Introduction
The deep, intuitive connection between walking and thinking was written about by Virginia Woolf in her diaries over a century ago. More recently, it has been the subject of some fascinating scientific studies.

This connection between the mind and the body is the basis for a new project: a walking path at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center. This lab is the world’s largest commercial research institution and is situated on 300 beautiful but underused acres in Yorktown Heights, NY.

Your Role and Responsibilities
This is for a 2025 summer internship with the following start dates: May – August or June – September for quarter system schools.

The designer will research and design a one to two mile-path – a walking space where the building’s residents can rejuvenate cognitive resources and stimulate creativity. The designer will be responsible for all aspects of the path design, to be documented from the initial brief to concept and detailed design documents.

The designer will work in the Research Design department. They are empathic with the research community and will endeavor to capture the practical, creative, and emotional goals of an outdoor stroll during the workday.

The designer will then translate these and other requirements into hypotheses – and explore these with a broad spectrum of the community, including architects, ornithologists, and quantum and AI scientists.

The design should consider all aspects of the experience from leaving the building to materiality, sound, vegetation, seasons, birds, possible signage and/or maps. The design will be beautiful and practical but above all, it will serve the community for many years.

• Environment: Acquires knowledge of the IBM Research mission and vision, the scientific method, and how creativity manifests itself in scientists.
• Communication/Negotiation: Engaged as an independent professional. Ability to communicate with visuals and with words. Able to compare alternative approaches.
• Problem Solving: Recognize and communicate problems related to project objectives. Exercise creativity, judgment, and collaborative skills to solve them.
• Contribution/Leadership: Leads this special project. Generally controls own work priorities and methods requiring tradeoffs.

Required Technical and Professional Expertise

• Candidate should be pursuing a Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA).
• Strong interest in how people interact with the natural environment.
• Great communicator with images and words.
• Empathetic.

Preferred Technical and Professional Expertise

• Applicants have either a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) or a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (BSLA)
• Interest in natural habitats
• Interest in creativity and how it works