Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU) Program

Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU) 2024 students and mentors.

Engaging Undergraduates in Research and Extension Training using Technology and Experiential Learning to Enhance Sustainability of Food Production Systems.

Apply to participate in a summer Research and Extension internship with the Stockbridge School of Agriculture and the UMass Extension Fruit Team

University Extension programs connect scientific research with public education, initiatives, and services. Being part of a research and Extension experience can therefore enhance a student’s career by preparing them for the professional world or to pursue graduate studies. 

This internship brings together a multidisciplinary team of researchers and Extension professionals from UMass Amherst to train students in technology-enhanced agricultural sciences, supporting and promoting local sustainable food production systems.

Listen to the REEU podcast to learn about intern's projects and get an insiders view of how the REEU program works!

I know that this summer’s
experience will stick with me as I find myself inspired to pursue science and research further in the field of agricultural entomology.

- Matthew Bley (REEU 2022)

Internship Benefits

Supported by the United States Department of Agriculture, 6, full-time paid internships, with a salary of $17 per hour will be offered each year through the summer of 2026. 

Successful applicants will participate in the following program activities over the summer:

  • Professional development workshops and guest lectures by researchers and Extension professionals.
  • Field trips to local partner research institutions and farms.
  • Networking with UMass interns, researchers, and agricultural professionals.
  • Activities hosted by the CAFE Summer Scholars Program.
  • Training in scientific research at UMass laboratories, UMass Extension field stations, and commercial farms.
  • Presentations at local research symposia and stakeholder engagement meetings.

Throughout the program, student interns will evaluate perennial cropping systems, analyze soil health, monitor pests and diseases, mange automated weather stations, among other activities. Designing and delivering oral presentations will also allow interns to develop their communication skills, especially regarding the translation of science for public use.

Eligibility

  • Be currently enrolled (at least part-time) as an undergraduate student at UMass Amherst or any Community College in MA.
    • Students between high school and undergraduate are NOT currently eligible to apply.
  • If a four-year student, must NOT graduate before Fall 2025.
    • Seniors graduating in Spring 2025 and recent graduates are not eligible to apply.
      • However, students graduating from a 2-year program interested in transferring to a 4-year institution are eligible to apply.

The REEU program is particularly interested in engaging students who currently lack research and Extension experiences. UMass Amherst values diversity and is committed to offering quality opportunities to students regardless of their background or previous experience. 

Transportation assistance will be available for commuting on a case-by-case basis. 

Questions? Contact egarofal[at]umass[dot]edu (subject: REEU%20Internship%20Questions) (egarofal[at]umass[dot]edu)

Timeline

  • November 2024: application portal opens. Apply
  • January 2025: mentors begin to review applications.
  • PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BEFORE JANUARY 31, 2025
    • If you have already started working on your application but have trouble meeting this deadline, please contact Elizabeth Garofalo at egarofal[at]umass[dot]edu (subject: REEU%20Application%20Deadline) (egarofal[at]umass[dot]edu).
  • End of February: mentors begin to interview potential applicants.
  • Early March: offers are sent out. Applicants who are not selected will be notified by the end of March.
  • May 27: REEU 2025 program begins

This work is supported by Agricultural and Food Research Initiative grant no. 2022-67037-36619 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture

WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE SUMMER 2025 PROGRAM.  
2025 Application closed

REEU Alumni

REEU 2022 Student Research Symposium

Photo Gallery

Student Matthew Bley (right) catches a ride while learning about healthy soil
Student Lauren Ho (REEU 2022) taking notes on pesticide machine calibration at the UMass Cold Spring Orchard.
Extension professional Jon Clements helping impart a module on the use of pesticides in commercial orchards during summer of 2022.
Student Hayley Kozikowski (REEU 2022) taking notes on pesticide machine calibration.
REEU 2022 students conclude their pesticide experiment at the UMass Amherst Cold Spring Orchard
Extension Assistant Professor Giverson Mupambi teaches the 2022 REEU students about cranberry physiology at the UMass Cranberry Station in East Wareham, MA.
Professor Ann Averill and Extension professional Martha M. Sylvia show cranberry bogs to the REEU 2022 group
2022 REEU interns learn about cranberry production in Massachusetts.
A trip to a local vegetable farm in the Pioneer Valley to take soil samples during the Soils module of the internship.
fruit farm
Plum Curculio oviposition scar on developing apple
Caitlyn (REEU 2023) planting pollinator plants as part of her research project at Cold Spring Orchard.
Marcel (REEU 2023) presenting an overview of his research project at the annual Massachusetts Fruit Growers Association meeting.
Karlie (REEU 2023) holding live insects during a trip to the APHIS lab in Buzzards Bay, MA. in
REEU interns (2023) participating in a career panel across different agricultural sectors (research, Extension, and business).
The 2023 REEU cohort on their overnight trip to the UMass Cranberry Station in East Wareham, MA.
Cameron Boylan (REEU 2024) testing out his indepedent research project: an affordable and modular irrigation system for entry-level farmers and home gardeners.
REEU interns (2024) teaching an entomology workshop to students at Camp Howe in Goshen, MA.
Jack Chachkes (REEU 2024) studying an instrument during a trip to the APHIS lab in East Wareham, MA.
REEU interns (2024) and staff members from the UMass Cranberry Station scouting for plant diseases in a cranberry bog.
REEU Coordinator (2024) Izze Clark (right-side) and the 2024 REEU cohort touring a food processing facility in MA.
REEU interns (2024) walking through a corn field intercropped with clover during a trip to the UMass South Deerfield Crop and Animal Research and Education Farm.
REEU intern Maria Eduarda Tonial (2024) giving a brief overview of her research project at the Summer 2024 Massachusetts Fruit Grower's Association Meeting.
Aerial view of growers, REEU interns, students, researchers, and staff members during the 2024 Summer Massachuetts Fruit Growers Association Meeting at the UMass Cold Spring Orchard.
REEU cohort (2024) learning about reseach projects at the UMass Cranberry Station in East Wareham, MA.
REEU interns (2024) getting a tour of a local MA vineyard.
2024 REEU interns Cameron Boylan (left) and Jack Chachkes (right) looking out onto a cranberry bog in East Wareham, MA.
REEU students (2024) getting a lab tour at the UMass Cranberry Station.
Michael Hannigan (REEU 2024) assisting the UMass Student Farm with vegetable transplanting.
REEU 2025 cohort and staff members.
Jon Clements (Extension Fruit Team Leader) discussing modern apple production methods at the UMass Cold Spring Orchard to the 2025 REEU cohort.
Shawn McIntire (Farm Superintendent- UMass Cold Spring Orchard) giving a tour of the facilities and packing area at the UMass Cold Spring Orchard (2025).
Dan Bensonoff (Sustainability Coordinator of Campus Gardens​ at UMass Amherst) giving the 2025 REEU cohort a tour of the Franklin DC permaculture garden.
Alex Ayanian (Plant & Soil Sciences M.S. student) explaining his microgreen research project to the 2025 REEU cohort.