**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY IS ONE OF THE LARGEST ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTORS TO MISSISSIPPI, WHOSE COMBINED ECONOMIC IMPACT IS $10-12 BILLION. DESPITE EXTENSIVE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES IN MISSISSIPPI, THE CURRENT WORKFORCE LACKS OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAINING RESEARCH-BASED SCIENTIFIC SKILLS AND ABILITIES. THUS, THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED FOR GREATER NUMBERS OF WELL-TRAINED WORKFORCE FOR MISSISSIPPI'S FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY. SYSTEMATICALLY DESIGNED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES WILL INCREASE MISSISSIPPI STUDENTS' INTERESTS AND ENGAGEMENT IN WOOD SCIENCE AND FOREST PRODUCTS AND ENHANCE THEIR SCIENTIFIC REASONING SKILLS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIA. OUR REEU PROGRAM AIMS TO PROVIDE INTEGRATED RESEARCH/EXTENSION EXPERIENCES TO UNDERGRADUATES IN MISSISSIPPI TO EXPOSE THEM TO WOOD SCIENCE AND FOREST PRODUCTS AND READY THEM FOR THE NEXT STEP IN THEIR CAREERS. WE WILL HOST 32 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OVER 4 YEARS (8 STUDENTS/YEAR) FOR A 10-WEEK RESEARCH/EXTENSION EXPERIENCE. OUR REEU PROGRAM WILL INVOLVE RECRUITING UNDERGRADUATES FROM MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY (MSU) AS WELL AS COMMUNITY, JUNIOR, AND TECHNICAL COLLEGES PRIMARILY THROUGHOUT THE STATE. DEPENDING ON INTERESTS AND BACKGROUND, THE SELECTED STUDENTS WILL BE MATCHED WITH A POOL OF FACULTY MENTORS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SUSTAINABLE BIOPRODUCTS AT MSU. UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF MENTORS, THE STUDENTS WILL PARTICIPATE IN VARIOUS RESEARCH/EXTENSION ACTIVITIES, WHICH INVOLVE AN INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROJECT, A FIELD TRIP TO FOREST PRODUCTS FACILITIES, AND A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH INDUSTRY. THESE ACTIVITIES WILL NOT ONLY IMPROVE VISIBILITY OF WOOD SCIENCE AND FOREST PRODUCTS, BUT ALSO EMPHASIZE THE FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY'S STATUS AS A CRITICAL ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTOR AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATOR.