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Posts Tagged: July 2018
UC ANR staff: Snack healthy on Aug. 29 and win a prize for your office
The UC ANR Staff Assembly's new Wellness Committee is sponsoring its first activity on Healthy Snack Day, Aug. 29. Healthy Snack Day is a statewide day of action led by the Champions for Change Program of the California Department of Public Health.
Many UC Cooperative Extension food educators are planning activities with their clientele Aug. 29 to promote the benefits of eating nutritious foods at snack time, and the Wellness Committee is bringing the celebration to UC ANR staff by sponsoring a healthy competition.
Find out who your staff assembly ambassador is by visiting the UC ANR Staff Assembly website.
Members of the UC ANR Staff Assembly Wellness Committee are:
- Jeannette Warnert, chair
- Austin Cantrell
- Michelle Hammer Coffer
- Kaela Plank
- Alyssa Rodriguez
- Anne Schellman
- Shawnice Sellers
- Wylie Skillman
- Leah Sourbeer
- Christopher Gomez Wong
UC and Israel sign agricultural research agreement
Pledging to work together to solve water scarcity issues, Israel's Agricultural Research Organization signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources and UC Davis on July 16. The signing ceremony kicked off the 2018 Future of Water for Irrigation in California and Israel Workshop at the UC ANR building in Davis.
“Israel and California agriculture face similar challenges, including drought and climate change,” said Doug Parker, director of UC ANR's California Institute for Water Resources. “In the memorandum of understanding, Israel's Agricultural Research Organization, UC Davis and UC ANRpledge to work together more on research involving water, irrigation, technology and related topics that are important to both water-deficit countries.”
The agreement will enhance collaboration on research and extension for natural resources management in agriculture, with an emphasis on soil, irrigation and water resources, horticulture, food security and food safety.
“It's a huge pleasure for us to sign an MOU with the world leaders in agricultural research like UC Davis and UC ANR,” said Eli Feinerman, director of Agricultural Research Organization of Israel. “When good people, smart people collaborate the sky is the limit.”
Feinerman, Mark Bell, UC ANR vice provost, and Ermias Kebreab, UC Davis professor and associate vice provost of academic programs and global affairs, represented their respective institutions for the signing. Karen Ross, California Department of Food and Agriculture secretary, and Shlomi Kofman, Israel's consul general to the Pacific Northwest, joined in celebrating the partnership.
“The important thing is to keep working together and develop additional frameworks that can bring the people of California and Israel together as researchers,” Kofman said. “But also to work together to make the world a better place.”
Ross said, “It's so important for us to find ways and create forums to work together because water is the issue in this century and will continue to be.”
She noted that earlier this year the World Bank and United Nations reported that 40 percent of the world population is living with water scarcity. “Over 700,000 people are at risk of relocation due to water scarcity,” Ross said. “We're already seeing the refugee issues that are starting to happen because of drought, food insecurity and the lack of water.”
Ross touted the progress stemming from CDFA's Healthy Soils Program to promote healthy soils on California's farmlands and ranchlands and SWEEP, the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program, which has provided California farmers $62.7 million in grants for irrigation systems that reduce greenhouse gases and save water on agricultural operations.
“We need the answers of best practices that come from academia, through demonstration projects so that our farmers know what will really work,” Ross said.
As Parker opened the water workshop, sponsored by the U.S./Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development (BARD) Program, Israel Agricultural Research Organization and UC ANR, he told the scientists, “The goal of this workshop is really to be creating new partnerships, meeting new people, networking and finding ways to work together in California with Israel, in Israel, with other parts of the world as well.”
Drawing on current events, Bell told the attendees, “If you look at the World Cup, it's about effort, it's about teamwork, it's about diversity of skills, and I think that's what this event does. It brings together those things.”
In memoriam: John Casida
John Casida, 88, a world-renowned entomologist and toxicologist at UC Berkeley who died June 30 of a heart attack in his home, was a global authority on how pesticides work and their effect on humans.
A distinguished professor emeritus of environmental science, policy and management and of nutritional sciences and toxicology, Casida was the founding director of the campus's Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology Laboratory.
When awarded the Wolf Prize in Agriculture in 1993, the Wolf Foundation lauded his “research on the mode of action of insecticides as a basis for the evaluation of the risks and benefits of pesticides and toxicants, essential to the development of safer, more effective pesticides for agricultural use,” according to a UC Berkeley News Service story. "His discoveries span much of the history of organic pesticides and account for several of the fundamental breakthroughs in the fields of entomology, neurobiology, toxicology and biochemistry.”
Casida opened multiple new fields ranging from fundamental cell biology through pharmaceutical discovery.
"He pioneered new technologies throughout his career, from being one of the first to use radioactive compounds for pesticide metabolism through studies with accelerator mass spectrometry, photoaffinity labeling and others," said Bruce Hammock, founding director of the UC Davis National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Superfund Research Program and director of the UC Davis NIH/NIEHS Combined Analytical Laboratory.
"Yet the greatest impact of his career probably lives on in the numerous scientists he trained, now carrying on his traditions of excellence in science. These scientists are around the world in governmental, industrial and academic careers.”
“John continued his high productivity until his death with major reviews on pesticides in 2016, 2017, and 2018 in addition to numerous primary papers,” Hammock noted. “He was working on primary publications as well as revising his toxicology course for the fall semester at the time of his death. Pesticide science was the theme of his career, and we live in a world with far safer and more effective pest control agents because of his effort.”
Casida is survived by his wife, artist and sculptor Kati Casida, sons Mark and Eric Casida, and two grandchildren.
Read more about Casida's career at //ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=27808.
In memoriam: Peggy Michel
Michel joined ANR in 1992 as an administrative assistant II for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, based in the UC Office of the President in Oakland. In 1994, she joined the Office of Governmental and External Relations (OGER) as an assistant to then-executive director Steve Nation, who dubbed her "Radar," like the MASH TV show character, for her uncanny knack of anticipating things that needed to be done.
As an OGER member, she helped form and provide staff support for the UC President's Advisory Commission on Agriculture and Natural Resources and the UC president's tours for regents and agricultural leaders. She also gathered information for requests from legislative offices.
In 2007, Michel transitioned to work in the vice president's office. In 2010, Michel became deputy to the associate vice president for business operations and senior staff to the Administrative Review Council, which designed and implemented the reorganization of ANR business operations functions.
When Taber retired in 2012, Michel became deputy to then-assistant vice president for business operations Tu Tran.
In her ANR directory listing, Michel displayed her passion for diving with a photo of herself in scuba gear underwater.
Michel retired in 2013 after serving ANR for 21 years and moved to Long Island, NY, to join her husband, Keith, who was appointed president of Webb Institute, the country's foremost school of naval architecture and marine engineering.
The New York native's diverse experience in Pan American Airways customer service, as a baker and owner of her own wedding cake business, and organizing events for ANR served her well as Webb's First Lady, as she engaged with students, hosted formal dinners, did fundraising, managed staff and facilitated search committees for senior staff.
“Peggy was truly loved at Webb,” said Keith Michel. “The board has established a Peggy Michel Memorial Fund. Webb will be creating a garden/courtyard area overlooking our new academic center and Long Island Sound, which will be named the Peggy Michel Garden. They are also establishing a scholarship fund in her name.”
To donate, checks can be made out to “Webb Institute” with “Peggy Michel Memorial Fund” in the memo line or by credit card gift online.
Michel is survived by Keith, their son Josh and his wife Marybeth, sister Isabelle McVickar and several nieces and nephews.
The family is planning a celebration of her life in California on Sept. 8 at Scott's Restaurant in Jack London Square, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The restaurant asked for a headcount by Aug. 29. If you plan to attend, please send an email to pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu or to Kay Taber at khtaber@aol.com.
[Updated Aug. 2 to add details about the memorial in California.]
UC launches Million Light Bulb Challenge
The University of California is spearheading a statewide effort to advance the purchase of 1 million high-quality, energy-efficient light bulbs for campus buildings and residences across the state.
Under the Community Buy Program, all UC students, staff, faculty and alumni can purchase light bulbs at nearly half the price of online competitors.
“High-quality LED light sources help reduce our carbon footprint, reduce our energy use, and save money,” said UC President Janet Napolitano. “We are excited to launch this challenge and swap out at least a million inefficient light sources.”
About the challenge
Inspired by research conducted by the California Lighting Technology Center at UC Davis, the UC Office of the President spearheaded The Million Light Bulb Challenge to procure high-quality, energy-efficient light sources. UC is collaborating with the California Community College system, the California State University system and the California Department of General Services in this large-scale effort. The collaborative is working with employees at all campus buildings and is providing a new community-buy program.
Making it easy for the consumer
As of January 2018, everyday light bulbs for sale in California must meet new efficiency standards. Light-emitting diode, or LED, bulbs will be the bulb of choice for most consumers. However, it is often difficult to know which bulb to purchase as stores are filled with products that vary in terms of color appearance, dimming and longevity.
To make it easier for consumers to purchase high-quality LED bulbs, the California Million Light Bulb Challenge partners used specific performance criteria to evaluate and select the light bulbs that will go into UC facilities and be available to the UC community for purchase.
The light bulbs being offered through the challenge cost about 46 percent less than the same light bulbs sold through online competitors.
“Our goal was to take the guesswork and confusion out of the process and ensure that everyone gets a great light at a great price,” said Michael Siminovitch, director of the UC Davis California Lighting Technology Center.
In creating the challenge, the team leveraged a high-quality performance specification published by the California Energy Commission to ensure that light bulbs purchased meet both quality and efficiency goals. After a public request for proposal was launched in fall 2017, the collaborative selected the team of Consolidated Electrical Distributors Inc. and LEDVANCE, maker of SYLVANIA general lighting in the U.S., to provide lighting products for the first phase of the challenge.
Everyone in the UC community can participate
UC students, staff, faculty and alumni can purchase light bulbs via the secure Million Light Bulb Challenge website and have them shipped directly to their homes. The website features a number of educational resources to help consumers understand their options and support their lighting purchases. Users also will be able to see the total number of light bulbs purchased, estimated energy savings and estimated reduction in CO2 emissions.
The Million Light Bulb Challenge could result in significant energy savings and reduced emissions. Replacing 1 million 60-watt incandescent bulbs that are used about three hours a day would save 55.8 GWh per year, or 85 percent. This decreases CO2 emissions by 41,461 metric tons, which is like removing 8,900 passenger vehicles from the road each year, according to the EPA's greenhouse gas equivalency calculator.
“Energy-efficient lighting is a key step in reducing our carbon footprint as a society,” Siminovitch said. “Everyone can contribute to this effort by replacing incandescent and CFL light bulbs with high-performance LED options.”
