Celebration Corner

Zalom receives DPR Lifetime IPM Achievement Award 

Frank Zalom, UC Davis distinguished professor emeritus and former director of the UC Statewide IPM Program, recently received the Lifetime IPM Achievement Award from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. 

At CDPR's IPM Achievement Awards virtual ceremony on Feb. 29, Zalom, who retired in 2018 from the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, was praised for “advancing IPM practices in California specialty crops as a preeminent researcher, practitioner and champion of sustainable pest management.”

“Dr. Zalom's work has contributed greatly to advancing safe, effective, and sustainable IPM practices in specialty crops such as almonds, strawberries, tomatoes and olives,” a CDPR spokesman said. “Through hundreds of presentations and publications, Dr. Zalom has contributed to broad adoption of IPM practices for numerous agricultural pests, resulting in less insecticide use and reduced run-off impacts and high-risk pesticide exposures.”

State Sen. Bill Dodd issued a proclamation stating, “Dr. Zalom's distinguished 40-plus year career as a leading researcher, practitioner and advocate for integrated pest management has significantly propelled advancements in this crucial field. The state formally recognizes this remarkable accomplishment and extends gratitude to Dr. Zalom for his exceptional contributions to the welfare of both California and the global community.”

• Full Ceremony: https://youtu.be/XEMKD04bDT4  
• Video honoring Frank Zalom: https://youtu.be/oXc8OcQivLI
• Remarks from Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry: https://youtu.be/o4xnXyPn7e8

Read more at https://entomology.ucdavis.edu/news/frank-zalom-lifetime-ipm-achievement-award-california-department-pesticide-regulation. 

Long, Mueller and Smith honored for career achievements

On Feb. 6, the California Chapter of the America Society of Agronomy recognized the career achievements of three emeritus farm advisors: Rachael Long, Shannon Mueller, and Richard Smith.

“It is incredibly rare for the Chapter to honor three UC members in one year, let alone three Cooperative Extension advisors,” said Michelle Leinfelder-Miles, California ASA past president and UCCE Delta crops resource management advisor for San Joaquin, Sacramento, Yolo, Solano and Contra Costa counties.

Long retired as a UCCE farm advisor in 2023, after 37 years of doing research on crop production, pollination and pest control in collaboration with farmers, starting in Sonoma County, then San Joaquin County and the last 32 years in Solano, Sacramento and Yolo counties. 

Mueller, who retired from her 31-year career in 2019, was a UCCE advisor in Fresno County and director of the UCCE Fresno/Madera Multi-County Partnership. Her work with alfalfa seed and pollination resulted in current practices.

Smith, who retired in 2023 from his 36-year career as a UCCE farm advisor, mostly for San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, continues to contribute his vegetable crops and weed science expertise.

Read more at https://ucanr.edu/News/?routeName=newsstory&postnum=59008 

Alameda County thanks Blackburn for partnering on nutrition and health

Mary Blackburn, UC Cooperative Extension health and nutrition advisor for Alameda County, received a certificate of recognition from Alameda County 

“The certificate award is to recognize you as a partner for having done so much to support the work of Nutrition Services and the Alameda County Nutrition Action Partnership (CNAP),” Annette Laverty, interim associate director of Alameda County Nutrition Services, said to Blackburn.

“Your name was raised up to the AC Public Health Department's Community Health Services' Division Director and staff as someone who has maintained high standards of service, in partnership, to the community,” Laverty continued. “You have been so instrumental in collaborating with the ACPHD and AC Area on Aging over the years to develop actionable, integrated work plans and helping to put the plans into action. Your talents in writing and editing have been an incredible help, especially when deadlines have loomed.” 

Laverty credited the prestigious awards the CNAP has received to Blackburn's attention to grant and award opportunities.

“You were instrumental in applying for these awards, which made it possible for our collaborative to be recognized,” Laverty said. “You're an inspiration to me and many other professionals in our field!”  

UC ANR recruits UC Davis students

The Human Resources and Business Operations Center teams partnered to table at the UC Davis Internship and Career Center Winter Career Fair on Feb. 21. They engaged more than 100 students as they promoted job opportunities offered by UC ANR. 

“Students expressed interest in several facets of UC ANR's work, from business and IT in agriculture, to economic development, to soil and water science,” said Elizabeth Bezark, customer service and projects analyst. 

To entice students to talk with them, ANR staff brought a prize wheel that students could spin to win ANR logo items. 

“An economics and agriculture double-major in her second year of a bachelor's program won an ANR drawstring bag and took a BOC flyer,” said Bezark. “'An environmental science major won an Environmental Stewards Program patch for their denim jacket and grabbed an ANR Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program brochure.”

Serena Rae Brady, Anna Lee and David White from Human Resources worked the table along with BOC's Kathy Hanke, Alexa Ocegueda and Bezark. Katie Kilbane worked with them to prepare for the event.   

Vernard Lewis featured on KTVU's Voices for Change

For Black History Month, Vernard Lewis, UC Cooperative Extension urban entomology specialist emeritus based at UC Berkeley, spoke with Greg Lee on KTVU's Voices for Change on Feb. 25. His fascination with insects began while playing outdoors during the seven years he lived with his grandparents in Fresno. 

Lewis recalled that his high school counselor in Minnesota told him he wasn't college material. Lewis took the insult and used it to fuel his ambition. He asked the counselor which was the best university in the country. “UC Berkeley,” the counselor replied. Lewis set his sights on UC Berkeley, where he earned his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.

Lewis, who retired in 2017, became the first African American entomologist hired at UC Berkeley. The last 26 years of his 35-year career he was a UC Cooperative Extension specialist and he continues to work with UCCE specialists and advisors. 

Throughout his career, Lewis promoted diversity in science, giving presentations at Oakland public schools to pique students' interest in science. He and his wife Lisa Kala continue to strive to create a more diverse and inclusive university environment by supporting the HBCU Environmental Scholars for Change Program, which provides visiting undergraduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities an opportunity to conduct research with Rausser College faculty.  

Lewis' interview on Voices for Change starts around 18:30 at https://www.ktvu.com/video/1416404.

 

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