TopicsSeptember 5, 2023
- Message from the Associate Vice-President and Director of Extension
- Congrats to the 2023 Heart of Extension Award Recipients
- Volunteers Needed for Grape Study
- Last Chance for CALES Online Store
- Get Your Events on the Statewide Calendar
- WRRC Water Webinars
- Job Opening
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Message from the Associate Vice-President and Director of Extension
A few weeks ago, I was discussing an issue with a colleague at the University, and she asked if I ever thought, as the AVP and Director of Extension, I would be addressing this issue. I said not really, and she replied, Well then, congratulations! I, of course, replied, congratulations for what? She said you have the most exciting job on campus. When you come to work, you never really know what that day will bring. How fortunate you are to have such an exciting position. Over the past weekend, I relaxed and thought a lot about this, and it is true. True for me and most everyone in Extension. There are always new opportunities, new challenges, and new adventures right around the corner for all of us, and no two days are ever the same.
Too often, we get stuck in weeds and forget to take a moment to realize how cool it is to be working in Extension. I know it is not always easy, but as my colleague reminded me, it is always exciting, engaging, and in the end, we get to help people improve their lives, communities, and livelihoods. That’s a pretty good gig in my book.
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Kathryn Orzech with Ed Martin, state Director of Extension
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Heart of Extension AwardsEight Extension teammates from across the state earned Heart of Extension Awards in 2023. Each received a plaque August 4 at the Annual Conference in Tucson. In the coming weeks, TEN will feature the presentation speeches from the conference. Congratulations, Kathryn Orzech!
Kathryn Orzech, PhD
Senior Research Specialist, School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness
Kay’s nominator explained that she is honored to work with Kay and described her as having a passion for Extension's mission to serve Arizona’s communities. Kay designs and implements SNAP-Ed evaluation to promote community-based healthy eating and active living programs. She has developed unique, community-centered assessments that are user-friendly, feasible to administer, and relevant. In doing so, Kay has created something that can be used by Arizona communities for planning policy, systems, and environmental changes. Many Extension units have used these assessments to improve local parks and trails with community leaders and residents.
Kay directly supports many rural Cooperative Extension agencies in evaluating the SNAP-Ed program by visiting each of these agencies to learn about their communities and offer hands-on support, and demonstrate how evaluation can be used as an improvement tool. She connects with people in an authentic way, translating the more academic aspects of evaluation work to be accessible to all.
She centers equity, community engagement, and more recently, trauma-informed approaches in all of her work. She has helped SNAP-Ed move closer to considering equity in all of their work.
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CALES Online Store Open for Business
Until Septemper 7, faculty and staff in the Division of Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension (ALVSCE) will have access to an online store to order items like polos, quarter zip pullovers, tote bags, button-ups, and cardigans.
This offer is made possible through a collaboration between CALES Career & Academic Services and Garment Graphics, a local, university-approved vendor.
Shipping is not available. All items must be picked up locally at the University of Arizona Forbes Building in Tucson. Check out more details about the online store, review FAQs, and place your order through our website.
All questions can be directed to Leslie Grignon at lgrignon@arizona.edu
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Get Your Events on the CalendarTo maximize registration and attendance, be sure to get your Extension events on the statewide website calendar using this simple Quickbase form.
Please contact Kelly Arizmendi, if you have questions or problems with the form or calendar entries in general.
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WRRC Water Webinars
Agricultural Managed Aquifer Recharge (Ag-MAR) – A Method for Sustainable Groundwater Management – More than two billion people and 40% of global agricultural production depend upon unsustainable groundwater extraction. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR), the practice of strategically recharging water to replenish subsurface storage, is an important practice for managing groundwater more sustainably. However, it is not yet reaching its full potential to counterbalance growing global groundwater demand. Agricultural Managed Aquifer Recharge (Ag-MAR) is an emerging method for spreading large volume flows on agricultural lands and has the capacity for widespread global implementation. Yet, knowledge gaps, synergies, and trade-offs in Ag-MAR research still exist. In this WRRC Water Webinar, Professor Helen Dahlke describes the practice and feasibility of using agricultural land as intentional spreading basins for groundwater recharge, the opportunities to address climate change with Ag-MAR, and the benefits of Ag-MAR including groundwater storage, increased environmental flows, and domestic well support. Dahlke will present the current state of research with respect to the environmental impacts of Ag-MAR on water quality (e.g., nitrate), crop health and yield, and the multidisciplinary approach needed for communication and coordination of Ag-MAR programs with stakeholders and the public. In groundwater-dependent agricultural regions, Ag-MAR provides an important approach to achieving groundwater sustainability; however, it provides one of many solutions to achieve groundwater sustainability and cannot offset the need for groundwater conservation.
When: Noon-1:15 p.m., Thursday, September 7
Speaker: Helen E. Dahlke, Professor in Integrated Hydrologic Sciences, University of California, Davis
Planning for Water Resilience: Strategic Investment in Green and Traditional Infrastructure – The Salt River Project (SRP) was founded in 1903 and has been managing water supplies from the Salt and Verde Rivers for more than a century. As SRP prepares for the next century of serving reliable water supplies to the Valley, changing climate conditions, consumer interest, and demands require strategic investment in the Green and Traditional Infrastructure that support SRP's water supplies.
SRP's Forest Health initiatives are building on more than a century of watershed stewardship, while adapting to the current needs and changing dynamics of the Salt and Verde Watersheds. Over 100 years of wildfire suppression in northern Arizona's forests leave the Salt and Verde rivers at risk. SRP is investing in landscape-scale forest restoration with community and business partners to ensure that watershed health is improved and maintained in support of ecosystem and water resilience.
SRP's Water System Projects are focused on ensuring SRP's water storage and conveyance systems are ready to meet community needs, while preparing for a warmer and more variable future. SRP is building regional partnerships with municipal, Tribal, and agricultural partners to plan and implement infrastructure and operational projects that are intended to improve water availability and resilience in central Arizona.
When: Noon-1:15 p.m., Monday, September 11
Speakers: Elvy Barton, Manager, Water and Forest Sustainability, SRP; Ron Klawitter, Manager, Water System Projects, SRP
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Job Opening
Assistant/Associate Agent (ANR), Pima County – This continuing eligible Assistant/Associate Extension Agent position will work with a dynamic team of professionals developing and delivering community outreach programs that provide research-based, objective informal agriculture and natural resources education in Pima County, Arizona. The primary focus of the position will be to develop and deliver education and assistance to small-scale and urban growers in Pima County. In addition, the agent will engage and collaborate with urban food systems work conducted at the Pima County Cooperative Extension (PCCE), The Garden Kitchen, and 4-H farm-focused youth workforce development at PCCE Tucson Village Farm. The Agent will also oversee the Master Gardener Program located at PCCE as well as other natural resources programming related to the environment and natural systems. In addition to outreach, the agent will develop and conduct applied research, produce scholarly Extension publications, present at conferences and meetings, and pursue grant funding to support research and program work. This position is administratively and programmatically responsible to the County Extension Director and the Director of Arizona Cooperative Extension and is located at Pima County Cooperative Extension. Please visit
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