Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Nationally, a large percentage of the personnel working in several federal agencies dealing with natural resources and environment sciences (NRES), e.g., USDA-NRCS, US-EPA, US-Forest Service, and US-GS, are expected to retire in the next decade. Replacing these personnel with a diverse population is a priority for these agencies. Texas leads the nation in energy production and several agricultural commodities such as cattle and other agricultural products. Thus, there is a great need to train more natural resources and environmental scientists to address the increasing environmental and natural demands caused by the surge in the state's population. For instance, hundreds of acres of valuable Farmlands and natural landscapes are lost across the state to urban expansion every day. Over 50% of the state's drinking water comes from groundwater aquifers; however, these aquifers are threatened due to excess over pumping or pollution from land use changes and other anthropogenic activities.Potential job opportunities for NRES graduates would be in watershed management, water resources, ecosystem services, remediation, and contamination mitigation. The need for these jobs is pronounced for an economically thriving state and the US. The demand for well-trained inter-disciplinary NRES professionals is projected to increase in this region, nationally, and even globally.Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) is one of the leading land grant institutions in Texas. The needs of the state should be met by training a qualified workforce to manage our natural resources better and protect our environment. By complementing the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences (CAHS) 's existing resources (human and infra-structural) with the financial support the proposed project will provide, the quality of education necessary for training new NRES professionals will be greatly enhanced. The proposed interdisciplinary NRES program represents a significant effort in furnishing a much-needed service primarily to underserved Texas citizens and all Texans. Natural resources management and environmental issues are critical issues in the changing climate. Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is critically important to conserve natural resources and protect the environment. CSA, which needs advanced agricultural practices to increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is critical in changing climate. Agriculture is a significant contributor to GHG emissions that increase global warming. Therefore, reducing agricultural emissions and increasing soil carbon sequestration could be critical in climate change mitigation.The project aims to develop an integrated approach to advance research and education in climate-smart agriculture (CSA) to support new MS and BS in agriculture with NRES concentration degree program in the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences (CAHS) at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU). The primary objectives of this project are to: i) quantify the impact of climate change on agri-ecosystem using experimental approaches (ii) develop new experiential learning opportunities for students, and (iii) enhance student recruitment and retention to produce a skilled NRES workforce. Student recruitment and retention are critical issues in the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences at PVAMU. While the CAHS has added a new MS degree program in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRES) and a new NRES concentration in BS in agriculture degree, building the critical mass of students into the program will be a major challenge for the next few years. Therefore, the proposed project will help CAHS to build its capacity to implement new strategies to increase student enrollment and retention through experiential learning and research activities. This project is being proposed to implement an integrated approach to educate and support graduate and undergraduate students through experiential learning and advanced research methods. This approach can also enhance student recruitment and retention and increase the skilled workforce in agriculture and other programs, colleges, and institutions. Overall, this project will enhance and strengthen the research and teaching/education capacity of CAHS and increase the skilled workforce in NRES.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
20%
Applied
70%
Developmental
10%
Goals / Objectives
The project aims to develop an integrated approach to advance education and research in climate-smart agriculture (CSA) for supporting new MS and BS in agriculture (NRES concentration) degree programs in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRES) at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU).List of Proposed Teaching/Education and Research Objectives:Quantify the impact of climate change on agri-ecosystem using experimental approachesDevelop new experiential learning opportunities for studentsEnhance student recruitment and retention to produce a skilled NRES workforce
Project Methods
1. Prepare plots and install sensors and other equipment at each plot2. Monitor soil, plant, and atmospheric carbon emissions3. Develop Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Module4. Experiential activities through experimental projects5.Develop academic experiential programs to recruit students into the NRES degree Program6. Implement effective student retention strategies