Internships in Ecological Design

Ecological design is the careful meshing of human purposes with the larger patterns and flows of the natural world and the study of those patterns and flows to inform human action. (Orr p. 20,The Nature of Design)

Compton Internships in Ecological Design are a Berea College-funded initiative supporting student ecological design projects. Up to four internships are available annually for the summer months, although proposals for internships at other times of the year will be considered. Internships may be on- or off-campus.

Some of the past Compton interns have:

• Constructed and operated an aquaponics facility;
• Worked and studied at the Yestermorrow Design/Build School;
• Participated in design and construction of an earthbag dome house;
• Prepared herbal medicines and salves from native plants;
• Practiced a variety of food preservation methods;
• Designed and managed an edible landscape;
• Applied permaculture principles in the design and planting of a food forest.

Within the broad definition of ecological design, there are many options for projects, and creative proposals are encouraged. Interested students should prepare a one-page written summary of a proposed internship and then arrange an appointment to discuss the proposal with Nancy Gift (SENS) or Paul Smithson (SENS/Chemistry). A stipend is included in the internship and you can earn academic credit and fulfill internship requirements.

For further information and for complete application details, contact nancy_gift@berea.edu.