- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
“To better understand climate-science training needs across UC Cooperative Extension and the Agricultural Experiment Station, we want to hear from colleagues across the family and consumer sciences, youth development, agriculture and natural resources disciplines,” said Leslie Roche, UCCE rangeland science and management specialist at UC Davis. “For example, if you lead programs on food, drought, pests, farmworker safety or environmental education, then climate science is relevant to you.”
“The survey includes questions about your interests and experiences in incorporating climate science and outreach into your research and extension programs,” Roche said. “We will use this information to guide future professional-development opportunities to better support UC ANR's research and extension work.”
The program team is also taking inventory of climate-related research and outreach being done by UC ANR so they would like to know about any research or outreach activities that are related to climate change.
The climate survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. This survey is anonymous and participation is voluntary. The program team plans to share the aggregate survey results.
To begin the survey, visit http://ucanr.edu/climatetrainingsurvey.
If you have any questions about the survey, contact Roche at lmroche@ucdavis.edu.
Roche is collaborating with Climate Change Program Team members Ted Grantham, UCCE climate and water specialist at UC Berkeley; Faith Kearns, academic coordinator for the California Institute for Water Resources; Susie Kocher, UCCE natural resources advisor in the Central Sierra Multi-County Partnership; and Tapan Pathak, UCCE specialist in Climate Adaption in Agriculture at UC Merced, to conduct the survey.
At the 2017 UC People Management Conference, Aug. 1 and 2, participants will hear from inspiring speakers, learn from peers and industry experts and stay current with people management trends.
Conference topics will include
- Human Resources & Management Practices
- Leadership & General Management
- Change Management
- Coaching
- Talent Management
- Employee Relations
- Financial Management
- Labor Relations
- Compensation
To attend the conference, participants must complete of one of the following:
- UC Systemwide People Management Series and Certificate
- Management Development Program
- UC-CORO Systemwide Leadership Collaborative
Registration is $350 and cancellations before June 1, 2017, will be fully refunded. Register at https://pmc.ucop.edu.
UC ANR Learning & Development will sponsor a limited number of eligible supervisors. If you would like to be considered for sponsorship, please complete the survey at https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=20278. To be eligible for sponsorship, UC ANR employees must complete by May 1 (extended from April 1) the UC Systemwide People Management Series and Certificate found at the UC Learning Center - http://lms.ucdavis.edu. Course numbers are at http://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/files/259104.pdf.
On Aug. 1, the conference will open with a networking reception.
The conference will be held at UCLA Luskin Conference Center, 425 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095. A limited number of guestrooms are reserved at the Luskin Conference Center for a group rate of $239 per night. A promocode for the group rate will be included in the registration confirmation email.
The Informatics and Geographic Information Systems (IGIS) Statewide Program will hold a three-day "Dronecamp" to be held July 25-27, 2017, in Davis. This bootcamp style workshop will provide "A to Z" training in using drones for research and resource management, including photogrammetry and remote sensing, safety and regulations, mission planning, flight operations (including 1/2 day of hands-on practice), data processing, analysis and visualization.
The workshop content will help participants prepare for the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot exam. Participants will also hear about the latest technology and trends from researchers and industry representatives.
Dronecamp builds upon a series of workshops that have been developed by IGIS and Sean Hogan starting in 2016.
“Through these workshops and our experiences with drone research, we've learned that the ability to use mid-range drones as scientifically robust data collection platforms requires a proficiency in a diverse set of skills and knowledge that exceeds what can be covered in a traditional workshop,” said Hogan. “Dronecamp aims to cover all the bases, helping participants make a great leap forward in their own drone programs.”
Dronecamp is open to all, but will have a focus on applications in agriculture and natural resources. No experience is necessary. The number of seats is limited, so all interested participants must apply before they can register. Applications are due on April 15, 2017. For further information, please visit http://igis.ucanr.edu/dronecamp/.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
UC Office of the President is inviting employees to comment on a proposed new Presidential Policy on Export Controls.
The proposed policy seeks to provide a framework for all university locations to develop further local export-control compliance programs that satisfy federal legal requirements while allowing each location the flexibility to develop its own specific requirements and practices. Compliance with export controls requires the cooperation and is the responsibility of various offices and individuals across the university system. The proposed policy identifies some of those offices and individuals and describes some of their responsibilities to ensure that the University follows export-control laws and regulations.
If you have any questions or if you wish to comment, please contact Lourdes DeMattos, Research Policy Analysis and Coordination, at ECPolicyComments@ucop.edu, no later than June 8, 2017. Please indicate "Export Controls Policy Comments" in the subject line.
The policy draft is posted at http://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/files/258760.pdf.
- Author: Jodi Azulai
NAEPSDP to hold annual conference in December
The National Association of Extension Programs and Staff Development Professionals (NAEPSDP) will hold their annual conference at Green Valley Ranch Resort in Las Vegas on Dec. 4-7, 2017.
Consider joining NAEPSDP where “The professional development of members influences the professional development of all Extension Personnel.”
Several ANR employees are members of NAEPSDP. NAEPSDP was formed to bring the national community of program and staff development professionals together. This community includes individuals with a range of responsibilities in support of extension educators and the overall mission of Cooperative Extension.
NAEPSDP members include middle managers, evaluation specialists, program and staff development specialists, instructional designers, human resource specialists, information technologists, and accountability specialists/programmers. Sixty-eight percent of members have statewide responsibilities. The remainder work at the following levels: 24 percent regional, 5 percent national and 3 percent county. The NAEPSDP mission includes:
- Improving communication & collaboration
- Sharing resources
- Enhancing multi-state efforts
- Sponsoring and promote educational training programs and activities that advance program and staff development practices, and
- Advancing the professional status of program and staff development extension professionals by encouraging continuous improvement.
Use your subscription to Corporate Executive Board Learning & Development
As a UC ANR employee you have automatic membership to a top-notch professional development resource. Interested in cultivating your career to the next level of performance? If yes, check out CEB Learning & Development. It takes seconds to register or reset a password and participate in webinars, download job aids, and participate in discussion forums.
Here is a quick list of a few CEB resources:
Resources for All Employees – Develop yourself as a high-performing employee, not only effective at your tasks, but also as someone who contributes to others' performance and uses others' contributions to improve your own performance.
On-the-Job Activity Builder – Use this interactive tool to build employee development plans with recommended on-the-job learning activities, based on the competencies you select.
Manager Guide: Holding Effective Career Discussions – Guide your direct reports through identifying and progressing toward their career aspirations.
Manager Excellence Resource Center – an online portal (separate from the L&D member website) to find manager development and employee development resources.
Get the most out of your CEB Learning & Development membership—check it out today!
Performance Appraisals: Empower yourself with career planning tools
Performance appraisal can be stressful for many of us, and receiving performance feedback can trigger negative feelings. Understanding that these feelings are normal, and preparing yourself in advance, whether you're a supervisor or an individual contributor, can help reduce the stress and make it a positive experience.
You have many tools available to guide you through the appraisal process, starting with the ANR Learning & Development Career Planning Tools page.
Use the Self-assessment Worksheet to help you identify your strengths, skill gap areas, career goals, interests, and values. You can share it with your supervisor or use your responses to help draft your individual development plan (IDP). You can also find help from UC Davis with writing your Summary of Accomplishments.
If you struggle with feedback, here are some additional resources to empower you:
- UC Learning Center (UC Davis): Receiving Feedback and Criticism; for People Managers UC Performance Management: Giving and Receiving Feedback
- Corporate Executive Board Learning & Development Leadership Council (CEB register or reset a password): 3 Tricks Your Brain Plays When Receiving Feedback and Manager Guide: Improve Employee Performance through Informal Feedback
- TED Talk: How to use others' feedback to learn and grow with Sheila Heen, Professor Harvard University (19:28 minutes)
For more information about professional development opportunities, visit the ANR Learning & Development website at http://ucanr.edu/sites/Professional_Development or contact Jodi Azulai, Learning and Development coordinator, at (530) 750-1239 or jlazulai@ucanr.edu.
