** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** BY TRAINING PROFESSIONALS TO DIAGNOSE ISSUES, RESEARCH, DESIGN, IMPLEMENT, AND MAINTAIN WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION PRACTICES, WE CAN ENSURE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF AGRICULTURE ADAPTING IT TO GLOBAL CHANGES. IN COLLABORATION WITH USDA AGENCIES, PANACEAS AIMS TO PREPARE FUTURE SOIL SCIENTISTS AND CIVIL ENGINEERS TO 5 OF THE 20 USDA'S MISSION CRITICAL OCCUPATIONS. PANACEAS WILL TRAIN 5 COHORTS OF 16 STUDENTS, RECRUITED FROM TWO HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTIONS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE. THE MULTI-PHASE PROGRAM WILL 1) INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION THROUGH A SEMINARS WITH GUEST SPEAKERS FROM THE USDA; 2) DEVELOP RESEARCH METHODS AND DATA ANALYSIS SKILLS THROUGH A 8-SESSIONS SHORT COURSE; 3) PROVIDE A 10-WEEK SUMMER RESEARCH/EXTENSION EXPERIENCE PAIRING ONE-ON-ONE WITH MENTORS FROM UTRGV AND USDA; 4) PROMOTE THE EXPANSION OF STUDENTS' PROFESSIONAL NETWORK AND 'SOFT SKILLS' DEVELOPING THROUGH WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, AND CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION; 5) HOST A FALL SYMPOSIUM WHERE PANACEAS PARTICIPANTS WILL SYNTHESIZE WHAT THEY LEARNED ABOUT THEIR SUMMER EXPERIENCES IN PRESENTATIONS TO THEIR COHORT AND MENTORS. THE GOAL OF PANACEAS IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY UNDERREPRESENTED HISPANIC AND FEMALE STUDENTS, INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED FOR CAREERS IN AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION. THESE EFFORTS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO A DIVERSE WORKFORCE AND ADDRESS SHORTAGES IN QUALIFIED PERSONNEL FOR MISSION CRITICAL OCCUPATIONS IN AGRICULTURE. PANACEAS EXPECTS TO IMPROVE STUDENT PROFESSIONAL SKILLS THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING, WHILE ASSISTING UTRGV AND STC TO GRADUATE OUTSTANDING, THOUGH OFTEN UNDERREPRESENTED, STUDENTS TO SUSTAIN THE USDA AND NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCES.