Burlington--The AgroTek Innovation program is seeking middle and high school students interested in agrotechnology for two residential academies this summer.

The academies will be held concurrently on the University of Vermont (UVM) campus from June 26 to July 1. Participants will return to campus on August 5 for an Innovation Slam, a pitch-style competition to share projects demonstrating what they learned at the academy.

The focus of one academy will be on "Culturing Cells for Healthier Soils" and the other on "Shifting the Waste to Value Paradigm." Both will offer immersive research experiences, allowing participants to learn from and network with university researchers and undergraduate student mentors.

Anyone currently in Grade 7-12 is encouraged to apply, especially youths from groups underrepresented in agriculture and science. The academies also will be of interest to students with current or previous involvement in food, fiber, farming or technology programs. There is no cost to attend.

Applications will be accepted until April 1. Twelve students will be accepted for each academy and will be notified of their selection by mid to late April.

Information and a link to the application can be found at https://go.uvm.edu/agrotek. If selected and requiring a disability-related accommodation to attend, contact Liz Kenton at liz.kenton@uvm.edu or (802) 257-7967, ext. 308, by April 25.

Housing and meals will be in UVM residential halls. The academies also will include presentations and field trips to off-campus businesses, evening programs and fun activities including movies and tours of the UVM campus and Burlington.

Students enrolled in the Culturing Cells for Healthier Soils Academy will work closely with Dr. Eric Bishop von Wettberg, UVM Department of Plant and Soil Science, and his team to explore the root systems and associated microbes of the "three sisters" (beans, squash and corn). They also will study different histochemical approaches and extract microbial DNA.

Steve Kostell, UVM Department of Community Development and Applied Economics, and his team will work with students in the Shifting the Waste to Value Paradigm Academy. Teens will learn how to turn agricultural waste into sustainable products with a focus on human processes needed for successful design innovation for waste-to-value bioproducts.

AgroTek Innovation was launched in 2022 by the UVM College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and UVM Extension 4-H to help youths in middle and high school build agriscience and biotechnology skills. It is funded through a Food and Agricultural Non-formal Education grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.