ENST's Dr. Candice Duncan heads research program providing opportunities for underrepresented students.
Dr. Candice Duncan, co-head of AGNR's SOARE and SOARE: SWAG summer research programs.
When Dr. Candice Duncan was completing her graduate studies, she was surrounded by few students that looked like her, and the lack of diversity in her education stuck with her. Now, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology (ENST), Dr. Duncan, along with UMD Graduate School’s Assistant Dean Dr. Evelyn Cooper, are both managing two summer programs that are creating an alternative approach to tackle the lack of diversity.
Summer Opportunities in Agricultural Research and the Environment (SOARE) and Strategic Work in Applied Geosciences (SOARE: SWAG) are in their first couple of years at UMD. Both programs aim to increase the number of underrepresented students pursuing a graduate education and research careers in fields related to agriculture, the environment, natural resources, nutrition and food sciences through a focus on diversity and veteran status.
SOARE revolves around opportunities in agricultural and environmental studies, while SOARE: SWAG is focused on geoscience. The purpose is to fund and enable undergraduate students to spend the summer conducting graduate level research, coupled with additional learning opportunities. This provides an introduction and gateway to advanced degrees, and a possible network to continue their education at the University of Maryland.
First-Hand Experience
Jamir Wesley is a landscape architecture student at UMD who has an interest and background in environmental science. Project opportunities through SOARE caught his interest and he applied as a way to explore the intersections of environmental science, climate adaptation, and lab research. Wesley said, “All I knew was that I wanted to commit myself to something important for the environment.”
Through the SOARE program, Wesley was paired with his summer advisor, Dr. John Erwin, Professor and Chair of the Plant Science & Landscape Architecture Department. His summer project focused on evaluating photosynthetic changes in vegetable species like okra, kale, and tomatoes under different climate change scenarios. Working together, it took close to a month of their plants in the PSLA growth chambers to get big enough and begin trials. During this waiting period and well into the summer, Wesley learned various research and communication skills from Dr. Erwin through his research methodologies and hands-on projects, and Wesley felt welcomed into a large family of kind and talented researchers in the lab.
“Holding my hand in every step ... I managed to harvest some interesting results about the condition of vegetables under climatic heat,” Wesley said, adding, “I needed to give my best every day.”
Wesley also worked with Dr. Byoung-Suk Kweon, a landscape architect, where he canvassed for community feedback on the availability of recreational facilities in underprivileged communities as a
volunteer for UNICEF’s Child-Friendly Cities Campaign. Both Drs. Erwin and Kweon offered Wesley experiences that would allow him to grow as an individual and researcher.
Wesley summarized his time and research in the program by stating, “Looking back, engaging with the community was inspiring and I am glad that this is a part of the route I was able to take.”
The Creation of SOARE and SOARE: SWAG
Dr. Duncan is driven by the belief that diverse experiences enhance research and academic discourse. Diversity through life experiences brings a different mindset and focus. These perspectives are invaluable when discussing research, environmental justice, agriculture and many other disciplines.
“If an individual does not have access to opportunities, then they do not know what they are missing or what they can be exposed to,” said Dr. Duncan. Having experienced the underrepresentation in environmental and geoscience at the K-12, undergraduate and graduate levels, she initiated the SOARE and SOARE: SWAG programs at UMD.
The programs aim to address limited diversity in research disciplines by not only exposing students to higher-level research but also fostering inclusivity. SOARE and SOARE: SWAG are made possible through a partnership with the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR), the Big Ten Alliance Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) and the UMD Graduate School.
Dr. Duncan and the program partners want many different voices in environmental science, geoscience and agriculture, providing their unique experiences to the table, which promotes innovation and new approaches to addressing grand challenges from UMD students.
Beyond the paid research experience, SOARE and SOARE: SWAG have additional opportunities for participants, such as mentoring components with their advisors and professional development events like “lunch and learns.” During the 10 weeks, participants can attend presentations by graduate school funding programs like the National Science Foundation’s Fellowship Program (GRFP) or join field trips to local AGNR partners and regional collaborators highlighting employment opportunities.
Additionally, each participant will walk out of the program with professional development, including resume and personal statement writing, and library and literature resources to help with finding materials needed to write scientific or research papers.
To apply for the summer programs, students must submit an application with a personal statement and essay. It is encouraged to identify one or more AGNR faculty members a student may be interested in working with and highlight why they would like to work with them. Applications are due in early Spring semesters, and although this summer’s application window has passed, students can learn more about the programs and keep an eye out for next year’s application cycle in the SOARE and SOARE:SWAG page on AGNR’s site.
Dr. Duncan envisions UMD as the destination for students passionate about environmental science or agricultural studies. By making these programs accessible to underrepresented individuals, UMD aims to enrich the academic landscape with diverse voices, fostering innovation in addressing agricultural, environmental concerns and grand challenges.
