Posts Tagged: December 2018

Names in the News

Bruno named dairy advisor in Fresno and Madera counties

Daniela Bruno joined UCCE on Nov. 5, 2018, as the area dairy advisor in Fresno and Madera counties.

Bruno completed a Ph.D. in comparative pathology from UC Davis and a DVM from The Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Throughout her professional and academic career, Bruno has carried out work related to animal health and welfare, food safety, milk quality, wastewater and dairy systems management. Prior to joining UCCE, Dr. Bruno was a technical services specialist/dairy advisor at DeLaval, Inc. where she provided technical support with trainings, webinars and newsletters to local California dairies and worldwide. She worked closely to field veterinarians and consultants troubleshooting problems at dairies assuring the food supply is safe. Bruno, who is fluent in Portuguese, provided oversight on field clinical trials for products developed for the U.S. and global market.

She collaborated with CSU Fresno and UC Davis in several projects, including studies on animal health, mastitis and milk quality, hoof diseases and calf management and the results from these studies have been presented at National and International meetings such as National Mastitis Council meetings, Lameness in Ruminants Conference and at the World Buiatrics Congress. From 2009 to 2012, Bruno was a dairy specialist/microbiologist at Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. There, she oversaw dairy specimens on performing diagnostic testing and assisting field veterinarians with troubleshooting problems at their client dairies. She also worked closely with the Texas A&M Extension team, providing training on milk quality and mastitis control to herdsmen and other dairy employees, helping them to be more effective in all aspects of dairy management.

Bruno is based in Fresno and can be reached at (559) 241-7552, (559) 241-7515 and dfbruno@ucanr.edu.

Okello named UCCE specialist in antimicrobial stewardship

Emmanuel Okello joined the Department of Population Health and Reproduction as Assistant Specialist in Cooperative Extension in antimicrobial stewardship on Nov. 1, 2018.

Prior to accepting his UCCE position, Okello was a postdoctoral research scholar at the Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center, gaining valuable epidemiological experience on dairy production units conducting studies on selective dry cow treatment and surveys of anti-microbial resistance. This has enabled him the opportunity to establish good working relationships with extension specialists, dairy owners, herd managers, farm workers, veterinary practitioners and researchers across California.

Working with farmers and other stakeholders to improve livestock health and productivity, Okello will develop antimicrobial stewardship guidelines and best management practices for veterinarians, livestock owners and their employees that reduce antimicrobial resistance yet maintain healthy herds and flocks.

Okello earned his veterinary degree (DVM equivalent) from Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, a master's in molecular biology from Katholieke University Leuven, in Belgium and a Ph.D. in bio-engineering sciences from Vrije University Brussel in Belgium.

Okello is based at the Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center in Tulare and can be reached at (559) 688-1731, ext. 267, and eokello@ucdavis.edu.

 

Learning & Development

 

WebANR
Communicating Your Story: LinkedIn
Date: Thursday January 3, 2019
Time: 10 a.m.-11 a.m.

Zoom link:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428 [Corrected link 1/3/19]
1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 751 701 428

Presenters: Rose Hayden-Smith and Surendra Dara

Many of us think of LinkedIn as a professional networking tool. But with a powerful publishing platform and an ability to post links, it's also an ideal place to share your ANR story and grow a network of people who are interested in your work. In this fast-paced webinar, we'll cover the basics of building a great LinkedIn profile, publishing posts and more, including:

• Techniques and best practices to use the platform most effectively
• Publishing a blog post on LinkedIn
  
• Finding your online community
• Tips to manage your LinkedIn account efficiently

Participants will also be provided access to a range of resources and tools to support their LinkedIn efforts, including samples, tip and FAQ sheets, guidelines and more.

 

WebANR
Communicating Your Story: Blogging Basics

Date: Thursday, January 10, 2019
Time: 10 a.m.-11 a.m.
Zoom link:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428 [Corrected link 1/3/19]
669 900 6833 or 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 344 294 468

 Presenter: Rose Hayden-Smith

 This will be a streamed recording with live Q&A.

 In this fast-paced webinar, we'll cover the basics of communicating your story through blogging, including:

• Why you should blog
  
• Techniques and best practices to get started…or get better
• Crafting catchy headlines and smart ledes
  
• Using images and video to enhance your posts
• Using your blog on the ANR website and on other publishing platforms, including LinkedIn
• Quick tips for effectively using sitebuilder

Participants will also be provided access to a range of resources and tools to support their blogging efforts, including samples, tip and FAQ sheets, guidelines and more.

WebANR
Please Step Away from the Podium: Strategies for supporting adult learners

Date: Thursday January 17, 2019
Time: noon-12:30 p.m.
Zoom link:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428 [Corrected link 1/3/19]

669 900 6833 or 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 963 167 636

Presenter: Lynn Brock

Simple steps you can take to:

• Create workshops, trainings or classes that are engaging and memorable
• Facilitate sessions where learners feel included, respected, and motivated

WebANR
Measuring and Communicating Impacts of UC Master Gardener Program: Statewide outcome evaluation Year 1 findings

Date: Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Time: 11 a.m.-noon
Zoom link:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428
669 900 6833 or +1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 751 701 428

Presenters: Kit Alviz, Missy Gable, Tamekia Wilkins and Katherine Webb-Martinez

Participants will gain:

• Understanding of the UC Master Gardener Program's statewide outcome evaluation design, year one findings and lessons learned
• Understanding of feasibility for an ANR program to collect follow-up survey responses (3 months post event; 30%+ response rate)
• Examples of how behavior change outcomes can be communicated in relation to ANR condition changes

Lessons learned from data collection and analysis that can be considered for other statewide and academic programs

WebANR
Communicating Your Story: Instagram

Date: January 24, 2019
Time: 10a.m.-11 a.m.
Zoom link:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428 [Corrected link 1/3/19]
669 900 6833 or 646 558 8656
                            Webinar ID: 509 908 913

Presenters: Rose Hayden-Smith and Dan Macon

Instagram is a photo- and video-sharing social networking service. It's an ideal place to share your ANR story. In this fast-paced webinar, we'll cover the basics of using Instagram, building a great profile, publishing posts and more, including:

• Techniques and best practices to use the platform most effectively
• A few quick tips for using your smart phone to shoot pictures and video (and for posting)
• Finding your online community and building an audience for your work
• Tips to manage your Instagram account efficiently

Participants will also be provided access to a range of resources and tools to support their Instagram efforts, including samples, tip and FAQ sheets, guidelines and more.

WebANR
Communicating Your Story: Facebook Essentials
Date: January 31, 2019
Time: 10-11am
Zoom link:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428 [Corrected link 1/3/19]
                        669 900 6833 or 646 558 8656
                        Webinar ID: 461 004 579

Presenter: Rose Hayden-Smith

Facebook has become an important part of communicating our stories. Ever wonder if the platform is right for you? In this fast-paced webinar, we'll cover the basics of communicating your story through Facebook, including:

• Why you might want to use Facebook
  
• Techniques and best practices to get started…or get better
• Using images and video to enhance your posts
• Quick tips for effectively and efficiently using the site

Participants will also be provided access to a range of resources and tools to support their Facebook efforts, including samples, tip and FAQ sheets, guidelines and more.

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Webinar and in-person:
Stellar interview techniques

Date: Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019

“Tell me about yourself,” is often the first of many interview questions. Have you ever struggled with answering this question or others in an interview? Are you unsure about how to share your accomplishments? The STAR interview technique (STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result) can help you provide concrete examples of your experience and skills for the job. In this workshop, discover the best ways to use the STAR technique to prepare for a successful interview.

In person (UC Davis) and also available via webinar:

Time: Noon-1 p.m. 
Zoom link:
https://zoom.us/j/439807305
669 900 6833 or 646 876 9923
Meeting ID: 439 807 305

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Collaborative Facilitation Group Process Tools Workshop

Please let us know if you are interested (interest survey) in participating in the next Collaborative Facilitation and Group Process Tools Workshop.

It is open to all UC ANR academic and staff employees, including Statewide Program volunteers. The training is limited to 25 participants. Priority will be given to people who have not already taken a facilitation training through ANR (such as Essential Facilitation). 

Date: March 25 and 26, 2019; and June 24, 2019
Location: Davis, CA

This two-day (March), in-person training will be followed by a follow up, one-day (June) in-person training.

Desired Outcomes:

• To learn collaborative facilitation techniques
• To increase the effectiveness and efficiency of your collaborative processes
• To increase your comfort level in applying facilitation skills

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UC Women's Initiative for Professional Development

This year, nine ANR women graduated from the UC Women's Initiative for Professional Development (UC WI). This experiential professional development program for women was designed to elevate women in leadership, establish a pipeline for advancement, and contribute to women's and UC's success. ANR's graduates are:

• Lisa Blecker, associate director, Pesticide Safety Education Program and Office of Pesticide Information and Coordination
• Vanity Campbell, proposal development coordinator, Office of Contracts and Grants
• Mary Ciricillo, director, California 4-H Foundation
• Trisha Dinh, financial manager, Youth, Families, and Communities
• Sabrina Drill, natural resources advisor, UCCE Ventura
• Jennifer Heguy, advisor, UCCE Merced
• Kat Hicklin, business officer, South Coast REC and UCCE Orange
• Sonia Scott, administrative officer, UCOP
• Allison Smith, principal agriculture technician

Several graduates shared their experience on how the program impacted them.

Lisa Blecker: The UC WI allowed us to focus on what it was we want out of our time at UC and gave us tools to explore different ways we could get there. I didn't go into the program to do bigger and better things in my job or with aspirations of a promotion. I realized while in UC WI that what I wanted most was to find a better work-life balance, so I can be happier at work and at home. I have the tools I need to make progress towards that goal.

Alison Smith: The UCWIP made me consider the future of my career when I never had before. I had never thought much about my own career development or searching out mentors and sponsors. I now am actively spending time thinking about the future of my career and steps I can take to constantly improve myself as a team member, speaker, workshop leader, etc. I am building the tools to advance my career, my self-worth as a part of UC ANR and my team here at Hansen REC.

 

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ANR people managers recommend supervisor training

Being an effective and professional people manager takes many skills and considerable development and the best people managers develop both their employees and themselves.

One of the ways ANR people managers have been developing themselves is by completing UC People Management Series Certificate modules and participating in monthly facilitated networking calls to review what they've learned, ask other supervisors for advice, and share successes. Participants enjoy scenario-based role-playing, a fun and challenging group assignment, and networking. Interested in our 2019 networking calls? Fill out this survey.

Four people who have graduated from the UC People Management Series comment on their experiences.

Kari Arnold, CE advisor, UCCE Stanislaus: The UC People Management Series helped me think about how to interact with employees and colleagues in ways that are welcoming and understanding. I feel more confident in a management role knowing how to communicate productively with others.

Kendra Lewis, academic coordinator, 4-H: I highly recommend that all my ANR supervisor colleagues take this series and participate in the networking cohort.

Ron Walker, senior systems administrator, CSIT: Being a member of the UC People Networking Cohort has been/continues to be an extreme honor and privilege. Each member is encouraged to enjoy best practice sharing and World-Class management techniques, in addition to experiencing the diverse and unique nature of our organization. All discussions are raw/unfiltered and feature real world situations/solutions while maintaining privacy and confidentiality. I always learn something new, and my opinions/contributions are welcomed and invigorated. Special thanks to Jodi and team for fostering this exceptional collection; I look forward to our continued growth and synergy.                                                                                          

Petr Kosina, content developer, UC IPM: The monthly networking calls helped me to be on track with required online courses. For me, the most useful were discussions on giving and receiving feedback and conducting performance appraisals which were well-timed so that I was able to almost immediately test in practice some of the suggested approaches and best practices.

 

 

 

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How to build game-changing rapport (with your employees)
Lynda.com

Simple communication is just a transaction, an exchange of mere words, which anyone can do. It's not that impressive. Now, in contrast, rapport is about building a bond. It's about sharing not just words, but feelings and emotions as well. So, why should you care? Because the next level of rapport establishes stronger connections, deeper relationships, and that almost always leads to higher productivity and better retention.

To start injecting more of that next-level conversation into your team, learn more here: How to Build Game-Changing Rapport.

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SAVE THE DATE: UC ANR Programmatic Orientation

Tuesday, April 23 - Thursday, April 25, 2019
Kearney Agricultural Research & Extension Center (KARE)
Parlier, CA

The UC ANR Programmatic Orientation will be taking place April 23 - 25, 2019. The orientation is designed to help academics jump start their programs by focusing on program design and showcasing successful projects of other ANR academics.

Who should attend: Open to all early career UC Cooperative Extension advisors, UC Cooperative Extension specialists, academic coordinators, academic administrators and Agricultural Experiment Station faculty who were unable to attend in the past.

SAVE THE DATE: New Administrative Academic and Staff Orientation

Thursday, May 30, 2019
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
UC ANR Building, 2801 Second Street, Davis, CA 95618

Who should attend the UC ANR Administrative New Academic and Staff Orientation: All UC ANR Employees (academics, staff and affiliated staff on campuses, counties and RECs) who have not participated in an administrative orientation in the past. Priority will be given to those hired by ANR within the past year.

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Lynda.com upgrading to LinkedIn Learning 
ANR Lynda.com account users will be upgraded to LinkedIn Learning in January! During the week of Jan. 14, users will receive an email showing that you have been upgraded. In the email, you'll be asked to accept your new LinkedIn Learning account. What will you find in your upgrade?

• A new intuitive interface
• Course links to related external content
• The ability to connect your LinkedIn profile to LinkedIn Learning
• Increased learner engagement
• Personalized course recommendations

Learn what you need to know about UCPath at Jan. 29 town hall

Join VP Glenda Humiston, AVP Tu Tran and the UCPath Project Team for an important town hall Zoom session from 1 to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019.

We encourage all UC ANR academics and staff to save the date and plan to participate.

UC Path is the new systemwide HR and payroll-reporting system that will serve all UC employees. UC ANR's March/April 2019 go-live date is fast approaching, and during the town hall you'll learn what you need to do to prepare for the coming changes.

Managers and directors, please consider scheduling meeting space for the town hall so that your unit members can view the session together.

UC ANR Town Hall: UCPath

• Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019
• 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
• Live in the ANR Building's Valley Rooms in Davis and broadcast via Zoom

Zoom meeting information will be sent in January

For more information on UCPath, check the UC ANR UCPath website http://ucpath.ucanr.edu.

If you have questions or comments about UCPath or training, please post them on https://ucanr.edu/UCPath or send the ANR UCPath team an email at ucpath@ucanr.edu.

You can support the future of the University of California

University of California staff are an integral part of a system with a high purpose. Every staff member plays a role in supporting the University's mission: Educating the best and brightest from all backgrounds, ethnicities and incomes, conducting research that touches the lives of people across the globe, and providing critical public service across California in areas such public health, agricultural science, nutrition and youth development.

Our future depends on the support of the elected leaders in the state and our nation's capital. This is an area where you, with your first-hand knowledge of the University's value, can play an important role.

In addition to being a UC staff member, you are a constituent of your government representatives. They want to hear from you. You have a unique perspective of UC ANR and your community. You can share honest communications with these leaders to gain support that is crucial to the future of the University of California. If you would like to add your voice to the voices of many others in support of UC, join the UC Advocacy Network, UCAN. (https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/support-uc/ucan)

UCAN was launched last year to engage staff, faculty, students and alumni who want to advocate for the future of UC. More than 17,000 people have already chosen to get involved, and there is significant room for growth, said Meredith Turner, associate director of Advocacy and Institutional Relations.  

“We have hundreds of thousands of employees, nearly 2 million alumni, and thousands of students,” Turner said. “There is a huge group of people who could join this community.”

When you “opt-in,” you will occasionally receive email alerts about issues vital to UC. The emails provide basic background on the topic. You choose whether to click “take action,” which brings you to a webpage with more information and a form where you can fill in your name, email and home address. The form contains a suggested message for your local government officials, but you can edit the message and personalize it, if you wish.

The UC Advocacy Network was recently engaged in the debate over the federal “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” which passed Congress and President Trump signed into law in December 2017. The proposal contained provisions that could have harmed the financial security of UC students and their families and threatened the university's ability to carry out its research, education, health care, and public service missions. The issues in question were a proposal to repeal the Student Loan Interest Deduction and the Qualified Tuition Reductions (Section 117(d)). The latter makes it possible to provide graduate students with a non-taxable tuition reduction while they pursue their degrees and work as research or teaching assistants.

UCAN issued a call to action, asking its network of advocates to tell their representatives in Congress how damaging such provisions would be to higher education in the U.S.

“The issues are so complex, it can be hard to see how it will translate in your life,” Turner said. “We break it down and explain how the law will impact the University's mission directly.”

The final bill preserved both the Student Loan Interest Deduction and the Qualified Tuition Reductions.

Each year, UCAN participants are called to amplify UC's governmental relations staff communication with state senators and assembly members about the state budget.

“We advocate  greater state investment in the University,” Turner said. “This truly affects everyone connected to the University – it impacts staffing levels, the resources staff have to work with, the ability to hire faculty, repair classrooms. This is the perfect opportunity for people to participate in advocacy.”

The UC ANR Staff Assembly encourages all staff to visit the UCAN website and join the movement.

 “Advocacy is most impactful when you're passionate about an issue,” Turner said. “We let people pick what they are most concerned about and have them advocate for it.”

Communicating Your Story tip sheet series starts

What is CYS? Communicating our stories as researchers and educators is essential. Increasingly, this involves digital technologies. CYS consists of interactive webinars hosted by ANR Learning and Development that provide insight about a range of tools and platforms that will advance your work. The series covers a range of communications topics, including: writing blogs for ANR and other platforms, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Hootsuite and more. Throughout the CYS program, you'll learn how to create compelling content, use it effectively and efficiently...and also how to develop a communications strategy that works. In addition to the webinars, online resources supporting CYS are located on the Learning and Development webpage, and one-on-one “consulting” is available from UCCE advisor Rose Hayden-Smith (rhsmith@ucop.edu 805.794.1665) to support your efforts.

Positive Communications in 2019: Three Resolutions

Resolution season is upon us. I've got a suggestion for your list: a commitment to a regular communications practice in 2019.

How we extend information and share our story is an area where a couple of resolutions can really pay off. Most of us realize we could do more/should do more in the digital space, but it's often overwhelming. Self-doubt creeps in…is what I'm doing interesting? Do I know enough to do this? It's scary to put your work out there.

Take heart…you're not alone. And take a look at these three tips to help you communicate your ANR story in 2019.

1. Commit to better social media by going back to basics: Begin with the basics of strategy – purpose, audience, and capacity.

What purpose do you want your social media to serve? Do you want to share information, increase awareness, reach new people?

To whom do you want it to appeal (audience)? Who do you follow on social media? Who do you want to follow you? These things will vary depending on your program and clientele, but it's worth sketching out a few notes.

Once you strip things back to those fundamentals - purpose and audience - probe further. Really examine the concept of your ideal client or follower: what do they find interesting? What do they find useful? What are they liking or sharing on social media. Who are they following?

Effective social media is about so much more than projection. Creating a positive communication channel via your Twitter or Instagram account doesn't happen overnight. You need to consider how to cover a spread of relevant content, stay true to your core values, and share your story while remaining mindful and grounded.

The third thing to consider is your capacity. What's realistic for you to do? How much time can you devote to social media? Can you be consistent in posting? Would developing strength on one platform be better than spreading yourself too thinly on several? (There are many ANR academics who follow this strategy). Sometimes, less is more.

Social media has a bad rep for many reasons. Stay in a better space: make your social media feeds a positive, thoughtful, useful, and intellectually challenging place to be - both for your followers and for you. Make sure social media remains a powerful communication tool rather than a place where you feel insecure or inauthentic

2) Commit to a better blogging practice: Blog posts are your opportunity to expand on your story beyond a succinct soundbite or caption.

A good blog is many things: sincere, informative, thought-provoking, challenging, or even entertaining. A blog can be all of these things across a number of different posts - or even in one post! You probably don't need me to extol the benefits of having a relevant, up-to-date blog: they help people find your work in Google searches, allow ideas and messages to develop and build over time, and can assist in cultivating a loyal and engaged following.

So why don't more people use them effectively, or consistently? Well, because they're usually not part of ‘core business', they slip to the bottom of the To Do list time and time again. However, if you commit to regular blogging, you'll see the pay-off.

And remember, you don't need to have a blog or website to submit a blog post to ANR's website. ANR is developing an “educational pipeline” for academics to share timely information for the public via the ANR website and social media. You can submit a story via this online form https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=25898, then Strategic Communications will take it from there to distribute. Make it a resolution to take advantage of this in 2019!

3. Be a lifelong learner: With a series of informative ANR Learning Development webinars coming your way nearly every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., this is one resolution that will be easy to keep! LinkedIn: 1/3/19; Blogging Basics 1/10/19; Instagram: 1/24/19; Facebook: 1/31/19. Creating a Communications Strategy: daily half-hour webinars with “homework” and “office hours” during the week of 2/4-2/8/19. Webinar details at https://ucanr.edu/sites/Professional_Development/Monthly_WebANRs.

Happy New Year!

Rose Hayden-Smith, PhD
UCCE Advisor Digital Communications in Food Systems and Extension Education
rhsmith@ucop.edu
805.794.1665

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