Recipient Organization
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV
(N/A)
RALEIGH,NC 27695
Performing Department
ANIMAL SCIENCE
Non Technical Summary
This proposal outlines an integrated program of graduate training, research, and industry outreach designed to meet the national need for academics and scientists trained in the application of functional genomics to food animal agriculture. The United States has strived to maintain a leadership role in the agricultural sciences including that for food animal agriculture. In order to maintain this role, the implementation of new technologies including those utilizing genomic science must be applied to food animal production. Therefore our goal is to increase the number of qualified academics and scientists with skills in functional genomics, food animal production, and innovative training for online learning. This proposal seeks to support two pre-doctoral students (Food Animal Fellows, FAFs) embedded in the Functional Genomics graduate curriculum at North Carolina State University focusing on research in animal and poultry science. The research of these students will involve identification, mapping, manipulation, and understanding of the function and control of genes to improve production, well-being, and health of agricultural/food animals. With the increasing globalization of world economies and the competition of countries such as China, India, and Brazil, it is vital that poultry, swine, and their allied industries in the US remain forward thinking leaders in new and emerging technologies and train a new generation of qualified academics and scientists. The core faculty involved in training the Fellows funded through this program consists of a group using integrated systems-wide molecular approaches in food animal model systems. The bulk of this research is dual-benefit in that it will have direct impacts on both animal agriculture and human health. The innovative addition of training in online instruction will provide the FAFs with valuable skills to develop and deliver information and course content outside the "bricks and mortar" classroom. By all accounts, demand for online education is expanding. About 3.2 million students took at least one online course during the fall of 2005. That is 39 percent more than the 2.3 million the previous year, according to the Sloan Consortium, which promotes standards for online learning. Online education is becoming an important long-term strategy for many postsecondary institutions. Given the rapid growth of online education and its importance for postsecondary institutions, it is imperative that institutions of higher education provide quality online programs as well as training for instructors on the proper pedagogy and technologies involved in the delivery of these courses. Literature suggests academics play a different role from that of traditional classroom instructors when they teach online courses as well as when they teach residential courses with Web enhancements. These new roles for online instructors require training and support. Some case studies of faculty development programs indicate that such programs can have positive impacts on an instructor's ability to transition from teaching face-to-face to an online setting.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
This proposal outlines an integrated program of graduate training, research, and industry outreach designed to meet the national need for academics and scientists trained in the application of functional genomics to food animal agriculture. The United States has strived to maintain a leadership role in the agricultural sciences including that for food animal agriculture. In order to maintain this role, the implementation of new technologies including those utilizing genomic science must be applied to food animal production. Therefore our goal is to increase the number of qualified academics and scientists with skills in functional genomics, food animal production, and innovative training for online learning. This proposal seeks to support two pre-doctoral students (Food Animal Fellows, FAFs) embedded in the Functional Genomics graduate curriculum at North Carolina State University focusing on research in animal and poultry science. The research of these students will involve identification, mapping, manipulation, and understanding of the function and control of genes to improve production, well-being, and health of agricultural/food animals. With the increasing globalization of world economies and the competition of countries such as China, India, and Brazil, it is vital that poultry, swine, and their allied industries in the US remain forward thinking leaders in new and emerging technologies and train a new generation of qualified academics and scientists. The core faculty involved in training the Fellows funded through this program consists of a group using integrated systems-wide molecular approaches in food animal model systems. The bulk of this research is dual-benefit in that it will have direct impacts on both animal agriculture and human health. The innovative addition of training in online instruction will provide the FAFs with valuable skills to develop and deliver information and course content outside the "bricks and mortar" classroom. By all accounts, demand for online education is expanding. About 3.2 million students took at least one online course during the fall of 2005. That is 39 percent more than the 2.3 million the previous year, according to the Sloan Consortium, which promotes standards for online learning. Online education is becoming an important long-term strategy for many postsecondary institutions. Given the rapid growth of online education and its importance for postsecondary institutions, it is imperative that institutions of higher education provide quality online programs as well as training for instructors on the proper pedagogy and technologies involved in the delivery of these courses. Literature suggests academics play a different role from that of traditional classroom instructors when they teach online courses as well as when they teach residential courses with Web enhancements. These new roles for online instructors require training and support. Some case studies of faculty development programs indicate that such programs can have positive impacts on an instructor's ability to transition from teaching face-to-face to an online setting.
Project Methods
Innovative, special features of our program that will be available to or required especially for the FAFs have been described in detail throughout the proposal and are summarized below. We will couple research training with teaching, mentoring and outreach training. Each Fellow will develop and maintain a career portfolio, including goals for PhD program in teaching, research, mentoring and service components. Fellows will continually update the portfolio, helping them and their mentors identify areas needing improvement and outlining steps that will be taken to achieve goals. This portfolio will also be used to assess students' progress and outcomes. Each Fellow will serve as teaching assistant for at least one semester. Prior to serving as TA, Fellows will complete an activity that will teach them how to be effective instructors. The 2 Fellows will learn to develop effective online content through DELTA technology instruction. Fellows will have the opportunity to mentor an undergraduate student on a research project, providing the Fellow the opportunity to learn how to mentor students. We will provide cross-disciplinary, innovative training. Each Fellow will follow the Functional Genomics curriculum, receiving in-depth training in Functional Genomics with cross-training in bioinformatics, ethics and the opportunity to minor in animal or poultry science or biotechnology. Each Fellow will have the opportunity to participate in an industry internship. These internships, sponsored by major companies involved in the production of food animals, will expose the Fellows to the workings of research and development on a commercial scale and potentially pipeline them into available food animal genomics positions upon graduation. Fellows will participate in Professional Development courses so they acquire skills to assess values and conflicts arising in a diverse and global workplace. We will respond to the academic, social, financial and cultural needs of the Fellows. Fellows from underrepresented groups will be able to participate in bridging programs to help them acquire research skills prior to starting the PhD program. Each Fellow will participate in student orientation and be encouraged to participate in student-sponsored educational and social events organized by the Functional Genomics, Animal Science, and Poultry Science Graduate Student Associations and cultural groups such as the Association for the Concerns of African-American Graduate Students. Each Fellow will receive a competitive stipend and tuition remission throughout their PhD program through funds provided by this award as well as support provided by the College. This tuition and infrastructure support illustrates the College's commitment to training Functional Genomics scientists working in animal agriculture.