Appointments: Two interim IFAS leaders appointed
Interim appointments have been made to fill openings in leadership roles with IFAS’ agronomy department and at the West Florida Research and Education Center.
Jack Payne, UF senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, has appointed Ken Quesenberry as interim chairman of the agronomy department, and Barry Brecke as interim director of the West Florida REC in Milton.
In the agronomy department, Quesenberry, an emeritus professor in forage breeding and genetics, will take on the administrative duties of department chair.
Brecke is an emeritus professor in weed science, whose research focuses mostly on weed management in turfgrass and row crops. He previously served as the West Florida REC’s associate director.
Events: Florida 4-H invites alumni to 40th anniversary for 4-H event
They call it “Ledj,” and many Florida 4-H alumni describe it as one of the most rewarding experiences of their lives.
The event is Florida 4-H Legislature, a simulated legislative session held every summer in Tallahassee at the state Capitol. There, bills are debated and then passed or vetoed by 4-H’ers ages 14 to 18 who act as representatives, senators, lobbyists, reporters, judges and other figures involved in the state’s official business.
To mark the event’s 40th anniversary, the Florida 4-H Youth Development Program is hosting the first Ledj alumni gathering, June 28-29 in Tallahassee.
News: Researcher runs program that spurs student interest in science
As part of a middle and high school mentoring program, a University of Florida professor is helping train the scientists of the future.
Since 2004, William Overholt, an entomology and nematology professor at UF’s Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce, has worked with students each year to conduct individual science research projects.
Awards: Teacher receives national accolade from Project Learning Tree
Wakulla County teacher Brooke Mohr has made a point of incorporating environmental education from Project Learning Tree in her classroom, and now the organization is honoring her efforts.
Mohr, a fifth-grade teacher at Medart Elementary School, is one of five people chosen by PLT as 2012 National Outstanding Educators. She’ll be formally recognized at a PLT conference in Deadwood, S.D., May 14-17.
Awards: Faculty research noted by landscape ecology organization
Research by UF faculty member Emilio Bruna was recognized by the United States Chapter of the International Association for Landscape Ecology (IALE) as the outstanding contribution to the field in 2011.
The award was announced April 10 during ceremonies in Providence, Rhode Island.
Events: UF College of Veterinary Medicine to Hold Open House April 14
North Florida pet owners and animal lovers are invited to attend the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 14.
The free event takes place at the college’s main campus, 2015 SW 16th Ave, Gainesville, FL.
Events: Healthy Horses Conference Set for April 28
For anyone who owns horses or helps care for them, the Healthy Horses Conference offers an affordable way to get the latest information on significant equine health issues. Presented by UF’s College of Veterinary Medicine, the conference is taught by faculty experts but designed for laypeople.
It happens 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 28 at the UF vet school, 2015 S.W. 16th Ave. in Gainesville. Registration fee is $39 for adults, $15 for students, graduate students and those under 12 years old. Registration may be available at the door but early registration is recommended, as space is limited.
New Hires: Tennille Herron named IFAS web manager
If you’ve ever been part of an effort to create a new website, you know how overwhelming a task it can be. IFAS Information and Communication Services is hoping to make that task a little easier with the hiring of a new IFAS web manager.
Tennille Herron comes to the job after nine years with the Florida Center for Library Automation. In her new role, she will work to ensure that IFAS’ web presence is clear, consistent and of good technical quality, and will serve as a central contact for those in IFAS working to boost web presence.
Honors: Gamma Sigma Delta inducts 41 new members at annual ceremony
The Gamma Sigma Delta agricultural honorary held its 57th annual initiation ceremony and awards reception March 21 in the Presidents room at Emerson Alumni Hall.
The University of Florida chapter of the honorary organization now has 41 new members, bringing the group’s total membership to about 730, said Daniel Lee, an associate professor with IFAS and the chapter’s past president.
Honors: Two UF/IFAS faculty members elected 2012 AAAS Fellows
Two faculty members with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have been elected 2012 Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
George Casella, a distinguished professor of statistics, and Lena Ma, a professor of soil and water science, were among six UF faculty members inducted Fellows at the AAAS annual meeting, held Feb. 16-20 in Vancouver, B.C.
They were selected for the honor based on meritorious efforts to advance science and its applications.
Casella, who has been with UF since 2000, was elected to the AAAS section on statistics. Ma, a UF faculty member since 1994, was elected to the AAAS section on agriculture, food and renewable resources.
Events: UF school announces 5K race in Austin Cary Memorial Forest
Local runners have a chance to race while enjoying the scenic splendor of a University of Florida landmark, as the School of Forest Resources and Conservation presents the inaugural Flatwoods 5K in the Austin Cary Memorial Forest.
The race is open to the public and begins at 8 a.m. March 24. A one-mile fun run starts shortly after the 5K begins.
Events: Event to celebrate restoration of historic cabin
The late Archie Carr remains one of the University of Florida’s best-known faculty members, thanks to his accomplishments as an author, conservationist and pioneer in Florida wildlife studies.
What’s not so well known is a building that helped Carr develop his appreciation for nature—a Cracker-style cabin his father built in the 1930s on the banks of Lake Nicotoon outside Umatilla. As a young man, Carr spent countless hours there, hunting, fishing and enjoying the company of his family in Florida’s unspoiled wilderness.
Awards: Two UF/IFAS students receive Guy Harvey Scholarships
Visual artist Guy Harvey is well known for his love of marine wildlife – his iconic paintings of marlin and other saltwater game fish are seen everywhere from T-shirts to specialty license tags to art galleries.
Not surprisingly, Harvey is a passionate supporter of marine conservation, which led him to establish the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation as a way to fund research and educational programs.
In 2010, the foundation teamed with the Florida Sea Grant program to fund the Guy Harvey Scholarship Award; each year it provides a $5,000 scholarship to one or more Florida university students whose research focuses on novel strategies for improving sustainable management of large marine fish.
News: Jim Jones named to National Academy of Engineering
Climate-science expert Jim Jones, a distinguished service professor emeritus in the agricultural and biological engineering department and director of the Florida Climate Institute, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, or NAE.
He was one of 66 new members announced Feb. 9. Election to NAE is one of the highest professional distinctions an engineer can achieve. Potential members can only be nominated by a current member and are elected by the NAE membership.
News: Plant pathologist helps high-school student succeed in competition
Jacksonville high school senior Andrew Joseph is what you’d call a self-starter.
As a tenth-grader, he read an article about scientists developing disease-resistant transgenic wheat. Andrew was intrigued, but he also asked the question, “what about rice?” As the world’s most-consumed cereal crop, rice is important to more people than wheat, he reasoned.
Andrew settled on a goal—adding two E. coli genes to the rice plant Oryza sativa, causing it to produce trehalose. Then he set about finding a mentor who could provide advice and access to sophisticated lab equipment that wasn’t available at his school, Episcopal School of Jacksonville.
