We seek to use the symposium to explore in depth a specific aspect of international food security. We intend to fund a full day or day-and-a-half symposium with support for 4 to 6 external presenters and other presenters from this campus. We are particularly interested in supporting themes for which the symposium could stimulate longer-term activities. We welcome proposals from individuals or from groups of faculty/researchers on a theme. Proposals that include student participation through events such as poster sessions and short presentations will be given priority. We will provide up to $15,000 for this event as well as logistical support, including purchasing air tickets, hotel bookings, securing the venue and catering, advertising, registration, materials, etc.

The selected proposal team will be responsible for the content of the symposium, including the theme, selecting the speakers, and creating the program. The team’s unit may need to provide additional support to cover all symposium costs and logistics.  

To Apply: If you have a theme you would like considered, please create a short (one page) proposal describing:

1. The overall theme in one sentence
2. A few sub-themes that might represent titles for panels in the symposium
3. Some potential external speakers for the sub-themes
4. The audiences for whom this symposium would be of significance

Please send your suggestions to aces-oip@illinois.edu by October 6 with the words “IFSI 2024 Symposium” in the subject line.

The College of ACES Office of International Programs seeks to support talented and motivated ACES undergraduate students to pursue work related to food and nutritional security in low- and middle-income countries through the Global Food Security Interns program. *ACES Office of International Programs will attempt to provide matching services to interested undergraduate students and faculty members who need assistance in being paired for the project.*

Program Description:

ACES students who are selected as Global Food Security Interns will receive:

• Salary support for an approved on-campus internship for 8 to 15 weeks during Fall Semester, 2023. The selected student’s internship supervisor will receive funding to pay the Scholar up to $13/hour for up to 10 hours per week for a period of 8 to 15 weeks.  The internship must provide the student with experience in a program addressing food and nutrition insecurity.
• Up to $1500 to support the costs of participating in an international travel experience of at least two weeks that is associated with the fall semester internship. (International travel component is optional.)
• An option to attend the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue at the World Food Prize in Iowa from Oct. 24-26, 2023.
• Salary support for the internship during the summer of 2023 for up to 8 weeks at $13/hour for up to 20 hours/week. The international experience (if applicable) of 2 or more weeks is to be part of the internship.
• Selected Scholars will be required to submit a final report or blog post (with image) at the close of the program and may be asked to submit a poster that will be displayed at an event.

Eligibility:

Global Food Security Interns must be enrolled in an undergraduate program in the College of ACES, must plan to graduate no earlier than May 2024, and must be nominated by a faculty member in ACES who will supervise the internship and international travel experiences.  If a student or faculty member is interested in participating but needs matching services, please email ACES-OIP@illinois.edu to request assistance as soon as possible prior to the deadline.

Selection Process:

Prospective Undergraduate Global Food Security Interns must submit:

1. A nomination from the prospective internship supervisor that describes the planned internship and travel experiences as well as the supervisor’s assessment of the applicant’s capacity to contribute to and benefit from the Global Food Security Interns Program.
2. Academic transcript. Unofficial is accepted.
3. Statement of purpose (2 pages) by the student explaining the interest in global food security, professional or academic goals, and initial plans for the program activities (internship, summer experience).
4. One reference letter from a university faculty or staff member who is not the internship supervisor.

Deadline: September 5, 2023.  Applications will be considered on a rolling basis up to this deadline.

Submit the application and supporting documents to: ACES-OIP@illinois.edu. 

The academic transcript and statement of purpose should be submitted by the student. The letter of reference and nomination should be submitted separately by the reference and the prospective supervisor, respectively.  Please enter the following in the subject line: Undergraduate GFSS_STUDENT NAME.  (eg. Undergraduate GFSS_John Doe).