Performing Department
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Non Technical Summary
The E-GROW project develops youth interest and competency in agricultural technology (AgTech) for food production in controlled environment agriculture (CEA). The objectives satisfy key requirements of the FANE program by developing non-formal agricultural educational content and activities to foster curiosity and competency of tech-savvy STEM students in disciplines like automation of vegetable greenhouse climate control systems, robotics and AI for crop science, and energy and economic benchmarking of vertical farms. E-GROW will pilot a CEA certificate for youth at ten middle and high schools in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wyoming for integration into a future CEA workforce credentialing program. E-GROW pilots expect to reach 500-1,000 youth and reach student populations underrepresented in STEM including rural youth, students from low-income households, young women, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities. Seven project partners from higher education and youth development will collaborate to accomplish the aims with assistance from a mentoring network of industry professionals, academics, and researchers facilitating and amplifying accomplishments of students. Progress toward four distinct aims with milestones over four years will be evaluated by an Advisory Group of pilot school stakeholders. E-GROW non-formal educational modules, experiential learning activities, and modeling tools tailored for grades 6-12 will build on existing youth development strategies to increase understanding of the benefits of CEA AgTech. Student-produced capstone projects and outreach materials will demonstrate competency and build public confidence in AgTech in food systems by showing their communities how AgTech enables CEA operations to produce fresh food and support local jobs.
Animal Health Component
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Research Effort Categories
Basic
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Applied
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Developmental
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Goals / Objectives
In Aim 1, we will conduct a market study to investigate the gaps in CEA education and workforce development solutions in four U.S. states and determine how a new CEA workforce pathway program using non-formal education solutions can enable an increase in youth competency in STEM, food, and agricultural sciences. In Aim 2, we will establish the structure of the E-GROW alternative education modules and develop online educational content, associated virtual reality and experiential learning activities, and modeling software tools to prepare middle and high school students for careers in CEA. E-GROW will include opportunities for students to design, execute, and evaluate a capstone project demonstrating the benefits of CEA on agricultural production and create outreach materials that will promote learning about agricultural technology (AgTech) and boost public confidence in CEA by communicating the value of mechanization and automation in food production. In Aim 3, we will plan pilots to establish how the youth development partners will implement E-GROW pilots in schools in four U.S. states and connect participants to industry mentors. We will adapt online educational content and software tools for grades 6-12 and customize experiential learning activities for the youth populations at each pilot school. We will build the industry mentoring network and establish mentoring activities with the Mentoring Plan. We will design an E-GROW certificate for youth who complete the pilot program. This certificate program will be designed to integrate into future multi-institution CEA credentialing programs. In Aim 4 we will execute the Mentoring Plan and conduct pilots in schools reaching 500 students to prepare youth for jobs in the CEA field. Students will publicly share capstone project outreach materials and evaluate their impact on public confidence in AgTech for food production. The youth development partners and faculty mentors will evaluate student performance and deliver certificates.
Project Methods
In Aim 1, the project team will evaluate existing agricultural workforce pathway programs for youth in New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming to build upon successful youth development strategies and identify gaps in CEA education at the state level. A) The project team will leverage existing research on gaps in CEA education and focus on the findings relevant to middle and high school learners to enhance agricultural workforce training. B) In coordination with local youth development partners and the Advisory Group (see Management Plan), the team will conduct semi-structured surveys and interviews to identify barriers to youth interest and competencies in STEM, food, and agricultural sciences. C) Using results from literature review and stakeholder surveys/interviews, the team will identify and prioritize the specific technical skills and knowledge required in the CEA field that middle and high school students should learn, with a focus on topics that will lead to interest in AgTech and build public confidence in the safe and enhanced use of technology in agriculture and food systems. D) Then, the project team will identify non-formal education solutions that can fill gaps in existing CEA educational programs to deliver the key topics (such as data science, mechanization of horticultural processes, automated environmental controls, robotics, and artificial intelligence) that will prepare youth to meet the needs of the future workforce.In Aim 2, the project team will create content and activities for the pilot program, working closely with the Advisory Board and academic partners to develop a curriculum that is aligned with industry needs, offers relevant training instruction, and connects students to professionals in CEA careers. A) Existing CEA youth development strategies and experiential learning assets from each state will be leveraged so that students in every pilot school can access online virtual training assets across all four states. For example, the E-GROW platform will enable all pilot participants to tap into data from in-school CEA installations like CCA's AgWorks livestream camera feeds and dashboard of sensing equipment. B) Existing AgTech innovations from academia and industry will be redesigned for high school applications to create new non-formal CEA education experiential learning opportunities. For example, in Virginia, IALR manufacturing partners will build a new SMART unit for installation at a GO TEC pilot middle school. C) Academic research on CEA AgTech will be leveraged to enhance the curriculum and cover industry trends and innovations. For example, existing non-formal CEA educational assets from GLASE will be customized for middle and high school learners to create new self-paced curriculum. D) Industry tools will be leveraged to give students access to real-world modeling software used by CEA professionals. Access to Agritecture Designer will enable students to model agricultural productivity and financial costs of greenhouses and indoor farms located anywhere in the world. E) In coordination with local youth development partners, the project team will design and structure the E-GROW capstone project to achieve three goals: 1) Advance youth understanding of CEA AgTech, 2) boost public confidence in AgTech in food systems, and 3) involve youth in the design, execution, and evaluation of their own research. F) The project team will update mentoring activities in the Mentoring Plan to complement self-paced student journeys through the online and experiential learning activities. For example, learner pathways will be designed to incorporate mentoring activities at checkpoints throughout the program so students are prepared for the capstone project and can achieve its goal of building public confidence in AgTech in food systems. A Mentor Guide will be developed to train the mentoring network on responsibilities and expectations.In Aim 3, the project team will coordinate with youth development partners at ten pilot schools to cover the logistical aspects of the E-GROW modules and adapt the E-GROW program to each participating pilot school. A) Demographics of each pilot school will influence the customization of the educational content, activities, and capstone project to suit local youth populations, reach underserved communities within them, and overcome barriers for youth underrepresented in STEM. Gaps in CEA education vary by region, and E-GROW curriculum and activities need to emphasize skill development in different areas for different states. B) To ensure the program can grow into a self-sustaining model, structured surveys and interviews with school stakeholders will gather feedback on what E-GROW must have to be a 'minimum viable product' for their students and ensure the certificate program offers graduation pathway requirements and can meet accreditation standards. C) Academic institution partners will establish a runway for the E-GROW certificate program to feed into a multi-institutional CEA credentialing program for students and professionals alike.In Aim 4, the project team will catalyze the youth development strategies by implementing E-GROW pilots in ten schools in four states: A) Youth development partners will recruit students to pursue the E-GROW certificate and design, implement, and evaluate their own CEA AgTech capstone project using customized outreach materials for each state. B) Students will participate in mentoring activities with the mentoring network that offer guidance from experienced professionals (see Mentoring Plan). C) The project team will conduct surveys with students, teachers, and youth development partners to gather feedback and determine lessons learned from the pilot experience to improve the E-GROW modules and certificate program thereby achieving a self-sustaining model that can be replicated in more schools.