Get Involved

You can help Discover Life in America fulfill our mission to discover, understand, and conserve biological diversity! Here are some ways you can join the discovery.

Participate in a community science event or bioblitz

We host a number of bioblitzes throughout the year in and around East Tennessee. This is a fun way to learn about the local flora and fauna, to hang out with biologists and naturalists who know a lot about the biodiversity of the region, and to contribute real scientific data as a community scientist. Our bioblitz events are free and kid-friendly.

Upcoming bioblitz events

Record life in the Smokies

Using a free smartphone app, contribute to our Smokies Most Wanted project and help us learn about the plants and animals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park! It’s fun and easy!

Learn about Smokies Most Wanted

Volunteer with us

We need volunteers to help with various projects at our office in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you live in the area, please consider volunteering your time with us.

Learn about volunteering

Become a summer intern

Our summer internship program is a unique, immersive opportunity for current and recently graduated undergraduate students to work with us in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We offer specialized internships in biology, education, media and public relations, and photography and videography. We typically start accepting applications for this 12-week internship in January.

More about our summer internship

Sign up for our iScience program

Middle school teachers: sign your class up for our iScience classroom biodiversity program. This free program is aimed at empowering students in grades 5-8 from the TVA power region (roughly Tennessee and surrounding states) to catalog and learn about the animals, plants, and other organisms that live in their local area.

More about iScience

Provide financial support

Our work at Discover Life in America is largely funded by individual donations and corporate sponsorships.

Your support will…

  • protect and preserve the variety of life that makes the Smokies such a special place
  • provide outreach and education to excite our community about the wonders of biodiversity
  • support a world-class internship program, training the next generation of biologists and environmental advocates
  • provide competitive grants to ATBI researchers and their students through the DLiA mini-grant program
  • And much more!

You can also support us by purchasing our bear t-shirt or our Smokies Species-a-day calendar from Great Smoky Mountains Association.

Donate now
Become a sponsor
Other ways to give