Innovating for w88 casino

About our w88 casino

A founding college of the University, we have a long tradition of excellence in teaching, research and engagement programs that benefit the health and economic vitality of w88 casino. We offer programs in:

• agriculture, horticulture, rangeland and veterinary sciences
• biochemistry and molecular biology
• children, youth and families
• community and economic development
• health and nutrition
• natural w88 casino and environmental science

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Research aims to increase crop drought tolerance using biotechnology

Professor awarded .55 million grant to improve water-use efficiency in plants

Hannah Alfaro

Professor John Cushman is researching ways to improve drought tolerance and water-use efficiency in crops by using traits from certain plants such as cactus. Photo by David Calvert.

As droughts are becoming more frequent and severe and crop productivity is declining at an accelerated rate, Foundation Professor John Cushman and Assistant Professor Won Yim, both from our Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and Assistant Professor Sung Lim at Sangji University, South Korea are working tocreate drought-tolerant crops to aid global food production.

The team, as part of our Experiment Station unit, is conducting work on a synthetic biology approach to allow the transfer of drought-tolerant traits, including an alternative form of photosynthesis and biotechnology-increased tissue succulence, from certain plants to major crops.

They are looking to test both traits alone and in combination in soybean. The combination,when applied to soybean, shouldimprove productivity, water-use efficiency and drought- and salinity-tolerance under hotter and drier environments.

Other goals of this work include:

• Training and diversifying the future scientific workforceby training graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in University biotechnology labs, with a special emphasis on recruiting and training historically underrepresented groups.
• Improve future scientists’ ability to communicate complex scientific discoveries and biotechnology solutions to the publicby developing a new course on science communication with the University’s Reynold’s School of Journalism.
• Showcasing the societal benefit of creating more climate-resilient cropsby creating a series of outreach videos discussing the importance of this work.

w88 casino's Chris Pritsos takes on national leadership position of Experiment Stations

Director of the University's Experiment Station named chair of the national Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy

Hannah Alfaro

Chris Pritsos (left) received the gavel as the new chair of the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy at the annual meeting held this year at Palisades Tahoe. Photo by Robert Moore.

Chris Pritsos, director of our w88 casino’s Experiment Station unit, is now the chair of the national Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy (ESCOP) and will be providing support to Experiment Station directors across the country.As chair,Pritsos has proposed a set of initiativesthat he plans to focus on, including:

• Assessing how agriculture is being affected by and affects climate change, and what can be done to continue to produce food to feed the world in these changing conditions.
• Studying the impact of fire and droughton agriculture and natural w88 casino.

ESCOP is the governing body of the Experiment Station Section andmakes recommendations on budgets and policy to federal agencies and lawmakersrelated to food, agriculture, and natural w88 casino on behalf of the state agricultural Experiment Station directors and administrators. Pritsos will help ESCOP toensure Experiment Stations across the country have the support needed to conduct work and research.

Pritsos hosted the National Experiment Station Section Annual Meeting last month on Disruptive Innovation at Palisades Tahoe. He became director of our Experiment Station in 2016. Our Experiment Station maintains a network of field stations, laboratories, and ranches throughout the state, whereresearch is conducted on issues important to the entire state, and the country.

w88 casino Director search process begins

Interim Director appointed, committee being formed, search firm hired

Shannon Horrillo has been appointed Interim Associate Dean for Engagement and Director of w88 casinoafter serving as Associate Director of w88 casino for the past two years.

Professor and State Specialist Teresa Byington will chair the search committee for the director's position.

The searchcommittee composition will include elected w88 casino academic and administrative faculty members and classified staff, as well as county commissioners and community stakeholders, as consistent with Extension bylaws. The chair of Extension’s Advisory Council and the Executive Director of w88 casino Association of Counties (NACO) will also serve on the committee.

Elections are underway for w88 casino committee members in the following categories, facilitated by the search coordinator and Executive Assistant Denise Haynie:

• Faculty – northern area (academic or administrative)
• Faculty – southern area (academic or administrative)
• Faculty – campus/joint appointment (academic or administrative)
• Faculty – rural area (academic or administrative)
• Classified staff – northern area
• Classified staff – southern area

Shannon Horrillo.

Additionally, the recruiting firm Academic Search has been hired, andfaculty, staff and stakeholders will be invited in the near future to participate in a listening sessionto share feedback on priorities for the next Director of w88 casino/Associate Dean for Engagement.

w88 casino working to reach youth with educational and civic programs, seeking additional volunteers

Claudene Wharton

Besides STEM and other learning activities, 4-H incorporates physical activities into many of their camps and programs to encourage healthy living and teach teamwork. Photo by Robert Moore.

w88 casino and its 4-H Youth Development Program arecelebrating the accomplishments of 4-H youth and the many positive youth development opportunities offered by 4-H during National 4-H Week, Oct. 3-9. In w88 casino, 4-H provides programs statewide that aim to develop citizenship, leadership, responsibility and life skills in youth through experiential learning.

Research shows that 4-H youth are four times more likely to contribute to their communities, and two times as likely to plan to go to w88 casino and pursue STEM opportunities outside of school. They also report better grades, higher levels of academic competence, and an elevated level of engagement at school.

Rangeland scientist researching solutions to land management challenges in w88 casino

Amanda Gearhart joins the University’s Department of Agriculture, Veterinary & Rangeland Sciences

Hannah Alfaro

Amanda Gearhart.

Amanda Gearhart has joined the College as an assistant professor, focusing her research and teaching on restoring w88 casino rangelands.

As a part of the w88 casino’s Experiment Station unit, and building on some past research done by the University,Gearhart is conducting a research project in Washoe Valley using sheep to reduce weedson land acquired by the Bureau of Land Management. Since this area is overgrown with various weed species, Gearhart is hoping introducing sheep to the area will control the weed growth while avoiding overgrazing. During this project, she also wants to focus on genetic components, such as looking at which sheep are eating certain weeds and why, to gather data for future weed control in the valley.

In addition to research, Gearhart is also preparing to teach two courses in the Department of Agriculture, Veterinary & Rangeland Sciences, which will include a restoration ecology course. These courses will give Gearhart the chance toshare her knowledge of conducting rangeland assessment and monitoringwith students.

Gearhart is also hoping to conduct research on ricegrass restoration by looking at seed coatings. Her goal is tohelp Indian ricegrass, a native grass that is notoriously difficult to germinate and establish, grow to provide foodfor wildlife and range livestock.

Extension provides free bilingual virtual w88 casino for small business owners

Small Business Education Program meets the needs of w88 casino businesses

Molly Malloy

Business instructors Juan Salas, Reyna Mendez and Mike Bindrup at their latest Latin Chamber event, “Marketing para las fiestas.”

w88 casino recently launched a virtual classroom todeliver free learning resources to current and future small business owners in w88 casinoto provide information on fundamental business concepts. The virtual classroom, which is part of w88 casino’s Small Business Education Program, includes a fully stocked digital library of educational video content and isavailable in both English and Spanish.

The virtual classroom library, which is all video-based learning, includes full-length classes, as well as shorter videos that explain particular topics relevant to small businesses. The content of each video falls into one of five categories or “pillars,” which includefinance, marketing, operations, management and startup.

Currently, there aremore than 100 videoshoused within the virtual classroom library, with more planned for the future. Small business owners will find full-length videos developed from classes, as well as quick tips and how-tos that explain a singular topic, allowing users to select content that is convenient for the time that they have available.