Diversification of Graduate Education in Plant Breeding: The Plant Breeder Training Network.

Development of improved crop varieties is crucial to meeting global demand for food and biofuel in a changing environment. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are challenged to develop graduate programs in plant breeding that balance coverage of expanding disciplinary knowledge with experiences that build technical and professional skills. Diversification of graduate programs offers a potential solution. The Plant Breeder Training Network (PBTN) is a community of practice that supports a collaborative approach to graduate education in plant breeding and plant genetics.  The PBTN seeks to share disciplinary knowledge, build technical skills and promote professional development. Participants are graduate students and faculty conducting research on breeding and genetics at HEIs in the U.S., as well as scientists and plant breeders from the public and private sector within and outside the U.S., collaborating research faculty at minority serving institutions and undergraduate students. By creating and facilitating opportunities for graduate students to interact with community members, the PBTN offers a way to diversify graduate programs in plant breeding. Students have access to expanded knowledge through online courses and seminars and through participation in scientific conferences. Development of technical skills is supported through online courses, face-to-face workshops, and communication tools. Professional skills development is supported through online and face-to-face workshops, leadership experiences within the PBTN, and mentoring experiences. Here we describe the creation of the PBTN, report successes, describe challenges we have faced thus far and offer ideas for improving on this new model of graduate education.