The Tri-Ag Volume 1, No. 1 April 2017

College of Agriculture and Human Sciences

"A"for Agriculture PVAMU April 2017 Vol.1 No.1

Prairie View, TX

The in

PVAMU Helps Farmers Grow Organic Strawberries See centerfold for full story

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Events2017

Upcoming

Do you have great show ideas, or would like to be a guest on

Outlook On Agriculture?

Let us know at cahscomm@pvamu.edu

Outlook on Agriculture Radio Show Thursday 1pm ET HBCU Radio – Sirius XM Ch. 142 Sunday 10:30AM CST KPVU – 91.3 FM www.pvamu.edu/ outlookonag

Upcoming Events With hosts LaRachelle Smith & Maurice Perkins

Be sure to complete your Program Planning Approval Form at least 6 months in advance to have your program/event included here.

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is published

by Prairie View A&M University College of Agriculture and Human Sciences, Department of Marketing Communications & Information Technology Interim Dean and Director of Land-Grant Programs JAMES PALMER Ph.D. Director of Marketing, Communications & iT LaRachelle Smith Editor and Media & Publications Coordinator Maurice Perkins Contributing Photographers Maurice Perkins Meshia Greer Ripendra Awal, Ph.D.

April 28-29, 2017

Agricultural Field Day ( Ag Field Day ) Governor Bill & Vara Daniel Farm, PVAMU

Contributing Writers Maurice Perkins Kelley Redmon Gary Newton, Ph.D. Ali Fares, Ph.D. Meshia Greer Gail Long Monica Aguirre Rukeia Draw-Hood, Ph.D. Horace Hodge Joshua Williams Angela Moore Joice Jeffries, Ph.D. James Palmer, Ph.D. Danielle Hairston-Green, Ph.D. This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the EvansAllen 1890 Research Formula Program and the 1890 Extension Formula Program project under Section 1444 and Section 1445. The contents are solely the responsibility of the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA or NIFA. Opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences, PVAMU or the Tri-Ag editor.

News, story ideas and comments should be sent to:

250 E.M. Norris St. | P.O. Box 519, MS 2001 Prairie View, TX 77446 cahscomm@pvamu.edu

May 30 | 8AM - 5PM

Research and Extension Experiential Learning for Undergraduate (REEU) Fellowships in Water Quality

This publication available electronically www.pvamu.edu/cahs/e-publications

www.pvamu.edu/cahs

Carden-Waller Building, PVAMU

www.pvamu.edu/CAHS

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ď Ž ď Ž

Current Locations Prospective Locations

Leadership Development

Alumni Share Next Steps for Continuous Improvement Employees in the College of Agriculture & Human Sciences (CAHS) have been engaged in a series of training and development workshops designed to enrich staff skill sets and competencies. The Staff Development Unit delivers invigorating and inspiring workshops and seminars designed to build interpersonal skills through training and webinars.

CAHS Employees

Energized

Through Skill Enhancement Workshops

Twelve employees in the College of Agriculture & Human Sciences (CAHS) representing Academics, CARC and CEP and who are alumni of leadership development programs convened to discuss next steps for continuous leadership growth and development. The participants graduated from one of three Leadership Development Programs: LEAD21, Leadership PVAMU, and the TexasAgriLife Extension Advance Leadership Program. Gail Long, a graduate of the LEAD21 Leadership Program stated, “The LEAD21 experience was both enlightening and invaluable, resulting in improved leadership development and growth, both personally and professionally. However, we must continue to hone these skills to remain productive, viable leaders in the College of Agriculture & Human Sciences at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) and in and our communities.”

In an effort to keep employees engaged in their work and help them grow into leaders, investing in their growth is a must. In fact, Glassdoor’s 2014 Employment Confidence Survey of nearly 1,000 U.S. employees found that 63 percent of employees believe learning new skills or receiving a special training is most important to advancing their career. Providing coaching and development activities throughout the year establishes a culture of growth within the workplace. Gail Long, Assistant Director for Staff Development and Special Projects, has designed and offered workshops and training opportunities.

Gail Long, Assistant Director for Staff Development

and Special Projects For more information regarding the CAHS Staff Development Workshops Series, contact Gail Long at gglong@pvamu.edu or 936-261-5119.

The leadership seminars will be held quarterly with topic areas including communicating effectively; leading with integrity and values; managing conflict; building collaborative relationships; leading change; valuing diversity and developing self and others.

The CAHS leadership development program graduates include Kwaku Addo, Rukeia-Draw-Hood, Ali Fares, Jimmy Henry, Billy Lawton, Gail Long, LaRachelle Smith, Jacquelyn White and Carolyn Williams–LEAD21; Christopher Cotton– Leadership PVAMU; and Laura Carson and Beverly Copeland–TexasAgriLife Extension Advance Leadership Program.

James Palmer, Ph.D., Interim Dean and Director of Land-Grant Programs

For more information regarding the leadership development programs, please contact Dr. James Palmer at 936-261-5108.

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College of Agriculture and Human Sciences’ students Victoria Parker and Tiffany Latin are the recipients of the National Organization of Professional Black Natural Resources Conservation Service Employees (NOPBNRCSE) James E. Tatum $1,000.00 Scholarship. PVAMU winners are two of only ten recipients across the nation.

This scholarship program is committed to providing ten (10) $1,000.00 scholarships per year to deserving students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the Agricultural Sciences or related fields. The Organization offers a one-time limited scholarship to U.S. citizens at one of the nineteen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Institutions. The field of study must be in the area of agriculture, natural resource sciences, or related disciplines.

The applicant must: • Be a U.S. citizen • Be an entering freshman, or already enrolled at a college or university as of the fall semester/quarter for the current school year • Hold a High School Diploma or G.E.D. certificate • Have a High School/College GPA of 2.8 or better • Attend one of the nineteen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Institutions listed • Study Agriculture, Natural Resource Sciences, or other related fields • Submit the completed Application Form • Submit a copy of an OFFICIAL or certified high school or college transcript • Submit two (2) letters of recommendation (from education professional & community leader) • Sign application where applicable (Original Signature) The 2017-2018 School Year Program Announcement is forthcoming.

Horace D. Hodge, USDA/1890 Program Liaison

Studentsuccess

James E. Tatum Scholarship Recipients Named

Undergraduate Student is National Award Winner Chatera Claybon, a CAHS undergraduate student who is currently enrolled in Fundamentals of Agricultural Engineering taught by Eric Risch, Interim Research Scientist Leader of the Natural Resources and Environmental Systems, won the Irrigation Foundation E3 student award. Claybon is one of fewer than twenty student nation-wide winners of the Irrigation Foundation award. These students attended the Irrigation E3 Program at the Irrigation Association Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, NV (Dec. 5–9, 2016). The award covered all trip expenses including air travel, accommodations, registration, education classes and a daily stipend of $65 per night.

Claybon submitted her application material with the help of the collective efforts of Cooperative Agricultural Research Center Scientists Erich Risch, Ripendra Awal and Ali Fares. Chatera’s award continues the proud tradition established last year when Michelle Mbia represented PVAMU as one of 13 students nation-wide to receive the award.

Ali Fares, Ph.D., Interim Associate Director, Cooperative Agricultural Research Center

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7 Students Conducting Research Win Big Twenty-five PVAMU undergraduate and graduate students conducting research with CAHS’ researchers and faculty participated in the 13th Annual TAMUS Pathways Student Research Symposium on November 3-4, 2016. Seven of these students won prizes in different oral and poster categories: 1 Abayomi Adekanmbi 2 Juan Avedano 3 Robert Douglas 4 Ram Sai Reddy Janapana 5 Tiffany Latin 6 Oluwafemi Paul Olaleye 7 Jessica Watts CARC’s Research Scientists continue training PVAMU students as part of their research activities in addressing the needs of the limited resources community CAHS-PVAMU serves. Six of these students are featured in this photo.

Ali Fares, Ph.D., Interim Associate Director, Cooperative Agricultural Research Center

College of Agriculture and Human Sciences

F l ash b ac k

Cooperative

at work

Choose Health: Food, Fun & Fitness Curriculum Implemented in County High Schools The Choose Health: Food, Fun and Fitness curriculum was implemented in Maverick County though health classes at CC Winn and Eagle Pass High Schools.

The lessons focused on topics such as sugary drinks, the benefits of incorporating fruits and vegetables to a daily eating regimen, nutrition label reading, among others. The six-lesson series included interactive and hands-on student activities.

A total of one 157 youth participated in the program. Students were able to gain knowledge and understanding about the five food groups and their nutritional value. They were informed about the appropriate portion sizes for their age and level of activity. In addition, they learned about the value of whole grain products, the risks associated with foods high in fat, sodium and sugars. Finally, they attained information about the importance of eating a well-balanced breakfast and the value of exercise as part of their daily routine.

As a result, students expressed their desire to make an effort to eat healthier.

One participant, Tony, stated, “I don’t drink soda every day since we did the activity about sugar in our drinks. I’ll leave that for special occasions.” Another student, Barbara, stated, “I am asking my mom to fix more veggies, even if I have to help cook.”

The obesity rate of Texans between ages 10-17 in 2011 was reported to be at 19.1%, holding the 10th position in the state. Poverty is a significant factor in poor nutrition. In Maverick County, for example, 30.5% of households are living below the poverty line versus 17.6% in the state of Texas.

Monica Aguirre, CEP Extension Agent, Maverick County

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Extension program 4-H Clover Kids Photography Workshop The 4-H Clover Kids Club of Waller County were trained and educated on different types of cameras and how to turn photography into a career or source of income. There were a total of 10 youth who participated in the workshop held at the United Methodist Church in Waller, TX. The program was implemented by Josh Williams, CEP extension agent, along with Michael Thomas, Department of Marketing, Communications & iT Photographer and Graphic Designer. They provided the equipment, which gave the aspiring artists instruction on camera parts, identifying lens sizes, proper lighting, digital vs. film, and the history of photography. Most of the youth had never used a professional camera and were captivated by the experience. With their newly discovered skill, many now aspire to submit their best work in this year’s photography contest sponsored by the 4-H organization.

Joshua Williams, Extension Agent, Waller County

CEP Extension Agents Appointed to State Duds to Dazzle Contest Committee CEP extension agents, project leaders and youth are gearing up to compete in various clothing and textile competitions.

In September, CEP extension agents participated in CEP’s 4-H STEAM Conference, held in Houston. All trainings were designed to help staff and volunteers lead various youth-oriented competitions. County clothing and textile trainings facilitated by Joice A. Jeffries, 4-H program specialist, are ongoing.

The Duds to Dazzle clothing and textile contest was created to help youth take a more proactive approach to learning about various apparel skills including design, construction and consumer buying.

Using public speaking and leadership shills, 4-H members will design, construct and present a finished product. Youth ages 8 through 18 can participate at the county level, and after winning, may advance Crystal Wiltz to district and state levels. More than 5,000 youth attend the state contest.

Guadalupe Castro, 4-H extension agent, and Crystal Wiltz, FCS extension agent, were appointed to the Contest Committee. Castro and Wiltz will work with the other State contest committee members in sharing, engaging, and training CEP staff, volunteers and youth.

The contest, developed by Charlene Belew and Angela McCorkle (TAMU Extension Program Specialists) culminates in Guadalupe Castro district finalists competing at the State 4-H Roundup each June at Texas A&M University, College Station.

Joice A Jeffries, Ph.D., Program Specialist

To learn more about the Cooperative Extension Program, visit the CAHS website at www.pvamu.edu/CEP. The Cooperative Extension Program at Prairie View A&M University is funded by the National Institute for Food & Agriculture (NIFA) through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The 1890 Extension Formula Program supports extension education programs that respond to the changing needs of limited resource clientele and underserved populations.

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n December 21 and 22 of 2016, CARC researcher scientists Peter Ampim, Ripendra Awal, and Almoutaz El Hassen from the Plant and Natural and Environmental Resources Systems and two graduate students Abayomi Adekanmbi and Oluwafemi Paul Olaleye from the College of Engineering installed 60 soil moisture sensors (thirty in the high tunnel and thirty in the open field sections of the experiment) and a weather station to monitor soil moisture within and below the root system of a strawberry research trial and at the University Research Farm.

CARC Helps Limited Resource Farmers

grow

Organic Straw 8

Chicken Strawberry Spinach Salad recipe - allrecipes.com Strawberry Muffins recipe – allrecipes.com

Twelve digital data loggers will continue to log these sensors until the end of the cropping season at 15-minute intervals. Data generated by these sensors will be used to determine irrigation requirements, plant water use, and excess water losses below the rootzone of the organically grown strawberry under Southeast Texas conditions. This information will be shared with limited resource farmers in the mid-southern states, especially in Texas and Arkansas.

These research activities are part of the research project “Evaluating Organic Pest Control Products for Strawberries in Combination with High and Low Tunnels for Limited Resource Farmers in the Mid-South” funded by a $246,413 grant from the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, SARE, and on which research scientist Peter Ampim is a Co-Investigator.

The objective of this 3-year multidisciplinary and multi-state project is to evaluate selected commercially available biocontrol and organically labeled products for controlling economically damaging diseases and insects in strawberries. This research also includes on-farm trials with cooperating organic growers and with controlled trials at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center in Lubbock, the Prairie View A&M University at Prairie View, and the University of Arkansas Research Farm in Fayetteville.

Additional equipment will be installed on the plots of this experiment to monitor nutrient concentrations within and below the rootzone.

Ali Fares, Ph.D., Interim Associate Director,

Cooperative Agricultural Research Center

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What’s on Your Plate?

Serving Total Health and Wellness Today’s employee is working in a more sedentary environment with limited physical activity during the workday, which is one reason why employees may be less fit. Our workforce, including that of the colleges and universities around the country, are becoming unhealthy through bad eating habits, lack of exercise, and poor lifestyle choices. There is a need for more corporate wellness initiatives within our institutions while promoting a corporate culture that values holistic wellness and encouraging employees to live their best life.

Prairie View A&M University's Cooperative Extension Program (CEP) Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) unit has partnered with several departments to implement a corporate wellness initiative that encompasses a variety of programs and activities including intramural sports competitions, food demonstrations, walking groups and a Total You Wellness Monthly Lecture Series. These lectures are designed to take place over the lunch period and are facilitated by various subject matter experts throughout Texas including County Extension Agents and Specialists. The one-hour talks are intended to be engaging, informative, and highly energized, empowering participants to take charge of their overall wellness. The expected result of the lecture series is to measure an increase in physical activity, manage workplace stress and enhance employees’ knowledge regarding healthy eating habits and shopping on a budget through the collection of the postsession evaluation tool.

The 4th Annual Total You Wellness Lecture Series kicked off with two workshops on “Managing Conflict in The Workplace” and “Couponing and Shopping on a Budget”. The Lecture Series is free to faculty, staff, students and surrounding community members and hosted at all three campuses (Main Campus, Northwest Houston Campus, and The College of Nursing) including several community health venues in Bell County, Washington County, and Harris County.

Ninety percent of participants have shared that they have a better understanding of the work conducted through the Cooperative Extension Program as a result of participating in the workshops while 100% of the participants have indicated that they would tell a colleague about the sessions. The participants are always engaged, inquisitive, and open to finding new ways to fight old habits. Strong, healthy families are the foundation of American communities, and family and community well-being is a shared priority for all Americans.

Through research and education, the FCS component helps strengthen families and communities. Corporate wellness programs are an investment in an organization’s most valuable asset: staff. Studies have shown that employees are more likely to be on the job and performing well when they are in optimal physical and psychological health.

by Danielle Y. Hairston-Green, Ph.D., Program Specialist, dyhairstongreen@pvamu.edu

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eginning farmers, gardeners and gardening enthusiasts took part in three Agriculture workshops hosted by the Cooperative Extension Program (CEP) at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU). The workshop series targeted smallscale, beginning growers or those wishing to enter production and covered the entire production spectrum from field preparation to harvesting to managing a farm business.

The Urban Gardening and Farmers Market Training workshop held at the Palm Center Garden in Houston, covered Home Vegetable Production, Selling Your Vegetables and Urban Farm Business Planning. Rockiell Woods of the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) led the workshop, accompanied by Nelson T. Daniels, Program Specialist at CEP. The Urban Farming Business Workshop, the second in the series, took place at The Last Organic Outpost, also in Houston, and was led

by Woods and Daniels. Focused on The ABC’s of Organic Farming, this workshop covered Marketing, Managing Risks, and Urban Farm Business Planning.

The Small Farm Business Workshop, held in Hempstead, TX, focused on the financial aspect of running a farm business and addressed business planning, financial management, and marketing Ag products. Tywan Arrington of the

Federation of Southern Cooperatives, led the workshop, along with Daniels. Angela L. Moore, Extension Associate with CEP, led a presentation on the AgrAbility Project, a USDA program aimed at assisting farmers with a disability to continue working in production agriculture.

Each of the three venues has a unique focus. The focus of the Palm Center Garden, for example, is addressing food deserts, which is accomplished by teaching sustainable backyard gardening. The Last Organic Outpost focuses on the use of aquaponics in gardening and features specialty and medicinal plants.

A total of 80 persons attended the entire series. When asked if they would adopt new practices to start or improve their urban garden, 88 percent of the responders at the Urban Gardening and Farmers Market Training workshop and the Small Farm

Business workshop said that they would, and 85 percent of the responders at the Urban Farming Business workshop said that they would. Fifty-nine percent of those at the Urban Gardening and Farmers Market workshop said they would sell vegetables at a local farmer’s market, 82 percent said they would develop a mission for their farm business and adopt the financial management strategies discussed at the workshop, and 88 percent of responders attending the Small Farm Business workshop said they would utilize the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enhance their farm business.

These workshops were supported, in part,

by Southern Extension Risk Management Education and a USDA Program Grant.

Angela Moore, Extension Associate,

Agriculture and Natural Resources, CEP

Estwick Teaches Outside the Classroom

S

tudents learn well through active participation, both physically and mentally. Dr. Noel M. Estwick took a different approach for his AGEC 4233: Land Resources Economics class. This class exposes students to land management and investigation of institutions and government as they relate to agriculture. On November 8, 2016, the students went on a field trip to the Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) to see firsthand how GIS is utilized to manage land resources.

Estwick wanted to expose his students to analysts relevant to the content and educational goals of the course and combine it with potential job placement. As their professor this fall, he wanted to show students that these entities like a University have spatial footprints, exterior and interior facets, and life cycles that grow, change and require stewardship through planning, management, and maintenance.

The students on the field trip spoke with the appraiser and analysts regarding area, neighborhood and market analyses. The employees of HCAD discussed with the group the applications of technology, learning design, and cognitive and affect learning outcomes. The area data collected on economic influences, like demographic patterns, employment, income, and general trends in property prices or rents, provide an economic outlook for the real estate market. During the talk regarding neighborhood and market analysis, students gained knowledge on a model specification that concentrates on geographic stratification of the local supply and demand that spans jurisdictions.

As a USDA 1890 Scholar and graduating senior from Clarksville, TX, Lonnie Hobbs, Jr. viewed the field trip as informational and eye-opening. Hobbs, who previously interned with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights as a program clerk stated, “This field trip encouraged us to build on classroom instruction and gain a better understanding of the topic. It further helped me on a personal level [because when] I graduate, [I will] have to explore living conditions in or around Washington, DC.”

Kelley A. Redmon, Communications Specialist

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Ignite the CAHS

Agriculture Workshops Presented

A

dvisors for the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences Student Leadership Apprentice Program (S.L.A.P) have received excellent feedback from the apprentices regarding what they are learning and ways they intend to use this knowledge in their academic experience and in preparation for their careers.

October’s workshops began with a presentation facilitated by co-advisors LaRachelle Smith and Danielle Hairston Green entitled “Clarifying Your Vision and Critical Thinking.” This session was designed to help the apprentices set a course to follow and exclude what they are not trying to accomplish. Through a fun game of ‘JENGA,’ the apprentices explored critical thinking and decisionmaking.

The month ended with an exciting discussion led by QualQuan, LLC, president and Prairie View A&M University Alum, Samuel S. Sampson. During this session the students learned about Root Cause Analysis as well as the importance of data and research. In a creative treadmill exercise demonstration, the students were exposed to the concepts of graphical representation, linear regression, scatterplot, correlation, and extrapolation. The session concluded with a discussion about using data to make informed decisions. Sampson reminded students to “boldly go beyond your imagination!”

In the last sessions of the program, co-advisor Smith presented a discussion on Picking a Platform for Change and the Impact of Collaboration, and Bridgett Ross, Director of the Small Business Development Center, explored the power of Backwards Mapping and Goal Setting.

The SLAP program is a research project designed to help students interested in careers in Agriculture to develop key non-cognitive skills that are essential to early career success.

Danielle Hairston-Green, Ph.D., Program Specialist

Leaders Encourage Students to

Go Beyond Their Imagination 12

College of Agriculture and Human Sciences

F l ash b ac k

4-H Ambassador Reports

Program Impact

to Elected Officials Brazos County hosted its annual Interpretation Luncheon for Elected Officials on December 1, 2016. The event was sponsored by twelve extension support groups in the county at the Traditions Club in Bryan, TX. For the program highlights in youth development, Georgia Williams represented the Cooperative Extension Program.

She is a high school student who has been a teen leader for three years. She gave a speech, which included a testimonial from the Harmony School of Innovation and Creativity personnel about the positive impact of nutrition programs conducted there.

The presentation included a photo slideshow of activities going on in the county such as Heroes 4-Health, Agribotics, and Learn Grow Eat Go and concluded with a video of the Bryan Housing Authority youth participating in a Chopped Food Challenge, which can be found on the Prairie View A&M University College of Agriculture and Humans Sciences’ YouTube channel at https://tinyurl.com/pvamucahsYOUTUBE. Rukeia Draw-Hood. Ph.D. Program Leader, 4-H and Youth Development

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Cucumbers Grafted on Black-seeded Pumpkin Billy Lawton, Program Leader Agriculture and Natural Resources in the Cooperative Extension Program (CEP), and Ming Gao, Senior Research Scientist in the Cooperative Agricultural Research Center (CARC), are involved in an integrated research and extension project to promote local cucumber production using grafting technology.

The cucumber, a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, originated in India. It can be planted in the spring, summer and fall, which makes it popular for consumption.

While prominent, it is prone to disease. In order to keep cucumbers healthy and edible, grafting is often used.

To overcome cucumber disease, enhance plant growth, tolerance of abiotic stress and resistance to soil-borne disease for increased yield, PVAMU CAHS is cultivating cucumbers by grafting them onto the black-seeded pumpkin. The CARC and CEP partnership will bring grafted-cucumber production technology to limited-resource growers in the area in order to promote successful cucumber production.

With their resistance to disease and tolerance of difficult growing conditions, grafted fruits and vegetables are becoming more popular with farmers all over the world. To fulfill the Land-Grant mission of the University, the CAHS works with Texas farmers who share obstacles they may face with Agriculture and Natural Resources (AgNr) County Agents. CEP agents, in turn, share these issues with the CARC Researchers to find solutions. Once success is obtained in the research area, the findings are sent back to the counties, as well to classrooms and laboratories.

To learn more about the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences programs and research, visit the CAHS Plan of Work at www.pvamu.edu/cahs/plan-of-work/.

Meshia Greer, DOMCiT Student Staff

Joint Research Project Featured in USDA-NIFA Weekly Bulletin Digest

CARC Research Demonstrations Offered at Pathways Symposium

In its Weekly Bulletin Digest of December 29, 2016, the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA-NIFA, featured several research/teaching projects funded through its Capacity Building Fund. One of these projects was “Establishment of an Agricultural Robotics Lab at Prairie View A&M University,” a joint project between CARC’s research scientist, Eric Risch, and his colleagues Yonghui Wang and Suxia Cui from the College on Engineering and Jian-ao Lian from the College of Arts and Sciences.

The collaborators’ project impact statement explains that the designed robotics system is a “precision agriculture vehicle platform for mounting multiple sensors, including crop height sensor, crop canopy analyzer, normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) sensor, multispectral camera, and hyperspectral radiometer.”

The research team demonstrated the prototypes developed as part of their project in several courses taught in the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences and the College of Engineering.

Several participants at the Texas A&M University System’s 13th Annual Pathways Student Research Symposium, hosted by PVAMU this year, visited the Cooperative Agricultural Research Center (CARC) labs and the Research Farm as part of the Academic Demonstrations and Campus Tour program.

CARC scientists organized five one-hour themed tours including: 1) Agricultural Remote Sensing Technologies, 2) Medicinal Plants and Specialty Crops, 3) Plant Genomics and Core Analytical, 4) Bio-chemistry, Food Science, and Pedology and 5) Goat Research Program. CARC scientists and students had a chance to feature their research activities to the participants and interact with them during the visits.

Ali Fares, Ph.D., 'Interim Associate Director, Cooperative Agricultural Research

Ali Fares, Ph.D., 'Interim Associate Director, Cooperative Agricultural Research

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Short Course on Goat Reproductive Management Offered

2016

The International Goat Research Center (CARC) conducted a one day “Introduction to Goat Reproductive Management” short course on September 15, 2016. Research Scientist Bill Foxworth and Research Specialist Scott Horner conducted the program with the aid of several undergraduate students. The nine attendees ranged from goat producers to veterinarians from a variety of geographic locations across the state of Texas. The program included highlights of goat nutrition, health, record keeping and facilities in relation to a successful management program. The primary focus was to provide a basic understanding of the processes involved in collecting and utilizing genetics resources to improving the production value of goatherds. Hands-on experience in each facet of the management process was provided to the program attendees.

Gary Newton, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Animal Systems Research Leader

Research Impacting

Texas

CAHS Graduate Student Presents Research

Research is one of the fundamental activities of the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences and Prairie View A&M University. Many graduate assistants participate in research that influences issues that are happening in the community. Nakita Bowman, Human Sciences major, and Rukeia Draw-Hood, Program Leader 4-H and Youth Development Program, are conducting an applied research project entitled “Methods to Mobilize the Community Toward Civic Engagement and Improvement of Citizen-Police Relations” under the leadership of Carolyn Williams, Associate Administrator-Cooperative Extension Program (CEP).

This project’s goal is to bring interested agencies, interdisciplinary professionals, communities, and youth together on local and national levels to engage in dialogue, research, and civic life in a way that eases the tensions between police and citizens. A research project has been proposed in collaboration with William Turner, Social Science and Allied Research Scientist Leader in the Cooperative Agricultural Research Center.

Bowman participated in a Penchakucha style presentation (a competition of 15 slides and each slide limited to 20 seconds of explanation) at the 4th Annual Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate Conference and a 15-minute presentation during the 13th Annual TAMUS Pathways Student Research Symposium held November 3-4.

Rukeia D. Draw-Hood, Ph.D., Program Leader, 4-H & Youth Development

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Donating to the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences will help its student organizations, and is tax deductible. Your gift will provide assistance with increasing our students’ ability to compete in collegiate competitions as well as support their community commitment. These agriculture and human sciences organizations develop soft skills that will prove valuable for their future careers. Your donations will aid in the education of deserving students who are pursing careers in the agricultural and human sciences sectors. Remember your gift is tax-deductible and no amount is too small.

Thank you for your support.

Easy donation Options

You are the CAHS of Change!

Mail a check Carden-Waller Cooperative Extension Building 250 E.M. Norris Street P.O. Box 519; MS 2001 Attn: LWAB Coordinator Prairie View, TX 77446

Visit us online

www.pvamu.edu/cahs Click on ‘Opportunities’ Go to ‘Ways to Give’

Access us directly Using this QR Code

Thank you!

Jasmine Hayes, Agriculture, Senior Plant and Soil Science Student

College of Agriculture and Human Sciences

www.pvamu.edu/cahs

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COL LE GE OF AGR ICULTURE AND HUM AN SC I E NCE S