- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Moon named director of Workplace Inclusion & Belonging 
Elizabeth Moon joined UC ANR on March 3 as director of workplace inclusion and belonging. She will be responsible for developing and implementing ANR's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and programs for our community. This position, an inaugural appointment, will be an integral collaborative partner to the ANR DEI Advisory Council. Moon will partner with ANR administrative and academic units, affinity groups and other ANR constituents on engagement strategies.
Moon comes to ANR with years of experience in assessing and building inclusive relationships within communities. In her previous position as chief diversity officer at UC Davis Graduate School of Management (GSM), she created the Action for Diversity GSM Community Group for students, staff, alumni and business partners to explore and challenge each other to create a non-partisan conversation of learning on issues surrounding systemic and individual racism. She collaborated on the creation of the GSM DEI Strategic Vision and Goals and built bridges for a larger LGBTQ+ presence at GSM.
Moon has an M.A. in teaching English as a second language from California State University, Sacramento, a B.A. in anthropology from George Washington University, Washington, D.C., and a National Association of Diversity in Higher Education Standards of Professional Practice Certificate. She is also an MBA Certified Coach.
Read more in Mike Hsu's A conversation with Elizabeth Moon.
Colleagues are invited to meet Moon at the DEI Alliance meeting at the ANR Statewide Conference on Monday, April 24, from 3:15-5 p.m. in Salon D at the DoubleTree in Fresno.
Moon is located in room 155 in the ANR building on 2nd Street in Davis and can be reached at emoon@ucanr.edu and (530) 883-1174.
Kayad named ag engineering advisor at Intermountain REC
Ahmed Kayad joined UC Cooperative Extension in January as an agricultural engineering advisor at the Intermountain Research and Extension Center.
He will address regional needs in relation to integrating and adapting new technologies related to mechanization, automation and precision agriculture into intermountain cropping systems. Kayad is eager to investigate differences in crop growth and development within agricultural fields in Modoc and Siskiyou counties using satellite, drone and ground sensors.
To help farmers make informed management decisions across their farming operations, one of Kayad's first objectives is to map fields for spatial and temporal yield variability to better understand management practices that increase crop production.
Prior to joining IREC, he was a postdoctoral researcher at UC Riverside. His recent research activities include monitoring crop yield through ground and remote sensing for alfalfa and corn, using drone images for weed detection in vegetable crops, and investigating the impact of digital solutions in agriculture. He worked as a service engineer at farm equipment manufacturer CLAAS in Egypt, specializing in hay balers and forage/grain combine harvesters. In 2020, he was a visiting doctoral researcher at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico.
Kayad earned a Ph.D in digital agriculture from the University of Padua, Italy, studying corn yield mapping through ground and remote sensing techniques. He earned a bachelor's and master's in agricultural engineering from Alexandria University, Egypt and King Saud University, Saudi Arabia respectively.
Kayad is located at the Intermountain Research and Extension Center in Tulelake and can be reached at agkayad@ucanr.edu and (530) 667-5117.
Tanner named specialty crops and horticulture advisor 
Eddie Tanner joined UC Cooperative Extension on Jan. 3 as a specialty crops and horticulture advisor serving Humboldt and Del Norte counties.
He will be supporting the region's vegetable, fruit, flower and nursery growers with research-based technical assistance, collaborating with community partners to increase access to locally produced foods, and supporting the UC Master Gardeners.
Tanner has been involved in agriculture in Humboldt County for over 20 years as a farmer and a farm and garden educator. He holds a B.S. in wildland soil science from Humboldt State University and an M.S. in agriculture from Washington State University.
Tanner is based in the Eureka office and can be reached at ehtanner@ucanr.edu.
Gilani named biomass and bioenergy advisor 
Haris Gilani joined UC ANR on Jan. 9 as a UCCE biomass and bioenergy advisor serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
In this role, Gilani investigates opportunities and strategies for increasing the use of woody biomass through development of biofuels and bioenergy among other products. He will also work to enhance biomass management and natural resource manufacturing with strategies for reducing community risk from wildfires.
“I think the overarching aim is to develop sustainable markets for wood and biomass to support forest management and restoration activities across all forest lands in California,” Gilani said. “This will help achieve the state's climate change goals as well as promote long-term economic development and community resilience.”
Another important aspect of his role is communicating research-based information on efficacy of converting woody biomass into fuels for transportation and other products that are consistent with the state's Forest Carbon Plan, to the public, industry, government and relevant stakeholders.
Gilani earned a Ph.D. in forest products marketing from the University of British Columbia, Canada, a Master of Business Administration from Technical University Freiberg in Germany, and a bachelor's in mathematics and physics from the University of the Punjab in Pakistan.
Before joining UC ANR, Gilani worked at his alma matter in Canada as a postdoctoral fellow focusing on economic and market analysis of value-added wood products in BC. He also worked as an assistant project scientist at UC Berkeley researching biofuels, before he joined the State University of New York in Syracuse, where he developed a wood-based bioeconomy roadmap for NY State.
Gilani is based out of the UCCE Riverside County office in Palm Desert and can be reached at hgilani@ucanr.edu.
Nguyen named UCCE nutrition specialist 
Cassandra Nguyen joined UC Cooperative Extension on Jan. 3 as a specialist in the UC Davis Department of Nutrition.
Nguyen's long-term goal is to bridge the gap between "what we know" and "what we do" about food insecurity. Her research encompasses three areas of interest: revitalization of local food systems to increase diet quality and well-being among Native communities and families; integration of food insecurity screening into healthcare services to better address chronic diseases; and advancements in the charitable food system to increase equity and empowerment of clients.
Nguyen recently published a journal article on food bank strategies to promote nutrition and health.
She earned a Ph.D. in human nutrition and M.S. in nutritional sciences, both from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.S. in dietetics from Central Washington University.
Nguyen is located in Meyer Hall at UC Davis and can be reached at (530) 752-3817 and casnguy@ucdavis.edu.
Engelskirchen shifts to new role with SARE 
Gwenaël Engelskirchen began as the new sustainable food and farming coordinator with the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program in January.
After serving as SAREP's sustainable supply chain coordinator since 2015, Engelskirchen said she is looking forward to her new role as an academic coordinator to support farmers and ranchers in adopting more sustainable agricultural practices while strengthening regional food systems.
“Leveraging SAREP's emphasis and expertise on sustainability from ‘farm to fork,' I hope to bring research and resources to meet the needs of diverse clientele groups across California,” Engelskirchen said.
Key audiences and partners include agricultural producers, regional distributors, food hubs, institutional and retail buyers, community organizations and agencies that address food, farming and natural resource issues. In her previous capacity with SAREP, Engelskirchen launched the California Food Hub Network, a statewide learning network for regional, values-based food distributors.
In addition to earning bachelor's degrees in international development and women's studies from UCLA and a master's in community development from UC Davis, Engelskirchen has worked on and managed organic farms, both urban and rural. She has designed and organized workshops, field walks, webinars and educational events and delivered direct technical assistance for farmers in California and Arizona.
“I am continually drawing inspiration from my colleagues, collaborators, community and the land,” she said.
Engelskirchen is based at the ANR building in Davis and can be reached at gaengelskirchen@ucanr.edu and (530) 792-8253.
Hickman joins UC IPM as photographer/videographer 
Krystle Hickman has joined UC IPM as a senior producer-director based in Southern California.
The main focus of her work will be to take photos and videos of all pests such as insects, diseases, weeds and vertebrates, including the damage they cause. She will be updating and adding to the photos in the UC IPM photo database. She will be traveling up and down the state.
“We would like to invite advisors to reach out to Krystle if they would be willing to spend some time with her in the field to show her pests and damage in the crops that they work with,” said Cheryl Reynolds, UC IPM writer and interactive learning developer.
Hickman is a TEDx speaker, National Geographic Explorer, artist, community scientist and photographer based in Los Angeles. Her photography has been featured in The Los Angeles Times, books and scientific journals. A skilled photographer of California native bees, Hickman's work can be seen on her Instagram account @beesip.
Hickman works remotely from Southern California and can be reached at khickman@ucanr.edu and (530) 231-1741.
Dean to communicate, amplify Forest Stewardship programs 
Grace Dean joined UC ANR on Jan. 16 as a Forest Stewardship communications specialist and is based out of the South Coast Research and Extension Center in Irvine.
Dean is responsible for identifying outreach opportunities to promote and increase audience engagement in Forest Stewardship Education workshops and programs. These initiatives engage forest landowners in creating management plans, connecting with natural resource professionals, and navigating cost-sharing programs. In this new role, she will create comprehensive media strategies that target landowners of all backgrounds and will continuously assess how these strategies can improve over time.
Dean recently earned a bachelor's degree in public affairs from UCLA with a focus in public policy, communications and environmental affairs. Previously, Dean interned for forestry-related organizations including the USDA Forest Service and TreePeople, a nonprofit organization that inspires individuals to take responsibility for the urban environment.
Dean is excited to learn more about forest management from her team and find creative avenues for information to reach new audiences. When she's not working, you can find her crocheting, volunteering at the local cat shelter, or tending to her succulents.
Dean is based out of the South Coast Research and Extension Center in Irvine and can be reached at gndean@ucanr.edu.
Hanson selected as weed society fellow 
Brad Hanson was selected as a Fellow of the Western Society of Weed Science at its 76th annual meeting held Feb. 27-March 3 in Boise, Idaho. The Fellow Award is the highest honor of the society and recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the society and to the discipline of weed science.
“Brad has a long record of serving the society in leadership roles and was previously recognized as WSWS Outstanding Early Career Weed Scientist in 2011,” wrote Carol Mallory-Smith, Oregon State University professor emeritus. “In addition to WSWS, he is active in the California Weed Science Society and the Weed Science Society of America.”
Hanson, who has been a UC Cooperative Extension specialist at UC Davis since 2009, studies weeds in orchard and vineyard crops. He also provides weed science support for agronomic and horticultural crops and supervises the UC Davis IR-4 Field Research Center. From 2005 to 2009, he was a USDA-ARS research agronomist in Parlier, where he conducted research on soil fumigants and weed control in nursery crops.
“The committee recognized the productive career that Brad has had as a weed scientist,” Mallory-Smith wrote. “He has co-authored 92 peer-reviewed articles, 16 book chapters and extension publications, and more than 60 research papers presented at WSWS meetings. Brad and members of his lab delivered more than 500 extension presentations during his career at UC Davis. Brad is considered an excellent mentor for graduate students and young weed scientists.”
One letter of support for Hanson becoming a fellow noted that he is “committed to solving problems. He has the ability to blend curiosity-driven scientific advances with a problem-solving Extension mindset.
Brim-DeForest receives weed society Award of Excellence 
Whitney Brim-DeForest, UCCE director and rice advisor for Sutter and Yuba counties, received an Award of Excellence from the California Weed Science Society. She studies weeds in rice production systems.
California Weed Science Society gives Awards of Excellence to members who have made tremendous contributions to the society mission in the following areas: the information exchange through research, publications, facilitating cooperation among individuals, encouraging careers in weed science, and promoting professional growth of members. Two awards are given out annually to weed scientists or weed practitioners for an entire body of work, rather than a single achievement.
The award was presented by Anil Shrestha, CWSS past-president, at the California Weed Science Society's 75th meeting held Jan. 18-20 in Monterey
Clemons named 2023 Woman of Distinction 
The women of Phi Mu Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. have selected , director for UC Cooperative Extension in Riverside, Orange and San Bernardino counties, as a 2023 Woman of Distinction for her outstanding contributions and years of service to the Inland Empire community. Zeta is a historically African American sorority formed in 1920 for college-educated women.
Born and raised in Pomona, Clemons knows firsthand the challenges associated with growing up in an economically challenged city. Clemons became the first in her family to graduate from college, earning degrees in paralegal studies and business administration and a master's degree in management. She has spent her career sharing her personal and professional experiences to help others achieve their goals.
Her first committee appointment was for the Inland Empire United Way, Women United Committee as vice chair. Clemons was then appointed to the board of directors for Ontario Youth Activities League, where she serves as Vice President. She is a current member of the Women of Hope committee for the Hope Through Housing Foundation. She has been a member of San Bernardino County Preschool Services Policy Council, Inland Empire United Way Executive Advisory Council, San Bernardino County Superintendent's West End Advisory Council, Mexican Consulate Education Liaison, California League of High Schools Educator of the Year Committee, Riverside County Early Literacy Conference Planning Committee, active member of Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario and San Bernardino Chamber of Commerce. She was also selected as a Fellow for the Center for Civic Policy & Leadership Healing Communities Through Racial Justice.
Clemons received the award at the sorority's Finer Womanhood Celebration in San Bernardino on March 25.
Dobbin appointed to SAFER Advisory Group 
The California State Water Resources Control Board has appointed Kristin Dobbin—assistant professor of Cooperative Extension in the UC Berkeley Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management—to the Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience (SAFER) Advisory Group.
The SAFER Program is a set of tools, funding sources, and regulatory authorities designed to ensure all Californians are able to receive clean drinking water as quickly as possible. The program provides short-term fixes to address immediate public health needs while pursuing long-term solutions — ranging from water system upgrades to consolidation and regionalization — that make the state's water systems more sustainable and resilient.
Dobbin's research and outreach focus on water justice policy and planning, specifically the ongoing implementation of California's human right to water law AB 685. She will join members of the public and stakeholders from public water systems, technical assistance providers, local agencies, and nongovernmental organizations to advise the State Water Board as it advances the SAFER Program's goals.
The advisory group will meet up to four times a year across California to provide opportunities for public and community input.
For more information about the SAFER Program and advisory group, visit the State Water Board website.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Resnick named director for community nutrition and health 
Amira Resnick joined UC ANR as director for Community Nutrition and Health on Feb. 15.
"We look forward to Amira bringing her enthusiasm and experience to help continue the growth of our nutrition and health work across the state," said Associate Vice President Wendy Powers. "Our historical impact in these areas – and more recently the growing concerns around COVID-19 and food security – highlight the importance of and need for this work.”
Prior to joining UC ANR, Resnick was senior manager with Alliance for a Healthier Generation based in Los Angeles. In that position, she has spearheaded new, innovative multisectoral partnership development, secured funding opportunities, and implemented projects to advance environmental and systemic change toward whole child health. Previously, as Statewide Family Services coordinator with Telamon Corporation, she led program implementation across 17 Migrant Head Start sites with 500 employees, serving over 1,000 families.
Resnick holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Southern California and a bachelor's degree in cultural anthropology with a minor in Spanish from the University of Michigan.
“The position will further refine our vision for growth in the areas of nutrition and health and will oversee the network of nutrition and health work implemented across the state through the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program; CalFresh Healthy Living, UC program; and UC Master Food Preserver program,” said Mark Bell, vice provost of strategic initiatives and statewide programs.
Resnick is based in the ANR building in Davis and can be reached at arresnick@ucanr.edu.
Roman named BOC associate director 
Tracy Roman joined UC ANR as associate director for the Business Operations Center on Feb. 15.
For the past 27 years, Roman worked for UC Davis Stores (Bookstore) in multiple positions, the last decade as the associate director of finance. She also was the bookstore's coordinator of commencement for students, served on the UC Student Health Insurance Plan committee and was a member of UC Davis' administrative management group called ADMAN.
During her tenure with the bookstore, Roman coordinated the student health vending machine, got SNAP accepted on campus, developed “Relax and Restore” (an event to help student de-stress during finals week), helped get an Amazon store located on campus, and served as project manager for Equitable Access.
Roman is based at the ANR building in Davis and can be reached at tlroberts@ucdavis.edu.
Fernandez named associate director of statewide programs operations and RECs 
Maru Fernandez joined ANR as associate director of statewide programs operations and research and extension centers on Jan. 24.
Fernandez, who has worked for UC since 2011, served as Financial Services Supervisor for the UC ANR Business Operations Center in 2020 and 2021. She has also worked in Contracts and Grants Accounting at UC Davis, as a fund manager.
She earned a B.S. in entrepreneurial management and marketing from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
Fernandez is based at the UC ANR building in Davis and can be reached at mefernandez@ucanr.edu.
Waisen named UCCE vegetable crops and small farms advisor 
Philip Waisen joined UC Cooperative Extension as a vegetable crops and small farms advisor in Riverside and Imperial counties on Jan. 10.
He is developing research and extension programs focused on pest and disease management and plant nutrient management in vegetable agroecosystems.
Prior to joining UCCE, Waisen was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he worked on Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education-funded research projects on nematode and soil health management in tomatoes, peppers, cucurbits, asparagus, banana and brassicas. During 2021, Waisen served as a part-time lecturer teaching plant pathology, research methods, and horticultural sciences courses for his alma mater, the Papua New Guinea University of Technology.
He earned a Ph.D. and M.S. in plant pathology/nematology, plant and environmental protection sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and a B.S. in agriculture and plant disease at Papua New Guinea University of Technology.
Waisen is based in Indio and can be reached at pwaisen@ucanr.edu and (760) 342-2467.
Levy named UCCE water specialist 
Natalie Levy joined UC Cooperative Extension on Jan. 3 as an associate specialist for water resources serving Orange County.
Levy will be designing and conducting water-related research and extension activities focused on the needs of both urban and agriculture systems. Based at the South Coast Research and Extension Center, she assists with the Climate Ready Landscape Plant irrigation trials, a collaborative Specialty Crops Multistate research project being conducted at several Western academic institutions. The data collected from the deficit irrigation trials are used to assess vigor and overall performance of landscape plants to identify low-water use plants that can be successfully grown in each climate and soil type.
Prior to becoming a UCCE specialist, Levy was a staff research associate at South Coast REC assisting with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation's study of storm and non-storm runoff within urban landscapes in OC. Before joining UC ANR, she worked for ecko360 as terrestrial division director, developing custom aerial imaging and modeling solutions for plant production systems.
She earned a Ph.D. in agricultural and extension education and evaluation and an M.S. in agronomy, both from Louisiana State University, and a B.S. in environmental science from UC Berkeley.
Levy is headquartered at the South Coast Research and Extension Center in Irvine. She can be reached at nlevy@ucanr.edu.
Morris joins UCCE Santa Clara as agricultural liaison 
Julie Morris joined UCCE in Santa Clara County as agricultural liaison, a new UCCE position supported by the county Agricultural Division and UC ANR, on Jan. 3. Morris will facilitate and expedite agricultural projects in Santa Clara County.
“Julie will advance our mission to support economic and community development of local farms and ranches by coordinating across county departments and community groups to enhance food access and public health,” said Santa Clara County Agricultural Commissioner Joe Deviney.
Morris will help agricultural producers navigate the complex regulations and coordinate efforts for policy change and regulatory simplification. By working closely with a variety of partners, including farms and ranches, landowners, policy advocates, decisionmakers, community stakeholders and others, she will be instrumental in developing and administering new systems, policies, processes and programs supporting healthy food systems.
A longtime rancher and co-founder of T.O. Cattle Company, Morris is an advocate of local food systems. Her family's ranch direct markets grass-fed beef to customers throughout California. She was communications and government affairs manager at Earthbound Farm and has experience with federal and state agriculture policy, food access issues, and regulatory and compliance standards. She is also the former executive director of Community Vision San Benito County, part of the Community Foundation of San Benito County.
Morris holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from San Diego State University and is a graduate of the California Agricultural Leadership program, a two-year fellowship focusing on community involvement and leadership.
Morris is based in San Jose and can be reached at (408) 201-0674 and jfmorris@ucanr.edu.
Clemons named UCCE director for Riverside, Orange and San Bernardino counties 
Rita Clemons joined UC ANR as UCCE director in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties on Dec. 1, 2021. By assuming administrative responsibilities for the three counties, Clemons' hiring allows Darren Haver, Janet Hartin, Chris McDonald and Stephanie Barrett to focus on their research and extension.
Prior to joining UC ANR, Clemons was the regional center director for Cambridge College-Southern California, creating visibility for the college by developing strong partnerships and relationships with local community organizations. She managed day-to-day operations; recruited, interviewed and recommended faculty; supervised faculty and staff; resolved complaints from constituents; represented the college at events; assessed academic and student service needs; recommended new programs and developed agreements to market the college.
The Pomona native began her corporate career working in human resources for law firms in Los Angeles. She moved to higher education, first as a recruiter for Claremont Graduate University's School of Politics and Economics, and eventually becoming a program administrator for the School of Information Systems and Technology.
Clemons earned a degree in paralegal studies at the Southern California College of Business and Law, bachelor's degree in business administration at the University of Phoenix, and a master's degree in management with a concentration in leadership at Claremont Graduate University.
Clemons is based in Moreno Valley and can be reached at rlclemons@ucanr.edu.
Urban IPM team wins CDPR IPM Achievement Award
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation presented a 2021 IPM Achievement Award to Karey Windbiel-Rojas, associate director for Urban & Community IPM, and fellow UCCE advisors Andrew Sutherland, Niamh Quinn and Siavash Taravati for their integrated pest management work in urban settings.
The advisors play important roles in encouraging IPM implementation in urban settings throughout California. As urban IPM advisors, they conduct research, provide training and publish resources to promote IPM adoption. Their research topics include urban IPM, organic herbicides, bait-only cockroach management programs, bedbugs, rodent and coyote management in the wildland-urban interface, red imported fire ants, and municipal IPM.
They received the award during a virtual meeting on Feb. 22.
WeedCUT wins CDPR IPM Achievement Award
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation also presented a 2021 IPM Achievement Award to the California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) and members of the UC Integrated Pest Management Program for science-based tools and resources to control invasive weeds in California.
With funding from the DPR Alliance Grants Program, Cal-IPC and Tunyalee Martin, associate director for communications, Chinh Lam, IT supervisor and lead programmer, and Cheryl Wilen, emeritus IPM advisor, published the “Best Management Practices for Non-Chemical Weed Control” manual and released an interactive online tool called WeedCUT, which helps users make informed decisions about managing weeds without using chemicals.
“We're very fortunate that DPR has funded version 2 of WeedCUT to add herbicide information,” Martin said. “This will make the tool a complete, one-stop shop for natural areas weedy plant management.”
Tate honored by Society for Range Management 
Ken Tate received the Society for Range Management's 2022 W.R. Chapline Land Stewardship Award on Jan. 10 during the society's annual meeting in Albuquerque. The award recognizes exceptional accomplishments and contributions in range management.
Tate, professor and Rustici Endowed Specialist in Rangeland Watershed Sciences with UC Cooperative Extension and UC Davis, has contributed to the conservation of California's rangelands over the past three decades. His research and extension focus on natural resources and sustainable agricultural enterprises. Recommendations from his work have had significant impacts in guiding ranchers and state and federal land management agencies.
Tate has led multiple teams to develop research, education and extension programs to proactively address concerns about fecal microbial pollution from rangeland cattle.
Early in his career, he worked to inform public interest groups on the risk of pathogenic contamination of San Francisco's drinking water supply. Working with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Tate helped stakeholder groups identify management practices to reduce risks of drinking water supplies being contaminated by livestock-borne Cryptosporidium parvum, allowing ranching families to continue sustainable grazing practices on Bay Area watersheds. Since then, he has led numerous collaborations to examine the movement of other pathogens; bacterial indicators of water quality such as fecal coliforms and Enterococci; and hormones and pharmaceutical products common in rangeland cattle production.
Tate has published 120 peer-reviewed journal articles and secured over $14 million in research and extension grants. His scientific leadership and expertise in the livestock grazing-environmental quality-human health nexus have been sought out nationally and internationally. Most importantly, Tate has become a trusted source of information through his work with private landowners, public land managers, conservation groups, regulatory agency staff and policymakers to support science-based decision-making.
Sanden honored by American Society of Agronomy 
Blake Sanden, emeritus UCCE farm advisor, received an Honoree Award from the California Chapter of the American Society of Agronomy.
As a result of Sanden's research, many almond growers started to put more water on their trees. And average Kern County almond yields increased by 65% between 2002 and 2011 compared to the previous 15 years, the Almond Board of California wrote in a story on its website.
Sanden retired in 2018 from his 26-year UCCE career.
“He was a champion on re-evaluating the water requirements for almond trees, which prior to his investigation was too little,” said Bob Curtis, the retired former director of agricultural affairs for the Almond Board of California.
“While there is no doubt that Blake had a big impact on California growers, he also had an impact on new farm advisors, including myself, as he was always there to help and transfer his knowledge and experiences to us as we started our new job as farm advisors,” said Mohammad Yaghmour, UCCE orchards advisor in Kern County.
Sanden received the award during the American Society of Agronomy's convention held via Zoom Feb. 1-3.
Scow and Sperling elected to National Academy of Engineering 
Kate Scow and Daniel Sperling, UC Davis professors, have been elected as members of the National Academy of Engineering.
Kate Scow is a distinguished professor emeritus of soil microbial ecology in the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources. The academy honored her for “elucidating the role of soil microbial communities in polluted ecosystems and their responses to agricultural management practices,” according to an NAE statement.
The newly elected class will be formally inducted during the NAE's annual meeting on Oct. 2.
Ronald wins Wolf Prize in Agriculture 
Pam Ronald, UC Davis plant geneticist, has been named the recipient of the 2022 International Wolf Prize in Agriculture, given by the Jerusalem-based Wolf Foundation in recognition of her “pioneering work on disease resistance and environmental stress tolerance in rice.”
Ronald is a distinguished professor in the Department of Plant Pathology, having joined the faculty in 1972, and is also affiliated with the UC Davis Genome Center and the Physical Biosciences Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
The Wolf Foundation noted her work isolating a gene that allows rice to survive two weeks of flooding and increases yield by 60% compared to conventional varieties. “Her discoveries show an advanced understanding of fundamental biological processes and enhance sustainable agriculture and food security,” the foundation said in its announcement of her prize.
Flood-tolerant rice varieties are now grown by more than 6 million subsistence farmers in India and Bangladesh. The committee noted that those two countries lose more than 4 million tons of rice each year to flooding, enough to feed 30 million people.
Ronald founded the UC Davis Institute for Food and Agricultural Literacy to provide the next generation of scientists with the training they need to become effective communicators. She and her husband, Raoul Adamchak, an organic farmer who retired in 2020 as the market garden coordinator for the UC Davis Student Farm, are the authors of Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food.
The foundation has been giving its $100,000 prizes in agriculture and other disciplines since 1978, honoring scientists and artists from around the world “for their achievements in the interest of mankind and friendly relations amongst peoples.” – Kat Kerlin
Getts, Haviland, Nobua-Behrmann appointed to CISAC
UC Cooperative Extension advisors Tom Getts, David Haviland and Bea Nobua-Behrmann have been selected to serve on the California Invasive Species Advisory Committee.
This group advises the Invasive Species Council of California, which is composed of the secretaries of California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Natural Resources Agency, California Environmental Protection Agency, California Health and Human Services Agency, and the Office of Emergency Services.
