ESTABLISHING A PROFESSIONAL SCI MASTER'S PROGRAM TO DEVELOP FUTURE BIOTECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE WITH BUSINESS SKILLS FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: OTHER GRANTS
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0226423
• Grant No.: 2011-38821-31133
• Cumulative Award Amt.: $227,801.00
• Proposal No.: 2011-02464
• Project Start Date: Sep 1, 2011
• Project End Date: Aug 31, 2015
• Grant Year: 2011
• Program Code: [EP]- Teaching Project

Recipient Organization
TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
3500 JOHN A. MERRITT BLVD
NASHVILLE,TN 37209

Performing Department
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Non Technical Summary
The goal of this project is to establish a Professional Science Master's (PSM) degree program in biotechnology at Tennessee State University (TSU) to train future biotechnology workforce with skills that integrate biotechnology and business management. The program will be offered jointly by the Departments of Agricultural Sciences (DAS) and Biological Sciences (DBS), and School of Business (SOB) at TSU, Vanderbilt University (VU), and Tennessee Biotechnology Association (TBA). The objectives are to: (1) Assess current knowledge and the application of biotechnology and business skills in agriculture, healthcare and other related industries in Tennessee; (2) Recruit students and industry personnel into the PSM program; (3) Train industry personnel in blending biotechnology and business skills to improve production and marketing; and (4) Train students, especially minorities, in agricultural biotechnology coupled with business management skills. A need assessment survey will be conducted in all biotechnology companies within the Tennessee Biotechnology Alliance and others outside the alliance to evaluate the current labor needs. The outcome of the needs assessment survey will be used to finalize the curriculum to cater to the needs of students and industry personnel as relates to biotechnology and business management training. The Courses will be taught jointly by the DAS, DBS, and SOB at TSU and target trainees will include students in agricultural sciences and biotechnology industry personnel. The students will intern with the biotechnology industry during their course of study and after graduation they will seek employment from the biotechnology industry which include agriculture, USDA and the pharmaceutical industries. The anticipated benefits of this project include at least 5 biotechnology personnel and 5 students who will be trained through the PSM program each year; a workforce capable of blending biotechnology and business skills to advance food security and safety; increased course offering and collaboration between DAS, DBS, SOB and VU; increased enrollment in DAS at TSU; and a stronger working relationship and increased collaborations among TSU, TBA and the business community.

Animal Health Component

100%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

100%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
903	6099	3020	100%

Knowledge Area
903 - Communication, Education, and Information Delivery;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;

Keywords

agricultural biotechnology training, professional science masters

degree program, workforce development, business skills

Goals / Objectives
The primary objective of this project is to establish a Professional Science Master's (PSM) degree program in biotechnology at Tennessee State University (TSU) to train future biotechnology workforce with skills that integrate biotechnology and business management. The specific objectives are to: (1) assess current knowledge and the application of biotechnology and business skills in agriculture, healthcare and other related industries in Tennessee; (2) recruit students and industry personnel into the PSM program; (3) train industry personnel in blending biotechnology and business skills to improve production and marketing; and (4) train students, especially minorities, in agricultural biotechnology coupled with business management skills. The project outputs include: (1) a workforce capable of blending biotechnology and business skills to advance food security and safety; (2) increased course offering and collaboration between the Department of Agricultural Sciences (DAS), Department of Biological Sciences, and the School of Business at TSU, and Vanderbilt University; (3) increased enrollment in DAS at TSU; and (4) a stronger working relationship and increased collaborations among TSU, Tennessee Biotechnology Alliance and the business community.

Project Methods
To meet objective 1, a comprehensive need assessment survey will be conducted in all biotechnology companies within the Tennessee Biotechnology Alliance and others outside the alliance to evaluate the current labor needs. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture and its affiliates will also be surveyed. A pre-survey will be taken to assess the skills among the targeted audience followed by a mid-point survey which will be concluded with a post survey. The level of knowledge of biotechnology application of each student will be determined after the pre-survey and will be used to design the training curriculum. Key items in the survey will include the level of skills or knowledge in biotechnology, access to relevant training facilities, competitiveness in the job market, needed incentives to participate in the training and the level of confidence that the participants can master necessary skills. To meet objective 2, students will be recruited into the PSM program beginning the first quarter of the first year of the project to ensure an enrollment of at least 5 students during the second, third and fourth year of the project. Potential candidates for the PSM program in other universities and the biotechnology industry will be reached through direct mailings of postcards and pamphlets containing information about the PSM program. The PSM program will be advertized through posters, flyers, pamphlets, posting on bulletin boards of biotechnology companies and Departments of Agriculture, Biology and Chemistry of 1862 and 1890 land grant and other universities, live presentations, and through the TSU website via web streaming videos. In addition, students who are currently participating in research experiential learning as undergraduates will be recruited into the program. To meet objective 3 and 4, the outcome of the needs assessment survey in objective 1 will be used to finalize the curriculum to cater to the needs of students and industry personnel as relates to biotechnology and business management training. The industry personnel will pursue a non-thesis option and a total of 35 credit hours in four semesters while the mainstream TSU graduate students will pursue a thesis option and a total of 30 credit hours. The proposed courses in the PSM program will be taught in the Departments of Agricultural Sciences, Biological Sciences, Chemistry and the School of Business at TSU. These departments and the Division of Research and Sponsored Programs have laboratories that house state- of- the- art equipment which will be available to students enrolled in this program. The training will comprise lectures, hands-on experiential training in the laboratory and summer internships in selected biotechnology companies. Supplemental instruction will be provided to participants with limited knowledge of biotechnology application. At the conclusion of their course students will be able to independently perform specific biotechnology-based tasks. They will demonstrate successful understanding of key concepts and procedures during presentations.

Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/15

Outputs
Target Audience:A total of 21 graduate students were trained in biotechnology coupled with business skills. Among these, 8 graduate students completed the Master's degree program. Twelve high school teachers, 1 middle school teacher and 3 industry personnel were also trained in the program. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has provided training in biotechnology and business skills to students, industry personnell and high school teachers. This training will continue even after the granting period.. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results were disseminated through ocnference presentations such as the 2015 PD conference in Athens, Georgia. The work of the graduate students participants was published in journals, presented at conferences and also published as MS theses. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?This is the final year of the project.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? A survey was conducted to assess the educational background and required skills of employees of selected biotechnology companies in Tennessee. All the companies surveyed strongly expressed the need for biotechnology training for their workforce. While majority of their employees hold a certificate or Bachelor's degree, very few hold graduate degrees. Most companies expressed the need to retrain their current workforce in current biotechnological tools. There is therefore a great need for training in biotechnology skills to cater for the personnel needs of the biotechnology industry in Tennessee. Curriculum for the PSM program was developed. A total of 21 graduate students were recruited into the PSM program. Eight students completed the Masters' degree and another ten graduate students completed training in biotechnology skills. In addition, 12 high school teachers, 1 middle school teacher and 3 industry personnel were also trained in the program. Eight among these students have graduates with a MS degree, three are employed by the animal and food industries and another 5 students are still enrolled in the program and will soon complete the degree program. The umbrella PSM degree program was established in the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Sciences. The program will be self-sustaining and recruitment of new graduate students and industry personnel into the training in biotechnology and business skills is also ongoing even beyond the granting period. Some of the graduate students in the programs have interned in the food and animal industry and this effort will be continued in the future.

Publications

• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Johnson, D., 2014. Growth Performance of French Guinea Fowl Broilers Fed Diets with Varying Concentrations of Methionine and Cysteine. MS Thesis, Tennessee State University.
• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Nelson, K. 2013. Evaluation of Lysine Requirements of the French Guinea Fowl Broiler. MS Thesis. Tennessee State University.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: A. Payne, X.Wang, M. T. Ivy, A. Stewart, K. Nelson, C. Darris, and S. Nahashon. 2015. Lysine mediation of neuroendocrine food regulation in guinea fowl. Poultry Science. doi: 10.3382/ps/pev326.
• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Payne, A. 2015. Lysine mediation of neuroendocrine food regulation in guinea fowl MS Thesis, Tennessee State University.
• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Kupachi, S. H. 2013. In-vitro hypocholesterolemic effect of multiple bacteria probiotics combined with Levan fructo-oligosaccharide.MS Thesis. Tennessee State University.

Progress 09/01/13 to 08/31/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Students and teachers Changes/Problems: none What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The project has provided class offerings,laboratory hands-on training, and workshops to students and teachers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The project dissemination activities include class offering, laboratory hands-on training, and workshops What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Future initiatives of this project include continuation of course offering, laboratory hands-on training and recruitment of industry personnel into the training program.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Two graduate students supported by this project have graduated with a Master’s degree and two are still training in the program. These students are a part of future workforce of the agricultural biotechnology industry in Tennessee and the nation.

Publications

• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: In-vitro hypocholesterolemic effect of multiple bacteria probiotics combined with Levan fructo-oligosaccharide. MS Thesis, Tennessee State University, 2013.

Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13

Outputs
Target Audience: The target audiences reached through this project were graduate students and agricultural industry personnel. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The project has provided opportunity for training graduate students and agricultural industrypersonnel in biotechnology and business skills. Graduate students have also had the opportunity to intern with thepoultry industry. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The project dissemination activities include class offering,laboratory hands-on training, and internships with the agricultural industry. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Future initiatives of this project include continuation of course offering and recruitment of students and industry personnel into the program.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Five additional graduate students were recruited into the program and are currently training in biotechnology and business skills within the masters of agricultural sciences degree program. Two students graduated with MS degrees; one of the graduates is now employed by the poultry industry. Another two graduate students were interns with the poultry industry May-August, 2013. Currently, a total of six students are participating in the program. Recruitment of new graduate students and industry personnel into the training in biotechnology and business skills is ongoing.

Publications

• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2012 Citation: None yet

Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: The long-term goal of this project is to establish a Professional Science Master's (PMS) degree program in biotechnology at Tennessee State University (TSU) to train future biotechnology workforce with skills that integrate biotechnology and business management. This will involve assessment of current knowledge and the application of biotechnology and business skills in agriculture, healthcare and other related industries in Tennessee; train industry personnel in blending biotechnology and business skills to improve production and marketing; and train students, especially minorities, in agricultural biotechnology coupled with business management skills. A survey was conducted to assess the educational background and required skills of employees of selected biotechnology companies in Tennessee. All the companies surveyed strongly expressed the need for biotechnology training for their workforce. While majority of their employees hold a certificate or Bachelor's degree, very few hold graduate degrees. Most companies expressed the need to retrain their current workforce in current biotechnological tools. There is therefore a great need for training in biotechnology skills to cater for the personnel needs of the biotechnology industry in Tennessee. Curriculum for the PSM program was developed. A total of three graduate students were recruited into the program and are currently training in biotechnology skills within the masters of agricultural sciences degree program. Recruitment of new graduate students and industry personnel into the training in biotechnology skills is ongoing. PARTICIPANTS: Samuel N. Nahashon A. N. Aziz C. K. Dumenyo C. Reddy R. Mernaugh Marrie Hammond TARGET AUDIENCES: Students Industry personnel PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The outcomes to this project include students with knowledge of the application of biotechnology tools.Three graduate students were enrolled in the master's degree program and are being trained in biotechnology. These students are the future workforce of the biotechnology industry in Tennessee and the nation.

Publications

• No publications reported this period