Source: ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
ENHANCING GRADUATE BIOSTATISTICAL PROGRAM AT ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1031951
Grant No.
2024-38821-42027
Cumulative Award Amt.
$99,976.00
Proposal No.
2023-09138
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
May 1, 2024
Project End Date
Apr 30, 2025
Grant Year
2024
Program Code
[EP]- Teaching Project
Recipient Organization
ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY
4900 MERIDIAN STREET
NORMAL,AL 35762
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Biostatistics is vital to apply statistical theory to food and agricultural applications, with a vibrant market for trained professionals. We are in the midst of a data revolution, massive data generated daily in agricultural fields need be mined for knowledge. It is predicted the employment of statisticians/data scientists will increase by 30% between 2018-2028, faster than the average for all occupations. AAMU has a plan to developed a Data Science and Analysis MS degree focusing on agricultural applications in the near future. Many students are reluctant to take biostatistical courses due to the hinderances such as perceived difficulties of the subject and complicated technological development.This project is to provide release time for PI to enhance his professional knowledge and skills and to improve his teaching effectiveness though the development and improvement of the course websites. During the project period, PI will a) develop and improve the course websites related to the biostatistics and b) participate professional trainings of R and SAS programs for data management and analysis. The project will enhance the biostatistical program and develop the foundation for a data science and analysis MS degree at AAMU for training the next generation of agricultural science workforce, particularly minorities.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
90160102090100%
Goals / Objectives
Biostatistics is vital to apply statistical theory to food and agricultural applications, with a vibrant market for trained professionals. We are in the midst of a data revolution, massive data generated daily in agricultural fields need be mined for knowledge. It is predicted the employment of statisticians/data scientists will increase by 30% between 2018-2028, faster than the average for all occupations. AAMU plans to developed a Data Science MS degree focusing on agricultural applications in the near future. Many students are reluctant to take biostatistical courses due to the hinderances such as perceived difficulties of the subject and complicated technological development. The PI has contributed significantly to the biostatistics program at AAMU, carrying a full load of teaching and research each semester, has advised >25 MS/PhD students worked in his lab and served as a committee member for >100 other graduate students, but has had no release time for professional development or sabbatical leave since joined AAMU in 2001. The goal of this project is to strengthen the graduate biostatistical program and develop the foundation for the future data science program at AAMU by providing release time for PI to a) improve the effectiveness of the biostatistical courses by developing course websites and b) participate professional trainings and certifications of R and SAS programs for data management and analysis. The project will enhance the biostatistical program and develop the foundation for a data science MS degree at AAMU for training the next generation of agricultural science workforce, particularly minorities.
Project Methods
This professional development grant is to provide release time for PI to a) improve the effectiveness of the biostatistical courses and b) professional trainings of using R and SAS statistical software.A website for each biostatistical course will be developed using the Blackboard Ultra, an online teaching platform of AAMU; the website will include all course related materials, such as syllabuses, lecture presentations, chapter exercises, videos related to the topics, external links for online resources, real world examples, discussion board, live-chat, assessment tools such as homework, quizzes and test examples that are aligned with learning rubrics, progress tracking, statistical software, and analysis procedures, etc.PIwill take R software trainings through the "Data Analysis in R" program of Cornell University and the SAS software workshops organized by SASĀ® Inc.

Progress 05/01/24 to 04/30/25

Outputs
Target Audience:This is a professional development project for the PI. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project is for professaionl developmen to the PI, the project provided training and professional development opportunities for PI.PI has take R courses through "Data Analysis in R" certification program of Cornell University. This program was composed of three online courses with 72 professional development hours. The courses were Predictive Analysis in R; Clustering, Classification, and Machine Learning in R; and Prescriptive Analytics in R. These courses covered the application of core analytics concepts in the R programming environment including i) techniques for manipulating and visualizing data, describing data through descriptive statistics, and clustering; ii) extend reporting approaches through classification and predictive analytics using machine learning techniques; and iii) develop linear, nonlinear, and Monte Carlo decision-making models. Each course was for three weeks, 3-5 hrs/week, with a total of 9 weeks. articipate professional trainings and certifications of R and SAS programs for data management and analysis. So far the PI has atended thress courses at Cornell wich included Predictive Analysis in R, Clustering, classification, and machine learning in R, and Prescriptive analysis in R, each accounted for 24 hourse. The PI have received the certification of Data Analytics in R from Cornell University. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The PI has already incooprated the new knowlege and skills learred through the Cornell courses into the courses that he is teaching at AAMU. PI has redesign and updated the course website for NRE529 (Biostatistics). The website includes all course related materials, such as syllabuses, lecture presentations, learning difficulties with detailed explanations, chapter exercises, videos related to the topics, external links for online resources, real world examples, discussion board, live-chat, assessment tools such as homework, quizzes and test examples that are aligned with learning rubrics, progress tracking, statistical software, and analysis procedures, etc. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Work on the website for the other courses that PI are responsible. PI will participate addition trainings and workshops related to data analysis and AI.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? a) Improved the effectiveness of the biostatistical courses by developing course websites for NRE529 Biostatistics. The course website now have all the materials such as syllubase, chapter handouts, assignments, computer programs, and various assesment tools such as assginments and tests. b) participate professional trainings and certifications of R and SAS programs for data management and analysis. So far the PI has atended thress courses at Cornell wich included Predictive Analysis in R, Clustering, classification, and machine learning in R, and Prescriptive analysis in R, each accounted for 24 hourse. The PI have received the certification of Data Analytics in R from Cornell University.

Publications

  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: AAMU Blackboard for the course of NRE529 Biostatistics.