NEBRASKA: $742,000 USDA NIFA Grant will fund “Crop-to-Food Innovation” undergrad training program
A University of Nebraska-Lincoln research team has been awarded a $742,000 USDA NIFA grant to establish the Research and Extension Experiences for Undergrads program.
The five-year “Crop-to-Food Innovation” program will give students 10-week summer research experiences and scientific communication and leadership training. The project will create opportunities for students to work with scientists who develop new crop traits and apply innovative bioprocessing and formulation technologies to evaluate and develop new food and feed applications.
Student research projects will involve collaborations among participating labs across product development pipelines, from field to market, which deliver new foods and feeds to consumers and farmers. The program will emphasize teamwork as the basis for creating innovations with real-world impact and will include formal training in scientific leadership and communication, and biotechnology lab skills. Students who complete the program are expected to have a “big picture” view of food science and will be better prepared for careers and graduate education in agricultural STEM disciplines.