** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE OBJECTIVES ARE: 1) PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH AND EXTENSION CAREER OPPORTUNITIES; 2) PREPARE FELLOWS TO USE THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD TO RESTORE FOOD PRODUCTION TO URBAN ENVIRONMENTS; AND 3) TRAIN FELLOWS TO PRESENT EVIDENCE-BASED RESULTS TO RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS. THE PROGRAM WILL ACTIVELY RECRUIT UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES AT 2-YEAR AND 4-YEAR INSTITUTIONS. FELLOWS WILL PARTICIPATE IN A 9-WEEK SUMMER PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES A 1-WEEK INTENSIVE COHORT BUILDING, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS WITH SUCCEEDING WEEKS AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY-COLUMBUS CAMPUS. FELLOWS WILL CONDUCT A FIELD-BASED INTEGRATED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECT TO RESTORE AN URBAN LANDSCAPE TO IMPROVE SUSTAINABILITY AND FOOD PRODUCTION. FELLOW'S WILL BE MENTORED BY OSU FACULTY MEMBERS IN CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS DURING RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION AND COMPLETION. FELLOWS WILL BE TRAINED IN FIELD-BASED RESTORATION METHODS USING SPATIAL ANALYSIS, SMALL RUMINANT GRAZING, PRESCRIBED FIRE, AND SOIL MANAGEMENT TO REDUCE INVASIVE SPICES, INCREASE BIODIVERSITY AND IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH. FELLOW'S WILL LEARN COMMUNICATION SKILLS BY CREATING AN EXTENSION FACTSHEET, A WRITTEN RESEARCH REPORT AND MAKE PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS OF THEIR WORK TO EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS, STAKEHOLDERS, A RESEARCH FORUM WITH 100 PEER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS, AND AT NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL MEETING. IMPACTS OF THIS PROGRAM WILL BE AN INCREASED NUMBER OF STUDENTS ENTERING GRADUATE SCHOOL AND RESEARCH OR EXTENSION CAREERS IN RESTORATION AND SUSTAINABILITY.