SMART (Student Multidisciplinary Applied Research) 2013 Information Session
An initiative of the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development (CIIFAD), the SMART program connects students with promising small enterprises in the developing world. While helping students transfer classroom knowledge into practical skills in the business world, the program also supports social entrepreneurs as they face challenges on the path to success.
The SMART program offers an amazing opportunity for CIPA Fellows who seek to gain hands-on development experience. Historically, CIPA has had strong representation in the program. If you are interested in learning more, please attend the information session.
WHAT IS SMART? SMART brings together teams of students and faculty from diverse disciplines and pairs them with firms, organizations, or community groups located in developing countries. The teams work on well-defined assignments that challenge students to apply the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom in real world settings. SMART assignments vary from team to team, as does the length of engagement. For example, past teams have assisted promising new companies to develop strategic business plans, worked with an international NGO to pilot IT training in four African countries and collaborated with grassroots development professionals to enhance learning outcomes for farmer groups seeking to increase family food security. Teams work on location with the company or partner group for at least two weeks and sometimes up to eight weeks, depending on the type of engagement planned and the university academic calendar.
CIIFAD’s SMART Program is designed to help Cornell's students span the gap between knowing and doing. It facilitates experiential learning opportunities that strengthen students' ability to develop innovative approaches to complex problems surrounding markets, food, agriculture, and development. By learning to collaborate on real-world issues, SMART students gain valuable personal experience, make significant contributions that are valued by the company or organization they partner with and raise Cornell's profile as a University that is strongly committed to global engagement for positive change.
