For Prairie View A&M University’s College of Agriculture and Human Sciences, the fall semester brings a new degree program and a new name. The Master of Science in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRES) has enrolled its first students, and starting Sept. 1, the CAHS will be officially named the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR). The new name and degree program clearly align with the future and trajectory of the College.

The College has a long, proud legacy of historic achievements and successful alumni; this is an opportunity to enhance visibility and increase enrollment. “It’s been two years in the making, but we finally get to rebrand the College in a way that is most fitting for the times, and that best describes our signature programs going forward,” CAFNR Dean and Director of Land-grant Programs Dr. Gerard D’Souza said.

In addition, the new NRES Program was developed to meet a growing need, nationally and internationally.

“This new program is for students who wish to have expertise in renewable energy, sustainability, climate change and protecting the environment, not only from a scientific perspective but also incorporating social, economic and political policy. Our students will develop a broad base of understanding of the interconnectedness of these issues, challenges and opportunities,” said Dr. Ali Fares, professor and program co-director.

“Our students will join our faculty on research projects to give them practical experience and training that will prepare them well for working in the field,” Fares said.

Internships and collaborations with other PVAMU colleges, universities, government agencies and industry partners will also provide opportunities for students to build their expertise and align their passion with careers in rapidly growing sectors, such as green energy and disaster management. According to Fares, jobs with federal agencies, such as USDA, NIFA, Environmental Protection Agency, United States Department of Energy, and the private sector are in high demand.

The program provides a launchpad to address issues at the forefront of society, including climate change, carbon sequestration, sustainable natural resource management and the food-water-energy security nexus.

“As such, it will enable and empower our students, working alongside our faculty, scientists and extension staff, to develop solutions for more sustainable communities and society. We want to become a center of excellence for agricultural subject matters that our students and stakeholders are interested in,” D’Souza said.

The new college name and master’s program also closely align with the core focus areas of the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, one of the College’s major funding sources. This shift will allow the College to move in the same direction as other significant institutions that target agriculture, food and natural resources.

The NRES program is a big step for the College, as it represents the first new program to be approved in 25 years. In addition to Dr. Fares, the program was developed by Drs. Ripendra Awal, Peter Ampim, and Ram Ray, with the support of Wash Jones and other curriculum review team members under the stewardship of Associate Dean Kwaku Addo.

The CAFNR name and new graduate program come on the heels of a recently announced grant from USDA NIFA. Coupled with a historic state match, the donation will allow the College to extend its reach in Texas and hire more personnel to be on the ground in even more counties, which will reverberate through the PVAMU campus.

The College is also strengthening its Integrated Food Security Research Center, as well as its Meat Science Center, the newly renovated Poultry Center, and the emerging new Prairie View Algae Center of Excellence, all units that fit well into the College’s goals and progression into the future.

To learn more about the new Master of Science in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, as well as the rest of the degrees offered within the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, visit www.pvamu.edu/cafnr.