Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the proposed project will improve…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the proposed project will improve food and agricultural science capabilities of students at the university FO puerto rico at utuado. The university of puerto rico at utuado (UPRU) is a 2-year and 4-year undergraduate institution located in the central mountain region of puerto rico. Chemistry knowledge and skills are of foundational importance to food and agricultural sciences education. The proposed project goal is to improve student motivation and critical skills in chemistry through the study of medicinal plants of cultural importance. The project's objectives are to: 1) train two UPRU faculty in horticulture and human health (HHH) topics; 2) develop three new courses about medicinal plant chemistry and HHH; 3) organize a medicinal plant workshop series; 4) establish a medicinal plant accessible garden at UPRU; and 5) evaluate changes in student motivation and chemistry skills in UPRU students. The proposed project will target the following educational need areas: 1) curricula design, materials development, and library resources; 2) faculty preparation and enhancement for teaching; and 3) scientific instrumentation for teaching and research. The proposed project will be of value locally, but also nationally and internationally, as IT will serve as an example to other food and agricultural sciences academic departments. ?