A 10‐Year Review of the Food Science Summer Scholars Program: A Model for Research Training and for Recruiting Undergraduate Students into Graduate Programs and Careers in Food Science

Abstract: A pressing problem facing regulatory agencies, academia, and the food industry is a shortage of qualified food science graduates, particularly those with advanced degrees (that is, M.S. or Ph.D.). In 2000, the Cornell Institute of Food Science established the annual Food Science Summer Scholars Program as an experiential summer research program for undergraduate students with the goal of increasing the number of individuals enrolling in graduate programs in Food Science and entering careers in food science. In 2008, to explore expansion to other food science programs, the program also included 5 students placed at the Univ. of Massachusetts. Between 2000 and 2009, a total of 147 undergraduate students, representing a nationally and internationally diverse student body, have participated in the program. Sixty program participants have been recruited from nonfood science majors and 25 have been U.S. citizens representing traditionally underrepresented minorities. Forty‐five program alumni have completed graduate degrees with a food science or related major, and 56 alumni are currently pursuing graduate degrees in food science or related disciplines. Thirty program alumni are working in the food industry. The Food Science Summer Scholars Program at Cornell and the Univ. of Massachusetts has proved to be an effective program for recruiting students into graduate programs and careers in food science. Furthermore, the Summer Scholars Program at Cornell and the Univ. of Massachusetts serves as a model for the development of a cooperative multi‐institutional food science summer research program for undergraduates to further increase the supply of students for graduate study and careers in food science.     

Pakistani pre-primary teachers’ perceptions and practices related to gender in young children

A key area of interest is the way in which early years educators’ perceptions about the concept of gender may influence their practice in relation to how children’s ideas about gender might be supported and reinforced. However, this area has received little attention in the highly gender-segregated context of Pakistan. Understanding evidence-based issues related to gender in Pakistan is thus crucial to overcoming educational barriers. This article explored Pakistani female pre-primary teachers’ perceptions and practices related to gender in the early years. Interview and observation data were collected with seven teachers in one urban, co-education school and were analysed thematically. Results indicated that teachers’ perceptions reflect the complex and multifaceted dimensions of gender within the gradually shifting, but still traditional, cultures of Pakistani society. For the most part, female teachers’ views are rooted in dominant patriarchal ideologies, for example, of boys as active and assertive and girls as passive and quiet. However, in a few instances such as in children’s academic performance and play, their perceptions reflect attempts to push gender boundaries which challenge patriarchal ideologies. Teachers’ gender perceptions have significant implications for young children’s development and understanding of gender roles in Pakistan.     

Master of Professional Studies in Agriculture and Life Sciences offered through the Field of Food Science and Technology at Cornell University: A Model for the Development of a Course‐Based Graduate Degree in Food Science and Technology

The shortage of highly qualified graduates with advanced training in food science is a pressing problem facing government agencies and the food industry. This has created a need to recruit and train food scientists at the graduate level. However, most graduate level programs are research‐based and do not meet the needs of many students. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell Univ. has a Master of Professional Studies Program in Agriculture and Life Sciences (MPS‐ALS), which is offered through the Field of Food Science and Technology (FFST), as an alternative to research‐based masters and doctoral degrees. Although the MPS‐ALS program began in the 1970s, the FFST did not take an active role in recruiting students or tracking alumni until 2000. From 2000 to 2013, a total of 56 students, representing an internationally and academically diverse student body, have received MPS‐ALS degrees through the FFST. In May and August 2013, alumni were asked, via e‐mail, to complete an online survey to assess the long‐term impact of the MPS‐ALS program on their career success. The results of the survey indicate that the MPS‐ALS program at Cornell Univ. is a strong program that attracts excellent candidates from a variety of undergraduate fields. Program alumni have been very successful in obtaining full‐time employment, graduate positions and internships, and are highly satisfied with the program. The MPS‐ALS offered through the FFST at Cornell Univ. is a model for the development of course‐based graduate programs that seek to increase the supply of and meet the demand for trained professionals in food science.     

Associations of Resource and Service Utilization, Risk Level, and College Outcomes

We tracked resource and service utilizations and first-year college outcomes for the entering first-year class (n = 1,534) at a traditional 4-year postsecondary institution. We grouped specific resources and services offered by the institution into four general categories (academic services, social resources, recreational resources, and advising sessions). We investigated the interrelation of risk, resource and service utilization, and first-year GPA and retention. We found that utilization of each resource/service category was positively associated with GPA and/or retention. Of particular interest, we tested whether the associations of resource and service utilization and outcomes were moderated by risk. We found that the associations of academic services and advising sessions with GPA were more pronounced for higher-risk students. We discuss the implications of the findings, including how the differential associations of resource and service utilizations and outcomes can affect intervention decisions with high-risk students. This research was a collaborative project between ACT and NAU. Steven Robbins, Jeff Allen, Alex Casillas, and Adaeze Akamigbo are members of ACT Research. Margot Saltonstall is Assessment Coordinator, Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Rebecca Campbell is Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, and Eileen Mahoney is Director of the Gateway Student Success Center, all at Northern Arizona University. Paul Gore is Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Utah and former director of the Career Transitions Research Department at ACT.     

Delayed Disaster Impacts on Academic Performance of Primary School Children

Social disruption caused by natural disasters often interrupts educational opportunities for children. However, little is known about children's learning in the following years. This study examined change in academic scores for children variably exposed to a major bushfire in Australia. Comparisons were made between children attending high, medium, and low disaster-affected primary schools 2–4 years after the disaster (n = 24,642; 9–12 years). The results showed that in reading and numeracy expected gains from Year 3 to Year 5 scores were reduced in schools with higher levels of bushfire impact. The findings highlight the extended period of academic impact and identify important opportunities for intervention in the education system to enable children to achieve their academic potential.