Progress 09/01/24 to 08/31/25

Outputs
Target Audience:Agriculture and related fields students, faculty and researchers use the equipment to engage in peer mentorship, participate in internship experiences, conduct faculty and researcher-mentored research, and facilitate K-12 agriculture and related sciences outreach. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project has provided faculty an opportunity to attend agriculture and related sciences conferences in the U.S. for professional development. Through partial collaboration with NSF-ATE and NSF-IOA-LSAMP support, participation in the training has provided faculty and students opportunities to have exposure in research focused on such diverse topics as environmental toxicology of soil, native use of plants and coral reef health. These undergraduate students presented at local student symposia and international conferences. These activities have led to a strong pipeline of PCC students transferring from the 2-year community colleges to the 4-year universities, with many graduating with agriculture and related fields degrees and several attending graduate schools in the fall 2025. The project has also provided students lab assistants stipend support and gives them the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Outreach and educational materials and updated agriculture and related science programs brochures were developed for recruitment purposes. Workshops on sustainable management resource use were conducted with Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math & Science high school students who are prospective students of PCC. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, the remaining 10% of equipment will be purchased. In addition, to increase student enrollment into the agriculture and science related programs, this project will continue to provide financial assistance in the form of stipends/scholarship to support students enrolled in these programs and will continue to create activities focusing on the importance of sustainable resource use to raise students interest with hopes of increasing enrollment into the programs. The project will continue to utilize the expertise of collaborators/ organizations who have been involved as partners either financially or in-kind support, facilities or equipment, personnel or such: NSF-ATE -Federal, NOAA -Federal; Local agencies include: Palau International Coral Reef Center, Palau Environmental Quality Protection Board, Coral Reef Research Foundation, Division of Marine Resource, Division of Agriculture, Palau Conservation Society, Palau National Weather Service, Palau Environmental Health/Sanitation, Office of Environmental Resource Center, Koror State Government and Belau National Museum to provide workshops, internship and research opportunities for students pursuing agriculture and science related This project will also continue to integrate high school educational outreach activities to expose secondary students to the agriculture and related science fields and serve to bridge the gap and allow for a smooth transition from high school into the PCC disciplines. The project will continue to improve instruction in agriculture and related science fields through faculty development.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The major goals of this project are 1. To establish soil lab in PCC: To accomplish goal No. 1, 90% of the equipment is already procured, and the remaining 10% is being processed for procurement. Due to the use of off-island vendors, the shipping and delivery process is delayed. 2. To build capacity for sustainable soil health management, Agriculture Sciences and related fields in the Republic of Palau, and the Micronesian Region. To accomplish goal No. 2, students, faculty and researchers use the equipment to engage in peer mentorship, participate in internship experiences, conduct faculty-mentored research, and facilitate K-12 agriculture and related sciences outreach.

Publications

Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Agriculture faculty teachers were trained to use the equipment (Microplate Reader Smart Reader 96,Carolina Automatic Autoclave, SM028-2 Sheldon Drying Oven, MP-6A Mega-Pure Glass Still). These are already used for teaching research. In the soil lab with the existing plant tissue culture laboratory in the Research and Development station in the PCC Cooperative Research and Extension (CRE) farm, students are learning practical experimentation under Hatch and RIIA projects. Changes/Problems:Major changes are the faculties, extension agents, and students getting the opportunity to use the soil laboratory equipment for research and teaching purposes. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?It's the only soil lab on the Island. The project has been providing practical use of the laboratory for research and teaching to faculties, extension agents, and students. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results have been disseminated to communities of interest through extension agents. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, the remaining 20% of equipment will be purchased. Public training sections will be held to train laboratory use and soil and water analysis for the community.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The major goals of this project are 1. To establish soil lab in PCC To accomplish goal No. 1, 80% of the equipment is already procured, and the remaining 20% is processed for procurement. 2. To build capacity for sustinable soil health manaement Agriculture Sciences and related fields in the Republic of Palau, and the Micronesian Region. To accomplish goal No. 2, the equipment is practically using to train the agriculture and related major students.

Publications

Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences reached for this project are agricultural sciences program students and the faculty in Palau Community College (PCC), and students and the teacher of Palau High School (PHS), agricultural coordinator in the Koror State Government in agriculture. They gota short term training on soil sample collection, and measurement of pH and EC forsoil quality evaluation. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Practical experiences for soil sampling and analysis of macro and micro nutrients were provided. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of soil analysis have been disseminated to the Ebiil Society as a reference for soil amendments necessary for revitalization of degraded land in the Bauxite mine. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The plans are to do field demonstrations with the target audiences, tobuy the necessary equipment , and to give the trainings for labortory use and soil analysis.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Communications with suppliers for the equipment is in progress and planning to get soil analysis equipment during this year. 2. For capacity building, planning to get soil analysis training for the faculty and students is in progress.

Publications