Cornell Food and Brand Lab Internship 

Q: Do I have to be an undergraduate to apply?

A: No, not necessarily! While the majority of our applicants are undergrad, we have post-grad students who have applied and even established nutritionists! This internship helps broaden people’s understanding of food and consumer psychology so that interns make an impact on the world with the knowledge and experience acquired from the lab. For undergrads, this program can help refine their career goal choices, whereas for post grads, this program will help them make an impact in the field they are currently working in.

 

Q: Do I need to be a food psychology major to apply?
A: No, definitely not! We’ve had plenty of interns with a broad range of academic backgrounds- we’ve had interns who majored in evolutionary biology, behavioral neuroscience, marketing, and even music! It matters more to have a strong work ethic and an interest in our lab.

 

Q: How many interns are accepted into the program?

A: The number ranges from year to year, but it’s typically between 6-10 interns. It really depends on the pool of people who apply from year to year, and who we think would be a good fit for our program. We look for motivated, hard-working, ambitious, and independent individuals who are passionate about consumer and food psychology. If you fit these characteristics, we encourage you to apply!

 

Q: Is this a 9-5 job?
A: This internship is unique in a lot of ways- especially when it comes to scheduling. While some days, interns go into work at 9, often, the day at the office ends before 5. However, that doesn’t mean that the workday has come to an end. Interns are expected to do work outside of the “workday” or in the lab. But interns are given a lot of independence and responsibility- to work wherever and put as much time and effort into projects as they want.

 

Also, while some days are spent in the “office” (the Food & Brand Lab), others are spent doing field work (i.e. observations for research), attending conferences or meetings. And not all of these meetings happen at 9 am.

 

So to give you an answer, the scheduling really varies! But it is definitely not your typical 9-5 job/internship. Typical is not a word we are familiar with here at the lab! This internship is unique in the sense that your work varies from day-to-day and from week-to-week. Check out the schedule tab to find out more!

 

Q: Is this a paid internship?
A: No, this internship is not paid, but you’ll earn an experience that money can’t buy! Working for the Food & Brand lab is a unique experience that you surely won’t find anywhere else!

Q: What’s appropriate to wear to the internship?
A: The dress code is “business casual.” Do not take “business” too seriously by wearing the most expensive suit you can buy at Armani exchange, or “casual” too loosely by wearing your favorite pair of ripped jeans. An example of an appropriate outfit for girls would be a skirt or pants (either khakis or dark jeans) and a nice blouse.  A typical outfit for guys would be a pair of dark jeans and a polo top.

 

Look in the gallery if you want a better picture of the type of clothing interns have worn in the past!

 

Q: Who would we be working for exactly? Is it just Dr. Wansink or are there others?

A: You would directly for Dr. Brian Wansink, but you would also work with the other researchers who make up the Food & Brand Lab team. You can find out more about these researchers here. 

 

During the summer, you have the opportunity to work on a range of projects with the researchers. The projects that interest you the most will determine which researchers with whom you will spend the most time working. 

 

Q: What types of skills are useful in the lab?

A: This internship requires a lot of teamwork (to collaborate on how to develop new research ideas and improve on current projects), independence (to work individually on projects), organization (to manage your time and projects), and creativity (to think in new ways to conduct research). But it’s also important to have a positive attitude and enthusiasm! We are hardworking in the lab, but we like our work environment to be positive and fun!

 

Q: Who should I contact if I have any more questions?

A: You can contact Sandra Cuellar-Healey, the director of communications for the Food & Brand Lab (foodandbrandlab@cornell.edu or by calling 607-254-4960). You can also contact previous interns, whose contact information is found in the previous interns tab. Don’t be shy, they are a friendly bunch who are all more than willing to share their experience with you and to answer any of your questions!