“We took our ACES Global Academy scholars through a program designed to infuse global awareness into all levels of their scholarship. The experience acted as a catalyst behind new, collaborative multidisciplinary research projects which linked the scholars and their new international partners,” said Mary Ann Lila, ACES Global Connect director.

From the year’s onset, the seven scholars became active participants in bi-weekly meetings with globally-oriented entities such as some of the international area study centers, the Global Crossroads Living and Learning Community, and the NCSA international affiliate program, which were conducted to expand the scholars’ awareness of international resources available to them on campus.

During the summer months, the scholars took two tours. A two-day meeting in Chicago introduced them to leaders in multinational companies engaged in developing products and markets in other countries. In addition, meetings were held with the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations (now the Chicago Council on Global Affairs), the Chicago Board of Trade, and the former Illinois’ Global Partnership, a state-funded entity that engaged in developing global commerce and agribusiness partnerships to benefit Illinois.

In addition, a three-day trip to Washington exposed the group to resources for funding and participating in international work through both government and non-government entities. Visits to the World Bank, Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), USAID, USDA, and other funding agencies helped the scholars to make connections for international opportunities.

The program was capped with a 10-day immersion experience, chosen and developed by the group itself. With the assistance of Dr. Elvira DeMejia, Food Science and Human Nutrition assistant professor hailing from Queretaro, the scholars chose Mexico as their destination and chose to work there on a central theme that would benefit all of their respective disciplines. Because of the prevalence of obesity and diabetes in the Mexican population, the group took on a project proposal to seek indigenous solutions for countering the effects of diabetes, and developing a program for growth, processing and preparing healthy meals.

“We had a grant for three years to interact with Latin America and a consortium of 10 Mexican universities, so having this first group of ACES Academy scholars visit our neighbor Mexico made sense,” De Mejia said. “That grant resulted in over 30 publications, 20 presentations, nine symposia, two patents and more importantly, a relationship of trust, which is very important in the international arena.”

Amaranth, a naturally occurring plant in the San Luis Potosi area, was selected as a target crop on which to conduct research. The team of scientists developed collaborative proposals for research and outreach work that considered economics, horticulture, systems, and inclusion in diet. In addition, three seminars were conducted by Academy scholars at various Mexican universities. The scholars met with colleagues at College of Postgraduates, National Autonomous University of Mexico, University of Queretaro, and University of San Luis Potosi, and began relationships in their specific discipline.

The group immersed themselves in Mexican culture during the 10-day trip. Visits to the American Embassy, the World Bank, agribusinesses, a Mexican supermarket chain, greenhouses, CIMMYT, one of the international research institutes, community health clinics, and others provided an overview of research and education in Mexico.

Family life educator Angela Wiley gave presentations at two Mexican university seminars regarding linking family mealtimes to family resiliency. “They were so receptive,” said Wiley. “Family resiliency was something they had never heard of.”

Wiley is already looking for ways she can use what she learned and plans a sabbatical to learn Spanish and pursue research projects borne out of the experience. Wiley said one university already had a database of 2,000 Mexican families. “This is something I might have dreamed about and here they already have it set up.”

Lila notes that the immersion experience not only successfully accomplished a goal of the program to “enlighten” faculty to the process of undertaking an international research program, but also produced trans-disciplinary research between faculty within the college itself. A recent proposal submitted by scholars Robert Knox, Animal Sciences, Xinlei Wang, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and German Bollero, Crop Sciences, was funded through the Council on Food and Agricultural Research (C-FAR) and was written as a result of their relationship built through the Academy.

De Mejia reported that there have already been plans for numerous joint research projects with faculty from universities in Mexico and U of I researchers as well as new scientific relationships formed within the department in ACES.

“U of I plant scientist German Bollero is collaborating on a project with U of I nutritionist Karen Chapman-Novakofski,” said De Mejia. “This kind of collaboration is something that might not have happened and now they are working to find a global solution to a local problem.”
“It was a year-long experiment to take seven scholars and develop a program that would infuse global awareness into all levels of their scholarship. And, with an experiment, you’re not sure that it will work or if it’s worth replicating,” said Lila, who also served as a faculty mentor on the trip. “We think it was very successful and definitely worth doing again.”

The seven scholars selected for the first ACES Global Academy include: German Bollero, Crop Sciences; Karen Chapman-Novakofski, Food Science and Human Nutrition; Rob Knox, Animal Sciences; Urvi Neelakantan, Agricultural and Consumer Economics; Ryan Stewart, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences; Xinlei Wang, Agricultural and Biological Engineering; and Angela Wiley, Human and Community Development.

In 2007, eight scientists from ACES were selected to form the next class of the Academy. Not only were departmental faculty chosen for the second year of the program, but applications were extended to the more than 300 University of Illinois Extension professional field staff. One extension representative also joins the 2007 class.

The 2007 class, which includes Vijay Singh, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, A. Bryan Endres, Agricultural and Consumer Economics, John Killefer, Animal Sciences, Martin Bohn, Crop Sciences, Graciela Padua, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Neil Knobloch, Human and Community Development, Daniel Warnock, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, and George Czapar, University of Illinois Extension educator, was launched in January and continues through the end of the calendar year.