REU Site: Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEAfREU)

这个新的为期三年的REU站点：受控环境农业（CEAfREU）由怀俄明大学主办，专注于受控环境农业（CEA）。全球粮食需求将增长56%，粮食短缺、气候变化和人口增长等挑战加剧了饥饿危机。可控环境农业（CEA），如温室和垂直室内农场，是一种很有前途的解决方案，可以改善粮食生产，并在全球范围内支持强劲而有营养的粮食供应。这个REU项目的目标是扩大美国原住民、女性、第一代和其他来自STEM领域代表性不足人群的学生参与尖端CEA研究。每年将有8名参与者参与跨学科研究，重点关注资源效率，同时保持CEA的最佳作物生长。指导、技术技能发展和其他专业培训将把学生对土著食物的知识与CEA的现代技术结合起来，以弥合代沟，并在部落社区推广新鲜和健康的农产品。以群体为基础的方法促进团队合作，领导和同伴教学，同时激励和准备美国原住民学生推进支持农业未来的新技术。这个新的为期三年的REU站点：受控环境农业（CEAfREU）由怀俄明大学主办，专注于受控环境农业（CEA）。这个新颖的项目每年资助8名即将升学的大二学生，其中包括5名美洲原住民学生，在CEA进行融合研究。主要目标是培养学生为CEA提供创造性的跨学科解决方案，发展领导能力和技术沟通能力，并欣赏CEA研究，教育和本科学位以外的职业机会。REU项目支持资源高效的CEA研究，同时使学生探索先进的工程技术，获得有关农业过程的知识，以优化作物产量，并发展商业技能，以支持可持续的CEA实践。学生将从以下三个主题中选择一个进行研究：(1)资源高效CEA的建模和操作，(2)计算机视觉监测作物生长和分析CEA中的营养成分，以及(3)部落社区CEA的可行性研究。REU学生将通过实地考察、半面试和与行业合作伙伴的现场讨论获得第一手经验。积极参与行业合作伙伴和更好地理解利益相关者的观点将丰富学生的学习，最终有利于他们的专业和潜在的STEM职业发展。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This new three-year REU Site: Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEAfREU) hosted by the University of Wyoming focused on controlled environment agriculture (CEA). Global food demand will increase by 56%, with challenges such as food shortages, climate change, and rising populations exacerbating hunger crises. Controlled environment agriculture (CEA), such as greenhouses and vertical indoor farms, is a promising solution to improve food production and support a robust and nutritious food supply across the globe. The goal of this REU program is to broaden the participation of Native American, female, first-generation, and other students from underrepresented populations in STEM fields to engage in cutting-edge CEA research. Eight participants each year will engage in interdisciplinary research focused on resource efficiency while maintaining optimal crop growth in CEA. Mentoring, technical skills development, and other professional training will combine students’ knowledge of indigenous food with modern technologies in CEA to bridge generational gaps and promote fresh and healthy produce in tribal communities. A cohort-based approach promotes teamwork, leadership, and peer teaching while inspiring and preparing Native American students to advance new technologies that support the future of agriculture. This new three-year REU Site: Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEAfREU) hosted by the University of Wyoming focused on controlled environment agriculture (CEA). This novel program supports eight rising sophomores, including five Native American students, per year to conduct convergence research in CEA. The primary objectives are to prepare students to advance creative interdisciplinary solutions to CEA, develop leadership and technical communication skills, and appreciate CEA research, education, and career opportunities beyond an undergraduate degree. The REU program supports resource-efficient CEA research while enabling students to explore advanced engineering technologies, gain knowledge about agricultural processes to optimize crop yields, and develop business skills to support sustainable CEA practices. Students will pursue one of the three research themes: (1) modeling and operation for resource-efficient CEA, (2) computer vision for monitoring crop growth and analyzing nutrient contents in CEA, and (3) a CEA feasibility study for tribal communities. REU students will gain firsthand experience through site visits, semi-interviews, and live discussions with industry partners. Actively engaging industry partners and better understanding stakeholder perspectives will enrich student learning, ultimately benefitting their professional and potential STEM career development.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.