Indiana Wesleyan University has officially opened the application for its Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU) program—a summer fellowship that seeks to enhance sustainable food production using the IWU Alliance Garden and Marion Community Gardens.
Funded by a $500,000 grant from the US Department of Agriculture, the REEU program is an eight-week summer fellowship that will educate undergraduate students in the methods of sustainable gardening as well as insect, pest and pollinator management. Through hands-on learning, the research project will explore the impacts of native pollinator gardens on pollinators in and around urban gardens with and without native pollinator gardens.
Highlights of the program include strong faculty mentoring across multiple disciplines, invited speakers from industry, weekly seminars, leadership training and more. Fellows will also receive on-campus housing, a provided meal allowance, and a $4,200 stipend.
The program will accept four fellows for Summer 2022. Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Be a full-time undergraduate student.
- Be enrolled in a major related to the program research (Biology, Plant Biology, Entomology, Environmental Science, Sustainable Agriculture).
- Have completed at least two academic semesters of full-time study at the bachelor’s degree level.
- Be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident of the U.S.
Dr. Jennifer Noseworthy, associate professor of biology at IWU, will direct the program in cooperation with Purdue University.
“My hope is that fellows come away from this program with greater understanding of sustainability in agriculture, the relationship between insect pests and pollinators as well as plant production,” said Noseworthy. “The research experience will enhance their critical thinking, and interaction with the community through extension workshops will enhance their ability to interact well with community members and stakeholders.”
The application deadline for the REEU program is Feb. 4, 2022. For more information or to apply, visit alliancegardens.wixsite.com/thealliancegardens/general-7.