Davis
College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design
FALL 2011
The EAGLES,
ENTREPRENEURS, AND EXPLORERS
Among us
Dear Friends,
As one of the major
colleges at West Virginia University, the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design is integral to the success of the University — and to the University’s future as a land-grant institution which pursues efforts in research and teaching, as well as–and most importantly — in outreach to the citizens of our state.
In other words, with the Davis College all our different stakeholders
get the whole deal, and this is one of the reasons why this college is so integral to what happens at WVU. Part of why and how this college is essential can be found in the collaborative work that takes place here. I could cite many examples, but a few caught my eye. First, there’s a partnership between recreation,parks, and tourism resources and the geology and geography folks to examine visitor impacts on the New River Gorge. Then students and faculty from fashion design and merchandising, as well as from landscape architecture and environmental design, teamed with students from engineering in efforts of green building designing. College faculty connected with our Natural Resources Analysis Center and wildlife and fisheries resources faculty are working with the State’s Division of Natural Resources to help rebuild streams and improve water quality. People in the Davis College are leading efforts to prevent childhood obesity as they link with colleagues in Extension, the School of Medicine, and the Regional Research Institute. Wood Scientists are teaming with engineers to develop a woodcoal hybrid alternative fuel that will hopefully be both sustainable and profitable for the region. Faculty in several of our programs are working together on the Organic Research Project at the college’s certified-organic farm to study best practices for producers and home gardeners. As your interim dean coming from a different college, I have truly been impressed with the exciting collaborations from which the state of West Virginia will surely benefit. I’m impressed too with the extent of the research — both basic and applied — which is being carried out by an energetic faculty. And I have been overwhelmed with extraordinary students, a wonderful staff of support people, and a vibrant faculty which is providing, in so many ways, leadership here and beyond in solving problems and improving the quality of life for West Virginians. And all of this points to the fact that the Davis College, in all of its diversity and variety, is a college on the move. And who benefits from this state of affairs? Our students, of course. Those young people who are following in your footsteps find themselves in a learning environment which is opening new and exciting worlds for them, and so preparing them for their future — and the future of their country. It is, therefore, a privilege for me to serve as interim dean in a college that is opening new and exciting worlds for me. I hope that this magazine, as well as our website at davis.wvu.edu, will give you a glimpse into these worlds as you learn some of what is happening in our five divisions. Sincerely,
Rudy Almasy Interim Dean and Director
Davis
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
FALL 2011 Interim Dean and Publisher Rudolph P. Almasy 304-293-2395 ralmasy@mail.wvu.edu Editor David Welsh 304-293-2394 dwelsh@mail.wvu.edu Editor Lindsay Altobello Willey 304-293-2381 Lindsay.Willey@mail.wvu.edu Magazine Design Coordinator Susan Crist 304-293-0563 Susan.Crist@mail.wvu.edu Address WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design Office of the Dean PO Box 6108 Morgantown, WV 26506-6108 www.davis.wvu.edu Change of Address WVU Foundation PO Box 1650 Morgantown, WV 26504-1650 Fax: 304-284-4001 E-mail: info@wvuf.org www.mountaineerconnection.com
DAVIS is published once each year in the fall for the alumni, friends, and other supporters of the WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design. Copyright ©2011 by the WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design. Brief excerpts of articles in this publication may be reprinted without a request for permission if DAVIS is acknowledged in print as the source. Contact the Editors for permission to reprint entire articles. West Virginia University is governed by the WVU Board of Governors and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. WVU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution.
College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design
Contents 2 3 4 5 6 9 10 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 21
Preventing childhood obesity A day on the organic farm Weaving a new WVU tradition
4
Fusing coal and wood
Maria Belcher has designed a new Gold and Blue tradition.
Meet our outstanding seniors Restoring our streams Eagles among us Building food security New minor in sustainable design For the love of elephants A green alternative for poultry
Fashion merchandising goes digital
14
A grad student has found a personal passion through her research.
From WVU to the Peace Corps Landscape architecture earns accreditation A greenhouse celebration Day of design
20
WVU President James P. Clements thanks Jim “Apples” McClelland for his ongoing support at the Greenhouse Celebration.
Davis College leads $5-million obesity prevention effort
With childhood obesity at epidemic
proportions in the United States, and West Virginia among the highest in the nation, West Virginia University has received a nearly $5-million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a fiveyear, multidisciplinary effort to create effective pediatric prevention strategies. “We have often spoken of the University’s mission to help make people’s lives better through research, innovation and education,” said Curt M. Peterson, vice president for research and economic development. “This opportunity allows WVU to apply its considerable skill and talent across a broad swath of specialties to the challenge of making children’s lives better. That is admirable work with lifesaving consequences. We are honored that USDA chose WVU to do that work.” The $4.7 million grant is from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and is part of a national campaign to combat obesity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that 15 percent of West Virginia youth in ninth through twelfth grades are overweight with another 17 percent obese. Chronic diseases formerly associated with adult obesity are now showing up among our youngest citizens. The long-term negative impact of childhood obesity and chronic disease on life expectancy and quality of life make early childhood obesity prevention a vital and immediate public health concern. “We know that for our children to grow up and win the future, they need nutritious diets and healthy lifestyles that enable them to reach their fullest potential,” said Roger Beachy, NIFA director. “USDA supports the research and development of science-based methods that can reverse the trend of
rising obesity and assist children and their families in adopting healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.” Over the course of the five-year project, community stakeholders, parents, educators, health care professionals, and researchers will collaborate to develop these strategies. Efforts will begin with an assessment of behavioral and environmental contributors to obesity in early
identify effective methods to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors in children,” Partington said. “Since the lifestyle habits associated with obesity in adults begin in childhood, prevention initiatives that establish healthy eating and physical activity behaviors in young children may have a significant impact on future obesity risk.” WVU Extension Service’s Families and Health unit will focus primarily on interaction with schools in the participating counties. Emily Murphy, childhood obesity prevention specialist, and Elaine Bowen, health promotion specialist, will work with advisory committees, collect feedback from focus groups, and facilitate implementation of obesity prevention strategies, helping schools incorporate nutrition education and physical activity into early childhood education. The long-term follow-up impact
“This opportunity allows WVU to apply its considerable skill and talent across a broad swath of specialties to the challenge of making children’s lives better.” childhood, followed by analysis of this extensive assessment to inform the design and implementation of community-, school-, and home-level interventions. Given the scope and complexity of the problem of childhood obesity, WVU’s team represents a comprehensive range of disciplines and expertise. The group will be led by Susan Partington, associate professor of human nutrition and foods in the Davis College. Partington is responsible for general oversight of the project, including research, education and Extension activities. Additionally, as director of the Graduate Dietetic Internship at WVU she will coordinate intern participation in the project. “This project has been designed to
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of this study will be assessed with coordinated efforts of WVU’s longrunning CARDIAC Project, according to Lesley Cottrell of the WVU School of Medicine. The CARDIAC Project has provided in-school health assessments to thousands of West Virginia children over the past decade and will provide a final health assessment for the children in this study. WVU’s Regional Research Institute will offer its economic expertise. Research Associate Professor Donald J. Lacombe and Research Assistant Professor Gianfranco Piras will conduct statistical analysis of the data using spatial econometric techniques, examining not only data from the obesity research but the use of the techniques themselves. D nutrition.wvu.edu Fall 2011
Pest control, production strategies, and planting plans were among the topics discussed by researchers from WVU’s Davis College and Extension Service during the 12th Annual Organic Field Day at WVU’s Organic Research Farm.
Photos by Chitra Tatachar, WVU Research
Fall 2011
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design / 3
I
From the Scottish WVU tartan becomes highlands to the West part of centuries-old Virginia mountains tradition
f there’s one thing members of the West Virginia University community have in common, it’s pride in the gold and blue. Thanks to the design efforts of a student in WVU’s Division of Design and Merchandising, Mountaineer fans will be able to add an official gold and blue tartan to their wardrobes. The project started in a Fashion Design and Merchandising course taught by Holly Lentz, an assistant professor in the Division. “After a brief introduction to the history of tartans, interested students
Once selected, the tartan underwent the registration process with the Scottish Register of Tartans in Edinburgh, Scotland. “The tartan will be woven using both wool and alpaca fiber by some of the best mills in the world, including Woolrich of Pennsylvania and Capon Bridge Fiber Works of Capon Bridge, W.Va.,” Lentz said. Belcher is still adjusting to the idea of contributing to the fabric of WVU’s history. “I decided to enter the design contest because I thought that, for a few hours of my time, I could have something incredibly unique to add to my resume,” she said. “It wasn’t until after I had been told that my tartan was being passed on to the University’s licensing office that I realized what could potentially happen. “The thought that I could be walking around campus and pass a fellow student who’s wearing
a scarf of my tartan plaid made me swell with pride,” Belcher said. “That my design will contribute to WVU’s history is an amazing feeling. I could see friends wearing pajama pants with my design, people using a blanket at a football game ... It’s just a really exciting thought.” She describes her design process for the tartan as “... definitely trial and error. I probably made 15 different patterns and then chose my favorite ones to tweak a little before I sent them in to the selection committee.” The trial and error paid off: “I am just incredibly thankful for this opportunity and cannot wait until I can go to the official tartan registry website so I can see my name listed beside West Virginia University as the credited designer.” The Scottish Register of Tartans is Scotland’s national registry of tartan designs, managed by the National Archives of Scotland. Over the centuries, clans, communities, countries, and colleges have registered their official tartans with the organization. Other colleges and universities with registered tartan designs include Georgetown University,Virginia Tech, and Auburn. Products made from the new WVU tartan, initially scarves and lap blankets, will be available to the Mountaineer Nation through Collegiate Tartan. For additional information, please visit Collegiate Tartan’s web site at http:// www.collegiatetartan.com/. D
“That my design will contribute to WVU’s history is an amazing feeling.”
design.wvu.edu
Lindsay Wi
rel lley, public
ations sp
ecialist
were given the challenge of creating a tartan that would capture both the history of West Virginia University and their creative talents in design,” Lentz said. Four students submitted over 20 designs for the faculty of the Division of Design and Merchandising to consider. Out of all the great possibilities, one design by Maria Belcher, an interior design student from St. Albans, W.Va., stood out from the rest. “Maria’s design was well-balanced, creative, and represented the WVU spirit,” Lentz said.
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Researchers hope a coal-wood combo can offer greener fuel alternative, economic opportunities WVU researchers are working to bring together the state’s two most abundant natural resources — coal and wood — to create a more environmentally friendly fuel that would simultaneously address climate change issues and help the state’s economy. While not completely carbon neutral, a coal-biomass fuel would be a step in the direction toward meeting the demand for affordable, abundant, clean energy. Singh thinks it could dilute coal’s carbon footprint “significantly,” which could become crucial if the government enacts legislation further restricting carbon emissions, which he expects will happen in the next five years. “Decreasing our dependence on foreign oil and encouraging sustainability is part of our mission and vision at West Virginia University,” said Curt M. Peterson, vice president for research and economic Dan Friend, University Relations Photography
Dr. Kaushlendra Singh, an assistant professor of wood science and technology in WVU’s Davis College is leading a team that is using a $108,900 grant from the U.S. Department of
Energy to study a co-gasification process that could produce a cleaner liquid transportation fuel and lower the carbon footprint on the environment. The project, part of the University’s Advanced Energy Initiative, could also have a significant economic impact. “The state of West Virginia has tremendous potential due to the availability of abundant forest-based biomass for biorefining applications,” Singh said. “If used wisely, it can make West Virginia a leading biorefining industry.” Singh’s team also includes Jingxin Wang, associate professor of forestry and wood science, and John Zondlo, professor of chemical engineering.
intra-disciplinary approach to alternative energy solutions.” The project presents some challenges, Singh said, but the presence of thriving coal and timber industries in West Virginia lessens major logistical obstacles such as forest residue collection and long distance transportation. Some of the residue can be collected from WVU forests and sawmills, Singh added. The team has already produced samples of a solid coal/biomass fusion in the form of brittle pellets that can be gasified to produce liquid fuel. Singh said initial tests look promising but the process will need to be conducted on a larger scale to determine its feasibility. “The project is one of the biomass utilization projects that support the goals of the Advanced Energy Initiative in the area of sustainable energy and the coal/ biomass to liquid fuels in the program,” said Wang, who leads the Wood Science and Technology program in the Davis College’s Division of Forestry and Natural Resources. Along with his research, Singh is helping to educate the next generation of green job-seekers. He has created a bio-energy course, “Introduction to Biobased Energy Systems,” for students in the Wood Science and Technology program. He says the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 will create millions of new clean energy jobs. The WVU Advanced Energy Initiative coordinates University-wide energy research in science, technology, engineering and public policy. Singh’s research is part of AEI’s National Research Center for Coal and Energy Research and its work with the Consortium for Fossil Fuel Science. D energyresearch.wvu.edu
“Decreasing our dependence on foreign oil and encouraging sustainability is part of our mission and vision at West Virginia University.”
Fall 2011
development and president of the WVU Research Corp. “To reach this goal, we’re harnessing ideas and expertise from a variety of scientific disciplines all across campus. Dr. Singh’s team is an example of such collaboration and of our multi- and
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design / 5
COMMENCEMENT 2011
David Welsh, Manager Public Relations
Outstanding Seniors Renee Conneway, horticulture graduate from Augusta, W.Va., and a Foundation Outstanding Senior
David Welsh, Manager Public Relations
Stanley Strawbridge, biochemistry graduate from Forest Hill, Md., Order of Augusta, Foundation Outstanding Senior
Katelyn Hlusko, animal and nutritional sciences graduate from Fairmont,W.Va., and a Foundation Outstanding Senior
Greg Ellis, University Relations Photography
David Welsh, Manager Public Relations
Autumn Sayre, applied and environmental microbiology graduate from Fairmont, W.Va., and Division of Plant and Soil Sciences Outstanding Senior, with Barton Baker, director
Anna M. Orso, interior design graduate from St. Louis, Mo., and Division of Design and Merchandising Outstanding Senior, with Barbara McFall, director
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Michael Hasenmyer, assistant professor of landscape architecture
Greg Ellis, University Relations Photography
David Welsh, Manager Public Relations
Patrick Eisenhauer, wood science and technology graduate from Jersey Shore, Pa., and Division of Forestry and Natural Resources Outstanding Senior, with Jim Armstrong
Kristine Finley, biochemistry and international studies graduate from Hurricane,W.Va., Order of Augusta, Division of Animal and Nutritional Sciences and Foundation Outstanding Senior
Matthew Gryskevich, landscape architecture graduate from Morgantown, W.Va., Division of Resource Management and Foundation Oustanding Senior Fall 2011
Brian Photos by
Persinger,
University
raphy
s Photog
Relation
Graduate gets a surprise along with her diploma Lucky graduates have offers and options to consider, possibilities and maybe even commitments that give shape or direction to their first steps into the so-called “real world.” Melissa Collazo may have received the best offer of any WVU graduate. Collazo’s boyfriend, Estevan Herrera, made a surprise wedding proposal during the May 2011 commencement ceremonies of WVU’s Davis College at the WVU Coliseum. Collazo’s engagement was one of the highlights of a weekend full of milestones at WVU’s 142nd commencement. About 4,000 students graduated from the main campus in May, and an estimated 30,000 family members were in town for the weekend celebration. Herrera, who graduated from WVU’s College of Business and Economics in 2010 and is a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, made a special trip from Tyndall Air Force base in Panama City, Fla., where he is training. He hung out with members of his and Collazo’s family that weekend, but told only his mother about his plan to propose at commencement. At the beginning of the ceremony, Herrera slipped away from the family members, presumably to sit with friends. Instead he changed into his military uniform and waited secretly in the wings. As Collazo received her diploma, Herrera met her on the stage, dropped to one knee, presented the engagement ring and popped the question. “I didn’t know until I was walking up (to the stage) and I was like, ‘Why are you here?,’” Collazo said between laughter and tears of joy. “I didn’t know. I’m in shock.” The stunned audience broke into applause when former Dean Cameron Hackney approached the microphone and said, “Yes, that was a marriage proposal, and she said, ‘yes.’” Herrera had originally planned to propose in a romantic setting such as a Florida beach, but time and obligation steered him toward Morgantown. When he asked the Collazos for permission to marry their daughter, Melissa’s mother had only one request. Fall 2011
“She said, ‘If there’s any way, I’d really like to see it,’” Herrera said. “I wanted to make that happen.” WVU officials believe Herrera is the first to propose marriage during a WVU commencement. Former sweethearts at Ringgold High School outside of Pittsburgh, the romance continued in college. Collazo, a fashion design and merchandising graduate who specializes in wedding planning, began an internship at Kleinfeld in New York in June. Herrera continued training at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Okla. D
. . . and she said, “yes.”
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Jake Lambuth, WVU chemistry student
The pick of the plans If you think there’s a shortage of good ideas for West Virginia-based businesses, think again. A winning team in the 2010– 11 West Virginia Statewide Collegiate Business Plan Competition is living proof that solid business ideas have a real shot at becoming real businesses in the state. Appleseed’s Farm and Market, proposed by two students from the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design, was awarded first prize of $10,000 and a package including legal, accounting and incubator services valued at more than $6,000. The winning team in the Hospitality & Tourism category is that of senior agribusiness management and rural development student John Elias and junior horticulture student Stephen Redmond. Their business proposal is a fresh fruits and vegetables direct marketing company, but with a twist. “Appleseed’s Farm and Market is a West Virginia-based company that grows and distributes its own fresh fruits and vegetables through direct marketing outlets that include a storefront location, roadside stands, local farm markets and Community Supported Agriculture,” said Elias and Redmond. In today’s society people have a desire to reconnect to the agrarian way of life and know where their food is grown and how it came from farm to table. (This) must be met head-on by giving the consumer the opportunity to become a part of the product and allowing them to experience the culture and beauty of the farming environment. Appleseed’s Farm and Market provides this link two ways: by offering a top quality ‘homegrown’ product in several direct market options and again by allowing access to the farm through agritourism and educational programs. D be.wvu.edu/bpc/
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Fall 2011
Rebuilding West Virginia streams
precipitation negatively affects the pH of stream water. Other WVU initiatives helped to result in the routine use of limestone to stabilize the pH of stream water and mitigate acidity by the DNR, and WVU’s Wildlife and Fisheries Resources Program has received national recognition for its research into the state’s brook trout populations. This research has provided an ideal foundation for current efforts. Use of NRAC’s landscape analysis resources has given researchers a clear picture of the topographical issues that influence stream flow. Brook trout require areas of deep, cold water, Fall 2011
so part of the team’s efforts involve creating those spaces. Like salmon, the fish also travel to spawn, so other efforts are focused on creating more consistent waterways for the trout to use when traveling to and from preferred spawning grounds. Stream-side vegetation also provides a canopy of shade to cool water temperatures while also providing nutrients to the stream. Tree plantings are under way to support this. A wide variety of construction projects will ultimately contribute to a better habitat for brook trout, and for stream-based wildlife in general. Initial sites include Shaver’s Fork and Lamothe Hollow, both on the southern edge of the Monongahela National Forest. Kinder explained that the project’s intent is to create strategies that can be replicated throughout West Virginia. The ultimate results will hopefully include cleaner streams and an uptick in the Mountain State’s reputation as a desirable destination for fishermen looking to catch their limit. The project is funded by a $1,338,479 grant from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The project is being led by Jerry Fletcher, director of NRAC and professor of natural resource economics, with Kinder and Todd Petty, associate professor of wildlife and fisheries resources, rounding out WVU’s team. Steve Brown, Mike Shingleton and Danny Bennett are heavily involved from the DNR end of the project. D
Images courtesy of Paul Kinder
WVU’s Natural Resources Analysis Center (NRAC) is collaborating with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources on an ambitious stream restoration project that aims to improve fish habitat and water quality. The project combines research into existing brook trout populations and the development of strategies to improve stream habitats for them. In addition to the fish’s desirability for fishermen, “Brook trout are excellent indicators of water quality,” said Paul Kinder, a research scientist with the analysis center. “If your brook trout population is thriving, that says volumes about the health of the stream.” According to Kinder, the habitats have been compromised by a variety of circumstances. Old clear-cutting practices caused significant runoff. Railroad construction interfered with the natural development of streams and created unnatural obstacles. Acid
an unnatural obstacle
A team of WVU researchers is working to make the Mountain State wilder and more wonderful.
nrac.wvu.edu Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design / 9
Wildlife expert discovers
EAGLES among us
West Virginia has earned a reputation as a popular winter destination for skiers and snowboarders. A West Virginia University researcher has discovered that it’s also a prized winter home for golden eagles.
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Katzner has been studying the species’ population trends for five years, working with colleagues at the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR), as well as biologists and managers across the Appalachians, from upstate New York to Kentucky and North Carolina. “For years people have watched golden eagles migrate through Pennsylvania, without really knowing where they wintered,” Katzner explained. “We trapped some of those birds in Pennsylvania, outfitted them with Global Positioning System telemetry tags, and started to notice that they all wintered in West Virginia. After observing that, Katzner and his colleagues also got in touch with a few biologists from the DNR, “and they told us they see golden eagles fairly regularly. At that point we started to try to trap in winter.” To do that, the researchers set out deer carcasses and installed motion sensitive trail cameras to record eagle activity at West Virginia sites where eagles had been spotted. The birds come in to feed on the deer and every time they move the camera takes a picture of them — up to one picture every minute. “Once the trail cameras were in place, it wasn’t a big jump to start recording which birds and how many were coming into these sites.” The relative health of this population isn’t clear, which Katzner says “is an important reason we are conducting this study. “The eastern golden eagle population is thought to be small — probably between 1,000 and 2,000 individuals, but nobody really knows. Until 1997
T
Images courtesy of Todd Katzner
odd Katzner, a wildlife and fisheries resources research assistant professor in WVU’s Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, has found that the Mountain State has more golden eagles wintering within its borders than just about anywhere else east of the Mississippi.
Fall 2011
golden eagles bred in Maine and they once also bred in Vermont and New York, but now they are extinct from the eastern United States. Today they breed in Quebec and Labrador and migrate to our area in winter,” Katzner said. The largest winter populations seem to be found in the Monongahela National Forest, which meets the eagles’ need for privacy, space and prey. According to Katzner, the forest environment offers “remote locations, good habitat, plenty of food,” in the form of West Virginia’s abundant deer population. Everything an eagle needs to eat! Winter visitors to the forest shouldn’t expect to see an eagle in every tree, however.
“These eagles are very secretive and difficult to see,” Katzner said. “There are probably hundreds of them in West Virginia, but most people never see them.” The best way to see a golden eagle is to watch carefully. Traveling in the national forest and being quiet and careful tends to present opportunities to observe them. Katzner’s research is conducted in collaboration with the recently formed Eastern Golden Eagle working group, an international group formed to support research and conservation efforts for eastern golden eagles on breeding, migratory and wintering grounds and to raise conservation awareness about this rare population. D wildlife.wvu.edu
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Building food security systems in Appalachia As the general population becomes more conscious of the benefits of locally grown food, gaps in the availability of such foodstuffs become more apparent. That’s why WVU is working with other schools in the Appalachian region to help develop a stronger local food infrastructure in disadvantaged areas.
Brian Persinger, University Relations Photography
Cheryl Brown, an associate professor of agricultural and resource economics in WVU’s Davis College, is working with peers at Virginia Tech and North Carolina State on the $2.041 million project, which is being funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture for five years. “A thriving local food system can improve children’s health, reconnect us to the land, allow farmers to prosper, and attract new farmers to agriculture,” Brown said. “Yet the current food system still presents barriers to those with limited financial resources regarding access to sufficient food, much less highquality locally grown food. “We need to connect impoverished communities to healthier, locally grown food,” she added. The longCheryl Brown term goal of the grant project is to strengthen, sustain, and expand the South-Atlantic Appalachian Region foodshed of Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina with the dual aim of increasing food security and economic viability within historically disadvantaged communities of cultural Appalachia. The project focuses on developing, implementing, and evaluating a “Foodshed Security” strategy to enhance the resiliency of the regional foodshed, with special focus on local food access and affordability using place-based measures and community-based practices. Brown is working on all aspects of the project, lending her expertise in agricultural economics as it relates to development of local and regional food systems, especially for increasing community food security and access to healthy food by low-income households. She’s concentrating her efforts in central West Virginia. Food security is defined by USDA as “access by all people at all times to enough nutritious food for an active, healthy life.”
“This basically means that a family or individual has the resources to purchase food and that appropriate food is fairly easily available,” Brown explained. “So a person needs enough money to be able to buy the food, but he or she also needs to be able to get to a store. So a rural person with no car may be food insecure even if he or she has funds for food but can’t get to the grocery store or it is really difficult to do so.” Price comes into play if the price of available food is so high as to mean the person’s funds don’t go far enough to always have enough food or to be able to afford a nutritious diet. “Having a garden or access to a garden can improve food security because it is another option for nutritious food,” Brown said. The project is being led by Susan Clark, an associate professor of human nutrition and foods at Virginia Tech. D
“So a person needs enough money to be able to buy the food, but he or she also needs to be able to get to a store. So a rural person with no car may be food insecure even if he or she has funds for food but can’t get to the grocery store.”
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West Virginia University
Virginia Tech
North Carolina State
Fall 2011
New minor builds knowledge of sustainable design
With focus shifting toward creating sustainably built environments, it’s vital for people to understand the concept as well as its costs and benefits. The new sustainable design minor offered through the Davis College’s Division of Design and Merchandising provides students with the solid foundation needed to consider the social, environmental and economic impacts of decisions made in the building process. From architects to owners to tenants, everyone interacts with a built environment at some level. “Buildings are constructed for people,” said Chris Haddox, visiting assistant professor of sustainable design.
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“It’s important for everyone to be able to think about them in a different light, to understand the costs and benefits of owning, working or living in a sustainably designed building.” Until now, he said, WVU students haven’t had the opportunity to study sustainability in a concentrated approach. “The coursework required for this minor gives students a sound background in the broad arena of sustainability — knowledge our Earth and job market now demand.” Open to all students, the minor requires completion of 18 credit hours in courses Haddox describes as acting like a funnel — initially broad, providing an overview of sustainable living and design, and narrowing into specific interests such as energy efficiency, environmental policies or global forestry.
Students also take a course designed to help them prepare for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, an internationally recognized suite of programs designed to certify building projects were constructed with sustainable features, accreditation exams. “Regardless of their majors, students need to emerge from their WVU experience with a sound understanding of the social, economic and environmental factors that will shape their careers and lives,” he said. “I can’t think of a major where sustainability isn’t applicable.” D design.wvu.edu/minors
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Images courtesy of Chris Haddox
Sustainable design and “green” buildings were ideas once discussed in future tense; however, the future is now.
One true love —
Tina Dow is passionate about a variety of things — traveling, scuba diving, rock climbing — but her one true love will always be elephants. After earning her bachelor’s degree in animal and nutritional sciences from West Virginia University in 2002, Dow spent the next four years trying to find her true career calling.
and the zoo’s research department, and thought that if I could somehow marry the two I’d be in heaven,” she said. Until then, the only thing Dow knew about the creature is it’s the world’s largest land mammal; however, watching them interact showed her how intelligent and compassionate elephants can be. “When we think of species closest
“I fell in love with the elephants and the zoo’s research department, and thought that if I could somehow marry the two I’d be in heaven.” “I interned with several zoos and became a licensed wildlife rehabilitator,” she said. “But I didn’t have any direction of what I wanted to do. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go to vet school, but I knew I wanted to continue to work with animals. I just didn’t know how.” Like the old saying, “Love comes when you least expect it,” Dow discovered elephants while working at the Roger Williams Parks Zoo in Providence, R.I. Rotating through the zoo’s different areas gave her experience with a variety of animal species. “I fell in love with the elephants
to us, we think of great apes or nonhuman primates, and we don’t really expect elephants to exhibit behaviors similar to humans, but they do,” Dow explained. “They are very intelligent, very caring individuals that have a very complex family group, and it’s amazing to watch them interact.” In 2006, with a wealth of knowledge gained through on-the-job training, Dow returned to WVU in pursuit of her master’s degree in reproductive physiology. After completing it, she immediately moved on to her doctoral degree. She recalls a conversation with her
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mentor, Robert Dailey, professor of animal and nutritional sciences in the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design, that helped connect her with Janine Brown, an internationally known reproductive physiologist with the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, who shares Dow’s love of elephants. “Dr. Dailey asked me what research area most interested me,” she said. “When I told him elephants and of the research Dr. Brown was conducting, he said I should contact her.” Although Dow realized the interview process would be highly competitive, she knew being able to conduct research alongside Brown was a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity. “There were 250 students vying to interview with her,” Dow stated. “When I arrived she said ‘I have about 40 minutes,’ but three hours later we were still talking about elephants.” To say the pair hit it off would be an understatement. “She’s an amazing reproductive physiologist whose research interests don’t exclusively revolve around elephants,” Dow said. “I’m very fortunate to be able to study with her.” In the wild, elephants have a matriarchal society with family groups consisting of mothers, aunts, sisters, cousins and juvenile males. When the males reach puberty between 13-15 years of age, they are encouraged to leave the family group to help prevent inbreeding. “What’s most interesting about these family groups is that, as the females Fall 2011
Photos provided by Tina Dow
to either lower or raise the elephants’ levels of prolactin. “While we’re only about six months into the trials, the results look very promising,” she said. “We’re seeing elephants respond and what looks to be the initiation of cyclicity again.” Working with Brown has given Dow the opportunity to potentially help the captive elephant population now and in the future. “Dr. Brown always says, ‘I wish I had more time. I wish I had more elephant projects,’ because she loves them so much,” Dow said. “That got me thinking about where my life might lead me after graduate school. I’d like to stay within a zoological facility and be able to do field and captive research, but I won’t always be working with elephants.” In an effort to calm some of the anxiety over the unknown, Dow and her husband founded Wildlife Research and Conservation. “We’re gearing up to becoming
grow, they take on a babysitting-type role with the calves. They learn how to take care of the young and work cooperatively, so by the time they have their first baby they’ve already properly learned to care for it,” she said. In captivity, however, many female adult elephants were brought to zoos as babies and never had the opportunity to come up the familial ranks and learn how to interact. As a consequence, learning to care for a baby is not instinctual. “A lot of captive breeding is now done through artificial insemination because it’s very dangerous to shift elephants around,” she explained. “Unfortunately, we also see a lot of babies that are rejected or killed by mom because she clearly doesn’t understand what she’s supposed to do. That’s something that never happens in the wild.” Without a self-sustaining captive population — a result of elephants getting older and not reproducing for a multitude of reasons — researchers are exploring avenues to increase reproductive success. That’s where Dow’s research comes into play. Fall 2011
Focusing on captive African female elephants that are more prone to reproductive failure, Dow began by exploring the reasons acyclicity, or having no estrous cycle, occurs so often. “I looked at all hormone concentrations we would see in a normal cycle because we know what that cycle is supposed to look like,”
“A lot of captive breeding is now done through artificial insemination because it’s very dangerous to shift elephants around.” she said. “We found one hormone in particular that in all of these acyclic females is either really high or low — prolactin. Because it promotes lactation, high levels of prolactin are typically only seen during pregnancy.” Hyperprolactinemia, or the presence of abnormally high levels of prolactin in the blood, is one of the primary causes of amenorrhea, or what would be the equivalent to acyclicityin in humans. With the help of several grants through Pfizer and Equi-Tox, Dow has been studying the effects of administering medications that would typically be given to horses or humans
a 5013c designated nonprofit organization so I’ll always have a place to do my elephant research,” she said. “One of the main things we’ll be focusing on is human-elephant conflict in the wild. It’s an area of research that doesn’t follow reproductive physiology, but it’s also vitally important to preservation of these animals.” And, at the end of the day, Dow believes if she makes life better for just one individual elephant she’s done her job. D
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Finding fuel, fertilizer on poultry farm “Why did the chicken cross the road?” Instead, it’s “What do we do with the waste they leave behind?” These days, the riddle isn’t
Josh Frye, a poultry farmer in Wardensville, W.Va., has been using chicken manure as fuel to heat his poultry houses. The byproduct of that process, called biochar, has proven to be a highly prized fertilizer that also helps return carbon to the soil instead of releasing it into the atmosphere. WVU’s Environmental Research Center, in partnership with Frye and the International Biochar Initiative, has
water quality. WVU researchers have spent decades developing means of mitigating the impact of coal extraction on soils and landscapes. “We view this as an opportunity to create positive, environmental synergies between two of West Virginia’s most environmentally maligned industries — poultry farming and coal extraction,” said Veselka, a wildlife biologist at the Environmental Research Center.
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A team of WVU researchers and poultry producers think they might have the answer.
of a Natural Resources Conservation Service grant in 2006 to Coaltec Energy USA, Inc. On the advice of Tom Basden, WVU Extension Service nutrient management specialist, Frye explored modifying the technology to produce nutrient-rich biochar instead of just ash. Frye has been supplementing his poultry production income with fertilizer sales. He’s also generated a great deal of interest in replicating his system, and he’s been profiled by media outlets such as USA Today. By working with Frye, a local West Virginia farmer, the ERC is not simply completing an academic exercise but will be able to see the entire supply chain from biochar creation to application, creating meaningful tangible results associated with a name and a face. “This has the potential to make positive economic changes in the daily lives of many West Virginians, while improving ecological stewardship for all,” Veselka said. The project will begin in the laboratory, with Louis McDonald, a professor of environmental soil chemistry and soil fertility in the Davis College, establishing a scientific baseline Photos provided by Josh Frye
received a grant from the Blue Moon Fund to see if biochar has another potential benefit: restoring soils at sites disturbed by coal extraction. The ultimate goal, according to project manager Walter Veselka, is “to help facilitate a poultry-based biochar market that can be used to restore and remediate abandoned mined land soils, while concurrently reducing nutrient inputs into the Chesapeake Bay.” Poultry is one of West Virginia’s top agricultural commodities, and the industry has struggled to come to terms with the impact of waste on the Bay’s
“This has a real possibility of improving environmental conditions on multiple fronts, not only in the Bay watershed by reducing nutrient inputs, but also by increasing the rate of reforestation and environmental regeneration on abandoned minelands as well as the value provided by the carbon sequestered in the ground as a biochar amendment rather than lost to the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas,” Veselka added. Frye initially obtained the gasification system to heat his poultry houses as part
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on biochar’s potential impacts on soils. This will be followed by determination of just how much carbon biochar can lock in the soil instead of releasing it in the form of greenhouse gases. Then, field tests on plots of abandoned mineland will begin, led by Jeff Skousen, a professor of soil science in the Davis College and the WVU Extension Service’s land reclamation and acid mine drainage specialist. Nutritionally revitalized mined lands could become future economic opportunities in the form of biofuels such as switchgrass, and could help alleviate the reclamation liability of these former mined lands. In doing so, even on a limited scale, it will create a stable and consistent demand for poultry biochar by industry. The goal of WVU’s Environmental Research Center, which was established in 2009, is to provide a center of excellence that effectively informs policy and promotes economic development focused on a sustainable and productive natural environment. The Blue Moon Fund works to build human and natural resilience to a changing and warming world. The fund uses natural, social, and financial capital to implement new models in highbiodiversity regions around the world. It is currently focused on investing opportunities as they relate to climate change and the carbon economy. D
erc.davis.wvu.edu
Study fashion merchandising online The Division of Design and Merchandising is offering a new online minor in fashion merchandising. The purpose of this minor is to provide students with knowledge of the background and business of fashion in order to better prepare them for their future careers in a variety of industries. “Fashion is ubiquitous,” explains Holly Lentz, fashion design and merchandising program coordinator. “It uniquely characterizes each era, and shapes our culture through its influence on other creative fields. It impacts every living human. At any given moment in the United States, more than seven million people are employed in some aspect of fashion.” The online minor emphasizes the merchandising of fashion products, with the aim of educating students about the niche market and realm of the fashion industry, allowing for grounded knowledge in the field. Opportunities to work with industry professionals and understand the overall process of product development from design through disposal will also be offered. The minor is comprised of 15 hours of study. Courses within the minor will be offered online during the summer semesters. Students can complete the minor in two summers, gaining basic knowledge of fashion merchandising in their first-level courses. In the second level of courses, students will gain in-depth, specific knowledge of the fashion industry. In the third level, students will receive a global and applied perspective of the field, choosing to complete their coursework either online or through a study abroad program. To qualify for a minor in fashion merchandising, a student must have earned a minimum grade of “C” or better in each of the required and chosen courses and a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 in all the coursework in the minor. D
elearn.wvu.edu
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WVU partners with Peace Corps for master’s program WVU is dedicated to improving the quality of life in rural communities, promoting sustainable economies and individual wellness. The University is also committed to providing unique, hands-on learning experiences for its students. These commitments will converge when WVU joins forces with the Peace Corps to offer a new master’s degree program. WVU’s Davis College has been chosen as a Peace Corps Master’s International (PCMI) partner, and is participating in an innovative program that allows graduate students to pursue a master of science degree while also completing an international service internship with the Peace Corps. “The WVU-PCMI partnership is the first of its type for any college or university in West Virginia,” says Associate Provost of Graduate Academic Affairs, Dr. Jonathan Cumming. “The program supports WVU’s commitment to expanding international engagement and provides unique service learning opportunities for our students.” Fueled by concerns over climate change and unsustainable land use, professions in the complex fields of sustainable development and natural resource conservation are rapidly developing worldwide. The combined experiences of an MS degree at WVU along with international Peace Corps service will produce graduates who are exceptionally well prepared for domestic and international careers. The PCMI program will integrate a variety of WVU graduate degrees in natural resources and the environment offered through the Davis College, including agronomy, forest resources and management, wildlife and fisheries
resources, or recreation, parks and tourism resources. Students will also integrate coursework and training from concentration areas in sustainable agro-forestry, sustainable tourism and development, water resource management, and wildlife conservation. A Peace Corps volunteer’s work is ultimately determined by the needs of a host country and the potential of a volunteer to contribute to those needs and to the Peace Corps’ mission. Those needs coincide with the skill sets of students from a wide range of WVU’s academic disciplines, but particularly those of the Davis College. Agriculture volunteers work with small farmers to increase food production while promoting environmental conservation practices. Environment volunteers work on a wide variety of activities, from teaching environmental awareness to constructing wastewater infrastructure within a community. Other major service categories include education, youth and community development, health, food security, business development, and information and communication technology. “Students will be able to apply the things they’ve learned at WVU while serving overseas and see the benefits
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as they help develop sustainable, community-based strategies,” says Dr. Todd Petty, coordinator for the Peace Corps MI program at WVU and associate professor of wildlife and fisheries. “Students will also benefit from having a global experience, living and working in a different culture and building the adaptability and vision that can result.” Although currently centered within the WVU Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, organizers of the program expect the number of participating departments on the WVU campus to grow substantially over time. “The body of faculty who teach and conduct research in environmental and conservation sciences is one of our greatest strengths at WVU,” adds Dr. Jim Anderson, professor and director of the WVU Environmental Research Center. “The PCMI program is an important step in continuing to build off of this strength.” The four students currently enrolled in the program are being mentored by professors in the Divisions of Design and Merchandising, Forestry and Natural Resources, and Plant and Soil Sciences. D peacecorps.davis.wvu.edu
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WVU landscape architecture program earns West Virginia University’s landscape architecture program has received sixyear reaccreditation from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the discipline’s premier professional organization. Housed within WVU’s Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design, it is the only accredited landscape architecture program in the state of West Virginia. In recent years the program has been recognized as one of the best in the nation, ranking as high as ninth by the Design Futures Council in 2009. Conducted by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board, an independent committee created by the ASLA, the accreditation process included an intensive self-evaluation by the WVU program and an oncampus visit and evaluation by a team of landscape architecture academicians, practicing landscape architecture professionals, and administrators from another university. “The Davis College community is proud of this program, and I’d like to personally salute the talented students and the dedicated faculty,” said Rudolph Almasy, interim dean of the college. The team spent three days on campus last April meeting with landscape architecture faculty, staff and students, as well as various WVU officials. According to Charlie Yuill, associate professor of landscape architecture and program chair, being accredited by the ASLA is extremely important to the program and its students. “Being accredited by the American Society of Landscape Architects is rewarding because that confirms that our program meets the high standards set for this profession,” he said. “We’re consistently providing our students Fall 2011
six-year reaccreditation
with the educational background and practical knowledge they need to be successful in the field.” The undergraduate program features four years of intensive studio instruction, opportunities for service learning, and a required professional internship. The program has been continually accredited by the ASLA since 1974. WVU also offers a master’s program in landscape architecture. It began accepting students in the fall of 2010 and currently has six students enrolled. The program is in the process of seeking accreditation through the ASLA. For more information on both programs, visit http://larc.wvu.edu/. D
Peter Butler, assistant professor of landscape architecture
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“Room to grow”WVU celebrates progress greenhouse of $8.8-million facility
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Rendering courtesy of Paradigm Architecture
steady drizzle didn’t dampen the spirits of the faculty, staff, students, and friends of West Virginia University who gathered for “A Greenhouse Celebration” on Thursday, September 15, on the University’s Evansdale campus. As WVU President Jim Clements put it, “Any day we can celebrate a new building, it’s a good day.” Jim “Apples” McClelland, a longtime supporter of WVU’s horticulture program from Washington, Pa., turned “a good day” into “a great day” when he made another generous financial commitment to the project. Specific details of McClelland’s latest contribution are still being finalized. McClelland was among those honored for providing private financial support to the greenhouse project. Also recognized were John and Joyce Allen of the Coalton, W.Va., area. The Allens, dedicated supporters of WVU, received the WVU Foundation Outstanding Philanthropy award in 2010. “Today we are celebrating a facility that truly embodies the WVU landgrant tradition — rooted in our most fundamental mission with all of the technological advancement the twenty-first century demands,” President Clements said. “The new Greenhouse and laboratories will help fulfill several goals of the WVU Strategic Plan,” he added. “It will help us provide students with a top-notch education, it will foster innovation in research, and it will
promote agricultural discoveries that improve life in West Virginia.” Rudolph Almasy, interim dean of the Davis College, spoke of the project’s combination of University support, private donation, and partnership with the USDA Forest Service, who will share laboratory space in the
graduate student, eloquently described the new facility’s impact for WVU’s students. “I think no matter how you look at it, the new greenhouse facility gives us all one thing — room to grow,” said Conneway, of Augusta, W.Va. “Room to grow more plants, more research, room to grow our horticulture program and Plant and Soil Sciences department, and last but not least, room to grow our minds. The restrictions of the past are behind us, and today, we start a new chapter of learning at West Virginia University.” “For the undergraduate, the new facility will expand the opportunities for learning,” Conneway added. “Students will gain real-world experience as they assist in the dayto-day management of a modern-day greenhouse, one built in this era, an era of revitalization and improvement for the Evansdale campus. This will undoubtedly better prepare students for the job industry, and will help to grow the department and program for future students who will be more likely to seek WVU as a place to call home.” The previous greenhouse was constructed in the early 1960s and had not been renovated since. The facilities and systems were beyond their lifespan and did not meet the current or future needs of WVU’s research and academic programs. This project is a collaboration between the Davis College and the USDA Forest Service. D
“I think no matter how you look at it, the new greenhouse facility gives us all one thing — room to grow.” finished greenhouse. The Forest Service was represented at the event by Jan Wiedenbeck and Cynthia Huebner of the agency’s Northern Research Station. “As we approach the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act which established land grant universities like WVU, what goes on in this new greenhouse, certainly at the center of the agricultural sciences, encourages all of us here to rededicate ourselves to the promise of the Morrill Act; that is, to move education beyond the elite and have it serve in a practical and effective way the needs of the people who help pay for it,” Almasy said. Barton Baker, director of the Division of Plant and Soil Sciences in the Davis College, stressed that the facility would be “a greenhouse for all of West Virginia University,” providing space for ongoing, interdisciplinary units and educational opportunities for students in a wide range of academic disciplines. Renee Conneway, a horticulture
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plantandsoil.wvu.edu Fall 2011
Couture and ready-to-wear fashion and inspiring interior designs were in the spotlight in May as students from the Division of Design and Merchandising showcased their work. The culmination of countless hours of research, conceptualization and execution, the Day of Design featured interior
Photos by Sarah DeRoos, graduate student
design exhibits as well as a runway show and fashion showcase at the Erickson Alumni Center.
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design PO Box 6108 Morgantown, WV 26506-6108
Family Day at the Farm Over 1,200 guests took part in our Family Day at the Farm in mid-October.The event is part of WVU’s celebration of the 150 th anniversary of the land-grant system.
Brian Persinger, University Relations Photography
Non-Profit Organization US Postage PAID Morgantown, WV Permit No. 34