REU: Global Engagement Research Experience for Undergraduate Students in Food Security: A focus on Indigenous Vegetables and Grain Crops; the "Forgotten Food" Crops of Kenya

该REU SITE奖授予位于马里兰州鲍伊的鲍伊州立大学(BSU)，将在2019-2020年夏季支持为期10周的8名学生的培训。该项目由北卡罗来纳州立大学自然科学系和肯尼亚内罗毕大学以及埃格顿大学(肯尼亚，作物、园艺和土壤系)主办。学生们在北卡罗来纳州立大学度过第一周的强化训练营，内容包括肯尼亚的历史和文化、安全、道德/负责任的研究行为、基本科学原则和为研究项目做准备的技能。接下来的8周将专门用于埃格顿大学(一年级)或内罗毕大学(二年级)的研究，并进行实地采样旅行，然后是在波士顿州立大学的最后一周，学生们在那里展示他们的研究结果。研究的重点是遗传、生理和生态机制，这些机制是作物在变化的环境中做出反应的基础，目的是为了粮食安全。例如，学生项目包括黄曲霉毒素谷物污染的分子研究，甜高粱的基因型和生态型，本地蔬菜Cleome gynandra的遗传和代谢物多样性，甜高粱酶的分析，以及Dolichos lablab根瘤菌物种的特征。讲习班侧重于专业技能(例如，文献回顾、实验技术和设计、数据收集和分析、口头和书面陈述技能)。招募和参与者遴选将侧重于具有杰出研究潜力的学生，特别强调来自代表性不足群体的学生。预计共有16名学生将在该计划中接受培训，这些学生主要来自研究机会有限的学校。学生将学习研究是如何进行、分析和交流的。许多人将在科学会议上展示他们的工作成果，一些人将在同行评议的期刊上发表结果。由生物基础设施部(生物科学局)资助的所有REU项目都将使用一个通用的基于网络的评估工具来确定计划的有效性。学生必须在项目结束后被跟踪，并必须回复通过NSF报告系统发送的自动电子邮件。教育和人力资源局人力资源发展司也支持这一区域合作伙伴关系。欲了解更多信息，请访问https://www.bowiestate.edu/academics-research/colleges/college-arts-sciences/departments/natural-sciences/research-experience-for-underg/，或通过发送电子邮件至aosano@Bowiestate.edu.联系国际组织Anne Osano博士。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并已通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This REU Site award to Bowie State University (BSU), located in Bowie, MD, will support the training of 8 students in a 10-week program during the summers of 2019-2020. The program is hosted by the BSU Department of Natural Sciences and the University of Nairobi in Kenya and Egerton University (Kenya, Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils). Students spend the first week at BSU for an intensive boot camp on the history and culture of Kenya, safety, ethics/responsible conduct of research, basic scientific principles, and skills to prepare for the research project. The next 8 weeks are dedicated to research at Egerton University (Year 1) or the University of Nairobi (Year 2) with field sampling trips, followed by a concluding week at BSU where students present the results of their research. Research focuses on the genetic, physiological, and ecological mechanisms that underlie crop responses in a changing environment with a goal towards food security. Example student projects include molecular studies of aflatoxin grain contamination, sweet sorghum genotypes and ecotypes, genetic and metabolite diversity of the indigenous vegetable Cleome gynandra, analysis of sweet sorghum enzymes, and characterization of Rhizobia species in Dolichos lablab. Workshops focus on professional skills (e.g., literature review, experimental techniques and design, data collection and analysis, oral and written presentation skills). Recruitment and participant selection will focus on students with outstanding research potential with special emphasis on students from underrepresented groups. It is anticipated that a total of 16 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. Students will learn how research is conducted, analyzed, and communicated. Many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences, and some will publish the results in peer-reviewed journals.A common web-based assessment tool used by all REU programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure (Directorate for Biological Sciences) will be used to determine the effectiveness of program. Students are required to be tracked after the program and must respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. This REU is also supported by the Division of Human Resource Development in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources. More information is available by visiting https://www.bowiestate.edu/academics-research/colleges/college-arts-sciences/departments/natural-sciences/research-experience-for-underg/ or by contacting the PI, Dr. Anne Osano at aosano@bowiestate.edu.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.