The H&S Summer Scholars Program 8-10 weeks of paid full-time research or project work.

Whom to contact? And What you can do?

Students must contact the faculty member directly before submitting an application.

Jake Brenner: ForCaPro and ICNL

Research on the Forest Carbon Project (ForCaPro) and trail system maintenance on Ithaca College Natural Lands (ICNL).  This is fieldwork that takes place in adverse weather conditions and in remote areas with minimal services.  No prior experience in these conditions is required, but students should expect and prepare for this type of work.  Personal transportation for access to field sites is a plus, but not required.  

ForCaPro research involves measuring 1,100 trees in 41 plots scattered throughout 561 acres of forested land.  Students will be responsible for safely and effectively collecting the data in the field, maintaining data security and recordkeeping protocols, entering the data in a shared online database, and carrying out database quality controls.  If time permits, students may undertake data analysis, interpret research results, and present findings.  

Any time not spent on ForCaPro research (estimated as much as half of the total summer hours) will be spent on maintenance and repair of the ICNL trail system. Trail work involves hand tools and the same potentially adverse outdoor working conditions.

Worksite safety requires that students work in pairs on all tasks.  Students are encouraged to find a partner before applying, but any student can be paired with any other student after application.  Students must be willing to work with a partner for the duration of the summer.  If only one student applies, this project cannot be offered. 

Application Steps

  1. For detailed information about the research available in faculty labs, we invite you to contact the faculty member directly.
  2. Be sure to get specific information about the project, what is expected of you, type of techniques used, background required to be successful, and the time required. Please note that some of the projects will not be carried out at Ithaca College and, therefore, require travel to study sites. 
  3. Before you submit your application, be sure to review the program expectations, and eligibility requirements, for the program.