ANR Employees
University of California
ANR Employees

Announcements

UC ANR celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15-Oct. 15

Hispanic Heritage Month 2022

Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. 15 through Oct.15 and Ricardo Vela, manager of UC ANR News & Information Outreach in Spanish, has planned educational activities for colleagues and friends to attend throughout the month.

Each year, UC ANR celebrates the culture and contributions of people whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Latinos comprise 40% of California's population and a growing portion of UC ANR's clientele. Our Latinx colleagues help to customize UC ANR's outreach for the Latino community, from immigrants to native-born citizens.

To start the celebration, the newly formed Latinx & Friends Affinity Group will meet for the first time on Sept. 21. To register, visit https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=38886.

“UC ANR is giving us this fantastic opportunity to share our stories of struggle, success and dreams within a safe space,” Vela said. “This space is open to all of us who are Latinx/Hispanic or of Latinx/Hispanic descent, allies and friends to discuss the many cultural identities.”

“First Time Home” is a documentary produced by American children of farmworkers that offers a look into what life is like for farmworker families.

The September events will be held via Zoom for UC ANR colleagues:

Jose Pablo Ortiz-Partida
Wednesday, Sept. 21, 12-1:30 p.m. First meeting of Latinx & Friends Affinity Group (45 minutes) and screening of the short film “First Time Home” about four cousins who travel from their Triqui immigrant community in California to their ancestral village in Mexico for the first time. (45 minutes)

Wednesday, Sept. 28, 12-1 p.m. Jose Pablo Ortiz-Partida will discuss the results of an environmental justice study he conducted in the San Joaquin Valley. Ortiz-Partida is a senior water and climate scientist for the Climate & Energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. 

Susana Matias
Register for the Hispanic Heritage Month employee events at https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=39023.

Events scheduled for October will be conducted in Spanish and open to the public on Facebook Live:

Wednesday, Oct. 5, 1-2 p.m. – Susana Matias, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology at Berkeley, will discuss healthy living, obesity and breastfeeding.

Magda Argueta
Wednesday, Oct. 12, 1-2 p.m. – Magda Argueta, UC ANR's Global Food Initiative Fellow and UC Riverside doctoral candidate, will discuss ancient Mayan pollinating practices with stingless bees.

Samuel Sandoval Solis
Thursday, Oct. 13, 1-2 p.m. – Samuel Sandoval Solis, UC Davis assistant professor and Cooperative Extension specialist in water resources, will discuss climate change effects. What can we do? What is UC ANR already doing?

 

 

Posted on Monday, August 29, 2022 at 8:59 PM

Names in the News

Obrist joins UC ANR as vice provost for academic personnel and development 

Daniel Obrist

Daniel Obrist joined UC ANR on Aug. 15 as the vice provost for academic personnel and development. Obrist will initially hold a 50% appointment through the end of 2022 before assuming the role full-time on Jan. 1, 2023.

Currently, Obrist is a professor and the chairperson of the Department of Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. His academic and educational background includes ecology and ecosystem science, hydrogeology, atmospheric and environmental sciences, and soil science.

He has published over 85 peer-reviewed publications including in high-impact scientific journals such as Nature, Nature Geoscience, Nature Reviews, and PNAS, and has a strong record of extramural research funding. Obrist has given more than 230 conference and seminar presentations.

“I am excited to contribute to the important mission of UC ANR to bring research and knowledge generated by the UC system to the people of California,” he said. “In my role, I will strive to support academic personnel at UC ANR and help recruit additional outstanding scientists to further ANR's mission. As I said during my interviews, a guiding principle of mine is to further sustainability and protect natural resources, and I am committed to supporting Californians in adapting to a fast-changing environment.”

Obrist will be based at the ANR building in Davis and can be reached at (530) 464-8301 and dobrist@ucanr.edu.

Norville named fire advisor in Sonoma, Napa and Marin counties 

Tori Norville

Tori Norville started on Aug. 1 as the new UC Cooperative Extension fire advisor for Sonoma, Napa and Marin counties.

In this capacity, Norville will work with residents and organizations within the wildland-urban interface to encourage and cultivate fire-adapted communities. She aims to provide education and outreach on home hardening, defensible space and the importance of forest and fuel management on the landscape.

While pursuing her bachelor's degree in forestry and natural resources at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Norville became interested in “disturbance ecology” – how factors such as disease, insects and fire affect landscapes and environments. 

“Many of the forest health problems we are seeing are stemming from a lack of disturbance, which traditionally was fire,” Norville said. 

Her understanding of fire and its effects deepened during her master's degree studies in forestry science (also at Cal Poly SLO), as well as through her seven years with CAL FIRE at the Jackson Demonstration State Forest in Mendocino County. She worked as the Registered Professional Forester for its Timber Sales Program, and then the Research and Demonstration Program. 

Norville's firsthand experiences from the past few fire seasons have helped shape her goals and approach. She hopes to “work holistically with disturbances” – specifically fire – on the landscape to foster healthy forests and ecosystems that are adaptable and resilient, while also researching the environmental and social aspects of fuel-reduction projects and prescribed fire.

“Hopefully, I can begin to change the perception of fire from something we need to fear, to something we respect,” she said.

Norville, based at the UCCE office in Santa Rosa in Sonoma County, can be reached at trnorville@ucanr.edu.

Atim named UCCE specialist in abiotic stress 

Jackie Atim

Jackie Atim began working as a UC Cooperative Extension specialist affiliated with UC Merced on July 11, based at Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier.

Atim's work will include applied research focused on abiotic stress, which includes plant stress caused by extreme temperatures, high salinity, floods, drought or nutrient deficiency. In particular, she will be studying the genetic makeup of sorghum, its resistance to drought and the value it contributes to byproducts such as bioenergy. 

California, as Atim explained, is an ideal place to study drought resilience given its semi-arid climate and water challenges. She is hopeful that California will establish sorghum as a climate-smart crop for forage and grain to address the challenges facing water-stressed production systems.   

Furthermore, Atim will focus on “transforming science that can be consumed by ordinary farmers and growers alike.”

While Atim understands the importance of research-based decision-making, she also recognizes the challenges that non-academic audiences experience when applying such information. As a start, Atim anticipates collaborating with communications experts to simplify research findings and create visually appealing resources. 

Before joining UC ANR, Atim worked as a plant pathologist for the National Agricultural Research Organization based at Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute in Uganda. In addition to pathology, Atim has expertise in plant breeding and entomology.

Atim earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture and education from Kyambogo University in Uganda. She has a master's degree in plant biotechnology from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and a doctorate in agriculture, plant breeding and entomology from the University of Greenwich in the United Kingdom.

Atim can be reached at jatim@ucanr.edu. Follow her on Twitter @JackieAtim2.

Gyawaly named IPM advisor 

Sudan Gyawaly

Sudan Gyawaly joined UC Cooperative Extension on July 5 as an area integrated pest management advisor serving Butte, Sutter, Yuba, Glenn, Colusa and Tehama counties.

Prior to becoming an IPM advisor, Gyawaly was an associate specialist at UCCE in Stanislaus County, where he studied tree nut pests, including walnut husk fly, navel orangeworm, and Pacific flatheaded borer. Before that, he was a post-doctoral researcher at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, studying pest management on vegetables and fruit trees on small farms.

In his new role, Gyawaly is learning about the crops and pest situation in the region by talking with growers and other stakeholders. He plans to develop a need-based applied IPM research and extension program for orchards, tree nuts and other crops grown in the region.

He earned an M.S. in entomology from West Virginia University and a Ph.D. in entomology from Virginia Tech.

He earned his undergraduate degree in agriculture in his native Nepal, then worked in rural areas of Nepal for a couple of years, providing sustainable vegetable production and pest management trainings to growers before moving to the United States in 2009 for graduate studies.

Gyawaly is based in Oroville and can be reached at (530) 538-7201 and sgyawaly@ucanr.edu. Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sudan-gyawaly-987320221.

Padasas named nutrition and health advisor 

Irene Padasas

Irene Padasas started as UC Cooperative Extension community nutrition and health advisor for Tulare, Kings, Madera and Fresno counties on June 13.

Padasas will design her education and research programs for communities based on their priority needs within the broad areas of healthy lifestyles, health equity, food, nutrition, water security and safety, and climate change and health.

As part of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources' work to promote healthy families and communities, Padasas also will support the efforts of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in California and the Cal Fresh Healthy Living, University of California Nutrition Education Program.

After earning a bachelor's in special education at the University of the Philippines Diliman, and a master's in developmental psychology from the Ateneo de Manila University, Padasas received her Ph.D. in human sciences – with a specialization in global family health and well-being – from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 

In Nebraska, Padasas played a significant role in extension programs that promote positive and healthy child and adolescent development, such as co-developing curriculum for UpStarts, a program that provides youth entrepreneurship and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) education for high school students in rural areas. 

She also led the analyses of qualitative data from the Ecological Approach to Family Style Dining, a research intervention program that aims to support young children's health and nutrition in early childcare centers subsidized by USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program.

Padasas' current research centers on social and cultural factors that shape the quality of life and well-being of families.

“To serve our communities more effectively as an advisor, I'm focused on exploring the role of culture in health communication to better understand adoption and acceptance of health and nutrition education programs in the community,” Padasas said.

Padasas is based at the UCCE office in Tulare and can be reached at iopadasas@ucanr.edu and (559) 684-3300. 

Ellsworth joins Capitol Corridor 

Susan Ellsworth

Susan Ellsworth joined UC Cooperative Extension in January as director for the Capitol Corridor, which serves Yolo, Solano and Sacramento counties.  

Her priority as county director is supporting Capitol Corridor staff and helping programs to thrive, while continuing to deepen her knowledge about food systems and community vitality. Ellsworth runs a small olive oil operation in conjunction with her family and said she is thrilled to be back in the Sacramento Valley after 10 years in the Bay Area.

Prior to joining UCCE, Ellsworth worked for the Alameda County Resource Conservation District as a food systems specialist with a focus on supporting new entries to farming and ranching. She has a background in urban agriculture – including serving as co-founder of Common Good City Farm in Washington D.C. – as well as in facilitation and conflict resolution related to natural resource management. 

Ellsworth earned a bachelor's degree in creative writing from Colby College and a master's degree in community development from UC Davis.

Ellsworth is based in Woodland and can be reached at (530) 574-9947 or sellsworth@ucanr.edu

Moore, Conrad, Yu, Dampier join IT staff

From left, Heather Moore, Chun Yu, Natalie Conrad and Stephen Dampier.

Information Technology recently hired four more IT experts to assist UC ANR employees.

Heather Moore has joined the IT Help Desk team as a computer resources specialist. She serves as the primary point of contact for ANR staff and affiliates with computer hardware, software, mobile and other technology needs and problems affecting individuals and departmental technology and network connections.

She also provides phone and in-person diagnosis, prioritization and support for all walk-in, telephone, email and web-based requests for assistance, logging service tickets in a tracking system. 

Before joining UC ANR, she graduated from Sierra College in the spring of 2022, with an AA degree in business information. Previously she was a para educator at Sierra Elementary School in Rocklin.

Chun Yu has joined the IT Team as an IT service desk analyst. As part of the highly service-oriented ANR IT Service Desk team, he serves as a primary point of contact for ANR staff and affiliates for assistance with computer hardware, software, mobile and other technology needs.

He earned a bachelor's degree in computer science at Sacramento State University. 

Natalie Conrad has joined the IT team as an information systems analyst. She brings 13 years of experience in the printing software and hardware industry.

"I am excited to expand the Help Desk team and am looking forward to assisting all departments throughout the organization," Conrad said.

Moore, Conrad and Yu are based at the ANR building in Davis and can be reached at Help@ucanr.edu.

Stephen Dampier is the new IT trainer. He will be helping UC ANR employees with accessibility of websites, how to use Zoom, how to use Site Builder, and how to use the Integrated Web Platform (IWP). 

He has been a user interface (UI) developer and engineer for about 20 years, working for startups. 

“If you've used OpenTable to make a restaurant reservation or have used Tallie Expense Software or bought something from PotteryBarnKids.com, then you may have used my UI,” Dampier said. “I am passionate about good user experience, accessibility and love the challenges of search engine optimization.”

Prior to his UI career, Dampier was a photographer and a fine arts photography teacher at the University of Central Florida and the San Francisco Art Institute. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in fine arts and was an exhibiting artist for years. 

Dampier added, “I was also a drummer for a long time in various punk and rock and roll bands. I've built my own offshore fishing boat, which I use to fish the San Francisco Bay, Tomales Bay and the big blue Pacific Ocean. You'll see me come and go on my Aprilia Falco motorcycle or my beast of a diesel truck on rare occasions.” 

Dampier is based at the ANR building in Davis and can be reached at sdampier@ucanr.edu

Harper named Agriculturalist of the Year 

John Harper receives Agriculturalist of the Year Award. Photo by Glen McGourty

John Harper, UC Cooperative Extension livestock and natural resources advisor for Mendocino and Lake counties was named Agriculturalist of the Year by the Board of Directors for the Redwood Empire Fair. 

“John's service to our ranchers, wool-growers and ecologists cannot be overstated,” said Jennifer Seward, Redwood Empire Fair CEO. “He has provided more than a lifetime of service to our communities.”

For the past 31 years, Harper has served Mendocino and Lake counties as the UCCE livestock and natural resources advisor, and as UCCE director in both counties for about 15 years.

Harper's achievements include ranch water-quality management planning, sheep shearing and wool classing schools, development of the first UCCE livestock and natural resources web pages, rangeland grass and plants identification workshops, meat harvest and processing feasibility studies, a beef quality assurance program, utilizing sheep grazing for canopy floor management of vineyards, and ranch road workshops.

Harper also produced videos on range monitoring for residual dry matter and stream restoration methods and co-developed an online rangeland ecology and management course. 

The award was presented to Harper at a special pre-fair kickoff Director's Dinner on Aug. 6.

AAEA lauds bee paper 

Honey bee photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey

Several scientists from UC Cooperative Extension and UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics have been recognized by the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association for co-authoring a paper recently published in the Journal of Economic Entomology. 

The paper, “Balancing Bees and Pest Management: Projected Costs of Proposed Bee-Protective Neonicotinoid Regulation in California,” received the award for “Outstanding Published Paper Which Significantly Contributed to Transdisciplinary Work of Specialty Crops Industries.”

Co-authors Rachael Goodhue, Agricultural Experiment Station professor at UC Davis, UCCE specialists Ian Grettenberger and Houston Wilson, and emeritus UCCE specialists Beth Grafton-Cardwell, Robert Van Steenwyk, and Frank Zalom shared in the award.

Their co-authors include Kevi Mace, Jessica Rudder, Hanlin Wei and John Steggall of UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Tor Tolhurst of Purdue University, and Daniel Tregeagle of North Carolina State University.

There has been a recent effort from state and national governments to regulate neonicotinoids – a critical crop protection tool for many pests. Without mitigation measures, they can be harmful to managed pollinators, including bees. 

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation began crafting regulation in 2018 to mitigate neonicotinoid dangers to managed pollinators. As a result, three papers were written estimating potential economic impacts on California farmers for mitigating neonicotinoid risk. Those findings were then incorporated as CDPR began finalizing the regulation. The second of the three papers on neonicotinoids received the award. 

Posted on Monday, August 29, 2022 at 7:41 PM

Electric tractors reduce carbon emissions at research and extension centers

At LIndcove REC, an electric tractor mixes soil for planting trees in the greenhouse.

 

Zero-emission tractors perform many tasks of diesel tractors, without noise or exhaust

The University of California, a national leader in sustainability, has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2025. To reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources has replaced several of its diesel-powered tractors with electric tractors at its research and extension centers.

Seven of the nine UC research and extension centers – Intermountain located in Siskiyou County, Hopland in Mendocino County, Kearney and West Side in Fresno County, Lindcove in Tulare County, Desert in Imperial County and Hansen in Ventura County – started using the  Solectrac e25 in July. The researchers plan to share what they learn from using the electric tractors. 

“Charging is easy, we are using a standard 110V connection, no charging station needed,” said John Bailey, director of the University of California Hopland Research and Extension Center. “For faster charging, you can use a 220V connection – again, no charging station needed, just a regular receptacle – but we haven't gone there yet.” 

The electric tractor runs for about five hours, depending on the type of use and the speed, on a charge. 

“We will use the electric tractor to mix the soil for planting trees in the greenhouse,” said Ashraf El-kereamy, director of UC Lindcove Research and Extension Center in Exeter, which focuses on citrus research. “Also, for pulling the trailer with the fruit bins during harvest, it will be good as it does not emit any gases.”

The electric tractor is being used to move materials in the loader at UC Hopland REC. “It has worked well for this, functioning similarly to a standard diesel tractor,” said Bailey.

“We have also used it to clean our sheep barn, scraping the pens to get ready for lambing season,” Bailey said. “This involves pushing or dragging straw bedding and manure. The tractor functions well in tight spaces due to its compact size.” 

Bailey learned one downside is that the front end is a little too light, making it difficult to generate enough downward pressure with the loader to effectively scrape the floor without reducing the front wheel traction.

“We are planning to add some weight to the front, a standard practice with tractors to increase traction. The tractor has the mounting to enable this so it should not be a big deal,” Bailey said. “Our operators really appreciate the lack of noise and exhaust, especially when working in the barn or in tight spaces.”

“The tractor is quiet, powerful for its size and operates very similar to the diesel-powered tractors with regard to the controls, hydraulics and three-point assembly," said Rob Wilson.

The small electric tractor is also being used in tight places at the UC Intermountain Research and Extension Center in Tulelake.

“The tractor that we obtained from the company is too small for the majority of our farm needs,” said Rob Wilson, Intermountain REC director. “We purchased a small box scraper and rototiller for the tractor and we are using it around our facility grounds. We also use it out in the field in tight spaces that are too small for our larger tractors to operate.”  

“The tractor is quiet, powerful for its size and operates very similar to the diesel-powered tractors with regard to the controls, hydraulics and three-point assembly. The tractor also has a lot of torque and speed.”

Annemiek Schilder, director of UC Hansen Agricultural REC, added, “I think another advantage is that the tractors can go very slowly, which is helpful for some uses such as harvesting.”

Kearney, or KARE, will be using its electric tractor to mow and rototill in smaller, narrow blocks and will use the front loader to move and apply mulch and soil mixtures.

“We will use it around buildings because it's quiet and doesn't emit any gas,” said Vincent Silva, Kearney's superintendent of agriculture. “The main issue I have with the electric tractor is with it being so quiet, it may not allow us to hear any problems."

The researchers will continue to evaluate the electric tractors throughout the year.

“Our main usage will come in the spring, mowing around our headquarters and on roadsides,” Bailey said. “We are purchasing a 4-foot flail mower that can mount to the rear PTO, but won't really put it into use until April.” The power take-off, or PTO, is the shaft that transfers power from the tractor to the attachment.

Other benefits of electric tractors include no engine oil to change and no diesel fuel.

“If the farmer already has solar, they will see close to zero fuel charges,” Bailey added. “Even without solar, their fuel costs should be reduced depending on local electrical cost. Also, the engine only has one moving part compared to dozens in a diesel tractor so maintenance costs should be reduced significantly, something that is proving true in electric cars.”

The Solectrac e25 tractors each cost $27,999 and the optional loader was about $4,000. 

The California Air Resources Board is offering incentives to buy zero-emission equipment through its Funding Agricultural Replacement Measures for Emission Reductions Program. FARMER provides funding through local air districts for agricultural harvesting equipment, heavy-duty trucks, agricultural pump engines, tractors and other equipment used in agricultural operations.

 

Posted on Monday, August 29, 2022 at 3:11 PM

See demonstration of Natural Climate Solutions Toolbox Sept. 29

Safeeq Khan, shown at French Meadows in the Tahoe National Forest, and his colleagues at the Center for Ecosystem Climate Solutions will show how the data and decision support tools in their Natural Climate Solutions Toolbox can be used to plan restoration and fuel reduction projects.

The Center for Ecosystem Climate Solutions is launching its Natural Climate Solutions Toolbox.  The comprehensive suite of data and decision support tools are designed to aid UC Cooperative Extension academics, land managers, policymakers and scientists in adapting California wildland management for a changing climate. 

On Sept. 29, Safeeq Khan, UC Cooperative Extension specialist and adjunct professor at UC Merced, Toby O'Geen, professor and UC Cooperative Extension specialist at UC Davis, and Mike Goulden, professor at UC Irvine, will demonstrate the Natural Climate Solutions Toolbox for UC ANR and other UC academics who are interested in climate change, wildfire and land management in range and forest lands. They will explain how the toolbox can be used to address clientele needs.

The demonstration and product launch will be held via Zoom from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Sept. 29. To register, visit https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=37843.

All UC ANR and UC academics, nongovernmental organization representatives and related colleagues interested in climate change, wildfire and land management in range and forestlands are invited. 

The NCS Toolbox is useful for a variety of goals, including habitat restoration, reducing wildfire severity, projecting impacts of disturbance or management on water and carbon, and valuing benefits of management. This one-stop-shop data hub includes metrics of management history, vegetation, carbon balance, water, fire, fuels and more. 

In the demonstration, the CECS team will walk through the decision support tools and extensive data available in the toolbox and discuss how they may be used in exploring impacts of historical and future disturbance and management on a range of metrics, or planning and assessment of new fuel reduction and restoration projects.

Posted on Monday, August 29, 2022 at 1:16 PM

L&D - Clientele relationship, R for data science, stats resources, foreign engagement

ANR LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT  
Landing page | Webinar Recordings| Learning Resources

Do you have a webinar to present in any of these four learning strategies?
Let us know by filling out this interest form!

Extension Methods & Delivery
Building Support
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Office, Team, & Personal Management

Cocreating Value through Customer Relationship Management: A Basic Overview of Social CRM. (Extension Skills – Connect Extension)
Sept. 8, 2022
12–1 p.m. PDT 

Click here to read more and register.
Are you tired of using spreadsheets to keep track of your clients? Do you wish that you could find an easier way to manage your contacts, send targeted communications, create social media content, integrate event registration, and better understand the lifecycle of engagement with your audience? Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems afford the opportunity to easily integrate this critical infrastructure under one roof. In this Extension Skills session, we will go over the key features of CRM systems and look at real-world applications of how these systems can play a role in helping Cooperative Extension professionals cocreate value between their programs and their clients and improve customer service experiences.

Gateway to Innovation (Impact Collaborative Extension Foundation - Virtual)
Sept. 13 & 20, 2022
11 a.m.-1 p.m. PDT 

Click here to read more and register.
This two-session series will focus on increasing innovative practices in your life and work. The first session is unleashing the innovator within you through examples, self-reflection, tools, techniques and discussion. The second session expands your learning into ways to innovate in the "real world” with additional tools, reflection and examples.

Dynamic Discussions 
Sept. 22, 2022
11 a.m.-12 p.m. PDT

Click here to read more and register. 
Each fourth Thursday of the month, the Impact Collaborative will host professionals from across Cooperative Extension and beyond to address hot topics of interest to Cooperative Extension. Each month, we will update the information below for what the Dynamic Discussion for the month will be! 

Program Center Stage  
Sept. 26, 2022
12-1 p.m. PDT

Click here to read more and register. 
The Program Center Stage will highlight programs from across the system including current and past new technologies from ag extension projects, Impact Collaborative projects, national programs like EXCITE, and more on the fourth Monday of each month at 11 a.m. PT. We will update the information for which program we will be putting center stage each month!

Learning R (LinkedIn Learning) 

Click here to read more 
If you want to participate in the data revolution, you need the right tools and skills. R is a free, open-source language for data science that is among the most popular platforms for professional analysts. Learn the basics of R and get started finding insights from your own data in this course with professor and data scientist Barton Poulson. For your LinkedIn Learning account, contact ANR IT at help@ucanr.edu

Spring ANR Stats Workshop – recordings and tools available

The public version (Canvas) of our Spring 2022 Stats Workshop. This read-only Canvas page houses recordings from our course as well as other resources which provided a refresh and update statistical skills for CE Advisors and other UC ANR researchers. Topics include:

  • The theory and application of basic statistical tests, including ANOVA, GLMs, mixed models,and regression 
  • What to do when the normal assumptions for statistical tests have not been met 
  • Newish methods like mixed models and bootstrapping that take advantage of modern computing power, which may not have been available when you took that undergraduate statistics class 25 years ago 
  • What you need to know when designing experiments and planning data collection 
  • How to use the extremely popular and powerful statistical programming language R

In Case You Missed IT  (ICYMI)
Qualitative Research and Data Analysis in Program Evaluation

August 11 focused on “Qualitative Research and Data Analysis in Program Evaluation” led by Paulina Velez. We learned about misconceptions in qualitative research and even had an introduction to coding on qualitative data! Here is a list of tools/resources that were discussed, as well as future workshops to register for today!

Tools/Resources:

Top of page.

Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay

 

 

Foreign Engagement: Disclosures to ANR and Research Sponsors 
Sept. 28, 2022 
9:30 -10:30 a.m.

Information and guidance on how to comply with UC, ANR, and federal grant policies in areas related to foreign engagement. Presenter is Kathleen Nolan.

Zoom webinar: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428?pwd=Q1ZrbUtoQVJwMXJVRkQydUlwNytJQT0 
Password: 4Learning |?+1 669 900 6833 | Webinar ID: 751 701 428

Open Forum/Questions for Office of Contracts and Grants 
Oct. 26, 2022 
9:30-10:30 a.m.

The world of contracts and grants can sometimes seem complicated. Let us help you alleviate your concerns. Please join our team for an open forum to answer your most compelling questions. If possible, please send us questions in advance (not required) for an informative discussion. Presenters are Kathleen Nolan, Kim Lamar and Office of Contracts and Grants Team. Email questions to kdlamar@ucanr.edu 

Zoom webinar: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428?pwd=Q1ZrbUtoQVJwMXJVRkQydUlwNytJQT0
Password: 4Learning | +1 669 900 6833 | Webinar ID: 751 701 428

Top of page.

Hispanic Heritage Month 2022
Sept. 21, 2022
Noon-1:30 p.m.

We start Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a kick!

Click here to register.
On Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, from 12 to 1:30 p.m.. The UC ANR Latinx & Friends Affinity Group will have its first meeting, and everyone is invited. What is an affinity group? Click here to learn about it.

From 12 to 12:45 p.m., come and learn about our plans, goals and dreams. Our one safe space to share our cultural identities. Whether it is a discussion in Spanish of the book of the month or showcasing the most important and unique places of your country of origin, we will start creating solid bonds. Be part of the committees and share your ideas with all of us. This is our stage to showcase and educate our peers about who we are and what makes us unique.

Then, from 12:45 to 1:30 PM, we will show "First Time Home," a short film created by American children of Triqui farmworkers. It offers an unscripted, authentic glimpse into life for farmworker families and why people choose to sacrifice their lives in Mexico for opportunity up North. A Q&A will follow the short film with the film creators.

Culturally Inclusive Language (UC Davis, Virtual)
Nov. 17, 2022 
8:30 a.m.-noon

Click here to read more and register. 
Language plays an important role in determining how well members of our community feel respected and included. It is important to choose what we say, whether that be verbally, non-verbally, or over e-mail, to ensure that we are communicating mutual respect and understanding for the diverse perspectives and backgrounds in our community.?This session includes an exploration of how the pandemic has impacted this area of DEI.

Becoming an Inclusive Leader: Cultural Intelligence - Because Not Everyone Sees the World Through the Same Cultural Lens (UC Davis Organizational Excellence, Virtual)
Sept. 14, 2022 
1–2 p.m.

Click here to register
Inclusive leaders are confident and effective in cross-cultural interactions. They see the benefit of learning about different cultures, seek relevant knowledge to operate cross culturally, and embrace any necessary adaptations. In this session, you will examine what cultural intelligence means in your environment and how you can gain both the knowledge and adaptability to lead effectively. Please join us virtually for the sessions your schedule allows as your participation is valued. To learn more about the series, view previous slides and recordings, and sign up for other sessions click on this link. If you have any questions, email the Organizational Excellence team at oeconnect@ucdavis.edu.

UC Managing Implicit Bias Series (UC Learning Center – click on links below to access each module)

The UC Managing Implicit Bias Series is a six-course eLearning series designed to increase awareness of implicit bias and reduce its impact at the university. The series reinforces the UC diversity, equity and inclusion values that enable the university to attract and retain a top talent workforce, and it further supports the UC commitment to developing effective leaders and managers of people. It is intended to supplement existing location programs and resources.

Top of page.

 

 Skills Development Certificate Series (UC Davis - Virtual) 
Check out the Fall 2022 schedule!  
Click here to read more and register.

Through a combination of lecture and skill-building exercises, each session in the series focuses on a key component of analytical skill development. Develop core analytical abilities and learn how to manage analytical work assignments using the techniques covered in the Analytical Skills Development series. Note: Participants are expected to attend all five sessions in the series.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Do's, Updates and an October 31 Deadline (Connect Extension) 
Sept. 8 
10–11 a.m. PDT

Click here to read more and click here to register. 
This webinar is to provide reliable information to Extension personnel to use for themselves or to take back for their communities on the criteria to qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Most, if not all Extension personnel are government employees and therefore could themselves qualify for student loan forgiveness and could take advantage of the benefits.

Navigating Your ANR LinkedIn Learning Account
Sept. 15, 2022 
Noon-12:30 PM

Join our LinkedIn Learning relations team, which will guide you on content and navigation including:

  • Home page overview – how to get the most out of the home page user interface and how it relates to LinkedIn 
  • Finding and accessing content – course player overview and demonstration of course functionality 
  • Learning history – how to access your personal learning history 
  • Q&A

Zoom Meeting: https://linkedin.zoom.us/j/93883814323?pwd=aHo5Zzc1SWpNb3ExbjBPWlIrUmFKUT09&from=addon | Meeting ID: 938 8381 4323 | Password: 010970 

PowerPoint: Eight Easy Ways to Make Your Presentation Stand Out (LinkedIn Learning) 
Click here to read more. 
Making your PowerPoint slides more polished and engaging is easier than you think. In this short course, presentation guru Jole Simmons shares some helpful tricks to take your PowerPoint game to a new level. First, Jole teaches how to take both the presenter and the audience into account in your design approach. Next, learn to identify the main points of the story you're trying to tell in PowerPoint. Find out how to go the extra mile in making design calls. Explore some ways to convey your information without forcing everybody to read what's on the slide. For your LinkedIn Learning account, contact ANR IT at help@ucanr.edu

Welcome to Connect Extension - A resource for Cooperative Extension Professionals

As a UC ANR employee, you are a member of the 
Extension Foundationwhose mission is to help Cooperative Extension generate a more visible, measurable, local impact. They achieve this through nationally funded programs made possible by member dollars (yes, UC ANR dollars, too) and cooperative agreements with federal agencies, and through partnering on state, regional and national initiatives with Cooperative Extension and the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP). 
 
You can explore your member benefits including professional development through the Impact Collaborative, Leadership Development and Member Solutions on their website under "Member Services." You can also join Connect Extension to stay up-to-date with the foundation and its member offerings and connect with other Cooperative Extension professionals nationally. Learn more about all Extension Foundation programs, tools and services at extension.org/start. 

Top of page.

Image: https://flyclipart.com/learning-icon-education-icon-png-728286


Everyone can learn something new.

ANR Learning & Development
Find webinar announcements and recordings here.

 

Banner with text
Banner with text "Office & Team Management"

Banner with text "Office & Team Management"

Banner with text
Banner with text "Extension and Delivery"

Banner with text "Extension and Delivery"

Posted on Monday, August 29, 2022 at 11:30 AM

Read more

 
E-mail
 
Webmaster Email: lforbes@ucanr.edu