2011 Academic Showcase Call for Abstracts
Academic Showcase is a celebration of original scholarship, research, and creative expression by members of the WSU community and will be! held on March 25 this year. Submit your abstract of 250 words or less along with your contact information online at http://bit.ly/eFlWTf. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 31. Detailed information about WSU Showcase, the Academic Showcase, and abstract submission guidelines can be found online at http://bit.ly/hKe9F9.
WSU Marching Band Uniform Pillows
Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles has WSU marching band uniform pillows available for holiday gifts for Cougar fans. Please check out http://amdt.wsu.edu for descriptions and pictures and t o download an order form for these limited-edition pillows. Contact Jane Lawford lawford@wsu.edu for more information.
Warm Up with a “Go, Cougs!” Wool Blanket
The Animal Science Students of Entrepreneurship still have a few of their beautiful, custom-designed, Pendleton blankets for sale. Get more info about the blankets and the innovative class they are helping fund at http://bit.ly/dxtpMH or go straight to http://www.gocougs.biz/ to order a blanket.
Ripple Effect
Holiday gift givers have an opportunity to make a difference for people on the other side of the globe by supporting WSU’s Ripple Effect project. Donations can be made in the name of your holiday gift recipient.
A partnership between WSU, a nonprofit organization called Total Land Care and the people of Malawi was created to provide practical tools for improving the quality of life of families and communities in this southeastern African state. Each of the three partners invests time, money and/or expertise to implement projects that reforest treeless areas, support the growth of new food crops and bring potable water to a village.
The cause and support opportunities can be viewed at the newly redesigned Ripple Effect web site at http://rippleeffect.wsu.edu/.
Malawi faces numerous challenges: an average life expectancy of 38, hunger, deforestation, lack of potable water. It is the fourth poorest country in the world.
When you contribute to Ripple Effect, you set in motion a partnership with demonstrable results.
“There is a hopefulness that surrounds the implementation of each of these projects,” said Kim Kidwell, associate dean of academic programs in WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences and a member of the Ripple Effect team. “Because all of the partners are truly invested, they work hard to ensure the projects they undertake are relevant and effective, and the impacts are transformational.”
Ripple Effect offers a variety of options for giving. For example, donating a poultry kit provides 30 baby chicks, a raised coop, vaccinations and training to a Malawian about how to care for and market the animals. Cow, crop seed, deep well and latrine kits also are available. Donors may choose to help purchase a treadle pump used to irrigate crops during Malawi’s dry season, which expands food production.
Each of these options provides Malawians with an opportunity to improve their quality of life and provides the donor with a gift that any recipient will appreciate.
Holiday Gathering a Huge Success
Speaking of giving, thanks to all who brought donations for our annual food drive. We gathered a total of 1,300 pounds of food items at this year’s holiday gathering. With Dan and Pam Bernardo’s match, we gave 2,600 pounds to the Moscow and Pullman food banks. Way to go! We once again broke our record. Dan and Pam extend their thanks to one and all for making the holiday gathering a rousing success a lot of fun – attendance at this year’s gathering was more than double last year’s!
Congrats, CAHNRS Grads!
CAHNRS was well represented at Fall Commencement on Saturday. This year’s Fall graduation numbers were among the highest in years, with 250 Bachelor’s degrees, 44 Master’s degrees, and 21 Doctorates being awarded by College programs. A special thank you to all faculty and staff who participated in the ceremony.
Surf Report
Dean Bernardo asks what we can be grateful for this holiday season during these tough budget times. His answer? Let’s just say it involves the impact of CAHNRS research on Santa and good boys and girls everywhere. Get the details on Dean Dan’s blog at http://bit.ly/hqP6WP.
So you think farm equipment is dull and greasy? Then you haven’t been infected by the enthusiasm of the LEGO Kid. Check out this video featuring Warren Seely, mint farmer and high school senior, who rebuilt his first engine when he was six and has been making working, scale models of farm equipment out of LEGOs for more than five years: http://bit.ly/gOWG1b.
If you missed the CAHNRS Career and Internship Fair, we’ve got video highlights online at http://bit.ly/f7iHXT.
MNEC intern Michelle Burns produced this story about the WSU Student Swine Co-op and their field trip to the Midwest: http://bit.ly/fKMCze.
Becky Philips produced this intriguing video about an ingenious method for diagnosing plant diseases on the cheap; the video features Naidu Rayapati and his team: http://bit.ly/bQ2ziM.
Defend yourself against wine windbags with science! Read Voice of the Vine guest writer Richard Miller’s story about precipitating tannins and throwing Brix in glass houses at http://bit.ly/igiM5a.
Kudos
David Granatstein received the first-ever Organic Industry Service Award from the Washington State Horticultural Association at their annual meeting, a well-deserved recognition for his contributions to the industry over many years.
Bee Cha with the Small Farms Program received an award from the USDA NRCS for his Extension programming efforts with Hmong farmers.
Eugene Kupferman received the Silver Pear Award from the Washington State Horticultural Association at their annual meeting this week. This is a well deserved award recognizing the contributions of Kupferman over a long and distinguished career.
Lee Hadwiger, professor in the Department of Plant Pathology, was recognized by President Floyd for his 45 years of service to WSU on Dec. 9. Hadwiger’s research has been on the molecular genetics of host-pathogen interactions with special emphasis on disease resistance. A native of Oklahoma, Hadwiger received B.S. and M.S. degrees from Oklahoma State University and his Ph.D. from Kansas State University.
Dan Dreesmann, manager of the Plant Growth Facilities in Pullman, was featured in a December Wheat Life article called “A Greener House: WSU Plant Growth Facility Turns 13.”