Names in the News

Doan named UCCE small farms advisor

Hung Doan

Hung Doan joined UCCE as a small farms and specialty crops advisor serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties on Nov. 1.  

Before joining UC ANR, Doan was an instructor for an USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer Program in Guyana. He has experience working on small-scale farms in California and abroad in Kenya and Vietnam.

While studying at UC Davis, he coordinated many plant disease clinics and diagnosed plant diseases for a large clientele base ranging from small-scale farmers to UC Cooperative Extension staff.

His research interests include integrated pest management, vegetable and mushroom production, nutrient management, food safety and vegetables and specialty crops pathology.  

Doan graduated from UC Davis with a B.S in biochemistry and molecular biology and an M.S in plant pathology under the guidance of Professor Mike Davis, working on developing sustainable controls for Fusarium wilt of cotton at UC Davis. Hung earned his Ph.D. at UC Davis studying pathogenic Escherichia coli on leafy greens working with Professor Johan Leveau.  

Doan is headquartered in Moreno Valley and can be reached at hkdoan@ucanr.edu and (408) 717-0161.

Pierce named UCCE irrigation and water resources advisor 

Curt Pierce

Curt Pierce joined UC Cooperative Extension as the area irrigation and water resources advisor for Glenn, Tehama, Colusa and Shasta counties on Oct. 15.

He works with other local UCCE orchard advisors and community stakeholders on agricultural irrigation issues such as improving efficiencies, scheduling and system maintenance, as well as groundwater recharge, flow measurements and water diversions. His past research has focused on deficit irrigation and partial root-zone drying in field-grown pecan.

He earned his Ph.D. in horticulture and B.S. in agriculture and community development, both from New Mexico State University.

Pierce is based at the UCCE Glenn County office in Orland and can be reached at calpierce@ucanr.edu.

4-H Latino Initiative team wins national DEI award

Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty, Claudia Díaz Carrasco, Liliana Vega, Lupita Fábregas and Russ Hill accepted their award at the National 4-H Association of Extension for Youth Development conference. Local COVID-19 safety and vaccination protocols were followed at the conference.

The Latino Initiative team of UC ANR's 4-H youth development program received the national diversity and inclusion award for their outstanding performance in expanding the 4-H program to California's Latino youth. The award was presented at the November annual conference of the National 4-H Association of Extension for Youth Development in Memphis, Tennessee. 

The award recognizes their pilot program implemented in eight California counties that generated a 250% growth in the participation of Latino children and adolescents from 2016 to 2019.

“I'm so proud to be associated with this very important work and group of passionate and skilled colleagues. The Latino initiative has set a strong foundation for expanding this work throughout California to ensure all young people have access to high caliber programming that meets local needs,” said Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty, UC ANR Statewide 4-H director.

Members of the Latino Initiative present to accept the award included 4-H advisors Claudia Díaz Carrasco, Russ Hill and Liliana Vega, Schmitt-McQuitty and Lupita Fábregas, former UC ANR 4-H Youth Development assistant director for diversity and expansion and currently director of the Missouri 4-H Center for Youth Development.

"This week, I am happy to be at the National Conference of the 4-H Extension Association for Youth Development," Claudia Diaz Carrasco, a 4-H advisor in Riverside County, wrote on social media after receiving this recognition. "Since 2015, I have been given the opportunity to learn by doing, and I am working to make this world a better place by helping train the next generation." – Norma De la Vega

Read the full story at https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=51054.

Nader ranch wins California Leopold Award

From right, Glenn and Marie Nader and their son, Alan, are dedicated to promoting water conservation and soil health on their working cattle ranch in Modoc County. Photo courtesy of Glenn Nader

Marie and Glenn Nader's Witcher Creek Ranch in Modoc County has been selected as the recipient of the 2021 California Leopold Conservation Award.

“I was a livestock farm advisor and used much of my experiences and education on our ranch,” Glenn Nader said. “That is one of the many reasons we were selected for the 2021 California Leopold Award.” 

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes farmers, ranchers and forestland owners who inspire others with their dedication to water quality, soil health and wildlife habitat management on private, working land.

In California, the prestigious award is presented annually by Sand County Foundation, American Farmland Trust, Sustainable Conservation and the California Farm Bureau Federation.

The Naders were revealed as this year's recipient during the California Farm Bureau Federation's Annual Meeting in Garden Grove on Dec. 6. The Naders, who own ranchland near Canby and Penn Valley, will receive $10,000 and a crystal award for being selected.

“A big thanks to UCCE for giving the working relationship with ranchers and researchers that was key to the knowledge base that we implemented on the ranch,” Nader said. 

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