Multi-year fellowship Opportunity

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Purpose

This project aims to support undergraduate students from traditionally underrepresented communities who are interested in enhancing the nation’s food, agriculture, natural resources and human (FANH) sciences professional and scientific work force by enriching education at the intersection of Data Analytics and the FANH domains through professional experiential learning and curriculum development.

This project will provide undergraduate current students additional training and experience with Data Science and Analytical tools and processes, and opportunities to work with FANH career professionals on tangible FANH projects. Most importantly, Project DA-FANH will cultivate these skills in an ethically, reproducibly, and professional manner, ultimately preparing CSU students for careers at the intersection between Data Science/Analytics and the FANH fields.

The purpose of this Fellowship is to help facilitate the pursuit of a students’ educational goals by providing multi-year support, in the form of financial assistance, research and professional experience along with academic mentoring and graduate school application support.

The funding for this fellowship comes from a grant provided by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture specifically to bolster quality education at HSI’s.

Award Amount

A single student will receive up to $10k in tuition assistance, up to $10k in research stipends & equipment, fully supported travel to professional conferences, and graduate school application assistance.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Currently enrolled at CSU, Chico or CSU, San Bernardino as an undergraduate student.
  • Pursing a major related to Data Science, Data Analytics or a FANH science (Food, Agriculture, Natural resources and Human sciences)
  • Desire to pursue a career at USDA or in the FANH sciences.
  • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 and maintain this GPA throughout the duration of the program.
  • Have at least 2 years left prior to graduation
  • Must be a citizen or national of the United States [see more details below]
  • Be interested and able to assist with grant activities such as helping at data training workshops, and job talk seminars, conducting winter and summer session research, and travelling to conferences.
  • Identify as an individual who has faced or faces social, educational, or economic barriers.
    • Examples may include being part of a traditionally underrepresented or marginalized group (including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender identification), having a mental illness or learning disability, experiencing housing or food insecurity, having dependents or excessive financial stress such as working a full time job outside of college classes.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES & DEADLINE

Link to apply

  • Applications should be submitted electronically to [this Google Form] by April 8th, 2022
  • Review the application questions and prepare your responses ahead of time.
    • There is a 250 word limit for all paragraph questions. Any responses longer than 250 words will be cut off and not seen by reviewers.
  • Additional application materials include
    • Unofficial transcripts from your current university
    • One letter of recommendation from a faculty or staff member who can speak to your work and/or academic challenges and successes, and/or your potential for graduate school. Letters of recommendation are requsted by project staff and due by April 22nd.
    • (Optional) An additional letter of recommendation (does not have to be from faculty or staff) who can speak to your work and/or academic challenges and successes, and/or your potential for graduate school.

What are the FANH Sciences?

The term “food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences” (FANH sciences) includes activities in food and fiber, agricultural, renewable energy and natural resources, forestry, and physical and social sciences, or rural economic, community, or business development including activities relating to the following:

  • Animal health, production, and well-being;
  • Plant health and production;
  • Animal and plant germ plasm collection and preservation;
  • Aquaculture;
  • Food safety;
  • Soil and water conservation and improvement;
  • Forestry, horticulture, and range management;
  • Nutritional sciences and promotion; Farm enhancement, including financial management, input efficiency, and profitability;
  • Home economics;
  • Rural human ecology;
  • Youth development and agricultural education, including 4–H clubs;
  • Expansion of domestic and international markets for agricultural commodities and products, including agricultural trade barrier identification and analysis;
  • Information management and technology transfer related to agriculture;
  • Biotechnology related to agriculture;
  • Big DATA related to agriculture; and
  • The processing, distributing, marketing, and utilization of food and agricultural products.

Review the USDA Agency list here.

Example careers under the FANH scienes

The USDA HSI Education Grants Program lists the occupations below as examples of “mission critical” occupations that the USDA is looking to recruit talented students from Hispanic Serving Institutions into.

  • Forestry Specialist, Technician
  • General Biological Scientists, Technicians
  • Soil Conservation Specialist, Technicians
  • Dietician and Nutritionist Specialist
  • Consumer Safety Specialist
  • Soil Science Specialist
  • Veterinary Medical Officer
  • General Business and Industry
  • Statistician Specialist
  • Consumer Safety Inspection
  • Food Inspection Specialist
  • Agricultural Commodity Grader

THIS IS NOT AN ELIGIBILITY LIST. OTHER MAJORS & INTERESTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. Search data-enabled careers at USDA.

If you are unsure if your major or career interest qualifies please email fanh.analytics@gmail.com.

Further Details on Citizenship requirement

For purposes of applicant citizenship, USDA-NIFA follows the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS) definitions, unless otherwise stated in the RFA. U.S. citizens are individuals born in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands, (persons born in American Samoa, or Swains Island are generally considered nationals of the United States);foreign-born children, under age 18, residing in the United States with their birth or adoptive parents, at least one of whom is a U.S. citizen by birth or naturalization; and individuals granted citizenship status by USCIS. The term “national of the United States” means a person who, though not a citizen of the United States, owes permanent allegiance to the United States (for example, persons born in American Samoa or Swains Island).