2026 Internship Opportunities

Traditional farming landscapes, often managed by Indigenous and local communities represent some of the world’s largest remaining reservoirs of biodiversity, agrobiodiversity, and biocultural heritage. Yet, the knowledge systems that sustain them are increasingly threatened by climate change, agricultural modernization, and genetic erosion. The goal of this project is to map and assess the biocultural vulnerability of neglected and understudied crops that hold socio-ecological and cultural significance. Many of these species function as cultural keystone species, linking ecosystems, livelihoods, and identities. Following a biocultural framework, the study treats crop decline not only as a loss of genetic resources but also as the disruption of long-standing relationships between people and the plants that anchor their food systems, identities, and landscapes. Understanding these dynamics is important to examine how socio-ecological processes shape agrobiodiversity and sustainable food systems under accelerating global change.

The student will conduct a global literature synthesis and meta-analysis on neglected and culturally significant crop species. The work involves developing a biocultural vulnerability index after documenting and assessing each crop’s distribution, uses, and cultural importance, along with information on environmental and socio-economic threats. They will begin by compiling and organizing data from ethnobotanical and agricultural sources, including the Crop Trust’s Genesys database and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Unlike existing repositories that focus primarily on genetic accessions or species occurrences, this project will integrate ecological, cultural, and socio-economic dimensions to identify factors leading to biocultural vulnerability.

The student will gain experience in systematic review methods, data management, and interdisciplinary research bridging ecology, socio-cultural research and sustainability science. The project will result in a global database and synthesis of biocultural vulnerability patterns across crops and regions, identifying key data gaps and priority areas for conservation and management.

Experience in systemic review methods would be helpful but not required.

• Students are responsible for securing accommodations for the duration of their internship. On-campus summer housing is typically available the first week of June until the first week of August (details to become available in Spring 2026). If the internship falls outside of on-campus housing availability, students will need to secure alternate housing.