Join a plant pathology research team at Clemson University as an undergraduate research assistant. You will work alongside technicians, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and other undergraduate researchers on laboratory and field projects. The work offers practical experience in plant disease research, research operations, and data management.
Projects and responsibilities
Depending on project needs and the season, you may help prepare and maintain laboratory materials; prepare media and solutions; maintain cultures; and take microscopic measurements. Plant-related work may include seeding, potting, watering, fertilizing, inoculating, evaluating, and photographing plants. Field activities may include traveling to research plots, preparing trial materials and fungicide solutions, planting, harvesting, collecting samples, and scouting plants. You may also enter and organize research data. Routine lab duties include washing dishes and restocking plastic ware and glassware. Assignments will be matched to project needs and your training; you will receive laboratory and environmental health and safety training before performing assigned tasks.
Support, learning, and professional development
You will receive guidance from research team members as you learn laboratory, field, plant care, and data management procedures. The work will help you build skills in following protocols, maintaining organized records, handling research materials, communicating with a team, and managing changing priorities across field and laboratory settings. You will interact with professionals and students working in plant pathology and related fields, gaining insight into research careers and opportunities for continued learning. These experiences can help you describe research projects, technical tasks, and teamwork on a résumé.
Eligibility requirements: UPIC interns must be enrolled, matriculating, full-time (12+ credit hours for part time interns) Clemson University undergraduate students in good academic standing and non-academic alert status (minimum cumulative Clemson GPA of 2.0) and in good status with the UPIC program. Once selected, in order to participate in the UPIC Program, student interns must enroll in the required INT course ($200 course fee) and complete hiring paperwork with the UPIC office.
