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TopicsMay 16, 2023
- Message from the Associate Vice President and Director of Extension
- Arizona Cooperative Extension Annual Conference Deadlines Extended
- AmeriCorps Site Applications Open
- Help Arizona Solve Water Challenges - WRRC Annual Conference
- CCT Data Science Workshops
- WRRC Seminar Series: Green Infrastructure in Tucson, Ariz.
- Join the ALVSCE Staff Council
- Last Chance! Continuing Status and Promotion Workshop
- Collective Impact Working Group
- Mohave County FCHS Assistant/Associate FCHS Agent
- Website Redesign Survey
- Extension Has a News Page
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Message from the Associate Vice President
and Director of Extension
This past weekend the UA had several graduation ceremonies. Thousands of undergraduate and graduate students received diplomas, accolades, and awards. For the last two months, I saw many posing in front of Old Main to get that perfect sun-setting photo against the Old Main fountain. But among all the smiling and proud faces, one that shone especially bright for me was Jon Jesson, who received an honorary Doctorate of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. I had the honor to meet with Dr. Jessen and his family on Saturday, and the smiles were beaming all around that room as his family took pride in Jon’s accomplishment. Dr. Jessen is the founder and Chairman of the Board of The Gowan Group, a Yuma-based multinational company specializing in developing and marketing agricultural inputs using a science-first approach. I guess it doesn’t matter how young you are; getting that degree still brings a smile to your face and a sense of pride in your accomplishment. Congratulations to Dr. Jon Jessen and all of the University of Arizona’s May 2023 graduates!
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Deadlines Extended!
Arizona Cooperative Extension Annual ConferenceAugust 2-4
The 2023 Annual Arizona Extension Conference Planning Committee has extended deadlines for breakout session proposals and Heart of Extension Award nominations.
The conference will be August 2-4 in Tucson on the University of Arizona Main Campus. This year's conference theme is Building the Future of Extension Through Multi-Disciplinary Collaboration. Please consider submitting for a breakout session, bringing a poster, or nominating a deserving colleague for the Heart of Extension Awards.
Breakout sessions will be approximately one hour. Please plan 45 minutes of content leaving 10-15 minutes for questions and discussion. Sessions can be on any topic relevant to Cooperative Extension. Special consideration will be given to topics that are issue driven (rather than programmatically driven). We are looking for a variety of multi-disciplinary sessions that appeal to faculty and staff across all sectors of Extension. Proposals should include a title, list of presenting authors, and a 250 (maximum) word description of the issue or topic you intend to cover, how the audience will benefit, and the goals of the proposed conference presentation. Extended deadline: May 22, 11:59 p.m. Click here for more information and a submission form.
Heart of Extension Awards recognize and reward people who demonstrate the heart of the Cooperative Extension Mission: To engage with people through applied research and education to improve lives, families, communities, the environment, and economies in Arizona and beyond. Awards will be presented at the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Annual Conference. Extended deadline: May 22, 11:59 p.m. Click here for more information on criteria and nomination materials.
Poster Session - Posters can be on any Arizona Extension-related topic, including, but not limited to, community issues, extension initiatives, programs, or research projects. Posters presented at other conferences are eligible for display. Poster space is limited. Posters will be accepted in the order they are received until space capacity is reached. Click here to submit a poster. Provide the title, authors, a short (150-word maximum) abstract, the style (hanging vs. tabletop), and the approximate size of your poster. Deadline: July 3, 11:59 p.m. Your submission will be confirmed by Friday, July 7.
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AmeriCorps Site Applications Open
UArizona Wildcat Corps is now accepting applications from sites that would like to have AmeriCorps members serve with their programs during the 2023-24 grant year. Through direct service AmeriCorps members assist with addressing your community programming and outreach needs.
To receive an AmeriCorps member request packet, contact Christina Lipin. The application deadline is May 26.
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Help Arizona Solve Water Challenges
The 2023 Water Resources Research Center annual conference, What Can We Do? Solutions to Arizona’s Water Challenges, is your chance to join a conversation about solving water problems affecting all of us at home, at work, and in our communities. A limited number of cost-free registrations are available for UArizona Cooperative Extension faculty and staff (contact Jessie Hampton for more information). Free registrations are first come, first served, so register soon.
The conference is set for July 11–12 at the University of Arizona Student Union. The goal is to address pressing state, regional, and tribal water resource challenges by collectively coaxing out ideas that enhance water security. The two-day program will feature sessions on water quality, information gaps, farming practices, working with nature, adapting policy, growing the workforce, technology, and more. There will also be ample opportunity for networking to continue the solution-focused discussions of the conference. Keep an eye on our conference page as the agenda develops.
Early bird registration is $110 ($65 for one day), until June 14. Student registration is $30. A free, non-interactive livestream registration will be available soon. We hope to see many of you in Tucson this July!
Click here to become a conference sponsor.
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CCT Data Science Workshops
This three-part series will help you to unlock the full power of `ggplot2` functionality so you can create beautiful visualizations from start to finish without manual editing. You'll learn to plot multiple data sets, customize the appearance of your plots, and harness advanced features with ggplot2 extensions.
When: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., June 5, 12, 26 (Mondays)
Instructors: Jessica Guo, Eric Scott, Kristina Riemer
Location: Zoom
Registration: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Prerequisites: Recent versions of R and RStudio installed. Familiarity working with R and RStudio. Some familiarity with making plots using the `ggplot2` package in R (e.g., you've gone through Jeff Oliver's ggplot2 lesson).
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WRRC Seminar Series: Green Infrastructure in Tucson, Ariz.
In this WRRC seminar, Adriana Zuniga will describe a brief history of water management in Tucson and how this desert city became a national leader in green infrastructure. Blue Baldwin will then present an overview of the modern evolution of green stormwater infrastructure in Tucson over the past decades, from grassroots, "pre-legal" actions to current policy and ultimate institutionalization with the advent of the Storm to Shade Program at Tucson Water. The Storm to Shade program's goals, project prioritization framework, maintenance program, key partnerships, challenges, and long-term vision for the S2S will be covered.
When: Noon-1:15 p.m., Wednesday, May 17
Speakers: Blue Baldwin, Storm to Shade Program Manager, Tucson Water; Adriana Zuniga, Assistant Professor, University of Arizona
Click here for more information.
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Join the ALVSCE Staff Council
Nominate yourself or a colleague to join the ALVSCE Staff Council, where you can:
Represent – Be a part of Division Shared Governance by representing staff on pertinent issues, such as participating in Division budget meetings and College Committees that need the staff voice to be heard
Award Colleagues – Be part of the governing body for awarding (formerly) Outstanding Staff and Appointed Professionals awards. Participate in selection process, as requested, for Administrator of the Year, and Research Staff Award (for example).
Provide Policy Feedback– Participate and provide feedback on policies and procedures that impact University staff as requested by Division Leadership and/or initiated by the Council
Boost Communication – Be a channel of communications for distribution of information for staff
Enhance Networking – Provide networking and professional development experiences for staff
Have Fun, Build Culture – Host and organize fun, culture building events, such as the Halloween Potluck and Spring Ice Cream Social, for employee in the Division to connect with each other
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Last Chance!
Continuing Status and Promotion WorkshopMay 17-18
Cooperative Extension agents and specialists on the continuing status and promotion track are invited to a two-day workshop regarding the process, updates, and other important information to support successful dossiers. Sessions will address all levels of the continuing status and promotion process. You can attend in-person or virtually.
Who should attend: Candidates for continuing status and promotion (third year retention, associate and full), County Extension Directors, Agents, Specialists, and Administrators.
What: Continuing Status and Promotion Workshop
When: May 17-18 (Wednesday-Thursday)
Where: Maricopa Agricultural Center, 37860 W. Smith Enke Road, Maricopa, Arizona
Click here for the agenda. Click here to register for in-person or livestreamed attendance. Please register by Friday, May 12. If you have questions, please contact Area Agent and Regional Specialist Patty Merk at pmerk@cals.arizona.edu
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Collective Impact Working Group
The Collective Impact state working group is developing a system to achieve long-term outcomes and capture our collective impacts for all programmatic areas in Arizona Extension. We are recruiting additional leadership from 4-H and ANR program areas to expand our efforts. Please contact Evelyn Whitmer to join our team or for more information.
Collective Impact is a network of community members, organizations, and institutions who advance equity by learning together, aligning, and integrating their actions to achieve population and systems-level change.
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Yavapai County Water Factsheet Available
As the fifth installment of the WRRC’s Arizona Water Factsheet initiative, this eight-page resource provides wide-ranging examples and essential contextual information to understand water supplies, demands, and management in Yavapai County.
Recognizing the legacy of agriculture and ranching, Yavapai County prepares for continued residential growth and economic expansion including the emerging prominence in Arizona’s wine industry, which plays an important role in local tourism. The factsheet highlights efforts to balance water use that supports human communities and the natural environment, including the perennial flows in the Verde River — a major perennial river in Arizona and the longest stretch of continuous riparian habitat in the state. Along with groundwater overdraft in the Prescott AMA, active collaboration among local governments, engaged environmental organizations, state and federal agencies, businesses, and the public are working to address these challenges.
For Yavapai County, the Technical Advisory Committee was led by Leslie Graser of the City of Prescott and Matthew Halldorson, Yavapai County Cooperative Extension Director. Additional members of the TAC include Yavapai County Cooperative Extension, the City of Cottonwood, and The Nature Conservancy, with additional input received from other stakeholders within the county.
Yavapai County Water Factsheet is available here.
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Mohave County FCHS Assistant/Associate FCHS Agent Opening
Mohave County Cooperative Extension is seeking a continuing-eligible Assistant/Associate Family, Consumer, & Health Science (FCHS) Agent. The FCHS Agent is part of a dynamic team of professionals developing and delivering community outreach programs that provide research-based, objective informal education. The person in this position will be required to develop, implement and evaluate effective outcome-based Extension programs related to FCHS including nutrition, food safety, early childhood and other health related issues. The agent will work collaboratively with FCHS faculty and staff, community organizations, government agencies, tribal organizations and other partners in the county of assignment; acquire both financial and human resources through grants, contracts and gifts to support the development and delivery of these programs; build capacity to sustain and grow programs through constitute empowerment and/or leadership development; and engage in professional development regularly and redirect efforts, as needed. This position is located in Kingman.
For details and to apply, click here.
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Extension Website RedesignThe UArizona Cooperative Extension website is undergoing an overhaul. You can help guide the process by completing this 10-minute questionnaire.
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Extension Has a News Page
University of Arizona Cooperative extension now has a news page. Check it out here, and bookmark the page for a steady stream of news about Extension across the state.
If you have ideas for stories that show the impact of Extension work or know of a staff or faculty member who deserves the spootlight, email Content Developer Brad Poole.
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