Intranet
College Newsletter: Fall/Winter 2007 Issue
Do you have a news item you'd like to share with the CAES family? Please send your information and photographs to the Office of Communications caesnews@uga.edu.
AWARDS & HONORS
W. Joe Lewis is recipient of the 2008 Wolf Foundation Prize in Agriculture
Tifton-based agricultural scientist W. Joe Lewis is a recipient of the 2008 Wolf Foundation Prize in Agriculture, one of the most prestigious agricultural awards in the world. He was honored by the Consulate General of Israel for the Southeast at a reception at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center March 13.
Dairy Research Center Receives Award!
Congratulations to Mr. Vic Cornett, dairy manager, Dr. John Bernard, dairy coordinator, and the staff of the Dairy Research Center at the UGA Tifton Campus, for being recognized as the top producing dairy herd in Georgia.
This is an outstanding recognition and was awarded at the annual meeting of the Georgia Milk Producers, Inc. at St. Simons the week of February 11th.
Chompunut Chayawat recognized by Southern ASA
Chompunut Chayawat, an exchange student from Chiang Mai University in Thailand, has been awarded fourth place (honorable mention) in the Southern Branch American Society of Agronomy’s graduate student poster competition. The award was announced during the society’s annual meeting Feb. 3-5 at the Adams Mark Hotel in Dallas, Texas. Chayawat is a PhD student working with Professor Monique Leclerc in the Laboratory for Environmental Physics on the Griffin Campus. Her poster was titled Response of Soil CO2 Efflux to Rainfall Variability in Wheat and Peanut Fields. It was coauthored by her UGA colleagues Leclerc, John Beasley and Jinkyu Hong and Chuckree Senthong of CMU.
Centner honored by AALA
Dr. Terence J. Centner, Agricultural and Applied Economics professor, was awarded the 2007 Professional Scholarship Award by the American Agricultural Law Association. The award recognizes Centner's proposal for an undeveloped land protection act that would offer owners of farmlands, forests and natural areas greater protection against nuisance lawsuits.
Dr. Tim Brenneman Named Outstanding Plant Pathologist
Congratulations to Dr. Tim Brenneman for being named Outstanding Plant Pathologist for the Southern Division for the American Phytopathological Society. The award was announced this week at the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists meeting held in Dallas, TX. This is a great acknowledgement of Tim’s contributions to his field.
Dr. Monique Y. Leclerc receives award
Dr. Monique Y. Leclerc has received the Award for Outstanding
Achievement in Biometeorology from the American
Meteorological Society. The award recognizes pioneering
research that has advanced our understanding of temporal and
spatial patterns of local and regional carbon exchanges, and
for global leadership in the advancement of biometeorology.
Leclerc is a professor in the Crop and Soil Sciences Department on the Griffin Campus. The award was officially announced at the AMS Annual meeting in New Orleans in January.
Georgia Peanut Commission honors Hung
UGA CAES food scientist Yen-Con Hung received the 2008
Research and Education Award from the Georgia Peanut Commission
during the 32nd annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show.
For full story, go to:
http://www.gapeanuts.com/news/2008/ 011708fshung.asp
Paterson is 2007 Cotton Genetics Research Award recipient
Dr. Andrew Paterson, Crop and Soil Sciences Distinguished Research Professor, has been awarded the 2007 Cotton Genetics Research Award. The annoucement was made during the Cotton Improvement Conference of the National Cotton Council on Jan. 10. An internationally-recognized authority in plant genomics, Paterson's contributions to cotton genetics, genomics, cytogenetics and breeding have been significant. He is director of the UGA Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory which is comprised of some 30 UGA research scientists. For more on the award, see the NCC Web site at http://www.cropsoil.uga.edu/news/pdf/08cotgeneticsrel.pdf.
COLLEGE NEWS
New Department Head for Agricultural and Applied Economics
The college welcomes Dr. Octavio A. Ramirez to his new position as head of the agricultural and applied economics department. Ramirez’s appointment is effective June 1.
Five will represent CAES in Georgia Agri-Leaders program
Five UGA CAES employees have been selected to participate in the 2008 Georgia Agri-Leaders Forum’s Leadership Development Program. The selected participants are Tim Grey (assistant professor, Tifton campus), Rusty Harris (county extension coordinator, Sylvester), Chris Morgan, (assistant professor, Athens campus), Be Atrice Sams (administrative manager, Griffin campus) and Bobby Smith (county extension agent, Madison).
The program consists of six study institutes held in Georgia and other states within the United States. Each study institute focuses on building leadership skills, exploring agriculture-related issues and giving each participant an in-depth understanding of what it takes to get involved in bringing about solutions to political, economical, cultural, social and agricultural concerns.
Participants are selected based on leadership integrity and effectiveness; communication and analytical skills; potential for personal growth; commitment to Georgia agriculture and related industries; and a commitment to program participation. The leadership program produces leaders that are skilled in communications, educated in local, national and world affairs, familiar with the changing needs of our society and prepared to meet the present and future challenges in Georgia’s agricultural and agribusiness industry.
Georgia 4-H, Kroger team up to build cabin
Friends of Georgia 4-H can help build a new cabin at the Rock Eagle
4-H 
Center by buying a $1 paper icon at any of the 173 Kroger stores
across Georgia between now and Feb. 2.
Kroger is the first corporate partner in the Rock Eagle 4-H Center Cabin Campaign, said Mary Ann Parsons, the Georgia 4-H Foundation director of development. Campaign organizers hope to raise $27 million to construct 52 new cabins, including the Kroger cabin, at the center, which is near Eatonton, Ga., in the state´s piedmont region.
To find the Kroger store nearest you, visit www.kroger.com. To learn more about the fundraising project, visit www.georgia4hfoundation.org.
New R&E Center Superintendents
The college recently welcomed new superintendents at the Southeast Research and Education Center in Midville and the Stripling Irrigation Research Park near Camilla. Anthony Black has assumed the superintendent's position at Midville and Calvin Perry has assumed the role of interim superintendent at Stripling.
Black comes to the college from private industry. He also formerly worked on the UGA Plant Science Farm in Athens for several years. This is the first step in bringing the Midville station back on line as a fully operational facility. Please consider Midville when planning future research.
The search for a permanent superintendent for Stripling has stalled and Perry has agreed to assume this role to insure that spring planting of 2008 research plots progresses smoothly. The search for a permanent superintendent continues. A special thank you goes to Perry for putting aside his own projects in order to take on this role and to Rad Yeager for his dedicated service in this position. We wish Yeager well in his new role as coordination of educational programs at Stripling and as ANR agent in Dougherty County.
Research seed grant funds Ipod training
Using an internal seed grant from UGA CAES Associate Dean for Research Bob Shulstad, Extension Turfgrass Specialist Clint Waltz is exploring the use of Podcasting as a delivery method for turfgrass education materials.
Waltz used the funding in part to provide ten county extension agents with Podcasting equipment and training to familiarize them with iPod technology. The training included how to interface with the equipment, use iTunes and RSS feeds and how to set up subscriptions. Faith Peppers of the college’s Office of Communications led a session on how to create timely public service announcements.
Dr. Waltz is currently working on turfgrass podcasts that will be released in 2008 via his program Web site at http://georgiaturf.com. The podcasts will be available for public access and may be viewed from any computer with an internet connection or downloaded to a portable MP3 player such as an iPod.
Shulstad named to top CAES research post
After a yearlong national search, Dean J. Scott Angle announced that Robert Shulstad will be the new associate dean for research for the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
For more information, read the news release.
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HAPPENINGS/EVENTS
Second quarterly art exhibition by UGA employees and family on the Tifton Campus
The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences faculty, staff and family who work on the college's Tifton campus have selected art pieces for inclusion in their second quarterly art exhibition. The artwork is currently on display in the Board Room of the Tifton Campus Conference Center.
University breaks ground on new Student Learning Center
The University of Georgia officially broke ground Thursday, Aug. 30 for the new Student Learning Center to be constructed on the Griffin Campus. The center is being built with funds raised through a $10 million special purpose local option sales tax approved by Spalding County voters in November 2005. This fall, seven UGA undergraduate majors, as well as two graduate degree programs, are being offered on the Griffin Campus.
Griffin employees enjoy ice cream social
The Griffin Campus held its annual ice cream social Wednesday, Aug. 22. The event is sponsored each year by the campus' Classified Staff Committee. Dan Suiter (Entomology) and Lisa Ames (Entomology) are shown enjoying a "calcium in a cone" break. CSC members Linda Scott, Karen Kimbell and Tami Adams (pictured left to right) are shown serving up the ice cream treats.
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FAMILY NEWS
Births
Congratulations to Julianna Temple-Roberts on the birth of her daughter, Louisa Cobia! Louisa was born on December 13, 2007. She weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz. and was 20 3/8 in. long. Julianna is a Web Developer in the Office of Communications.
Dr. Scott Tubbs (Crop & Soil Sciences, Tifton Campus) is now the proud papa of a new baby boy! "Keller" Martin Bryan Tubbs was born on December 5. He weighed 6 lb 9 oz. and was 19 inches long! Danielle and Keller are both doing fine.
Congratulations to Dr. Michael Toews and his wife, on the birth of their daughter, Emerson Grace, born on October 4. The proud father in an Entomologist on the Tifton Campus.
Gail Patton (SARE Program - Griffin Campus) announces the birth of her first grandchild, Kendall Grace Patton. Little Miss Patton was born Sept. 24. She weighed 6 lbs. 14 oz. and was 20 1/4" long.
Congratulations to Brad & Kymberly Buchanan on the birth of their daughter, Lydia Ann! Lydia was born on October the 1st. She weighs 5 lbs. 13 oz. and is 19" long. Brad is a Research Professional II with the National Environmentally Sound Production Agriculture Laboratory (NESPAL), in Tifton.
Luke Thomas Bledsoe was born to Lori and Dennis Bledsoe on September 27 at 10:09 p.m. Luke is 7 lb., 6 oz - 201/2 inches long. Lori is the Program Development Coordinator - 4-H, in Griffin.
Congratulations to James (Crop & Soil Sciences ) and Libbie (USDA - PGRCU) Hudson on the birth of their daughter Jasmine Simone Hudson. Little Miss Hudson was born Sept. 22 at 2:55 a.m. and weighed 7 lbs. 14 oz. Her mom and dad both work on the Griffin Campus.
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Congratulations to Steve and Sandra Harwood (Peanut CRSP – Griffin Campus) on the arrival of their grandson River Stephen Harwood. Little River was born May 22 and weighed 6 pounds and 7 ounces. He is the son of David and Kellan Harwood. |
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Weddings
John and Lisa Carlino at their wedding, July 6, 2007 at the Jekyll Island Beach Club Hotel right after their front lawn wedding ceremony. Lisa works in continuing education on the Griffin Campus and her Mom Evelyn Baughman is the administrative assistant for the Northwest District.
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Get Well Wishes
No news to report at this time.
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Deaths
We are saddened to share the following information about Cereta Hamilton, 4-H Secretary in the Clayton County office, who passed away this morning, March 7. She had become ill suddenly Wednesday evening at home. Please remember Cereta's family in your thoughts and prayers.
Sympathy is extended to the family of Mel Tanner, retired Jasper County CEC. Mel passed away on March 5th. Please keep his family in your prayers.
Sympathy is extended to Norman Edwards, CEC in Walker County, on the death of his grandmother, Lena Mae Howell, passed away on Tuesday, February 26th.
Sympathy is extended to Dianne Barnard, Liberty County Extension Secretary on the death of her father, Mr. Warner Toppin of Seaport, Delaware who passed away on February 13th.
Sympathy is extended to Sandra Simmons, Rabun County Extension Secretary on the death of her mother, who passed away on February 14th.
Sympathy is extended to Janet Palmer, CEA, 4-H Coordinator for Baldwin County, on the death of her mother, Ruby Carney who passed away on February 9.
Sympathy is extended to Patsy Mercer (4-H Program Assistant in Floyd County) on the death of her granddaughter, Meg, who passed away on February 5, in Alabama. Please remember Patsy and her family. If you would like to send her a card, her address is:
Patsy Mercer (Mrs. Harley)
779 Turkey Mountain Rd. NE,
Armuchee, GA 30105.
Sympathy is extended Tonya Denerson, EFNEP Program Assistant in Bibb County, on the death of her step father, Deacon Joe Smith on January 24, 2008.
Sympathy is extended to Elizabeth DeLoach of Upson County on the death of her father-in-law, Mr. Leonard DeLoach,
who passed away on
January 27, 2008.
Sympathy is extended to Kathy Sasser on the death of her mom, who passed away on January 13. Kathy is a 4-H program assistant in Walton County.
Sympathy is extended to the family of Dr. Honorico "Ric" Ciordia who passed away Jan. 6. Dr. Ciordia retired from the Griffin Campus in 1986. For 31 years he served as a veterinary parasitologist for the USDA-Agricultural Research Service. During his tenure he was an adjunct professor of parasitology and a professor emeritus at the University of Georgia. He authored numerous scientific publications in his field. The family asks in lieu of flowers donations be made to either the Arch Foundation, UGA Griffin Campus, or Friends of the Saenger, Attn: Renovation, P.O. Box 13666, Pensacola, FL 32591.
Sympathy is extended to Gene Anderson, retired Hall County Extension Agent, on the death of his son, Ben Anderson who passed away on Sunday, January 6, 2008.
Sympathy is extended to Elaine Miller, Secretary in Muscogee County, on the death of her sister, Louise Thompson who passed away on December 2nd.
Sympathy is extended to the family of Johnny P. Stowe Sr., retired Polk County Extension Agent, who passed away on December 27, 2007. Mr. Stowe served as an ANR County Extension Agent and Coordinator in Polk County, 1950 - 1976. He was an ardent supporter of Agriculture and the 4-H Club.
Sympathy is extended to Laura Garrett, Clayton County 4-H Agent, on the death of her brother, Gene Garrett, who passed away on December 23rd. Please remember Laura's family in your prayers.
Sympathy is extended to Pearl Solomon, EFNEP Agent for Bibb County, on the death of her mother, Maude Lawrence, on December 22. The funeral is in Cleveland, OH.
Sympathy is extended to Barbara Hansard on the death of her mother, Mrs. Juanita Owens, who passed away on December 20. Mrs. Owens lived in Eldorado Springs, Missouri. Barbara is 4-H and FACS secretary in the Cobb County Extension office.
Sympathy is extended to Roger Sinyard, Marion County Extension Coordinator, on the death of his daughter, Raney Megan Sinyard, who passed away on December 18 after a long illness.
Sympathy is extended to Mary Brewer, Muscogee County 4-H Agent, on the death of her premature infant grand-daughter, Lilly Kris Heath, who died on December 13th. Please remember the families involved with your prayers as they grieve for her.
Sympathy is extended to Nancy Taylor (retired administrative assistant - Crop & Soil Sciences - Griffin Campus) on the death of her husband Kenneth H. Taylor on Nov. 9. Nancy and Ken had been married for 49 years. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of the Rev. Taylor may be made to the Missions America Placement Service, 1445 North Boonville Ave, Springfield, MO 65802.
Sympathy is extended to Lizia Auger, FACS agent in DeKalb County. Lizia's father died on November 4, 2007. Funeral Mass for her father was held in Pureto Rico.
Sympathy is extended to Duren Bell, on the death of his infant grandson, Landon M. Wiggins, who died on October 27th, after a brief illness. Baby Landon was born on September 19, 2007 in Warner Robins, Georgia.
Sympathy is extended to Becky (Greg) Price, on the death of her mother, Georgia Mae Sims Songer, who passed away on October 29th, at St. Mary's Hospice House in Athens, GA.
Sympathy is extended to Peyton Sapp on the death of his grandmother, Mrs. Ruth Latimer who passed away on September 29th. Peyton is the County Extension Coordinator in Greene County.
Sympathy is extended to Jo Anne Norris on the death of her mother,
Delores Norris who passed away on September 29, 2007. Jo Anne is the Administrative Specialist with
Agricultural & Applied Economics in Athens.
Sympathy is extended to the family of Dianne Brooks. Dianne recently
retired from her position as web designer for the Georgia Center for Urban
Agriculture on the Griffin Campus. She was continuing to work with the
center on a part-time basis. Dianne passed away Sept. 24 while in the
hospital recuperating from quadruple heart bypass surgery.
Sympathy is extended to Madison County Extension Secretary, Anne Threlkeld. Anne's father, Harold Wallace Meyer, Sr., 84, died September 23, 2007.
Sympathy is extended to Emily Pitts (Office of Communications) on the
death of her mother Crystal Pitts. Ms. Pitts passed away on Sept. 4.
Sympathy is extended to Susan & Mike Culpepper on the death of her father-in-law, William Quincy Culpepper, who passed away September 1. Susan is the Extension Coordinator in Douglas County.
George Jones, former CEC of Dade County, then Cherokee County,
passed away on September 8th. All three of his sons were Rock Eagle counselors, Greg,
Hal and Ken. If you would like to send a card to the family, the address
is Vera Jones, 2475 Avery Road, Canton, GA 30115. Please keep the Jones family in your prayers.
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Retirements
No news to report at this time.
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Other
Dear Extension Family,
Thank you so much for you thoughts and prayers over the past several days. Needless to say, the past 6 weeks have been a whirl wind of emotion. However, our faith is strong and, as we have found, our friends are many, so we will endure.
Lindsey and Michael wanted me to convey to each of you that your prayers have been felt. They are doing okay and thank you for lifting them up during this time. They ask that you continue to pray for them as they begin to heal and move forward.
Thanks again for your friendship, love and concern. I am constantly amazed at how fortunate I have been to have been placed among you.
Duren
Duren E. Bell
Acting ANR Program Coordinator
P.O. Box 4084
Eastman, GA 31023
durenb@uga.edu
478/278-7430 (Cell)
478/374-9338 (Office/home)