WORK WITH US
Students | Faculty/ Staff | Organizations | Resources | Donate to Support Our Work
We are always looking for creative collaborations. Check out the array of opportunities for diverse stakeholders to get involved in the Institute’s programs.
Students
We want to work with you!
The year-long SFI internship program is your chance to contribute solutions to real-world problems and work on projects that truly make a difference.
SFI Interns have the opportunity to apply for the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative (MCURC) Student Fellows program, expanding your contribution across college and university food systems nationwide! You will also receive invaluable mentorship from some of the country's brightest minds and most established leaders on topics such as culinary excellence, eating well, and sustainable food systems. Warning: As a result of this internship, you just might be convinced to pursue a career in food!
SFI Student Internship Application
To apply for the internship for the 2023-2024 academic year, please complete these steps by October 13, 2023 deadline.
- Fill out the R&DE intern application HERE (be sure to select “Stanford Food Institute Intern” from the drop-down box when asked “What type of work are you interested in?”)
- Applicants will be notified whether they will move forward to the interview process. Positions will be filled as qualified candidates are identified.
Questions? Contact Alice Pyo apyo@stanford.edu, Outreach and Engagement Community Manager, R&DE Stanford Dining, Hospitality & Auxiliaries.
Faculty/ Staff
The Stanford Food Institute proudly partners with staff across campus and faculty across all seven schools—supporting educational courses and student internships through food systems expertise, as well as innovative research projects using campus dining halls as living laboratories. Our collaborative work with faculty and staff spans cutting-edge research, sharing food systems subject matter expertise in courses at all levels of student education, and mentoring students on capstone, thesis, and doctoral projects.
Recent Collaborative Work with Faculty and Staff
- The Sonnenburg Lab, Stanford School of Medicine, fiber-rich foods and the gut microbiome
- The Doerr School of Sustainability, opportunities for student impact on campus related to sustainable food systems
- Stanford Graduate School of Business, social science strategies for food waste reduction
- Humane & Sustainable Food Lab, School of Medicine, choice architecture strategies to increase selection of plant-forward foods
- Stanford Scope 3 Emissions Program, serving as the pilot for the university through our expertise on reducing food-related greenhouse gas emissions
- Climate Action Plan, leading the new Food Systems section of the campus-wide plan
Organizations
Starting on the Stanford campus and in the broader food system, higher education sector, and foodservice industry, we embrace the tremendous power of collaboration across diverse sectors, program areas, and geographic regions. Working together with others is second nature as we pursue food education, research, and flavor and innovation. We savor the opportunity to offer our insights, and share success stories and proven strategies, as well as learn from others who share our devotion to ensuring a healthy, sustainable, delicious food future for all. Whoever you may be, and however you envision working with us to support the SFI mission and vision–our door is always open to explore additional collaborations. Please reach out to SFI Director Sophie Egan at smegan@stanford.edu to discuss opportunities to contribute to our important work.
Learn more about our existing partnerships here –– from Farms to Grow, Inc., Stanford Scope 3 Emissions Program, and Equity-Forward Anchor Network to the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative, REGEN1, and Drawdown Labs.
Resources
Throughout its history of pioneering research, education, and flavor and innovation programs, the Stanford Food Institute has produced numerous open-source resources for anyone to use in shaping a healthy, sustainable, delicious, equitable food future. In particular, SFI works to drive meaningful change in the food system with a particular focus on both diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and bold climate leadership.
Toolkits
The toolkit equips Black farmers to engage college and university foodservice programs and establish purchasing relationships. Its purpose is to demystify key terms, explain the landscape of the overall campus dining industry (self-operated vs contract foodservice), answer frequently asked questions that surfaced throughout the interview process with Black farmers, and includes a step-by-step guide for initiating and evaluating potential purchasing relationships.
The second toolkit equips purchasing managers and dining directors at institutions to purchase from Black farmers, evaluate their operation’s baseline in terms of supply chain diversity, and presents ways to support more Black farmers over time through continued self-assessment.
Donate to Support Our Work
Through its “Friends of the Stanford Food Institute” opportunity, SFI seeks broad funding support for programs across three strategic pillars. The intersection of the disciplines of Research, Education, Flavor & Innovation is where new ideas emerge and innovative programs are born and thrive.
With your gift, you will be considered a “Friend of the Stanford Food Institute” and will be included in a distinguished group of leading organizations who contribute unrestricted gifts to the fund as a “Friend of the Stanford Food Institute.” The types of activities that your gift supports in 2023 include innovative programs, campus events, the R&DE Teaching Kitchen @ Stanford, Stanford Food Institute student internships, and groundbreaking research projects using campus dining halls as living laboratories.
Your support allows students to have educational experiences throughout their time at Stanford and to positively bolster their future endeavors as impactful global leaders. Stanford’s culture of collaboration drives innovative discoveries in areas vital to our world, our health, and our intellectual life. Your generosity ensures that the people and programs that make Stanford such a special place continue to thrive! If you’re interested in learning more, please contact SFI Director Sophie Egan at smegan@stanford.edu.