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Seniors Kramer and Allen recognized with UDAA’s Taylor, Warner awards

May 9, 2013 under CANR News

Warner/Taylor award winnersUniversity of Delaware seniors Max Logan Kramer and Melanie Allen have been selected as the recipients of the Alexander J. Taylor Sr. and Emalea Pusey Warner awards, respectively, as the outstanding man and woman of the 2013 graduating class.

The awards are given annually by the UD Alumni Association to recognize the senior man and woman who most exemplify leadership, academic success and community service.

Melanie Allen

Warner Award recipient Melanie Allen, of Uniondale, N.Y., is an Honors Program student and double major in wildlife conservation and agriculture and natural resources, with a minor in public policy.

Her areas of academic interest include ecology, conservation biology, wildlife management, community-based conservation and environmental policy.

Allen, who maintains a 3.64 grade point average (GPA), has received more than half a dozen academic awards and distinctions, including Dean’s List, Honors Enrichment Award, U.S. Forest Service Sustainability Fellowship and the African American Student of Distinction.

A member of the Alpha Lambda Delta honor society, Allen has studied abroad in Costa Rica and Ghana, leading community service projects and presenting research findings in those countries, and soon plans to travel to Brazil.

A budding leader in sustainability and conservation, Allen has held many volunteer and leadership roles, including serving as a volunteer for the Center for Environmental Impact Analysis in Ghana.

She has been a leader in UD’s Alternative Spring Break program, in which she led two groups in trail restoration and maintenance in South Carolina and Tennessee, and as a representative for the Green Liaison Committee of the UD Sustainability Task Force. She also was a volunteer intern at the Wildlife Hospital at Caumsett State Historic Park in Lloyd Harbor, N.Y.

Allen also served as an Honors Program Writing Fellow and as an Ag Ambassador for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Kristin Bennighoff, associate director of the UD Honors Program who nominated Allen, said the senior is a first-generation American as well as a first-generation college student. “Just as Mrs. Warner was a leader in education for women at the University of Delaware … Melanie has been a leader utilizing service and research to provide educational outreach both here in the United States and abroad,” Bennighoff said in her nomination letter.

Raymond I. Peters III, coordinator of the Writing Fellows Program, said Allen is a “highly motivated young woman who has already made a difference at the University of Delaware.”

To read about Max Logan Kramer, check out the full article on UDaily.

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UD’s Hanson lands internship at Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research

April 16, 2013 under CANR News

UD student Sierra Hanson interns at Tri-State Bird Rescue and ResearchUniversity of Delaware student Sierra Hanson likes to vary her interests each semester and now, having volunteered at and secured a summer internship with Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research, that interest is birds.

Hanson, a junior majoring in wildlife conservation in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said that while last spring she was interested in herpetology — doing a lot of hands-on work in her class with salamanders, snakes and turtles — she is now in full bird mode. “Birds are definitely right up there in my interests, it really just depends on what I’m doing at the moment,” said Hanson.

Volunteering for Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research since last fall, Hanson — who is also an Ag Ambassador, a Blue Hen Ambassador and a founding member of the Entomology Club at UD — said that she is at the Newark center most Saturdays and Sundays from 1-6 p.m. Hanson admits that while she hasn’t “been volunteering there for very long, I still feel like I know my way around because I’ve been there so frequently.”

While on the job, Hanson does a lot of husbandry work, cleaning up cages and scrubbing down equipment, but she also gets to do many activities directly with the birds.

Among the more memorable experiences for Hanson were when she got to handle a red-shouldered hawk, and when she traveled into Pennsylvania to rescue an owl that had lodged itself in the chimney of a house.

“I took all my gear out there and I caught their screech owl. They had made it seem like it was a great horned owl so I was really prepared for this giant monster, and then there’s just like this little tiny owl,” said Hanson. “There was nothing wrong with him but we took him back [to the organization’s center] and made sure he was all good because in a chimney he could have inhaled ash and his whole plumage could have been messed up. We gave him the once over, he was good and I brought him back to that neighborhood that week and released him.”

Hanson was also recently trained as a bird care assistant, so she is now able to tube feed the birds and administer medication to those in need.

Even when she is doing the husbandry work, Hanson said she likes it because she knows “even if I’m only mopping floors one week, I’ve indirectly helped that bird to get back on the wing.”

Her favorite part of the job is when she gets to help release a bird that has been in the rescue center. “We released an eagle in January and that was just really cool to put the eagle down in the field and then watch it fly away,” said Hanson. “It’s kind of bittersweet because you’re like, ‘Oh, I loved you, but now you’re better and you can go and fly and that’s great.’ But I think that’s the best part, just making a difference and making the birds able to go back out into the wild and live their full lives.”

Hanson is also learning her fair share about birds, specifically that old sayings and habits may not always be correct. For instance, Hanson said that the phrase “eats like a bird” is misleading as it implies that birds eat very little when “in reality, birds eat a ton. They have to expend a lot of energy when they’re flying.”

Hanson said that with hatching season right around the corner, usually lasting from late spring to late summer, she will get to see firsthand how much they eat as there will be baby birds who must be fed every 20 minutes.

She also has come to realize through her work that when she and her mother used to feed ducks at the local library, they may not having been helping the ducks as much as they thought. While feeding the ducks was fun she now understands one “should never feed ducks bread because it’s really unhealthy for them.”

The amount of care that goes into an animal rehabilitation center was also eye opening for Hanson. “You just don’t realize the wide variety of foods that the birds eat and then also the different types of care that you have to give them while they’re in human custody and are being rehabilitated.”

She said that it’s not just Tri-State but other rehabilitation centers that need all sorts of help and various donations to keep them going. “A lot of different work and different donations go into these places, so they really do need as much help as we can give them.”

For UD students interested in volunteering, Hanson said that she would recommend it. “I wish I had started when I was a freshman or a sophomore because I’m a junior now and I’m getting a lot of experience. I wish that I had started earlier just so I could be further into the process at this point,” said Hanson.

She noted that the center is only about four miles from the UD main campus, off Possum Park Road near the Paper Mill Road intersection, so students can reach it easily.

Article by Adam Thomas

Photos by Danielle Quigley

This article can also be viewed on UDaily.

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Ag Day to feature interactive exhibits, demonstration, music, food and more

April 10, 2013 under CANR News, Events

AG Day 2013 set for April 27Ag Day, the annual event held by the University of Delaware’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), is once again fast approaching. Students, faculty and the greater Newark community are encouraged to come out from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, April 27, for great food, music and, of course, interactive educational exhibits and demonstrations about agriculture and natural resources.

Organized by staff and students of CANR, Ag Day works with more than 90 organizations to bring hands-on exhibits, demonstrations and activities for kids and adults alike. From petting a farm animal or racing cockroaches, to listening to local bands and enjoying the UDairy Creamery’s newest flavors, there is plenty to keep visitors busy all day.

Ag Day will be held at CANR’s Townsend Hall, located at 531 South College Ave. in Newark. Admission and parking are free, with minimal charges for food, crafts, vendor sales and hayrides, with the profits going back to student and community organizations.

Those who attend are encouraged to visit the popular Ag Day plant sales offered by the UD Botanic Gardens, New Castle County Master Gardeners and Horticulture Club.

New this year are an Insect Zoo offered by the UD Entomology Club, horse=drawn wagon rides, a live herpetology display and more demonstrations than ever before. Live demonstrations throughout the day include two free-flight bird demonstrations from Behavior and Training Solutions, tree-climbing demonstrations from Bartlett Tree Services, dairy cow showmanship, sheep shearing, beekeeping, food canning and preservation, Seeing Eye dog demonstrations, gardening tips and more.

Bands performing all include at least one member who works for the college, and include Tater Patch, Dodging Cupid, The Hook and The Essentials.

Visitors are encouraged to use parking lots at UD’s Science and Technology Campus, ice arenas, Delaware Field House and Delaware Stadium, and also to use SEPTA/DART parking lots. Please use cross walks and obey all signs and signals. Those with handicapped tags are encouraged to enter near the Delaware Field House and proceed toward the UDairy Creamery for designated parking.

For the safety of the live animal exhibits, visitors are asked to leave their pets at home.

Ag Day 2013 is made possible through the support of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ag College Council, Delaware Livable Lawns and additional sponsors.

For general information, FAQs, a full list of exhibitors and the day’s music and demonstration schedule, visit the Ag Day website.

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University and Herr’s renew commitment

February 22, 2013 under CANR News

The University of Delaware and Herr’s have renewed their commitment, assuring that a longstanding and fruitful relationship will remain strong into the future.

The agreement will see Herr’s products return to the UD campus beginning this spring and includes opportunities for tours of the Herr’s plant and cattle farm for students and faculty in support of the education mission of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR).

Herr's and UD continue their relationshipAlso, the agreement provides for the consideration of qualified CANR students to participate in formal internships at Herr’s; continued support for other UD educational activities, including workshops on topics such as beef cattle quality assurance; participation of Herr’s representatives at UD career fairs, and consideration of qualified UD students for employment opportunities.

Herr’s has been extremely helpful to UD over the years, especially when it comes to CANR, college officials said.

According to Lesa Griffiths, professor in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Herr’s was instrumental in helping equip UD with an Angus cattle herd. In particular, she cited the efforts of Dennis Byrne, manager of Herr Angus Farm and a 1977 UD graduate who was recently named an Ag Distinguished Alumni.

“I came to UD in the late 1980s, and I was tasked with oversight of the beef cattle herd,” said Griffiths. She explained that at the time, UD’s herd consisted of a half-dozen crossbred animals that were not suitable to tell students were representative of beef cattle.

Griffiths looked at various farms, planning to purchase cattle in order to start the new program, and met Byrne. “Through Dennis, Herr’s was very instrumental in providing us with some of our initial breeding stock,” said Griffiths. “So, essentially, the Angus cattle herd at UD was started with the assistance of Dennis Byrne and Herr’s.”

Byrne said he has had great experiences working with CANR and noted that when he returned to campus to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award, he was excited to see both the research being done at CANR and the job opportunities afforded to those who graduate from the college.

“The opportunities that [CANR] is creating for people in that field is really impressive,” Byrne said. “In my opinion, they’re going to continue to be on the cutting edge in the agriculture world.”

In addition to the cattle herd, Herr’s has also helped CANR in other ways. The company, for instance, has a working cattle operation with 1,000 head of Angus that includes a feedlot, something that Griffiths stressed is very rare in the eastern part of the United States.

“Herr’s has a feedlot that is utilizing byproduct feeds from the manufacturing plant. They have very strict environmental standards to follow because they are dealing with not only the waste from the snack food manufacturing but also waste from the cattle operation,” said Griffiths. “So it’s a great place for students to go to look at all of the different things that are in place to deal with the environment and sustainability.”

Daryl Thomas, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Herr’s, explained that the students have also learned about how Herr’s recycles its wastewater, about its irrigation program, how the company utilizes recycled packaging and about its state of the art fuel saving program — the Herr’s plant is equipped with a steam recovery system.

Nutrition and food science classes have also toured the Herr’s plant, and students have participated in workshops. One such workshop, Griffiths pointed out, was a beef quality assurance workshop at which Byrne showed students how to handle beef cattle, using a load of cattle Herr’s had just brought in from Virginia as an example of how to give vaccines and to see what happens in an intake situation with a large number of livestock arriving at a new farm.

But it isn’t just CANR that benefits from the relationship with Herr’s. Thomas explained that he has also been able to give presentations to many business and marketing students, as well.

“I have been a guest lecturer, and I was trying to calculate how long I have lectured for over the years — if it was 100 hours, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration,” said Thomas.

Thomas said that Herr’s is always receptive to doing events with UD, whether it be a company representative speaking at a class, UD students using Herr’s as part of their class projects, or CANR students from touring the Herr’s farm to learn about sustainability practices.

“I would just say that we’ve been really good neighbors,” said Thomas. “We obviously have done business with UD in terms of selling our products on campus and so many of our employees reside in Delaware. We’ve had members of our management team get their master of business administration (MBA) degrees from UD, and we have also provided internships, so it’s the kind of an agreement in which the door is open and the receptivity is very warm.”

Article by Adam Thomas

Photo by Danielle Quigley

This article can also be viewed on UDaily.

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UD Embarks on New Study Abroad to Cambodia, Vietnam

December 18, 2012 under CANR News

January 2013 marks the beginning of an exciting journey for 12 adventurous students at the University of Delaware. In their Winter Study Abroad session, these students will embark on the University’s first expedition to Cambodia and Vietnam. The goal of this 27-day program is to give students the opportunity to explore the rich wildlife and unique history of Cambodia and Vietnam, while at the same time fulfilling two Wildlife Conservation courses: Conservation of Southeast Asian Wildlife and People and Wildlife of Southeast Asia. The students will venture on this journey with an Art study abroad program fulfilling–Indigenous Arts of Southeast Asia and Documentary Photography–led by Jon Cox, assistant professor of art.

The students will be blogging about their experience throughout winter session.

“All of our [conservation] programs have a human component, and look at how humans impact conservation. South East Asia has a long history, dating back much farther than most areas of the world,” says Jacob Bowman, associate professor of wildlife ecology, and one of the faculty members leading the study abroad session.

According to Bowman, these war-torn countries offer students an unusual view on culture and wildlife, as many of the region’s mountainous areas have been mostly untouched by humans (other than guerillas) throughout the war, thereby preserving the habitats of the indigenous animals.

“There are still tigers, elephants, leopards and a lot of large mammals left in some of these remote areas, partially because for a long time it was dangerous for people to go into these areas,” Bowman explains.

The program begins in Vietnam, where students visit ancient temples of Angkor Wat, journey through the Mekong River and the dated tunnels used in the Vietnam War. Next, in Cambodia, students will experience unique wildlife and learn first-hand about conservation issues. Students will study Cambodia’s history and people by visiting various locations, including sacred temples and the historical killing fields, where large numbers of people were killed after the Cambodian Civil War. It is from this visit to the killing fields that Bowman expects students to be the most affected.

“When you go there and see a tower of skulls from all the people that have been killed, it’s a powerful experience. Hopefully students walk away realizing how bad humans can be, and how we continue to not learn from our own historical mistakes.”

A strong conservation issue to be examined is how overpopulated countries over-hunt their wildlife, and how these countries could benefit from developing an eco-friendly balance. Says Bowman, “Because it [Asia] has such a large population, it tends to overexploit its resources. There is almost no wildlife here because of the economic dilemma. People care about the wildlife, but their situation prevents them from conserving. They are just trying to feed their families and survive day to day.”

While Bowman says the University supported his choice of studying in Cambodia and Vietnam, the group is still being careful in these areas. UD students will interact with students from The Royal University of Phnom Penh and will predominantly stay in hotels throughout the trip, as it is safer than camping.

Bowman, who along with Cox, has run numerous study abroad programs to Tanzania, Australia, and Antarctica, is very excited for this new trip, and for the students. “Being able to interact with the students in a way where you can get them thinking about things cognitively instead of just strict classroom assignments is very satisfying. If something happens, the group is small enough to talk about it.” He relates a story that on one of his trips to Africa, he came face to face with a lion at night. “Stuff like that is hard to put into words, but particular things happen on every trip, and that is what builds impressions.”

What Bowman really hopes each student walks away with is a new point of view. He hopes this journey will open their eyes about the challenges of conservation on an international arena, where they will witness a form of living very different from their own.

According to Carly Costello, a UD junior majoring in animal science and taking this in-demand program, “It’s all about the first-hand experience. I’m excited to experience another culture; everyday things that we think are ordinary are so different to them, and vice versa.”

Article by Samantha Walsh, UD Wildlife Conservation and Communication junior

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Interfraternity Council, 4-H club assist Blue Hens CAN food drive

November 14, 2012 under CANR News

Blue Hens CAN — a joint venture of the University of Delaware’s College of Health Sciences (CHS), the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) and the Food Bank of Delaware – features a UD food collection bus parked at a different campus location each day of this week to accept items donated by the campus community and transport them to the Food Bank of Delaware at the end of the day.

With the Interfraternity Council accepting donations Tuesday at the drop off location at the Laird Campus, several fraternities and individual members of the UD community combined to donate more than 600 canned goods to the Food Bank of Delaware.

In addition to the contributions made by members of the UD community on the Newark campus, members of the UD community in southern Delaware got involved, as well. The Sussex County Clover Knights 4-H Club pooled their efforts and dropped off their donation to Blue Hens CAN collection site at the Carvel Research and Education Center in Georgetown.

The total on Tuesday came to 737 pounds of food donated, according to a representative of the Food Bank of Delaware.

“The fact that we are getting donations not only from the Newark campus but also from UD sites in southern Delaware is phenomenal,” said Adam Thomas, communications specialist in CANR. “It really speaks volumes about the UD community’s willingness to give to those in need.”

Blue Hens CAN continues Wednesday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with the collection bus to be parked at Mentors’ Circle in the same location as on Monday.

The Occupational Therapy Club will be on hand volunteering to collect donations.

Photo by Bo Waller

This article can also be viewed on UDaily.

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UD WATER undergraduate internships available

August 31, 2012 under CANR News

Three undergraduate internship opportunities are available to work with the University of Delaware Watershed Action Team for Ecological Restoration (WATER) project during the fall 2012 semester through the spring 2013 semester.

Interns may work up to 150 hours, paid at $10 per hour, and will have an opportunity to gain experience in areas such as geohydrology, ecological engineering, soil and water conservation, water resources management, and environmental education.

Internship requirements include an overall GPA of 3.0 or greater, the willingness to work in both the fall 2012 and spring 2013 semesters and to participate in periodic project meetings with the UD WATER team.

Interested students should visit the Delaware Water Resources Center website to download an application.

The deadline to apply for the internship is Friday, Sept. 28.

Applications should be sent to Maria Pautler, research associate in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Department of Plant and Soil Sciences.

The UD WATER Project is a multi-disciplinary project focused on water resource management and water quality, with an emphasis on practices and programs that minimize UD’s impact on the White Clay creek, a wild and scenic river whose tributaries flow through the UD campus, and the Christina River.

The UD WATER Project team currently consists of faculty and professionals associated with the Delaware Water Resources Center, the UD Water Resources Agency, the Delaware Geological Survey, the University’s Stormwater Management and Grounds programs, and the City of Newark.

Interns will be selected and can begin work on their projects by October 5, 2012.

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UD researchers show how beneficial soil bacteria can boost plant immunity

August 29, 2012 under CANR News

With the help of beneficial bacteria, plants can slam the door when disease pathogens come knocking, University of Delaware researchers have discovered.

A scientific team under the leadership of Harsh Bais, assistant professor of plant and soil sciences in UD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, found that when pathogens attempt to invade a plant through the tiny open pores in its leaves, a surprising ally comes to the rescue. Soil bacteria at the plant’s roots signal the leaf pores to close, thwarting infection.

The fascinating defense response is documented in video and micrographs of live plants taken by confocal and scanning electron microscopes at UD’s Bio-Imaging Center at the Delaware Biotechnology Institute.

The research, which explored the interaction between the soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis and the laboratory plant Arabidopsis thaliana, is published in the August issue of The Plant Journal. The findings underscore both the importance of root-based processes in plant defense and the potential for bolstering plant immunity naturally through the emerging field of probiotics.

Postdoctoral researcher Amutha Sampath Kumar is the lead author of the journal article. In addition to Bais, the co-authors include postdoctoral researcher Venkatachalam Lakshmanan, researchers Jeffrey L. Caplan, Deborah Powell and Kirk J. Czymmek of UD’s Bio-Imaging Center, and Delphis F. Levia, associate professor of geography. The National Science Foundation, University of Delaware Research Foundation and Delaware Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) provided funding for the study.

Millions of stomata, consisting of microscopic pores surrounded by guard cells, cover the above-ground parts of plants, from the stems to the flower petals. The pores resemble tiny mouths, or doors, which the guard cells open and close to allow carbon dioxide, oxygen, water and minerals in and out of the plant.

Pathogens also can slip through these stomata and begin infecting the plant. However, as Bais’s team confirmed, this invasion is halted when the beneficial bacterium Bacillus subtilis is present in the soil where the plant is rooted. The finding was based on tests of approximately 3,000 Arabidopsis plants inoculated with the foliar pathogenPseudomonas syringae pathovar tomato DC3000 (PstDC3000) during a year-long period.

When a foliar pathogen attacks, as shown in previous research by Bais and his group, the plant recruits Bacillus subtilis to help and facilitates its multiplication. The Bacillus subtilisbacteria bind to the plant’s roots and invoke abscisic acid and salicylic acid signaling pathways to close the stomata.

Abscisic acid and salicylic acid are both important hormones involved in plant defense. When a plant encounters adverse environmental conditions, such as drought, for example, abscisic acid triggers the stomata to shut tightly to prevent the plant from dehydrating.

In addition to ramping up plant disease resistance, the use of this rhizobacteria to promote drought tolerance in plants could be a very promising avenue, Bais notes.

“Many bacterial pathogens invade plants primarily through stomata on the leaf surface,” Bais says. “But how do plants fight off infection? In our studies of the whole plant, we see this active enlistment by Bacillus subtilis, from root to shoot.”

Strikingly, the research team’s data revealed that of different root-associated soil bacteria tested, only Bacillus species were effective in closing the stomata and for a prolonged period.

“We know only 1 to 5 percent of what this bug Bacillus subtilis can do, but the potential is exciting,” Bais notes, pointing out that there is increasing commercial interest in inoculating crop seeds with beneficial bacteria to reduce pathogen infection. “Just as you can boost your immune system, plants also could be supercharged for immunity.”

Article by Tracey Bryant

Photo by Ambre Alexander

This article can also be viewed on UDaily.

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CANR Summer Institute starts scholars on road to success

August 23, 2012 under CANR News

As the University of Delaware’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Summer Institute comes to a close, this year’s participants, Bianca Riddick and Walker Jones, are heading home having completed research projects and gotten a feel for the UD campus.

“I think it’s going to be bittersweet,” said Riddick. “I’m going to miss it when I’m ready to go home. It’s grown on me.”

The 10-week Summer Institute is designed for underrepresented populations of undergraduate students who have an interest in pursuing graduate degrees in the agricultural and natural resource sciences. It is intended to provide these students with an opportunity to learn about the varied and exciting opportunities available in graduate education at the college.

Bianca Riddick

Riddick, who will be a junior at Norfolk (Va.) State University as a pre-med student majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry, said that her time at the Summer Institute was instructive as she conducted research for the first time on a subject out of her normal area of study: rice.

“I never thought I’d be working with rice,” said Riddick. “I really don’t care too much for rice, but some people depend on rice so it’s good to contribute to the research of this disease.”

The disease in question is known as “rice blast” and Riddick studied the interaction between the rice blast fungus and a bacterium that has the potential to be a bio-control agent for the disease. Specifically, Riddick looked at a handful of fungal genes in rice blast to see how they react — if they turn on or off — to the bacterium in order to get a better idea of how the disease-causing agent is defending itself against the bio-control agent.

The reason behind looking for a bio-control solution to the rice blast problem is that it has the potential to be more cost efficient and environmentally friendly than applying pesticides.

Riddick is studying in the laboratory of Nicole Donofrio, who said that she has been amazed at how quickly Riddick picks things up, especially since this is her first time conducting research.

Donofrio, assistant professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, said of Riddick, “she is one of those people who just gets it. A lot of people, when they first start research, and this was the case with me too when I was an undergrad, have a pretty shallow learning curve. I had to make a lot of mistakes and Bianca is a rare student because she retains all of this information we’re throwing at her on the first try.”

Donofrio said that she has been so impressed with Riddick this year that she is going to ask her to come back next summer.

Riddick said that she has really enjoyed her time at the Summer Institute, calling it “a really good experience. It has everything laid out for you, you just have to come here and give your time. And I think that it’s a really good eye-opener.”

She also said that she has enjoyed the UDairy Creamery, with her favorite flavor being Cookies and Cream.

Walker Jones

Like Riddick, Jones also had to conduct research in an area outside of his wheelhouse.

As a senior at Virginia State University, Jones studies agricultural business and economics, but he spent the summer with Kent Messer helping him conduct a study on how beachgoers at Cape Henlopen and Rehoboth Beach would behave if there were offshore energy production providing renewable or lower energy costs but also affecting the aesthetics of the beach.

While conducting a study on the beach may sound like a summer job that is every undergraduate’s dream, Messer explained that Jones’ job was tougher than it sounds.

“This is actually really hard work. Going to the beach sounds really fun until you spend six days standing on the beach being told, ‘No, we will not participate in your study.’ And it’s 95 degrees, and you’re sweating and your relief is that you get to go hang out inside of a tent,” said Messer, associate professor in the Department of Applied Economics and Statistics.

Messer said that Jones was integral in getting the study conducted, as he conversed directly with state officials from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, getting the permission for the group to set up their tent at Cape Henlopen. Messer credited Jones with securing a “great spot” for the research project and said that it was a huge help to be able to give Jones such a high level of responsibility.

The research project involved having a computer simulation show participants images of wind turbines and oil drilling platforms as options for offshore energy. The participants were able to move the turbines or platforms closer or farther away from the beach, with the idea being that the closer the objects got, especially the wind turbines, the energy costs would be lower but the aesthetics of the beach would be affected.

Jones said that the group found that more people were open to the idea of having wind turbines present and closer to the shore, rather than oil platforms. “The (Gulf of Mexico) oil spill tragedy is still ringing true with some people and they don’t want that to happen again so when they see the picture of an oil platform they’d say, ‘No, I don’t like it,’” said Jones.

Jones said that he has enjoyed his time at UD, especially the fact that there are so many researchers on campus conducting a wide range of research in different departments.

He also said that he “really enjoyed how cooperative things went here, and how easily approachable the administration is around here.”

Tom Sims, CANR deputy dean and the T.A. Baker Professor of Plant and Soil Science, said that the Summer Institute was launched four years ago to “provide outstanding students such as Walker and Bianca with the opportunity to work with faculty mentors and learn more about graduate education in the agricultural and natural resource sciences.”

Sims continued that many of the 16 Summer Institute participants have “since entered graduate or professional schools both at UD and other top graduate programs. I’m sure that Walker’s exposure to the exciting new field of experimental economics and Bianca’s experiences in plant molecular biology have better prepared them for similar opportunities — we wish them well and look forward to continuing to work with similar dedicated students in the future.”

Article by Adam Thomas

Photos by Danielle Quigley and courtesy Kent Messer

This article can also be viewed on UDaily.

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Gelb Receives Poultry Research Award

August 21, 2012 under CANR News

Jack Gelb, Jr., chair of the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, was awarded The Bruce W. Calnek Applied Poultry 
Research Achievement Award at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Avian Pathologists (AAAP). The award is presented annually by the AAAP to an individual in recognition of their outstanding research contributions resulting 
in a measurable and practical impact on the control of important diseases of poultry.

Gelb was honored for his work related to the control avian infectious bronchitis virus, an important respiratory disease of chickens.

The Bruce W. Calnek Applied Poultry Research Achievement Award was first presented in 2004 as a result of a gift from 
Bruce Calnek of Cornell University.

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