Stable to STEM: Translational Undergrad Equine Science Research and Extension Opportunities to Train and Retain Interest in Animal Science

PROJECT SUMMARY ? Title: Stable to STEM: Translational Undergraduate Equine Science Research and Extension Opportunities to Train and Retain Student Interest in Animal Science ? Farm Bill Priority Area: (B) Animal health and production and animal products ? Project duration: 5 years; 9-week summer residency program yearly ? Submitting organization(s): University of Kentucky: Equine Programs and Department of Animal and Food Science. ? Other organizations: Kentucky State University and Lincoln Memorial University ? Locations: University of Kentucky, University of Kentucky equine research farms; Labs throughout the M-G College of Agriculture, Food and Environment ? Main field of research: Animal biological sciences with equine emphasis; Subfields of research: Nutrition, metabolism, physiology, and forage use ? Number of mentors: minimum 6 ? Mentor to participant ration: 6 mentors to 8 students per year ? Number of students/years: 8; 4 per year from UK and 4 per year from outside of UK ? Number of weeks per year that students will participate: 9 weeks on site. ? No international component ? Keywords: undergraduate research, nutrition, physiology, metabolism, STEM ? Relevance to goals of REEU and AFRI EWD: This program aligns with the REEU and AFRI EWD goals to promote research and extension learning experiences for undergraduates such that, upon graduation, they may enter the agricultural workforce with exceptional skills, by recruiting a new demographic of students to STEM research and extension and providing them with experience that they will be able to leverage in the science based agricultural work force. Stable to STEM (S2S) will use equine science programs to reach the new and growing demographic of students interested in horses to generate enthusiasm for translational careers in animal science research and extension. Horses will be used as a “gateway” species providing a platform for STEM education and future workforce development. The program will include conceptual training in research, academic scholarship, leadership, mentorship, and communication skills to reach agricultural stakeholders for extension outreach. The S2S program will provide an educational platform to create and foster scientific literacy, and instill lifetime interest in animal science, resulting in a greater STEM workforce. The overall goal is to leverage University of Kentucky’s interdepartmental, translational horse research program to create an undergraduate research and extension program to provide quality training, mentorship, and student scholarship in animal sciences to develop robust, life-long, sustainable research and extension interest. To accomplish our Overall Goal, we will pursue the following objectives: Training: To educate and provide introductory training to academic career students on the following topics: scientific concepts and terminology, laboratory basics, animal care and use, statistics, communication, scholarship, and extension. Mentorship: To provide mentorship to academic career students by assigning each student a primary mentor. Research: To involve students in established research programs that generate new knowledge through rigorous scientific method. Scholarship: To demonstrate the importance of extending new scientific discoveries into tangible application, students will utilize research findings to create an extension level publication. Assessment will be multi-faceted with pre-, during- and post-program qualitative and quantitative components.