Cross Pollination Program

Colleges and universities offer a wealth of opportunity for students in technical disciplines of study to develop practical skills and become educated about the latest advancements in their fields of interest.  However, these skills often become compartmentalized within disciplines, within laboratories and the workplace.  For example, computer scientists relate most comfortably with other computer scientists, biologists relate most comfortably with other with biologists, and educational specialists relate most comfortably with other educational specialists.   As a result we, as skilled technical professionals, tend to be very technically competent but often run into bottlenecks when we are put in the position to collaborate with people from different professions.  This is a shared concern of universities, as well as private industry, and more likely, impacts society as a whole. 

A Cross Pollination Program (where students teach other students) is underway as part of our mission of “bridging the gaps” between research, education and dissemination of information.  The Program provides opportunities for students-to-teach-students and promotes information exchange between students across disciplines.  Students have a tremendous amount of brainpower, energy, endurance, and fortitude, and are extremely resourceful.  With faculty direction and support they could have a profound impact on research and education. 

The Cross Pollination Program will be developed for school children and students in the U.S. and abroad.  Undergraduate, graduate and professional students from Virginia Tech, as well as the PI, will help teach and disseminate information on the biological sciences to them. The research team is committed to furthering the education of children who are minimally educated and live adjacent to Bush-To-Base Research Sites (Mahale Mountains National Park and Rubondo Island National Park in Tanzania).

The long-term vision includes the development of an integrated research and educational Exchange Program for undergraduate, graduate and professional students.  Over time it is expected to evolve into a regional level program for East Africa.  It is envisioned that the educational program will expand to include opportunities for students abroad to study at Virginia Tech, and participate in educational exchanges with others at Virginia Tech via ‘READ-IT” and the Cross Pollination Program, as well as research collaborations via Bush-To-Base Bio-Informatics.  Thus, the research and educational programs will act as a catalyst for the transmission of information across many boundaries, perpetuating a cycle of information transfer and serving as a blueprint for bridging the gaps in other scientific endeavors.