THE PROJECT PREPARING DIVERSE AND RURAL STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO MEET THE CHALLENGES IN THE BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY INDUSTRY WILL PREPARE A DIVERSE GROUP OF COLLEGE STUDENTS AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND INTERDISCIPLINARY TOOLS NECESSARY TO ADVANCE THE FUTURE OF AMERICA'S BIOENERGY, BIOPRODUCTS, AND THE BIOECONOMY. THE PROJECT TAPS INTO THE TALENT POOL OF COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATES AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS WHO WILL ENGAGE IN NEWLY DEVELOPED ONLINE COURSES IN BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY TAUGHT BY EMINENT RESEARCHERS AT NC STATE UNIVERSITY. THESE EFFORTS WILL HELP TO DEVELOP A REGIONAL SUSTAINABLE BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOFUELS INDUSTRY THAT WILL CREATE JOBS, ALLOW RURAL COMMUNITIES TO THRIVE, AND DECREASE OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL (ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY ACT (EISA), 2007).THE RATIONALE UNDERLYING THE PROJECT IS THE NEED TO EXPOSE YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY AND BIOENERGY INDUSTRY. SHOWING THEM THE OPPORTUNITIES AND REWARDS THAT EXIST WILL MOTIVATE THEM TO ATTAIN EDUCATIONAL DEGREES AND CAREERS IN THE BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY INDUSTRY. RURAL STUDENTS WHO ARE TOUCHED BY THIS PROJECT ARE LIKELY TO ENJOY JOBS IN A RURAL SETTING AND BE MORE INCLINED TO COMMIT LONG TERM TO JOBS EXPECTED IN BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY INDUSTRIES IN RURAL AREAS.NORTH CAROLINA IS IN A TREMENDOUS AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST BASED BIOMASS REGION, HAVING THE SEVENTH HIGHEST DEGREE OF BIOPRODUCTS INDUSTRY CONCENTRATION IN 2013. BIOBASED PRODUCT EMPLOYMENT IS EXPECTED TO GROW OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO MORE THAN 5.3 MILLION JOBS NATIONWIDE. IN THE CURRENT COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP A WORKFORCE WITH TRANSFERABLE SKILLS ACROSS THE SECTOR. FURTHER, EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA IS A MORE RURAL REGION THAT IS LAGGING IN SEVERAL SOCIOECONOMIC INDICATORS (U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, 2016). THE ABILITY TO LEVERAGE THE HUMAN RESOURCES OF THE STATE WITH THE NEEDS OF AN EMERGING BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY INDUSTRY MAKE NORTH CAROLINA UNIQUELY POSITIONED FOR THIS PROJECT.THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS OF DIVERSE UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE STUDENTS AND RURAL SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS IN ORDER TO ADVANCE THE FUTURE OF AMERICA'S BIOECONOMY, USING A CRITICAL TEST BED FOR RURAL, UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS IN NORTH CAROLINA.THIS GOAL WILL BE SUPPORTED BY 5 KEY OBJECTIVES:1) DEVELOP FIVE ONLINE COLLEGE COURSES CRITICAL FOR THE BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY INDUSTRIES2) CREATE A CERTIFICATE PROGRAM INCLUDING DISTANCE COURSES THAT WILL ENABLE DIVERSE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TO BECOME CAREER READY FOR THE BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY INDUSTRY3) DEVELOP AN INTERNSHIP AND CAREER OPPORTUNITY NETWORK BY INITIATING CONNECTIONS FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TO INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT, AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS4) CREATE A CERTIFICATE PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES DISTANCE CLASSES AND HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS FOR RURAL SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS TO EARN A CERTIFICATE IN BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY5) PROMOTE THE USE OF BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY LESSON ACTIVITIES IN SCIENCE CLASSES IN ORDER TO PROMOTE BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY CAREER AWARENESS TO RURAL, UNDERREPRESENTED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTSA PARTNERSHIP OF COLLEGES, PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS, INDUSTRY AND AGENCIES HAS BEEN DEVELOPED. IN TOTAL, WE EXPECT APPROXIMATELY 6000 PEOPLE IMPACTED OVER FOUR YEARS. PROGRAM SUSTAINABILITY WILL STEM FROM DISTANCE COURSES CREATED (COLLEGE AND MASSIVE ONLINE OPEN COURSE FORMAT) AS WELL AS TEACHERS THAT TEACH BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOENERGY CONCEPTS IN THEIR CLASSES. THROUGH OUTREACH, BIOMASS PRODUCT STAKEHOLDERS WILL BE AWARE OF THIS CURRICULUM AND ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEES FOR WORKFORCE NEEDS. THIS PROGRAM ADDRESSES THE PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY TO ASSIST RURAL COMMUNITIES TO CREATE PROSPERITY SO THEY ARE SELF-SUSTAINING, REPOPULATING, AND ECONOMICALLY THRIVING.