Progress 08/01/23 to 07/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Undergraduate students (8). Scientists, other undergraduate and graduate students, general public. Description: While the target audience of the objectives of our project were the eight undergraduate students, their dissemination efforts reached scientists, other students and the general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Each student has received training from a mentor in a lab at Clemson University during the Spring semester, and from a collaborator/mentor in the host lab in Spain during the summer. This training includes hands-on learning of lab and field measurements, learning of methodologies and techniques. Among the professional development activities, all students attended a workshop given by the Clemson University's Center for Career & Professional Development on the opportunities, services and resources that students can use to improve their networks and buildtheir careers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Out of the 8 students that have participated in this cycle (recruited in Fall 2023, and participating in the program during 2024), threestudents are planning to present their research work at the next Southern Region - American Society for HorticulturalScience Annual Conference (February 2025), i.e.before the end of the first reporting period. During the period covered by this report, threestudents thatparticipated in the program during theprevious cycle (2022-2023) presented their research at either an international conference (2) in Fall 2023 and at aregional conference (1) in Spring 2024. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?As described above, we are planning to dissemination of results from the students that participated in the program this year in early 2025. At this point, we are also starting the recruitment process for the next group of eight students that will start their participation in the program in Spring 2025.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We recruited eight students from four different majors: Plant and Environmental Sciences (2), Environmental and Natural Resources (3), Biology (1), Horticulture(1), and Wildlife and Fisheries Biology (1). Students self-identified as women (6),men (1), and non-conforming (1), as well as white/caucasian (4), Hispanic or Latino (1), Black or African American (1), Asian or Asian American (1), and white/caucasian AND black or African American (1), andfirst-generation college students (2). Students were trained in different techniques related to plant pathology, plant physiology, breeding, soil sciences and environmental chemistry at the labs of PIs and CoPIs at the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (Clemson University). Students spent an average of 2-3 hours/week in this training during the Spring semester of 2022 and attended lab meetings. Furthermore, we provided three workshops to prepare them for their international research experience in Spain, addressing topics such as cross-cultural issues, historical/socioeconomical background, geography, customs, local laws, communication styles, transportation, banking, health and safety, and emergencies. During the Spring semester of 2022, students also had the chance to attend several Extension opportunities such as stakeholder (grower) meetings, trainings for Extension agents, and to shadow an Extension agent for a day. The eight undergraduate students, together with two faculty, traveled to Spain and visited fourresearch institutions in three cities in Spain (Cordoba, Seville, and Malaga). Then, students went to their assigned lab (2 students in Cordoba, 5in Seville, 2 in Malaga) and participated in an 8-week internship at their institutions. Some of the students had their own research project whereas other students participated in different tasks/activities in ongoing research projects; overall, they carried out lab and field experiments related to global challenges in sustainable agriculture, including plant water deficit and drought stress, mineral deficiencies, abiotic stresses related to climate change, environmental pollution due to toxic agrochemicals, and disease resistance. Several of these studies were related or integrated in multilateral projects (including projects among different countries in the Mediterranean Basin). Students also had the flexibility to take the trainings or development opportunities that better fit their career goals, andfive of these students attended an international conference on conservation of natural resources that took place in Spain while they werethere.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Rosario Rivera, S., Nieto Cantero, J., Delgado Garcia, A., Park, D. and Melgar, J.C. 2023. Soil phosphorus availability from oat and legume cover crops to a wheat crop in southern Spain. Oral presentation. 7th Biohydrology International Conference. Gandia, Spain. October 18-22
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Bokar, M., Park, D. and Melgar, J.C. 2023. Potential use of biochar as a soil amendment to sorb terbuthylazine and 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid. Oral presentation. 7th Biohydrology International Conference. Gandia, Spain. October 18-22
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Park, D. and Melgar, J.C. 2023. FLORECE! Review and opportunities for growing undergraduate experiential learning in sustainable agriculture. 7th Biohydrology International Conference. Gandia, Spain. October 18-22
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Lothridge, L. and Benlloch, M. 2024. The effects of foliar silicon on salt tolerance in tomato. Southern Region - American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. Atlanta, GA. February 2-4
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Progress 08/01/22 to 07/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Undergraduate students (8) Scientists, other students, general public. Description: While the target audience of the objectives of our project were the eight undergraduate students, their dissemination efforts reached scientists, other students and the general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?TRAINING ACTIVITIES: Students participated in a course (Creative Inquiry) that was exclusively created for them so that i) they could work one-on-one with their mentors during the Spring semester, and ii) share knowledge with other students/mentors thru the synergy meetings. Students participated in a 2-month internship at a lab in Spain. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES: Four of the students participating in the program last year disseminated results atconferences during fall 2022 and winter 2023. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?While there is nothing to report yet (because students have yet to return from Spain), we are planning a seminar at the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (as part of the department's seminar series), where the eight students participating in the program this year will talk about their experiments and their experiences while being part of this program.This will be reported in the next report cycle. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?-Students will disseminate their results in front of other undergraduate/graduate students and faculty at the department's Seminar Series. -Students will disseminate their results to the scientific community at conferences during fall 2023 and winter 2024. -We will recruit and train a new group of students for the 2023-2024 cycle. Recruitment will start in August 2023, students will be selected by November 2023, They will start their training at labs with mentors at Clemson University in Spring 2024, and will participate in a 2-month internship in Spain between May and July 2024.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
IMPACT of our project: We have recruitedand trained 16 students (8 students in 2021-2022, 8 studentsin 2022-2023). These students have been provided with research training and Extension opportunities at Clemson University, and have carried/are carrying out a 2-month internship at five research institutions in Spain. Specifically, this program has provided them with global perspectives to challenges and opportunities for improving the sustainability of our agricultural systems, as well as opportunities for increasing their professional networks, their interpersonal,self-awarenessand communications skills, andtheir global competency. During theirinternships in Spain, students havecarried out and been responsible for their own research study (or part of a larger research study). After their internships, students were given the opportunity of presenting their research at regional or national conferences. ACTIVITIES COMPLETED, RESULTS, AND OUTCOMES: Objective 1: Recruiting and training students to address agricultural challenges with a holistic approach 16 students (8 per year) recruited and trained at Clemson University on sustainable agriculture. Students participated in synergy meetings to discuss how their lab studiesconnected with those of other students. The students also discussed challenges in improvingsustainability in agricultural systems with researchers in Spain thru videoconferences (before going abroad). Objective 2: Provide these students with local and global research and Extension mentorship that fosters transdisciplinary activities and multilateral cooperation. Students participated in research at labs at Clemson University during the Spring semester, and at labs at several institutions in Spain during 2 months (mid May to mid July). During the Spring semester, students were also offered several options to attend Extension events such as grower meetings or Extension agent trainings, or to shadow an Extension agent for a day. Due to their tight class schedule, attending meetings/trainings wasthe most popular option. Objective 3: Provide these participants with professional and leadership development opportunities tailored to their personal needs and career goals. Out of the 8 students that participated in the internship in summer last year, 4 students presented their research at conferences during fall 2022(at the American Society of Agronomy Annual Conference; 1 student)or winter 2023 (at the Southern Region - American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference; 3 students). The student that attended the American Society of Agronomy Annual Conference won first prize in a competition for undergraduate students (Visual Presentation Contest, SASES); one of the students attending the Southern Region - ASHS Annual Conference won first prize in the poster competition for undergraduate students. At the time this report is being written, the 2022-2023 students are still in Spain. Dissemination of their results and their participation in conferences will take place in Fall 2023/Winter 2024, and will be reported next year. Other accomplishments:Out of the eight students that participated in the program last year, fiveof them have graduated: of these five, twohave started to pursue a M.S. degree, oneis working as a technician for a USDA grant at Clemson University, and the other two secured jobs in plant sciences. Out of the threethat have not graduated yet, two of them keep actively engaged in research at different labs at Clemson University.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Motro, H., Calderon, M.J., Velarde, P. and Gamiz, B. 2023. Effect of activation and age on adsorption of pesticides by biochar. Poster. Southern Region - American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. Oklahoma City, OK. February 3-5
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Belk, P. and Hernandez-Santana, V. 2023. Water use efficiency in fruit trees is influenced by sapwood to leaf area ratio. Poster. Southern Region - American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. Oklahoma City, OK. February 3-5
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Coulombe, L., Nziku, W. and Melgar, J.C. 2023. Characterization of postharvest phosphorus dynamics in peach trees. Oral presentation. Southern Region - American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. Oklahoma City, OK. February 3-5
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Mulligan, M.E. and Benlloch-Gonzalez, M. 2022. How can silicon interact with sunflower water relations?. Visual presentation. American Society of Agronomy Annual Conference (Students of Agronomy, Soils, and Environmental Sciences). Baltimore, MD. November 6-9
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Progress 08/01/21 to 07/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Undergraduate students (8) Scientists, other students, general public. Description: Whilethe target audience of the objectives of our project were the eight undergraduate students, their dissemination efforts reached scientists, other students and the general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Each student has received training from a mentor in a lab at Clemson University during the Spring semester, and from a collaborator/mentor in the host lab in Spain during the summer. This training includes hands-on learning of lab and field measurements, learning of methodologies and techniques. Among the professional development activities, all students attended a workshop given by the Clemson University's Center for Career & Professional Development on the opportunities, services and resourcesthat students can use to improve their networks and build their careers. Furthermore, to increase their knowledge on Extension, they have the option to either attend a grower meeting, a training meeting, or shadow an Extension agent during their Spring semester. Most students participated in the training meeting. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Students and faculty participating in this project presented a poster summarizing the work being done during the Spring semester at the Annual Focus on Creative Inquiry meeting, held atClemson in Spring. Furthermore, one studentthat carried out an individual research studyhave disseminated (others areworking on preparing their results for dissemination) at a scientific conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?There will be more dissemination of results at scientific conferences from the students that participated in the program in 2022. Also, we are currently starting the recruitment process for the next group of eight students that will start their participation in the programin Spring 2023.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We recruited eight students from four different majors: Plant and Environmental Sciences (5), Environmental and Natural Resources (1), Biology (1), Genetics and Biochemstry (1). Students self-identified as women (5) and men (3), white/caucasian (8), Hispanic or Latino (1), and first-generation college students (1). Students were trained in different techniques related to plant pathology, plant physiology, breeding, soil sciences and environmental chemistry at the labs of PIs and CoPIsat the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (Clemson University). Students spent an average of 2-3 hours / week in this training during the Spring semester of 2022 andattended lab meetings.Furthermore, we provided three workshops to prepare them for their international research experience in Spain, addressing topics such as cross-cultural issues, historical/socio-economical background, geography, customs, local laws, communication styles, transportation, banking, health and safety, and emergencies.During the Spring semester of 2022, students also had the chance to attend severalExtension opportunities such asstakeholder (grower) meetings, trainings for Extension agents, and toshadow an Extension agent for a day. The eight undergraduate students, together with two faculty, traveled to Spain and visited five research institutions in three cities in Spain (Cordoba, Seville, and Malaga). Then, students went to their assigned lab (2 students in Cordoba, 4 in Seville, 2 in Malaga)and participated in an 8-week internship at their institutions. Some of the students had their own research project whereas other students participated in different tasks/activities in ongoing research projects; overall, they carried out lab and field experiments related to global challenges in sustainable agriculture, includingplant water deficit and drought stress, mineral deficiencies, abiotic stresses related to climate change, environmental pollution due to toxic agrochemicals, and disease resistance. Several of these studies were related or integrated in multilateral projects (including projects among different countries in the Mediterranean Basin). Students also had the flexibility to take the trainings or development opportunities that better fit their career goals; for instance, amongthe Extension activities in Spring, they had to do one among all the proposed activities. Another example is the opportunities for dissemination of results;among students with a clear goal of going into graduate school there is a student thatpresented part of his work at a scientific conference before the end of the first reporting period,and another one is planning to do it in a conference this fall.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Belk P, Brawner A, Coulombe L, Kurz C, Deuty B, Mulligan ME, Motro H, Seiter J, Melgar JC, Gasic K, Kutty S, Park D, Suseela V, Schnabel G, White S. 2022. Sustainable Agriculture through Enhanced Plant Resilience. Poster presentation. Clemson University 17th Annual Focus on Creative Inquiry Forum, Clemson, SC.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Deuty B, Fu W, Calle A, Da Silva Linge C, Gasic K. 2022. Ppe.Ssc-RD: High Throughput Kasp Assays for Predicting Soluble Solid Concentration and Ripening Date in Peach. Oral presentation. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.
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