** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE GOAL OF THE SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN FOOD SCIENCE FOR UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS (SURFFS-UP) PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE EXPERIENTIAL FOOD SCIENCE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERREPRESENTED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. THIS FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM AT CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY WILL PROVIDE SIX UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS ANNUALLY WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN HANDS-ON SUMMER RESEARCH EXPERIENCES IN FOOD SCIENCE, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INTERACTIONS WITH PROFESSIONALS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY. AT LEAST 50% OF FELLOWS WILL BE RECRUITED FROM LOCAL MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS, WITH A FOCUS ON FIRST-GENERATION AND UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS. THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE TO: (1) PROVIDE EXPERIENTIAL FOOD SCIENCE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES TO A TOTAL OF 30 UNDERREPRESENTED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS THROUGH AN 8-WEEK INTENSIVE SUMMER RESEARCH EXPERIENCE; (2) INCREASE THE INVOLVEMENT OF UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS IN FOOD SCIENCE BY RECRUITING FROM MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS; (3) DEVELOP LEADERSHIP AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS THAT EMPOWER STUDENTS TO PURSUE GRADUATE STUDIES AND/OR PROFESSIONS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS; AND (4) PROMOTE STUDENT AWARENESS OF FOOD SCIENCE TO CREATE A PIPELINE OF FUTURE PROFESSIONALS IN A GROWING AND UNDER-STAFFED FOOD INDUSTRY. STUDENTS WILL WORK WITH AN ASSIGNED FACULTY MENTOR ON A HYPOTHESIS-BASED RESEARCH PROJECT AND WILL PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THEIR RESEARCH AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PROGRAM. STUDENTS WILL ALSO VISIT FOOD LABORATORIES, PLANTS AND ATTEND WEEKLY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINARS TO FURTHER DEVELOP THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS. PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH IMPORTANT TECHNICAL AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS THAT WILL PROMOTE THEIR SUCCESS IN PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT AND/OR GRADUATE STUDIES IN FOOD SCIENCE.?