Goals:
The goals of the CEFS Sustainable Agriculture Research Internship Program are to allow student to:
• Understand the scientific process and leave with knowledge and techniques of data collection and analysis as it relates to sustainable agriculture systems
• Improve professional development and collaborative learning-interactions with farmers, extension agents, researchers, non-governmental organizations and the community
• Evaluate and critique sustainable agriculture systems from a broad systems perspective
• Appreciate the challenges, constraints, and benefits of sustainable agriculture

Background of CEFS:
The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) is a 2,000 acre research farm based in Goldsboro, NC and is a cooperative effort between NCSU, NCA&TSU, and NCDA. CEFS is nationally and internationally recognized for its excellence in sustainable agriculture research and is looking forward to having the opportunity to share our knowledge and resource base with research interns in 2008.

Research Interns Background:
The CEFS sustainable agriculture internship, launched in 2000, has traditionally been an 8-week residential program focusing on hands-on and classroom learning primarily about production systems. This year, as we continue to restructure and improve the internship program, interns will be offered a more specialized research-based program, where they will be working closely with faculty and researchers at CEFS in a hands-on environment.

Goals & Expectation of Interns:
We are seeking highly motivated undergraduate students with a strong interest in sustainable agriculture. Summer Research Interns will work closely with a CEFS faculty member for variable length times depending on the project and needs of the student and faculty member. There will be a core 8-week period (June 2 – July 25) where all interns will participate in a more formal learning program in addition to their association with the particular faculty mentor. During this 8 week period, research interns will work in their selected field of study, focusing on mentoring with research faculty on a targeted project(s) and possibly undertaking a carefully supervised research project of their own four days per week. A written report and presentation will be due upon the completion of the research internship.

One day a week, all CEFS interns will meet as a group with a CEFS research leader and associated faculty members to learn about various aspects of sustainable agriculture. Activities during this focus day may include discussion of particular subject matter, current research projects, assigned readings, laboratory exercises, field trips visiting local farms and markets and/or other CEFS activities with all transportation for these activities provided by NCSU.

Interns are expected to be present five days a week (Monday through Friday) and will work with their faculty mentor to establish their hours of work.