Dr. Felipe Aburto is an assistant professor at Texas A&M University, where he focuses on soil science and its impact on agriculture and the environment. In 2023, he was chosen as a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) E. Kika De La Garza research fellow. His journey started in his home country of Chile, where he earned multiple degrees and gained valuable experience in natural resources. These fields are essential in addressing today’s agricultural challenges, particularly the need for increased diversity and awareness of soil science among students.
Aburto credits the E. Kika de la Garza Fellowship with a newfound ability to present new opportunities to his students. The fellowship’s purpose is to connect participants with USDA agencies and useful resources. “It allowed me to understand the USDA, its complexity, and all the different opportunities available,” he said.
Networking is another major perk of the fellowship, and during the two-week program in Washington, D.C., Aburto met key individuals who support inclusivity and help underrepresented groups succeed. A pressing issue within Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) is the lack of preparation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), especially for students from rural areas, which can lead to high dropout rates. Aburto emphasized the need for more soil scientists.
In response, Aburto and other E. Kika De La Garza Fellows and researchers helped launch the Soil Science Integrated Learning and Career Opportunity Partnership (SSoilCOP) in Fall of 2024 after returning from D.C. This initiative is designed to attract underrepresented students to the field of soil science. Working alongside major research universities like Texas A&M and University of California Davis, four-year HSI institutions and community colleges, SSoilCOP offers pathways into the field, including an open-access soil science course aimed at community college students. SSoilCOP also emphasizes mentorship, where graduate students guide community college students to not only help them succeed academically, but also develop leadership skills for the future of agriculture and natural resources. Funded by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), this program seeks to create clear paths to job opportunities with the USDA. Aburto explained, “We want to use existing resources like USDA programs and internships to inspire students and give them hands-on experience in natural resources.”
Programs like SSoilCOP exemplify the objectives of the E. Kika de la Garza Fellowship by promoting collaboration among HSI faculty for the betterment of their students, which is essential for cultivating the next generation of leaders in agriculture.
