**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** RELEVANCE TO REEU GOALS:THE BIGG FACTS PROGRAM WILL OFFER RESEARCH AND EXTENSION TRAINING IN BIG DATA ANALYSIS FOR UNDERGRADUATES IN AGRICULTURE OR ALLIED DISCIPLINES. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM IS ALIGNED WITH THE GOAL TO PROVIDE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WITH EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT INCLUDE SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH AND/OR EXTENSION COMPONENTS IN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES. IN MEETING BOTH THE RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATIONS/LEADERSHIP LEARNING OBJECTIVES, THE PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH COMMUNICATION, LEADERSHIP, AND TECHNICAL SKILLS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR THE WORKFORCE, SPECIFICALLY EMPLOYMENT IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTORS INDUSTRIES. IN ADDITION, THESE SAME SKILLS SERVE AS A FOUNDATION FOR ENTRY GRADUATE PROGRAMS, FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO SEEK TO COMBINE GRADUATE EDUCATION WITH EMPLOYMENT OR FULL-TIME GRADUATE COURSE STUDY.RELEVANCE AFRI-EWD GOALS:THIS PROJECT IS ALIGNED WITH AFRI EWD PROGRAM AND ITS INHERENT PURPOSE TO ADDRESS THE SHORTFALL OF QUALIFIED GRADUATES IN AGRICULTURAL, FOOD AND NATURAL RESOURCE SECTORS, WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON ITS DEVELOPING PATHWAYS GOAL.ABSTRACT:BECAUSE DEMAND FOR BIOINFORMATICS CAPABILITIES THROUGHOUT THE FOOD, AGRICULTURAL, AND NATURAL RESOURCE SECTORS GREATLY OUTWEIGHS CURRENT SUPPLY, THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED FOR A DIVERSE, TALENTED WORKFORCE WELL TRAINED INBIOINFORMATICS, GENETICS, AND GENOMIC (BIGG)SCIENCES. COMPUTER SCIENCE TRAINING IS ESSENTIAL FOR BIOINFORMATICS, BUT THERE IS A LACK OF DIVERSITY IN THE FIELD. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE BIGG RESEARCH FELLOWS PROGRAM IS TO HOLISTICALLY PREPARE TALENTED, DIVERSE WOMEN FOR GRADUATE PROGRAMS AND CAREERS IN BIGG. THIS PROJECT, A POWERFUL TRAINING COMBINATION OF BIOINFORMATICS WITH GENETICS AND GENOMIC DATA TRAINING, WILL PROVIDE STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP THE CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING, AND DIGITAL COMPETENCY SKILLS. FURTHERMORE 21STCENTURY SKILLS TRAINING WILL PROVIDE COMMUNICATION/LEADERSHIP SKILLS NEEDED FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT AND/OR HIGHER EDUCATION.RESEARCH TEAMS WILL BE MENTORED BY FACULTY WITH ONGOING ACTIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON PLANT AND ANIMALS SECTORS OF ONE HEALTH, AND FACULTY WITH PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF BIG DATA. MOREOVER, STUDENTS WILL PARTICIPATE IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE DESIRABLE 21RST CENTURY SKILLS. A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION PLAN WILL BE IMPLEMENTED TO FULLY MEASURE EFFECTIVENESS OF INDEPENDENT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND GAINS IN SOFT SKILLS USING UT'S QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PLAN FOR EXPERIENCE LEARNING. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS IMPROVED QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE UNDERSTANDINGS OF UNDERGRADUATE EXPERIENCES AMONG WOMEN UNDERGRADUATES WHO ARE ENROLLED IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, ALLIED SCIENCES, OR COMPUTER SCIENCE. WE EXPECT THE BIGG FACTS PROJECT TO PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING WIDER-REACHING, SELF-SUSTAINING PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES.