Annual Reports
ACS - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Committee (ACS528)
2013 Annual Report
The Diversity in Agronomy, Crops, Soils and Environmental Sciences Committee (ACS528) moved forward to achieve its objectives of enhancing the participation of underrepresented students and professionals by strengthening and diversifying the potential workforce in agricultural and environmental sciences. This was evidenced by the enhanced participation of graduate students in the Minority Student Poster Competition. The Gateway Scholars Program (previously known as Platinum Scholars Program) of the ACS 528 continue to succeed by exposing high schools students to the tri-societies. Forty-five students and five science teachers from 4 different high schools in the Tampa area spent a day at the conference interacting with scientists, college students and exhibitors. Overall, the Diversity Committee’s activities during the Annual Meeting were a success. This report, in addition to the minutes from this year’s Annual Meetings, highlights various activities and achievements during 2013. Acknowledgment of donors and supporters, linking activities along with other initiatives from the three societies and the Agronomic Science Foundation and suggestions for improvement are also presented.
1. Mission Statement (updated)
Diversity in Agronomy, Crops, Soils and Environmental Sciences Committee (ACS528), under the auspices of the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, is committed to enhance participation of underrepresented students and professionals in the tri-societies, thereby strengthening and diversifying the potential workforce in agricultural and environmental sciences. The Diversity Committee’s endeavors are to recruit students for careers in agriculture and environmental sciences through the Gateway Scholars Program, that sponsors the participation of local high school students and teachers at the ASA/CSSA/SSSA annual meetings, where they obtain first-hand experience of agricultural and environmental issues, cutting-edge scientific knowledge, and enhanced understanding of the tri-Societies’ role in finding solutions to national and global problems concerning production of food, fiber, fuel, and the environment.
2. Minutes of Monthly Teleconferences and Annual Business Meetings
Teleconferences:
Monthly teleconferences were regularly held this year to keep the members abreast of committee activities and to enhance their involvement in the efforts to achieve objectives of the ACS528 committee. During these monthly teleconferences, subcommittees were created to help carry out the activities of the Diversity Committee for this year’s Annual Meeting (see attachments).
Annual Business Meeting - 2013
The annual business meeting was held on November 4, 2013, at the Tampa Convention Center, Tampa. It was attended by the members of the ACS528 and other members within the societies (ASA-CSSA-SSSA) representing underrepresented groups across the world. A total of 25 people attended this year’s annual business meeting. Dr. Eton Codling of the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (Chair-2013) presented the 2013 Committee Activities Report. The Chair elect for 2015 was elected through voting. The secretary was also elected unanimously. Four awards, first (1), second (1) and third places (2), from the Diversity Graduate Student Poster Competition were presented by Dr. Rufina Ward (Alabama A&M University, 2011 Chair). Committee members and guests discussed ideas of how to improve and expand the activities of the Diversity Committee and make preparation for Long Beach in 2014.
3. Diversity Graduate Student Poster Competition, ASA-CSSA-SSSA International
Meetings, November 3-6, 2013, Tampa, FL
Every year, one of the major activities of the Diversity in Agronomy, Crops, Soils and Environmental Sciences Committee (ACS528) is to recognize outstanding posters presented by graduate students from under-represented groups attending the Annual International Meetings of the tri-societies (ASA-CSSA-SSSA). A total of ten graduate students participated in the poster competition this year. These participants also summarized their research for the High School students participating in the Gateway Scholars Program of the ACS 528 (please see Item-4 below). This year the interaction between graduate students presenting posters and the participants of the Gateway Scholars Program was remarkable. This participation helped to achieve the objective of motivating the high school students towards agricultural and environmental science related fields.
The winners of the Diversity Graduate Student Poster Competition were:
(I) Pamela Calvo Velez
“Application of Microbial Inoculants as Tools for Reducing Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Different Nitrogen Fertilizers” Auburn University, Auburn AL.
(II). Madahy Romero
“Accelerated Solvent Extraction of the Herbicide Mesotrione from Texas Soils” Texas A&M University
(III). Alexandra, Williams
“Comparative Response of Poa annua L. Biotypes from Golf Greens to PGR and Herbicide Treatments” University of Kentucky,
(III). Dilooshi Weerasooriya
“Population Structure, Genetic and Racial Diversity Analysis for Grain Mold Resistance in Selected Sorghum Accessions” Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.
4. Gateway Scholars Program, ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Meetings November 3-6, 2013, Tampa, FL
The 'Gateway Scholars program' was initiated in 2010 under the name 'Platinum Scholars Program'. The ACS 528 committee voted for change in the name of this initiative to align better with the Society's other programs. This program was designed to introduce high school students to the multitude of scientific disciplines in which members of ASA, CSSA and SSSA are engaged in by inviting students and teachers from local high schools to attend the annual conference. The goal is to introduce the next generation of scientists to these research areas and identify and motivate the future leaders in these sciences. This year students and teachers from four schools (Middleton High School; Armwood High School; Freedom High School and East Bay High School) participated on November 5, 2013 during the ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings in Tampa. The Gateway Scholars were guided to attend oral and poster sessions of their interest and introduced to participants of the Diversity Graduate Student Poster Competition (Special Session 159). It was interesting to note that there was remarkable interaction between the graduate students presenting posters in the Diversity Poster competition and the high school Gateway Scholars. The Gateway Scholars visited College/ University booths and vendors in exhibit hall. At the end of the program, students attended the Gateway Scholars Motivational Program (Special Session 165 held at 2:00 to 5:00 pm) where leading researchers Dr. Veronica Acosta-Martinez (USDA-ARS), Dr. Maria Gallo (Dean, University of Hawaii), and Dr. Andrew Manu (Iowa State University) delivered motivational lectures to the students. A panel discussion was created made up of a Senior Scientist Dr. Birl Lowery (University of Madison-Wisconsin), Early Career Scientist Dr. Shalamar Armstrong (Illinois State University), Post Doc Dr. Terrance Gardner (North Carolina State University), Graduate Student Ms. Pamela Calvo, (Auburn University), and an Undergraduate Student Mr. Joshua Allen (Prairie View A&M University) to allow high school students attending the Gateway Scholars Program the opportunity to ask questions related to pursuing careers in agriculture and environmental science related fields. A survey to obtain feedback from the students and teachers for future improvement was sent via e-mail to the teachers accompanying the students.
5. Request for Endorsement from Societies’ Presidents of New Chair, Chair-elect and Member
ACS528 submits to the Societies’ presidents the following names for endorsement:
2013 2014 Chair: Dr. Annette A. James (Prairie View A&M University)
2015 Chair-elect and new member: Dr. Mark Ibekwe (USDA-ARS Riverside, CA)
ACS 528 new member: Mark Ibekwe, Arthur Allen
ACS 528 Member (renewal): Ann Marie Thro
6. Acknowledgment of Supporters, Donors and Motivational speakers
ACS 528 Committee is grateful to the Agronomic Science Foundation, LI-COR Environmental Campbell Scientific and the tri-societies (CSSA-ASA-SSSA) for the monetary support. The Committee would like to thank Noble Foundation, USDA-ARS, AMMU, U. Illinois, U. Wyoming, YSU and NOSB for providing promotional gift items and other support for the Gateway Scholars Program.
We thank student volunteers who served as guides for the high school students. We would also like to acknowledge the assistance of Ms. Pamela Walden, Supervisor Agriculture and JROTC; Dr. Craig D. Stanley, Professor and Associate Center Director University of Florida, IFAS; Dr. James Dyer, Professor of Agricultural Education UF - Plant City Campus for identifying and arranging the students to attend the Gateway Scholars Program. Ms. Jessica Copeland teacher from Middleton High School; Mr. Edgar Watkins, teacher from Armwood High School; Ms Elizabeth Tozier teacher from Freedom High School and Ms Kim Wills teacher from Eat Bay High School for bringing their students to the Gateway Scholars program.
We would like to thank Drs. Veronica Acosta-Martinez, Soil Scientist, USDA-ARS Wind Erosion and Water Conservation Unit; Maria Gallo, Dean University of Hawaii Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources; Andrew Manu, Professor of Soil Science, Iowa State University; Birl Lowery, Soil Physicist, Dean at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; Shalamar Armstrong, Soil Scientist, Illinois State University; Terrence Gardner, Soil Biochemist, North Carolina State University, Pamela Calvo, Plant Bacteriologist, Auburn University; and Mr. Joshua Allen, Agronomist, Prairie View A&M University for their impressive presentations and discussion during the Gateway Scholars’ Motivational Program. In addition, we are grateful to Dr. L. R. Ahuja, Research Leader, USDA-ARS, Agricultural Systems Research Unit, Fort Collins, CO; Florida Peanut Producers Association; Dr. Norman Leppla, University of Florida; Mr. Steve Sless, Paragon Outlet Partners Orlando Fl; and Dr. Ann Marie Thro, National Program Leader (NIFA) for providing goodies for the Gateway Scholars.
We also thank everybody in the headquarters of the tri-societies, for providing assistance to the Diversity Committee. We would like to specially thank Mr. Alexander Barton for facilitating funding from the Agronomic Science Foundation, Ms. Emily Fuger for serving as the Committee’s liaison for the Societies, and Mr. Keith Schlesinger for his help and guidance. The Committee is deeply grateful to the ASA - CSSA - SSSA for supporting all our events.
Items Requiring Board Attention:
Committee membership and Nomination
Because the committee serves under all three Societies, larger membership, we believe, is warranted. We would like to keep the number of official members at 18 considering the many activities of the ACS528 committee.
We would like to nominate Mark Ibekwe, Microbiologist at USDA-ARS Riverside, CA (2015 Chair-elect) as new member.
Committee notification of new members
In the 2011 Annual Report of ACS 528, it was recommended that all Society Presidents must notify ACS528 Committee Chair of each new appointment. However, this has not been implemented yet. It is again recommended that a new member must be required to establish contact with the committee (and vice versa) within a month of the appointment.
Non-participation of members
In case of extended non-activity (e.g., no contact or zero participation in any form for more than six months in one year), the Committee Chair should have the option of submitting a nominee to the Societies to replace inactive member.
Members of the Committee:
Eton Codling (Chair)
Ernst Cebert (Member-ASA)
Soni Pradhanang (Member-ASA)
Nithya Rajan (Member-ASA)
Kenneth Sajwan (Member-ASA)
Lingxiao Zhang (Member-ASA)
Maria Monteros (Member-CSSA)
Asheesh Singh (Member-CSSA)
Felicia Armstrong (Member-SSSA)
Karletta Chief (Member-SSSA)
Frieda Eivazi (Member-SSSA)
Clay Robinson (Member-SSSA)
Emily Fuger (Staff Liaison)
Prepared By:
Codling, Eton E.