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International Programs. Agronomy Department Review 2012 University of Florida. Overview. Student involvement Scientific collaborations Conferences and Meetings International Center and IFAS International Programs Individual Faculty Collaborations Funded Research - USAID
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International Programs Agronomy Department Review 2012 University of Florida
Overview • Student involvement • Scientific collaborations • Conferences and Meetings • International Center and IFAS International Programs • Individual Faculty Collaborations • Funded Research - USAID • Strengths, Vision and Weaknesses
Student Training • Undergraduate internships/short term scholars • primarily Brazil and Central America • Graduate student training • Over 50 students since 2000 • All departmental areas • 40-50% of agronomy students • Wide range of countries and backgrounds
Visiting Scientists/Sabbaticals • Spain, Poland, China, Japan, India, Ghana, Brazil………. • International Sabbatical Leaves • Maria Gallo – Netherlands • Barry Tillman – Queensland, Australia • Rob Gilbert – EARTH Costa Rica
International Conferences • International Crop Science Congress • International Grasslands Congress • International Weed Science Society • European Weed Research Society • Forage Breeding Symposium • Future Farm World Conference • Latin/South American Weed Science Society • Asian Pacific Weed Science Society • International Union of Forest Research Organizations
University of Florida International Center/IFAS International Programs • Strong collaboration with UFIC • Dean David Sammons – Agronomy faculty • Peace Corps recruiting – Amy Panicowski • Sandra Russo – Center for Women’s Studies • IFAS International Programs – Walter Bowen • Several projects in Haiti, Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique • Interaction with CIAT, Winrock, others
Individual Collaborations • Dr. Rob Gilbert - joint project with USDA and EARTH University in Costa Rica for sugarcane • Dr. Joao Vendramini - UF liaison, National Agricultural Research Institute in Guyana and the University Federal Rural of PernambucoBrazil • Dr. David Wright - project director of student and professor for Agricultural University in Poznan, Poland
Individual Collaborations • Dr. Lynn Sollenberger - University of Parana – Brazil, reciprocal agreement • Dr. Ken Langeland- Cuba’s Cienega de Zapata invasive plants - Melaleucaquinquenervia • Dr. Bill Haller - USAID Guatemala, hydrilla problems in Lake Itzabal, the largest fresh water lake in Central America • Dr. Ann Blount - EMBRAPA, Brazil, UNNE, Argentina, and several Caribbean universities on breeding/evaluating tropical forages, agreement with Quaker Oats
Individual Collaborations • Dr. Ken Buhr - team leader “Enhancing Food Security through Poverty Alleviation” for Save the Children in Uganda and USAID-funded project for the Ministry of Agriculture in Mozambique • Dr. Yoana Newman - training in Nicaragua with Farmer-to-Farmer and the Florida Volunteer Corps • Dr. FredyAltpeter- International Livestock Research Institute in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for research on elephantgrassimprovement
Individual Collaborations • Dr. Ken Boote • Peanut CRSP, over 15 years • Asian Pacific Network Project - Climate and Agricultural Risk Management in Hyderabad, India, Dhaka, Bangladesh and Phnom Penh, Cambodia • Mentored 4 Ph.D. graduate students with KhonKaen University, Thailand. • USAID and ICRISAT crop growth modeling • Agricultural Model Improvement and Intercomparison Project in Campinas, Brazil, east Africa and South Asia • 8 international training courses on crop modeling • hosted 21 International Exchanges between himself and scientists from several countries • 24 international meetings since 2000.
Peanut Cooperative Research Support Program (Peanut CRSP) • USAID funded – peanut production and utilization • Dr. Ken Boote – crop modeling in western Africa, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Mali • Dr. Barry Tillman - Bolivia cultivar selection for disease resistance and works with USDA-Griffin to facilitate germplasm exchange
Peanut CRSP • Dr. MacDonald – University of Georgia, NGO’s • rural growers in the Rupununi region of Guyana and northern Haiti • improved varieties, fertility, agronomic practices, and pest management • peanut butter based school feeding programs in Guyana, where over 4000 students are provided a snack each day throughout 47 villages in the region. • In Haiti, peanuts are utilized to produce Medika-Mamba for a local orphanage • PhD Student, Alyssa Cho conducting graduate studies in Guyana
Program Strengths • Good collaborations • Within the university through UFIC and IFAS • Continued graduate student training • Established working relationships with international institutions • Success with the Peanut CRSP program • 7 international faculty within the department
Program Strengths • Peace Corps – Masters International Program • Established this spring • 9 departments within College of Ag. & Life Sciences • Greg MacDonald is MI Coordinator • Non-thesis Master’s degree
Vision • Stronger collaborations with germplasm exchanges – World Food Crops breeding position • Stronger presence with USAID and CRSP programs • Gates Foundation, others • Peace Corps – MI program for graduate student recruitment
Concerns • Decreased funding and flexibility for international programs • CRSP model heavily scrutinized by USAID • Feed the Future mandates – targeted countries • No consolidated effort at the department or even college level • How does international work contribute to the overall faculty packet? • Can international work be more than a ticket item for promotion?
