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Food, energy and water (FEW) systems are inextricably linked, and thus, solutions to FEW nexus challenges, including water and food insecurity, require an interconnected science and policy approach framed in systems thinking. To drive these solutions, we developed an interdisciplinary, experiential graduate education program focused on innovations at the FEW nexus. As part of our program, PhD students complete a two-course sequence: (1) an experiential introduction to innovations at the FEW nexus and (2) a data practicum. The two courses are linked through an interdisciplinary FEW systems research project that begins during the first course and is completed at the end of the second course. Project deliverables include research manuscripts, grant proposals, policy memos, and outreach materials. Topics addressed in these projects include building electrification to reduce reliance on fossil fuels for heating, agrivoltaic farming to combat FEW vulnerabilities in the southwestern United States, assessment of food choices to influence sustainable dining practices, and understanding the complexities of FEW nexus research and training at the university level. Evaluation data were generated from our first three student cohorts (n = 33 students) using a mixed method, multi-informant evaluation approach, including the administration of an adapted version of a validated pre-post-survey to collect baseline and end-of-semester data. The survey assessed student confidence in the following example areas: communication, collaboration, and interdisciplinary research skills. Overall, students reported confidence growth in utilizing interdisciplinary research methods (e.g., synthesize the approaches and tools from multiple disciplines to evaluate and address a research problem), collaborating with range of professionals and communicating their research results to diverse audience. The growth in confidence in the surveyed areas aligned with the learning objectives for the two-course sequence, and the interdisciplinary project experience was continually improved based on student feedback. This two-course sequence represents one successful approach for educators to rethink the traditional siloed approach of training doctoral students working at the FEW nexus.
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Understanding the emerging food, energy, and water nexus (FEW-Nexus) systems in science education
Abstract The intricate interdependence of food, energy, and water (FEW) systems necessitates effective and coordinated educational efforts across various contexts to equip students with the skills to tackle FEW challenges. As an emerging interdisciplinary field, understanding educators’ and education researchers’ views on the FEW-Nexus perspective, self-efficacy, needs, and approaches to promoting community engagement are vital to facilitating the growth of this field. The National Collaborative for Research on Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW) is an NSF-funded, emergent, interdisciplinary community of educators and discipline-based education researchers engaged in sustained network and capacity building around FEW-Nexus. We present initial survey findings from 166 NC-FEW members, predominantly postsecondary faculty from varied disciplines. Our goal was to understand their views of FEW-Nexus perspective, self-efficacy in FEW-Nexus-specific teaching and education research, instructional design, and community engagement. The findings suggest that FEW-Nexus educators in the NC-FEW community view the Nexus as a blend of diverse concepts and themes, emphasizing the necessity of establishing a concrete definition of the nexus perspective. Their self-efficacy levels were higher in general STEM teaching (mean = 4.03) and STEM education research (mean = 3.61) compared to FEW-Nexus-specific teaching (mean = 3.43) and education research (mean = 3.18). Respondents reported feeling moderately connected to the FEW-Nexus educator community (mean = 2.21). They also outlined anticipated community benefits and contributions to promoting teaching and learning in the FEW-Nexus. These findings highlight the significance of boosting FEW-Nexus educators’ self-efficacy and building a stronger sense of community, having important implications for professional development in emerging fields and broader educational reform endeavors.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2242276
- PAR ID:
- 10614499
- Publisher / Repository:
- Springer Science + Business Media
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences
- Volume:
- 15
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2190-6483
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: p. 55-70
- Size(s):
- p. 55-70
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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