American Samoa Community College – Agriculture, Community and Natural Resources (ASCC-ACNR)
Mentor: Ian Gurr
STEM Fields:
Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences
Internship Research Goal: Evaluation of taro leaf blight resistance and salt tolerance of newly developed taro cultivars.
Vegetable variety trials are also conducted to identify vegetable crops and varieties that grow well in our local conditions.
About the Internship Site:
The ASCC-ACNR station plots, horticulture lab and greenhouse are where trials are conducted to evaluated disease resistance, salt tolerance, yield and eating quality of ASCC developed taro cultivars. An ongoing taro breeding program, to produce new cultivars for evaluation is also conducted at ASCC-ACNR. Field trials of vegetable crops and varieties are conducted at ASCC-ACNR. Some work will also be conducted at farmers fields and the Aunu’u taro wetlands.
Meet Our Internship Mentor: Ian Gurr
Ian Gurr, Horticulture Researcher
American Samoa Community College – Agriculture, Community and Natural Resources Division (ACNR)
Ian Gurr graduated from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa in 2011 with a MS in Tropical Plant and Soils Sciences. He is currently the Horticulture Researcher at the Agriculture, Community and Natural Resources Division (Land Grant) of the American Samoa Community College. His work includes conducting vegetable variety trials to identify vegetable crops and cultivars ideal for American Samoa conditions, the development of new taro cultivars and their evaluation for taro leaf blight resistance and salt tolerance, and the utilization of locally sourced coconut coir, fish meal and compost as components of media for vegetable seedling production.
Internship duties and responsibilities:
Intern will learn how to do online searches for and read scientific journal articles. Intern will also learn the steps for conducting scientific research. Intern will learn basics of using lab equipment. The intern will be involved in designing field and greenhouse experiments, planting, collecting data, harvesting and other work required for these experiments. Field work at the ASCC-ACNR station and other areas on the island will be required.
Interns should be comfortable and able to:
The intern is required to work in laboratory, greenhouse and field plots. Intern must be capable of physical activity in hot/humid conditions (Intern and guardian will be required to sign a liability waiver).
Tentative 2025 Internship Schedule
- 2026 Spring: March 2026 (Specific dates and times will be determined after meeting with intern)
- 2026 Summer: July 2026 (Specific dates and times will be determined after meeting with intern)
*Schedules are tentative and are subject to change. Interns will be required to work 8 hours in the Spring 2026. Interns will be required to work 40 hours in the Summer 2026.
Internship Meeting Location:
Intern will meet at the ASCC-ACNR Horticulture Lab, Malaeimi