Central State University named partner institution on $10M agriculture award
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Posted By: Reginald Culpepper on June 05, 2023 Central State University is a partner institution on a $10 million award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, through the From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals (NEXTGEN) program. A coalition of two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Central State University and Lincoln University; one Hispanic-serving institution (HSI), Texas A&M University; and one Research University (RIU), Missouri University of Science and Technology are working together on award-winning project, “HBCU-HSI-RIU Consortium: A Synergistic Paradigm for Training the Next Generation Agriculture Workforce for a Sustainable Future”. The project aims to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, nationwide labor shortages, climate change, increasing food safety concerns, and the under-representation of minorities in agriculture-related fields. Team members from partner institutions consist of research, education, and extension professionals to maximize the impact on minority populations from grades K-12 to graduate school. Dr. Hongmei Li-Byarlay, research associate professor of entomology and project director for Pollinator Health, Agricultural Research Development Program, serves as the principal investigator (PI) for Central State. The Central State co-PIs are Drs. Sakthi Kumaran Subburayalu, Sharath Krishna, and Prosper Doamekpor — each of whom has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in agriculture and minority workforce development. Central State’s major project goal is to establish an inter-institutional collaborative graduate program that emphasizes soil sciences and entomology. This initiative complements Central State’s existing programs in sustainable agriculture, water resources management, environmental engineering, and experiential learning. Undergraduate students currently conduct research in soil conservation, integrated pest management, pollinator health, horticulture, and other relevant topics. In addition to the new graduate program, the project will support courses on precision agriculture and drone application, yearly geospatial information science activities, a summer workshop on regenerative agriculture, professional learning and scholarships, youth programming, and other related initiatives across the four consortium institutions. “The NEXTGEN project presents an exciting opportunity for Central State to increase its impact on the next generation of agricultural workers by supporting increased minority participation and knowledge attainment. The grant will also help us to recruit outstanding students for the agricultural workforce,” said Li-Byarlay. About Central State University: Central State University is a public HBCU and 1890 Land-Grant Institution with a 136-year tradition of preparing students from diverse backgrounds and experiences for leadership, research, and service. Central State ranks among U.S. News & World Report’s best colleges in five categories, including Best Undergraduate Engineering Program and Top Public Schools. The University fosters academic excellence within a nurturing environment and provides a solid liberal arts foundation and STEM-Ag curriculum leading to professional careers and advanced studies globally. Central State University, an 1890 Land-Grant Institution, is committed to the full inclusion of all people, and does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, marital or family status, military status, national origin, political beliefs, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Reginald Culpepper
President, Fulfillment and Web Services, HBCUCONNECT Clark Atlanta University class of 1998 Member Since September 2000 |
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