FOSTERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF INCLUSIVE AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS

The goal of APS.2 is to implement and evaluate an internship/professional development program for undergraduate students (both non-agricultural/non-natural resources and agricultural/natural resources) that is designed to achieve specific improvements in students' abilities to translate the knowledge and skills learned in the program to address real-world agricultural and natural resources challenges while also contributing to local learning communities.This project's education objective is to improve the following skill sets: 1) growth in teamwork, decision-making, and efficacy in the process of science skills from reported baselines at program start; 2) ability to demonstrate how the research or application of knowledge connects to agricultural and natural resources challenges and to community well-being; 3) ability to demonstrate how the decision-making process evolved through the learning experience; 4) storytelling skills for sharing the science through videos and lesson plans; and 5) ability to understand how integrating DEI empowers us to solve agricultural and natural resources challenges more effectively. We postulate that a highly skilled agricultural and natural resources workforce professional will require the following attributes and efficacies:System-level thinking to understand how experiential learning connects to challenges faced in the agriculture and natural resources fields.Effective decision-making through systems understanding and critical thinking.An entrepreneurial mindset to amplify diffusion of science and technology.Effective communication of scientific outcomes to diverse audiences through development of effective outreach, extension, and education materials or resources.An inclusive leadership mindset to create an effective, dynamic team of problem-solvers.