CORNELL AGRITECH FACT REEU: ENHANCING THE DIGITAL AGRICULTURE WORKFORCE PIPELINE

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: ACTIVE
• Funding Source: AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1025959
• Grant No.: 2021-68018-34652
• Cumulative Award Amt.: $495,704.00
• Proposal No.: 2020-09314
• Project Start Date: Aug 16, 2021
• Project End Date: Aug 15, 2026
• Grant Year: 2021
• Program Code: [A7401]- Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates

Recipient Organization
N Y AGRICULTURAL EXPT STATION
(N/A)
GENEVA,NY 14456

Performing Department
Entomology

Non Technical Summary
Across the globe, agricultural food security is critically threatened by complex and recalcitrant issues including a burgeoning population, a changing climate, shifts in pests and pathogens and the erosion of soil health (Heeb et al. 2019; Jones et al. 2013; Savary et al. 2019). Together these issues demand more efficient and cost-effective use of resources in agricultural production systems. At the same time, intensive crop production has become data rich as multidisciplinary research provides opportunities to transform traditional farming approaches to address global food security. Effectively harnessing these data through precision technologies has clearly demonstrated potential to enhance productivity, efficiency and environmental outcomes across primary production (Hedley 2015). Overcoming these challenges demands a high level of agricultural literacy among educators, students, and future leaders, however, studies indicate that, improvements in agricultural literacy are still necessary (Kovar and Ball 2013).Our long-term goal is to address a critical workforce deficiency in agricultural plant sciences that will be immersed in the digital era. These professions use research-based knowledge to develop and extend innovative solutions to serious problems facing US agriculture. This project will enable the capacity of future generations, including students from underrepresented minorities, to effectively capture the rapid advances in digital and precision agriculture for sustainable, agricultural economic growth. Training in this area will hence result in improved use of precision agriculture tools to enhance agricultural production and reduce economic, environmental, social and cultural factors that have traditionally been barriers to integrating these tools into practical decision making by producers.

Animal Health Component

70%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

30%

Applied

70%

Developmental

0%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
205	5010	1130	30%
205	5010	1160	30%
205	5010	1081	20%
205	5010	1140	20%

Knowledge Area
205 - Plant Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
5010 - Food;

Field Of Science
1130 - Entomology and acarology; 1160 - Pathology; 1081 - Breeding; 1140 - Weed science;

Keywords

digital agriculture

agricultural sciences

agricultural workforce

specialty crops

undergrad research

Goals / Objectives
The existing long-term goal of our program is to address a critical workforce deficiency in agriculturally-based plant sciences. These professions use research-based knowledge to develop and extend innovative solutions to serious problems facing US agriculture. This goal aligns well with the NIFA foundational area of 'plant health and production and plant products'. The internship program will provide undergraduate students with a unique opportunity for hands-on experiential learning in agricultural research focused on plant health, protection and productivity. Through collaboration with faculty at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva NY, the program will also provide students with research and educational opportunities in digital agriculture and cyberinformatics that align closely with the USDA Food and Agricultural Cyberinformatics and Tools (FACT) initiative.

Project Methods
EffortOur program will blend guided independent research experiences with skill-building group activities to address the growing need to increase student engagement in the agricultural sciences; particularly the need for an increase in underrepresented minorities working in agricultural research. Research projects and skill-building sessions are structured specifically to meet the following goals:Goal 1) - Successfully conduct an independent research project focused on digital agriculture in the agricultural plant sciences.Goal 2) - Develop professional and soft skills necessary to thrive in an agricultural research environment.Independent Research Projects (Goal 1)To achieve our first goal, the program will create opportunities for each Summer Scholar to conduct an independent research project in one of three agricultural science disciplines: Entomology, Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, or Horticulture/Plant Breeding. The projects will give students the opportunity to engage directly in FACT topics within specialty crops, where there is high potential for financial returns on investments in technology. Below, we highlight specific FACT themes within which Summer Scholars will engage to develop research projects. Within these disciplines, Summer Scholars will work with a diverse array of important specialty crops including small fruits (grapes, strawberries and raspberries), tree fruit (apples), vegetables (tomato, onions, table beet, leguminous crops, potatoes, cucurbits, and brassicas), bioenergy crops and industrial hemp, and turfgrass. Summer Scholars will be guided by their mentors through distinct stages of the research process: developing a scientific question and testable hypothesis, experimental design, set-up and time management, troubleshooting and critical thinking to remedy unforeseen problems and potential pitfalls, risk management, collection of accurate and reproducible data, statistical analysis of data, and science communication for an academic audience. Professional Skill Development (Goal 2)In parallel with the Summer Scholar's independent research projects, all students will engage weekly in professional development opportunities. We view professional and career development as an integral and critical part of the FACT program as it will assist students in formalizing and translating research ideas into practice. The activities outlined below will further allow us to meet the student-centered learning outcomes listed under Project Evaluation and Reporting, and enhance career development opportunities ranging from analytical to soft inter-personal skills. Weekly professional development sessions will also provide an opportunity for students to integrate experiences in individual research with cohort-building and team dynamics. Time commitments between research and skill development will be carefully managed by the program's primary mentors so they complement rather than compromise each other. Professional development programming will take one of three forms: commodity-themed field trips, topical skill-building sessions held weekly during lunch throughout the program, and a final poster session.Field Trips - We will offer five commodity-themed field trips (4-6 hours each depending on travel time) led by faculty and/or extension educators who will provide a 30 minute primer to prepare students for the trip with a quick summary of the industry, overview of professional courtesy for the commodity, and guide to commodity scouting. Mid-morning to late afternoon will consist of an excursion to commercial specialty crop farms and industries where students will interact directly with stakeholders in the agricultural, horticultural, and food product industries. Growers will provide an overview of general production practices and challenges to successful crop management and perceptions of the future and opportunities for digital tools to impact agriculture. These discussions will also highlight typical interactions between extension faculty and regional educators along with issues that impact their industry. During each trip we will illustrate practical examples of digital agriculture tools used in the field, including GPS guidance systems, growing degree day monitors for pest and disease risk assessment and management, automated soil sampling, and UAS imaging. Field trip themes will include: Tree Fruit Management; Hop Production and Brewing; Grape Production and Wine; Vegetable Production and Processing; and Turfgrass Management and Environmental Sustainability.Topical Skill-Building Sessions - We will also host five lunch-hour skill-building sessions to provide Summer Scholars with the opportunity to engage with each other and different faculty members on specific topics. Prior to the start of the program, all students will be asked to rank nine different skill-building topics in order of interest. The top five ranked activities will be led during weeks two through six of the program and faculty mentors will encourage scholars to attend all relevant workshops offered. The mentors listed below have been identified to lead sessions due to their specific knowledge areas and experience in providing training on these topics previously.Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Agricultural ResearchBecoming a Good ColleagueExtending Research to Growers and KidsCareer Opportunities in the Plant SciencesCommunicating with Other ScientistsGraduate Student LifeIntroduction to data analysis using RUse of Sensors and Other Digital Tools in AgricultureQ&A with Directors of Graduate Studies Summer Scholars Poster Session - The final poster session is an opportunity for Summer Scholars to practice career skills, present research findings, discuss their approaches for data collection and analysis, and field questions about their work. Each Scholar will be required to submit an abstract in advance, and a book of abstracts will be made available to all attendees. Scholars will produce a poster equivalent to those used at scientific meetings and present their results to approximately 150 members of the Cornell and Hobart and William Smith academic communities. Members of CALS administration, extension specialists, and Cornell scientists not directly engaged in the program will also be encouraged to attend the poster session to enhance the reach of the program. Following the poster session, all will attend a final lunch celebration before departure.EvaluationWe will assess Summer Scholar learning outcomes and mentorship through a variety of methods: Formally, we will conduct pre- and post-engagement knowledge inventories for the program to evaluate change in knowledge and perception of different agricultural issues presented during the program. These inventories will be conducted using Qualtrics. In order to evaluate the overall quality of our programming and mentorship, we will also use the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA) tool available through the University of Colorado, used to assess other NSF REU programs (https://salgsite.net/). Using the adaptable assessment template available through the UC Boulder website, we will create a custom assessment form to quantify gains, changes, and feedback on:Quality of and satisfaction with the research experience and with mentors;Feelings about the atmosphere of inclusion offered by the program;Gains in knowledge/skill in science communication;Gains in knowledge/skill in the use of statistics, sensors and big data in agriculture;Knowledge or perspective on career paths and professional development opportunities in agricultural sciences;Knowledge of the specialty crops industry and challenges/opportunities faced by agricultural practitioners;Quality of program application process, ease of identifying a project and mentor, and communication regarding program logistics;Balance in the program between independent research and skill-building activities.

Progress 08/16/23 to 08/15/24

Outputs
Target Audience:As in previous years, for the 2024 summer program we attracted over 100 high quality applicants. From the total pool we selected a total of 10 to support directly on USDA EWD funds from this grant. The cohort was comprised of a mix of female, gender nonconforming, and male students of African American, Hispanic and Latino/a/x, Asian American and Caucasian race or ethnicity. The student's home states/locations included Texas, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Maryland, and D.C.. These students were integrated fully with our broader program cohort of 22 total students. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In addition to the research accomplishments noted above, our program presented regular opportunities for professional development and training for our students. Each week, students gathered for topical discussions with Cornell University faculty on the following themes: Becoming a good colleague in the lab; working alongside students, technicians, and professors Designing and presenting an academic poster Science communication: Extending research to growers and the public Diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in agricultural research Graduate student life Students also took part in regular R workshops led by current graduate students and covering the following topics: Introduction to R and basic commands Importing data and data cleanup Basic statistical analyses Creating figures in R Finally, students were taken on 5 agriculture-themed field trips throughout the program: Commercial Vineyards & Wineries Commercial Orchards & Cideries Vegetable Farms & Processing Facility Cornell Campus visit during which students were introduced to the Directors of Graduate Studies from departments and sections across Cornell's College of Ag and Life Science. This final trip involved a round of DGS introductions, targeted breakout rooms (each student met with three DGS's, and a group lunch). ? How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?As in previous years, the results of our student's work were presented at the conclusion of the program to over 100 AgriTech and Cornell University students, staff, faculty, alumni and administrators. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During our next reporting period, we plan to repeat our program with some minor modifications based on feedback gathered during our student assessments from the 2024 program. Specific modifications include 1) creating a social media page for our 2025 student cohort and engaging interns in creating weekly posts, and 2) using LinkedIn to begin tracking students long-term progress after the program. We aim to have a similar number of students supported on our USDA EWD grant.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We hosted a total of 22 students (10 supported financially by this USDA EWD grant) this year. Each student worked with faculty, graduate student, and postdoc mentors to carry out an independent research project in the areas of plant pathology, entomology, horticulture, food science, and agribusiness development. Projects involved different aspects of digital agriculture aligning them with the FACT initiative. Examples of digital agriculture-themed projects included hyperspectral satellite and drone image analysis to assess crop status/quality and for monitoring crop pests, high throughput phenotyping of crop traits, GPS-based accelerometry for tracking traits associated with crop pathogen infection, vision-guided crop sprayers, and electric weed management technology. The 9 week program culminated in a final poster presentation for which each student developed and presented a poster on their work.

Publications

Progress 08/16/22 to 08/15/23

Outputs
Target Audience:As with our previousprogram year, this year'sprogram attracted over 100 high quality applicants. From the total pool we selected a total of 12 to support directly on USDA EWD funds from this grant. The cohort was comprised of a mix of female, gender nonconforming, and male students of African American, Hispanic and Latino/a/x, Asian American and Caucasian race or ethnicity. The student's home states/locations included Texas, Florida, New York, California, Indiana, Iowa, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Virginia, North Carolina, Vermont, and Ohio. These students were integrated fully with our broader program cohort of 29total students. Changes/Problems:As noted in our previous report, Covid-19 has resulted in a number of additional policies for our program related to testing, isolation, and masking. These policies were successfully instituted again this year. Fortunately, we had no positive Covid-19 cases in the 2023 program. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In addition to the research accomplishments noted above, our program presented regular opportunities for professional development and training for our students. Each week, students gathered for topical discussions with Cornell University faculty on themes including graduate school admissions, grad student life, science communication to academic and farmer audiences, data analysis, academic poster design and presentation, and abstract writing. Additionally, students were taken on 5 agriculture-themed field trips throughout the program: Grape Production and Vineyard Management,Apple and Cider Production and Tree Fruit Pest Management, Weed Management, a Food Processing and Packaging Plant tour, and a Cornell Campus visit during which students were introduced to the Directors of Graduate Studies (DGS) from departments and sections across Cornell's College of Ag and Life Science. This final trip involved a round of DGS introductions, targeted breakout rooms (each student met with three DGS's, and a group lunch). Students also attended weekly lunch tutorials on R programming led by a current Cornell graduate student. Lastly, students were presented with numerous training opportunities throughout the program on lab-, greenhouse- and field-based procedures relevant to conducting their research including experimental design, operation of different analytical instruments, proper collection, handling and processing of plant, insect, microbial and soil samples. 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?During our next reporting period, we plan to repeat our program with some minor modifications based on feedback gathered during our student assessments from the 2023program. We aim to have a similar number of students supported on our USDA EWD grant.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We hosted a total of 29students (12supported financially by this USDA EWD grant) this year. Each student worked with faculty, graduate student, and postdoc mentors to carry out an independent research project in the areas of plant pathology, entomology, horticulture, food science, and agribusiness development. Projects involved different aspects of digital agriculture aligning them with the FACT initiative. Examples of digital agriculture-themed projects included robotic weed management tools, high-throughput phenotyping in specialty crops, hyperspectral imaging for weed management, the use of functional gene analysis to improve insect pest management, and RNAi-based pest. The 9week program involved weekly professional development and field trips focused on specialty crop research and extension and culminated in a final poster presentation for which each student developed and presented a poster on their work to over 100 attendees ranging from scientists, stakeholders, and Cornell upper administration.

Publications

Progress 08/16/21 to 08/15/22

Outputs
Target Audience:This year our program attracted over 100 high quality applicants. From the total pool we selected a total of 12to support directly on USDA EWD funds from this grant. The cohort was comprised of amix of female, gender nonconforming, and male students of African American, Hispanic and Latino/a/x, Native American, Asian American and Caucasian race or ethnicity. The student's home states/locations included Texas, Florida, New York, California, Puerto Rico, Kentucky and Ohio. These students were integrated fully with our broader program cohort of 33 total students. Changes/Problems:The Covid-19 pandemic placed many constraints on our program this year. For instance, in preparation for a Covid-19 outbreak among our student group, we were forced to double our student housing space to minimize multiple-occupancy rooming and to provide rooms for student quarantine and isolation as needed. We also instituted masking requirements for group teaching settings, and multi-user vehicle settings as outlined in Cornell University's summer 2022 Covid-19 policy. We also coordinated access to Covid-19 antigen tests, n-95 masks, and sanitation and cleaning supplies to reduce the risk of infection and minimize spread. These additional steps required considerable effort by the program, however, the program was very successful in the end and we are excited to report that wehad zero positive Covid-19 cases reported during the program. The protocols we developed and instituted this year will benefit us tremendously during the 2023 program as well. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In addition to the research accomplishments noted above, our programpresented regular opportunities for professional development and training for our students. Each week, students gathered for topical discussions with Cornell University faculty on themes includinggraduate school admissions, grad student life, science communication to academic and farmer audiences, data analysis, academic poster design and presentation, and abstract writing. Additionally, students were taken on 5 agriculture-themed field trips throughout the program: Grape Production and Vineyard Management, Hops and Hemp, Apple Production and Pest Management, Weed Management, and a Cornell Campus visit during which students were introduced to the Directors of Graduate Studies from departments and sections across Cornell's College of Ag and Life Science. This final trip involved a round of DGS introductions, targeted breakout rooms (each student met with three DGS's, and a group lunch). Lastly, students were presented with numerous training opportunities throughout the program on lab-, greenhouse- and field-based proceduresrelevant to conducting their research including experimental design, operation of different analytical instruments, proper collection, handling and processing of plant, insect, microbial and soil samples. 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?During our next reporting period, we plan to repeat our program with some minor modifications based on feedback gathered during our student assessments from the 2022 program. We aim to have a similar number of students supported on our USDA EWD grant.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We hosted a total of 33 students (8supported financially by this USDA EWD grant) this year. Each student worked with faculty, graduate student, and postdoc mentors to carry out an independent research project in the areas of plant pathology, entomology, horticulture, food science, and agribusiness development.Projects involved different aspects of digital agriculture aligning them with the FACT initiative. Examples of digital agriculture-themed projects included hyperspectral satellite and drone image analysis to assess crop status/quality and for monitoring crop pests, high throughput phenotyping of crop traits, GPS-based accelerometry for tracking traits associated with crop pathogen infection, vision-guided crop sprayers, and electric weed management technology. The 8.5 week program culminated in a final poster presentation for which each student developed and presented a poster on their work.

Publications