Public Invited to Extension Symposium
Food safety and supply, health and wellness, energy security, resilient youth and families, and sustainable agriculture: these are some of the thorniest issues facing the planet. These issues are also the topics to be addressed at Washington State University Extension’s one-day, statewide symposium, “Relentless Pursuit of a Healthier World,” Wednesday, March 11.
The symposium will be delivered via distance technology to seven different sites around the state: Pullman, Spokane, Tri Cities, Wenatchee, Mount Vernon, Vancouver and Puyallup. Each site will be hosted by a WSU Extension educator and offers an opportunity to listen to the presentations as well as ask questions of each speaker and participate in local discussions.
Registration and check in will begin at 7:30 a.m., March 11, at each site. The program starts at 9 a.m. The symposium is free and open to faculty, staff, students and the general public. There is a charge for those interested in attending the symposium luncheon at each site.
“Given the opportunities afforded by this new format and our very high-quality presenters, the ‘Relentless Pursuit of a Healthier World’ symposium promises to be an exciting, engaging and important exchange of ideas,” said Linda Kirk Fox, associate vice president and dean of WSU Extension.
Paul Roberts, author of the now-renowned “The End of Oil,” will discuss his latest work “The End of Food,” a thought-provoking look at global food issues. David Brewster, publisher of Crosscut.com and founder of Seattle Weekly, will share his thoughts on how people choose information and make decisions based on that information today and in the future. Cheryl Scott, senior advisor to the president of global health for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will present “Acting Locally and Globally — Pursuing Equity in Health.”
More information and online registration is available at http://ext.wsu.edu/aec.
The public is invited to attend the 2009 WSU Extension Symposium. For more information on how WSU Extension is using technology to reach diverse audiences and conserve resources, please visit: http://tinyurl.com/cv7jey.
Stevens Honored by Grape Growers
Robert G. Stevens, who serves as director of Washington State University’s Prosser Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, received an Industry service Award from the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers at the organization’s award luncheon Friday in Kennewick.
“Bob not only contributed to the success of grape and wine growers through his work as a soil scientist but also in his recent role as interim center director at Prosser,” said Vicky Scharlau, executive director of the association.
“He is truly one of our unsung heroes doing work required but largely unnoticed,” she said. “We just wanted him to know that we noticed and we appreciate all he’s done for our industry and for the other ag sectors he serves.”
Stevens, Extension soil specialist and member of the WSU faculty for 24 years, has been serving as interim director of the Prosser center since 2004.
For more information on WSU’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, please visit: http://www.prosser.wsu.edu/.
Robert G. Stevens, director of Washington State University’s Prosser Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center