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Â鶹ӳ»­ our College

A founding college of the University, we have a long tradition of excellence in teaching, research and engagement programs that benefit the health and economic vitality of Â鶹ӳ»­. We offer programs in:

  • agriculture, horticulture, rangeland & veterinary sciences
  • biochemistry & molecular biology
  • children, youth & families
  • community & economic development
  • health & nutrition
  • natural resources & environmental science
 

Â鶹ӳ»­ 4-H youth and families provide over 2,000 face masks for their communities

Extension called upon by those helping to manage the COVID-19 crisis

Claudene Wharton

When the Elko County Emergency Operations Center put in a call to their local Â鶹ӳ»­ Extension office saying they needed face masks, Extension’s 4-H youth and their families swung into action, making masks not only for the Operations Center, but also for their local School District nutrition services workers who are helping to serve lunches to students who receive free and reduced meals. Similarly, 4-H youth and their families in White Pine County were early responders to the need for masks, and have now made hundreds of masks for the William Bee Ririe Hospital and Rural Health Clinic in Ely.

Once the word got out that 4-Hers were helping to make masks, more requests started coming in.

“I’d say that requests are coming in faster than our 4-H members can sew,” said Jill Baker-Tingey, Extension educator in Elko County.

After these early efforts in Elko and Ely, Â鶹ӳ»­ 4-H launched a statewide service project to help provide face masks for all Â鶹ӳ»­ communities. Now, more than 2,000 masks have been provided by 4-H across Â鶹ӳ»­, spanning 10 counties, from Reno to Las Vegas, and from Carson City to Elko. The face masks have been donated to hospitals, hospices, health clinics, tribal healthcare, senior centers, emergency operations centers, school districts, state parole offices, and other collaborative mask-making projects.

In addition, over 100 other PPE-related items have been provided by the 4-H service project, including scrub hats, surgical gowns and ear bands/savers, which prevent ear strain and irritation for those wearing masks for extended periods.

Carrie Stark, Â鶹ӳ»­ 4-H program director with Extension, said, "The whole 4-H community has pitched in – our 4-H youth and their families, as well as 4-H alumni and volunteers."

 

4-H is a community of young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills

Members learn life skills, make new friends, enhance self-esteem, achieve personal goals, develop positive relationships with peers and volunteers, and have fun learning and sharing as a family and a club

 

Catch a falling star ... literally

How to collect micrometeorites in your own backyard in August

Don Deever

Timelapse of the Perseid Meteor Shower over the Black Rock DesertCatch a falling star this August using only a basin of water, a plastic cup, a magnet and a paper plate. Photo by Trevor Bexon.

Every year, there are nine meteor showers that are rated as "Class 1" events. These showers are the are most exciting to see and produce particles that fall from the sky that anyone can catch. The Perseid meteor shower is generally considered to be the finest meteor shower of the year. It is renowned for displaying up to 100 "shooting stars" per hour.

This year, the shower is predicted to peak Aug. 11-13, so mark your calendars now and gather a few simple supplies to prepare to "catch a falling star." It's a simple, yet exciting, science project a child of any age can enjoy. Gazing upon these extraterrestrial visitors brings lasting memories and connects Earth-bound mortals to the wonders of infinite space from our own backyards.

There’s still a whole Universe out there— reach for the stars

"I’ll be sharing this project with our 4-H youth here in Â鶹ӳ»­, for whom Extension is continuing to provide at-home and online STEM programs, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But, it’s an interesting and uplifting activity we can all enjoy." -Assistant Professor & Extension Educator Don Deever

 

University offers agricultural crop research tours at Field Day in Fallon

Research being done on drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant crops

Claudene Wharton

chickpea plantChickpeas are one of the crops being researched by Extension at the Experiment Station Fallon Research Center.
Photo by Maninder K. Walia.

Agriculture producers and others are invited to get a first-hand look at crop trials and research being conducted in northern Â鶹ӳ»­ by the University's College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources. Field Day in Fallon is free and open to the public, and will take place 9:30-10:30 a.m., Aug. 12, at the College Experiment Station’s Fallon Research Center, 2053 Schurz Highway, as well as at two local farms.

"With a limited water supply, we are always looking for drought-tolerant crops for long-term sustainability," said Maninder K. Walia, assistant professor and field crop specialist with the College's Extension unit. "We are also looking at crops in high demand that our producers are interested in growing."

The Field Day will include walking tours and discussions of crops being researched at the Experiment Station and at two local farms. The crops currently being researched at the Experiment Station include chickpeas, dry beans, and ag and forage soybeans. Walia will discuss plant traits of these crops, including early maturity, forage nutrient content, biomass production and drought tolerance.

"There has been a good deal of interest in growing hemp from local producers, so we wanted to do some crop trials based on our growing conditions here in northern Â鶹ӳ»­," she said.

This spring, Walia also began a three-year butternut squash crop trial at Rick Lattin’s Lattin Farms. There were four varieties planted in mid-May. The varieties are being evaluated in terms of quality, taste, consumer demand, ability to grow in Â鶹ӳ»­’s climate and overall yield.

"There is a high demand from casinos in particular for butternut squash," Walia said. "They use it for soup and other recipes."

At the Field Day, Walia will also discuss opportunities to partner with the University to develop new cropping systems adapted to northern Â鶹ӳ»­.

Fallon Field Day on, Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day off

Due to continued uncertainty surrounding the novel coronavirus, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day. Held each fall in Reno, this event showcases the teaching, research and outreach of our College and its Experiment Station and Extension units. We will miss this opportunity to inform and interact with the members of our community, but feel this is the best decision to protect the health and safety of Â鶹ӳ»­ns. Please visit the coronavirus information page for ongoing updates from the Â鶹ӳ»­.

If you would like to keep up to date on the happenings of our College, please subscribe to our newsletter.

Thank you for your continued interest in our College and its work, and we look forward to seeing you at Â鶹ӳ»­ Field Day in 2021.

Sincerely,

Bill Payne,
Dean of the College

Expanding knowledge for Â鶹ӳ»­

"Extension is working to bring University and Experiment Station research to our communities to enhance people’s lives. One portion of my job is to determine needs or issues related to crops and resource use within our state and work to address those needs. I invite your input on these needs." -Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist Maninder Walia

 

Assistant professor conducts research on water management for Â鶹ӳ»­ climate

Manuel Alejandro Andrade-Rodriguez joins College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources

Hannah Alfaro

Manuel Alejandro Andrade RodriguezManuel Alejandro Andrade-Rodriguez is working to help farmers more efficiently irrigate crops in Â鶹ӳ»­’s harsh climates. Photo by Robert Moore, Extension.

Â鶹ӳ»­’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources welcomes new Assistant Professor Manuel Alejandro Andrade-Rodriguez to the Department of Agriculture, Veterinary & Rangeland Sciences and the Environmental Sciences Interdisciplinary Graduate Program.

Andrade-Rodriguez is investigating how to improve irrigation management in Â鶹ӳ»­’s arid and semi-arid climates. With the state’s harsh weather and low precipitation, conservation and proper use of water is essential for successful crops. As part of the College’s Experiment Station, he is working to develop methods to help farmers know when to water their crops and how much water they need. Andrade-Rodriguez is also focusing on using different types of sensing systems, such as weather-, soil- and plant-sensing systems, and artificial intelligence to develop technologies that will help farmers know the most efficient way to irrigate crops.

His research will save water and improve how we irrigate crops

"Working at the University so far has been great, and my colleagues have been supportive of my research. We’ve been able to collaborate on different projects, and I’m excited to get back to my office and to the field." -Assistant Professor Manuel Alejandro Andrade-Rodriguez

 

Associate deans elected to regional and national leadership positions in academics and research

Chris Pritsos and Claus Tittiger selected for service with Association of Public and Land-grant Universities sections

Ashley Andrews

Chris PritsosChris Pritsos.

Claus TittigerClaus Tittiger.

Associate Dean of Research & Experiment Station Director Chris Pritsos and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Claus Tittiger were elected to regional and national leadership roles in the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

The association works to strengthen and advance public universities in three North American countries.

Pritsos was selected to be the next chair of the association's national group, Experiment Station Section. The section is made up of experiment station directors nationwide.

Pritsos is also completing his second year as chair of the section's Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors Executive Board, a board made up of experiment station directors from 13 states and four territories.

Tittiger was elected to serve as chair of the association's Western Region Academic Program Section Executive Board. The board is composed of associate deans of academic programs in colleges of agriculture from 13 states and four territories.

The pair will represent Â鶹ӳ»­ on a regional and national level through their work with the association to improve student success, address global challenges, advance society,  foster economic growth, deliver tomorrow's workforce and build vibrant communities.

Go where knowledge leads

Pritsos' and Tittiger's elections to prestigious roles in the organization is a testament to their expertise and to our College's reputation for world-improving research and high-impact education.

Growing a stronger Â鶹ӳ»­

Our programs work together to make an impact

Our teaching, research and engagement programs are intertwined and complement one another. Faculty who teach on campus also conduct research as part of our Experiment Station, allowing students to learn about and participate in research. Extension faculty engaging with communities identify research needs, as well as join Experiment Station faculty to conduct research. Faculty on campus help to develop Extension programs in communities.

Researching critical issues Experiment Station faculty conduct research at experiment stations, labs and research facilities across the state, as well as teach classes and share and conduct research with students. The state-federal partnership tackles issues affecting Â鶹ӳ»­'s citizens, communities and economy.
student researcher with plants in greenhouse
Teaching University students We offer 17 undergraduate and graduate degrees to prepare students for high-paying, in-demand careers in agriculture, rangeland & veterinary sciences; biochemistry & molecular biology; natural resources & environmental science; and nutrition.
students taking notes in the field
Engaging Â鶹ӳ»­ communities Extension is engaged in Â鶹ӳ»­ communities, presenting research-based knowledge to address critical community needs. The county-state-federal partnership provides practical education to people, businesses and communities, fulfilling the University's land-grant mission.
parents with children

Want to help grow Â鶹ӳ»­?

Consider making a contribution in support of classroom, lab or office space; graduate assistantships; student scholarships; or upgrades to the Â鶹ӳ»­ 4-H Camp. To learn more, please contact Mitch Klaich '02, director of development, at 775-682-6490.