Non Technical Summary
The seafood industry plays a crucial role in the U.S. economy, but it is facing challenges from sustainability concerns like overfishing, climate-induced impacts, and the issues of imported seafood traceability and fraud. Workforce development, pivotal for sustainable and efficient operations, is hindered by perceptions of the industry and a gap in comprehensive training avenues. The proposed REEU project aspires to harness these advancements, targeting particularly undergraduate minority students, and instilling essential technical proficiencies to the next generation and uplift the industry. A consortium of institutes including the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center (VSAREC) at Virginia Tech, Cal Poly Pomona, and Hampton University will collaborate with industry partners to oversee undergraduate research and career development. A total of 24 undergraduate students will be recruited over a 5-years project period, among which 16 students will be from the underrepresented groups. A list of experiential learning activities, such as hands-on research projects, industry field trips, professional short courses and career development events will be included. Three objectives of this project will be: Objective 1: Increase the awareness of seafood related research and career opportunities among undergraduate students, especially from minority groups, through recruitment and career development activities. Objective 2: Improve the scientific proficiency and research competency of undergraduate students, especially from minority groups, through summer research internships that involve multidisciplinary short-courses, laboratory training, field trips, and other experiential learning activities. Objective 3: Build a long-term mentorship program to track students' success and provide professional guidance and support.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
601	3799	3020	25%
501	0810	3020	25%
501	0811	3020	25%
601	0899	3020	25%

Knowledge Area
601 - Economics of Agricultural Production and Farm Management; 501 - New and Improved Food Processing Technologies;

Subject Of Investigation
0810 - Finfish; 0899 - Wildlife and natural fisheries, general/other; 3799 - Cultured aquatic animals, general/other; 0811 - Shellfish;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;

Goals / Objectives
Three objectives of this project will be: Objective 1: Increase the awareness of seafood related research and career opportunities among undergraduate students, especially from minority groups, through recruitment and career development activities. Objective 2: Improve the scientific proficiency and research competency of undergraduate students, especially from minority groups, through summer research internships that involve multidisciplinary short-courses, laboratory training, field trips, and other experiential learning activities. Objective 3: Build a long-term mentorship program to track students' success and provide professional guidance and support.

Project Methods
Efforts:Research Internships: Students will conduct independent research projects under faculty mentorship. They will learn to design experiments, collect and analyze data, and interpret results. Weekly meetings and final presentations will evaluate their progress and understanding.Short Courses: Focused courses on seafood industry topics like aquaculture, seafood safety, and processing technology will provide in-depth knowledge. Pre and post-surveys will assess knowledge gain.Field Trips: Visits to fisheries, aquaculture farms, processing facilities, and markets will expose students to the entire seafood value chain. Reflective discussions will gauge their learning.Mentorship: Each student will be paired with faculty and industry mentors who will guide their research, provide career advice, and foster professional development. Regular mentor-mentee meetings will monitor progress.Evaluation:Formative assessments throughout the program will include:Weekly meetings to discuss research progress and challengesMid-point presentations to assess communication skillsMentor feedback on student performance and growthSummative evaluations at the end of each internship will encompass:Final research presentations to gauge scientific proficiencySurveys on program satisfaction and perceived learning outcomesQuantitative metrics will include:Number of students completing the programPercentage of underrepresented minority participantsNumber of students continuing in seafood-related careers or education