Source: CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, MONTEREY BAY submitted to
FUTURE-AG: FOSTERING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT TRAINING, UPSKILLING, AND RETENTION THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
EXTENDED
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1026093
Grant No.
2021-70001-34526
Project No.
CALW-2020-11327
Proposal No.
2020-11327
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
NLGCA
Project Start Date
Aug 1, 2021
Project End Date
Jul 31, 2024
Grant Year
2021
Project Director
Dundore-Arias, J.
Recipient Organization
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, MONTEREY BAY
100 CAMPUS CENTER
SEASIDE,CA 93955
Performing Department
College of Science
Non Technical Summary
Meeting the increasing demand for agricultural commodities for food, feed, fuel and other uses, without putting greater pressure on the world's natural resources, will require innovative solutions generated by the next generation of diverse and well-trained scientists in Food, Agricultural, Natural resources and Human (FANH) sciences. Despite this growing demand for a skilled workforce, undergraduate student recruitment and retention remain major challenges for institutions of higher education, as well as for the agricultural and food industry. These challenges are exacerbated for low-income, first-generation, and traditionally underrepresented minority (URM) students who generally lack strong networks and connections to faculty and mentors that would increase their success, particularly in STEM courses and research experiences. Here, we propose to develop a program to enhance current partnerships between California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and Hartnell College (HC), two Hispanic Serving Institutions located in Monterey County, California, an area popularly referred as the Salad Bowl of the World, and equally known for having one of the widest income disparities between Hispanic and white populations. The long-term goal of this program is to advance educational achievement and enthusiasm for FANH fields, promoting the transfer process from HC to CSUMB, and to improve social mobility by preparing regional students for careers in the agricultural sector. This project seeks to improve student-learning through the implementation of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences in the classroom, aimed at enhancing professional and academic growth of participating students, as well as their ability to identify themselves as potential active participant of the scientific research community working to address the challenges experienced by the agricultural industry. These course-based research experiences will also enhance early participation and exposure to interdisciplinary laboratory and field-based research offering authentic experiential learning opportunities for community college and undergraduate students to improve knowledge about scientific research and modern microbial biotechnology research approaches, including molecular diagnostics of soilborne pathogens, as well as understanding of the complex issues surrounding plant disease management. Collectively, these efforts will contribute to empower URM students at Hispanic Serving Institutions to become the next generation of agricultural professionals that will fill the large and growing number of agricultural jobs in our region and state. Professional development opportunities and the organization of a regional career fair will allow students from the Tri-County region to meet with private organizations and federal agencies to explore careers and professional resources, and to become aware of relevant job openings, internships, and scholarships. Ultimately, the mission-oriented research proposed in this project focusing on characterizing indigenoussoil bacterial populations from adapted to local agricultural environments and cataloguing their antimicrobial capacities and biocontrol potential against plant pathogens of locally-grown crops is aimed at addressing real-world problems, and specifically, to enhance understanding of the diversity and function of indigenous soil microbial communities, and their potential applications to promote soil health and agricultural sustainability.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
80601101160100%
Knowledge Area
806 - Youth Development;

Subject Of Investigation
0110 - Soil;

Field Of Science
1160 - Pathology;
Goals / Objectives
The overall objective of this project is to attract, retain, support, and graduate more Hispanic, first-generation, and low-income students in agricultural and related biological sciences, and to prepare them for work in the agricultural sector by strengthening a nascent 2+2 transfer pathway (Agricultural Plant and Soil Science, AGPS) from Hartnell College to California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB), and ultimately, to increase the number of students enrolling in and graduating with a Plant and Soil Science bachelor's degree. This integrated project (education and research) aims to support academic development and career attainment of underrepresented groups through curriculum design, incorporation of agricultural experiential learning activities, applied research, and facilitating the establishment of professional relationships. The proposed objectives are to: 1) improve student-learning experiences by implementing scaffolded agricultural-relevant Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences in the classroom; 2) attract and support outstanding underrepresented students to gain hands-on experience in interdisciplinary laboratory and field-based agricultural research internships; 3) organize a multi-institution agricultural-centered career and internship fair for students in the Tri-County region; 4) enhance understanding of the diversity and function of indigenous soil bacteria, and their potential applications to promote soil health in commercial agricultural production via soilborne pathogen suppression.
Project Methods
Development and implementation of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE), scaffolded throughout the 2+2 AGPS program expanding from Hartnell College (HC) to California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB). These scaffolded crop management-based CURE modules will intentionally integrate theory with hands-on learning. As studentsgain conceptual understanding and practical skills, they will also improve their scientific reasoning, and capacity to recognize the relevance of the concepts they are learning to real-life situations and how to apply them. CUREs will focus on reinforcing the student's understanding of, the scientific method (i.e. experimental designs and hypothesis testing, and sample and data collection), ecological and coevolutionary principles, basic molecular concepts, use of modern molecular diagnostic tools, as well as plant-microbe interactions and their relationship with crop management. The Mycomunchers CURE will introduce and reinforce students' knowledge and understanding of genetic and genomic concepts relating to the molecular processes regulating the flow of information in organisms (i.e. gene expression, translation). Two complementary learning modules will be designed and implemented in the courses ABT-92: Plant Sciences at HC, and BIO 306: Biotechnology for Agriculture at CSUMB. The Indigenous soilborne pathogen antagonists CURE will focus around the process of investigating indigenous soil microbial communities, to identify and characterize microbial populations with biocontrol potential (antagonistic capacities) against plant pathogens of locally-grown crops, and will be implemented in the courses ABT-90: Soil Science and ABT-92: Plant Science at HC, and BIO 322: Plant Pathology at CSUMB.Offer research internships as part of the FUTURE-Ag Summer Fellows Program (FUTURE-Ag SFP), which each year, will support close to one third of the students enrolled in the Ag degree programs at CSUMB. Specifically, selected incoming transfer students from HC (n=2), as well as students already enrolled in the CSUMB AGPS program (n=4) will be paired with research mentors and participate in a 12-week, paid-research internship (summer term). To further build their skill sets and sense of scholarly ability, students participating in this program will have the opportunity to fill out a brief application form indicating their interest in the program and preferences among the participating research laboratories at CSUMB (ex: Plant Pathology, Weed Sciences, Soil Health, Microbial Genetics, Bioinformatics), Cooperative Extension of Monterey County (ex: entomology, soil fertility, or crop management), or the local USDA-ARS research station (Vector biology, Strawberry pathology, Biocontrol). Both matched research mentors and student mentees will participate in an inaugural networking introductory session, and throughout the rest of the summer, students will remain in touch by communicating through their own Slack channel as a way to enhance peer communication, troubleshoot, and develop collaborations with members of different research groups. Moreover, as a concluding requirement of their program, students will present their research projects and findings in a virtual research festival, which will be offered to academic peers and interested faculty from the participating institutions, as well as other Community Colleges and CSUs.Organize the FUTURE-Ag Career and Internship Fair aimed at exposing students and educators from the Tri-County region to career and training opportunities in Ag-related fields in public and private industry. This fair will provide an estimate of 400 students from across multiple HSI institutions (4-year universities, community colleges) and high schools with opportunities to meet with private organizations and federal agencies to explore careers and professional resources, and to become aware of job openings, internships, and scholarships in the agriculture sector. The event is planned to be offered twice during the duration of this program, with a virtual and in-person format in the first and second year, respectively. Attendants of this event will have the opportunity to network and learn about internships (Pathways Program on USAJobs.gov and Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, HACU), scholarships and conference sponsorships, career opportunities, employment prospects, and public service from USDA and other Federal Agencies, as well as local private companies. During the fair, students will be able to arrange and complete interviews with interested employers, and participate in training sessions on how to navigate the USAJobs website, and interpret vacancy announcements.Investigate the ecological and molecular mechanisms responsible for the establishment and maintenance of disease-suppressive soils, and to use this information to develop microbial consortia capable of enhancing soil health and plant productivity. This will be accomplished by integrating genomic, molecular, phenotypic, and field-scale data, and contributing to identifying pathogen antagonistic taxa which could be used as indicators of soil health and disease suppression across multiple cropping systems and environmental conditions. This research will complement scientific questions that will be addressed through the proposed CURE modules, therefore, allowing students to participate in collaborative project-wide scientific publications. This research will include assessing the in-vivo biological control efficacy of a subset of selected Streptomyces and Collimonas isolates based on the previous in-vitro pathogen antagonistic phenotypes and taxonomic characterization. This research will seek to advance understanding of the higher-order compositional structure and species interactions within pathogen suppressive soil communities, and environmental conditions that lead to the enrichment of plant beneficial microbial communities. Information generated from this research will be used as indicators of soil health and disease suppression across multiple cropping systems and environmental conditions.Throughout the proposed project, the project team will continue maintaining close communication with agricultural commodity boards, as well as other stakeholders with the goal of continuing to gather their insight, and to assure the project's research objectives and efforts are relevant to the regional agricultural industry and community. Moreover, members of the community, including growers, crop advisors, and members of local Master Gardener clubs, will be invited to participate in class presentations and research festivals, with the goal of facilitating networking interactions with students, while learning from them about plant pathology, soil microbiology, and crop management.In our evaluation plan, we focus on developing and assessing student learning outcomes across scaffolded CUREs, internships, and co-curricular activities such as the FUTURE-Ag Career and Internship Fair, with critical reflection a key component of the process. In order to make the concept of transfer and transformative learning tangible for students, students will be prompted to articulate and show evidence of the value of their learning. Students will then be able to implement a protocol for collecting, reflecting and presenting their strengths as they progress in a learning pathway. We will assess a student's progression in the relevant developmental area(s) using published rubrics. We will analyze implementation data and conduct Nominal Group Technique focus groups, and structured interviews with participants to further refine FUTURE Ag.

Progress 08/01/22 to 07/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience:California State University, Monterey Bay target audience served in this reporting period included undergraduate students, especially first-generation, low-income, underrepresented students in FANH fields, including Biology and Agricultural Plant and Soil Science (AGPS) majors. Students served in this reporting period included undergraduate students participating in CURE modules in AGPS courses, independent research experiences, and summer research internships. During the 2022- 2023 academic year, there were 89 students enrolled in the AGPS program, and of those, 65% were Hispanic and over 67% were First-generation college students, and 40% low-income. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project has provided an array of training and professional development activities for undergraduate students. Over 165 students (121 CSUMB and 44 Hartnell College) were trained in research techniques related to molecular biology and soil microbiology data through CUREs. Four students were directly mentored and trained (one-on-one) in soil microbiology and molecular research techniques through independent research experiences. They learned microbial analysis techniques in the lab, and also gained experience with data entry, data management, and data analysis. All of them completed lab safety training, human subjects research training, and research ethics training. Seven of those students participated in a national scientific conference (Plant Health 2023 and SACNAS NDiSTEM) and participated in several networking activities for undergraduate student attendees. All twelve students participating in the summer internship also completed various professional development workshops including Academic Resume & CV, Statement of Purpose, Professional Email Communication, and Poster Design and Presentation. They also participated in the CSUMB Annual Summer Symposium and Plant Health 2023, and two of them were awarded as one of the best poster presentations. An early career Community College faculty (Co-PI Rustad) participated in the CSUMB UROC CURE Faculty Fellowship in Summer 2022 and received training in how to develop instructional materials, curricular activities, and evaluation strategies for the integration of authentic research activities into her agricultural-related courses at Hartnell College. An early career CSU faculty (PI Dundore-Arias) was able to work with the regional USDA OPPE and the CSUMB Career Development Office and was mentored on how to organize and execute a career fair and internship fair. PI Dundore-Arias provided information about CUREs and research opportunities at PUI & HSI institutions through various talks at CSUMB, a national conference (Plant Health 2023 and SACNAS NDiSTEM), and invited Departmental Seminars (UMass Boston). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?At CSUMB, the PI has shared an overview of the project with incoming AGPS students during onboarding sessions for enrolled students, including the Science Student Success Welcome event, Otter Admitted Day, and Open Campus Day. Additionally, the information has also been shared during invited lecture presentations with students from local community colleges (Hartnell College and Cabrillo College), and with high school students (Rancho Cielo) and students from the Coastal FARMS Leadership Student chapter during recruitment events including College Day visits and community events. Program overview and CURE instructional and assessment materials were shared through presentations given on campus as part of the CURE Fellow Faculty Program, conference presentations and through invited Departmental Seminars. Research opportunities were also shared in AGPS and BIO classes as well as through the CSUMB partners including the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Center (UROC), TRiO program and Transfer Student Success Center during their own recruitment and orientation events. Internship and Career Fair information was shared through e-newsletters and emails sent out to CSUMB students in College of Science and to Hartnell College students, as well as industry and USDA employers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the next year / reporting period, we will repeat some of the same activities as during Y2 of the grant to continue mentoring students and achieving our research objective. Specifically, we will: - Offer molecular biology and soil microbiology CURE modules through at least 2 courses at CSUMB and 2 at Hartnell College. - Distribute the Ag-research experience survey to participating students, and complete data analysis on the CURE evaluations. This will also include recruiting and providing support to two students from the STEM Teacher Pathways, interested in teaching Agricultural Science to participate in the assessment of student learning through CURE modules. - Conduct exit and focus group interviews with senior AGPS students. - Organize an in-person Cultivating Talent and Harvesting Leaders Career and Internship Fair for CSUMB and Hartnell College students, as well as students from local high schools and other regional HSIs. We will also work on recruiting additional regional employers to participate in the event. - We will continue to participate in recruitment events with local Community Colleges and High Schools from the Salinas and Pajaro Valleys, and community partners, and establish collaborations with local FFA chapters.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? In our work towards Objective 1, we did the following: We offered four previously developed (year 1, #1 and #2) and new (year 2, #3 and #4) CURE modules. The first module focused on the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology and second module focusing on pathogen-antagonistic soil bacteria The third CURE modulefocused on investigating the composition and function of lettuce phyllosphere microbiomes. Specifically, during the course of the semester, students investigated yeasts isolated from the foliage of lettuce plants collected from the Salinas Valley. Students applied skills learned in CURE #1 conducted a phenotypic and molecular characterization of their own isolates, and developed hypotheses on their potential functional roles on lettuce health and growth. The module focused onenhancing the students' scientific identity and interest in agricultural biotechnology, and to collaborate with students in other courses. Specifically, students majoring in agricultural plant and soil science enrolled in BIO 306 developed an ag-biotech business idea, serving as the science experts, responsible for conducting the science research background, and coming up with a general description of the biotechnology approach and its application. On the other hand, students in the partnering courses, served as the visual design and business consultants and helped the BIO 306 students to come up with their product branding and business plan. By the end of the semester, students prepared a modified business plan that integrated and summarized the scientific merit, financial worth, and commercial potential of the idea. In the final class presentation, they pitched the projects to their peers, as well as a panel of 3-special guests, a scientist working at a private biotech company, a local ag-entrepreneur, and the course instructor. Modules were revised at the end of the semester addressing pitfalls and making the necessary modifications for the next academic year. Student evaluations were collected and will be summarized, analyzed, and shared in the next reporting cycle. To further gauge the effect of improved student-learning experiences, we developed and distributed among participating students a survey to assess the impact of CURE and/or research internship/independent experience on scientific identity and career interests. Findings will be shared in the next reporting cycle. Key outcomes. Generally, participating students reported an increased understanding of genetic/cellular/molecular principles, improved research experiences and skills, improved communication and collaborative skills as well as scientific identity, and greater motivation to pursue careers involving scientific research. Another positive outcome of CURE 4 was to see the change in the students' perspectives while identifying themselves as CEOs in their business plans, even though the assignment did not explicitly require/ask for it, compared with earlier in the semester, they only perceived themselves as working in technical jobs for other entrepreneurs. In our work towards Objective 2, we did the following: We recruited a total of 12 students (8 CSUMB and 4 Hartnell College) to participate in hands-on experience in interdisciplinary laboratory and field-based agricultural research internships. At CSUMB students were recruited from the Agricultural Plant and Soil Science (AGPS) major. Those students worked on a variety of agricultural research projects under the guidance and mentorship of CSUMB AGPS faculty, USDA ARS and USDA APHIS scientists, and industry partners, and worked on a variety of research projects ranging from plant pathology, agronomy, soil science, soil microbiology, and pest monitoring. At Hartnell College students were recruited from the agricultural plant science and agribusiness majors. Those students worked at private agri-food companies in positions expanding from sales and manufacturing to field production roles. All these students completed the required training and workshops related to research techniques, communication skills, and mentoring skills, as well as professional development workshops. Of the participating CSUMB students, 100% of them identified as first-generation college students and as members of racial/ethnic underrepresented groups in STEM including Hispanic/Latinx (70%), Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (20%), and members of the LGBTQ community (20%). Moreover, 50% of the participating students worked in the previous year in labor-intensive field crop jobs, including manually planting, cultivating, and harvesting vegetables, fruits, and ornamental plants. Key outcomes. We were able to recruit students from historically underrepresented groups in STEM and FANH. Informal reports and interviews indicated that students had a positive experience, interacted with faculty and USDA scientists, strengthened and practiced their communication skills, and broadened their career perspectives. 100%of participating students highlighted the impact of this internship on their career trajectory, and motivation to pursue graduate degrees or BS degrees. In our work towards Objective 3, we did the following: We organized the Cultivating Talent and Harvesting Leaders Career and Internship Fair, a multi-institution agricultural-centered career and internship fair for students in the Tri-County region. The fair was first offered in October 2022 with 30 employers and over 100 students, while in February 2023 the fair brought together 40 employers and over 160 students. Employers included various USDA agencies, agri-food private companies, and district and county-wide extension agencies. Participating students included various majors. Additional participants include students from local community colleges, such as Hartnell College and Cabrillo College. A survey was distributed among participants and the provided feedback will be incorporated into the organization of future versions of the event. Key outcomes.Ag-centered career and internship fair wasintegrated into the annual CSUMB Career Week program. Initial post-event survey analysis revealed that students had a positive experience and valued the direct interaction with recruiters. Of the AGPS student graduates, 21% of the students obtained jobs they learned about and/or applied for during the Cultivating Talent and Harvesting Leaders fair. Moreover, in Spring 2023 it was the first time when we had AGPS former graduates attending the fair as recruiters. In our work towards Objective 4, we did the following: Genetic diversity of the previously isolated soilborne Streptomyces was assessed by sequencing. Streptomyces isolates were obtained from soils collected from 3 locations on the Central Coast of California and obtained via dilution, selective media, and morphological analysis through CUREs. DNA was extracted, amplified, and sequenced.In-vitro pathogen inhibitory activity of these isolates against locally relevant Pythium pathogens (P. aphanidermatum and two P. uncinulatum) of leafy green crops was evaluated with the goal of determining the relationship between genetic diversity and pathogen-inhibitory capacities. Moreover, the in vitro Streptomyces antibiotic inhibitory interactions among 27 Streptomyces isolatesfor a total of 702 pairwise interactions. Here, the frequency of inhibitory interactions was examined and patterns of inhibition between sympatric and allopatric isolates were compared, as well as the differences in specific inhibitory phenotypes across field production histories. Key outcomes. All students completed the corresponding biosafety and disciplinary training. Three students presented their research at conferences. Participating students received guidance and one was accepted into graduate programs in FANH discipline.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Imperial, Alex, and Dundore-Arias JP. Development of an Inoculation Technique for Rapid Evaluation of Pythium Wilt of Lettuce. SACNAS NDiSTEM Conference (Oct 2022), San Juan, PR (Poster)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Regalado-Diaz, Cecilia, Jasso, K, Hasegawa, D, and Dundore-Arias JP. Greater than the sum of its parts: Characterization of the coinfection of lettuce with Pythium Wilt and INSV in the Salinas Valley, California State University, Monterey Bay Summer Symposium (August 2023), Seaside, CA (Poster)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Vasquez, Elise, Kortman, S, Prescott, K, and Haffa, A. Longitudinal Study Comparing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Field Under Different Climate Smart Soil Management Practices During a Broccoli Crop in Salinas, CA. California State University, Monterey Bay Summer Symposium (August 2023), Seaside, CA (Poster)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Villacana, Jose, Simmons, G, and Henderson. Effects of Lambda-Cyhalothrin at Different Coverages on LBAM Eggs. California State University, Monterey Bay Summer Symposium (August 2023), Seaside, CA (Poster)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Mejia, Luis, and Horton, K. Soil Health & Aggregate Monitoring. California State University, Monterey Bay Summer Symposium (August 2023), Seaside, CA (Poster)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Villafria, Nathaniel, JP Dundore-Arias1 Mejia, Luis, and Horton, K. Production of Pythium uncinulatum Inoculum for Investigating Pythium Wilt of Lettuce. California State University, Monterey Bay Summer Symposium (August 2023), Seaside, CA (Poster)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Salinas-Gonzalez, Nicole, LeBlanc, N, and Gebben Hernandez, S.nas and Patriot. California State University, Monterey Bay Summer Symposium (August 2023), Seaside, CA (Poster)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Broderick, Patrick, Locke-Paddon, E, Hickey,H, Camelo, V, Hasegawa, D, Dundore-Arias, JP. Molecular Identification of Pythium Species Associated with Pythium Wilt of Lettuce on the Central Coast of California. Plant Health 2023 Annual Meeting (August 2023), Denver, CO (Poster)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Zetko, Brittany, Raimondo, M, Hickey, H, and Dundore-Arias, JP. Examining Inhibitory Interactions Among Soilborne Streptomyces from the Central Coast of California. Plant Health 2023 Annual Meeting (August 2023), Denver, CO (Poster)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Locke-Paddon, Emily, Raimondo, M, Hickey, H, and Dundore-Arias, JP. Exploring the genetic diversity of soilborne Streptomyces spp. from the Central Coast of California. Plant Health 2023 Annual Meeting (August 2023), Denver, CO (Poster)


Progress 08/01/21 to 07/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience:California State University, Monterey Bay target audience served in this reporting period included undergraduate students, especially first-generation, low-income, underrepresented students in FANH fields, including Biology and Agricultural Plant and Soil Science (AGPS) majors. Students served in this reporting period included undergraduate students participating in CURE modules inAGPS courses, independent research experiences, and summer research internships.During the 2021- 2022 academic year, there were 40 students enrolled in the AGPS program, and of those, 80% were Hispanic and over 85% were First-generation college students. Of the students participating in the independent research experiences (n=4), 100% of them were female andfirst-generation, and of those 50% of them were Hispanic, 25% were Asian American, and 25% were White. Students who participated in the summer internship (n=4), 100% werefirst-generation, 75% were female and 25% were male, and of those 1 student was African American, 1 Hispanic, and 2 were White. At Hartnell College, there are two target audiences: 1- Students in the Agricultural Production (AgP) Associates program; and 2- student in thesummer undergraduate research program.The vast majority of students in the AgP programwere Hispanic andFirst-generation, including thestudent who participated in the summer internship. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project has provided an array of training and professional development activities for undergraduate students. Over 60 students (60 CSUMB and 22 Hartnell College)were trained in research techniques related to molecular biology and soil microbiology data throughCUREs.Four students were directly mentored and trained (one-on-one) in soil microbiology and molecular research techniques through independent research experiences. Theylearnedmicrobial analysis techniques in the lab, and also gained experience with data entry, data management, and data analysis. All of themcompleted lab safety training, human subjects research training, and research ethics training. One of those students participated in a national professional conference for plant pathologists (Plant Health 2022) and participated in several networking activities for undergraduate student attendees. Four students participating in the summer internship were also trainedin research techniques, communication skills, and mentoring skills. These students gain skills in distinct project-specific areas, including insect vector biology related to Western Flower Thrips ecology and host preference, conventional disease management of Spinach Damping-off through seed treatment, microbial antagonism seeking biocontrol strategies to control Pythium wilt of lettuce using indigenous soilbacteria, and agricultural greenhouse emissions associated with strawberry production including anaerobic soil disinfestation. They also completed various professional development workshops including Academic Resume & CV, Statement of Purpose, Professional Email Communication, and Poster Design and Presentation. They also participated in theCSUMB 9th Annual Summer Symposium, and one of them was awarded as one of the best poster presentations. An early career Community Collegefaculty (Co-PI Rustad) participated in the CSUMB UROC CUREFaculty Fellowship in Summer 2022 and received training in how todevelop instructional materials, curricular activities, and evaluation strategies for the integration of authentic research activities into heragricultural-related courses at Hartnell College. An early career CSU faculty (PI Dundore-Arias) was able to work with the regionalUSDA OPPE and the CSUMBCareer Development Office and was mentored on how to organize and execute a career fair and internship fair. PI Dundore-Arias provided information about CUREs and research opportunities at PUI & HSI institutions throughvarious talks at CSUMB, anational conference (NARRU), and through invited Departmental Seminars (UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, and North Carolina State University). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?At CSUMB, the PI has shared anoverview of the project with incoming AGPS students during onboarding sessions for enrolled students, including the Science Student Success Welcome event, Otter Admitted Day, and Open Campus Day. Additionally, the information has also been shared during invited lecture presentationswith students from local community colleges (Hartnell Collegeand Cabrillo College), and with high school students (Rancho Cielo) and students from the Coastal FARMS Leadership Student chapterduring recruitment events including College Day visits and community events (Salinas Valley Latinx Engineering Day,Latinx Heritage Festival of theCity of Salinas 2021). Program overview and CURE instructional and assessment materials were shared through presentations given on campus as part of the CURE Fellow Faculty Program, a poster presentation at a national conference (NARRU) and through invited Departmental Seminars (UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, and North Carolina State University). Research opportunities were also shared in AGPS and BIO classes as well as through the CSUMB partners including theUndergraduate Research Opportunity Center (UROC), TRiO program and Transfer Student Success Center during their own recruitment and orientation events. Internship and Career Fair information was shared through e-newsletters and emails sent out to CSUMB students in College of Scienceand to Hartnell College students, as well as industry and USDA employers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the next year / reporting period, we will repeat the same activities as during Y1 of the grant to continue mentoring students and achieving our research objective. Specifically, we will: Molecular biology and soil microbiologyCURE modules will be offered fully in person through at least 2 courses at CSUMB and 2 at Hartnell College. Distribute the Ag-research experience survey to participating students, and complete data analysis on the CURE evaluations. This will also include recruiting and provide support totwo students from the STEM Teacher Pathways, interested in teaching Agricultural Science to participate in the assessment of student learning through CURE modules. Continue to provide one-to-one mentorship to four undergraduate students through independent studies. This will include the genetic sequencing and identification of indigenous plant-beneficial organisms and complete their phenotypic characterization. Additionally, students will be mentored and supported to share research findings in conferences and symposia. Provide support and arrange placements for 4 students during summer internships, including opportunities to work with CSUMB faculty, UCCE farm advisors, USDA researchers, and/or private industry, and mentorand supportto share research findings in the CSUMB summer research symposia. Organize an in-personCultivating Talent and Harvesting Leaders Career and Internship Fair for CSUMB and Hartnell College students, as well as students from local high schools and other regional HSIs. We will also work on recruiting additional regional employers to participate in the event.We will continue partnering with regionalUSDA OPPE and attendtheHarvesting the Leaders of Tomorrow Career & Internship Fair at Fresno State University to further connect with regional partners including the organizers. We will continue to participate in recruitment events with local Community Colleges and High Schools from the Salinas and Pajaro Valleys, and community partners, and establish collaborations with local FFA chapters.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? In our work towards Objective1, we did the following: We developed 2 CURE modules which were modified to be offered through online instruction modality due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.The first modulefocused onthe Central Dogma of Molecular Biology. This module consisted of 3 lectures, videos, lab activities, and assessments. A brief summary of specific topics coveredincluded: Structure and function of DNA and RNA, Complementary Nitrogenous Base Pairing, Structure and function of chromosomes, DNA Replication, Transcription, Translation and the use of the genetic code in protein synthesis, Types of DNA mutations (i.e. Base-pair substitution, Base-pair insertion/deletion, inversion), as well as principles of DNA extraction, Polymerase Chain Reaction, and Gel Electrophoresis. This module was offered at both CSUMB andHartnell College. At CSUMB the module was offered through theupper division BIO 306, Biotechnology for Agriculture course (Junior Fall 2021 enrollment of 34 students), while at Hartnell College it was incorporated in theABT-135, Food Microbiology course (Fall 2021 enrollment of 20 students). A second CURE modulefocusing on pathogen-antagonistic soil bacteria was developed and offered in the upper division AGPS 470 Integrated Pest Management course (SeniorSpring 2022enrollment of 11 students). In this module,students participated in a series of 3 lab modules in which theycollectedtheir own soil samples, quantifiedthe density of soil Streptomyces, isolated and purified isolates, and testedtheir antibiotic antagonistic profiles. A collection of 27 uniqueisolates was generated and shared with students working on their independent research studies who further characterized them based on pathogen inhibitory capacities and also by using PCR and sequencing. Modules were revised at the end of the semester addressing pitfalls and making the necessary modifications for the next academic year. Student evaluations were collected and will be summarized, analyzed, and shared in the next reporting cycle. To further gauge the effect ofimproved student-learning experiences, we developed a survey to assess the impact of CURE and/or research internship/independent experience on scientific identity and career interests which was distributed among participating students and will findings will be shared in the next reporting cycle. In our work towards Objective2, we did the following: We recruited a total of 5 students (4 CSUMB and 1 Hartnell College) to participate in hands-on experience in interdisciplinary laboratory and field-based agricultural research internships. CSUMB AGPS major student Cole Mefford completed his internship at CSUMB under the supervision of PI Dundore-Arias and a partnering scientist from Syngenta (Dr. Jeannette Rapicavoli) and conducted a research project titledManaging Damping-off of Spinach via Fungicide Seed Treatments. Through this project, Cole developed skills in growing plants, measuring seed health and quality,and assessing disease development/control. CSUMB Biology major studentDestiny Henderson-Hudgins worked under the supervision of PI Dundore-Arias andconducted a research project titledPotential Soil Probiotics Exploring the pathogen-inhibitory capacities of soilborne Streptomyces from the Salinas Valley against Pythium spp. In this project, Destiny studied the inhibitory capacities of 18 isolates of soilborne Streptomyces from commercial fields against Pythium species from the Salinas Valley. CSUMB AGPS major student Kiara Gablecompleted her internship under the supervision of PI Dundore-Arias and a partnering USDA ARS scientist Dr. Daniel Hasegawa investigating the ecology of Western Flower Thrips vectors of INSV, and in particular, assessing the thrips density abundance in crops and non-crops INSV hosts.CSUMB Environmental Science, Technology, & Policy major studentElise Vasquez worked under the supervision of CSUMB faculty Dr. Arlene Haffa on a project investigating the agricultural impacts on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change in Monterey County, particularly in association with strawberry production practices such as anaerobic soil disinfestation.Hartnell student Edgar Diaz was placed in a summer internship during summer 2022. He workedat Pisoni Vineyards in Gonzales, CA adn as part of this project Edgar assistedvegetable and vineyard farming operationsconductingsoil quality and fertility testing,estimatingplant spacing for a field production yield associated with different densities, and monitoring fertilizer usage and vineyard water stress. All these students completed the required training and workshops related toresearch techniques, communication skills, and mentoring skills, as well as professional development workshops. In our work towards Objective3, we did the following: We organized an online multi-institution agricultural-centered career and internship fair for students in the Tri-County region. The firstCultivating Talent and Harvesting Leaders Career and Internship Fair was offered virtually on March 17, 2022 and brought together over 80 students from CSUMB and Hartnell College, and 9employers from the agricultural industry including Driscoll's, Dole, Nature Rewards, Scheid Vineyards,UC Davis, UCCE, and USDA agencies, including USDA ARS, NRCS, FSA, RMA, Forest Service, among others. A survey was distributed among participants and the provided feedback will beincorporated into the organization of future versions of the event. In our work towards Objective4, we did the following: A collection of 27 unique Streptomycesisolatesgenerated from CURE moduleswere further characterized in this objective as part of theindependent research studies in which 4 students participated. In Fall 2021 two undergraduate researchers worked on investigating and optimizing research protocols for purifying and culturing Streptomyces isolates, as well as testing antibiotic inhibition against plant pathogenic Pythium species. In Spring 2022, oneundergraduate researcherworked on testing the inhibitory capacities of each of the isolates against the plant pathogens Pythium aphanidermatum and P. uncinulatum, and the other one worked on researching methods for genetic sequencing of each isolate including, culturing methods, DNA extraction, PCR protocols andprimer set up.All students completed the corresponding trainings, and one student, Morgan Raimondo attended the Plant Health 2022 Annual meeting and presented a poster focusing on the characterization ofpathogen-inhibitory soilborne Streptomyces from the Salinas Valley.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Dundore-Arias JP, Slown C, Rustad E. 2021. Future-Ag: Fostering Undergraduate Student Training, Upskilling And Retention Through Interdisciplinary Experiential Learning In Ag-Sciences. NARRU 2021 (Poster presentation, online)