National extension workshop: Connecting learners and educators to broaden reach and maximize impact in the 21st century.

Disseminating training nationwide through the Cooperative Extension Service, particularly as global demand for poultry products continues to increase, is critical for sustainable poultry production. Increasing urbanization, globalization of the poultry industry, consumer interest in animal welfare and labor shortages present opportunities for Extension professionals to engage diverse audiences and increase agricultural literacy. As part of the Poultry Science Association's 2024 National Extension Workshop, we presented examples of initiatives aimed at connecting educators, teachers and learners to address some of the pressing issues facing the poultry industry.

Preparing students for diverse careers in the poultry industry.

Careers in the poultry industry are ever evolving to address global challenges and include collaborations with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures from around the world. Employers are seeking college graduates who are prepared to use novel approaches to address local and global industry challenges. A primary goal of undergraduate animal and poultry science programs should be to focus on courses and opportunities for students to engage in activities that promote workforce and essential skill development.

A review of the application of active learning pedagogies in undergraduate animal science curricula.

With most of the student attrition occurring early in undergraduate educational programs (Braunstein et al., 1997) it is necessary to interest and motivate students early on. The demographics of animal science students have shifted to students with minimal background in food producing animals.

Community-engaged ancient DNA project reveals diverse origins of 18th-century African descendants in Charleston, South Carolina.

In this study, we present the results of community-engaged ancient DNA research initiated after the remains of 36 African-descended individuals dating to the late 18th century were unearthed in the port city of Charleston, South Carolina. The Gullah Society of Charleston, along with other Charleston community members, initiated a collaborative genomic study of these ancestors of presumed enslaved status, in an effort to visibilize their histories. We generated 18 low-coverage genomes and 31 uniparental haplotypes to assess their genetic origins and interrelatedness.

Symposium: Better teaching through science: incorporating the scholarship of teaching & learning.

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, also referred to as SOTL, provides a framework for instructors to evaluate student learning and use evidence to determine pedagogical changes in the classroom. Engagement in SOTL challenges scholars to ask questions about their teaching practices and share with a larger community of practice. Examples of this include manuscript submissions to peer-reviewed journals, presenting abstracts at conferences, and other outlets that allow scholars to disseminate their findings.