Annual Reports
ACS - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Committee (ACS528)
2015 Annual Report
Annual Report of ACS 528 for 2015
Summary
The Diversity in Agronomy, Crops, Soils and Environmental Sciences Committee (ACS528) proceeded with its main objectives to:1) increase the number of high school students attending 2015’s ASA, CSSA and SSSA meetings; and 2) increase graduate student participation in the Minority Student Poster Competition. The high schools students participating in the Gateway Scholars Program (previously known as Platinum Scholars Program) of the ACS 528 enjoyed the planned activities and displayed great interest and enthusiasm at this year’s meeting. Overall, the Diversity Committee’s activities during the Annual Meeting were a success. This report, includes minutes from the Annual Meeting and highlights the various activities and achievements of 2015. Acknowledgment of donors and supporters, and suggestions for improvement are also presented.
1. Mission Statement
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 enhancing the participation of underrepresented students and professionals in the three Societies, thereby strengthening and diversifying the potential workforce in agricultural and environmental sciences. The Diversity Committee endeavors are to recruit students for careers in the agricultural and environmental sciences through the Gateway Scholars Program. The Gateway Scholars Program sponsors the participation of local high school students and teachers at the ASA/CSSA/SSSA annual meetings, where they obtain first-hand experience on agricultural and environmental issues, cutting-edge scientific knowledge, and enhanced understanding of the role of the Tri-Societies 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 the committee’s activities and to enhance their involvement in the efforts to achieve the 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. The subcommittees were as follows: Graduate Student Poster Competition Committee, Gateway Scholars Program Committee, Gateway Scholars Funding Raising Committee, and the Gateway Scholars High School Identification Committee. In 2015, we started the Gateway Scholarship Committee.
Annual Business Meeting - 2015
This year’s annual business meeting was held on November 17, 2015 at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, MN. It was attended by the members of the ACS528 and other members of the societies (ASA-CSSA-SSSA) representing underrepresented groups across the world. A total of 25 people attended this year’s annual business meeting. Dr. Mark Ibekwe, Research Microbiologist USDA-ARS US Salinity Laboratory, Riverside CA (Chair-2015), presented the 2015 Committee’s Activity Report. The Chair-elect for 2017 and secretary for 2016 were elected through voting. Committee members and guests discussed ideas of how to improve and expand the activities of the Diversity Committee in preparation for Phoenix in 2016. One suggestion was to start the Gateway Scholarship Committee and strengthen the fund raising committee so that we could raise enough funds for at least one scholarship award to a high school senior participating in the annual meeting. It was also suggested that we could bring in mostly high school seniors to the annual meeting.
3. Diversity Graduate Student Poster Competition, ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Meetings, November 14-19, 2015, Minneapolis, MN.
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 at the Annual International Meetings of the three societies (ASA-CSSA-SSSA). A total of 7 graduate students belonging to underrepresented groups participated in this year’s competition. The participants also had the opportunity to explain their research to the High School students attending the Gateway Scholars Program of the ACS 528. The interaction between the graduate students presenting posters and the ones participating in the Gateway Scholars Program was outstanding and very encouraging. It helped to achieve our objective of motivating high school students to think about pursuing a career in agricultural and environmental sciences. The three award winners of the Diversity Graduate Student Poster Competition were Dilooshi Weerasooriya (Kansas State University) - Agronomic Potential and Grain and Nutritional Quality Attributes in Herbicide Resistant Sorghums (1st), Ananda Bandara (Kansas State University) - Sorghum stalk rot pathogens affect transcription of key genes involved in chlorophyll metabolism of a non-staygreen, disease susceptible genotype (2nd), and Dessy Owiti (North Carolina State University) - Soil Organic Carbon Fractions and Carbohydrate Hydrolase Activities in a Forest Ecosystem Following Prescribed Burning and Thinning (3rd).
4. Gateway Scholars Program, ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Meetings November 14-19, 2015, Minneapolis, MN.
The ‘Gateway Scholars program' was initiated in 2010 under the name 'Platinum Scholars Program'. The ACS 528 committee voted for a 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 we hosted students from Providence Academy and Cristo Rey High School. The students were welcomed by CHS and they viewed a 90 second video about CHS and career opportunities. In addition, two representatives from CHS shared their experiences with the students. The Gateway Scholars with their appointed tour guides attended oral sessions on characterizing and controlling insects, bacteria associated with manure-impacted environments, and embedding soils in STEM education. The Gateway Scholars visited college/ university booths and vendors in the exhibit hall. At the end of the program, the students attended the Gateway Scholars Motivational Program (Special Session held at 2:00 to 5:00 pm) where Dr. Ernst Cebert and Dr. Candiss Williams served as speakers for the Gateway Scholars Motivational Program. The speakers provided the students with valuable information regarding their individual journeys. The students also participated in a panel discussion composed of a Senior Scientist - Dr. Kokoasse Kpomblekou (Tuskegee University), Mid-Career Scientist - Dr. Candiss Williams (USDA-NRCS), Early Career Scientist - Dr. Terrence Gardner (North Carolina State University), and Graduate Student - Ms. Dessy Owiti (North Carolina State University). The high school students attending the Gateway Scholars Program were given the opportunity to ask questions related to pursuing careers in agricultural and environmental science related fields. The students and teachers that attended the Gateway Scholars Program were given a survey to obtain feedback in order for Diversity Committee to make future improvements to its Gateway Scholar’s Program Activities.
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:
2016 Chair: Dr. Dedrick D. Davis (Alabama A&M University)
2017 Chair Elect: Dr. Terrence Gardner (North Carolina State University)
2016 Secretary: Dr. Candiss Williams (USDA-NRCS)
6. Acknowledgment of Supporters, Donors and Motivational speakers
ACS 528 Committee is grateful to the Agronomic Science Foundation and our own societies (CSSA-ASA-SSSA) for monetary support. The Committee would also like to thank the Noble Foundation, USDA-ARS, Alabama A&M University, University of Illinois, University of Wyoming, Yorktown State University, Prairie View A&M University, NOSB, and CHS, for providing promotional gift items and other support for the Gateway Scholars Program.
We would also thank the student volunteers who served as guides for the high school students. We would like to thank the teachers from Providence Academy and Cristo Rey High School for allowing their students to attend the Gateway Scholars program.
We would like to thank Dr. Ernst Cebert and Dr. Candiss Williams for their informative and interesting motivational presentation and panelists Drs. Kokoasse Kpomblekou, Candiss Williams, Terrence Gardner and Ms. Dessy Owiti. In addition, we are grateful to Dr. Ann Marie Thro, National Program Leader (NIFA), for providing goodies for the Gateway Scholars.
The Committee is deeply grateful to the ASA - CSSA - SSSA for supporting all our events.
We also thank everybody in the headquarters of all three societies, for providing assistance to the Diversity Committee. We would like to specially thank Mr. Alexander Barton for facilitating funding from Agronomic Science Foundation and Ms. Emily Fuger for serving as the Committee’s liaison with the Societies.
Items Requiring Board Attention:
Members of the Committee:
Abasiofiok Ibekwe (Chair)
Justin Moss (Member-ASA)
Prasanna Gowda (Member-CSSA)
Funso Kutu (Member-CSSA)
Teshome Regassa (Member-CSSA)
Amanda Ashworth (Member-SSSA)
Yucheng Feng (Member-SSSA)
Emily Fuger (Staff Liaison)
Prepared By:
Ibekwe, Abasiofiok M.