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An economist and an artist

February 8, 2013 under CANR News

Steve Hastings knows the science of economics and is learning the nuances of art, the latter of which was recently shown at the Oxford Arts Alliance’s “University of Delaware: Past and Present” where Hastings had two pieces on display.

Hastings, professor and associate chair in the Department of Applied Economics and Statistics, had his passion for sculpting and welding stoked back in 2007 when he took a welding class in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and then continued on by taking a week long workshop with a prominent metal sculpture named Stan Smokler in 2008.

Steve Hastings is an economist and an artistOne of the pieces that was on display at the Oxford Arts Alliance is titled “Protection” and Hastings explained he made the piece while taking an independent study at UD in the fall of 2012 with David Meyer, associate professor of art.

As part of an assignment, Hastings had to build a 3-dimensional object that had a frame and had a skin attached to the frame. Hastings explained that if you were to flip the piece over, “You’ll see there’s a frame in there that I built out of straps, and small strips of wood” and on the outside of “Protection” are “pieces of ply wood that have been stacked together, sliced and then attached to that frame.”

The resulting piece turned out to be “Protection” and Hastings said that everyone seems to have their own interpretation about the piece.

“My original idea was a tortoise shell but several people have seen this, and some people have said it’s a shield, some people have said a biking helmet, some people have said that it could be conceived as a tribal mask of some kind. So, it’s kind of what you see in it. My idea was very different than what other people have seen.”

Hastings said that the piece took between 25-30 hours to complete and was his first time working with wood for a sculpture.

Of the connection between art and economics, Hastings said, “They cross over some. I would argue that economics is a rigorous discipline, mathematical, and structured–where art is more subjective. And so, that may be part of what I like about it, that it’s so different from what I do every day and what I teach in my classes.”

Hastings especially likes working with metal, and he said that his family and his upbringing on a farm in Sussex County–where he watched his father make or fix things on the farm as needed–inspire his art.

“I think it all goes back to growing up on this farm in Sussex County and I have a piece out in the yard that is all old farm wheels that kind of represent different eras in our family farm. I use old tools a lot to make garden signs and those kinds of things so I think it all goes back to my farm upbringing basically.”

Article by Adam Thomas

Photo by Danielle Quigley

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Hong Yin finishes up school with multiple areas of study

January 17, 2013 under CANR News

Hong Yin will graduate in the spring with 3 majors and 2 minorsHong Yin has more majors (3) and minors (2) than years it took to graduate from the University of Delaware (4).

She is majoring in food and agribusiness marketing and management (FABM) and in resource economics in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), and in operations management in the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics — and minoring in economics  and international business with a foreign language. That might seem unmanageable to some, but not to Yin.

Yin, who is originally from China and who attended the University of Delaware’s English Language Institute to learn the English language, has maintained a grade point average of above 3.0 despite taking such a full course load. She said that in addition to the educational advantage of taking so many classes, she took a lot of classes for another reason, as well — to meet more people.

“I’m not from here so I figured, if I take more classes, I will know more people and then I will meet more friends. It worked out really well.”

Yin said that she enjoys all of her areas of study, and especially likes that they are so different. “For example, the FABM is more focused on the agriculture sector. Resource economics is more focused on environmental concerns that businesses are facing today. On the other hand, operations management is more about making everything efficient and eliminating waste.”

Yin singled out Steven Hastings, professor and associate chair in CANR’s Department of Applied Economics and Statistics (APEC), for making his introductory level economics class so interesting that it spurred her to look into APEC to find a major that she liked. It turned out, that she found two.

One of those majors could come in very handy, especially to her parents. “My parents have a company in China. They sell dairy products, like baby formulas,” said Yin. “And they said, ‘If you don’t find a satisfying career in the U.S. after you graduate, the family business could benefit from your education.’ That’s why I added the FABM major.”

Yin now has Hastings as an advisor and she said that he is “really helpful. He helps students plan out what they want and he is always there, always in the office and whenever you email him, even on the breaks, it is really easy to get in touch with him and talk about what you want and then he gives you really good suggestions.”

Of Yin, Hastings said, “I have known Hong for three years, since she declared her second and third majors, both in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. I was immediately impressed with her enthusiasm and motivation.” Hastings added, “While many students take random courses for electives, Hong was adamant — she wanted to take courses that counted for another major. She is a wonderfully pleasant young lady that has accomplished a great deal.”

As for her favorite part about UD, Yin said that she enjoys the outdoor areas available for students to study. “I like The Green a lot because where I’m from in China, there are not many stretches of green areas. In the summer it is really beautiful.”  Yin added that she also enjoys, “the Botanic Garden in the spring. I appreciate the plants much more because of Professor Swasey’s—Professor Emeritus in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences–flower arranging class.”

Article by Adam Thomas

Photo by Danielle Quigley

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Fooks, students help remove privet from Sharp Farm near Odessa

December 10, 2012 under CANR News

Students remove privet from Sharp FarmUniversity of Delaware instructor Jacob Fooks wanted students in his Department of Applied Economics and Statistics sustainable development class to experience things beyond the classroom, so when the opportunity arose to assist Delaware Wild Lands, a non-profit land conservancy, with an invasive species removal project, he jumped at the opportunity.

The UD students were assigned to work on a project at Delaware Wild Lands’ Sharp Farm near Odessa, said Fooks, who is a doctoral student in UD’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics.

The Sharp Farm provides a great learning experience for those unfamiliar with invasive species and their impacts on the ecosystem because such plants are prolific throughout the understories in the forested areas of the 430-acre property.

The farm — owned for many years by the Sharp family, longtime UD benefactors, until its acquisition in 2006 by Delaware Wild Lands — sits within two critical geographic transition zones in Delaware.

“One of the really wonderful things about the Sharp Farm is that is provides exceptionally diverse habitat because it’s right in the middle of two transition zones,” said Kate Hackett, Delaware Wild Lands executive director. “The Sharp Farm lies within the southern extent of the piedmont region and the northern extent of the coastal plain region, so you get both of those regions there and all of the associated plants and animals associated with those two different eco regions.”

While there are many invasive species present on the farm — Japanese honeysuckle, wineberry, multiflora rose and Japanese stiltgrass, to name a few — Fooks and his students spent their time at the farm removing privet.

The problem with privet and other invasive species, Hackett explained, is that it grows faster than the native plants with which it competes for space, lights and nutrients. “If you have a little seedling of privet regenerating at the same time you have an acorn from an oak tree, the privet just grows faster and will crowd out the oak tree,” said Hackett. “So we need to control invasive species and make sure that the oak trees can naturally regenerate faster.”

Hackett, who had spoken to the class about sustainability issues before inviting them to help with the invasive species removal on the farm, said that when Fooks and his students arrived at the farm, they were tasked with removing an eight-foot wall of privet.

“We were working on these hedgerows along the edges of this field that was overgrown with underbrush,” said Fooks. “At the end there was a massive pile of all this brush that we hauled out, so it was pretty cool.”

Hackett recalls, “Jacob and his students — and we had some community members, also — literally just came in and mowed over all of the privet. We actually got much farther than we expected that day and that’s in large part because of the students, so they really helped us significantly advance our goals of removing invasive species and ultimately of restoring and enhancing forests at the Sharp Farm.”

The work was funded, in part, by a wildlife grant from the state of Delaware. In addition to invasive species removal, and also part of the grant, Delaware Wild Lands is also exploring the use of deer exclosures to prevent overbrowsing from deer.

Fooks said that he had a great time helping out at the Sharp Farm. “It was a great experience for the students, it was a lot of fun for me and I think they got a lot out of it, too.”

Hackett reflected on the day, saying she was thrilled to have Fooks and his students show up to help with the project. “Jacob’s students showed up ready to work and learn. For anyone, it’s difficult to understand how invasive species can adversely affect the environment. Jacob’s student’s advanced us significantly towards our goal while learning more about the multitude of factors that can and do affect an ecosystem.”

Article by Adam Thomas

This article can also be viewed on UDaily.

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Stefanie Ralph excels at agricultural education

November 8, 2012 under CANR News, Cooperative Extension

Stefanie Ralph, a University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) alumnus, has been named the 2012 Smyrna School District Teacher of the Year. Ralph graduated in 2007 with a bachelor of science degree in agricultural education and technology with a concentration in natural resources, and with a minor in landscape horticulture.

Of the award, Ralph said, “Being chosen as the District Teacher of the Year is unquestionable the most extraordinary honor of my career, and I wish to express my gratitude.  I think, at some point, every teacher begins to question if they’re doing a good job, especially since it often goes unrecognized. Being selected restores my confidence as a teacher, and it’s encouraging to know that my colleagues believe that I’m doing a good job.”

Ralph teaches 7th grade Agriscience at Smyrna Middle School, and she said that she believes that the school is filled with great teachers.  “The entire faculty at Smyrna is highly qualified and all go above and beyond the call of duty,” said Ralph.

Ralph said that she finds teaching middle school challenging but rewarding at the same time. Reflecting how most students in that age range are still trying to find themselves, Ralph said that the students are “constantly trying on different personas. They need to know they are cared for and are needed. It is rewarding to obtain a trusting, meaningful rapport with students as they enthusiastically grow and mature from the first day they walk into my class.”

Having been involved in 4-H and FFA for 13 years, Ralph said that it has been a lifelong goal of hers to educate and promote awareness about the importance of agriculture to students who may be unaware about the critical role it plays in their day-to-day lives. “I believe that education is the foundation of success and through my course, students develop various life skills to become active, contributing citizens to today’s society,” said Ralph. “I became a teacher to not only make a difference in a child’s life, but to prepare students for the future, as they are the future.”

While she attended CANR, Ralph said that her education helped her learn about various aspects of the agriculture industry, from taking classes on animal science and plant and soil science to agribusiness and natural resource management, among others. “By taking these various courses, I was able to expand my knowledge base in the agriculture industry; thus preparing me to teach various courses as an agriculture educator,” said Ralph.

Ralph also noted that she particularly enjoyed her study abroad trip to New Zealand, where she learned about pastoral livestock production, and that she enjoyed professors such as Patricia Barber, a retired faculty member from the Department of Applied Economics and Statistics, David Frey, associate professor and assistant Chair in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, and Ed Kee, retired University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Specialist and University alumnus.

The person who she originally learned about agriculture from, however, was her grandmother. “As a young girl, I remember helping my grandmother in her garden, digging in the dirt, having fun, not realizing at that time she was teaching me to appreciate our environment. She was planting the seeds for me to grow and aspire in a way to continue my journey to learn more about my passion for plants and agriculture.”

For any current students who are hoping to one day become teachers themselves, Ralph offered some words of wisdom stressing the importance of preparation and passion in teaching. “The advice I would give to a future teacher is to show your passion in your lessons and planning; show the students that you are there for them to learn and you will stop at nothing for them to succeed.”

Article by Adam Thomas

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Don Tilmon receives College of the Ozarks Meritorious Award

November 5, 2012 under CANR News

Don Tilmon, professor in the Department of Applied Economics and Statistics (APEC), has received the 2012 Meritorious Award for Distinguished Achievement from the College of the Ozarks where he earned his associate degree in 1963.

Tilmon received his master’s degree at the University of Delaware and then eventually returned to UD, where he has worked for 34 years. He served as the Cooperative Extension farm management specialist and the director of the Northeast Center for Risk Management Education, which was established at UD in 2001. It is one of four regional centers that conduct the Extension Risk Management Education Program. Tilmon provided leadership for developing the program while he was serving as the national program leader for risk management education, during one of three separate one-year Inter-Agency Personnel assignments at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Tilmon also received a bachelor of science degree from the University of Missouri in 1965 and his doctorate from Purdue University in 1971.

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Byers named FFA Agriculture Ambassador, Jones wins FFA Alumni Scholarship

September 13, 2012 under CANR News

University of Delaware student Jenna Byers has been named an FFA National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassador for the second year in a row, while UD student Jake Jones has received an FFA Alumni Scholarship.

Jenna Byers

One of only 20 students nationwide to be named a National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassador, Byers said that it felt great to be named for the second year in a row and joked that she was, “really happy to find out that I had done ‘Ok’ the first time around.”

As a National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassador, Byers is required to complete 30 hours of presentations, which she will give to high schools and clubs and organizations, in order to raise awareness of the importance of agriculture and develop and implement sustainable agricultural awareness programs to inspire and motivate local communities.

Through the FFA’s National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassador program, more than 103,700 people have learned the value of agriculture, with 88 students from 29 states having served as ambassadors giving 2,160 presentations in 34 states and three foreign countries.

Byers, pictured in the front row, third from the left, with her fellow FFA National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassadors

Arba Henry, instructor in the Department of Applied Economics and Statistics and faculty advisor for the University of Delaware’s Collegiate FFA, said of Byers being named for the second year in a row, “Jenna was the first member of our chapter to be so honored. She is an excellent representative of our chapter, College, and University at the national Level.”

As a second year ambassador, Byers, who majors in food and agribusiness marketing and management, said that she is able to not only learn from her experiences the first time around, but also to share those experiences with her fellow ambassadors. “In addition to being able to do the presentations to different schools and different audiences, I can also work with first year ambassadors and help them.”

It also helps that she can reflect on the presentations she conducted during her first year in the program as she said, “I can pick out probably something from every presentation that I did that I wish I had done differently.”

The most important lesson that she learned, however, was that flexibility is key. “When you’re working with kids, nothing is going to go exactly the way that you planned it but if you have an idea of what you want to talk about in general, you can go in and have a good time and make sure that the students come away with the information. You don’t always have to stick right to the plan.”

Last year, Byers was able to talk with preschool students about how milk gets from a dairy farm to their refrigerator, and had a Girl Scout Troop make ice cream in a bag, which was a good tie in for the UDairy Creamery, where Byers works as marketing manager.

Although she plans to conduct talks at schools and with younger kids again this year, Byers also said that she wants to incorporate more talks geared towards civic organizations. These talks will be more conversational and aimed at addressing topics currently going on in the country, like the drought farmers faced over the summer.

“I’m hoping to be able to talk a lot about the drought situation and the fact that corn prices because of the drought are going to be spiking soon and the effect that we’re going to see from that,” said Byers.  “A lot of people who aren’t directly involved in agriculture just see the prices fluctuating and they don’t know the reasons behind it, so I’m hoping to be able to bring some light to that situation.”

Byers also said that being named a National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassador has had a great impact on recognition for the First State. “The cool thing now is that we have someone from Oregon so now our little slogan is ‘Reaching from Oregon to Delaware.’ So Delaware got a little shout out there, and every time somebody says it I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s me.’”

Jake Jones

Jones, a sophomore studying plant science in UD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, explained that the award he received was “a scholarship awarded to a Delaware high school senior or college student who is studying agriculture.”

Jones has been involved with FFA for four years, three in high school and one at UD, and he heard about the opportunity through an e-mail sent out by Henry.

Henry said of Jones receiving the award, “Jake has been and continues to be an active member of our chapter. Over the summer, Jake interned at the UD Carvel Research Center in vegetable research. During his freshmen year, Jake maintained the highest GPA of all Collegiate FFA freshmen members.”

Jones said that his favorite part about FFA is, “the opportunity for scholarships and community involvement.”

Article by Adam Thomas

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Natural Resource Management turns out law school students, legal professionals

August 7, 2012 under CANR News

Renee Connor had wanted to be a lawyer since high school and thanks to the University of Delaware’s Natural Resource Management (NRM) program, she is well on her way to achieving her goal. Connor has been accepted into the University of Maryland’s Francis King Carey School of Law.

Connor, who graduated from UD in 2012 with a double major in NRM and political science, said that after figuring out that she wanted to pursue a career in law, she had to decide which branch of law she wanted to study. “When I looked into environmental law, that seemed like something I’d be really interested in,” she said, adding that it made sense to major in NRM to pursue a career in that field.

The NRM program, housed in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, helped Connor in many ways but she said that perhaps the most significant benefit was providing her with enriching and diverse coursework. “I took a lot of classes in different areas,” said Connor. “I took economics classes, science classes and policy classes, and I feel like it was a good major to prepare me for law school because you have to understand a wide range of topics to do environmental law.”

Steve Hastings, professor in the Department of Applied Economics and Statistics and at the Agricultural Experiment Center, said of Connor’s acceptance into law school, “Renee was a very focused student who knew she wanted to be an attorney — she worked hard to achieve that goal.”

Hastings echoed Connor’s sentiments about the plethora of educational opportunities afforded to those who choose to major in NRM.

“NRM is an excellent interdisciplinary major that exposes students to both physical and social sciences,” said Hastings. “It is this mix that makes it a great preparation for law school or graduate school in a variety of areas. In fact, which area to pursue is the hardest decision the students have to make.”

Connor joins a number of NRM graduates who have gone on to law school and become lawyers. Among them is Kristen DeWire, a 2004 UD graduate who works as an assistant attorney general in the office of the attorney general in Maryland. Specifically, her role is to represent the Maryland Department of the Environment.

DeWire said that she decided to study NRM at UD because of her love of outdoor activities such as camping and hiking. She also said that she thought she would be more successful in the policy side of environmental issues instead of “focusing on environmental science or environmental engineering.”

She also enjoyed the fact that the NRM major would give her a diverse group of classes from which to choose. “Being able to do analysis and analytical writing through communications, economics and environmental law classes, and from internship experiences, was really helpful in terms of being able to think critically and analytically about applying theories to particular sets of facts, which is a lot of what legal practice is.”

DeWire added that the science classes she took, from soil science to geology, provided her a head start when it comes to examining legal cases in those areas and the work has proven beneficial when talking with experts and preparing for cases.

DeWire also said that the small classes sizes, the excellent faculty and the “family environment” of CANR added a lot to her undergraduate experience.

Internship opportunities

One thing that Connor and DeWire have in common is that they both took advantage of an internship opportunity while they were undergraduates in the NRM program.

Connor worked at UD’s Garden for the Community, an internship she said she really enjoyed because it gave her a hands-on experience working outdoors.

DeWire had two internships during her time at UD, both sponsored by CANR’s Delaware Water Resources Center. The first involved working on a paper focusing on the impact of a Supreme Court ruling on the federal jurisdiction over wetlands in Delaware, and the second involved her working at the Water Resources Agency (WRA) surveying a stream running through UD’s campus and making recommendations for restoration.

Article by Adam Thomas

This article can also be viewed on UDaily.

 

 

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Department of Food and Resource Economics name change

June 20, 2012 under CANR News

The Department of Food and Resource Economics (FREC) will change its name to the Department of Applied Economics and Statistics (APEC) effective July 1.

Titus Awokuse, chair of APEC, said that the name change was necessary in order to fully encapsulate the department’s wide range of academic programs and scholarly activites, as well as to inform the University of Delaware community which department housed the statistics program. Awokuse also said that the name change follows a national trend showing “movement toward the name ‘applied economics’ because it better captures the comprehensive nature of economics research we do that covers every aspect of the complexities of the  food and fiber industry,  which includes agricultural production issues, local and multinational agribusiness marketing, international trade, and environmental and natural resource policies.”

Continuing, Awokuse said, “I believe the new name will better position our department in the recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students nationally and internationally and help draw more attention to the innovative and multidisciplinary research conduced by our faculty in applied economics and statistics.”

 

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