Projects and Grants per year
Grants and Contracts Details
Description
Project Summary
(250 words)
There is an ever-increasing need for a STEM-educated workforce within animal agriculture and
society. The Saddle to STEM program will leverage youth interest in horses and equitation to
stimulate interest in animal genetics and associated technologies while generating a basic
understanding of genetic concepts and terminology. This non-formal, community-led educational
platform will foster advanced scientific literacy with an emphasis on the creation of a future
STEM-based agricultural workforce pipeline. The overall goal is to introduce animal and
agricultural science programming to a new youth demographic, facilitating development of
technological skills, and understanding of science through non-formal educational opportunities
in genetics that utilize existing youth equine education programs at the University of Kentucky
and the University of Connecticut. The Saddle to STEM curriculum will have two major
components, 1) the youth-based curriculum, and 2) the development of training materials for
curriculum administrators. Objectives of the project focus on 1) recruitment of a new diverse
population, 2) development of a community-led, user-tested curriculum, in partnership with
animal genetics educators, industry and extension professionals for middle and high school
students that will introduce and educate participants in STEM technologies essential to animal
genetics. 3) creation of multi-modal activities and resources (e.g., interactive online activities,
podcasts, videos, and printed materials) and 4) increasing science literacy. The project will
develop modular in-person and online curricula, with continued assessment and refinement to
increase students’ knowledge and interest in genetics and genomics. Saddle to Stem will result in
our targeted population becoming lifelong science learners generating a scientifically literate
workforce pipeline.
Status | Active |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 8/1/24 → 7/31/27 |
Funding
- National Institute of Food and Agriculture: $749,999.00
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Projects
- 1 Active
-
Saddle to STEM: Community-distributed, Youth-targeted, Equine-based Educational Opportunities for Application in Animal Agriculture
Wulster-Radcliffe, M. (PI) & Coleman, R. (CoI)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
8/1/24 → 7/31/27
Project: Research project