Assess current National capabilities in microbial forensics as related to plant pathogens and food safety.
Provide strategic planning, a long-range vision and prioritization of needs and resources related to plant and food-related microbial forensics and agricultural biosecurity.
Interact with Federal and State agencies to develop targeted funding programs for high-priority research and technology development in plant- and food-related microbial forensics and agricultural biosecurity.
Establish a coalition of National and State investigators conducting research on crop and food biosecurity and forensics issues.
Provide Institutional recognition and a framework that will attract highly qualified faculty, post-docs, graduate students and technicians, and serve as a supportive infrastructure attractive to funding agencies.
Serve as a focal point for communication, cooperation, collaboration, funding initiatives, and outreach related to crop and food biosecurity and microbial forensics.
Develop educational (coursework) and training (workshops) opportunities related to agricultural microbial forensics for students and stakeholders, in cooperation with OSU-CHS (Tulsa) and other State and National agencies and entities.
Communicate and work in parallel, locally and nationally, with microbial forensics and agricultural biosecurity programs related to animal and human pathogens.