Source: SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
TRANSNATIONAL APPROACHES TO SUSTAINABLE FOOD FUTURES: INTEGRATED HIGH-IMPACT LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND PATHWAYS TO FOOD CAREERS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1028695
Grant No.
2022-77040-37620
Cumulative Award Amt.
$999,622.00
Proposal No.
2022-02627
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2022
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2026
Grant Year
2022
Program Code
[NJ]- Hispanic Serving Institutions Education Grants Program
Recipient Organization
SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
SAN DIEGO,CA 92182
Performing Department
Geography
Non Technical Summary
Because of cumulative educational and social barriers, Latinx students are less likely to pursue careers in food and agriculture sciences than. other students. Therefore, they often lack the formal skills and confidence to become leaders in solving food security and sustainability problems that disproportionately burden their communities both in the United States and south of the US-Mexico border.At the same time, scientists are beginning to recognize the potential of indigenous and immigrant agricultural and food practices to address the interrelated challenges of food insecurity and environmental change. As climate change and environmental degradation threaten food production and raise the risk of food insecurity on both sides of the US-Mexico border and around the world, the need to develop alternatives to mainstream industrial agriculture has become increasingly clear. Rather than ramping up farming practices that will continue to alter local fauna and flora,reduce biodiversity, have negative effects on human health, cause eutrophication of waterways, degrade soil, waste scarce water, and create other adverse environmental and ecological conditions, we must transition to less environmentally taxing methods of food production. Indigenous farming and food practices appear to hold invaluable clues on how to design and manage low-input local food systems. Furthermore, such practices seem to support livelihoods and enhance food security, with social, economic, and health benefits extending from rural to urban areas where Indigenous migrants, including communities associated with our large Latinx student body at SDMC and SDSU, settle. However, so far, these practices have remained at the periphery of agricultural degree programs and scientific research, reflecting a bias that contributes to both the cultural exclusion of Latinx people from education and careers in food and agriculture sciences and the reproduction of unsustainable and inequitable models of food production and distribution.To address these gaps in knowledge and educational opportunities, we proposeto create a high-impact program that includes a team-taught seminar-style, bi-campus course entitled Transnational Approaches to Sustainable Food Futures;a rotation of three multi-site, bi-national, summer internships in Baja Califonia and Oaxaca (Mexico) and San Diego, California;a public engagement colloquium series;and an integrated multi-level mentoring infrastructure to incentivize Latinx undergraduate and graduate students to pursue food and agricultural careers.Given that traditional approaches to engage studentsfrom historically underrepresented groups in STEM and agricultural fields have not resulted in the desired levels of representation, we are proposing a novel interdisciplinary and systemic strategythat centers on indigenous and immigrant farming and food practices in the US and Mexico and their capacity to support and inform sustainable food production and consumption in the face of economic and environmental pressures. This approach addresses important knowledge gaps regarding our ability to feed the world sustainably and equitably, while providing opportunities for Latinx students to enter the world of food and agricultural sciences in culturally engaging ways that value and build on their collective experiences and knowledge.Our project combines curriculum development with an integrated advising/mentoring infrastructure that willsupport students as they prepare themselves to be the next generation of innovative game changers in sustainable agriculture and global food security. This mentoring structures includes professional advisors who help undergraduate students transition from associate to bachelor degrees, navigatedegree requirements, and access services they may need; near-peer student mentors, including graduate students who act as role models, create a sense of community, and share informal advice and personal experiences that help students navigate life on campus; and faculty mentors who supervise undergraduate and mostly graduate student research and guide themthrough their coursework to help them meet their personal, academic, and professional goals.By project end, we anticipate that 36 undergraduates and 7 master's students will complete their degrees and 3 PhD students will be at or near completion; a pipeline of 400 high school students and 16 high school educators will be reached through our outreach activities; the new course (Transnational Approaches to Sustainable Food Futures) will become embedded into the undergraduate curricula at San Diego State University; the institutional bridge between SDMC and SDSU will be stronger; USDA agencies will have an established avenue to connect with our students through the public colloquium series; and interdisciplinary food and agriculture research capacities at SDSU and within the San Diego border region will be considerably enhanced.A comprehensive and rigorous evaluation will be conducted throughout the duration of the project to help us assess, refine, and adapt our activities to best meet our primary goal ofattracting and supporting Latinx undergraduate and graduate students in food and agriculture careers. Such evaluation is important to identify best practices in higher education that could be replicated elsewhere and have a broader impact.In short, this projectsbuilds on our scientific expertise, diverse student body, and unique location on the US-Mexico border, to offer a novel transnational and interdisciplinary approach to envisioning and developing sustainable food futures through integrated high-impact learning experiences and mentoring services. Itexpandsthe pathways to food and agriculture careers, making them more relevant and accessible to Latinx students who have historically been underrepresented and excluded from such professional opportunities. It also furthers knowledge of indigenous and immigrant agricultural and food practices, with transformative implications for food sustainability and security in multiple settings. Beyond the students, teachers, and researchers directly engaged in its activities, the project has the potential to impact farmers and other people who make a living producing and selling food, as well as the communities that depend on these forms of livelihoods, by drawing attention to and documenting the cultural, economic, and environmental value of their practices.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
7046099206020%
1025010107020%
1025010101015%
1025010100015%
8016099300015%
1255010107015%
Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 125 - Agroforestry; 801 - Individual and Family Resource Management; 704 - Nutrition and Hunger in the Population;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other; 5010 - Food;

Field Of Science
3000 - Anthropology; 1070 - Ecology; 1010 - Nutrition and metabolism; 1000 - Biochemistry and biophysics; 2060 - Geography;
Goals / Objectives
The primary goal of this collaborative project is tocreate a bi-campus, high-impact educational program that includes team-taught courses, multi-site internships, and integrated mentoring designed to attract and support Latinx undergraduate and graduate students interested in food and agriculture careers.Specifically, by developing a curriculum focused on Indigenous and immigrant farming and food practices on both sides of the US-Mexico border, our goal is to providea unique opportunity for Latinx students to enter the realm of food and agricultural sciences in culturally engaging ways that value and build on their heritage, collective experiences, and knowledge to address important knowledge gaps regarding our ability to feed the world sustainably and equitably now and in the future.Our objectives are to:Recruit 20 San Diego Mesa College and 40 San Diego State University undergraduate Latinx students interested in pursuing agricultural and food sciences degrees to participate in our curriculumRetain and support these undergraduate students to transition into a 4-yr program, graduate, or approach imminent graduation by the end of the project through engaging classes and high-impact learning, financial support, and integrated multi-level mentoring.Incentivize and prepare undergraduate participants to transition to graduate studiesor professional careers in agricultural and food sciences and allied fields upon graduation by developing specific leadership and soft skills through research-based experiential learning, professional workshops and public events, and co-curricular support by professional advisors, peer-mentors, and faculty supervisors.Recruit and retain 10 graduate participants (3 Doctoral, 7 Masters) to participate in research-based experiential learning and graduate with M.S., M.A., or Ph.D. or have advanced to candidacy for doctoral degree in agricultural or food sciences programs and be completing dissertation work.Promote graduate students' development of professional leadership and soft skills necessary to succeed in transitioning from graduate school to professional career in agricultural/ food/ nutritional sciences and allied fields.Enhance institutional curricular design to strengthen teaching capacity with target population of Latinx students by designing and delivering to all participants a one-semester course in Transnational Approaches to Sustainable Food Futures and a set of summer internships embedded within SDSU and SDMC's curricula.Generate valuable knowledge to improve food security by examining the social and scientific underpinnings of traditional farming and food practices.
Project Methods
Our efforts to address the educational inequities experienced by Latinx studentsfocus on reconnecting students to their farming, scientific, and culinary heritage, so they develop agency in integrating this powerful knowledge to: (1) promote high-yield yet sustainable agricultural practices, (2) support livelihoods linked to the production, preparation, and sale of Indigenous foods, and (3) ultimately improve local and global food security.To this end, our efforts will focus on changing Latinx students' perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge; inspiring behaviors leading to higher educational performances and successful transitions to professional careers; and ultimately reducing inequitable conditions in higher education.These efforts include:Recruitment and outreach in local high schools and on SDMC and SDSU campusesClassroom educationHigh-impact learning, through multi-sites internshipsExposure to USDA careers through our speaker seriesSoft skill trainingFaculty research mentoringProfessional advising, including transfer bridge from SDMC to SDSUNear-peer mentoring connecting students across campuses and levels of studyFinancial support through internship scholarships, coverage of travel expenses, and graduate stipends.In other words, we will create inclusive and engaging learning environments that value and empower all participants through: (1) a comprehensive high-impact transnational curriculum in food security and sustainability that emphasizes the perspective of Indigenous and immigrant populations with whom many students identify, while giving them hands-on experience with technological and scientific innovations, and (2) develop a multidimensional advising and mentoring model engaging near-peer students, faculty, and professional advisers in supporting student's professional growth.Our efforts will lead to quantifiable markers of academic progress and degree completion but also incentivize behavioral change in Latinx students who will gain awareness, confidence, interest, and leadership skills. This combination of hard and soft skills is important to prepare students for occupations in agriculture /food sciences.Our evaluation plan is designed to measure the success of these efforts in meeting our overarching goal ofattracting and supporting Latinx undergraduate and graduate students in food and agriculture careers.The evaluation model is informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Program Evaluation for Public Health Programs: A Self-Study Guide and the Utilization-focused Evaluation.It will includeformative, process,andoutcome evaluationactivities, built on a mixed method approach to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. We will use data yielded by the ongoing evaluation efforts to refine the educational and other related activities to best suit the needs of trainees, advisors, and mentors as well as enhance curriculum and activities to ensure trainee retention and graduation.Formative evaluation:Formative evaluation activities will ensure the outreach and recruitment tools (e.g., website), curriculum development, and professional partnerships underlying the colloquium/speaker series and advisory board are appropriately tailored to meet the specific needs of the trainees at all levels of education. We will use and reviewproject records, including web page content, course syllabus and material, event flyers, list of board members, and board meeting minutes.Process evaluation:Process evaluation will be conducted throughout the program to assess the effectiveness of program implementation. Weighted baseline indicators will be set to measure program success for thestudent experiential learning, collaborative activities, and student recruitment and retention. This type of evaluation will yield quantitative and qualitative data related to: (1) curricular development and teaching efforts (course scheduled, enrollment, and completion; internships offered and number of participants; number of advising meetings; graduation rates and post-graduation employment into food and agriculture careers); (2) speaker series (event types and frequencies, attendance); and (3) recruitment and retention (number and individual characteristics of undergraduate and graduate applicants; number of transfer students from SDMC to SDSU and time to transfer; number of meetings with professional advisors, faculty advisors, and peer mentors).Outcome evaluation:The outcome evaluation activities align with the HSI program goals of creating a high-impact educational program designed to attract and retain Latinx undergraduate and graduate students interested in food and agriculture. Specifically, the following outcomes will be assessed: food and agricultureknowledge and attitudesand changes instudent self-perceptionover the length of the program. These data will be primarily collected through surveys conducted in the fall when students first enter the program and subsequently at the end of each academic year after the completion of the internships and when students graduate. The fall semester surveys will provide baseline data on measures that will allow for comparison to post survey data to assess improvement and/or change over time. Student self-perception survey questions will include Likert scale questions on identity, sense of pride in Indigenous science knowledge and application, supplemented with qualitative open-ended questions and interviews (when feasible). Surveys will also include questions about career goals and employment plans as well as socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., race/ethnicity, housing, immigration, parents' education and employment) to capture the importance of socio-economic factors in shaping students' educational performance and change in attitudes and behaviors. Mentor/mentee surveys will be collected simultaneously at the end of each program year.In addition, we will also rely on course-specific data (e.g., completion, grades, teaching evaluation, and institutional assessment) as well as participant data (e.g., GPA, time to completion, coursework) and university-wide figures (e.g., applications and enrollment in food and agriculture related majors and minors). These data will be compared to institutional data and will be cross tabulated by socio-demographic variables (including ethnicity, race, gender, and household income) to examine our capacity to reduce the educational gap that motivates this project.

Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience for this project are Latinx candidates for associate degrees at San Diego Mesa College (SDMC) and bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at San Diego State University (SDSU). Our project is specifically designed to address the cumulative economic, social, and cultural barriers to higher education that Hispanic/Latinx students have historically faced and have led to their underrepresentation in food and agricultural sciences. The project is informed by career development models that emphasize the importance of developing skills through impactful learning experiences, reflecting on strengths and interests, exploring career and education options, and connecting with people and opportunities in chosen field. Therefore, we have been working to attract and support students whose interests in food and agriculture reflect the diversity of their backgrounds, whether it is farming, ethnic food entrepreneurship, food cultures, public policy, or science. Our goal has been to offer multiple disciplinary and substantive entry points into food and agriculture education and careers to attract students who might otherwise be intimidated or discouraged. A secondary target audience includes K-12 teachers, high school students, and the general population, who are reached via our public speaker series, website, presentations given and teching modules taughtat various high schools, and communications from the SDSU and SDMC media offices. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Opportunities for training in professional development are woven into all project activities, including the following: Formal educational training providing students with academic knowledge and skills required for food and agriculture careers: So far, this occurred primarily through our team-taught course (CAL 400), our summer internships, the Colloquium Series, and the multiple research projects in which our students are involved. As noted above, additional opportunities have been provided through the creation of a new graduate seminar, a new food science master, which contribute to existing programs such as the food studies minor (which has grown rapidly in the past 2 years). Exposure to food and agriculture careers: We developed and hosted a career event in collaboration with SDSU Career Services and USDA agencies, building upon the career module we had created for our CAL 400 class where we provided students with a wealth of examples of career pathways and options in the world of food and agriculture, distinguishing between different careers based on students' preparation in environmental, food, and social sciences. We invited speakers in our Colloquium Series who were practitioners and would highlight current workforce needs and future opportunities in their professional domains. Through group projects and internships, students engaged with local organizations involved in sustainable food and met with key stakeholders, gaining practical knowledge of what types of jobs exist. Soft skills development. Understanding that job preparation goes beyond formal education and that disadvantaged students often lack the informal preparation and confidence to apply for, obtain, and succeed for typical jobs, our project puts a lot of emphasis on soft skill development. This was primarily accomplished through group projects and teamwork under the supervision of faculty. In CAL 400 as well as in summer internships and ongoing research projects, students are given responsibilities and leadership roles, with guidance from one or more faculty members. The informal connections between team members and faculty have been instrumental in building students' confidence and creating a sense of community. As a testimony to the quality of their preparation, at least four undergraduate students involved in our project since September 2022 have been admitted with funding to graduate programs, both at SDSU and at other universities: Cailin Young (2023 CAL 400 participant and scholarship recipient) was admitted to the Master Program in Sustainability and Development at University of Michigan. Khaled Bushehri (2023 CAL 400 participant) was admitted to theMS in Agriculture, Food, and the Environment program at the FriedmanSchool of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Tyana Ortiz (2023 CAL 400 participant, scholarship recipient, and Baja California summer intern), was admitted to the Master Program in Geography. She will be funded by our NextGen USDA grant (Fall 2024). Cameron Schilling (2023 CAL 400 participant) was admitted to the dual master degree program in Public Affairs and Environmental Science at Indiana University (Fall 2024). Students have also been awarded prizes and honors for project-related activities, including: Daisy Lopez (2024 scholarship recipient, CAL 400 participant, Oaxaca and Baja summer intern), was named Outstanding Undergraduate Student by the School of Exercise and Nutritional Science, SDSU, May 2024. She also received the 2024 Irwin Zahn Spirit of Innovation Prize as the sole recipient among SDSU graduating students with a $25,000 cash prize. In addition, her team won third place at the 2024 Southern California Food Industry Conference Student Product Development Competition for developing "Chipulines - Blue Corn Cricket Chips." Cameron Schilling (2023 CAL 400 participant) received a Deans' Award for Best Undergraduate Poster: "More than Soil: Digging Deeper into the Relationships of Space, Equity, and Policy of Urban Agriculture in San Diego, CA" at the SDSU Student Research Symposium (S3), March 1, 2024 Karina Cerda (23-24 doctoral stipend) received the Best Graduate Student Presentation Award for "Tri-trophic interaction: Two fungi and a pine tree" (with Lluvia Flores-Renteria) at the 2024 SDSU Student Symposium (S³), March 1, 2024. Sophia Salgado (2023 CAL 400 participant, scholarship recipient, and Baja California internship participant), BS student in Business Administration, received SDSU Student Success Fee funding (Total award: $1,700) to host the Southern California Future Food Speaker Series. Cody Mower (MS student in geography who receives a stipend from this grant) received a San Diego State University Master's Research Scholarship (Total award: $10,000) Victoria Joya Euceda (PhD student in geography who receives a stipend from this grant) received San Diego State University Graduate Fellowship (Total award: $30,000) Lucia Canul (PhD student in global health who receives a stipend from this grant) received San Diego State University Graduate Fellowship (Total award: $30,000) Victoria Joya Euceda (PhD student in geography who receives a stipend from this grant) received a SDSU Travel Grant from Graduate Affairs to present research on San Diego community gardens at the American Association of Geographers' annual meeting in April 2024. Marta Carillo (MS student in nutritional science who received a stipend from this grant) was awarded a San Diego State University Master's Research Scholarship (Total award: $10,000) Two Co-PDs have received awards illustrating their dedication and outstanding contribution to teaching. Changqi Liu received the Most Influential Faculty Award at the 2024 Commencement for mentoring School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences Outstanding Undergraduate Student Daisy Lopez, who is a participant of our grant. In August 2023, Pascale Joassart-Marcelli was awarded an outstanding faculty award at the all-university convocation for her contributions to research and curriculum development in the interdisciplinary area of food studies, including courses and projects undertaken under this grant (such as the CAL 400 course). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have been disseminating information about our project through our dedicated website (https://sdsu-usda-sustainable-food-systems.my.canva.site/) and the SDSU Center for Better Food Futures (BFF) website (https://bff.sdsu.edu/). In addition to these websites, we have been disseminating information through various outreach efforts, such as information sessions, presentations in classes, and our colloquium series which is open to the public. We also created fliers to advertise our classes, internships, events and scholarships broadly across campus and have shared those electronically through our departments and professional listservs and with student advisors who are in positions to promote our courses. Last year, our project continued to be covered by the media, including 4 articles from SDSU News, 3 articles in the local press, 1 national radio show, and a series of videos, which have been reposted on our website. One of our projects on the flavors of edible ants was featured in a press release and promotional video by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and covered by over 128 news outlets globally. CAL 400 students produced a series of policy briefs and Story Maps to share the findings of their group research with their community partners and interested constituencies. Co-PDs and students have also given presentations at various professional conferences as recorded in the outputs section of this report. These findings have been written in papers that will be submitted as articles for publication during this academic year. The two sets of modules that we developed for Hoover and Chula Vista High Schools have reached over 70 high school students who have learned about food and agriculture education and careers and built relationships with students and faculty at SDSU - the largest Hispanic Serving Institution in the region. We also held our first annual advisory board meeting on zoom on 11/3/23. The purpose of the meeting is to report our activities to a panel of experts who have the capacity to amplify our impact by sharing with their network, providing additional resources and opportunities, and providing critical feedback. Board members include: Steven Ostoja, Director, USDA California Climate Hub Lance Criley, Rangeland Management Specialist, USDA, Forest Service (canceled) Joel Kramer, Agricultural Specialist, Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County and Wild Willow Farm and Education Center Roberto Gonzalez, Jr., USDA, Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, SDSU - Imperial Valley Wally Yokoyama, Healthy Processed Food Researcher, USDA, Albany, CA (absent) Sona Desai, Executive Director, San Diego Food System Alliance (absent) Six undergraduate and graduate students from SDSU and SDMC participated in the meeting, providing testimonies about their experiences with CAL 400, summer internships, and research. They included Tyana Ortiz (SDSU, Environmental Science, BS), Alessandra Dangio' (Mesa College, Sustainability, AA), Julio Romo (SDSU, Biology, BS), Judith Bross (SDSU, Geography, MA), Marta Carrillo (SDSU, Food Science, MS), and Allie Hoff (SDSU, Biology, MS). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to continue to offer the team-taught class (already on the schedule for Spring 25) and summer internships in Baja, Oaxaca, and San Diego. These will be similar to what we offered in AY 22-23 and 23-24 although specific activities may be adapted based on students' interest and community partners' needs. We have recruited two new graduate students for this year and are actively recruiting undergraduate students to expand our cohort. We are on track to meet our targets. We have and will continue to host information sessions and give presentations about this project in classes. We are encouraging our own students to apply to graduate programs at SDSU that are linked to food and agriculture and where they could work with one of the co-PDs. We are also advertising graduate studentships broadly through our networks to encourage applications from students outside of SDSU. We will continue to work with local high schools to replicate and expand the modules that we developed last year. We also plan to have a more active social media presence through the food studies program and the center for better food futures. We will continue to host new speakers in our Colloquium Series and offer opportunities for project participants to gather informally. During the past year, our team also applied for additional grants to further support our goals to expand and diversify education and careers in food, agriculture, natural, and human resources and help sustain our current efforts in the long run. Successful proposals include: Waverly Ray. 2024. "SEEDS Scholars: Awareness, Preparation, and Training Program. US Department of Agriculture (USDA)-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)-Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program (USDA-NIFA-HSI 2024-77040-43180). 08/15/2024?08/14/2028. Total award: $400,000. Changqi Liu. 2024. Food Security Internship at SDSU Imperial Valley Campus. San Diego State University College of Health and Human Services Instructionally Related Activities (IRA). Total award: $2,000. Changqi Liu (PI), Jing Zhao (Co-PI), Nina Salcedo Potter (Evaluator). 2024. Developing a master's program in food science at San Diego State University with industry partners. US Department of Agriculture (USDA)-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)-Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Grants Program (USDA-NIFA-HEC 2024-70003-43594). 09/01/2024?08/31/2027. Total award: $146,796. Jing Zhao (PI), Changqi Liu (Co-PI), Cristal Zuñiga (Co-PI). 2023. Unlocking the green potential: Genome-scale metabolic modeling for microalgae-based food innovation. US Department of Agriculture (USDA)-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)-Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) (USDA-NIFA-AFRI 2024-67017-42676). 09/01/2024?08/31/2027. Total award: $595,400. John J. Love (PI), Changqi Liu (Co-PI), Marina Kalyuzhnaya (Co-PI). 2023. Using artificial intelligence and robust protein design methods for highly efficient production of milk proteins via bacterial fermentation. US Department of Agriculture (USDA)-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)-Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) (USDA-NIFA-AFRI 2024-67017-42678). 08/01/2024?07/31/2026. Total award: $295,000. Jiwon Hwang (PI), Sungwook Hong (Co-PI), Jing Zhao (Co-PI), Changqi Liu (Co-PI). 2023. e-FARMS: Education Reform in Food and Agriculture Using Reactive Molecular Simulations and Science Pedagogy. US Department of Agriculture (USDA)-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)-Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program (USDA-NIFA-HSI

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Over the past academic year, we made progress towards our 7goals. The work reported here only relates to activities funded by this grant. However, some of this work might have been amplified by additional support from our USDA NextGen grant (#2023-70440-40156). A. RECRUITING We recruitednew students through information sessions and presentations at SDSU and SDMC and by sharing information through our websites and professional networks. Threedoctoral and 3 master students joined us this year and, overall, we engaged with over 70 high school, 50 undergraduate, and 9graduate students in the following ways: B. TEACHING We recruited 29 students for ourhigh-impact-learning team-taught class(CAL 400: Transnational Approaches to Sustainable Food Systems), including 3 students from SDMC. This course provides a broad introduction to food sustainability, security and sovereignty by focusing on the farming and food practices of immigrants and Indigenous people on the Mexico-US border. We revised the course based on feedback and all 6 co-PDs participated in teaching and mentoring students. The course received excellent teaching evaluations.Our own pre- and post-course evaluation surveys suggest that students gained interest in careers in food and agriculture during the course. CAL 400 students participated in a community-engaged research experience in which they engaged in service learning and conducted research in support of a specific sustainable agricultural practice. Each teamproduced a policy briefor StoryMap. Co-PD Perez developed a new seminar for graduate students (LATAM 696: Political Economy of Food in Latin America). The seminar focuses on the relationship of food to culture, human and environmental sustainability, economic strategies, access, and distribution with an emphasis on public policy and health. It complements our undergraduate curriculum and serves our graduate students, including those funded by the grant. Co-PDs also contributed to ENV S 496: Sustainable Agriculture - a course developed as part of our NextGen grant and led by Co-PD Stephen Welter. The course is an ideal complement to CAL 400. Our teaching collaborations have also contributed to the development of a new MS in Food Science ledby co-PD Liu and approved to be launched in Fall 2025. The program has an emphasis on food sustainability and contribute to SDSU's expanding curriculumrelated to food and agriculture. C. INTERNSHIPS Students participated in 4 summer internships and many will pursue related research during the academic year with guidance from their faculty mentors. Baja California (Lluvia Flores-Renteria): 6students traveled to Baja California, Mexico, to visit tribal communities where theygained experience harvesting, processing, and cooking native plants andnetworked with researchers from Mexican universities, discovering initiatives aimed at combating climate change and conserving biodiversity. San Diego (Changqi Liu): During 4 weeks, theintern explored microalgae as a sustainable food source. She evaluated the nutrient composition of various microalgae species and examined how their incorporation influenced the quality attributes of food, including color, texture, shelf-life, and nutritional value. She gained practical experience in experimental design, instrument operation, data analysis, and technical writing. Oaxaca (Ramona Pérez): 5undergraduate students spent two weeks in Indigenous communities where they learned about the impact of the water shortage in the region on corn and bean productionandinterviewed palenqueros (agave farmers and mezcal distillers) on the conversion of milpa to cash-crop agave/maguey for mezcal distillation in collaborating with students from the Universidad Tecnologica de Los Valles Centrales. San Diego (John Love): Over 10 weeks, 2undergraduate students explored the feasibility of using Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) as a lower carbon footprint protein source than soy and grains to feed agricultural livestock. They conducted tests at the USDA funded SDSU living laboratories, feeding BSFL different sources of defined organic nutrition to determine their growth rates and nutritional properties. D. RESEARCH We mentored class and internship participants invarious types of research projects, providing them with opportunities to acquire scientific, communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills. For example, students have researched the flavor of edible ants, access to healthy soil for urban agriculture, sustainable pest management practices in community gardens, food waste diversion to chicken feed, generating valuable knowledge about food security and sustainability, including the practices of immigrant and Indigenous people. The 9 graduate students funded by this projecthave been developing theses and dissertations (seeproduct section). One student completed her theses and others have defended their proposals. Over 40 students have presented their researchat conferences, ranging from national meetings (such as the American Association of Geographers) to smaller conferences at SDSU. Although we have several papers under review, we have not yet published articles or book chapters, which we anticipate doing in the future. E. PATHWAYS FROM HIGH SCHOOLS TO COLLEGE TO GRADUATE SCHOOL Westrengthened our bridge with SDMC and recruited 3 students to participate in our interdisciplinary team-taught class at SDSU. They received a stipend to cover their expenses and were mentored weekly by Co-PD Waverly Ray. Other activities were held at SDMC to expose students to educational pathways and careers in food and agriculture. We also collaborated with 2 high schools with large Latinx and low-income populations, Hoover HS and Chula Vista HS on two modules: (1) "Sustainable Food System and Indigenous Food Sovereignty" and (2) "Mycorrhizae Fungi", which exposed 70 high school students to food and agriculture topics and careers and gave them opportunities to interact with SDSU students. F. FINANCIAL SUPPORT We provided financial support to the following students: 3 SDMC undergraduates stipends for CAL 400 4 SDMC"Sustainable Food Futures" research stipends 10 SDSU "Sustainable Food System" scholarship for CAL 400 and at least one summer internship. 11 travel expenses covered for internships in Baja and/or Oaxaca in Mexico. 6 master's and 3 doctoral stipends for thesis and dissertation research, Funded students primarily identify as Latinx and women. G. CAREER DEVELOPMENT Students also received career guidance on how to prepare for and pursue further education and/or careers in food and agriculture. We dedicated one week in the CAL 400 class and organized a career event/workshop open to all SDSU and SDMC students to discuss food and agriculture careers and show students pathways to these careers. The event included a panel of 5 USDA representatives and a workshop led by SDSU Career Services on resume building and job application with a focus on USAJobs. Students, faculty, and community members also had an opportunity to learn about careers in our colloquium series which hosted 9 events where speakers working as professionals and researchers in the fields of food and agriculture exposed students to a variety of occupations. H. NEAR-PEER MENTORING AND COMMUNITY BUILDING We accomplished our goal to create a cohort of students who mentor each other through the colloquium series, the CAL 400 class, and the internships, which allowed students to work together with guidance from co-PDs. In addition, we hosted social events, which created an inclusive learning environment and a sense of community. These activities engaged students at various levels, including community college students, upper-division undergraduates, master's and doctoral students.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Halle Cox, Kiyomi Harris, Alicia Ochoa, and Lindsay Petermann. Soil Microbes at the San Diego Mesa College Community Garden. Poster. Mesa College Research Conference on May 17, 2024.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Victoria Joya Euceda and Osvaldo Nopales Robledo. Growing Together: The Production of Community in San Diegos Urban Gardens. Poster. SDSU Student Research Symposium (S3), March 1, 2024
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Tanya Ortiz and Esteban Cisneros. Land Access, Gentrification, and Urban Agriculture Opportunities in San Diego?. Oral presentation, SDSU Student Research Symposium (S3), March 1, 2024
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Cameron Schilling. More than Soil: Digging Deeper into the Relationships of Space, Equity, and Policy of Urban Agriculture in San Diego, CA. Poster. SDSU Student Research Symposium (S3), March 1, 2024. Awarded Best Undergraduate Poster.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Selene Alvarado Martinez. Exploring flavors of edible ants: A path to sustainable gastronomy and consumer acceptance. Oral presentation. SDSU Student Research Symposium (S3), March 1, 2024
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Marta Carrillo and Jennifer Villalobos. Nutrition composition and flavor profile of chia seeds. Poster. SDSU Student Research Symposium (S3), March 1, 2024
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Ellie Cramton. Identification of flavor active compounds in micro- and macro-algae. Oral presentation. SDSU Student Research Symposium (S3), March 1, 2024
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Joanna Rockwell. Better space parties with algae-enriched guacamole. Oral presentation.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Jesse Baker. Unlocking seafood flavors from macroalgae: A sustainable, vegan approach. Oral presentation. SDSU Student Research Symposium (S3), March 1, 2024
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Daisy Lopez, Ana Gaxiola Alvarez, Jessica Borough, and Adriana Martinez. Chapulines blue corn cricket chips: Jump to a more sustainable snack. Poster. SDSU Student Research Symposium (S3), March 1, 2024
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Karina Cerda, Flores-Renteria L. Tri-trophic interaction: Two fungi and a pine tree. Oral presentation. SDSU Student Research Symposium (S3), March 1, 2024. Award for best graduate student presentation.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Rosalinda Diaz, Riegler, M., Flores-Renteria L. Investigating the Biogeographic Barriers on the genetic landscape of Eucalyptus moluccana." Oral presentation. SDSU Student Research Symposium (S3), March 1, 2024
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Alexandra Hoff, Jennings, M., Flores-Renteria L. Resilient Restoration: Drought Resilience Amongst Southern California Coast Live Oak Populations on Tribal Lands." Oral presentation. SDSU Student Research Symposium (S3), March 1, 2024
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Victoria Joya Euceda and Osvaldo Nopales Robledo. Growing Together: The Production of Community in San Diegos Urban Gardens. Poster presentation. EDUFAN Symposium (sponsored by SDSU USDA NextGen Grant, April 12, 2024)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Marta Carrillo and Jennifer Villalobos. Nutrition composition and flavor profile of chia seeds. Poster presentation. EDUFAN Symposium (sponsored by SDSU USDA NextGen Grant, April 12, 2024)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Azelya Yazzie (Mesa College). Southern California Native Plant Species and Pollinators: A Pilot Study at Mesa College. Poster presentation. EDUFAN Symposium (sponsored by SDSU USDA NextGen Grant, April 12, 2024)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Sarah Reyes Luna (Mesa College). Salt Water Analysis for Nutrition and Irrigation. Poster presentation. EDUFAN Symposium (sponsored by SDSU USDA NextGen Grant, April 12, 2024)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Selene Alvarado Martinez. Exploring flavors of edible ants: A path to sustainable gastronomy and consumer acceptance. Oral presentation. EDUFAN Symposium (sponsored by SDSU USDA NextGen Grant, April 12, 2024)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Joanna Rockwell. Better space parties with algae-enriched guacamole. Oral presentation. EDUFAN Symposium (sponsored by SDSU USDA NextGen Grant, April 12, 2024)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Selene Alvarado Martinez, Daisy Lopez, Victoria Esparza. Exploring flavors of edible ants: A path to sustainable gastronomy and consumer acceptance. Oral presentation. Southern California Conferences for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR): Fullerton, CA, USA (November 18, 2023)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Ellie Cramton, Jesse Baker. Identification of flavor active compounds in micro- and macro-algae. Oral presentation. Southern California Conferences for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR): Fullerton, CA, USA (November 18, 2023)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Joanna Rockwell, Victoria Esparza, Daisy Lopez, Ellie Cramton, Corissa Williams, Rebecca Vernazza. Nutritious and flavorful microalgae-enriched guacamole mix for space explorers. Poster presentation. Southern California Conferences for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR): Fullerton, CA, USA (November 18, 2023)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Joanna Rockwell. Microalgae-enriched space guacamole. Student 3MT Pitch Contest: third place. Southern California Institute of Food Technologists Section (SCIFTS) Student Research Showcase (October 18, 2023)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Jesse Baker. Developing seafood flavors from macroalgae. Student 3MT Pitch Contest. Southern California Institute of Food Technologists Section (SCIFTS) Student Research Showcase (October 18, 2023)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Joanna Rockwell, Rebecca Vernazza, Ellie Cramton, Victoria Esparza, Daisy Lopez, Corissa Williams, Shotaro Hirayama. Better space parties with algae-enriched guacamole. Poster. Southern California Institute of Food Technologists Section (SCIFTS) Student Research Showcase (October 18, 2023)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Selene Alvarado Martinez, Daisy Lopez, Victoria Esparza. Exploring flavors of edible ants: A path to sustainable gastronomy and consumer acceptance. Poster. Southern California Institute of Food Technologists Section (SCIFTS) Student Research Showcase (October 18, 2023)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Marta Carrillo, Jazmine Rodriguez-Chavez, Jamie Kim. Nutrient composition and flavor profile of chia seeds. Poster. Southern California Institute of Food Technologists Section (SCIFTS) Student Research Showcase (October 18, 2023)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Jennifer Villalobos. Flavor characterization of zein prepared by ethanol extraction and aqueous extraction. Poster. Southern California Institute of Food Technologists Section (SCIFTS) Student Research Showcase (October 18, 2023)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Carlos Jaimes Noriega. Characterization of nutritional compositions, flavor profiles, and sensory properties of fresh and preserved huitlacoche, a Mexican delicacy. Poster. Southern California Institute of Food Technologists Section (SCIFTS) Student Research Showcase (October 18, 2023)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Ellie Cramton. Comparison of flavor compounds in microalgae and macroalgae using GC-O-MS. Poster. Southern California Institute of Food Technologists Section (SCIFTS) Student Research Showcase (October 18, 2023)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Jesse Baker. Developing seafood flavors from macroalgae. Poster. Southern California Institute of Food Technologists Section (SCIFTS) Student Research Showcase (October 18, 2023)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Joassart-Marcelli, Pascale. 2024. Urban Agriculture, Land, and Environmental Justice in San Diego, California. Conference Proceedings. XIth AESOP Sustainable Food Planning Conference. Building Movement, Achieving Transformation. 421-428.
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Project Website: Transnational Approaches to Sustainable Food Systems: Integrated High-Impact Learning Experiences and Pathways to Food Careers, https://sdsu-usda-sustainable-food-systems.my.canva.site/
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Victoria Joya Euceda and Osvaldo Nopales Robledo. Growing Together: the Production of Community in San Diegos Urban Gardens. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Geographers. Honolulu.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Jesse Baker, Ali Raza, Changqi Liu, Jing Zhao. (2024). Unlocking seafood flavors from macroalgae: A sustainable, vegan approach. Poster presentation at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) 84th Annual Meeting: Chicago, IL, USA. Oral competition second place (Sustainable Food Systems Division).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Jing Zhao, Carlos Jaimes Noriega, Ali Raza, Changqi Liu. (2024). Characterization of nutritional compositions, flavor profiles, and sensory properties of fresh and preserved huitlacoche, a Mexican delicacy. Poster presentation at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) 84th Annual Meeting: Chicago, IL, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Changqi Liu, Joseph Yoon, Sami Ghnimi, Cassandra Maya, Jing Zhao. (2024). Eat bugs, not buzz: Cultivating entomophagy through flavorful encounters. Oral presentation at the 5th Insects to Feed the World conference: Singapore.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Jing Zhao, Ali Raza, Joseph Yoon, Changqi Liu. (2024). Exploring the flavorful world of edible insects and their aromatic building blocks. Poster presentation at the 5th Insects to Feed the World conference: Singapore.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Ali Raza, Ellie Cramton, Jesse Baker, Changqi Liu, Jing Zhao. (2024). Algae as a precursor of seafood flavor in alternative seafood. Poster presentation at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring 2024 National Meeting & Expo: New Orleans, LA, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Selene Alvarado Martinez, Ali Raza, Daisy Lopez, Victoria Esparza, Jing Zhao, Changqi Liu. (2024). Exploring flavors of edible ants: A path to sustainable gastronomy and consumer acceptance. Poster presentation at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring 2024 National Meeting & Expo: New Orleans, LA, USA.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Victoria Joya Euceda, (Fast Track Joint PhD program in Geography, SDSU-UCSB, Chair: Pascale Joassart-Marcelli), Examining the Role of Latinx Grocery Stores in Sustaining Communities in San Diego, CA, proposal defended in May 2024
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Cody Mower (MS program in Geography, SDSU, Chair: Pascale Joassart-Marcelli) San Diegos Food Assistance Landscape: Equity and Sustainability Gaps and Opportunities, proposal defended in May 2024.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Osvaldo Napoles Robleda (MA in Geography, SDSU, Committee Members: Pascale Joassart-Marcelli and Ramona Perez), Resilience and Community-Building among Street Vendors: A Comparative Case Study of City Heights and Chula Vista in San Diego County, proposal defended in September 2024.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Marta Carrillo (MS in Nutritional Sciences, SDSU, Chair: Changqi Liu) Physicochemical characteristics of Salvia columbariae and Salvia hispanica chia seeds. Defended in May 2024.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Karina Cerda, a PhD student in the joint Doctoral Program of Evolutionary Biology SDSU/UC Riverside (Chair: Lluvia Flores-Renteria). She is working developing her thesis on: Evolutionary dynamics of symbiotic fungal communities associated with a multispecies network in pinyon pines.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Alexandra Hoff, a masters student in the Evolutionary Biology Masters program (Chair: Lluvia Flores-Renteria). She successfully proposed her thesis: Resilient restoration: drought resilience amongst southern California coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) populations on tribal lands on December 6th, 2023.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Rosalinda Diaz (MS in the Bioinformatics program, Chair: Lluvia Flores-Renteria). "Genetic diversity and divergence time estimates within Eucalyptus moluccana: analyzing evolutionary patterns and population structure." Proposed defended on May 3rd, 2023. Thesis defense scheduled in October, 2024.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Lucia Canul, PhD candidate in Global Health. Completed second year of dissertation research in Oaxaca, Mexico. Comprehensive Exam scheduled for Fall 2024. (Chair: Ramona Perez). Dissertation research focus: Disparities in Nutrition-Related Non-Communicable Diseases and the Role of Culturally and Linguistically Relevant Healthcare Interventions among Indigenous Mexicans in the US and Mexico.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Alexandra Escobar (MA/MPH in Epidemiology). Completed first year of preliminary research on aging and nutritional needs and access among Mexican migrant populations in the US.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Mia Bartolovich (MS in Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chair: John Love). Started the first year. Mias thesis project entails utilizing precision bacterial fermentation to produce bovine milk proteins such as ?s1- and ?s2-casein as well as lactalbumin.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Joanna Rockwell, Ali Raza, Rebecca Vernazza, Ellie Cramton, Victoria Esparza, Daisy Lopez, Corissa Williams, Cristal Zu�iga, Changqi Liu, Jing Zhao. (2024). Better space parties with algae-enriched guacamole. Poster presentation at the 2024 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Human Research Program (HRP) Investigators Workshop (IWS): Galveston, TX, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Changqi Liu. (2023). Forging pathways to sustainable food innovations through interdisciplinary collaborations. Oral presentation at SupplySide West 2023: Las Vegas, NV, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Ali Raza, Jesse Baker, Changqi Liu, Jing Zhao. (2023). Developing seafood flavors from macroalgae. Poster presentation at The Good Food Conference 2023: San Francisco, CA, USA.


Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience for this project are Latinx candidates for associate degrees at San Diego Mesa College (SDMC)and bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at San Diego State University (SDSU). Our project is specifically designed to address the cumulative economic, social, and cultural barriers to higher educationthat Hispanic/Latinx students have historically faced and have led to their underrepresentation in food and agricultural sciences.The project is informed by career development models that emphasize the importance of developing skills through impactful learning experiences,reflecting on strengths and interests, exploring career and education options, and connecting with people and opportunities in chosen field. Therefore, we have been working to attract and support students whose interests in food and agriculture reflect the diversity of their backgrounds, whether it is farming, ethnic food entrepreneurship, food cultures, public policy, or science. Our goal has been to offer multiple disciplinary and substantive entry points into food and agriculture education and careers to attract students who might otherwise be intimidated or discouraged. A secondarytarget audience includes K-12 teachers, high school students, and the general population, who are reached via our public speaker series, website, presentations given at various high schools, and communications from the SDSU and SDMC media offices. Changes/Problems:While our class and internship drew great interest especially among undergraduate students, we experienced some challengesin recruiting graduate students for the first year. This was primarily due to the timing of the start-up date, which was well passed the application and admission deadlines for all of graduate programs. We were more successful in recruiting graduate students for this yearand plan to actively recruit in the coming year to ensure that we have a good pool of applicants in the spring and stay on target. As our project is gaining visibility, we believe that we will be able to meet our objectives. Other than small tweaks to improve our team-taught course, internships, evaluation instruments, and student recruitment, we have not made any significant changes to our approach and we continue to follow the plan outlined in our proposal. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Opportunities for training in professional development are woven into all of the project activities described in the previous section. Specifically, we provided the following: Formal educational training that providesstudents with academicknowledge andskills required for food and agriculture careers:So far, this occurred primarily through the team-taught course CAL 400: Transnational Approaches to Sustainable Food Futures, our summer internships, and the Colloquium Series presentations at SDSU and Mesa College. Exposure to food and agriculture careers: We designed a "career module" for our CAL 400 class where we provided students with a wealth of examples of career pathways and options in the world of food and agriculture, distinguishing between different careers based on students' preparation in environmental, food, and social sciences. We also showed them how to prepare applications and apply for internships and jobs at the USDA. Weinvited speakers in our Colloquium Series who were practitioners and would highlightcurrent workforce needs and future opportunities in their professional domains. Through group projects and internships, students engaged with local organizations involved in sustainable food and met with key stakeholders, gaining practical knowledge of what types of jobs exist. Soft skills development. Understanding that job preparation goes beyond formal education and that disadvantaged students often lack the informal preparation and confidence to apply for, obtain, and succeed for typical jobs, our project puts a lot of emphasis on soft skill development. This was primarily accomplishedthrough group projects and teamwork under the supervision of faculty. Both in CAL 400 and in the summer internships, students were given responsibilities and leadership roles, with guidance from one or morefaculty members. The informal connections between team members and faculty have been instrumental in building students' confidence and creating a sense of community. Partly due to these opportunities, threeundergraduate students involved in our project have been admitted to graduate programs, both at SDSU and at other universities. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have been disseminating information about our project through our website (https://sdsu-usda-sustainable-food-systems.my.canva.site/) and the SDSU Center for Better Food Futures website (https://bff.sdsu.edu/). In addition to the website, we have been disseminating information through information sessions, presentations in classes, and our colloquium series which is open to the public. We also printedfliers to advertise our classes, internships, events and scholarships broadly across campus and have shared those electronically through our departments and professional listservs. Our project has been covered by the media, including several articles from SDSU News and a series of videos, which have been posted on our website. Co-PDs have also given presentations with their students at various professional conferences: Adrienne Pamintuan, Jessica Davis, Jazmin Rodriguez-Chavez, John J. Love, Jing Zhao, Changqi Liu. (2023). Biodegradable whey protein films loaded with biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles. Poster presentation at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) 83rd Annual Meeting: Chicago, IL, USA. Changqi Liu, Jing Zhao. (2023). Flavor of edible insects and insect proteins. Oral presentation at the 114th American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS) Annual Meeting & Expo: Denver, CO. Tuan Le, Devid Petrus, Mansoor Mansoor, Michael Audesh, Dillan Stengel, David Onofrei, Changqi Liu, Gregory Holland, John Love. (2023). Using NMR spectroscopy to trace 15N-isoptopes through an engineered food chain. Poster presentation at the 3rd Fermentation-Enabled Alternative Protein Conference: San Francisco, CA, USA. Tyana Ortiz, Alexandra Hoff, Megan Jennings, Lluvia Flores-Renteria (2023). Drought tolerance of Coast Live Oak. Oral presentation. Botany 2023, Boise, Idaho. Alexandra Hoff, Megan Jennings, Lluvia Flores-Renteria (2023). Drought Resilience Amongst Southern California Quercus agrifolia Populations on Tribal Lands. Oral presentation. Botany 2023, Boise, Idaho. We expect students to present at the SDSU Student Research Symposium in March (which was too early last year). As we begin to write our research findings, we will be submitting articles for publication during this academic year. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to continue to offer the team-taught class (on the schedule for Spring 24) and summer internships in Baja, Oaxaca, and San Diego. These will be similar to what we offered in AY 22-23, but may be adapted slightly based on the feedback we received from students. We are actively recruitingboth graduate and undergraduate students for next year to expand our cohort and meet our target. We have and will continue to host information sessions and give presentations about this project in classes. We areencouragingour own students to apply tograduate programs at SDSU that are linked to food and agriculture and where they could work with one of the co-PDs. We are also advertisinggraduate studentships broadly through our networks in order to encourage applications from students outside of SDSU. Now that we have established a "cohort "of students who have been involved in and supported by this project for a while, we will begin to work more consistently with local high schools. We have developed connections with teachers in several local high schools, who are eager to set upcurricular collaboration through class activities, mini-projects, presentations, or campus visits. Although it took some time to establish these connections and determine what activities would be most impactful, we plan to reach over 100 students this year. We also plan to expand our social media presence through the food studies program and the center for better food futures. One of the recently recruited graduate students will play a key role in this effort.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Over the past academic year, we made progress towards all of our goals. We strengthened our bridge with San Diego Mesa College andrecruited 3students to participate in ourinterdisciplinary team-taught class at SDSU. They were offered a stipend to cover their expenses for the class and were mentored weekly by Co-PD Waverly Ray. All three performedwell in the class and one transferred to SDSU this fall. Other activities were held at Mesa College to expose Mesa College students to educational pathways and careers in food and agriculture, including several presentations organized by co-PD Waverly Ray and attended by SDSU team members. We also recruited 28 undergraduate and 3graduate students (1 PhD and 2 MS) from SDSU to participate in our new high-impact experiential curriculum. All undergraduates and one of the graduate students participated in the interdisciplinary team-taughtclass on sustainable food systems that we developed. Several of these students also participated in summer internships:7students (5 undergraduateand 2graduate) joined co-PD Lluvia Flores-Renteria inBaja California to study native plants,5 students (3 undergraduate and 2 graduate) joined co-PD Ramona Perez in Oaxaca to investigate how Indigenous communities are adapting their agricultural and food practices in responseto climate change, 5 students (4undergraduate and 1 graduate)worked with co-PD Changqi Liu in San Diego on the nutrient composition and flavor profile of common and native desert chia seeds, and 7 undergraduate students worked with co-PD John Love in San Diego ona waste diversion project in which food scraps were used to support the production of feed for chicken. Several of these students are still pursuing the research they started this summer under the mentorship of the faculty leading these internships and have beeninvolved in presenting their findings and preparing manuscripts for publication. We provided financial support to the following students: 3 SDMC undergraduates received a stipend to take our team-taught class (CAL 400) at SDSU 2 SDMC received "Sustainable Food Futures" research stipends to work on research projects 7 SDSU undergraduate students received a "Sustainable Food System" scholarship to support them while taking CAL 400 and participating in at least one summer internship. 4 graduate and 8undergraduate studentshad their travel expenses covered while traveling for internships in Baja and/or Oaxaca in Mexico. 2 master's and 1 doctoral students received funding to pursue their thesis or dissertation research on topics broadly related tofood security and sustainability under the supervision ofco-PDs Flores-Renteria, Love, and Perez. About three fourthof these students identify as Latinx and 85 percent as women. All participants have been mentored by one or more project co-PDs. In addition to receivingsupport in conducting research, students received career guidance on how to prepare for and pursue further education and/or careers in food and agriculture. We dedicated a whole week of our CAL 400 class to discuss careers and show students pathways to these careers. Students also had an opportunity to learn about careers in ourcolloquium series where speakers affiliated with the USDA discussed thework of their agencies and answered questions. The activities we conducted over the past year have strengthenedthe food and agriculture curriculum at SDSMC and SDSU. The course we designed and delivered for the first time (CAL 400: Transnational Approaches to Sustainable Food Futures) drew a large number of studentsand received excellent teaching evaluation. In fact, several students commented on how the course opened their eyes to careers in food and agriculture - a fact supported by our own evaluations, which revealed changes in both knowledge and attitudes. All 6 co-PDs participated actively in teaching various parts of the course and mentoring students in group projects related to their areas of expertise. As planned, the class offered a welcoming environment for students from various academic and personal backgrounds and created strong mentoring ties between faculty and students, as well as between students at various stages of their study. Through these different activities, students and faculty contributed to research by generating valuable knowledge about food security and sustainability, including the practices of immigrant and Indigenous people on both sides of the US-Mexico border. Students had the opportunity to present their work both in class and at professional meetings. Althoughwe have not yet published any of the research undertaken in the project, we anticipate submitting a number of papers for publication in the coming year. We are also making plans to share this knowledge back with the communities with whom we collaborated in these projects. We also spent a significant amount of time recruiting new students by holding information sessions, giving presentations in classes, and sharing information online (through our website and our professional networks). As a result, we have recruited twoadditional doctoral students (one in biology and one in geography) and threenew master students (one in biology, one in food and nutritional sciences, and one in Latin American Studies) who joinedSDSU this last August. During the past year, our team also appliedfor additional grants that would further support our goals to expand and diversify education and careers in food, agriculture, natural, and human resources.Mesa College leveraged knowledge and skills gained from this grant for a San Diego Foundation community food grant for the on-campus TerraMesa Community Garden ($125,000). Having expandedour team, we alsoprepared and submitted a proposal for a USDA NextGen grant ($5,000,000), which we were awarded and began on June 1, 2023. These two grants further support the goals of this project. Together these activities have raised the visibility of food and agriculture careers on campus and have drawn students to the new food studies minor and other related disciplines. In fact, the number of food studies minors doubled over the last year.

Publications