UCCE advisors and specialists invited to Extension Showcase Jan. 26

The Graduate Students in Extension invite all UC Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists to an Extension Showcase on Thursday, Jan. 26, at UC Berkeley. The aim is to connect graduate students who are interested in working for UCCE with UCCE academics who are interested in mentoring them. The event will be held in 103 Mulford Hall at 3p.m., with presentations from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and a networking reception from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

UCCE academics are invited to give a lightning talk on their work or prospective research and to meet with interested students.

UCCE advisors Andrew Sutherland, Stephanie Larson and Rob Bennaton are mentoring graduate students they met at last year's Extension Showcase. Doctoral student Laura Ward is working with Sutherland on pollinator-friendly pest management for gardeners. Doctoral student Reid Johnsen is working with Larson on a conservation easement study. Doctoral student Laney Siegner is working with Bennaton on a climate-change curriculum pilot project with Oakland Unified School District. Details about their projects are at http://ucanr.edu/sites/GGCE/Current_Graduate_Student_Researchers_317.

GSE program

The Graduate Students in Extension (GSE) pilot program at UC Berkeley facilitates Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists to mentor current graduate students to conduct applied research and develop extension products. The three-year pilot program, currently under review, is intended to train graduate students for careers in extension research and outreach.

This year, while the pilot is being evaluated, the 25 percent mentor group contribution will be subsidized by ANR and CNR for the summer 2017 term only.  Normally, these GSE positions are funded 50 percent through UC ANR, 25 percent through the student's home department, and 25 percent through their mentorship group. The impetus for holding a special summer GSE program is to continue providing Cooperative Extension learning opportunities for students while GSE administration conducts an assessment of the pilot. A major goal of the summer-only program with no mentor matching requirement is to broaden opportunities. 

ANR academics from across the state are encouraged to consider participating as a mentor. First-year graduate students interested in assisting academics to learn more about extension and outreach, as well asmore seasoned graduate studentswho have research underway, are encouraged to apply.

The GSE program is available to graduate students in all departments within the College of Natural Resources at UC Berkeley, which includes students in Environmental Science Policy & Management (ESPM), the Energy & Resources Group (ERG), Nutritional Science & Toxicology (NST), Agricultural Resources & Economics (ARE) and Plant Microbiology (PMB). 

Getting involved

To RSVP for the Extension Showcase, please email Alana “Laney” Siegner at asiegner@berkeley.edu. If you are unable to attend the Jan. 26 showcase but would like to connect with students, please send a paragraph to asiegner@berkeley.edu describing your work and potential research so it can be included in the literature for the event. 

Travel support may be available for CE advisors and specialists to travel to Berkeley for the event. In your RSVP, please note if you need travel support.

To view the summer 2017 RFP, please visit http://ucanr.edu/sites/GGCE/files/253806.pdf. For more information about the Graduate Students in Extension pilot program, visit http://ucanr.edu/sites/GGCE or contact Vanessa Murua at Vanessa.murua@ucop.edu.

View or leave comments for ANR Leadership at http://ucanr.edu/sites/ANRUpdate/Comments.

This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.

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