Progress 09/15/23 to 09/14/24
Outputs
Target Audience: Diverse Students from Underrepresented Groups (URGs): The Green Ag Teams Program engages diverse students by offering paid experiential learning opportunities. This helps reduce barriers to entry into the ag-tech sector, providing students from underrepresented backgrounds in technology with valuable hands-on experience and training in sustainable agricultural practices and advanced technologies. On a micro scale, this increases individual career prospects and elevates technology skill sets to include more computer science, robotics, data science, and automation. On a macro scale, it diversifies a new generation of the US ag-tech workforce and promotes inclusivity within the industry. Agricultural Organizations: The Program connects participants with rural agricultural organizations in Kansas and urban agricultural partners in New Jersey. This collaboration allows students to experience different modes of agriculture and understand industry needs. On a micro scale, organizations benefit from fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to sustainability challenges. On a macro scale, this exchange fosters a more integrated and cooperative agricultural sector, bridging urban-rural divides, and building resilience in food systems. Educational Institutions: Montclair State University (MSU), a non-land grant college of agriculture and Hispanic-serving Institution, and Kansas State University (KSU), the first land grant college in practice in the US, are directly involved in developing and implementing the training curriculum. This collaboration enhances the educational offerings of these institutions, providing students with interdisciplinary and practical experiences. On a micro scale, students gain valuable skills and professional development. On a macro scale, it strengthens the educational pipeline for future agricultural professionals, aligning academic programs with industry needs. Agricultural Industry Partners: Industry partners (Foodshed Alliance and Greens Do Good) provide hands-on learning opportunities and mentorship to participants, addressing real-world sustainability issues. On a micro scale, this engagement allows industry partners to benefit from innovative solutions and the integration of new technologies into their practices. On a macro scale, it promotes the adoption of sustainable and advanced agricultural practices across the industry, contributing to overall sector growth and sustainability. Agriculturalists: Agriculturalists involved in the program are exposed to new sustainable practices and technologies, such as robotics, data collection, analysis, and automation. On a micro scale, this improves their individual practices and productivity. On a macro scale, it contributes to the broader goal of sustainable agricultural intensification, optimizing resource use and increasing production efficiency across the industry. Community Members: Community members in both urban and rural areas are indirectly impacted by the program's efforts to promote sustainable agricultural practices. On a micro scale, local communities benefit from improved environmental conditions and potential job opportunities in sustainable agriculture. On a macro scale, the program contributes to broader societal goals of sustainability, environmental awareness, and food security, fostering a healthier and more resilient agricultural system. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The 2024 Green Teams Program offered various hard skills training and professional development opportunities, including workshops on hydroponics, sustainability, and urban agriculture. Interns received hands-on human ecology perspective, green accounting, and return on investment analysis training. Additionally, technical skills were honed through GIS,, public speaking workshops, and project-based learning focused on green technologies, including robotics, drones, and extended reality. Below is a list of the specific 2024 trainings. Environmental Sustainability: General Sustainability - Environmental Perspective; General Sustainability - Human Ecology Perspective; Sustainability Science; Food Sustainability - Introduction and Importance of Hydroponics, Green Infrastructure, Sustainable Food Panel, Montclair State University Campus Garden Tour; Introduction to GIS; Hands-on Experience Mapping and Modeling Flood and Flood Mitigation; Ecosystem Services; Field Experiences - Day Trips to Camp Linwood MacDonald and Mills Reservation - Forest Carbon Sequestration, Measure Carbon Uptake in Plants, Hydro-Geology, Forest Ecology Social Sustainability: Environmental Justice; Introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals by United Nations Diplomat for the Dominican Republic Economic Sustainability: Green Accounting; Return on Investment Analysis; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Corporate Sustainability Panel Communications: STEM Communication Certificate through American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB); Storytelling Workshop led by Andrew Gordon (famously known for working with Warner Brothers and Pixar) who trains corporate professionals (Certificate of Completion - Master Class in Storytelling), and Fundamentals of Public Speaking; Technical and Report Writing Professional Development: Introduction to Excel; Fundamentals of Data Analysis, Introduction to Databases; Introduction to Data Visualization; Project Management; Project Charter Development; Critical Thinking; Responsible Conduct of Research (CITI certificate); Introduction to Experimental Design; How to Create Surveys; Leadership Certificate; Psycho-educational Group Counseling; Myers Briggs Activity; and Interpretation w/ Dr. Hannon PhD Counselors; Networking Training; Microaggressions, Green Team Alumni Panel - Careers in Sustainability; How to Apply to Graduate School. Beyond the regular Green Teams training, two Kansas State University Master's students supported ag tech training for the full 50 intern cohort as well as specific activities for the 10 Green Ag Teams interns. This included organizing a 10 site tour in Kansas (see above response to previous question), a presentation on hydroponics "Introduction to Hydroponics" (see below), a workshop on "how to Build a Vertical Grow Tower" (see below), and a Panel Discussion "Food for Thought: Bridging Communities and Farms for Food Sovereignty" (see below). The "Introduction and Importance of Hydroponics" training delivered to all 50 Green Teams students was created and administered by a Kansas State University graduate student pursuing a Master's degree in Horticulture. Additionally, the two teams that traveled to Kansas received an interactive hydroponics workshop, also designed and implemented by the Master's student, in which the teams were given a live demonstration for building hydroponics towers. Then the two teams competed against the clock and each other to build their own functioning hydroponics towers. The Master's student also created a related survey on the interns' knowledge on hydroponics that was disseminated to all Green Teams members pre- and post-program. The hydroponics training educated all Green Teams members on the basic principles of hydroponics, and the different types of hydroponic systems that can be implemented in farms, such as rural and vertical farms. This work and survey research will also help this graduate student to complete their Master's thesis research. In addition, the two Master's students supporting Green Ag Teams training implemented a Green Ag panel of experts who spoke to the larger group of 50 interns during 1 hour of the overall training. This "Food for Thought: Bridging Communities and Farms for Food Sovereignty" panel included: - Nat Bjerke-Harvey (co-owner of Piccalilli Farm), Sharonda Allen (Educator, Community Organizer, and Executive Director of Operation Grow, Inc.), Brittney Portes (founder of Gardens of Sol and Head Farm Manager at Montclair State University Student Farm), and Sarah Elnakib (Chair/Program Leader in the Department of Family and Community Health Sciences and Associate Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension). This panel was followed by a tour of the Montclair Community Garden and the Red Hawk Food Pantry. Interns participated in a hands-on tri-color bush bean planting activity in the garden with take-away plants. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In year 1, the Green Ag Teams interns created comprehensive reports and presented their projects to their hosting organizations (Foodshed Alliance and Greens Do Good) in group TED-style presentations and at the Green Teams Final Presentations event, which is attended by various stakeholders (e.g. hosting organization representatives, faculty, business representatives, national and local governments, local residents, families of the interns, etc) to an audience of approximately 350 individuals. In October 2024, three interns from the team serving Foodshed Alliance presented their research through a poster presentation at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) at the Massachuchets Institute of Technology Undergraduate Research Technology Conference. In addition, the team is currently working on a journal publication to further share the results of their research, to be submitted. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In year 2 of the grant, the leadership team will debrief with the Kansas team, plan educational experiences for interns in Kansas, and work together to recruit and place students on teams. In the summer of 2025, the Green Ag Teams program will continue to place two USDA-funded Green Teams selected from the 2025 pool of applicants at the New Jersey sites. This placement for projects conducted in year 2 in New Jersey will build on previous work from the year 1 Green Ag Teams and allow for the development of Kansas State University partnerships and projects. Kansas projects will take place during two of the three final years of the project (i.e. project years 3-5). For the first two weeks of the eleven-week program in 2025, both teams will be in New Jersey for training at Montclair State University. For week 3, both teams will be at Kansas State University for site visits, and then return to New Jersey for week 4 to continue project work until week 10. For the final week, both teams will participate in the Green Teams Final Presentations at Montclair State University.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Green Ag Teams project aims to address diversity in the agriculture workforce and improve productivity while conserving resources by engaging students from different disciplines and through cross-training and exchange of information about use of technology in agriculture. Year 1 goals were addressed by the 2024 Green Ag Teams interns recruited from the following colleges and universities: Central Michigan State University; City College of New York; Kansas State University; Montclair State University; Passaic County Community College; Rowan University; Rutgers University; Tennessee State University. The 10 students in this cohort included individuals identifying as: Black (3), Hispanic (4), female (4), and American Indian (1). They had majors in: Agricultural Science; Civil Engineering; Computer Engineering; Computer Science; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Entomology; Environmental Studies; and Horticulture. They participated in training in New Jersey and learned how use of technology in urban and rural agriculture improves sustainability and productivity of the farms. Students also learned about technologies used in agriculture by visiting farms and facilities in Kansas, and by developing projects in partnership with urban and small farms in New Jersey. To explore use of technology in rural agriculture, 2 teams of 5 students (10 students total) traveled to Kansas for a 2 week experiential learning opportunity to understand the industry and site-specific sustainability needs in rural agriculture operations. Upon arrival at Kansas State University, students engaged with the specialists and extension professionals at K-State's Olathe Horticulture Center, in rural Johnson County, Kansas. This K-State Research and Extension Center is the site of numerous vegetable and turfgrass research projects in the Urban Food Systems and Turfgrass Science programs. The interns also interacted with the personnel at the John C. Pair Center, in Haysville, Kansas. This unit within the Eastern Kansas Research-Extension Centers is a part of the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service conducting research and extension activities. Additionally, interns were introduced to sustainable food production practices at the Willow Lake Student Farm. The interns also received tours of grounds maintenance equipment manufacturing facilities, a cattle feedlot, horticultural research centers, operations of Prothe's family-owned pecan farm and Gieringer's pick your own berry farm, and a postharvest plant physiology lab. The students also had an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the design and manufacturing of large-scale equipment at the Kubota plant they toured, and learned about UAV training and design as applied in agriculture at the K-State Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus. Green Teams conducted projects with two organizations, one being Foodshed Alliance, a non-profit offering low-cost leases and assistance to new farmers in Northern New Jersey. They, mapped the farm and collected soil samples to identify locations to implement precision agriculture. The team developed a digital map from a traditional paper map using the provided coordinates of the Foodshed Farm and drone imagery to assess vegetation and soil health. They utilized the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to identify locations across the landscape with varied moisture. After analyzing the data, the team updated the Foodshed Farm map in ArcGIS Pro. The team then assessed the soils they collected across the farm for gravimetric water content and soil organic matter. These data were compared with aerial images to identify areas with high or low water content. To automate the soil moisture assessments, they added robotic sensors that can optimize irrigation systems. They used circuit design software and a 3D printing MakerBot, along with various sensors to develop the system. This design was named Soil Scout and was placed out on the Foodshed Farm. Soil Scout collected real-time data on soil moisture, utilizing Arduino-based tools for data collection, analysis, and precision monitoring. Next steps will include remote monitoring and implementation of a trial drip irrigation system to optimize water use and support crop health. The Green Team serving Greens Do Good, a vertical, hydroponic farm operating in Hackensack, New Jersey, in partnership with the Reed Foundation for Autism, worked to create a virtual reality training module to help train workers with autism to work in the farm. The team researched human-computer interaction and created a use case diagram for the program. After preliminary research and training, they created a virtual simulation. They provided three different versions of simulation: two types of augmented reality programs, and one virtual reality program. The team based the virtual reality training on Greens Do Good's two current static computerized image training models that provide training based on the capability level of the workers. These augmented reality and virtual reality training programs included modules for the placement of the growing medium into trays, followed by the placement of seeds in the growing medium. The team tested the programs on the workers with autism. Students developed the first prototypes of robotic sensors and VR training that farmers will use. Students gained an understanding of the use of technology in agriculture. Farmers will benefit from use of the technology. And students gained appreciation for how their skill sets from diverse majors can apply to agriculture. Outcomes included impactful ag tech experiential learning in the classroom for all 50 Green Teams interns, and in applied settings across two states involving different types of agriculture for the 10 students in the Green Ag Tech cohort. Interns now are considering careers in agriculture (see attached Evaluation Report). Specifically, approximately 40% (n = 19) of all 50 participants highlighted that exposure to real world or hands-on activities such as sustainable farming, livestock management, or agricultural technology, increased their interest in agricultural careers. And interns exhibited increased awareness of agricultural careers: approximately 30% (n = 14) of all 50 participants reported that the program increased their awareness and appreciation of agricultural careers. The post-program survey and focus groups also asked participants which parts of the Green Teams program most helped them to learn about agricultural careers. There were four categories identified: (i) Hands-on activities, interactions with professionals, and exposure to agricultural technology, (ii) the opportunity to interact with agricultural professionals, (iii) specific workshops and training, and (iv) exposure to agricultural technology and innovation. These experiences highlighted the important learning opportunity at the intersection between agriculture and technology. Additionally, Green Teams participants from agriculture-focused teams (i.e., Greens Do Good and Foodshed Alliance) reported higher levels of agreement with four specific items on post-program surveys vs. other Green Teams participants. The differences for four of these items (i.e., comfort working with STEM professionals, understanding sustainable agriculture, understanding sustainability careers in agriculture, and understanding how a range of careers support agriculture) were statistically significant (p < .05). The impact from these experiences, training, and exposure is that interns, particularly those from traditionally underrepresented groups, now are considering a wider range of career options beyond those traditionally connected to their majors and have hope for their future careers and sense of belonging in STEM related careers, and these options include agriculture.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Collazo, D., B. Crawford, C. Okwuka, L. Ouellette, M. Recollet, I. Cumberbatch, J. Latimore, M. Vorona, W. Wang, A. Tuininga. (2024). Conference Poster. (2024). Optimizing Agriculture Productivity: Leveraging Soil Moisture Monitoring and Precision Irrigation. IEEE MIT Undergraduate Research Technology Conference. Massachusetts, MA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Collazo, D., B. Crawford, C. Okwuka, L. Ouellette, M. Recollet, M. (2024). SAgE and Foodshed Alliance Green Team Final Presentation. 2024 Green Teams Internship Program Final Presentations. Montclair, NJ.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Gross, J., M. Kiwior, G. Pagano, E. Ramos, A. Reyes. (2024). Greens Do Good Green Team Final Presentation. 2024 Green Teams Internship Program Final Presentations. Montclair, NJ.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Pagano, G., M. Kiwior, J. Gross, A. Reyes, E. Ramos, I. Cumberbatch, J. Latimore, E. Hu-Au, S. Robila, A.R. Tuininga. (Accepted for presentation in March 2025). PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies, Greens Do Good: A Hydroponic Vertical Farm Virtual Reality Training Prototype for Autistic Trainees. In iLRN 2025: 11th International Conference of the Immersive Learning Research Network.
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