The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) College of Human Sciences has been awarded a $28,936 course and program grant from VentureWell. This course and program grant will enable faculty at U.S. higher education institutions to expand and strengthen their STEM innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems, with the ultimate goal of accelerating sustainable and inclusive innovation. We will support you.
The grant team is led by principal investigator Marilyn Bailey, Ph.D., interim chair of the UAPB Department of Human Sciences, and includes UAPB Associate Professor of Nutrition and Food Sciences Kimberly Haney, Ph.D., and research assistant Meredith Adkins, Ph.D. Includes two collaborators. Professor, Institute for Integrative Innovation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
“We are very excited to offer this new Food and Nutrition Entrepreneurship Certificate course,” said Dr. Bailey. “With an emphasis on experiential learning, students will have the opportunity to investigate real-world problems impacting disadvantaged communities and offer innovative solutions.”
This funding will be used to develop courses and accompanying certificate programs that are open to students from all majors at UAPB. This course will be co-facilitated by Drs. Haney and Adkins will be joined by guest speakers who are innovators and leaders in agriculture, sustainability, business, public health, and food manufacturing. Students enrolled in this course will work with faculty and guest lecturers to understand the food distribution issues that lead to the formation of food deserts and how they affect the health of individuals living in areas with limited access to healthy food. Learn how it affects you.
The course concludes with students developing business innovations and solutions aimed at increasing access to healthy food in underserved communities. This course will begin in the fall semester of 2024 and is currently accepting student registrations.
“In this course, students not only learn about food inequality,” Dr. Haney said. “Course modules are designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge to develop innovations and business plans aimed at increasing access to healthy food in underserved communities. .”
This initiative is also significant in that UAPB and the U of A work together synergistically to provide enriching learning experiences for UAPB students.
“The Institute for Integrated Innovation Research (I3R) actively develops partnerships within and beyond Arkansas to stimulate economic growth and improve the health and well-being of Arkansans,” said Dr. Adkins. Ta. “Through this exciting new collaboration, we are sharing a model of convergence research (including academia, industry, government, and nonprofit sectors) for social impact and providing students with the ability to scale to community challenges.” We will have students experience an innovation curriculum to develop solutions.
This initiative is one of 19 projects selected through a competitive national review process for their potential to have a significant impact on community health and sustainability. The project was selected from a competitive national pool of applicants and highlights the institution’s innovative spirit and commitment to sustainability and entrepreneurship.
For more information about the grant and other recipients, visit https://venturewell.org/course-program-grants-fall-2023/.
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff accepts all extended and We offer research programs and services. Other legally protected status: Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
