LHSI Intern: FoodRx Lab Research Assistant

Program Summary:    

This internship is offered as a part of the Life-Health Sciences Internship Program (LHSI). This program connects 125 IUI undergraduates per year with internships on campus with faculty and staff in a variety of health and science related campus areas/programs. All LHSI internships start in August 2025 and end in May 2026 and are paid $13/hour for up to 10 hours per week. Work-study is accepted but not required. 

Supervisor: Dr. Rebecca Rivera

Department/Office: Medicine; and Public Health, and Regenstrief Institute; Department of Medicine and Center for Biomedical Informatics (Regenstrief)

Overview of the internship site: In the FoodRx Lab you’ll gain real-world research experience plus improve population health by increasing food and nutrition security. Research projects in the FoodRx Lab focus on healthcare interventions to increase equitable access to food and promote nutrition and health. Dr. Rivera applies research methods from multiple disciplines including nutrition science, public health, and biomedical informatics. Data sources include state health registries, electronic health records, and interviews with healthcare providers, patients, and community stakeholders. Research sites include hospitals, health clinics, and community food organizations. Dr. Rivera will provide a personalized research experience by tailoring the internship to your specific interests and goals.

Website for more information: https://www.regenstrief.org/person/rebecca-rivera/  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Examples of research activities in the FoodRx Lab may include: setting up research studies with the university and health systems, scheduling and conducting interviews, managing research stakeholder communication and relationships, data collection and management, creating databases, data analysis and interpreting, scientific literature searches and reviews, assistance with research publications, posters and presentations, and representing the lab at community meetings. LHSI interns will be expected to attend weekly lab meetings when available.

Work Environment and Dress Code: The work is performed primarily in an office setting; with dress code business casual (jeans are fine) when in person, otherwise no dress requirements

Hours per week: flexible based on student needs (10 maximum); flexible within regular work hours. LHSI interns will be expected to attend weekly lab meetings when available.

By the end of the LHSI program, you will:

• Carefully consider, explore, and articulate your career goals, including an analysis of how you arrived at that path and what steps you need to take next. (Community Contributor, Communicator)
• Understand your role and strengths on a professional team and analyze who you would like to become as a professional. (Communicator)
• Gain and strengthen skills relevant to next steps after graduation, such as communication, collaboration, teamwork, analysis/synthesis/evaluation, independence, confronting/challenging failure, problem-solving and perseverance, and constructive criticism. (Problem Solver, Communicator)
• Convey ideas and knowledge effectively through an ePortfolio and presentation of your internship work. (Problem Solver, Communicator)
• Set and meet your own additional learning goals identified with your supervisor.

LHSI Qualifications:

• must be graduating May 2027 or after (usually a current freshman or sophomore in Spring 2025)
• Current full-time IUI undergraduate
• minimum overall GPA of 2.0
• All majors welcome

To apply:

LHSI accepts at least 125 interns per year. Complete the application for LHSI at lhsi.indianapolis.iu.edu and select 3-4 internship sites on that application. All available sites are listed in Handshake and will start with the position title “LHSI Intern.” You will meet with at least 2 of these if selected for interviews.