IGERT: Collaborative Research and Education in Agricultural Technologies and Engineering (CREATE)

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A multi-institutional Integrative Graduate Traineeship (IGERT) program, entitled Collaborative Research and Education in Agricultural Technologies and Engineering (CREATE) links the University of California at Davis with Tuskegee University in a training program with the overarching theme of the utilization of plants for the production of industrial non-food products and biopharmaceuticals. This program brings together a diverse group of faculty and graduate students from plant sciences, molecular biology and engineering to work together in interdisciplinary teams that will tackle critical societal challenges with applications in the following areas: 1) rapid vaccine production and cost-effective therapeutics, 2) biofuels and biorefineries, and 3) phytoremediation. The IGERT training program is aimed at developing specific skills that advance complex, interdisciplinary technologies. Novel components of the CREATE program include (1) the establishment of a Masters-to-PhD bridging program, (2) the development and implementation of a new graduate lecture course and two summer laboratory short courses on "Plant Transformation Methods" and "Recovery and Purification of Plant-Derived Products," and (3) industrial research internship opportunities in the United States as well as international research internship opportunities in Ireland at the University of Ireland, Maynooth and Teagasc Oak Park Research Centre. The broader impact of the CREATE program is the creation of a diverse group of research and educational leaders who will have knowledge of the fundamental principles and applications of plant science, biotechnology and bioprocess engineering as well as an understanding of the broader issues (environmental impact, public/societal views and global impact) of the field. The CREATE program emphasizes integrated training in plant sciences, molecular biology and engineering, to train the research, educational, business, regulatory, and policy leaders of the future who will help solve society's most pressing problems related to health, energy sustainability, and environmental stewardship. IGERT is an NSF-wide program intended to meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers with the interdisciplinary background, deep knowledge in a chosen discipline, and the technical, professional, and personal skills needed for the career demands of the future. The program is intended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education by establishing innovative new models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries.