** 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 THIS PROJECT IS TO CREATE AN IPM-CENTRIC ENGAGED SCHOLARSHIP EXPERIENCE TO IMMERSE STUDENTS IN BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH WITH DIRECT APPLICATIONS TO CROP PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF NATURAL SYSTEMS.THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN APPLIED RESEARCH AND IPM FOR DRYLAND SYSTEMS (ARIDS) AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY.STUDENTS WILL PARTICIPATE IN ENGAGED SCHOLARSHIP ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO EXPOSE THEM TO OUTREACH AND EXTENSION AND WILL INTERACT WITH DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS OUTSIDE OF ACADEMIA. THIS UNIQUE EXPERIENCE WILL ADDRESS CRITICAL CHALLENGES IN 1) RETAINING STUDENTS FROM 4-YEAR INSTITUTIONS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN STEM FIELDS AND 2) RESPONDING TO CURRENT AND FUTURE WORKFORCE AND INDUSTRY NEEDS. FIRST UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ARE INCREASINGLY VOICING THEIR DESIRE TO SEE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION AND REAL-WORLD CHALLENGES WE FACE AS A GLOBAL COMMUNITY. THEY ARE HIGHLY AWARE OF THE INCREASING TOLL OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF CROP AND FOOD PRODUCTION AND HAVE A STRONG MOTIVATION TO ACT. BY COUPLING APPLIED RESEARCH IN IPM WITH ENGAGEMENT WITH END-USERS (E.G. FARMERS LANDSCAPERS CROP CONSULTANTS) THE STUDENTS WILL ADVANCE THEIR CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF CONCEPTS AND THEORY CENTRAL TO DEVELOPING HYPOTHESES AND EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND DEVELOP COMPETENCE IN APPLYING THEIR SKILLS TO THE REAL WORLD AS PROFESSIONALS. THIS PROGRAM WILL ALSO SUPPORT A GRADUATE STUDENT TO SERVE AS A MENTOR FOR THE UNDERGRADUATES BUILDING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY WITH A SENIOR STUDENT CLOSER IN AGE AND FROM A SIMILAR GENERATION. CLOSE INTERACTIONS WITH A PEER IN GRADUATE SCHOOL WILL ALSO ALLOW THE SUMMER SCHOLARS TO LEARN ABOUT POST-BACCALAUREATE EDUCATION WHICH HAS BEEN SHOWN TO PROMOTE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT LIKELIHOOD TO ENTER GRADUATE SCHOOL.FURTHER BECAUSE WE WILL BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN RURAL AREAS WE WILL FACILITATE PARTICIPATION OF STUDENTS FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED BACKGROUNDS WHO ARE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH DURING THEIR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES. THESE PROFICIENCIES WILL PREPARE STUDENTS FOR CAREERS THAT SUPPORT FOOD PRODUCTION AND CROP PROTECTION AND CONTRIBUTE TO A SKILLFUL WORKFORCE. THIS GOAL AND ITS IMPACTS ADDRESS THE NIFA FOUNDATIONAL AREA PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTS.