Female graduate student sitting at a microscope

We cultivate the talent pipeline

Student Programs

In order to support the future of food and agriculture, our expert faculty educate the best up-and-coming minds, so that they can lead the next wave of breakthroughs. We translate our research into information, training and education to build a foundation for students to one day support the farmers and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. 

Like faculty on the Geneva campus, graduate student research is very purpose-driven with the goal of enriching food and agriculture through new discoveries. In order to make important research findings, graduate students perform hands on research in our fields, labs and greenhouses and often have the opportunity to extend their knowledge to producers and processors across New York state. 

Many of our graduate students go on to lead successful careers at academic, policy, farm and food institutions across the U.S. and world. We take great pride in being a part of their journey.

Undergraduate opportunity

Summer Scholars Research Program

Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, New York offers a Summer Research Scholars Program where students have the opportunity to work with faculty, their graduate students and postdocs, and staff on research projects that can be laboratory or field-based.

Many of our basic research projects have a translational alignment with practical problem solving applications for the agricultural community. The goal of the program is to provide undergraduates with the opportunity to plan and conduct experiments, evaluate data, communicate results, and learn about opportunities in agricultural and food research.

students in lab

Undergraduate opportunity

Indigenous Summer Research Scholars Program

A grant from the USDA's New Beginning for Tribal Students (NBTS) program (matched by Cornell CALS) has made it possible to fully fund four Indigenous students each year for the next four years to take part in our Summer Research Scholars Program.

In addition to conducting an independent research project focused on the agricultural plant or food sciences and participating in other summer research scholar programming, students will receive additional culturally relevant mentoring from Indigenous Cornell faculty, the Cornell American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program (AIISP) and Indigenous farmers and agricultural professionals in New York.

painted fingers manipulating leaf under scope

Graduate admissions and fields of study

Cornell AgriTech graduate students pursue M.S. or PhD degrees within the fields of entomology, horticulture, plant pathology and plant-microbe biology and food science. Admissions are handled through graduate admissions at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).