Inspiring new frontiers in science, policy and practice.

The RIF Summer Stipend program provides undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to pursue independent research with mentorship across the university. Students work closely with faculty mentors in at least two colleges with at least one mentor from outside of their area of study.

View our 2020 summer stipend projects and virtual posters:

In silico prediction of spoilage phenotypes using metagenomics approaches
Syria Sunil (GR- CALS), Primary Advisor: M. Wiedmann (CALS), Secondary Advisor: Renata Ivanek (CVM)

Models are an effective tool to assess microbiological spoilage in food systems. Accurate identification and phenotypic characterization of spoilage bacteria can aid in the construction of these models. This project focuses on the development of an in silico method to predict spoilage phenotypes based on allelic types (ATs) allowing for quick identification of bacterial characteristics that influence spoilage. A database built from collected data from spinach and milk will allow for rapid assessment of spoilage phenotypes in food products using targeted sequencing methods.

Artificial Intelligence based Smart Automation of Plant Factories for Agricultural Production
Akshay Ajagekar (GR- COE), Primary Advisor: F. You (COE), Secondary Advisor: Neil Mattson (CALS)

This research addresses the complex challenges associated with operating such vertical farms in plant factories. The project focuses on automation for energy management and maximization of natural resources using techniques based on artificial intelligence (AI) that help to optimize the microclimate in plant factories. Due to scarcity of environmental data available, reinforcement learning based AI algorithms will be used to develop an optimal microclimate control scheme that focuses on maximizing yield while minimizing energy cost and pesticide usage.

Knowledge, Health, and Social Drivers of Frozen Vegetable Consumption in Women of Childbearing Age
Hannah Rosenthal (UG- CHE), Primary Advisor: Renata Ivanek (CVM); Secondary Advisor: Alan Mathios (CHE)

Consumer behavior, and regulations that anticipate that behavior, are integral components in food safety and disease prevention. Listeriosis, caused by food-borne pathogens, is particularly concerning in pregnant women and can cause miscarriage and fetal death. There are currently no FDA guidelines regarding Listeria monocytogenes (LM) contamination in frozen foods. This research investigates how women of childbearing age prepare frozen vegetable products to assess consumer behaviors that could be risky for LM exposure. To study frozen vegetable preparation and what factors influence this behavior, a questionnaire survey will be developed and distributed using the Google Survey Methodology (after obtaining research approval from Cornel IRB).

Sociology of Myanmar’s Emerging Agritech
Hilary Faxon (GR- CALS), Primary Advisor: Jenny Goldstein (CALS); Secondary Advisor: Steve Jackson (CAS)

This project focuses in emergent agritech initiatives in Myanmar, a nation that came online only after a democratizing government shattered the military telecoms monopoly in 2014. The research contributes to the growing fields of digital political ecology, digital agriculture, and critical data studies by ethnographically investigating how new farmer extension apps, drone-spraying services and digital cooperatives are reshaping relationships between people, food, and land. Building on interviews and participant observation, a case study will be developed into a manuscript to be submitted to the Global South to Agriculture and Human Values or Geoforum in Fall 2020.