A growing number of opportunities exist for those interested in learning more about the DDC and getting involved. Over the last 25 years, the DDC has made its facilities and relationships with local institutions available to researchers, professionals, interns, and students both from Egypt and abroad.
What We Can Offer
Facilities
All DDC facilities – soil, water, and tissue culture laboratories, greenhouses, and agricultural fields - and the accompanying technical support are available to AUC faculty for research and instructional use.
Established Contacts
In addition to structural facilities, faculty interested in social research can take advantage of the DDC’s established and maintained contacts with the desert development community. Through training programs and high-quality seed sales, the DDC has networked with over 3,000 desert settler households. In addition, the DDC can facilitate communication with relevant local businesses, institutions, the Ministry of Agriculture, and research and development agencies.
Opportunities
Traineeships and Study Abroad
The DDC has hosted a number of undergraduate students from Egyptian and non-Egyptian universities for periods ranging from a few weeks to half a year. Students can use this opportunity to gain unique hands-on experience in a number of social, agricultural, and engineering fields. Academic departments and advisors, DDC staff, and the student work together to establish the student’s project goals, schedules, and evaluation measures. Upon the project’s successful completion, the student will have gained excellent independent work skills, contributed to desert development research, and, if applicable, earned academic credit (for examples of previous student projects). To explore such an opportunity, please do not hesitate to e-mail the DDC director, Richard Tutwiler, at ddcdir@aucegypt.edu.
Graduate Fellows without Stipend
The DDC can provide institutional affiliation in the form of a fellowship without stipend for visiting students that hold a B.A. or M.A. who wish to do research in Egypt relevant to the DDC's mission and programs. The benefits of this fellowship not only include access to DDC facilities and contacts, but also guidance in obtaining student or temporary residence visas, access to the AUC library, and medical service and health insurance fees. Information on applying can be obtained by contacting the DDC director, Richard Tutwiler.
Presidential Internship
The DDC has hosted a Presidential Intern Every year since 2002. The program places recent graduates from American universities in various AUC departments, allowing them to gain a year of valuable work and cultural experience. More information and an application for the Presidential Internship Program may be found online through the Office of the President, here.
Tours and Information Sessions
The DDC is happy to invite AUC groups and individuals to visit its Sadat City, South Tahrir, and New Campus locations. Lectures and tours can be tailored to your interests, as can the inclusion of meals at Sadat City or South Tahrir’s cafeterias. All interested parties should contact Mahmoud Badran, the DDC’s training coordinator, at tel 797.6615, to find out more information and schedule a visit.
In addition, the DDC can organize presentations in Cairo on topics related to sustainable desert development for student groups, classes, businesses, service organizations, or any other interested parties. To arrange such an information session, please contact the DDC Director Richard Tutwiler.
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Download your DDC desert desktop wallpaper for your computer. Just right-click on one of the pictures below and select "set as desktop background". Enjoy!
