**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** BIOTECHNOLOGY, SUCH AS GENE EDITING, CONSTITUTES A REVOLUTIONARY INNOVATION THAT HAS TRANSFORMED THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY. DESPITE THE POSSIBILITIES, MANY YOUNG PEOPLE MAY NOT BE INTERESTED IN, OR AWARE OF, BIOTECHNOLOGY AS A CAREER. OUR PROJECT AIMS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BY FULFILLING THE AFRI PRIORITY AREAS OF AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY, PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTS, AND ANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS. THIS PROJECT BUILDS OFF ONGOING AND RECENTLY COMPLETED ACTIVITIES TO INTRODUCE CONSUMERS TO BIOTECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH IN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY CAREERS. IN THIS PROJECT, WE AIM TO PROVIDE LIFE TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES TO YOUTH THROUGH NON-FORMAL EDUCATION IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES BY ADDRESSING STEM CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, WITH A FOCUS ON GENE EDITING. THROUGH THE 4-H PRACTICE OF POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, WE WILL PROMOTE TEAMWORK, ACTIVE LEARNING AND RESILIENCY SKILLS BY ENSURING THAT YOUTH ARE SAFE, ENGAGED, SUPPORTED AND CHALLENGED USING THE WHOLE CHILD MODEL. OUR PROJECT AUDIENCE IS HIGH SCHOOL AGED YOUTH PARTICIPATING IN A 4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, AND OUR EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PLAN TARGETS COMMUNITIES UNDERREPRESENTED IN STEM. UNLIKE ANY OTHER EXISTING NON-FORMAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, OUR PROJECT, ADVANCING 4-H YOUTH CAREERS IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE VIA BIOTECHNOLOGY AND STEM, TARGETS HIGH SCHOOL AGED YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES, INCLUDING UNDERREPRESENTED YOUTH, IN CONNECTICUT AND THE SURROUNDING REGION, AND WILL ENHANCE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF BIOTECHNOLOGIES THROUGH LIFE TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES THAT ADDRESS STEM CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN BIOTECHNOLOGY WITH GAMIFICATION.

University Of Connecticut, Storrs CT

Investigators