Today is the last day of the Global Youth Institute, where Ethan George, junior, has represented the state of Missouri as a delegate for the past three days.
The Global Youth Institute, hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation, is an academic conference in Des Moines, Iowa, focused on global food security, agriculture and sustainability.
George’s interest in food security stemmed from a visit to Mizzou’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources in May of 2023.
“I saw all kinds of machinery and other forms of research and I thought it was insanely cool, so I started looking into it,” George said.
George researched Egypt from August to May last year before writing a paper.
“My research centered around supply chain limitations, the infrastructure and intelligence required for having a sustainable and healthy and growing economy and agricultural system,” George said.
He then presented at the Missouri Youth Institute (MYI) competition and was selected to be a delegate for Missouri at the Global Youth Institute.
George also received a $1,000 scholarship from MYI to be applied at the university of his choice.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) flew George to Iowa and paid for his accommodations. At the conference, George was excited to meet government officials.
“I feel like I’ve never had a real experience interacting with someone who is very heavy in policymaking,” George said.
Paula Ake, college and career counselor, served as George’s mentor throughout this process.
“He really did a good job of choosing a location, doing his studies and coming up with solutions for the hunger crisis in that particular nation,” Ake said.
Ake said she hopes other students take advantage of opportunities they find.
Dr. Kristin Bilyeu is one of the directors of MYI and a molecular biologist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service. Dr. Bilyeu, who holds an adjunct appointment at Mizzou, she hopes students will grow as problem solvers after this experience.
“While it sounds like just another paper, it’s a good investment because it’s not just a paper,” Dr. Bilyeu said. “Students get to problem solve and have their voices heard hopefully at multiple levels.”
