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 world's population is projected…

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 world's population is projected to reach 9 billion by the year 2050, and global food production must increase by about 70 percent to feed this anticipated population (food and agricultural organization (FAO), 2009). Across the globe, approximately a third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted every year (ishangulyyev ET AL, 2019). In the U.S., approximately 40 percent of food goes uneaten (natural resource defense council, 2017). Much food loss stems from failures or inadequacies in processing, transportation, and storage methods and technologies. In 2021, while the covid-19 pandemic continued to expose weaknesses in the national and global food supply chains, global hunger surpassed all previous records, with nearly 193 million people acutely food insecure (FAO, 2022). FAO's strategic framework 2022-2031 emphasizes the importance of four accelerators needed to meet the predicted challenge of feeding close to 10 billion people by 2050: technology, innovation, data, and complements, which include governance, human capital, and institutions (FAO, 2022).thefocus on outreach, opportunity, and diversity in food science and technology (food FST)project seeks to engage and prepare students to be part of the future solution. The main goal of the food FST project is to attract and support students from underrepresented groups -- particularly hispanic/latinx students -- into study and careers in food science and related fields. Lacc and CAL poly pomona will work together to build an engaging and clearly defined pathway from high school to graduate study and careers in food science and related disciplines. The proposed educational pathway and associated curriculum, experiential learning opportunities, and student support services will enable students -- as the next generation of the agri-food and beverage workforce -- to drive the accelerators. The collaboration of two hispanic serving institutions in california, which produces the most food by value in the united states, will improve equity and opportunity in the professional food science workforce, and provide a model for adaptation and application in similar urban areas throughout the united states. The prescribed pathway will include multiple entry and exit points to offer maximum flexibility for students. Lacc and CPP will seek to attract and support students starting in high school, and continuing through community college, baccalaureate, and graduate study. The team will build and strengthen relationships with public, private, and non-profit food science employers to provide guest speakers, facilities tours, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities. The integrated system of outreach, support, and career connection will include hands-on experiential learning activities to expose students to food science concepts; concurrent enrollment courses for high school students; on-campus summer bridge programs at both lacc and CPP; proactive advising and faculty, mentoring; supplemental instruction; and on-campus and industry summer internship and research opportunities. The food FST evaluation will test the effectiveness of a supported FST degree pathway spanning two partnering hsis as a strategy to diversify the food science educational pipeline, promote certification and undergraduate and graduate degree completion, and encourage entry into careers in food science and technology.