** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** WATER, ENERGY, AND FOOD DEMANDS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE WITH AN INCREASING GLOBAL POPULATION IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AT THE SAME TIME, THESE RESOURCES ARE CONTINUOUSLY BEING DEPLETED DUE TO EXCESSIVE USAGE OR POLLUTION AND NEED PROTECTION TO SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION. THERE IS A GROWING INTEREST IN RELEVANT SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES, WITH U.S. ALONE EXPECTED TO CREATE MORE THAN 50,000 ANNUAL JOB OPENINGS FOR A HIGHLY SKILLED WORKFORCE WITH BACHELORS OR HIGHER DEGREES IN RELATED DISCIPLINES. THE HIGHLY COMPLEX NEXUS OF WATER, ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND NUTRITION CALLS FOR THE EMERGING WORKFORCE TO BE TRAINED WITH MULTIDISCIPLINARY SKILLS TO ADDRESS THE INTERTWINED CHALLENGES. THIS CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED BY PROVIDING CURRENT UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WITH MORE HANDS-ON RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION/OUTREACH EXPERIENCES THROUGH SCIENTIFICALLY SOUND AND SOCIALLY RELEVANT PROJECTS. OUR REEU MENTORING TEAM WILL PROVIDE MULTIDISCIPLINARY EXPERIENCES TO A SELECT GROUP OF PARTICIPANTS WHO WILL BE CHOSEN BASED ON BOTH MERIT AND OTHER CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS TO ENSURE AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT. THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PREPARE A TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS WITH SUPERIOR SKILLS THAT FORM A DIVERSE WORKFORCE EQUIVALENT TO CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS.