Last July, a group of Cornell students sat on mats in a wooden pavilion at the edge of a forest in southern India, passing around plants. A traditional healer from a local indigenous community explained which ones ease menstrual cramps, treat joint pain and soothe colicky infants.

The visit was part of a five-week program that brought seven Cornell students — including four from Cornell Human Ecology — to the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, a protected tropical forest region in the foothills of the Western Ghats, in the state of Tamil Nadu. The group, which teamed up with four students from the area, met with health practitioners to learn about local practices and conduct research projects that will inform future health interventions.

Continue reading about this community-engaged learning opportunity on the College of Human Ecology website.