Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The goal of this USDA Higher Education Challenge planning grant is to develop an educational program to train, build, and diversify a workforce to advance future food manufacturing industries that depend on transdiciplinary training in food and agricultural sciences. Target audiences reached during this reporting period focused on (1) future manufacturing industry representatives, (2) academic initiatives from the Tufts Center for Cellular Agriculture (Tufts University, Boston) and Cultivated Meat Consortium (CMC, University of California-Davis), (3) Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences leadership and (4) non-profit organizations and foundations such as The Good Food Institute, New Harvest, XPRIZE Foundation, Open Philantrophy, and Foundation forFood and Agricultural Research. Changes/Problems:Extended timeline: We requested a timeline extension to enable collaboration with the CMC and Tufts and other institutions to better understand complementary and unique efforts in the alternative protein education, training, and research across the USA. We are now able to model after workshops and seminars organized by CMC and Tufts to develop the PSU Alternative Protein Short Course or equivalent. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In this reporting period, we continue to expand our capacity for training and professional development specifically focused on undergraduate research and graduate education. Currently, at a minimum of 6undergraduates conduct research related to alternative protein research and at least 4graduate students conduct dissertation research in future foods and emerging innovations for sustainable food production. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In 2024, our efforts have been focused internally at PSU with the leadership in the College of Agricultural Sciences, through invited seminars, and expanding our collaborative network of faculty and graduate students. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?To coordinate and organize an Alternative Meat Short Course (or equivalent, Alternative Protein Workshop or Future Foods Initiative) at Penn State by the end of August 2025 in collaboration with academic institutions (UC Davis and Tufts), industry partners, and non-profit organizations (GFI, New Harvest, XPRIZE) (to accomplish Objective 2). This final objective will complete the vision of this USDA HEC planning grant.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Major goals of the project CULTURED is an educational program to train, build, and diversity a workforce to advance future food manufacturing industries that depend on transdisciplinary training in food and agricultural sciences. Our long term vision is to integrate CULTURED into the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences (CoAS) Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science (SAFES). The specific objectives of CULTURED 1.0 are to: (1) highlight key strengths, opportunities, and challenges associated with educational and training programs in emerging innovations for sustainable food production, (2) provide a platform for discussion to address opportunities and challenges and build upon strengths, and (3) develop a collaborative network within and beyond Penn State that will facilitate dialogue on emerging innovations for sustainable food production. To achieve these objectives in two-years, we will conduct a series of monthly virtual seminars featuring diverse speakers from the three core areas of scalability, sustainability, and socioeconomics. What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: Highlight key strengths, opportunities, and challenges associated with educational and training programs in emerging innovations for sustainable food production 1.1. 'Future Foods' was identified as an area of strategic priority by the College of Agricultural Sciences Strategic Guide for Research and Graduate Education in October 2024. 1.2.Graduate student recruit and successful award of pre-doctoral NIFA fellowship: In the previous reporting period, a graduate student (PhD) in our 'Future Foods Initiative' was awarded the USDA pre-doctoral NIFA fellowship for her proposal, "Consumers as co-developers in cell-cultured meat innovation" (Award No. 2024-67011-42945). In objective 2 of this proposal, we have developeda virtual reality cell cultivated meat production process educational simulation (AGCELLERATE). We established acollaboration with Penn State Center for Immersive Experiences, and designeda virtual production facility where participants are able to create and process alternative meat from cell sample to final product. We hope to showcase this demonstrationin 2025 as a publication or other products (educational module, video, demonstration). Alignment with Objective 1. Objective 2: Provide a platform for discussion to address opportunities and challenges In our previous reporting period, I highlighted two major changes in our planning grant, (1) overlapping effort from two larger iniatives and (2) virtual seminars may not be the best approach for creating a platform for discussion. Thus, this year in our Department of Food Science seminar series, we intentionally target invitation of guest speakers related to future foods and emerging innovations in sustainable food production. Objective 3: Develop a collaborative network within and beyond Penn State that will facilitate discussion on emerging innovations for sustainable food production. As highlighted in our previous report,two large initiatives have been supported through federal funds including the Cultivated Meat Consortium (CMC) (2019-2023) at UC Davis (funded by the NSF $ 3.55M and California's Budget Act of 2022 for $ 5M) and Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (which houses the National Institute for Cellular Agriculture, $10 M funded by USDA). Our team will be meeting with representatives from Tufts (our team will attendTufts Cellular Agriculture Innovation Day on January 9, 2025; invite only event) to discuss areas of synergy and collaboration. An immediate grant collaboration between TUCCA and PSUis the NSF-STC grant "NSF Center for the Future of Sensory-Driven Meat Analog Science and Technology".
Publications
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The goal of this USDA Higher Education Challenge planning grant is to develop an educational program to train, build, and diversify a workforce to advance future food manufacturing industries that depend on transdisciplinary training in food and agricultural sciences. Target audiences reached during this reporting period focused on (1) academic initiatives(faculty and students that are part of research groups and programs across the USAincluding recent large federally-funded initiatives such as including the Cultivated Meat Consortium (CMC) (2019-2023) at UC Davis (funded by the NSF $ 3.55M and California's Budget Act of 2022 for $ 5M) and Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (which houses the National Institute for Cellular Agriculture, $10 M funded by USDA), (2) goverment (USDA Office of the Chief Scientist Agrifood Innovation initiative), and industry including non-profit organizations such asThe Good Food Institute, New Harvest, XPRIZE Foundation, and Open Philantrophy. Changes/Problems:Overlapping effort from two other initiatives: In the last two years (2021-2022), two large initiatives have been supported through federal funds including the Cultivated Meat Consortium (CMC) (2019-2023) at UC Davis (funded by the NSF $ 3.55M and California's Budget Act of 2022 for $ 5M) and Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (which houses the National Institute for Cellular Agriculture, $10 M funded by USDA).The alternative proteinindustry is concentrated in the West (California, Silicon Valley) and East (Boston, NY). During this time, our team pivoted to rethink our strategy for accomplishing our proposed objectives to serve the mid-Atlantic region. Extended timeline:We requested a timeline extension to enable collaboration with the CMC and Tufts to better understand complementaryand unique efforts in the alternative protein education, training, and research across the USA. We are now able to model after workshops and seminars organized by CMC and Tufts to develop the PSU Alternative Protein Short Course. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The effort proposed as part of this USDA HEC planning grant was to design and develop an education model for introduction of a new subject requiring transdisciplinary research and training in food and agricultural sciences. In the previous reporting period, the PD and Co-PDs included training and professional development opportunities on sustainable food production and emerging food innovations in alternative proteins as part of existing courses within Food Science, Agriculture and Biological Engineering, and Rural Sociology. In this reporting period, we succesfully provided training and professional development for workforce development specifically focused on undergraduate research and graduate education. Currently, at a minimum of 4 undergraduates conduct research related to alternative protein research and at least 2 graduate students conduct dissertation research in this area. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In this reporting period, our efforts have focused primarily on invited seminars on alternative protein research (see other products: invited seminars) to local communities (Penn State) and national (University of Puerto Rico). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?To coordinate and organize an Alternative Meat Short Course (or equivalent, Alternative Protein Workshop) at Penn State in June 2025 in collaboration with academic institutions (UC Davis and Tufts), industry partners, and non-profit organizations (GFI, New Harvest, XPRIZE) (to accomplish Objective 2).
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Graduate student recruit and successful award of pre-doctoral NIFA fellowship: During this period, we recruited a graduate student (PhD) who was recently awarded the USDA pre-doctoral NIFA fellowship for her proposal, "Consumers as co-developers in cell-cultured meat innovation" (Award No. 2024-67011-42945). In objective 2 of this proposal, we are developing a virtual reality cell cultivated meat production process educational simulation (AGCELLERATE). In a newly formed collaboration with Penn State Center for Immersive Experiences, we are designing a virtual production facility where participants are able to create and process alternative meat from cell sample to final product. We hope to showcase this demonstration at the Short Course in 2025. Alignment with Objective 1. Developed a collaborative network within and beyond Penn State:In the last two years (2021-2022), two large initiatives have been supported through federal funds including the Cultivated Meat Consortium (CMC) (2019-2023) at UC Davis (funded by the NSF $ 3.55M and California's Budget Act of 2022 for $ 5M) and Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (which houses the National Institute for Cellular Agriculture, $10 M funded by USDA). Our team has since connected with Dr. David Block (UC Davis) and Dr. David Kaplan (Tufts) and their team. For example, both Drs. Block and Kaplan provided a letter of support for our graduate student's USDA pre-doctoral fellowship. Alignment with Objective 3.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The goal of this USDA Higher Education Challenge planning grant is to develop an educational program to train, build, and diversify a workforce to advance future food manufacturing industries that depend on transdisciplinary training in food and agricultural sciences. Target audiences reached during this reporting period include academia (faculty and students that are part of research groups and programs across the USA), goverment,and industry including non-profit organizations such as The Good Food Institute and New Harvest. Efforts included analysis of interviews from 120 stakeholders across the industry committed to sustainable production of next generation proteins. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The effort proposed as part of this USDA HEC planning grant was todesign and develop an education model for introduction of a new subject requiring transdisciplinary research and training in food and agricultural sciences. This planning grant included training and professional development opportunities as part of existing courses within Food Science, Agriculture and Biological Engineering, and Rural Sociology taught by PD Wee and CoPD Ziegler, Chiles, and Costello. While the planning grant did not provide training and professional development for workforce development, we anticipate developing these opportunities for a full HEC grant with multiple institutional partners. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Currently, our results and efforts as part of this initiative has been disseminated through products and other products listed: peer reviewed publications, educational and training materials, university media and communication websites, social media platforms, and through collaborative networks (GFI, New Harvest). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?For the next reporting period, we anticipate 1. Convening stakeholders in-person to brainstorm core components of an educational training program in emerging food biomanufacturing and biotechnology 2. Conduct the one day symposium by the end of the next reporting period 3. Compile list of university partners (multi-site institutions) for a full HEC submission 4. Publish a white paper or equivalent publication on educational and training programs to support biomanufacturing and biotechnology for emerging food production. 5. We proposed to conduct virtual seminars within the first year, and a one day symposium during the second year. We have pivoted this approach to starting with a one-day symposium followed by virtual seminars (based on feedback from stakeholders during the symposium). This change was driven by a robust platform already existing from GFI YouTube channel and feedback that hosting a diverse discussion panel may be more beneficial than single presenters for virtual seminars. We are re-accessing the approach and anticipated outcomes to conduct virtual seminars with collaborators and industry partners. We anticipate to include these findings during the next reporting period.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Specific objective 1: highlight key strengths, opportunities, and challenges associated with educational and training programs in emerging innovations for sustainable food production The start date of this project is 09/01/2021, PI and Co-PIs on this grant have met for a kick-off meeting and highlighted goals to accomplish for 2022. We have also engaged stakeholders from academia, industry, and non-profit organizations to conduct a scoping review of existing transdisciplinary research and training in food and agricultural sciences. We are currently in the process of hiring an undergraduate research assistant to build a platform (website) to host the initiative. We are in the process of discussion with SAFES, on how best to integrate this initiative under the Institute. Focus on advancing biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation: In line with the Executive Order on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/09/12/executive-order-on-advancing-biotechnology-and-biomanufacturing-innovation-for-a-sustainable-safe-and-secure-american-bioeconomy/) released on September 12, 2022, our educational model for introduction of cellular agriculture in food and agricultural sciences should focus on biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation. We are compiling a list of courses across departments under the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State that fit the criteria for biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation. Specific objective 2: provide a platform for discussion to address opportunities and challenges and build upon strengths In our proposal, we stated that in year 1 we would host 12 virtual speakers representing three major areas of emerging food manufacturing, scalability, sustainability, and socioeconomics. After meeting with stakeholders in industry (The Good Food Institute, New Harvest) and academia (Tufts, UC Davis), we found that virtual seminars may not be the optimal format post-pandemic. In addition, GFI hosts an effective YouTube platformhttps://www.youtube.com/@thegoodfoodinstitute3482 with 5K subscribers featuring leaders in academia, industry, and governmentin alternative and sustainable protein. Thus, we will pivot our objectives and begin with an in-person symposium followed up virtual seminars based on symposium feedback (proposed deliverable 2). 3. Develop a collaborative network within and beyond Penn State to facilitate dialogue on emerging innovations for sustainable food production New Harvest has identified a network of research, non-profits, cellular agriculture ecosystem players, and cellular agriculture start ups (https://new-harvest.org/2022-the-years-in-review/) and GFI has identified global partners in the Asia Pacific, Brazil, Europe, India, and Israel. We will continue dialogue and discussions with GFI and New Harvest to identify opportunities and challenges in educational training programs on emerging innovations for sustainable food production.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Chiles, R.M., Broad, G., Gagnon, M. et al. Democratizing ownership and participation in the 4th Industrial Revolution: challenges and opportunities in cellular agriculture. Agric Hum Values 38, 943961 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-021-10237-7
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