Posts Tagged: May 2020

Show your UC ANR pride on Big Dig Day, June 5

Greetings! I'm reaching out to you in preparation for our UC ANR divisionwide, online fundraising event: Big Dig Day on June 5.

In times of crisis, and beyond, it's important to share that the work of UC ANR is critical; Big Dig Day is an opportunity to highlight our work and seek philanthropic support from the community. If you need examples of the impact ANR has, see the recently completed 2019 Annual Report, Working for the Benefit of All Californians, produced by Program Planning and Evaluation. 

I'm asking you to join me and do three things to help support this unique campaign:

1. Save-the-Date: June 5—follow UC ANR on social media channels for updates and share what makes you proud to be part of the UC ANR team.
2. Consider making a personal gift on June 5 to your favorite statewide program, county or REC at ucanr.edu/bigdig
3. Invite your friends, family and network to join in supporting you and the work of UC ANR by making a gift. Donations of any size will have an immediate impact.

I've been so encouraged by the can-do spirit of our colleagues and volunteers in the face of adversity and uncertain times. The worst of circumstances often brings out the best in people. I know Big Dig Day will be another example of how together we can rise to the challenge.

Thank you,  

Glenda

P.S. – Download and print “Flat Happy McGivins,” our Big Dig Day mascot! Take Flat Happy with you to your garden, workspace, virtual club meetings, etc. and snap aselfie! Then post it on social media with a message that says, "I dig (INSERT PROGRAM NAME) because...(FILL IN THE BLANK!") #BigDigDay #DigDeep —and earn the chance to win a $50 gift card in a raffle.

In memoriam: Travis Bean

Dear Colleagues, 

I am sorry to share with you the sad news that Travis Bean passed away a few days ago. Travis joined UC ANR and the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences at UC Riverside as a UC Cooperative Extension weed science specialist on Sept. 1, 2014. 

Patricia Springer, UC Riverside professor and chair of the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, learned from Travis' father about his passing. Unfortunately we don't have details such as the cause of his death or a memorial service. We will share additional information when it becomes available.

Travis was a respected scientist and a valued colleague who will be missed.

Glenda Humiston
Vice President

Celebrate STAR Award winners and retirees June 18

All UC ANR colleagues are invited to a special staff meeting and recognition event at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 18. We will be celebrating the careers of UC ANR colleagues who are retiring July 1, 2020, and also recognizing the 2019-2020 winners of the Staff Appreciation and Recognition (STAR) Awards.

The event will be on Zoom. To join online, click https://ucanr.zoom.us/s/95278617548.

By telephone: US +1 669-900-6833  or +1 253-215-8782  or +1 346-248-7799  or +1 301-715-8592  or +1 312-626-6799  or +1 646-558-8656. International numbers available: https://ucanr.zoom.us/u/aep8C9Dy84. Webinar ID: 952 7861 7548.

For more information about the event, visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/All_Hands.

Names in the News

Marino named UCCE orchard specialist

Giulia Marino joined UC ANR as a UCCE orchard systems specialist in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis on Jan. 22, 2020.

Her research investigates tree physiology and its application to enhance productivity, sustainability and competitiveness of fruit orchard production systems in a changing global scenario.

Prior to joining UC ANR, Marino was a researcher in the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources at UC Davis, where she studied pistachio water use and tree performance under saline-sodic conditions. Some of her current research projects investigate the physiology of pistachio nut growth and shell split as a function of crop load and temperature, the impact of boron, salinity and hypoxia on pistachio vegetative growth and the effect of dormancy breaking agents on carbohydrates dynamics in cherry.

She earned a Ph.D. in fruit and forestry tree systems and M.Sc. and B.S. in agricultural science, all from the University of Palermo in Italy.

Marino is based at the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier and can be reached at giumarino@ucdavis.edu.

Wilson named presidential director for Organic Agriculture Institute

Houston Wilson has been named the Presidential Director for the University of California's Organic Agriculture Institute, which was established in January 2020 with a $500,000 endowment by Clif Bar and a matching $500,000 endowment from UC President Janet Napolitano.

Wilson, a UC Riverside agricultural entomologist based at the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, joined UC ANR as assistant Cooperative Extension specialist in 2017. He will launch the institute and chart a path for future growth while also focusing on immediate priorities such as a survey of organic production in California, multiple outreach and training opportunities for growers, publication of organic production guidelines, and developing research programs. Wilson's long-term goal is to continue to grow the endowment and position the organization to successfully support the state's growing organic farming economy. 

“Organic growers in California face an array of interconnected agronomic, economic and regulatory challenges,” said Wilson. “Tackling these issues simultaneously requires a multidisciplinary approach to develop solutions that work in all scales of production. The economic opportunities are there, and we want to help position California growers to reap these benefits, and in doing so increase the supply of affordable organic food for consumers.”

See the full story at https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=42592.

Feenstra named SAREP director

Gail Feenstra has been appointed director of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP), effective July 1, 2020. Feenstra, who joined SAREP in 1989 and worked as the food systems coordinator, has been serving as acting director since October 2019, when Tom Tomich went on sabbatical. 

Vice President Glenda Humiston announced her appointment as part of the move to bring SAREP back to ANR's direct oversight effective July 1, 2020.

“I am excited to be part of a stellar SAREP team working more closely with UC ANR colleagues and community partners on strengthening resiliency of regional food systems and supporting economic and social justice for all people – from farmers and farmworkers to food system workers to consumers,” Feenstra said. 

Over the last 30 years, Feenstra has contributed to SAREP's definition of a sustainable food and agricultural system. She designed criteria for and funded community-based food systems statewide as part of SAREP's competitive grants program. Collaborating with ANR colleagues and others nationwide, she has worked to create an understanding of what sustainable, regional food systems are and how they function for communities.  

She helped initiate ANR's work in farm-to-school research and extension and her SAREP team was among the first to evaluate farm-to-school procurement data rigorously. From projects that focus on small and mid-scale farms to food hubs, food systems assessments and food policy councils, Feenstra is interested in uncovering the economic development potential of coordinated supply chain stakeholders and opportunities for building relationships between farmers, consumers and communities.

Feenstra earned an Ed.D. in nutrition education from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City, and a B.S. in dietetics and nutrition from UC Davis. 

Feenstra and the SAREP staff plan to relocate from the UC Davis campus to the ANR building in Davis. The SAREP members include Sonja Brodt, academic coordinator for agriculture, resources and the environment; Penny Leff, statewide agritourism coordinator; Kathleen Patrocinio, business manager; Shosha Capps, community food systems analyst; Gwenael Engelskirchen, sustainable supply chain analyst; and Laura Crothers, grants manager/ outreach coordinator.

 

L&D: People management, research compliance, citizen science, Qualtrics, Google Earth

ANR Learning & Development
Find webinar announcements and recordings here.

UC People Management Training for all ANR Employees
You don't need to be a people manager to complete the UC People Management Certificate Series. In fact, it's for anyone who aspires to lead and manage people – or for anyone who wants to enhance their people and collaboration skills.

Topics include: Performance Management, Administration & Operations, Change Management Communications, Managing Implicit Bias

This training is for you if you seek a greater appreciation for any of the following:

Caring about people and helping them develop
Setting & communicating clear expectations
Being respectful and considerate of everyone
Team building
Employee engagement
Time and priority management

By deepening these skills, you can become a better team member, and you can prepare yourself for leadership opportunities. Find all the courses here. Once you complete the series, contact jlazulai@ucanr.edu to receive your certificate of completion!

Video Ventures - Let's Talk Lighting - Indoors and Outside (eXtension)
Wednesday June 3, 2020
8 a.m.-9 a.m.

Let's talk about lighting for those of us who are using the tools we have at home to make videos. Learn about different ways to improvise by creating your own light or finding it when your outside. This will focus on those who need advice getting started in the area of making videos and do not have fancy equipment. Register here. Questions contact Amy Rhodes at arhodes1@umd.edu.

Social Media Learning Circle w/Rose Hayden-Smith (eXtension)
June 9, June 23, July 7, July 21
11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Register here.

In this Learning Circle experience - convened via weekly interactive Zoom meetings - participants will learn about a range of social media platforms that have the potential to advance their work.

How Organizations Can Support Parents Working at Home Alongside Children (Gartner – register with your ANR email address for your free account here)

Demonstrate empathy, establish a sense of community, enable flexibility, share the virtual hub tips for working parents. Link to article.

From "Me" to "We" Discussion on Values, Trust & Teamwork (eXtension)
June 11, 18 and 25
11 a.m.-Noon
Register Here

We are professionals at what we do, amateurs at who we want to become.” – Marshall Goldsmith. Join Karl Bradley, eXtension Foundation Leadership Development Fellow, as we discuss leaning into the best version of yourself, how we build trust & the effects they have on a team! This three-part series will be offered in 1-hour sessions in consecutive weeks beginning on June 11.

Research Compliance
Wednesday June 24, 2020
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Research compliance can be complicated, but it is important for researchers to understand the regulations that govern their work. Kathy Nolan and BrianOatman will provide an overview of conflict of interests, environmental health & safety, human subjects and animal subjects requirements and procedures. 

Zoom access: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428?pwd=Q1ZrbUtoQVJwMXJVRkQydUlwNytJQT09 +1 669 900 6833 |Webinar ID: 751 701 428 | Password: 4Learning

Citizen Science
June 18, 2020
Noon-12:30 p.m.

Join Greg Ira and Sarah Angulo to learn about how they use citizen science to strengthen the California Naturalist Program.

Zoom access: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428?pwd=Q1ZrbUtoQVJwMXJVRkQydUlwNytJQT09 +1 669 900 6833 |Webinar ID: 751 701 428 | Password: 4Learning

Setting up surveys through Qualtrics
2 Part Series –
11 a.m., Wednesday, June 10
11 a.m., Wednesday, June 24 

Join Roshan Kumar Nayak, who will offer learning opportunities on how to use Qualtrics to create surveys for data collection. Participants will learn key features associated with the online survey platform. The first webinar of this series will provide information on how to build surveys. The second webinar will focus on survey distribution, tracking, analysis of responses, and generation of reports.

Zoom access: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428?pwd=Q1ZrbUtoQVJwMXJVRkQydUlwNytJQT09 +1 669 900 6833 |Webinar ID: 751 701 428 | Password: 4Learning

Getting Results from Formal Feedback (Gartner) Free to anyone with an ANR email address. Register here
June 23, 2020
10 a.m.-11 a.m.

Last year, 100% of participating managers said they planned on taking action based on what they learned in this workshop. Join us to learn how to drive the performance you need from your team!

This workshop helps managers:

• Clearly explain performance expectations
• Create effective development plans
• Deliver effective performance feedback

Key exercises include:

• Focusing performance conversations on the future
• Developing an individual development plan
• Providing an effective formal review

Intro to Google Earth Engine: Tracking a Forest through Time
Thursday, July 9, 2020
10 a.m.-12 noon

(Register for workshop here; Register for Earth Engine account here)

This workshop will introduce participants to Earth Engine, a cloud/browser-based platform that enables large analyses in very little time. It's most relevant for people who are interested in using satellite and aerial imagery to study large areas, long time periods, or both. Earth Engine is home to hundreds of public remote sensing/geospatial datasets totaling more than 30 petabytes and growing by thousands of images daily (it is continuously updated as images are captured).

Using a case study of drought mortality in an island forest, we will explore a new tool for time series analysis in Earth Engine: LandTrendr. Using this algorithm, we will track the heartbeat of a forest over many years. This workshop is intended for two broad groups – people with some initial geospatial or GIS knowledge who are interested in learning to use Earth Engine, and people with some Earth Engine experience who are interested in applying LandTrendr to time series analyses. This workshop will hopefully serve both groups by empowering those in the more experienced group to jump ahead within the detailed workshop handout and in the Earth Engine repository as they see fit.

You must preregister for an Earth Engine account here with a Gmail account. Allow about one week for account approval. Register for the workshop here. 

Image credits to icons8

Everyone can learn something new.
ANR Learning & Development

Read more