Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The main goal of the proyectwasto prepare and support underrepresented students in careers infood, agricultural and natural resources.It is designed to enhance the potential of its graduates to accesscareers in the field, both in the public and private sectors, by providing them with an ecological and globalperspective of agriculture, emphasizing in sustainability. Thus,proposed 5 objectives to comply withthis goal. The objectives are based on (1) academic performance, (2) conferences and workshops forfaculty'sprofessionaldevelopment,(3)courserevisionfortheagriculturaltechnologyprogram,(4)retentionrates,and(5)graduationrates. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?As part of the project activities, a summer internship focused on sustainable agriculturewas offered for participating students. A total of 108 students participated in the Internship, the majority ofparticipants were enrolled in food and agriculture degrees. Thoughwe also had participants enrolled in business, education and natural science programs.In total 4 summer internships were offered, participants were very pleased with the experience as shown on the evaluations. Also as part of this project fifteen undergraduate students traveled to international scientific meetings in mainland USA. This opportunity provide experience andexposure to current research in sustainable agriculture and many other topics. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results from this project have been disseminated in the UPR Utuado websitehttps://www.uprutuado.edu/decanato-de-academicos/tecnologia-agricola/proyectos/#proyecto-federal-isae. Project was promoted at the "Tierra Adentro" festival celebrated every year in the UPR-Utuado campus. Objectives and results of the project have also been discussed in radio interviews and forums presenting projects at the UPR Utuado campus. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
OBJECTIVE1:UPRUstudentsenrolled inAA agriculturaltechnologyprogramswhoareexposedtoandactively participate in innovative teaching techniques emphasizing technology, multidisciplinary andproblem/project-based learning in selected course curricula will perform better academically than non-participantsasdemonstratedbygradeanalyses. Proyect participants performedbetteracademicallythannon-participantsforallyears.An average project participants GPA was 2.40 while non participants had an average GPA of 1.70. OBJECTIVE 2:Fifty percent (50%) or more of faculty from the Natural Sciences and AgriculturalTechnologyDepartments will have participated in conferences and workshops designed to increase theirknowledge base in technology-infused, multidisciplinary and problem/project-based learning techniques andpractices. Eighty percent (80%) percent of faculty fromthe Natural Sciences and Agricultural Technology Departments participated in the conferences andworkshops.Forevaluated years2016-2020,a totaloftwelve(12)conferencesandworkshopswereofferedand64participants,in repeatedcount,tookpartin thedifferentactivities. OBJECTIVE 3:Aminimumofsix(6)coursesfromtheagriculturaltechnologyprogram'scurriculawillberevised and restructured to integrate the concept of sustainability utilizing a multi-disciplinary andproblem/project-basedapproach. A total of twenty-one (21)courseswererevised, as part of the new BA in sustainable agriculture. OBJECTIVE4:Freshmentosophomoreretentionratesofagriculturaltechnologystudentswillhaveincreasedbyaminimumof5%frompreviousyears'establishedbaselineoverthetwo-yearperiod. For baseline year 2016-2017 the retentionrate for agricultural technology students was 53%, increasing by 9% in the two-year period, with a 62%retentionratefor years 2018-2020. OBJECTIVE 5:The graduation rate of agricultural technology students will increase over the grant period by at least 5% from previous years' established baseline. For baseline year 2016-2017 the graduation rate for agricultural technology students was 40%, increasing by 6% in the two-year period evaluated, with a 46%graduation ratefor year 2020.
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Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Undergraduates Hispanic underrepresented students enrolled onfood, agricultureand natural sciences. Faculty of agricultural technology and natural sciences departmentat the UPR-Utuado. Changes/Problems:Due to the Covid 19 pandemia we had to postpone the summer internship for summer 2020 and the purchase of equipment has been delayed. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Professional Development: Talk about summer internships how to apply and description of different options for students in the food and agriculture areas of study. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Complete the final summer internship for undergraduate students and acquisition of equipment and materials.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Obective 1: UPRU students enrolled in AA agricultural technology programs who are exposed to and actively participate in innovative teaching techniques emphasizing technology, multidisciplinary and problem/project-based learning in selected course curricula will perform better academically than non-participants as demonstrated by grade analyses. Academic year 2017-2018 •All enrolled students (n = 345): 177.89 •Non-participants (n= 321): 173.23 •Participants (n = 24): 240.17 Academic year2018-2019 •All enrolled students (n = 322): 156.23 •Non-participants (n = 303): 150.64 •Participants (n = 19): 245.42 Academic year (first semester)2019-2020 •All enrolled students (n = 321): 184.23 •Non-participants (n = 297): 176.08 •Participants (n = 24): 285.04 Obective 2:50% or more of faculty from the Natural Sciences and Agricultural Technology Departments will have participated in conferences and workshops designed to increase their knowledge base in technology-infused, multidisciplinary and problem/project-based learning techniques and practices. Eighty percent (80%) percent of faculty from the Natural Sciences and Agricultural Technology Departments participated in the conferences and workshops. For evaluated years 2016-2020, a total of twelve (12) conferences and workshops were offered and 64 participants, in repeated count, took part in the different activities. Obective 3:A minimum of six courses from the agricultural technology program's curricula will be revised and restructured to integrate the concept of sustainability utilizing a multi-disciplinary and problem/project-based approach. A total of twenty-one (21) courses were revised as part of the Sustainable agriculture Bachelor's Degree. Obective 4:The freshmen to sophomore retention rates of agricultural technology students will have increased over the grant period by a minimum of 5% from previous years' established baseline. For baseline year 2016-2017 the retention rate for agricultural technology students was 53%, increasing by 9% in the two-year period, with a 62% retention rate for year 2018-2020. Obective 5:The graduation rate of agricultural technology students will increase over the grant period by at least 5% from previous years' established baseline. For baseline year 2016-2017 the graduation rate for agricultural technology students was 13%, increasing by 15% in the two-year period, with a 28% graduation rate for year 2018-2020.
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Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Hispanic agriculture technology studentswho are socially, economically andeducationally disadvantaged. Facutly form the Agricutlture Techology program at the University of Puerto Rcio at Utuado. Farmers that paerticipated of workshops at theUniversity of Puerto Rcio at Utuado and also farmers tha were visited during the summer intership. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the reporting periodmultiple workshops and talks have been offered at the UPR-Utuado, which include the following: Careers and internships opportunities in the USDA, NRCS mission and sponsored projects, Soil conservation practices for slope areas, animal traction in agriculture and oxen management. These opportunities were aimed to serve multiple audiences which included students, faculty and community members. For faculty members this project sponsored the participation of faculty members in the Puerto Rico agriculture science meeting, which takes place every year. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We wave used the official UPR-Utuado web page and social media in order to disseminate the accomplishments of this project. Also printed material has been distributed during the annual "Tierra Adentro" Festival held at the UPR-Utuado. In addition faculty members participated of multiple radio programs on which they have talked about the project goals and impacts for the UPR-Utuado. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period will continue with the series of workshops and talks during the semesters and a final summer internship will be offered during the summer of 2020. We will keep sponsoring training for faculty members and encourage participation in scientific meetings that discuss sustainable agriculture topics.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. The 45 students from various disciplines that participated of the summer internship sponsored by this project show a higher grade average then the rest of the students. Participants of the summer internships sponsored by this project have a grade average of 3.00 and students that did not participate of the summer internship have a grade average of 2.60. This demonstrates that practical learning activities sponsored by this project influence overall performance of students in courses. 2. Faculty members of the agricultural technology department participated in conferences and workshops held at the UPR-Utuado and also participated of the Puerto Rico Agricultural Science asosicationannual meeting. 3. Since the initiation of this project a total of 6 programs were revised and the development of curricula for the newly approved Bachelors in sustainable agriculture program was devloped. This new curricula is under constant revision and by the training opportunities sponsored by this grant professors are able to constantly incorporate recent research results and novel practices of sustainable agriculture. 4. The freshmen to sophomore ratio varies across agriculture technology programs with an average of 50%, being pest control with the lowest rate (29%) and Horticulture with the highest rate (70%). In contrast the students who participate in the summer internship have a retention rate of 75%. Those who were part of participatory and applied learning experiences financed by this project show a high retention rate and great commitment to complete their degrees. Participants from summer internships (2017-2018-2019) have highlighted that this experience was highly encouraging for them. As a remainder UPR Utuado serves disadvantaged communities in the rural areas and most of its students are first generation scholars. Historically UPR-Utuado has low rates of retention due to socio economical factors. 5. In terms of graduation rate we have not seen an increase when compared to previous years. The University of Puerto Rico at Utuado have seen a decrease on graduation rate and retention in all the programs, Agriculture Technology has been the less affected. Participants of the summer internships that have graduated from agriculture technology programs have chosen different career paths. Students completing an associate degree decided to enroll on the Bachelors degree insustainable agriculture.
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Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:During this reporting period we reached the following audiences: Faculty members form both agricultural technology department and natural science department. Students form both agricultural technology department and natural science department. Also farmers and other community members that participate in sponsored workshops. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project has organized multiple workshops and talks throughout the year, which include the following. Learning in the 21st century, solar energy principles, Careers and internships opportunities in the USDA, NRCS mission and sponsored projects, Soil conservation practices for slope areas, animal traction in agriculture and oxen management. These opportunities were aimed to multiple audience that included students faculty and community members. For faculty members this project sponsored the participation of faculty members in the SARE Meeting, which takes place every 10 years. Faculty from both the natural science program and Agricultural technology were able to attend. One of the faculty participants is the student counselor for the new bachelors degree in sustainable agriculture. This provides students an advice that is based on the future opportunities in sustainable agriculture careers. For students open requests were performed and four students were selected to travel to the 2017 American Geophysical Union meeting. Students were exposed to a variety of topics and developed network skills and appreciation for scientific meetings. Using the same method 3 female students were selected and sponsored to travel to the 2018 Ecological Society of America meeting. In this meeting we participated of a workshop focused on the socioecological impacts of hurricane Maria and discussed collaboration opportunities to aid and inform restoration efforts in Puerto Rico. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been disseminated by talks offered to students and faculty at the UPR-Utuado. Also several radio programs were visited to talk about this project goals and achievements. A brochure describing the project was also created and handed out in the "Tierra Adentro" festival held on May 2018. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period will continue with the series of workshops and talks during the semesters and a summer internship will be offered in the summer of 2019. We will keep sponsoring training for faculty members and encourage participation in scientific meetings that discuss sustainable agriculture topics. Also we are in the process of completing renovation of laboratories and acquire new equipment for teaching and research that are sponsored by this project.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. The first cohort of 24 students that participated of the summer internship sponsored by this project show a higher grade average then the rest of the students. Participants of the 2017 summer internship have a grade average of 3.00 and students that do not participate of the summer internship have a grade average of 2.59. This demonstrates that practical learning activities sponsored by this project influence overall performance of students in courses. 2. 65% of faculty members in the agricultural technology departmentparticipated in conferences and workshops held at the UPR-Utuado. After hurricane Maria workshops on sustainable energy and ecosystem resilience have been of interest for many faculty members. During the reporting period one professor from agriculture technology and one from natural science attended the USDA SARE meeting with two students form the agriculture technology department. Also one faculty and four minority students from the agriculture technology department attended the American Geophysical Union meeting. Recently one professor and three Hispanic female students attended the Ecological Society of America meeting. Under this grant we also sponsored the 10th agroecology symposium held at the UPR- Utuado with the participation of more than 100 communities members and students. 3. During the past reporting period a total of 6 programs were revised and the development of curricula for the newly approved Bachelors in sustainable agriculture program was created. This new curricula is under constant change and by the training opportunities sponsored by this grant professors are able to constantly incorporate recent research results and practices in sustainable agriculture. 4. The freshmen to sophomore ratio varies across agriculture technology programs with an average of 50%, being pest control with the lowest rate (29%) and Horticulture with the highest rate (70%). In contrast the students who participate in the summer internship have a retention rate of 75%. Even after hurricane Maria (September 2017), when mass migration to the mainland occurred and big loses of enrolled student's at the University of Puerto Rico. Those who were part of participatory and applied learning experiences financed by this project show a high retention rate and great commitment to complete their degrees. Participants from both summer internships (2017-2018) have highlighted that this experiencewas highly encouraging for them. As a remainder UPR Utuado serves disadvantaged communities in the rural areas and most of its students are first generation scholars. Historically UPR-Utuado has low rates of retention due to socio economical factors. But remarkably we see how disadvantaged communities that are exposed to participatory and applied learning experiences display higher retention rates. 5. In terms of graduation rate we still have no data. However one of the students that participated in the 2017 summer internship graduated and most of the remaining participants are expected to graduate during the next reporting period. Most of the participants have expressed their intentions to complete the associate degree and then enroll in the new bachelors degree in sustainable agriculture.
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Progress 09/01/16 to 08/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:During the reporting period we reached the following target audiences: K12 minority students: presentations to 4 local high schools with agricultural programs were carried out by faculty members form the university of Puerto Rico Utuado. K12 teacher: one agriculture teacher (Juan C. Velez) participated of the 4 weeklong summer internship in sustainable agriculture. Undergraduate minority students from multiple agricultural programs at the UPR-Utuado: This students were engaged by offering workshops in sustainable agriculture practices and revising programs curriculums in order to incorporate sustainable agriculture practices theory and applications in current courses. Faculty at UPR-Utuado: workshops on agroecology, ethics, and online resources were offered as training to faculty members in order to expose them to the current research and methods in sustainable agriculture. Efforts During the reporting period (2016-2017) several activities were offered to students' staff and faculty at the University of Puerto Rico Utuado (UPR-Utuado). These activities were the following in chronological order. During the 2016 fall semester high schools with agricultural programs (3 in total) were visited by Prof Eladio Gonzalez who offered a lecture on the agriculture programs of UPR- Utuado and the sustainability focus of our programs, also presented the recently approved (July 2017) Bachelors in Sustainable Agriculture and this proposal that seeks to improve Sustainable agriculture education at our campus. October 2016 Dr Sanfiorenzo presented in the COHEMIS annual meeting, his lecture was about landscape genetics as a toll to measure functional ecological processes and evaluate the impacts of intensive agriculture and land use change on ecological processes. November 2016 2 Oxen where acquired in order to teach and use animal traction which is ideal for mountain agriculture at slopes higher than 15%. A 5 day workshop was held with local oxen breeder and trainer in which faculty and student members participated. December 2016 3 (1 week) long agorecology workshops were performed. The lecturer was Menardo Rivera, which has vast international experience on applied agroecology in tropical countries including Cuba and Mexico. One workshop was for faculty members, one for farmers and farm employees and one for students. April 2017 High Scholl was visited by professor Semidei who offered a lecture on sustainable agriculture and compost production. May 2017 Visits from University of Pennsylvania tropical agriculture study abroad course. 20 students from mainland were hosted and our agriculture research farm was visited and described. May 2017 after meetings and coordination with NRCS in Puerto Rico we developed a series of 8 workshops that will be offered during the 2017-2018 academic year targeted to faculty and also opened and promoted for students and farmers from our region. May 2017 Delain elementary (grades 4th, 5th and 6th ) school visited our campus and were attended by Prof. Semidei who presented the laboratory farm and discussed sustainable agriculture principles and potential for food security and professional careers. July-August 2017 summer internship in sustainable agriculture. 26 participants were part of the internship including 12k agriculture teacher Juan Velez. During the internship participants were exposed to sustainable agriculture practices focused an agroecology. During the internship bamboo management and construction was discussed and practiced. We visited South Tai farms a local dairy farm with many sustainable practices in place such as renewable energy local forage growing and waist management and recycling practices. We also performed community service at el Guacio San Sebastian, Puerto Rico. Contributing to the clearance and renovation of bamboo plantation. In addition we established a legume forage bank for goats, established a composting area and constructed fences with bamboo at the local High School with agricultural programs. During this visit teacher Juan Carlos Velez offered a lecture on sustainable animal production. After completion 95% of participants rated the experience as highly valuable, and the confidency in develping an agricutlral progress incresaed 100% beteween pre end post surveys. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Three (1 week) long agorecology workshops were performed. The lecturer was Menardo Rivera, which has vast international experience on applied agroecology in tropical countries including Cuba and Mexico. One workshop was for faculty members, one for farmers and farm employees and one for students. We have ofered tools for online webinars from partner institiution NRCS, extension service and NIFA. We organized on ethics workshop for faculty and students. We have ofered to cover the registration fees for faculty members participating in local conferences focused on sustabla agricultre. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have created a web site in which we describe the project and have pictures of recent activities. We visited High Schools from our region and presented the programs at our institution including the recently approved Bachelors in sustainable agriculture. We participated in radio programs form local station in which we talked about the need for sustainable agriculture and the role of our campus in producing a new generation of farmers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will start comparing academic performance between participants and non-participants of the summer internship focused on sustainable agriculture in order describe any differences. Retention rates will be compared to years previous to the project initiation (sept 2016) in order to report any differences. The renovation of facilities financed by this project will be completed and travel to meetings and conferences will take place. We are about to start a series of workshops with our partner Institution NRCS that will be performed once a month for the next academic year. Topics to discuss include the following 1.NRCS- Mission and Vision 2.Conservations Tools (Farm Bill) 3. Farm Planning 4.Web Soil Survey 5.Grasses 6. Crop harvesting 7.Energy consumption in farms 8.Programs for students (Pathways, Presidential Fellow, internships, earth team volunteer)
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Since this is the first year of this project we have not gathered enough data to do a comparative analysis between students participating in the project and none participating students. After this semester ends (December 2017) we will compare the academic performance between the summer internship participant cohort and none participating students in order to have statistical data and comparisons related to academic performance. During this reporting period 85% percent of agriculture technology faculty has participated in a conference or workshop in order to increase their knowledge base in technology-infused, multidisciplinary and problem/project-based learning techniques and practices. 20% of the natural science department has also been part of these workshops; mostly faculty members form Biology, Chemistry and Ecology areas. All courses form the agricultural technology curricula have been revised in order to integrate concepts of sustainability. In addition the new bachelors degree in Sustainable agriculture was approved. This adds 15 courses that have been designed focused on the three pillars of sustainable agriculture (Social, Environmental, Agriculture production) Retention rates will be evaluated by the end of this school year (may 2018) and compared with retention rates from years previous to this award (spt 2016). This will then allow us to compute the retention and graduation rates in order to evaluate the impacts of this grant. We just accepted the first class of freshmen after this grant initiated and we will need to wait at least one semester to have data on academic performance for this cohort.
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