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Societal Challenges

Societal Challenges. Population. Population Food Water Environment Climate Change Energy Health Poverty. Feed, shelter, clothe > 9 billion. Climate change Land and water constraints Increasing urbanization Environmental degradation Minimal ecological footprint

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Societal Challenges

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  1. Societal Challenges • Population Population Food Water Environment Climate Change Energy Health Poverty

  2. Feed, shelter, clothe > 9 billion • Climate change • Land and water constraints • Increasing urbanization • Environmental degradation • Minimal ecological footprint • Changing income and diets • Positive health outcomes

  3. Path Forward: Discoveries • Diversity of species • 50,000 edible; 15-50 used • Traits • Yield/productivity • Yield stabilization: GxExM • Pest/disease resistance • Nitrogen fixation • Genomic selection • Systems/Synthetic Biology • Efficiencies • Feed-to-yield ratio • Heat tolerance • Photosynthesis: C3 to C4 • CisgenicsvsTransgenics • Water-use: Crop per Drop • Nitrogen-, phosphorus-use • Managing pre- and post-harvest losses

  4. Path Forward: Discoveries • Virtual water and nitrogen • True costs? • Transformative approaches • Perennial/multi cropping • Conversion of deserts? • Algae in oceans? • Bio-/nano-technology • Modern Meadow, Inc. • 3-D printing • Beyond Meat, Inc. • Logistics and mechanization • Pest management • Big data: data.gov/agriculture • Policy research • Research investments • Partnerships • Governments • NGOs • Private • Academic

  5. Path Forward: Farming systems Fish culture and irrigation ARO, Israel: Harpaz 2012 • Improved technologies • Productivity gap: 1.52% • Peak farmland – Ausubel et al. 2013 • Cooperatives – Kibbutz? • Closed loop systems • Integrated/diversified • Soil fertility • Nitrogen, Phosphorus • Smart farming • Robotics, sensors, sentinels • Resilient intensification • Policies and consequences • Vertical farming • Hydroponics • Aquaponics

  6. Path ForwardPolicies/Regulation/Marketing • Governance • Socially beneficial policies, programs • Acceptance of technologies • Behavior, Choices, Attitudes • Risk and Change • Poverty reduction • Education • Trade – “glocalization” • Jobs • Environmental degradation/conservation

  7. Path Forward: Education Education Pipeline Domains Workforce Scientific cadre Extension cadre Producers

  8. Workforce Needs Agriculture, Food Systems, Renewable Energy, &Environment Science &Engineering 15% 27% 11% 47% Education, Communication, &Governmental Services Management &Business • Between 2010-2015, 54,400 jobs in agriculture, food, and natural resources • Approximately 53,500 qualified graduates are available each year • 55% have degrees from colleges of agriculture and life sciences, forestry and natural resources, and veterinary medicine • 45% come from allied disciplines including biological sciences, engineering, health sciences, business and communication Source: USDA

  9. Workforce Needs • Demographic changes • Global competencies • More international students returning home • Foreign‐born population in US projected to increase – >40 M in 2010 to >68 M in 2060

  10. Workforce Needs Research Multi- and Trans-disciplinary skills Application: need workers with skills to translate/transfer research to the end user What does this mean as we train new researchers, extension agents, the workforce, and agricultural producers?

  11. Path Forward: Back To The Future?

  12. 1862: An Act donating Public Lands to the several States and Territories which may Provide Colleges for the Benefit of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts “…without excluding other scientific and classical studies and including military tactic, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in such manner as the legislatures of the States may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education… .” http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=012/llsl012.db&recNum=534

  13. 1893: Committee of Ten – National Education Association meeting in Saratoga, NY “… science should be based on direct experience with the physical world rather than the words of teachers or textbooks. … recommended teachers guide students’ thinking and … . … one week be set aside for laboratory instruction and one afternoon per week be set aside for out-of-door instruction.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Committee_of_Ten#cite_ref-4

  14. 1983: A Nation at Risk  "Our nation is at risk...the educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future … .” Recommendations: … increasegraduation requirements in english, mathematics, science, and social studies; two-years foreign language for the college bound; raiseexpectations and standardsadmissions; longer school days and years with increased amounts of homework. … improved teacher education, increased teacher pay … . … accountability of civic and school leaders to the citizenry.” http://datacenter.spps.org/uploads/sotw_a_nation_at_risk_1983.pdf

  15. 1990: Science for All Americans: Project 2061 AAAS lays out a goal for what science education should look like by the return of Halley's comet in 2061. “… science education should help students to become scientifically literate by integrating the disciplines of science, mathematics, and technology/engineering, focusing on guiding themes and principles that unify the disciplines independently and bring them together as a whole, and explicitly teaching the nature of science.” http://www.project2061.org/publications/sfaa/default.htm

  16. 2006: Cognitive and NoncognitiveAbilities James Heckman, JoraStixrud, Sergio Urzua “… cognitive and noncognitive abilities determine social and economic success. … . … noncognitive skills … explain why early childhood programs, like Headstart and the Perry Preschool program, are effective. … they do not boost IQbut raise noncognitive skills and therefore promote success in social and economic life.” http://www.nber.org/papers/w12006.pdf?new_window=1

  17. Percent Employers Rating Skill as "Very Important” Adapted from: http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/documents/FINAL_REPORT_PDF9-29-06.pdf www.21stcenturyskills.org/documents/FINAL_REPORT_PDF9-29-06.pdf

  18. Noncognitiveskills aka Soft skills • Communications • Decision making • Self management • Teamwork • Professionalism • Experiences • Leadership “Comparative Analysis of Soft Skills:What is Important for New Graduates? Perceptions of Employers, Alum, Faculty and Students,” APLU, 2011

  19. 2007: America COMPETES Act "To invest in innovation through research and development, and to improve the competitiveness of the United States. “… Act’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education agenda.… enhancement of research capabilities and coordination and importance of undergraduate research experiences … .” http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/hr2272/text

  20. 2009: Transforming Agricultural Education for a Changing World – National Academy of Sciences “If institutions … do not address changes needed, their colleges … of agriculture may … become irrelevant. Their graduates will have difficulty in keeping up with changing needs of society and in securing stable careers. … nation will miss its opportunity for leadership in addressing the global challenges related to food and agriculture.” http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12602#toc

  21. The Morrill/LG Act Cognitive Skills Noncognitive Skills Foundational knowledge in humanities and sciences Practical education in agriculture and mechanical arts Military leadership

  22. Coalition for a Sustainable Agricultural Workforce Start younger Get hands-on experience Attract the best and the brightest Companies expect to hire >1,000 scientist-level FTEs in next two years(13% of current scientific workforce) 84percent of total needed in Plant Sciences, Breeding/Genetics, and Protection

  23. LGUs and 21st Century Workforce

  24. LGU Survey Results

  25. Curricular Innovations to Address Nine Billion Question • University of Nebraska • Integrating food, energy, water, landscapes and people in undergraduate curriculum • B.S. in Integrated Sciences for students with academic and professional goals that require trans-disciplinary study • Dean's Scholars in Experiential Leadership Program • AGRI 103 –first-year required course revisedto focus on “big questions” for the future of agriculture in the context of natural resource use and long-term global needs and sustainability

  26. University of Florida • Offer year-long leadership institute, leadership minor, and certificate program in Food Security Leadership • North Carolina State University • Course: “World Population and Food Prospects” • UC Davis • Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems major • Iowa State University • New major “Global Resource Systems” • Virginia Tech • More hands on experiences; new courses; minor in international agricultural and life sciences • University of Minnesota • MOOC - Sustainability of Food Systems: A Global Life-Cycle Perspective

  27. Innovations in EducationStart at a younger age Use the LG model in high schools Enhanced partnerships between high schools and colleges/universities Resurrect AITC/Home Economics curricula

  28. Innovations in EducationHands-on Experience Science fairs with an agriculture component Internships forundergrads and high school students National competition for developing value-added products

  29. Innovations in EducationAttract Best & Brightest: Constraints/Opportunities • Cost of education/For profits • Ag’s image problem • “Useless Degrees” • http://education.yahoo.net/articles/most_useless_degrees.htm • Earnings potential/job placement • 4-H and other informal education systems • Role of community colleges • 2+2 articulation • Need to build Ag curriculum at this level • Gateway for minority and rural populations

  30. Innovations in EducationPublic-Private Partnerships • Master agreements • Co-funding • Experiential education • Internships, externships • Mentoring • HS, UG, G, Postdoc • Leadership opportunities • Guest lectures

  31. Back to the Future? Morrill/LG Act Education Pipeline Domains Path Forward Experiential Education Workforce Scientific cadre Extension cadre Producers

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