** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND THE ENVIRONMENT (SOARE) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND (UMD) IS A RESEARCH AND EXTENSION EXPERIENCES FOR UNDERGRADUATES (REEU) PROGRAM. SOARE AIMS TO TAP INTO THE NATION'S BRIGHTEST MINDS THROUGH MENTORSHIP AND A VARIETY OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH, LEADERSHIP, CAREER, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. TARGETED APPROACHES AND RESOURCES ARE NEEDED TO EXPAND AND DIVERSIFY THE POOL FROM WHICH THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR DRAWS ITS WORKFORCE. TO ADDRESS THESE NEEDS, UMD HAS ESTABLISHED A SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS FOCUSED ON AGRICULTURAL, FOOD, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES HIGHLIGHTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY PRACTICES, FOOD PRODUCTION, AND CLIMATE CHANGE USING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY REGION AS A CASE STUDY. THE PROGRAM WILL RECRUIT UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES (URM), FIRST-GENERATION, AND WOMEN STUDENTS INTERESTED IN PURSUING GRADUATE STUDIES AND CAREERS IN FOOD, AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND HUMAN SCIENCES (FANH). THE FELLOWS WILL GAIN SCIENTIFIC SKILLS THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT INVESTIGATE GRAND CHALLENGES RELATED TO THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCE FIVE STRATEGIC INITIATIVE AREAS: 1) THE CHESAPEAKE BAY HEALTH; 2) FOOD SYSTEMS AND GLOBAL FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL SECURITY; 3) SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS; 4) OPTIMIZING URBAN ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH DESIGN, GREEN TECHNOLOGY, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT; AND 5) IMPROVING HUMAN, ANIMAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. LOCATED CLOSE TO WASHINGTON D.C., FELLOWS WILL APPLY LEARNING BY NETWORKING BEYOND THE FIELD AND LAB WITH POLICYMAKERS, SCIENTISTS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS FROM PROMINENT GOVERNMENT RESEARCH FACILITIES AND FEDERAL AGENCIES INCLUDING THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE; THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND THE JOINT INSTITUTE FOR FOOD SAFETY AND NUTRITION.PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ORGANIZED INTO TEAMS DESIGNED TO ENSURE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO PEER AND FACULTY MENTORSHIP. EACH FELLOW PARTICIPATES IN ACTIVITIES WITHIN THEIR RESEARCH LAB AND WILL ENGAGE IN INFORMAL AND FORMAL OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERACT WITH THE DIVERSE GRADUATE STUDENTS AS WELL AS UMD JUNIOR AND SENIOR FACULTY. BECAUSE OUR SITUATED LEARNING APPROACH ENCOURAGES AN APPRENTICE-LIKE MODEL, WE FOCUS ON RISING JUNIORS AND SENIORS, AND ENCOURAGE FELLOWS TO CONTINUE THEIR MENTORING AND RESEARCH WITH FACULTY AT THEIR HOME INSTITUTIONS IN THE SECOND YEAR. REEU TEAMS WILL EXPLORE PROCESSES AND INFRASTRUCTURES INVOLVED IN FEEDING A GROWING POPULATION E.G. GROWING (PLANTS AND ANIMALS), HARVESTING, PROCESSING, MARKETING, CONSUMPTION, INPUTS, AND OUTPUTS, AS WELL AS THE IMPACT ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT, USING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY REGION AS A CASE STUDY. THE PROGRAM IS ORGANIZED AROUND A SYNERGISTIC THEME OF IDEAS AND PRACTICES THAT ARE COMMON TO MANY SCIENTIFIC APPLICATIONS. THE RESEARCH PROJECTS ARE CATEGORIZED INTO THE AFOREMENTIONED FIVE STRATEGIC INITIATIVE INTERRELATED AREAS OF RESEARCH INTERESTS. THE SCOPE OF WORKS FOR THESE PROJECTS PLACES EMPHASIS ON ELIMINATING HUNGER, MALNUTRITION, PRESERVING NATURAL RESOURCES, AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY REGION. SOARE IS ORGANIZED IN FOUR MAJOR STAGES: RESEARCH TRAINING, RESEARCH FORMULATION, PROJECT ACTION, AND SCIENTIFIC REPORTING. THESE STAGES AIM TO GRADUALLY ASSIST FELLOWS TOWARDS FINISHING THEIR RESEARCH PROJECTS IN TIME WITH APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF MOTIVATION AND GUIDANCE.