- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Construction of a new parking lot for the ANR building in Davis is providing an opportunity for UC ANR to demonstrate science at the site by integrating an ongoing water-quality research project.
The research project on the recently purchased 10 acres at 3031 Second St. was developed by Missy Gable, director of the Master Gardener Program; Loren Oki, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in environmental horticulture at UC Davis; Igor Lacan, UC Cooperative Extension urban forestry advisor for San Mateo County; and Marq Truscott, a retired landscape architect who lectures for the Landscape Architecture Program at UC Davis.
The researchers will evaluate the effect of parking surfaces paved with different materials and coupled to rain garden swales on storm water runoff quality and quantity, according to Jan Corlett, chief of staff to the vice president, who is overseeing the project.
The study area of the parking lot will have the swales and three different surface types – typical asphalt, a cellular confinement system and permeable pavers. The researchers will study how these features improve water quality by removing pollutants and reduce runoff volumes by improving soil infiltration. They will be able to collect samples of runoff water from the different paved surfaces.
In addition, all trees planted in the parking lot will have engineered substrates to demonstrate their long-term effect on tree health and condition.
The new lot will add 92 full-sized, paved parking spaces and 40 parking spaces on gravel to the existing 96 spaces at 2801 Second St.
In 2016, a team that did planning for the 3031 Second St. site envisioned a collaborative, systemwide showcase, supported by the following key goals:
- Enhance the visibility of ANR's mission, research and educational programs that affect the lives of all Californians
- Ensure an inclusive approach to design and programming that welcomes all members of the ANR community, as well as outside researchers and stakeholders
- Support the core mission of ANR by ensuring the campus has a full suite of properly-sized and flexibly programmed facilities and spaces
- Capitalize on the opportunity to tell ANR's story both to the University of California community and outside stakeholders
- Promote community health and wellness in every aspect of site design and facility programming
- Reflect the natural California landscape through appropriate site design and landscaping
“This project reflects many of those goals by demonstrating that everything ANR does, even building a parking lot, can include research and extension opportunities,” Corlett said. “The City of Davis is very supportive of this effort, and we expect that it will draw many visitors each year.”
The project broke ground Sept. 5 and is expected to be completed in November.
The UC ANR Training Coordination Committee is sponsoring two “Crucial Conversations” trainings this spring:
- Tuesday and Wednesday, April 12-13, at the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier. On April 12, the training is from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on April 13, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Tuesday and Wednesday, May 17-18, at 2801 Second Street in Davis. On May 17, the training is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on May 18, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- You may also select “I can participate in either session” when you pre-register.
Training is open to all UC ANR academics, ANR staff employees, and Cooperative Extension county-paid employees who have not taken the Crucial Conversations training in the past. All expenses related to the training (registration fee, travel, lodging, meals and training materials) will be reimbursed by ANR funds according to UC travel policy.
Twenty participants will be accepted for each training course. Individuals selected to participate in the training will need to participate the full period of the training. Therefore, if you cannot commit to the full 14 hours of training, we ask that you not pre-register for the training. We also encourage you to inform your supervisor of your interest to participate in this training.
If you are interested in the training, please pre-register by March 10 at http://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=17197.
Individuals who have pre-registered will be notified on March 21 as to whether they have been selected to participate in the two-day training. A waiting list of those interested but not selected to participate in the training will be established in order for the trainers to contact them if space becomes available.
Crucial Conversations provides tools for talking when stakes are high, emotions are strong and opinions differ. The objectives of the 14-hour training are to provide the participants tools that will assist the participant in:
- Building greater personal influence and power
- Moving “stuck” work-related relationships and projects forward
- Improving personal, team and unit results
- Reducing stress from team frustrations and blocked communication
Your program certified trainers, Jan Corlett and Linda Marie Manton, thank you for considering participation in “Crucial Conversations” training. If you have questions contact Jan Corlett at Jan.Corlett@ucop.edu.
The UC ANR Training Coordination Committee is sponsoring “Crucial Conversations” training on Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 3–4, 2015, in Davis. The training will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 3 and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 4.
Training is open to all UC ANR academics, ANR staff employees, and Cooperative Extension county-paid employees who have not taken the Crucial Conversations training in the past. All expenses related to the training (registration fee, travel, lodging, meals and training materials) will be reimbursed by ANR funds according to UC travel policy.
Twenty (20) participants will be accepted to the training. Individuals selected to participate in the training will need to participate for the full period of the training. Therefore, if you cannot commit to the full 14 hours of training, we ask that you not pre-register for the training.
If you are interested in the training, please pre-register at: http://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=10326. We also encourage you to inform your supervisor of your interest in participating in this training.
Individuals who have pre-registered will be notified on Oct. 15 as to whether they have been selected to participate in the two-day training. A waiting list will be established for those who are interested but are not selected to participate in the training and they will be contacted if space becomes available.
“Crucial Conversations” provides tools for talking when stakes are high, emotions are strong, and opinions differ. The objectives of the 14-hour training are to provide tools that will assist the participant in:
- Building greater personal influence and power
- Moving “stuck” work-related relationships and projects forward
- Improving personal, team, and unit results
- Reducing stress from team frustrations and blocked communication
Your program-certified trainers Jan Corlett and Linda Marie Manton thank you for considering participation in Crucial Conversations training. If you have questions contact Jan Corlett at Jan.Corlett@ucop.edu.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
This orientation is open to all new UC Cooperative Extension advisors, UC Cooperative Extension specialists, academic coordinators, academic administrators and Agricultural Experiment Station faculty.
Join Associate Vice President Bill Frost and our new vice president to discuss the mission of UC ANR and our varied roles in California and the University, and see examples of successful research and outreach programs. The program will begin at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and end at noon on Thursday, Oct. 29. More details on the agenda and registration will be shared this summer.
In August 2014, 56 new academics who had joined ANR since 2009 met at the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center to engage in discussions with colleagues and learn about the resources available through ANR. Evaluations of that orientation were very positive — 4.0 on a scale of 1 to 5.
For new academics who were unable to attend the 2014 workshop, and for those of you who have been hired recently — please mark your calendars now — and plan to join us Oct. 27-29.
If you have questions about the orientation, please contact Jan Corlett, chief of staff to the vice president, at jan.corlett@ucop.edu or (510) 287-3343.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
VP Barbara Allen-Diaz held a town hall today (April 29) for ANR employees to discuss the UC ANR Work Environment Assessment. Jan Corlett, the VP's chief of staff, presented results of the survey. They both answered questions from the audience.
The UC ANR Work Environment Assessment results are based on a 64 percent response rate from UC Cooperative Extension specialists, UCCE advisors and staff located throughout the state. However, these results do not include Agricultural Extension Service faculty and UCCE specialists located on the Berkeley, Davis and Riverside campuses who received the campus survey; or staff in Oakland who received the UCOP survey.
The UC ANR Work Environment Assessment results are at http://ucanr.edu/sites/wesurvey. A recording of the 37-minute town hall discussion is posted at http://uc-d.adobeconnect.com/p26dn57i5le.