CAHNRS News January 2018

Events

Plant Pathology
seminars

The Department of Plant Pathology holds its seminar series every Monday, 4:10 p.m. in Johnson Hall 343 during the academic semester. Learn about topics like stripe rust, zebra chip disease and wheat improvement.

Be FireWise

Forestry & FireWise Landscaping workshop is Jan. 25, hosted by WSU Spokane County Extension.

Healthy Soils

Healthy Soils, Healthy Farms, a workshop designed for farmers and interested residents in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho, is Feb. 8, at Banyan’s Pavilion, Pullman.

Know Your Government

4-H Know Your Government Conference is Feb. 17-20 in Olympia.

Forest Planning

WSU Extension Forestry experts help landowners protect and preserve their woodlands in Forest Stewardship planning courses. Spring classes begin March 6 on Whidbey Island, March 26 on Vashon Island.

Advanced Cheese Course

Advanced Cheese Making Short Course hosted by WSU Creamery will be from March 6 – 8, 2018.

Cider, Perry
Foundation course

Cider and Perry Production —A Foundation, provides students with expert knowledge of cider and perry principles and practices. March 12-16 at WSU Mount Vernon.

2018 WSU oilseed workshops in full swing

The WSU-based Washington Oilseed Cropping Systems project hosts its annual canola/oilseed workshops this week, with the first one already in the books at Hartline on Jan. 22. Read more here.

Get fit, feel better with CAHNRS Evening Exercise classes

CAHNRS Faculty/Staff Evening Exercise is held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in Hulbert Room 27.

Held since 2015, the class is taught by CAHNRS staff member Robert Yarbrough a certified group fitness and Tai Chi instructor. All staff, faculty, and students are welcome, and drop-ins are encouraged. Classes are free to attend. Read more here.

Notables

Seefeldt explores
grazing, sub-arctic
pasture health

Steven Seefeldt, researcher and weed specialist at the WSU Northwest Washington Research and Extension Center at Mount Vernon, sheds light on how different grazing practices can improve farm pasture health in the far north.

Seefeldt co-authored the article, “Sustainable livestock production in sub-arctic Alaska: Plant and soil responses to simulated intensively managed grazing,” in the March 2018 edition of Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment.

Diversi looks at how
writing can examine
justice, bridge cultures

A new paper by Marcelo Diversi, associate professor in the Department of Human Development, looks at the powerful impacts that can come from autoethnography, or self-reflective cultural writing, by betweeners—authors who come from blended cultures.

Diversi’s article, “Autoethnography Manifesto,” is published in the International Review of Qualitative Research.

January 2018

André-Denis Wright is next dean of CAHNRS

André-Denis Wright, an internationally recognized researcher and director of the School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences at the University of Arizona, has been named dean of CAHNRS.

Wright will begin his duties at WSU on June 1.

Wright holds the Carl and Patricia Weiler Endowed Chair for Excellence in Agriculture and Life Sciences and is a BIO5 Research Fellow, collaborating to solve humanity’s grand biological challenges.

Read more about Wright here.

McCluskey named Fellow of Agricultural & Applied Economics Association

From nutrition to the environment to women in STEM, Jill McCluskey explores how information, incentives, and perceptions change markets and the world.

Singled out for her research, teaching, service and leadership, McCluskey was named a Fellow of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) on Jan. 4.

“I am humbled to be a relatively young recipient of this honor,” said McCluskey. “I hope to inspire women in agricultural and applied economics to seek leadership roles in their field.”

Critzer, new produce safety specialist, joins WSU Prosser

Faith Critzer is the new Produce Safety Extension Specialist at the WSU Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center.

A School of Food Science faculty member, Critzer will help build a strong produce safety outreach and research program at Prosser. Read a Q&A with Crizer here.

Teacher Educator award for Human Development’s Handy

Debbie Handy, associate professor in the Department of Human Development, this winter received the “Teacher Educator of the Year” award from the Family and Consumer Sciences Educators Section of the Washington Association for Career and Technical Education.

Recently named a Provost’s Featured Faculty member, Handy teaches future educators in areas including instructional strategies, family systems, and parent-child relationships, and currently researches school violence, teacher recruitment and student success in distance education.

Award: Chi’s research helps apparel industry stay competitive

Ting Chi, associate professor and graduate coordinator in the Department of Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles, has won the Mid-Career Excellence Award from the International Textile and Apparel Association.

He received the award at the association’s annual conference, Nov. 14-18 in St. Petersburg, Fla. The ITAA is the main international academic organization for textile and apparel faculty in higher education. Read more about his research here.

Waters to discuss early-life adversity research with Society

Sara Waters, assistant professor in the Department of Human Development, will address the American Psychosomatic Society at its annual meeting, March 7-10 in Louisville, Ky.

Waters will speak on “Finding resilience in early life adversity,” as part of the conference’s theme, “Optimizing health and resilience in a changing world.” The invitation to speak is a rare honor for an early-career faculty member.

Water was also honored by the American Psychological Association with its “Particularly Exciting Experiment in Psychology” designation for a recent paper on how mothers can transfer positive or negative moods and changes in physiology to their babies through physical touch.

She was lead author on “Affect contagion between mothers and infants: Exploring the role of valence and touch,” which appeared in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.

Tian shares research on how businesses start up, end

A new paper by Can Tian, assistant professor in the School of Economic Sciences, explores the cycle of how businesses start up, and ultimately end.

Her paper, “Firm-level Entry and Exit Dynamics over the Business Cycle,” appears in the journal European Economic Review, and explains patterns in U.S. businesses from 1979 to 2013.

Entomology faculty to research organic approaches to disease risk, insect controls, stormwater

Congratulations to recent Entomology Department grant awardees:

• Associate Professor Jeb Owen, Professor Bill Snyder and College of Veterinary Medicine Professor Rocio Crespo received a $458,145 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture for an ecological approach to managing disease risks on organic poultry farms.

• John Stark, Professor and WSU Puyallup Research and Extension Center Director, received a WSU Foundation, Global Corporate Citizenship, Boeing grant of $95,000 for “Bringing Science Home,” a project to create effective stormwater management programs.

• Professor Betsy Beers received $6,000 from Arysa Lifescience and $8,000 from ADAMA for support of insect controls in tree fruit.

• Professor and Chair Walter Sheppard and Assistant Research Professor Brandon Hopkins received a $12,120 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service to work on honey bee surveys.

Governors discuss leadership, balance at Ruckleshaus Center joint luncheon

The William D. Ruckelshaus Center and the Slade Gorton International Policy Center featured former Washington State Governors Daniel Evans, Christine Gregoire, and Gary Locke, at their fifth annual joint luncheon, Jan. 16.

The former governors reflected on their views and personal experiences in governing the state, and how the balance of power and leadership between state governments and the federal government may be changing. Read more here.

Awards help Entomology students travel, get involved

Three graduate students in the Department of Entomology received 2017/18 Entomology Travel Scholarships, allowing them to make career-building journeys.

Jessa Thurman earned the Telford Early Career Travel Award; Dane Elmquist received the Hastings Early Career Travel Award; and Matthew Jones won the Tamaki Late Career Travel Award.

Thurman used her funds to attend the 2017 Entomological Society of America (ESA) meeting, where she volunteered, took part in specialty meetings on biological control, and networked with other scientists in her field from all over the world.

Elmquist will use his award to travel to the Pacific Branch meeting of the ESA this spring, taking part in the 3 Minute Lightning Bug Talk and sharing his research in the student poster competition. Students are judged on the scientific content and effectiveness of their posters.

Jones will attend a scientific workshop in Wales, and the 2018 ESA meeting in Denver, giving a symposium talk on how collaboration has helped his research.