- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
UC Cooperative Extension specialist and advisors working on California-grown rice research are invited to apply for the UCCE Presidential Chair for California Grown Rice. The deadline to apply is July 8.
I. Overview
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) established a $1 million UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE)Presidential Chair for California Grown Rice.The endowed chair will provide a UCCE scientist a dedicated source of funds to support scholarly activities focused on improvement of California rice production and quality. Half of the funds for the endowed chair were provided through a generous donation by the California Rice Research Board, the other half were provided by then UC President Janet Napolitano as matching funds.
II. Purpose and use of chair
The chair will support research to improve California rice production and quality. The chair will be awarded by UC ANR to a distinguished UC Cooperative Extension specialist or advisor currently working in the area of California-grown rice research.The annual payout from the endowment shall be used to provide salary, graduate student and/or program support for the chair holder's work in California-grown rice. The annual payout will provide the appointed chair holder a scholarly allowance to support research on California-grown rice and extension of that research to California rice growers.
III. Eligibility
Chairholder applicants must be a UC Cooperative Extension advisor or specialist currently working in the area of California-grown rice research.
IV. Submission process
Chairholder applicants will submit a five-year proposed scope of work including:
o A statement of relevance of the proposed scope of work to the improvement of California rice production and quality, as stipulated by the California Rice Research Board.
o A work plan outlining anticipated outcomes and anticipated impacts.
o A budget outlining how funds from the endowment payout will be utilized. The estimated annual payout is approximately $42,000.
o Information regarding potential internal and/or external collaborators involved with the proposed work.
o Other pertinent information that will support the proposal, including three letters of support, C.V., relevance to other work in this area, why this work is groundbreaking, etc.
V. Selection of the chairholder
Selection of the chair holder will be made in accordance with university and ANR policies and procedures and will follow a competitive selection process to ensure access to all eligible UC Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists systemwide. The interim Associate Vice President will appoint a review panel to evaluate Chair holder proposals and recommend an award recipient to the Vice President–UCANR. The review panel will consist of three to five members, including at least one representative selected by the California Rice Research Board. A review panel chair will be appointed to oversee the process. The committee recommendation will be given to the interim Associate Vice President who will present to the Vice President – UC ANR for final approval.
VI. Notification process
Once selected, the chairholder recipient will receive an award letter outlining the expectations and requirements of the appointment. The Presidential Chair for California Grown Rice will be awarded for a five-year term. A competitive chair holder selection process will take place every five years. A current chair holder will be eligible to apply for a renewed five-year appointment at that time.
VII. Program priorities and goals
For the purpose of identifying relevant issues and establishing program goals in alignment with industry needs, the chair holder shall seek the recommendations of an advisory committee (consisting of representatives from the rice industry, UC Cooperative Extension advisors, a UC Cooperative Extension specialist, and a minimum of one member of the California Rice Research Board). In the absence of an advisory committee, the chairholder shall meet with representatives of the California Rice Research Board at least annually, as well as with other stakeholders.
VIII. Chairholder reporting requirements
UC ANR has defined expectations for all chairholders:
- An annual report will be submitted to the Associate Vice President to outline the work carried out and the outcomes and impacts achieved because of this work. The report should include:
- Any significant accomplishments, challenges or revisions to the original scope of work.
- Examples of how information was extended, and example impacts and condition changes that resulted from the work.
- A financial report indicating how endowed payout funds were expended, demonstrating that the funds have been used in keeping with the terms of the endowed fund. If funds remain at the end of the program year, the report will include an explanation for the carryover and a plan for how those funds will be used in the new program year.
- The report will be shared with the California Rice Research Board and UC ANR Leadership.
IX. Timeline
- June 1, 2023 – RFP released
- July 8, 2023 – Proposals due to Deanne Meyer, UC ANR interim Associate Vice President, via email dmeyer@ucanr.edu by 5 p.m.
- Aug. 8, 2023 – Chairholder selection announced
- Funding will be available shortly thereafter
- Author: Jodi Azulai
UC ANR LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT
Landing page| Webinar Recordings| Learning Resources
Extension Methods & Delivery
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Office, Team, and Personal Management
Confident Conversations: Useful tools to address farmer stress and difficult topics
June 7, 2023
10-11 a.m.
Details & Registration
This four-part webinar series will provide an overview and model the Confident Conversations Curriculum developed by University of Delaware Cooperative Extension and colleagues in the Northeast.
Multitrack Audio Editing for Beginners, Extension Skills
June 8, 2023
11 a.m.-Noon
Details & Registration
In response to your feedback from our Podcasting for Beginners Extension Skills Session led by Aaron Weibe, June's Extension Skills will focus on multitrack audio editing. In this interactive session, we'll cover the basics of what multitrack audio editing is and walk you through a basic editing session in real time using Adobe Audition!
Closed Captioning in YouTube - WebANR
June 15, 2023
12:00-12:30 p.m.
Help UC ANR be more accessible! Join Stephen Dampier to learn how to add closed captioning to YouTube.
Zoom Meeting: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/5307501239?pwd=WDI3U2g5cXRvWUhVUlY3MitJWkVVUT09
Meeting ID: 530 750 1239 Phone +1 669 900 6833 US
Password: 4Collab
June 22, 2023
11 a.m.-Noon
Details & Registration
As Extension professionals, we communicate science to the public. In our hyperconnected world of web pages, social media, and 30-second video reels, connecting with our audiences, especially on science, can seem like a never-ending uphill battle. Science communication experts are learning how to break through barriers to have meaningful conversations across audiences and identities, in part thanks to advances in communication science. With Sarah Mae Nelson of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Environmental Climate Stewards.
Food Recovery for Rhode Island: Cultivating Community-Led Solutions to Food Access and Food Waste, Program Center Stage
June 26, 2023
11 a.m.-Noon
Details & Registration
We'll take you through our journey developing Food Recovery for Rhode Island - a Cooperative Extension community development train-the-trainer program that simultaneously addresses food waste, food insecurity and climate change. We'll share our challenges and successes, and have plenty of time to chat about collaboration.
Resources for Free Stock & Wonderful tutorials on Multimedia Production (Extension Foundation)
June 7, 2023
2-3:30 p.m.
Register Session 3
Are you concerned about increasing health inequities across California? Have you wondered how UC ANR can make a difference? UC ANR's Community Nutrition and Health unit is proud to host a three-part training series on “Advancing Health Equity” in collaboration with UCSF School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, and Center for Child and Community Health. UC ANR educators, supervisors, advisors and specialists from across our Statewide Programs and Initiatives are invited to attend.
This will be an interactive learning opportunity to come together and visualize how UC ANR can address critical health disparities we face and put into practice the opportunities outlined in our Strategic Initiatives Health Equity Concept Note (found here on the UC ANR website).
Image by mcmurryjulie from Pixabay
June 14, 2023
Join the Black and Allied Employees on Wednesday, to celebrate Juneteenth. During this event, we will learn about the lives of Dr. Keith Nathaniel and Dr. Mary Blackburn — including their journeys in agriculture and extension, how their experiences shape their work, and how their lives connect to present patterns of inequity that are commonly believed to be a thing of the past.
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/99024484120?pwd=b3hkeXBiMEhRNWJ1a1VrOWhVdHZFdz09
Meeting ID: 990 2448 4120
Passcode: 092774
iPhone one-tap: +1669444917, 99024484120#, or +16699006833, 99024484120# US (San Jose)
Telephone (US): +1 669 900 6833
How to Add Closed Captioning in YouTube
June 15, 2023
Noon-12:30 p.m.
Many people at UC ANR are working to making our products and communications much more accessible. If you are one of these people, please join ANR IT Training and Development Specialist Stephen Dampier to learn how to add closed captioning to YouTube.
Zoom Meeting: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/5307501239?pwd=WDI3U2g5cXRvWUhVUlY3MitJWkVVUT09
Meeting ID: 530 750 1239 Phone +1 669 900 6833 US
Password: 4Collab
Business Operations Center Q&A Office Hours
Second & fourth Thursdays (For June: 8 & 22)
10-11 a.m.
Are you a CD with questions about budget and financial analysis?
Are you a PI with questions about post-award grant management?
Are you staff with questions about payroll and fiscal close?
Drop in with your questions. We're here to help!
Zoom: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/94023190790?pwd=a2JUQVVFQk1jRTFFTjBpSUJKWmxTUT09
bocsupport@ucanr.edu
(530) 212-3950
UC ANR New Employee Welcome – Virtual
June 20, 2023
9-11:20 a.m.
Participate in a concise welcome to ANR! Meet our Leadership team, get to know your colleagues, and learn a bit about ANR and how your role connects to the larger ANR mission. Learn about: UC Davis Health Benefits, UC Davis Fidelity Retirement, UC Davis Ombuds, Staff Assembly, Academic Assembly, Employee Resource Groups
Course link
Storytelling can transform technical talks into dynamic and energizing presentations. In this course, you can learn the top reasons why audiences tune out and discover techniques to make your complex material more memorable and engaging. Instructors Poornima Vijayashanker and Karen Catlin share how to improve your public speaking skills and use storytelling to increase engagement and retention. Get your LinkedIn Learning account today! Contact our ANR IT team at help@ucanr.edu.
The Eight Dimensions of Wellness
June 21, 2023
10:30-11:30 a.m.
Details & Registration
Well-being is an important part of living a healthy and fulfilled life. There are eight components of wellness defined by SAMSHA and this presentation will discuss intellectual wellness.

- Author: Jodi Azulai
UC ANR is working to bring you statistics resources, informed by internal needs assessments and by identifying statistics experts who are open to opportunities for consulting and collaboration within the UC ANR network. If this is you, please sign-up in this Google sheet.
Statistics Software Programs
Statistics Training & Educational Resources
Statistics Technical Support and Consulting
On the training webpage, you can find recordings, presentations and exercises from our spring 2022 stats workshop series Applied Statistics for Farm Advisors, which provided a refresh and update on statistical skills for UCCE 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
- Newer methods like mixed models and bootstrapping that take advantage of modern computing power (which may not have been available if you took 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
Image by 200 Degrees from Pixabay
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- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
UC ANR employees are invited to join the UCOP Black Staff & Faculty Organization for a Juneteenth week of events!
More information and an event flyer (PDF) can be found on the UCOP page.
The UC ANR Black and Allied Employees are also hosting a "Celebrating Juneteenth" event on June 14, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, featuring Dr. Mary Blackburn and Dr. Keith Nathaniel (see Zoom information in event listings below).
What's Juneteenth
Monday, June 12
Noon-1 p.m.
Come learn about the significance of Juneteenth.
David H. Anthony III, professor emeritus of African History at UC Santa Cruz, will delve into the significance and history of Juneteenth, exploring its roots and its importance in American culture.
Join via Zoom https://ucop.zoom.us/j/93634417310#success
936 3441 7310
Reparations Speaker
Tuesday, June 13
1-2 p.m.
Join Cheryl Grills, Ph.D., as she discusses the meaning and importance of reparations, including the history of reparations in America. She will also provide information on how to support tangible reparations for American Descendants of Slavery.
Join via Zoom https://ucop.zoom.us/j/98089055733#success
962 5244 6327
Celebrating Juneteenth
Wednesday, June 14
10:30 a.m.-Noon
Join UC ANR Black and Allied Employees as we learn about the lives of Dr. Keith Nathaniel and Dr. Mary Blackburn — including their journeys in agriculture and extension, how their experiences shape their work, and how their lives connect to present patterns of inequity that are commonly believed to be a thing of the past.
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/99024484120?pwd=b3hkeXBiMEhRNWJ1a1VrOWhVdHZFdz09
Meeting ID: 990 2448 4120
Passcode: 092774
iPhone one-tap: +1669444917, 99024484120#, or +16699006833, 99024484120# US (San Jose)
Telephone (US): +1 669 900 6833
Voting Rights
Wednesday, June 14
Noon-1 p.m.
Kristin Nimmers from the California Black Power Network will speak about the importance of voting and voting rights.
Join via Zoom: https://ucop.zoom.us/j/98089055733#success
980 8905 5733
"Ferguson Rises" Film Screening
Thursday, June 15
3-5 p.m.
Join UC colleagues for a special movie screening of "Ferguson Rises," followed by a thought-provoking discussion with esteemed speakers who will explore the themes and issues presented in the film.
In-person at Broadway Conference Center in Oakland or join via Zoom:
https://ucop.zoom.us/j/91215595154#success
912 1559 5154
- Author: Emily Delk, Director of Annual Giving
On UC ANR Giving Day, May 18-19, generous donors throughout the state contributed $80,737 for UC ANR research and extension programs across California.
“This show of support demonstrates the impact we are having in our communities and the role that donors play in our success,” said Emily Delk, director of annual giving.
Some donors contributed comments with their donations:
- “Continue the great education and work!” said Ralph B.
- “Thanks to all the UC Master Gardeners for their expertise and precious gift of time to help residents grow their own food and garden more sustainably,” said Janet H.
- “You help with the important things in life,” said Paul C.
Thanks to the generosity of donors who have supported the UC ANR Incentives Fund, an additional $7,500 will be distributed to UC ANR groups qualifying for our special boost incentives. The ANR Incentive Fund encourages donor engagement resulting in increased giving to all ANR programs.
Participating California 4-H programs had every gift matched thanks to an additional $20,720 in matching funds made possible by the California 4-H Foundation.
Donations received on UC ANR Giving Day go directly to the programs, locations or research area selected by the donor. We are grateful to our UC ANR community of friends and neighbors, as well as our staff and volunteers who came together to support our mission and to make “the donor difference,” that improves the lives of all Californians.
Social Media Stars (in no particular order):
California Naturalist
UC IPM
UC Cooperative Extension - Glenn County
Master Food Preservers - Mariposa
MFP - Orange
MFP - Sacramento
Master Gardeners - Statewide
MG - Colusa
MG - Fresno
MG - Nevada
MG - Orange
MG - Placer
MG - San Luis Obispo
MG - San Mateo & San Francisco
MG - Santa Clara
MG - Sonoma
MG - Stanislaus
MG - Ventura
4-H Statewide
4-H Calaveras
4-H Contra Costa
4-H Glenn
4-H Orange
4-H Sacramento
4-H Tuolumne