April 18 Deadline for SEE-U Summer Programs

A new summer program for undergraduates will focus on food and agriculture around New York City.

The Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability has launched a new summer study program focused on agricultural ecosystems in and around New York City.

The new Summer Ecosystem Experience for Undergraduates program will run July 5-Aug. 12. It comes in place of an originally planned second session of the SEE-U Brazil program, which will not be run this year.

The center is still offering the first session of the SEE-U Brazil program May 28-July 2, as well as the Jordan program July 11-Aug. 8. Applications are still open for all programs.

Where New York gets its food, how it's processed and how it gets here are part of the focus in a new summer program. — Where New York gets its food, how it’s processed and how it gets here are part of the focus in a new summer program.

SEE-U: Agro/Food Systems provides an in-depth examination and analysis of agro-ecosystems, from community gardens to global markets. The course makes use of the diverse array of farms and food systems in New York City and its surrounding environs.

Lectures review the natural and social science foundations of ecosystem ecology and conservation, but focus specifically on agro-ecosystems, including farms, rooftop operations, pastures, grazing lands, orchards and plantations. The material also covers food systems, or the “food to fork” pathways from growing to harvesting, processing, packaging, transporting, marketing and consuming, and includes recycling, composting and waste disposal.

Structured as an immersive summer class, SEE-U Agro/Food Systems couples each lecture topic with field excursions and exercises to bring the material to life. Every week we will conduct field trips to urban farms, small rural and peri-urban farms, and local food purveyors and distributors to get a comprehensive look at the local agro/food systems of New York City and its surrounding environs.

The course will be based out of Columbia’s Morningside campus with frequent trips (two to three times per week) to conduct field work and learn about various aspects of our food system.

See our website for more information and how to apply. The next application review date is April 18. Email sdl2126@columbia.edu with any questions.

(This post was updated on March 21, 2016.)