MADISON, WI, Oct. 14, 2011 – On October 18, ten teachers and 50 students from five local San Antonio high schools will participate in a large scientific-agriculture conference in San Antonio, TX to get a first-hand look at the science of agriculture, including careers, college admission, research opportunities, and minority outreach. The conference is the Annual Meeting of more than 4,000 scientists and professionals, hosted by three scientific societies.

It is members of these scientific Societies, specifically their Diversity Committee, who first had the idea to reach out to high school students and call it the Platinum Scholars Program. The five local San Antonio high schools with students and teachers attending the conference include:

• Sam Houston High
• NEISD STEM RAM Academy
• Harmony Science Academy
• Toltech T-STEM Academy
• Milton B. Lee Academy of Science and Engineering

The students and staff were hand-picked by school administrators to be included in the Platinum Scholars Program. They receive complimentary registration, with full access to the conference, including research presentations, products and services on display in the Exhibit Hall, and lectures by industry leaders. Students will be able to learn about the variety of careers available in agronomy, crop, soil, and environmental sciences. Students will also have the opportunity to find out about the various academic programs offered by universities in these disciplines, including admissions and scholarship programs. 

The Diversity in Agronomy, Crops, Soils and Environmental Sciences Committee was established to promote, support, and improve participation and contribution of underrepresented groups and encourage them to professional excellence, according to the committee’s Chair Dr. Rufina Ward of Alabama A&M University.

Researchers, educators, administrators, and extension professionals are members of the committee. Ward hopes to reach out to local high schools each year in conjunction with the Platinum Scholars Program at the Annual Meeting in the hopes of sparking interest in a science-agriculture career. Next year’s conference will be held in Cincinnati, OH.

The meeting is an annual event sponsored by the American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America, based in Madison, WI. The Annual Meetings will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center from Oct. 16-19. The San Antonio students will participate in the conference on Tuesday, Oct. 18. For more information on the Annual Meetings, visit: www.acsmeetings.org.