Undergraduates (REU) Opportunities
Are you searching for a career that will make a difference in the world? Then you need to consider plant pathology. This is a mission-oriented profession using cutting-edge science to help feed the world, maintain plant health, and contribute to a healthy environment. Find out what
you can become, and how
you can make a difference. There are many academic, government, and private sector internship and REU opportunities listed below.
Free membership in APS is offered to all participants in undergraduate internships
The American Phytopathological Society (APS) is a non-profit association whose mission includes being a leading provider of information on the science and practical management of plant diseases. Free membership in APS is offered to any undergraduate in an internship, REU, REEU, or work experience, anywhere in the world through our Borlaug's Army initiative.
Academic Opportunities
University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas, Adair/Bollenbacher Scholarship and Summer Internship, provides the opportunity for undergraduates to conduct their own research project under the guidance of faculty in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Arkansas.
Boyce Thompson Institute
The Plant Genome Research Program at Boyce Thompson Institute and Cornell University will provide a 10-week internship for undergraduates, and select local high school students to also participate in a similar internship program for six to eight weeks. For both undergraduate and high school students, the internship program involves students in laboratory-based Plant Genome Research Projects (PGRP).
Southern Connecticut State University and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
The
Summer Undergraduate Fellowships in Plant Health and Protection program offers 10 internships per summer of 2017-2019. It’s hosted at
Southern Connecticut State University and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station from June 5 to August 4, with room, board, and stipend. Students will work on plant health related projects in plant pathology, entomology, chemistry, mycology, or microbiology, and participate in field trips and other activities.
Cornell University
Cornell University’s Division of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology offers an internship program we call the
Summer Research Scholars Program based at Cornell's Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva. Undergraduate students can participate in exciting research projects within the discipline of plant pathology and plant-microbe biology. Student interns work with scientists from all over the world on a variety of exciting laboratory- and field-based projects, and receive a stipend, housing, and travel assistance.
The University of Georgia
The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES)Young Scholars Internship Program targets talented high school students who show a high aptitude in math- and science-related subjects. Selected summer interns work side-by-side with CAES researchers for six weeks, and are paid a salary for up to 40 hours of work per week.
Kansas State Univeristy
The Department of Plant Pathology at Kansas State University (KSU) offers Research & Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU), which is a USDA-NIFA funded 9-week program in plant health research and extension. We offer stipend, accommodation, and travel expenses to eligible and motivated students, who are then matched with faculty mentors in plant pathology, agronomy, entomology, and horticulture. Other internship programs available to undergraduates at KSU are the Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (SUROP) and the College of Agriculture KSRE Multicultural Summer Fellow Program.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experiences (UCARE) Program at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, funded by the Pepsi Endowment, supports opportunities for undergraduates to work alongside faculty members and directly participate in the campus's research or creative activities. Undergraduates may apply for UCARE awards to incorporate a research or creative experience into their undergraduate education. The awards provide funds for the students’ salaries, expenses and supplies. The Plant Pathology Department participates in the UCARE program.
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University offers the
Kelman Scholars Undergraduate Research Internship Program in Plant Pathology. The program honors the memory of Dr. Arthur Kelman—a preeminent plant pathologist and renowned teacher and mentor. The Kelman Scholars is a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) that offers a generous stipend (in Summer) and the opportunity to present research results in the NCSU Undergraduate Research Symposium. Applicants must be U.S. residents. While opportunities for Kelman Scholar research are available during Fall and Spring semesters, the primary internship program consists of a 10-week Summer research opportunity in NCSU Plant Pathology.
The Ohio State University
The Summer Research Internship in Plant Pathology (SRIPP) program offers paid internships to undergraduates in Ohio State's Department of Plant Pathology on the Columbus and Wooster campuses. The OARDC Research Internship Program (ORIP), based in Wooster only, is open to undergraduates and high school students. Interns work in faculty research programs for a typical duration of 10 weeks.
Penn State University
The
Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology at Penn State University has a number of internship opportunities for undergraduate students interested in plant pathology, mushroom production, agricultural biosecurity, environmental microbiology, microbiomes, phytobiomes, international agriculture, and other topics. Funding for summer scholars come from a variety of sources within the department and as part of the
Penn State University Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP).
Government Opportunities
Federal Government Internships
The USDA Wallace-Carver Fellowships are paid, full-time opportunities (40 hours per week) that require an 8-week minimum work commitment. Wallace-Carver Fellows are hired as federal employees of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Fellows are expected to participate in, and present at, the World Food Prize Foundation Global Youth Institute and International Borlaug Dialogue as a core component of the experience. Any student is eligible who has participated in a World Food Prize Youth Program, is a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident, at least 18 years old, and a registered full-time college student (undergraduate or graduate) in Fall 2022.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management internship program is designed to provide students enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions, from high school to graduate level, with opportunities to work in agencies and explore Federal careers while still in school and while getting paid for the work performed. Students who successfully complete the program may be eligible for conversion to a permanent job in the civil service.
The USDA Pathways Recent Graduates Program targets individuals who have recently graduated (within 2 years of degree) from qualifying educational institutions or programs. Successful applicants will be placed in one-year career development program and agencies may non-competitively convert participants to permanent competitive service jobs upon completion of the program. To apply, visit www.usajobs.gov.
The Washington Internships for Native American Students (WINS) (APHIS) opportunity offers American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian (AI/AN/NH) students the opportunity to build leadership skills while living, studying, and interning in Washington, DC. This enriching program offers qualified students full scholarships funded by American University and sponsoring organizations. Participating students gain professional work experience through interning at a federal agency or private firm, take academic courses focusing on Native American public policy concerns, and enjoy engaging social and cultural extra-curricular activities.
The
NIFA Food and Agriculture Cyberinformatics and Tools (FACT) focuses on data science to enable systems and communities to effectively utilize data, improve resource management, and integrate new technologies and approaches to further U.S. food and agriculture enterprises. One of the FACT funding opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students is the AFRI education and workforce development (EWD).
The
NIFA Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU) program provide undergraduate students with research and extension experiential learning opportunities in the food and agricultural sciences. Students cannot directly apply for this opportunity.
The ACS-NIFA summer internship is a three month internship program for undergraduates to hone their leadership and communication skills while understanding the fundamentals of science funding in the Washington DC policy community. The intern will receive a stipend of $3,000 per month. Applicants must be members of the Agronomy, Crop, and/or Soil Science Societies.
The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program provide undergraduate students with research experiences at participating DOE laboratories to pursue STEM careers. Interns work on research projects supporting the DOE mission under the guidance of laboratory staff scientists or engineers. Applications for the SULI program are solicited annually for summer (10-week), fall and spring (16-week) internship terms. Selected students receive a stipend of $500 per week during the internship period.
The DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program provides supplemental awards to graduate students to pursue part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE laboratory/facility in areas that address scientific challenges central to the Office of Science mission. The award period may range from 3 to 12 months and applications are solicited twice a year. Awardees are eligible to receive a monthly stipend of up to $3,000 for general living expenses during the award period.
The DOE Visiting Faculty Program (VFP) is a 10-week summer internship program aimed at increasing the research competitiveness of faculty members and their students at institutions historically underrepresented in the research community. Faculty member participants may invite up to two students (one of which may be a graduate student) to participate in collaborative research projects at one of the participating DOE laboratories. Participating faculty and undergraduate student will receive a stipend during the internship period. Visit key dates webpage for application deadlines.
The DOE Community College Internship (CCI) program provides technical training experiences in technologies or instrumentation projects or major research facilities supporting DOE’s mission. Applicants must be enrolled as a full-time student at a community college. Selected candidates will receive a stipend of $500 per week during the internship period. Applications are solicited annually for three separate internship terms (spring, summer and fall).
The OneUSDA Internship Opportunity:
The “OneUSDA Internship” opportunity is part of the Federal Pathways Program and provides students with experience in a dynamic work environment that will enhance their professional skills. Students will gain work practice in agriculture, natural resources, rural development, and other career fields.
NIST Summer Internship: The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides students from across the country the opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with cutting edge technology in one of the world's leading research organizations. The goal of this program is to inspire undergraduate students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) while promoting U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR): The Small Business Innovation Research promotes monetary incentives to students and early career professionals to research groundbreaking and high-impact technologies to foster innovation and help create business and jobs in U.S. This program is powered by the National Science Foundation (SCF) and has helped startups and small business to transform their ideas into marketable product and services for the past 40 years.
National Academies’ Space Studies Board accepts applications from undergraduate and
graduate students for its space policy internship program. Interns
generally conduct short-term research projects that contribute to the board’s
ongoing study projects.
Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program
The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program accepts applications yearly. Whether you plan to conduct independent research, teach students, or pursue a professional project, Fulbright makes a real and lasting impact. Fulbright Scholars return to their home institutions with enhanced career prospects, ideas for future collaborations, and a truly global perspective. Don't miss out on this important opportunity to share knowledge and serve as a cultural ambassador through Fulbright.
Non-Profit Opportunities
The AAAS Fellowship Programs
The
American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science for the benefit of all people. To fulfill their vision, AAAS has set the following broad goals: enhance communication among scientists, engineers, and public; promote and defend the integrity of science and its use; strengthen support for the science and technology enterprise; provide a voice for science on societal issues; promote the responsible use of science in public policy; strengthen and diversity the science and technology workforce; foster education in science and technology for everyone; increase public engagement with science and technology; and advance international cooperation in science. AAAS offers a variety of fellowship programs designated to undergraduates, graduates and early career professionals.
Noble Research Institute
The Llyod Noble Scholars in Plant Science Program at the Noble Research Institute LLC, provides a 10-week paid (40 hours per week) summer internship program for undergraduates entering their junior year with a declared major in plant science, life science, chemistry or bioinformatics field.
CCST's Science & Technology Policy Fellowship
The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is now accepting applications for their 2020 CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellowship class. Awardees will have a year of public service and government leadership training in the California State Legislature. PhD scientists and engineers are encouraged to apply for this unique opportunity.
Private Sector Opportunities
American Floral Endowment (AFE) Internship
American Floral Endowment operates two undergraduate Internship programs: The Vic and Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program, and The Mosmiller Intern Scholarship Program. Internships involve placing students in some of the leading floriculture production facilities in the United States ranging in duration from 10 weeks to 6 months. Applications are reviewed on March 1 and October 1 of each year.
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Undergraduate students from universities across the nation are paired with Donald Danforth Plant Science Center scientists and participate in a diverse set of research areas for an 11-week internship experience.
Driscoll's Internships
As the world’s leading purveyor of fresh berries, Driscoll’s takes great pride in cultivating a dynamic internship experience. We provide our interns with a comprehensive work experience by blending direct employee mentorship, job-shadowing, workshops and real-life projects. Our goal is for all of our interns to develop and refine their skills with real-work experience, as well as to provide each with opportunities for growth in our expanding fresh berry business. Internships are available during the Spring (March/April) and Summer (May/June) seasons and vary from a minimum of three months (12 weeks) to a maximum of six months (24 weeks). More information can be found online.
If you are aware of other plant pathology internship programs that should be included in this listing, please send your information to APS.
