Submitted by Jennifer Sowerwine on
This research project, funded by the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) and coordinated through the Berkeley Food Institute (BFI) seeks to support sustainable urban farming through research including 1) evaluating where and how urban produced foods are distributed, whom they reach, and barriers and opportunities for improving urban-produced food access; 2) methods for improving soil health; 3) methods for mitigating soil contamination; 4) supporting beneficial insect activity; and 5) making recommendations to improve urban farming policies. Long-term project goals include increasing urban farm profitability and productivity, reducing urban farm food waste, and reducing urban food insecurity in the East Bay.
Project deliverables include short videos to present research findings and recommendations in formats most useful to community stakeholders, including urban farmers, community-based organizations working to promote equitable food distribution and reduce food waste, school gardening program staff, and local government agencies.
The URAP student(s) will carry out the following activities under the guidance of supervisor and members of the research team (co-Principal Investigators and graduate student researchers). Script development, video recording, editing and completion of up to 4 short videos to help disseminate project activities, results and recommendations.
Specific tasks include:
- Become familiar with project activities to date, including on-site visits at project research sites (Oxford Tract)
- Meet with co-PIs and GSRs to interview them on desired content and goals for video tools
- Draft video outlines, submit for supervisor and team review, rework with edits
- Record videos according to plan and project team input
- Edit and add material as specified (captions, titles, tables, credits etc)
- Complete videos for distribution (via YouTube, etc)
Supervisor: Edith Friedman (Project Coordinator, Fostering Sustainable Urban Farming)
- Experience with end-to-end video development/production (smartphone or video camera)
- Proficiency with Windows Movie Maker, iMovie or similar video editing software
- Strong interpersonal communication skills
- Strong written communication skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Ability to work independently
- Proficiency with Excel, Microsoft office suite
- Interest and experience in food access, food justice and/or documenting field work with community groups
- Interest and experience in public service and social equity, as core tenets of the UC Berkeley experience and the Berkeley Food Institute mission
- Comfort with creativity, innovation and hard work
- Professionalism, courtesy, and good humor