NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences has received approval from the Tennessee Board of Regents to begin offering a concentration in Biotechnology within the Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Sciences.
The Biotechnology concentration will join Agribusiness, Agricultural and Extension Education, Animal Sciences/Pre-Veterinary Medicine, Applied Geospatial Information Systems (GIS), Food Technology, and Plant and Soil Sciences within the B.S. degree.
“Biotechnology is a field with vast potential for crop improvement that can achieve resistance to drought, disease and pests,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences. “This field and this improvement are necessary to achieve worldwide food security.”
The new concentration will provide hands-on training and first-rate knowledge to students in what, according to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, is one of the job fields with the most demand for employment.
“This concentration will help train our students in the modern field of biotechnology using the latest gene sequencers and other state-of-the-art equipment,” Reddy added. “Our goal at TSU is to train our students in these modern agricultural technologies so that they find gainful employment and become future leaders in these high-demand fields.”
A concentration in Agricultural Biotechnology can lead to a variety of challenging careers, including Biomedical Engineering, Epidemiology, Forensic DNA Analysis, Microbiology, and many more.
To help accommodate this and other new programs in high-demand scientific fields, the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences has been focused on strategic expansion.
“To make sure that our students get the best training, we have been hiring first-class geneticists, equipping our labs with modern equipment, and constructing a 25,000 sq. ft., 8-million dollar Agricultural Biotechnology Building which will be ready along with the new concentration in January 2014,” Reddy said. “We are quite excited about the future of agricultural biotechnology at TSU.”
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
The GAP workshop on Nov. 7-8 will teach growers the guidelines stipulated by the USDA and FDA in order to comply with the Food Safety Management Act.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Sustainable Food Safety and Security starts with the producers. As such, growers play a vital role in the supply chain of safe, fresh produce production, harvesting, cleaning, handling, packaging and delivery. To address this important step in the process, the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences will conduct a Good Agricultural Practices Workshop on Nov. 7 and 8 in the Farrell-Westbrook Complex on the main campus. The workshop will start at 8:45 a.m. on Nov. 7, and at 8 a.m. on Nov. 8.
Experts from TSU, the University of California, Davis; The University of Illinois; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will conduct the workshop.
According to organizers from CAHNS, growers attending this workshop will learn to follow the “stringent and specific guidelines” of the USDA and the Food and Drug Administration in complying with the conditions of the Food Safety Modernization Act to minimize the risk of serious health consequences or death. Technical training will be provided to empower participants to meet the consumer demand for safe produce and ensure competitiveness in the fresh produce industry.
For more information, contact Dr. Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge at (615) 963 5437 or akilonzontheng@tnstate.edu.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
Members of the College of Agriculture Executive Council are Front row (from left): Dr. Jan Emerson, Dr. Gearldean Johnson, Ms. Rhonda Moore Back row (from left): Dr. Surendra Singh, Dr. Mohammad Karim, Dr. Carter Catlin, Dr. Chandra Reddy, Mr. William Hayslett, Dr. Latif Lighari Members of the CAHNS EC not pictured: Mr. Sam Comer, Dr. Nick Gawel, Dr. Terrance Johnson, Dr. Roger Sauve. (courtesy photo)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences has received the prestigious National Institute of Food and Agriculture Partnership Award for Effective and Efficient Use of Resources.
The award, directed at the CAHNS Executive Council, recognized the group for its “exemplary work and outstanding contribution” in support of the mission of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and for its positive impact on agriculture.
“NIFA recognizes that there are many outstanding contributions that our partners in the land-grant universities and other cooperating institutions and organizations achieve,” said Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, director of NIFA. “[We] want to recognize them through this awards program.”
“We are quite ecstatic about this recognition as it validates our restructuring effort and recognizes our growth and leadership success,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of CAHNS,” under whose leadership the Executive Council worked to identify and execute strategies to boost enrollment and graduation rates, enhance outreach activities and improve research efforts.
The Council, which comprises associate deans, department heads, and research center directors, among others, was established in 2008 by Dr. Reddy to serve as a policy-making and program-coordinating arm of the college.
Under the Council’ guidance, the College has doubled its student enrollment in agricultural and family and consumer sciences, tripled its research portfolio in five years, and expanded its outreach efforts to 46 counties from 12 counties in 2008, while graduate enrollment in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has grown to more than 100 students from 11 students in the same year.
NIFA, one of the four research, education and economics agencies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, also recognized the CAHNS Executive Council’s help in governing and integrating the academics, research and outreach of the College, as well as helping the College secure funds to improve its physical facilities, including a 25,000-square-foot agricultural biotechnology building, a new open-roof greenhouse range, a state-of-the-art landscape studio, and a 4,800-square-foot. agriculture teaching/research facility.
“The NIFA partnership award provides positive feedback for the hard work of the Executive Committee,” added Dr. Reddy, who was recently recognized as one of the top professors at Historically Black Colleges, by Affordable Colleges Online.
Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
Students from Tennessee State University plant a red maple tree on campus as part of a celebration recognizing the University as a leader in conservation and sustainability. TSU received the Tree Campus USA designation from the Arbor Day Foundation, a national program created in 2008 to honor colleges and universities for effective forest management and engaging staff and students in conservation goals. (photo by Rick DelaHaya, TSU Media Relations)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Rain showers, wind and cooler temperatures could not keep students from Tennessee State University along with community volunteers from planting more than 30 trees around campus Sunday afternoon as part of a celebration recognizing the University as a leader in conservation and sustainability.
Prior to planting Crepe Myrtles, Red Maple and Oak trees around campus, TSU received the Tree Campus USA designation from the Arbor Day Foundation, a national program created in 2008 to honor colleges and universities for effective forest management and engaging staff and students in conservation goals.
TSU, along with Trevecca Nazarene University, were recognized as the first universities to receive the special designation in 2013, bringing the total to 194 institutions taking part in the national program.
“How fitting that today we recognize these two universities in Nashville, who, for the past 18 years, has received its own designation as a Tree City USA by the foundation,” said Mary Sweeny, program manager for the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus USA. “College campuses have some of the largest urban forests in the country, and we need to protect and become good stewards of these natural woodlands.”
TSU achieved the designation by meeting Tree Campus USA’s five standards, which include creating a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures toward trees, an Arbor Day observance, and student service-learning projects.
Dr. Chandra Reddy, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, called the designation “great news” for the campus since it is the result of a lot of planning and hard work by faculty, staff and students. But, he said, future leaders, such as the students in attendance at the ceremony, have the responsibility to maintain the health and vitality of not only the campus urban forest, but also woodlands across the country.
“We have denuded forests in the name of progress, along with creating large urban areas void of trees and natural plants,” added Reddy. “We are honored to be part of the program and hope to educate our students on the importance of being good stewards of the environment. We thank the Arbor Day Foundation for making this a priority and to help educate the youth of our nation.”
Getting the campus the designation was the brainchild of Dr. De’Etra Young, extension assistant professor of Urban Forestry. During an interview for a position with the University, she stated it was a goal of hers to get the Tree Campus USA designation for TSU, along with her passion for maintaining the urban forest on the campus. That was in February, and in eight short months, the University fast-tracked its application and became the newest member of the program.
“I didn’t expect this to happen so quickly,” said a smiling Young. “We are going to use this recognition to show that the University is devoted to the environment and knows the importance of sustainability.
The next step, according to Young, is to have the campus designated as a Level 1 Arboretum. To achieve that designation requires that at least 30 varieties of trees be labeled and available for a self-guided tour.
“I think as we move forward and the Tree Campus USA award becomes more recognizable nationally, it will demonstrate that TSU has a long commitment to maintaining our urban forest and the infrastructure of the land,” said Young. “Our plan emphasizes the importance of trees for their aesthetic and social value, as well as for their environmental impact to the campus ecosystem.”
Now in its fifth year, Tree Campus USA recognizes the best practices in campus forestry throughout the United States. The goal of the program is to honor college campuses and leaders of their surrounding communities for promoting healthy urban forest management and engaging the campus community in environmental stewardship.
The Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota have helped campuses throughout the country plant hundred of thousands of trees, and Tree Campus USA colleges and universities $23 million in campus forest management last year.
Tennessee State University
3500 John A. Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university and is a comprehensive, urban, coeducational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top Universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912 Tennessee State University celebrates 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently selected six research projects for funding through the annual 1890 Capacity-Building program. A total of $1,534,150 will be awarded to investigative teams in Tennessee State University’s College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences. Funds will support two- and three-year research projects that advance the body of knowledge in agricultural science, education and extension services.
The USDA depends on results produced through these projects to help solve problems that impact farm efficiency and profitability, human nutrition and food safety while sustaining viable agricultural production and jobs in rural communities.
A total of 19 investigators will participate in funded research projects that range from developing strategies to reduce the harmful impact of beetles on Tennessee’s ornamental tree nursery industry to developing a tool to help consumers calculate and manage calories during food purchases. Funded projects include both laboratory- and community-based research.
Principal investigators selected for funding include: Dr. Karla Addesso, Dr. Ahmad Aziz, Dr. Fur-Chi Chen, Dr. Janice Emerson, Dr. Dafeng Hui, and Dr. George Smith. Projects will include opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to actively engage in proposed activities and interact with TSU research faculty.
USDA’s Capacity-Building program is a competitive opportunity for 1890 institutions. Funded research helps enhance and strengthen the quality of agricultural teaching, research and extension programs at the nation’s 18 historically black colleges and universities that offer degree programs in agricultural science, education, and family and consumer science.
Tennessee State University
3500 John A. Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university and is a comprehensive, urban, coeducational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top Universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912 Tennessee State University celebrates 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Math and Science teachers are desperately needed in schools in Nashville and across the state to help prepare the country’s youth for a labor market dominated by jobs in science and technology.
Tennessee State University will now be doing its part to inspire students to teach in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, when it was recently announced that the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences was awarded $1.2 million to support and prepare STEM majors to become K-12 teachers.
Dr. Elaine Martin, associate professor of Biology, College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences. Martin and her team of professors and instructors won a $1.2 million National Science Foundation grant to encourage students to teach science and math to elementary, middle and high school students in high-need districts. (courtesy photo)
Funded through the National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, the grant will support “Project Tiger Teach,” a new program designed to help train students majoring in biology, chemistry or mathematics receive their teacher certification, who will in turn, land jobs teaching in high-need school districts.
The program, according to Dr. Elaine Martin, associate professor of Biology and director of the project, will be a collaborative partnership between the University and the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools System. The goals of the partnership are to increase the number of highly-qualified certified, high school STEM teachers in high-need schools in the Nashville area, increase teacher diversity with emphasis on recruiting African-American male STEM teachers, and provide four years of mentoring and professional development opportunities to graduates.
“This is a great opportunity for TSU to recruit and support students with strong science and math backgrounds into higher education,” added Martin. “Over the next four years, the Noyce grant will allow us to recruit individuals into the program with strong STEM backgrounds who might otherwise not have considered a career in K-12 teaching.”
Another outcome of the project will be to place teachers from underrepresented groups such as African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans into the same type classroom category and increase the student-to-teacher ratio of both groups.
“A recent survey of students enrolled in biology and mathematics courses at TSU revealed that 30 percent are interested in considering teaching math or science in K-12 schools,” said Martin, “while 40 percent would consider obtaining teacher licensure in math or science if they could obtain it within their four-year college program.
“Additionally, an overwhelming 66 percent of participants surveyed would consider obtaining a teaching license and teach at least five years in K-12 schools if full tuition and a summer internship were provided. Through this program, we anticipate an increase in high school and post-secondary graduation rates that will address Tennessee’s and the nation’s shortage of STEM professionals.”
When the program kicks off, scholarship money will support a total of 40 undergraduate students over the next four years to go through Project Tiger Teach. Each year, three students majoring in biology, two in chemistry and five in mathematics will be assisted by the program.
Students wishing to apply for the program must have completed 60 credit hours with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The Noyce grant provides scholarships in the amount of $12,000 per year for a period of two years for the future classroom leaders to complete their degrees with teacher certification. They must agree to teach two years for each year of scholarship support in a “high needs” school district in Tennessee and the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.
Participants will also take part in summer institutes that include tutoring high school students in the Regents Math Academy and Tennessee State University’s Math and Science Center. By the end of their sophomore year, Noyce Scholars are admitted to the teacher certification program in biology, chemistry or mathematics.
Before their senior year, students must then complete four educational courses and all required content courses in preparation for the MNPS high school-based Residency I and Residency II.
“The extended residency will produce highly-qualified teachers who have mastered content knowledge, and understand the learning process and application of assessment results to improve instruction,” added Martin.
Along with Martin, the grant was awarded to co-directors Dr. Jeanetta Jackson, Department of Mathematics; Dr. Heraldo Richards, College of Education; and Dr. Artenzia Young-Seigler, Department of Biological Sciences.
“This project will be a boost to the College’s STEM education and teacher preparation efforts, particularly for minority populations,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences. “This is a prestigious grant our faculty received that will give us the opportunity to work together with Metro School system in preparing and in serving their STEM teacher needs. It is a win-win project for TSU and the community.”
The Noyce scholarship is named for Robert Noyce, co-founder of Intel Corp and the scientist awarded the 1961 patent for the integrated semiconductor. The scholarship was funded through the NSF Authorization Act of 2002 in response to a critical need for teachers in science and math.
Tennessee State University
3500 John A. Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331
About Tennessee State University
With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university and is a comprehensive, urban, coeducational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top Universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912 Tennessee State University celebrates 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences has received approval from the Tennessee Board of Regents to begin offering a concentration in Biotechnology within the Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Sciences.
