Internship at the International Potato Center

A formal collaboration has been set up with the International Potato Center (CIP), part of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research. Currently, I offer an optional one-week class trip to the Andean highlands (at the student's expense) for interested students as part of my course on the medicinal and value-added uses of plants. Travel and lodging support from the National Science Foundation will be available for four to five of the best students. External funding sources could be sought to ease the financial burden for other students interested in participating in this experience. The class trip will occur shortly after the semester is over, in mid-May. It will include an introduction to Andean ethnobotany, combining field studies with laboratory techniques at CIP and other locations. The students will work side by side with researchers. With help from the CSU Study Abroad Program, I hope to implement longer, more in-depth summer internships for students interested in performing cutting edge research at CIP on Andean crops and Andean agriculture. Even though CIP is located in Peru (a Spanish-speaking country), English is the primary language at this institution, since 50% of the staff are scientists from outside South America. Therefore, CSU students not fluent in Spanish can take advantage of this program. I will accompany the students during the shorter international experience to ease the transition and provide mentorship.

View slideshow: Peru Internship, May 2005

Prerequisites: Concurrent registration in the Medicinal and Value-Added Uses of Plants (H480/580), plus permission of the instructor