Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
This program will train 50 undergraduate students in research and extension for agricultural plant science and technology. The project will provide a cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research and extension training environment. The 9-week summer program will include: (1) independent research and extension projects ranging from genetics/molecular biology to field-scale production and ecology; (2) professional development in communications, ethics, teamwork, and leadership; (3) field trips to view crop production and cutting-edge research methods and facilities, including interactions with growers, extension educators, and industry scientists; (4) workshops in gene editing, data visualization, and technology; and (5) a capstone poster session.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
30%
Applied
50%
Developmental
20%
Goals / Objectives
This integrated REEU program will train 50 undergraduate students in research and extension for agricultural plant science and technology. This project builds on a previous REEU program with expanded scope for enhanced participant experience. The program will be led by the Department of Plant Pathology at Kansas State University, with primary mentors from 8 departments: Agronomy, Entomology, Horticulture and Natural Resources, Plant Pathology, Biology, Biochemistry, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, and Chemical Engineering. The diverse project team will provide a cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research and extension training environment. The 9-week summer program will include: (1) independent research and extension projects ranging from genetics/molecular biology to field-scale production and ecology; (2) professional development in communications, ethics, teamwork, and leadership; (3) field trips to view crop production and cutting-edge research methods and facilities, including interactions with growers, extension educators, and industry scientists; (4) workshops in gene editing, data visualization, and technology; and (5) a capstone poster session. Interns will interact extensively with their own mentors and also with a wide array of collaborators who are national and international leaders in agriculture and plant science research and extension. Students will be recruited through online mechanisms and direct recruitment pipelines with colleges and universities across the United States, with an emphasis on building diverse cohorts, aided by a robust recruitment team. Our in-depth evaluation plan and advisory group will further facilitate project success. REEU alumni will be well-equipped to thrive in graduate studies and serve as leaders in agricultural research and extension.
Project Methods
Undergraduate interns (10 per year for five years) will come to KSU for an immersive, dynamic 9-week summer research and extension experience.The interns will work on cutting-edge, real-world projects that are designed to have a high impact on agricultural productivity, crop biosecurity, and sustainability. Individual projects will range from the field and agricultural ecosystems down to the molecular level, leveraging KSU's strengths in these areas. Participants will work independently, with their mentoring faculty and mentor lab groups, with each other, and with other collaborators across campus. In addition to working closely with world-renowned academicians, interns will be exposed to representatives from industry, government agencies (USDA-ARS), county extension educators, and growers. They will develop and test hypotheses, plan and conduct experiments, collect, visualize, analyze, and present data to get first-hand experience in the research enterprise. They will learn about agricultural plant science research and extension, with broad exposure to many facets of crop health, applications of technology and engineering to agricultural systems, digital agriculture, and biosecurity.