JJK FAN Internship

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center•Saint Louis, MO

About The Position

Description Description: The Jackie Joyner Kersee Food Agriculture and Nutrition Innovation Center is committed to combating food insecurity while exposing the next generation's talent to some of the fastest growing careers in Agriculture, Technology and STEM. As a paid intern at our center, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of agriculture, food and nutrition, and community engagement. As an intern, you will be exposed to all elements of the JJK FAN partnership and receive training that will lead to transferable skills to many careers and industries. Interns will formulate a research project using the Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) framework to guide them. In addition, interns will receive one-on-one mentoring and support with their post-secondary pursuits and receive various resources to succeed. Interns will attend field trips at various sites for career and academic enrichment within the St. Louis and Metro East area. The internship is an opportunity to better learn and understand food systems locally and broadly while learning the systems that proceed with them while gaining skills that could lead to multiple pathways in the STEM careers.

Requirements

Must be 16 years of age.
Be in good academic standing.
Employment Authorization to work in the United States
Have an interest in Agriculture, Plant Science, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), community engagement, policy, and education. Please note that not having interest in any of the above will not exclude you from the internship.
Be an East St Louis resident and or attend District 189 school.
Commitment to 9 weeks and able to work up to 20 hours a week.

Responsibilities

Develop a research project using the YPAR framework.
Learn how food security, community engagement, and STEAM education intersect and how important they are to the FAN’s work.
Explore and evaluate new technologies, such as precision agriculture tools.
Engage with industry experts, partners, and stakeholders to gather insights and learn to foster collaborative relationships.
Attend professional development workshops for academic and career preparedness.
Attend field trips for academic and cultural enrichment.
Work with world class scientists on special research projects.
Conduct end of summer presentation.
Receive one-on-one advising on postsecondary planning for college and career preparation.
Other duties as assigned.