment through education, advocacy and legal action. The organization intends to educate government officials, community organizations, and citizen groups regarding the energy impact of digital signs. The Fels Intern will:1) Research the current types of digital signage, their size, typical usage, and theoretical energy requirements, 2) Conduct a field survey to identify 20 sites with accessory digital signage and 5 sites with non- accessory digital signage and survey property owners and other sources to  determine how well the signs work, and what their energy requirements are, and if the property owners believe the costs of the signs are justified by their benefits, 3) Create a photo gallery showing  digital signage types with detailed information on energy consumption for each sign type, 4) Extrapolate data on energy consumption to determine the larger scale impacts of the conversion of regular signs to digital signs, both locally and on a national level, and 5) Prepare a White Paper to be published on the SCRUB  website. The following students are eligible; a student who will enter a full-time graduate program in September 2010; a full time graduate or professional student; and a student who will complete a graduate program or professional school in May 2010. The ideal candidate will be studying architecture or engineering with an emphasis on sustainable design/and green building practices. He or she will have excellent verbal and written communications skills, strong organizational skills, and competency in relevant data analysis skills. Send a resume and letter of inquiry to Jim Mullen Mullen@publicvoiceforpublicspace.org or call 215-731-1775.
 
For more information about SCRUB, visit www.publicvoiceforpublicspace.org