Growing Clean- Partnering with Plants For Public Health Leaders: International PhytoScholars Program - 2026

About This Grant

Summary - Growing Clean- Partnering with Plants For Public Health Leaders: International PhytoScholars Program – 2026 Overview: We will train and inspire the next generation of professionals and academic researchers in public health protection as part of the 19th Annual International Phytotechnologies Conference. We plan to support student participation in the International Phytotechnologies Scholars Program to be held in October 2026 in Providence Rhode Island. The conference is hosted by the International Phytotechnology Society (IPS), that also develops and executes the PhytoScholars Program. PhytoScholars is a unique student-oriented scholars program for green solutions for public health protection with the overarching goal to inspire and train future leaders in green solutions. Intellectual Merit: The IPS conference has the goal to advance knowledge in areas of protecting human health and advancing sustainable solutions that can be broadly applicable. The resulting knowledge exchange and publications explicitly advance the intellectual exchange and knowledge generation, with merit for our scholarly community. PhytoScholars program feeds into this mission, and promotes the next generation with the following objectives: - To increases knowledge of the broader roles of phytotechnologies in the concurrent protection of public health, risk assessment and the improvement of ecosystem function; - To provide students with professional skills and development opportunities and the chance to network with international professionals working in the field of phytotechnologies; - To directly support student training, active mentorship, and education in phytotechnologies and sustainable technologies as strategies for environmental remediation and stewardship. Broader Impacts: As part of this program, students will be supported to attend the conference by offering support for partial coverage of travel and lodging fees for an expected 12 – 20 selected scholars. PhytoScholars will be offered the opportunity to travel and will directly interact with international leaders in public health protection to learn scientifically and grow professionally. All PhytoScholars will be tasked to offer a presentation, meet professional leaders, offer specified feedback, and meet learning objectives, which include not only scientific objectives but also cultural and professional development objectives. All PhytoScholars’ presentations will be evaluated by a minimum of two professional leaders. The selection process will aim to invite applicants from across the range of STEM fields involved in public health and environmental quality. The selection committee will cover a range of fields and is a group of accomplished scholars that has interacted with past conferences and can benefit from the PhytoScholars programs. All selection committee members will be attending the conference to offer talks and engage with the PhytoScholars as mentors and role models and provide guidance and advice toward impactful careers.