Annual Reports

 

ACS - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Committee (ACS528)

2018 Annual Report


Summary

The Diversity in Agronomy, Crops, Soils and Environmental Sciences Committee (ACS528) proceeded with its primary objectives to 1) expose local high school students to opportunities in agricultural sciences with attendance to annual ASA, CSSA and SSSA meetings; and 2) increase graduate student participation in the Minority Student Poster Competition. The Diversity Committee held a Graduate Student Poster Competition in 2018 at the ACS/CSA Conferences in Baltimore, MD and in 2019 at the SSSA meetings held in San Diego, CA. In 2018/2019 the Diversity Committee partnered with Women in Science to host a symposium titled “Dual-Career Problem”.  The committee also had several discussions related to opportunities to increase the diversity among awards/recognition within the societies (i.e. Fellows) and ways to expand the mission of the committee beyond organization of the high school symposium and graduate student completion. This report includes summaries from teleconferences and the Annual Meeting, highlighting the various activities and achievements in 2018. 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 experiences of 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:

The committee held four teleconferences this year to discuss activities for both the Baltimore and San Diego meetings. Most of the active committee members were only attending SSSA, therefore limiting the activities for the ACS/CSA meetings. The committee decided to host only the Graduate Student Competition at ASA/CSA and to host the Gateway Scholars Program, Graduate Student Poster Competition, symposium, and committee meeting at the SSSA meetings in Sand Diego, CA. The committee also agreed to co-sponsor with Women in Science a panel on the Dual-Career Problem, focusing on spousal hiring practices at universities. The committee sought representation from 1890 institutions and learned that policies such as spousal hire do not formally exist.

Annual Business Meeting – San Diego, Ca, January 2019

This year’s annual business meeting was held at SSSA in San Diego on January 7, 2019. A total of 5 people participated in this year’s annual business meeting.  Dr. Candiss O. Williams, Chair was not able to attend the conference this year due to suspended travel of NRCS SSD.  Dr. Dedrick Davis (Alabama A&M University) chaired the meeting on her behalf. Also, in attendance were Dr. Terrence Gardner (North Carolina State University), Dr. Shalamar Armstrong (Purdue University), Dr. Jean McLain (University of Arizona, Tucson), and Rachel Leege (ACS/CSA/SSSA Liaison).  The committee discussed ideas of how to improve and expand the activities of the Diversity Committee and the direction of the Gateway Scholars Program.

  

3. Diversity Graduate Student Poster Competitions, ASA-CSSA International Meetings (Baltimore, MD) and SSSA International Meetings (San Diego, CA). 

Annually, one of the significant activities of the Diversity in Agronomy, Crops, Soils and Environmental Sciences Committee (ACS528) is to recognize outstanding research presented by graduate students from under-represented groups at the Annual International Meetings (ASA-CSSA-SSSA).  A total of 7 graduate students participated in this year’s competitions. The participants attending SSSA also had an opportunity to explain their research to participants of the Gateway Scholars Program. The winners of the competitions are as follows:

ASA-CSA in Baltimore, MD November 2018

1st Place    

Shikkha Singh      Soil Moisture Sensitivity on Microbial Processing of Soil Organic Carbon in Different Textured Soils                                             University of Tennessee-Knoxville

2nd Place 

Pramod Pokhrel   Effect of Cover Crop Residues on Soil Organic Carbon Mineralization in an Organic Soybean Production System                         Texas A&M University

 

3rd Place         

Surrenda Singh     Suitability of Current Soil Health Assessment Approaches for the Agricultural Soils of  West Tennessee                                        University of Tennessee-Knoxville

 

Judges: Dr. Dexter Watts (USDA-ARS), Dr. Eton Codling (USDA-ARS), and Dr. Mathew Bright (AAAS Congressional Policy Fellow)

 

SSSA in Sand Diego, CA January 2019

1st Place    

Michelle Mbia-Noah      Laboratory Evaluation of Biochar Effects on a Capacitance Based Soil Water Content Sensor                                            Alabama A&M University

2nd Place 

Mounika Pudota              Biochar Effects on Evaporation from Porous Media                  

 Alabama A&M University

Judge: Dr. Terrence Gardner

 

 4. Gateway Scholars Program, SSSA Meetings January 8, 2019, San Diego, CA    

The Gateway Scholars Program is 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. Per the committee’s mission, the goal is to introduce the next generation of scientists to agricultural and environmental research areas and identify and motivate the future leaders in these sciences. This year we hosted 27 students and 3 faculty from All Tribes Charter School located within the San Diego School District. The committee was very fortunate to identify a SSSA member who would best identify with the program participants as the motivational speaker. The program this year included a welcome and overview of the societies by Dr. Dedrick Davis, attendance of the Exhibit Hall to review research conducted by the Diversity Poster Competition recipients and other scientists attending the conference, interaction with colleges and universities at their respective booths, review of the varying vendors, and attendance at two scientific oral presentations. At the end of the program, the students had the opportunity to receive an inspirational talk from Dr. Karletta Chief, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, from the University of Arizona-Tucson. Dr. Chief’s graduate student, Lydia Jennings also spoke on her experience in agricultural sciences. Following the presentations, the participants were given the opportunity to ask questions.

 

5.  Other

The Diversity Committee partnered with Women in Science to Co-Sponsor a much-needed discussion to inform soil scientists, especially Early-Career scientists: graduate students and postdocs, about various solutions to the Dual-Career problem. Panelists included scientists who have personally experienced spousal placement and administrators who could speak to official University spousal placement policies. The Diversity Committee sought out 1890 Universities to be represented in the discussion, however, learned that such programs do not exist.

 

6. Request for Endorsement from Societies’ Presidents of New Chair, Chair-elect and Member

ACS528 submits to the Societies’ Presidents the following names for endorsement:

The Societies selected Dr. Jean McLain (University of Arizona, Tucson)

           

7. Acknowledgment of Supporters, Donors and Motivational speakers

ACS 528 Committee is grateful to the Agronomic Science Foundation and our societies (CSSA-ASA-SSSA) for monetary support. The Committee would also like to thank the universities who donated promotional items to provide to the participants.  

  • We would like to thank Dr. Karletta Chief for serving as the motivational speaker.
  • We would like to thank graduate student, Lydia Jennings for her interaction with the program participants.
  • We would like to thank All Tribes Charter School principal, Mrs. Lianne Lange and her staff members Mr. Cooper and Mr. Liebenberg for making this opportunity possible for their students.
  • We would like to thank the following for serving as judges for the poster competitions: Drs. Dexter Watts, Eton Codling, Mathew Bright, and Terrence Gardner.

  • We would also like to acknowledge Ms. Rachel Leege for serving as the Committee’s liaison and for securing the funds and items to ensure that our activities for all meetings were successful. 

 

8. Items Requiring Board Attention:

  • Consider broadening the scope of the committee beyond organizing high school symposia and graduate student poster competitions;

  • Increase visibility of the committee;

  • Consider scheduling meetings earlier in the day at the conference;

  • Develop symposia focused on different aspects of diversity to enhance representation in industry and academia;

  • Identify undergraduate students for Society awards;

  • Address lack of diversity in Society Awards and Fellowships; and

    • Consider acknowledging members of the varying societies who have addressed diversity in their programming (i.e. mentoring)

  • Sponsor workshops that train university and private sector to increase and foster diversity.

 

Active Committee Members:

Dr. Candiss O. Williams, Chair

Dr. Dedrick Davis

Dr. Terrence Gardner

Dr. Mark Ibekwe

Dr. Dexter Watts

Dr. Eton Codling

Dr. Mathew Bright

Dr. Shalamar Armstrong

Dr. Ramble Ankumah

Dr. Ann Marie Thro

Dr. Hero Gollany

Ms. Rachel Leege, Staff Liaison

 

Items Requiring Board Attention:

Items Requiring Board Attention:

  • Consider broadening the scope of the committee beyond organizing high school symposia and graduate student poster competitions;

  • Increase visibility of the committee;

  • Consider scheduling meetings earlier in the day at the conference;

  • Develop symposia focused on different aspects of diversity to enhance representation in industry and academia;

  • Identify undergraduate students for Society awards;

  • Address lack of diversity in Society Awards and Fellowships; and

    • Consider acknowledging members of the varying societies who have addressed diversity in their programming (i.e. mentoring)

  • Sponsor workshops that train university and private sector to increase and foster diversity.

Members of the Committee:

Candiss Williams (Chair)
Hero Gollany (Member-ASA)
Noemi Guindin (Member-ASA)
Jean McLain (Member-ASA)
Natasha Rayne (Member-ASA)
Matthew Bright (Member-CSSA)
Xiaobo Hou (Member-CSSA)
Augustine Obour (Member-CSSA)
Khusi Tiwari (Member-CSSA)
Sandya Rani Kesoju (Member-SSSA)
Susan Chapman (Staff Liaison)
Rachel Schutte (Staff Liaison)

Prepared By:

Williams, Candiss O.