Internship Description:

The Hammond Trial Gardens are some of the largest and best-known ornamental trial gardens in the country, routinely trialing approximately 2000-4000 tax/year. Interns will have the opportunity to work with Dr. Fields & team in the LSU AgCenter Hammond Trial Gardens, as well as developing original research projects. The internship will follow a basic structure, but the research project will be personalized to the specific interests of the intern. The internship will provide students with hands-on experience, face-to-face interaction, and experience with all aspects of ornamental horticulture (both nursery & greenhouse production and landscape horticulture). Interns will take a lead role in their personal research project, which has the opportunity to lead to a poster and/or an abstract presentation at a conference. Research topics will be selected in the first two weeks of the internship but will often focus on Hammond Research Station priority areas of environmental nursery crop production or sustainable landscaping. Each intern will work with the trial gardens, manage their research, and participate in ongoing research & extension programs. Approximately 50% of time will be support of research & extension, while 50% will be to support the Hammond Trial Gardens.

Qualifications:

This internship is open for all students with good standing at LSU and partner institutions who are interested in learning more about ornamental plant production. Candidates must be willing to work outdoors in the summer. Candidates who are motivated, engaged, and have a desire to become familiar with the ornamental horticulture industry are strongly encouraged to apply.

Primary Contact/Advisor:

Dr. Jeb S. Fields
Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist of Commercial Ornamental Horticulture

Other Mentors:

• Ashley Edwards – Research Associate
• Maureen Thiessen – Research Associate
• Jason Stagg – Instructor and Trials Manager

Location:

Hammond Research Station
21549 Old Covington Hwy.
Hammond, LA 70403

Total Number of Internships Available: Up to three

Primary Tasks, Duties, and Responsibilities

• Learn the role of the Hammond Trial Gardens in the industry & participate with Hammond Trial Gardens in various roles (planting, data collection, etc.)
  
• Garden maintenance (pruning, fertilizing, mowing, weeding, etc.)
• Accompany Dr. Fields to local nurseries to visit with growers
• Contribute to the Hammond Trials website (data input, photographs, organization)
• Develop and maintain research project at station or at a nearby nursery
• Participate with industry at Hammond Field Day
• Photographing and cataloguing trial plants at different stages of growth
• Begin propagation of plants for fall planting
• Analyze data and prepare research report

Upon Successful Completion

• Interns will have gained experience and knowledge in ornamental horticulture
  
• Interns will have developed their landscape horticulture skills
• Interns will learn the role of Extension in horticulture
• Interns will learn how to design and carry out a research project
• Interns will understand the role of Trial Gardens in the horticulture industry
• Interns will have multiple outlets for dissemination of results from projects

Potential Post-internship Opportunities

• Based on the outcomes of the project(s), motivated interns will have an opportunity to work with Dr. Fields to author an Extension publication and/or a peer reviewed journal manuscript involving the research.
• Research findings may be submitted to various societal organizations at the discretion of Dr. Fields.