ACES Impact Stories | 2018
Foundational Education and Training
Price Risk Management
Agricultural businesses face risks that come from many sources. Potential risk sources include unexpected changes in the economy (macroeconomic risks), supply chain disruptions from various events including weather (natural disasters) and government policies (trade wars), and financial markets. Financial derivatives, e.g., futures, options and swaps are tools that are commonly used to manage risks associated with uncertain future prices. Students in NMSU's Financial Futures Markets course (AG E 311) increased their understanding of how financial derivatives can be used to manage price risk including risks associated with changing interest rates, stock prices, and exchange rates.
Jay Lillywhite, lillywhi@nmsu.edu, Department Head/Professor, Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business
Dept Head/Professor, Extension Economics
Doctorate of Economics Development Students Research Strategies to Promote Rural Development
While rural America shows signs of a strengthening economy, after 6 years of economic recovery following the Great Recession of 2008, that is not the case in New Mexico. Many of New Mexico's rural non-metropolitan counties are economically challenged and losing ground: 61.5% (16 of 26) of the State's non-metropolitan counties lost population and 80.7% (21 of 26) lost jobs in 2010-2016. Doctoral students in the rural economic development class (ECDV 682) put their research training to work identifying several strategies, including eco-tourism, value added agriculture and entrepreneurship, to promote economic growth and development in rural NM communities.
Michael Patrick, jmpat@nmsu.edu, Associate Professor, Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business
Ext. Specialist/Economic Dev. Coordinator, Extension Economics
Consumer Behavior
Teaching undergraduates about the food industry and how consumers influence this sector of the economy is always lots of fun. A typical undergraduate often finds themselves asking "why did I buy this" which allows for additional discussion and debate throughout the semester. My class topics and discussions often continue after the official lecture time allotment and allow students to further evaluate the basis of the supply and demand models they study in economics but add to the theory of the influence of consumer behavior and marketing.
Chadelle Robinson, chadelle@nmsu.edu, Assistant Professor, Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business
Successes of AEAB students
Dr. Ward's classes have produced an average of about 350 student credit hours per year over the last five years. He teaches classes in Natural Resource Economics (undergraduate), Water Resource Economics (undergraduate) and Microeconomic Theory (graduate). Most students in Dr. Ward's classes from recent years are now professionally employed or in many cases have gone on to pursue masters or doctoral degrees. Dr. Ward currently advises three masters student and seven doctoral students. All five of Dr. Ward's PhD graduates since 2013 are gainfully employed in professional work in various dimensions of water resources and related research.
Frank Ward, fward@nmsu.edu, Distinguished Professor, Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business
World Agriculture and Food Problems (AG E 315V)
Raising awareness and understanding of food security issues begins with increased knowledge about the nature of nutrition and diet, the needs and demands for food in a world with growing populations, incomes, and diverse diets, and the pressure put on land, water, and environmental systems. Dr. Hurd challenges students' preconceived notions and reveals a broader perspective focused on the dynamic interplay of human and natural systems and the emerging trends and futures they suggest.
Brian Hurd, bhurd@nmsu.edu, Professor, Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business
Developing student skills with workforce tools - Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is one of the most widely used spreadsheet applications around the world. Thus, students that graduate with a higher level of proficiency with Excel will be more marketable as job candidates. AG E 450 exposes students to a wide array of Excel's features and capabilities. The course has been well received by students and is at enrollment capacity for the Spring semester.
Steve Ramsey, smramsey@nmsu.edu, Assistant Professor, Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business
Improving data and business analysis and computational ability using spreadsheets
The ability to manage data and display relevant information from that data is a driving force in the world today. Employers have indicated that spreadsheet proficiency, knowledge and ability are important skill sets for our graduates. Students in AG E 250 wrote formulas and used existing spreadsheet functions to effectively store, arrange and calculate data. The students demonstrated the ability to extract relevant information from a raw dataset provided to them.
John Townsend, jtownsen@nmsu.edu, College Professor, Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business
Plant blindness: bringing the importance of plants back into focus through K12 engagement in local public-school districts in southern New Mexico
People's inability to appreciate the aesthetics and unique biological features of plants, and the misguided, human ranking of plants as inferior to animals is known as "plant blindness." NMSU plant researchers are partnering with the Asombro Institute for Science Education to tackle the problem, which is alarmingly prevalent in younger generations, by developing lesson plans utilizing plant museum collections and specimen data to teach about plant biology and biodiversity. The program will reach 1,500 students yearly in two local public K12 school districts (Las Cruces Public Schools and Gadsden Independent Schools).
Sara Fuentes-Soriano, sfuensor@nmsu.edu, College Asst. Professor/Herbarium, Animal and Range Sciences
Increasing the visibility of NMSU Plant Herbaria through their full digitization
New Mexico has five major plant museums, known collectively as herbaria, which contain a combined 300,000 specimens of dried, pressed plants that are invaluable scientific resources used to promote education, research and public engagement. More than 30% (or 120,000) of these specimens are housed in two herbaria at NMSU, but the information they contain is partially available online. The collections are being physically merged, databased and digitized in a modern database for eventual release on the web. This will allow users around the globe to consult the specimen data and images of every single specimens within our collection harnessing its full potential.
Sara Fuentes-Soriano, sfuensor@nmsu.edu, College Asst. Professor/Herbarium, Animal and Range Sciences
Improving science comprehension among New Mexico middle school
Improving science comprehension among New Mexico middle school students is a focus of Drs. Dormody and Skelton of NMSU. In 2019 they will test their new STEM-based climate science curriculum with 130 Eighth Grade students in Las Vegas, NM. The study will determine pre-test to post-test differences in science knowledge, skills, and reasoning abilities. Another post-test will determine retention of learning. The curriculum has lessons on the water cycle, greenhouse effect, analyzing precipitation data, analyzing temperature data, and mitigating and adapting to weather and climate extremes in agriculture and natural resources
Tom Dormody, tdormody@nmsu.edu, Professor, Agricultural and Extension Education (AXED)
Preparing Youth to Solve Complex Agricultural Problems through Agricultural Research
Earlier this year, Dr. Tre Easterly accepted a three-year term to serve on the National FFA Agriscience Fair committee. In December, he began a three-year term as the national superintendent. This is in addition to the work he does as the state superintendent for the New Mexico Agriscience Fair. The agriscience fair is the largest competitive event at the National FFA Convention. Dr. Easterly hopes to elevate New Mexico on the national stage by providing agriculture teachers the knowledge they need to teach students how to use the scientific approach to solve complex problems in agriculture.
Ralph ‘Tre’ Easterly, easterly@nmsu.edu, Assistant Professor, Agricultural and Extension Education (AXED)
New Mexico State Prepares Next Generation of Agriculture Teachers in Authentic, Real-World Contexts
Preparing the next generation of agricultural educators is the primary focus for students in the teaching option in the agricultural and extension education department. Dr. Easterly's primary focus is to prepare students to enter the classroom to make a difference in the lives of students. The best way to do this is to provide authentic, real-world experiences for students. In 2018, AXED students interacted with at least 24 agricultural education programs. Their experiences included observing teachers in early field experience courses, working as student teachers, applying for competitive grants, and serving as volunteers for FFA and supervised experiences.
Ralph ‘Tre’ Easterly, easterly@nmsu.edu, Assistant Professor, Agricultural and Extension Education (AXED)
Researchers Work to Understand how Teachers Use Curricular Resources in the Agriculture Classroom
Dr. Easterly and Kassandra Simpson, a master's student, worked to examine how teachers utilize curricular resources in their classroom. This study provides a baseline for future investigations that will help researchers understand how to design curriculum that teachers need to make a positive change in student learning. Their investigation found that teachers use curricular resources differently depending on how the resource is designed and presented. They also found more efficacious teachers use resources that were expertly designed. As a result of their work, the researchers recommended that curriculum designers work to design products that promote teacher agency.
Ralph ‘Tre’ Easterly, easterly@nmsu.edu, Assistant Professor, Agricultural and Extension Education (AXED)
ACES 111 Mentor Program
Instituted in 2015, the ACES Mentor program has served a vital role in the ACES 111 Freshman Orientation class offered each fall in the college. The program has grown from 15 mentors in the Fall of 2015 to 30 mentors in the Fall of 2018. The role of the mentors is to provide peer guidance assisting freshmen students as they navigate their first semester in the college. Another important facet of the mentor program is that is provides leadership opportunities to upperclassman who have a heart to work with people and see the mentees succeed.
Frank Hodnett, fhodnett@nmsu.edu, Professor, Agricultural and Extension Education (AXED)
Senior Leadership Retreat Comes to ACES College
In January the ACES College hosted 4-H Senior Leadership Retreat. This state-wide leadership event has taken place in northern New Mexico since its inception but was moved to Las Cruces this past year. The purpose behind coming to NMSU was to expose senior age 4-H members to a college experience, making them familiar with our campus. All ACES departments provided educational workshops about their majors and highlighted careers within those majors. When Agents were asked about the program they stated that they were proud that our college provided this program, that all their members enjoyed it, and saw this opportunity as a way to recruit students to NMSU.
Frank Hodnett, fhodnett@nmsu.edu, Professor, Agricultural and Extension Education (AXED)
ANSC 310 Exhibiting Livestock
Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE) have been the basis for Agricultural Education and FFA since the beginning. The largest SAE program in New Mexico is livestock projects that are exhibited. Many students that come into Ag. Education do not have experience with livestock projects so this class is designed to teach the basics of exhibiting livestock. The object of the class is to not make professional herdsmen but to give the students hands on experience in halter breaking, grooming and showmanship of cattle, sheep, hogs, and goats. This class is 100% laboratory experience.
Frank Hodnett, fhodnett@nmsu.edu, Professor, Agricultural and Extension Education (AXED)
Agricultural Mechanics
NMSU is one of the few universities in our country that still offers a concentration in Agricultural Mechanics coursework. This subject area is important in building confidence, especially for young women who might never have had the opportunity to work with basic tools. Many of our students will teach in schools that have older equipment which will need to be maintained. Students are learning both how to use the equipment and how to teach others to use it. Students are also exposed to new technologies and their use in the field of sustainable agriculture. Agricultural Mechanics instruction gives our graduates the advantage when looking for teaching jobs. Instruction in Welding, carpentry, small gas engines and electricity provide an avenue for high school students to pursue careers whether college or workforce bound. Preparation of the teachers of these students in a comprehensive Agricultural Mechanics program is provided at NMSU.
Carlos Rosencrans, crosencr@nmsu.edu, Associate Professor, Agricultural and Extension Education (AXED)
Farmer Field Schools Shown to be an Effective Approach to Improve Agricultural Practices in Northern Uganda
Research conducted in northern Uganda showed that using a modified Farmer Field School approach to teach farmers about a new ox yoke increased their knowledge and adoption of the innovation. Proper use improved animal health and increased overall productivity. The involvement of Community Based Trainers (US equivalent to an Extension agent), were key to farmer adoption of the new technology.
Brenda Seevers, bseevers@nmsu.edu, Distinguished Professor, Agricultural and Extension Education (AXED)
Research Methods class teaches students to be both practitioners and consumers of research
Statistics show that we create as much information in two days as we did from the dawn of man through 2003. Living in an information age society begs the question of how we prepare our students to stay current in their discipline of study. Content and assignments in this class prepare students who want to conduct research but just as importantly selected assignments ensure their ability to critique and interpret research conducted in their program area of study. Understanding the critical issues in our professions is an essential skill to successful professional development. In completion of assignments related to critiquing published research an estimated 87% of students achieved high proficiency.
Brenda Seevers, bseevers@nmsu.edu, Distinguished Professor, Agricultural and Extension Education (AXED)
Agricultural Biotechnology
I continued teaching Agricultural Biotechnology (EPWS-301), Science and Society (EPWS-380), and helped with team teaching of EPWS-100. Student evaluation ratings, student comments, and faculty feedback were very positive for all courses, especially for the wider world EPWS-380. EPWS-380 focuses on core NMSU teaching objectives like critical thinking and communication while examining important current topics like climate change, the anti-vaccination movement, and GMO crops. Like most years, student evaluations for EPWS-380 once again contained comments like "should be a required course for all NMSU students" and other highly positive comments while receiving an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5.
Steve Hanson, shanson@nmsu.edu, Associate Professor, Entomology, Plant Pathology, and Weed Science (EPPWS)
Plant Physiology
I instructed a total of 94 students in three upper division/graduate-level courses. One class, Plant Physiology, had a total of 73 students from 10 different academic programs. Although this class was populated by students with different skills and experiences, the acquisition of new knowledge was more associated with student behavior (homework performance, attendance in class) than with student background (major, class rank). I came to this conclusion by statistically analysing before-and-after surveys conducted with student audience response systems (iClickers) throughout the semester. Thus, during 2017, I developed a method for producing quantitative evidence of teaching effectiveness and course accessibility.
Brian Schutte, bschutte@nmsu.edu, Associate Professor/Weed Physiology, Entomology, Plant Pathology, and Weed Science (EPPWS)
The percent of Dietetics graduates matched to internships increased by 16%
Historically, 49% of students graduating from the Didactic Program in Dietetics have been accepted into Dietetic Internships. Program reform began in 2015 and gained momentum in 2016 under the program Director, Brigit O'Donnell. Improvement efforts included the addition of new coursework that better meets key competencies, transition to a selective admissions program, incorporation of active learning strategies into most courses, a new structure for advising and career mentoring, increased communication with students, and improved student support. Together, these efforts have increased our graduates' acceptance rate from 49% to 66%.
Brigit O’Donnell, bodonnel@nmsu.edu, College Assistant Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences
Creating a comprehensive profile of FCS teachers and FCS extension agents in New Mexico—including demographic information, job satisfaction, employment plans, and existing or perceived barriers and challengers to teaching FCS content
The lack of reliable data concerning FCS teachers, the programs, and the overall teacher shortage is not only a problem in New Mexico, but reflects a national trend. Lack of knowledge hampers advocacy efforts in conversations with policy makers during times of scare resources. This information could be used to provide federal dollars for NMSU students.
Sharon Bartley, sbartley@nmsu.edu, Associate Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences
Job Readiness Training for Natural Resource Students
Working throughout New Mexico to train natural resource students (graduate and undergraduate) to become future land managers. We have worked with approximately 170 students across two major USDA grants. In our first grant 46% of our New Mexico students (n = 68) had a permanent position through the federal pathways program before or shortly after graduation another 21% continued on to graduate school. Others took temporary positions or positions outside the federal pathways program.
Martha Desmond, mdesmond@nmsu.edu, Professor, Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology
GALS (Girls on Outdoor Adventure for Leadership and Science)
In 2018, Dr. Boeing and four graduate students (Dejeanne Doublet, Lauren Flynn, Lauren Kremer, and Tricia Rosetti) developed a GALS (Girls on outdoor Adventure for Leadership and Science) at New Mexico State University. Twelve underprivileged and underrepresented high school girls from the Las Cruces - El Paso area who have not had similar previous opportunities or experiences were taken to the Gila Wilderness for a 1-week backpacking / camping adventure. While in the wilderness, girls learned survival skill and conducted science projects. Upon return, girls analyzed and graphed their data and gave presentations about their science projects. This empowering program was very well received by the New Mexico community and the Las Cruces Sun News published an article about the program (Las Cruces Sun News, Aug. 18, 2018).
Wiebke J. Boeing, wboeing@nmsu.edu, Professor, Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology
Night of the Living Debt
Financial literacy game Night of the Living Debt immerses players in a zombie world to navigate credit, debt, and choices about housing, education and transportation. Produced by NMSU's Learning Games Lab in the Department of Innovative Media Research and Extension, the game was designed for collaborative play in high school classrooms. In 2016, it won "Best Overall Digital Game" at the Meaningful Play Conference, Gold in the International Serious Play Awards, and was a finalist in the Serious Games Showcase & Challenge. It is available free at the iOS App Store for iPad and was played 7,000 times in 2018.
Barbara Chamberlin, bchamber@nmsu.edu, Asst Director/Professor, Innovative Media Research and Extension
Potluck Panic
Innovative Media Research and Extension collaborated with the University of Delaware to create an online, card-based game to help increase knowledge in food safety, food production and consumer health for post-secondary food science classes. With IRB approval, pre-and-post surveys were administered to 513 students; 124 completed both surveys. As a result of playing the game, 83% indicated more awareness of food safety issues, 70% indicated they make an effort to learn more about food safety, and 46% showed further interested in the food science major. The game will further be utilized and tested at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Pamela N. Martinez, pamelmar@nmsu.edu, Assistant Professor, Innovative Media Research and Extension
Ninja Kitchen Food Science Game
Ninja Kitchen, a middle-school food safety game, was played 245,000 times in 2018 and accessed 2.3 million times since 2013. Developed in collaboration Rutgers University and NMSU's Innovative Media Research and Extension (USDA-NIFA 2007-51110-03813), a lunch counter staffed by ninjas addresses youth helps youth develop good cooking and storing foods habits, employing temperature control and avoiding cross-contamination. Rutgers researchers found the game effective in improving food safety knowledge, attitudes and intentions among middle schoolers. Distributed on NMSU's website and via the educational website GameUp (part of BrainPOP), a source for educational games and multimedia.
Barbara Chamberlin, bchamber@nmsu.edu, Asst Director/Professor, Innovative Media Research and Extension
Learning Games Lab: User Testing and Related Research
The Learning Games Lab is a user testing and game research space; annually hosting youth for game testing, workshops and digital media activities, including nine sessions with 92 students in 2018. With IRB clearance, these "learning games consultants" provided important feedback for games and products in development. Two sessions, hosted by iThrive, focused on building the socio-emotional skills of teens. In these sessions, youth created a game pitch on an issue that concerns them. One proposed game helped teens learn how to counsel friends who suffering loss; another helped families of veterans with PTSD understand special needs of loved one.
Barbara Chamberlin, bchamber@nmsu.edu, Asst Director/Professor, Innovative Media Research and Extension
HRTM 443 – Meetings, Conventions, and Special Events
My HRTM 443 class worked with the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau to hold a Farm-to-Fork fundraising dinner to benefit New Mexico Ag in the Classroom and the School of HRTM. The students received hands-on experience with marketing, sales, design, safety & security, and event planning ups and downs. They also learned about the importance of the Ag in the Classroom program and what it means for students across the state. The event raised approximately $10,000 which was shared between the two programs.
Julie Correa, jzumwalt@nmsu.edu, College Assistant Professor, School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management (HRTM)
Promoting research in hospitality and tourism
The annual International Council of Hotel, Restaurant, Institutional Educators (ICHRIE) conference is the largest gathering of hospitality educators from all over the globe with approximately 500 attendees annually. Dr. Keith Mandabach is the Co-Chair of the Food and Beverage Track Refereed Poster and Paper Committee responsible for the double-blind reviews of over 20 papers and 25 posters per year and the Symposium Track Review Chair which receives 40 to 50 submissions per year. With these responsibilities, he promotes quality research that impacts hospitality and tourism industry professionals and educators throughout the world.
Keith Mandabach, kmandaba@nmsu.edu, Professor, School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management (HRTM)
Certifying all Classes Through Quality Matters and Teaching innovations
Dr. Keith Mandabach's Cost Control class was certified this year by Quality Matters. Beverage Management (already certified) is being updated to meet new standards. Both classes offer interactive content and are easy to navigate in Canvas. I incorporated web videos with text to add value to the classes. In addition, he piloted two new classes hospitality technology and Purchasing and Procurement at the suggestion of advisory board.
Keith Mandabach, kmandaba@nmsu.edu, Professor, School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management (HRTM)
HRTM 302 Hospitality Management Accounting
HRTM 302 Hospitality Management Accounting is a required course that teaches students the difference between business and hospitality accounting. Business accounting deals with products that are tangible. Products sold in our industry are intangible, therefore it uses a hospitality accounting method. Changing this face-to-face course to an online course was a challenge met with the help of the Online Course Improvement Program (OCIP). Meeting with this group and working on the course at times up to 20 hour a week, along with soliciting feedback from students resulted in a 86% pass rate for the course.
Pete Mitchell, petemit@nmsu.edu, College Assistant Professor, School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management (HRTM)
Burn one - run it through the garden
"Burn one - run it through the garden". Slang for the hamburger orders when feeding an average of 50 incoming students and their parents during orientation tours at the College of ACES. The School of HRTM opened the 100 West Café and kitchen for 10 orientations over the summer. Getting to participate with the multitude of new students in our college was a rewarding experience, but words cannot describe the pride felt when greeting the future Aggies with a smile and a howdy.
Pete Mitchell, petemit@nmsu.edu, College Assistant Professor, School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management (HRTM)
Effective instruction causes students to change career goals
Two students that were enrolled in my genetics course changed their major to Genetics and Biotechnology after the completion of this course.
Chris Cramer, cscramer@nmsu.edu, Professor, Plant & Environmental Sciences
The Principles of Genetics earns ~600 credit hours and is an excellent avenue for recruitment into the genetics program
This course is taken by students from all over campus since it is a required course for many majors. This class really cultivates and fosters students' interest in the field and also gets them excited about research. Moreover, this is one class where students realize that plant genetics is just as exciting as other areas of genetics and that one can help humankind by not just curing diseases but also ensuring that there is enough food to feed the world.
Champa Gopalan, csgopala@nmsu.edu, Distinguished Professor, Plant & Environmental Sciences
Developed distance education courses for the modern PES student
Curriculum in PES courses will need to shift to the needs of the modern student with increases in distance education offerings. Using turfgrass management courses as a model, science and laboratory based distance education courses have been developed to increase the availability and flexibility for future PES Students. Quality Matters certification will be pursued.
Ryan Goss, ryangoss@nmsu.edu, Associate Professor, Plant & Environmental Sciences
Modelling statewide general education with passport block transfer
One of the PES faculty serves as the Statewide Representative for the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). This appointment strategically allows NMSU to build a general education passport block model for all New Mexican institutions to follow. Passport blocks allowing students to transfer their completed general education block to any New Mexican or WICHE passport university as a completed unit, thus preventing surplus credit hour and increasing completion of degrees. Congruence of skills and content with existing statewide general education model was determined in 2018. Additional development of model will occur in 2019.
Ryan Goss, ryangoss@nmsu.edu, Associate Professor, Plant & Environmental Sciences
Teaching introductory plant science
Students of Plant Sciences at NMSU need training in experiential learning, problem-solving skills and team work. Projects were introduced to improve these skills in crop production courses including Kolb's Model based Experiential Learning; Student Engagement with Growers and Extension Personnel; and team based collaborative learning. Students successfully accomplished the learning objectives as indicated by high student ratings, high grades earned by the students, changed behavior and increased genuine interest in the subject. For instance, certain students decided to change their degree from Animal Science to Agronomy after taking AGRO/HORT 100 class in spring, 2018.
Kulbhushan Grover, kgrover@nmsu.edu, Assoc. Professor/Sustainable Crop Production, Plant & Environmental Sciences
Assoc. Professor/Sustainable Crop Production, Extension Plant Sciences
Curriculum that links textbooks to real-world food & fiber production and environmental stewardship is invaluable to the next generation of farmers and agricultural workers
We will need to feed 9.8 billion people worldwide by 2050, while the average US farmers' age is 58.3 years indicating an alarming need to encourage young farmers. The students in the vegetable crop management course, Hort 485, learned to seed, manage, harvest, and pack over 1,200 pounds of USDA certified organic produce. Food safety and sustainable practices were emphasized. In collaboration with the Aggie Cupboard, the vegetables were delivered to NMSU students at no cost.
Ivette Guzman, ivguzman@nmsu.edu, Assistant Professor, Plant & Environmental Sciences
Honors 321V
In Honors 321V, students from across campus improved their agricultural literacy. They gained an appreciation of New Mexican, Borderland, and American agriculture and for how agriculture is connected to their lives. Students improved their writing and oral presentation skills. In the Scientific Writing class, students learned how to overcome barriers to writing by developing a writing schedule. They learned a process that made writing less intimidating and more productive. They improved their writing and reviewing skills. The majority of students completed a manuscript draft for publication in a scientific journal.
Rich Pratt, ricpratt@nmsu.edu, Professor, Plant & Environmental Sciences
Genetics and breeding instruction
Exciting career opportunities involving applications of genetic technologies for crop improvement were discussed with 30 high school students. Three Agronomy and 12 Genetics and Biotechnology undergraduate majors were advised with four students receiving extensive "hands-on" research training. Two undergraduate courses (GENE 315, Molecular Genetics, and GENE 440, Genetics Seminar) were taught to 34 students (72 SCH). I was major advisor to two graduate students and taught five graduate courses to 11 students (38 SCH) including AGRO 598 (Special Research Programs); AGRO 599 (Master's Thesis); AGRO 600 (Doctoral Research); AGRO 610 (Advanced Crop Breeding); and AGRO 696 (Doctoral Proposal).
Ian Ray, iaray@nmsu.edu, Professor, Plant & Environmental Sciences
The CAMP medicinal plants workshop
The Medicinal Plants Workshop is designed for sophomore students of the NMSU College Assistance Migrant Program (NMSU-CAMP). The program helps migrant or seasonal farm worker students attend college. The CAMP-medicinal Plants workshop was developed to expose CAMP students to research programs to broaden their understanding of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Over ninety CAMP students have participated in the CAMP-medicinal Plants workshop within the last 8 years. Most of these students have acknowledged that this was a life changing experience that has helped them to enjoy science, has provided important skills for job opportunities after graduation.
Laura Rodríguez, laurodri@nmsu.edu, Research Assistant Professor, Plant & Environmental Sciences
Impact of digital teaching tools in science classes
Working with the Innovative Media Research and Extension Department, we created computer animations, videos and "virtual" labs to help fill gaps in student understanding of key concepts about soils. Before watching our video, only 64% of the students tested knew that clay and organic matter have a negative charge. This jumped to 84% after students watched the video. Those who knew calcium would be preferred on the soil exchange phase jumped from 31% to 54%. Students indicating that chemistry was used in all of the agricultural science careers increased from 24% to 88%. These learning videos are available at ScienceOfAgriculture.org.
April Ulery, aulery@nmsu.edu, Professor, Plant & Environmental Sciences