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The Cornell Food & Brand Lab

Internship and Research Opportunities at the Lab


Looking for a Fun and Unique Internship This Summer?

Join the Cornell Food and Brand Lab and be on the leading edge of food psychology research! This opportunity is open to Cornell and non–Cornell college students. . . of all majors! An interest in food and eating (and working hard) is all you need. Check out what 2011 Summer Interns Say about It!

Past Interns
For post–docs, research fellows, and visiting scholars: The Food and Brand Lab also has select positions open for international students and visiting scholars. For more information about advanced research opportunities, please contact foodandbrandlab@cornell.edu.

The Details:

  • This is an unpaid internship, with a proposed 10–week commitment.
  • Schedule includes one free week for your own leisure or travel. NYC, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C. , Niagara Falls, and many regional attractions are easily reachable by car or bus.
  • You will be responsible for your own summer housing. Previous interns have found sublets through Cornell's Off Campus Housing Office, or at craigslist.org.
  • Independent study credit is possible–with pre–approval from your college or university advisor.

Internship Duties:

  • Collecting and interpreting data (30%)
  • Cooperating on an assigned project (30%)
  • Working on your own project (30%)
  • Assisting with Consumer Camp (10%)

Anticipated areas of focus:

  • Our "Smarter Lunchrooms" initiative: putting our findings into action to help lead school lunch reform.
  • The marketing of healthy vs. non–healthy foods in grocery stores.
  • Hidden persuaders around the household that cause us to overeat.
  • Other research led by Professor Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think.

Where this has led others: Our former interns have gone on to medical, business, and law school. They are PhD researchers, dietitians, chemical engineers, and lawyers. And they've accepted positions with Coca Cola, Procter & Gamble, General Mills, and McKinsey & Company.

To apply: Please send your resume, a brief cover letter, and three references to:

Gretchen Gilbert
132 Warren Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
email: gcg4@cornell.edu
phone: 607–255–7827
fax: 607–255–9984

In your letter, please share what you can offer the Food and Brand Lab, what you expect to gain from the internship, and where you would like the experience to lead you.

Deadline: Applications for the 2012 Summer Program will be evaluated on a rolling basis and accepted until March 30, 2012.