Projects

INdustry-driVen Integrated STEM and Systems Approach to Innovative IncubatiON (IN-VISION) Project (2020 – 2024)

IN-VISION is an education project with four objectives: (1) Develop a year-long teacher professional development program to increase rural high school STEM teachers' agricultural literacy and teaching capacity; (2) create a small learning community for rural high school teachers to co-develop iSTEM and AFNR educational materials that is solidly grounded in agro-ecosystem thinking; (3) provide scientists opportunities to collaborate with teachers to disseminate their research data and results through Extension/education events; and, (4) equip rural high school students with critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are essential to success in the 21st century workforce

Funding Source: National Institute of Food and Agriculture (Project No. IND00117973)

This work was also supported by the Lilly Endowment funding via the WHIN (Wabash Heartland Innovation Network) project which served to advance IoT and technologies in agriculture and manufacturing.

Land-grant Outreach for Community-based Agricultural Learning for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education (LOCAL STEM) Project (2016 – 2020)

LOCAL STEM is an educational project designed to increase the integrated STEM teaching capacity of high school teachers and develop a sustainable land-grant educational partnership and pathway to enhance high school students' agricultural STEM literacy and career interests. The LOCAL STEM project has three objectives: (1) develop a yearlong TPD program to increase STEM teaching capacity; (2) provide integrated and immersive learning experiences at PPAC to increase STEM literacy and career interests; and (3) develop a localized land-grant model of TPD for integrated agricultural STEM education.

Funding Source: National Institute of Food and Agriculture (Project No. IND011778)