Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The College of Agriculture at Tennessee State University is currently hosting theCenter of Excellence in Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment (COE-NREE). The primary goals of the NREE are, 1) natural resource management and conservation, 2) sustainable energy and agricultural production, 3) environmental protection and equity, and 4) workforce training and development. These four multidisciplinary Thrust Areas will coordinate and unify diverse participants via scholarly research. The COE-NREE is employing a One Health approach to evaluate the collective impacts of climate change, landuse patterns, and water resource management on Ecosystem Integrity. These four Thrust Areas, along with the Focal Research Objectives will provide collaborative opportunities among 1890 institutions and will provide novel approaches to tackle contemporary environmental issues that impact terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.The COE-NREE is accomplishing teaching, research, and extension goals through enhanced research, committed graduate student recruitment, retention and training, curricula and faculty development, and development of multidisciplinary research teams. We are using these opportunities to recruit and train students and stakeholders.Overall, the proposed Center aligns withUSDA Strategic Goal 6 to Ensure Productive and Sustainable Use of our National Forest System Landsand provides a collaborative opportunity to establish a research center among five HBCUs. The COE-NREE provides unique opportunities to incorporate research into learning and education via proposed mentoring and outreach efforts. In addition, the COE-NREE collaborates to develop the fourth Thrust Area (Workforce Training and Development). Collectively, project participants are hosting a variety of training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral research associates, and faculty. We will develop these training opportunities with a variety of project partners, including the United States Geological Survey, United States Forest Service, Council of American Overseas Research Councils, and Environmental Justice Academy. Collectively, these training opportunities will be available for all COE-NREE participants and participating1890 institutions.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The College of Agriculture at Tennessee State University (TSU) will collaborate with Alabama A&M University, Southern University, Florida A&M University, and Langston University to host the 1890 Center of Excellence for Natural Resources, Renewable Energy, and the Environment (COE-NREE): A Climate Smart Approach. The COE-NREE will be housed in the Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research (IAGER) at Tennessee State University. The COE-NREE's primary goals and thrust areas are, 1) Natural Resource Management and Conservation, 2) Sustainable Energy and Agricultural Production, 3) Environmental Protection and Equity, and 4) Workforce Training and Development. These four multi-disciplinary thrust areas will coordinate and unify diverse participants via scholarly research, teaching, and Extension activities, and provide collaborative opportunities among 1890 institutions to tackle contemporary environmental issues that impact terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. We will take a One Health approach to evaluate the collective impacts of climate change, land-use patterns, and water resource availability on ecosystem integrity.
Project Methods
The COE-NREE will accomplish teaching, research, and Extension goals through a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach committed to graduate student recruitment, student retention and training, curricula and faculty development, and novel research. We will use this opportunity to recruit and train students and host unique domestic and international workforce training and development opportunities for students and faculty. Through four inter-related thrusts, the center will approach the following research areas:1. Thrust Area 1: Natural Resources Management and Conservation, which includes Predictive Mapping of Plant Species as an Indicator of Forest Ecosystem Health, Forest and Wildlife Responses to Forest Management, Forest Structure and Vegetation Dynamics, Forest management impacts on carbon and nutrient turnover rates in hurricane-affected ecosystems under changing climatic conditions, and Estimation and modeling of forest carbon storage dynamics disturbed with prescribed and forest thinning; 2. Thrust Area 2: Renewable Energy and Climate Smart Agriculture, which includes Renewable Energy - Canola, Renewable Energy - Sweet Sorghum, Renewable Energy - Switch Grass, Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems, Precision Agriculture Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems, No-till and Cover Cropping Adaptation to Climate Change, Crop Adaptation/Adaptation to Climate Change, Livestock Adaptation/Adaptation to Climate Change, and Aquaculture Adaptation, and Climate Smart Hydroponics Production; 3. Thrust Area 3: Environmental Protection and Equity, which includes Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Importance of Soil Organic Matter for Carbon Sequestration, Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Impact of Urban Forests for Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Reduction, Water Quality and Quantity -Prediction, early reporting, and impacts of Harmful Algal Blooms, soil Contamination and Bioremediation, and Geospatial Analysis and Bioremediation. Thrust Area 4: Workforce Training and Development, Global Engagement, Environmental Justice, USGS Outreach, Education, and Training, Soil and Water Conservation Training, and Urban Wildfire. The COE-NREE has also added three additional projects that are currently being conducted by three additional 1890 institutions and include the following: Small ruminant grazing prescription for under-story forage, weed and invasive plant management on woodland pasture systems (Lincoln University), Climate Smart Sheep for Sustainable Production (North Carolina A&T University), and A Comprehensive Estimation of Fine Root Stocks and Fluxes in the World's Forests (University of Maryland Eastern Shore).