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News and Notes: April 12, 2024

OUR VISION: Ohioans have the knowledge and resources they need to actively engage in creating conditions in which they thrive.

OUR MISSION: We create opportunities for people to explore how science-based knowledge can improve social, economic, and environmental conditions.

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  1. Note from David Civittolo

    In the past few days, we’ve heard powerful messages from university and college leadership, both mentioning the excellent work Extension does with and on behalf of all Ohioans.

    Last Friday, Dean Kress shared her State of the College address and focused on momentum. One statement she made in her video really struck me: “(Momentum) is the sum of our choices, our actions, and our unwavering determination to impact the world around us.” As I travel the state, engage in conversations with so many of you, talk with our stakeholders, and help guide the future of Extension at large, the momentum we’ve built is almost tangible. And that’s an incredible feeling. If you missed Dean Kress’s address in person, click here to watch it.

    President Carter, in yesterday’s State of the University address, acknowledged the historical foundation of the university, which included multiple mentions of Extension and its importance then and now.

    These messages from college and university leadership highlight the value of collective effort and the impact of Extension’s work. They serve as a reminder of how important our day-to-day work is to all Ohioans and the university at large.

    Best, David 

  2. CFAES Student Recruitment Information

    Interacting with high school students and families who have an interest in food, agriculture, or environmental sciences? Prospective Student Services has created a OneDrive folder containing single-page information sheets for each CFAES major on the Columbus and Wooster campuses. The pages are accessible here — CFAES one-pagers. Please share them with youth you interact with who may be interested in higher education within CFAES.

  3. EPN Earth Day Celebration – April 22

    Join the Environmental Professionals Network (EPN) and the Chadwick Arboretum and Learning Gardens for an exciting Earth Day program, “Eat this Earth Day!” on April 22 at the Fawcett Center. This event offers attendees a chance to explore the rich diversity of edible flora native to the Buckeye State. Through a sensory journey of taste, smell, and sight, participants will learn how these plants have sustained diverse wildlife and human cultures, both ancient and present, over extended periods of history. 

    While you’re at the event, be sure to check out the display areas. One of the exhibits will feature The Private Life of Bees. Discover how bees navigate their world, their essential role in the food web, and how we can help these important pollinators by planting more native plants. Engage with experts at displays on Ohio’s native trees and shrubs with a focus on the berries and other foods they provide humans and wildlife. Learn to identify Ohio’s berry brambles and maple trees, study the interactions between moths and butterflies and their host plants, sample Ohio State maple syrup, and get pictures taken with a spotted lanternfly. There will also be displays on Ohio’s non-native, invasive berry-producing plants; pawpaws; and creating edible landscapes. 

    Learn more and register for this engaging evening celebration of Ohio’s Native Plants for Food here. 

  4. ODA and Extension Team up to Distribute Free Garden Seeds Through Ohio Victory Gardens Program

    The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and OSU Extension kicked off the fifth year of the Ohio Victory Gardens program earlier this week. This year, the program expanded to include 64 counties.

    “We want all Ohioans to experience the pride of growing their own food,” said ODA Director Brian Baldridge. “Planting those seeds, watching that produce grow, and being able to provide those nutritious foods for your family is a wonderful opportunity to be involved in agriculture. We encourage all folks to plant their own victory garden.”

    “Our partnership with ODA on the Ohio Victory Garden program allows Ohioans to learn about agriculture and where their food comes from,” said Dr. Cathann A. Kress, vice president of agricultural administration and dean of The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). “It provides a glimpse into the science and dedication involved by those who work in the food system every day to bring fresh produce into grocery stores, farmer's markets, and restaurants.”

    OSU Extension offices started handing out free seed kits to the public on April 10. Specific days and times for each office are available on the Ohio Victory Gardens website, as well as planting resources and information about seed distribution.

  5. ODA to Host Forest Health Conference – April 18

    The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) will host a Forest Health Conference on April 18 at the ODA campus in Reynoldsburg. The conference will bring together federal, state, and city foresters and Extension educators to focus on forest health concerns. Register for the conference here. 

  6. We Grow Scientists Event – May 1

    CFAES will host the second annual We Grow Scientists event on May 1 (3-7 p.m.) at the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory in Columbus. The afternoon of hands-on learning and activities will showcase the many STEM fields the college offers and will include a look at the Waterman facilities such as the Controlled Environment Agriculture Research Complex (CEARC). We Grow Scientists is a free event open to learners of all ages wanting to explore STEM in their community. This event is being organized as part of the COSI Science Festival (May 1-4). Learn more at go.osu.edu/cosi24.

  7. Gardening for Conservation Webinar Series

    Join OSU Extension and The Nature Conservancy for a series of webinars this spring and summer that focus on gardening for conservation. Learn more about the series – including dates, times, and topics for each webinar here.

  8. OneOhio Recovery Foundation Announces 2024 Regional Grant Program

    Applications are now open for the OneOhio Recovery Foundation's 2024 Regional Grant Program. Awards support evidence-based, forward-looking strategies for prevention, treatment, recovery, and abatement of substance use and co-occurring disorders. Visit the OneOhio Recovery Foundation’s Grant Headquarters for more information.

  9. Engage: Extension Data Portal Update

    Since the Extension Data Portal launched in January, 277 program faculty and staff have completed the training and gained access to the portal, creating 3,877 events reaching 86,777 participants across 181 programs. If you haven’t already completed the training course and created your account, log in to carmen.osu.edu to get started.

    Monthly Office Hours: LOD offers monthly EDP office hours on the fourth Wednesday of every month (9 a.m.) where you can have your questions answered or learn from your peers. The next session will be on April 24. Register for any month (April – October) using this link go.osu.edu/Engage-EDP-OfficeHours (registration is required). Join the April 24 office hours for a quick demo on how to get the most out of the portal's search feature. Can’t make it to office hours? Submit your question to go.osu.edu/Engage-EDP-Help for assistance. 

    Monthly Newsletter: Be on the lookout for “↻ Refresh!,” which is the OSU Extension Data Portal monthly newsletter. The email containing the newsletter comes from OSUE-LOD@osu.edu on the third Wednesday of each month and contains information about updates to the system and other important news. In our March edition, a new playlist on the LOD YouTube channel was shared where you can watch short videos (less than 10 minutes) on how to use features in the portal. Check it out here — go.osu.edu/Engage_EDP_resource_videos.

  10. CFAES Awards Recipients Include Extension Professionals

    Congratulations to the following Extension professionals who received awards during the college’s annual awards ceremony for 2023-2024. 

    Distinguished Early Career Extension Faculty AwardAshley Leach, assistant professor, Entomology 

    Distinguished Extension Faculty Award Peggy Kirk Hall, director, Agricultural and Research Law Program 

    Distinguished Early Career Extension Professional AwardAudrey Dimmerling, educator, 4-H Youth Development 

    Distinguished Extension Professional Award Todd Steiner, program manager, Horticulture and Crop Science 

    Distinguished Multi-disciplinary Team Extension AwardEast Palestine Response Team – Plant Tissue Analysis Group. Team members include Jeff Hattey, Devin Peterson, Heather Raymond, Haley Shoemaker, and Matt Teegarden. 

    Spirit of the Land-Grant AwardEast Palestine Response Team. Team members include Eric Barrett, Michael Bisesi, Karen Chou, Sam Custer, Maurice Eastridge, Jason Hartschuh, Jeff Hattey, Dee Jepsen, Devin Peterson, Heather Raymond, Haley Shoemaker, Matt Teegarden, and Adam Ward. 

    Endowed Faculty AppointmentGreg Davis, George R. and Genevieve B. Gist Endowed Chair, OSU Extension 

  11. Shoemaker Receives 2024 University Outreach and Engagement Award

    Haley Shoemaker, educator, agriculture and natural resources, recently received a 2024 Community Engagement Practitioner Award from The Ohio State University’s Office of Outreach and Engagement. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Haley. We are incredibly humbled by the many ways you serve your community. Learn more about all of the award categories and respective recipients here.

  12. Ferrari and Fox Contribute to a Book Focused on Extension Education and Social Sciences

    Theresa Ferrari, state specialist, 4-H youth development, and Julie Fox, director, Extension strategic initiatives and urban engagement, each recently contributed to a chapter in Extension Education and the Social Sciences: uplifting children, youth, families and communities, which was published in March 2024. The book is now available through Cambridge University Press.

  13. CES Offers Professional Development In-Service – May 22

    Chi Epsilon Sigma (CES) will host a professional development in-service for all Extension support staff on May 22. There will be in-person meeting locations across the state, and each location will then join a statewide Zoom meeting. Sessions will not be recorded. Registration will close at 5 p.m. on April 28. Click here to view the agenda for the day. Register for the in-service here.

  14. Urban Food Systems Symposium Early Registration Closes April 12

    The 2024 Urban Food Systems Symposium will be June 11-13 in Columbus. Act now to take advantage of early registration prices through April 12. The event includes keynote speakers, a grower panel, 40 presentations, a reception with approximately 40 posters, a choice of six off-site educational tours, and dinner at the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory. Visit the conference’s official Website for more information — urbanfoodsystemssymposium.org.

  15. Ohio JCEP Accepting Applications for Professional Development Scholarships and Programming Grants – Deadline May 1

    Ohio JCEP is accepting applications through May 1 for its second round of professional development scholarships and programming grants for 2024. All current Ohio JCEP members are eligible to receive a scholarship or programming grant, which are awarded three times a year. Ohio JCEP scholarship information and application links can be found here, and grant information can be found here. Click here to access the link to apply.

  16. CFAES Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Offers Workshops

    CFAES is committed to ensuring that all of its research and related educational programming are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. The next diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-focused workshops in CFAES include: 

    Visit cfaesdei.osu.edu/workshopsprograms/dei-workshops to learn more about all CFAES DEI programs. 

  17. CFAES DEI Speaker Series Announced

    The 2024 CFAES DEI Speaker Series kicked off in March. Upcoming speakers and topics are: 

    • May 16 – Janice Person, agricultural communication 

    • June 20 – Joyce Chen, climate change and human migration 

    • July 18 – Chad Duplain, the nature conservancy and indigenous land rights 

    • Sept. 19 – Mary Gardiner, Alice Laciny, and Sara Lalk, neurodivergence and entomology 

    • Nov. 21 – Natasha Myhal, indigenous environmental studies 

    Learn more and register here

  18. 2024 Extension Conference Committee Selects Theme

    The Extension Conference steering committee has selected Fulfilling Our Mission, Cultivating Our Path for the Future as the theme for the 2024 conference. This year’s conference will be Dec. 10-11 in Columbus and is open to all Extension professionals.

  19. Loneliness – the Next Epidemic

    In 2023, the U.S. surgeon general issued an advisory about how loneliness and isolation can have detrimental effects on health. The Live Healthy Live Well team addressed this concern in a recent blog post titled “Loneliness — the Next Epidemic.” View the blog entry here.

  20. Lifestyle Spending Account – Due April 15

    Ohio State’s Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) reimburses employees up to $125 per quarter for eligible expenses related to health, fitness, family, emotional, and social wellness. The first quarter ended March 31.  Employees have until April 15 to submit reimbursement request documentation for eligible expenses incurred Jan. 1, 2024 through March 31, 2024. Unused LSA funds do not carry over to the following quarter. To submit a claim for reimbursement, log into Workday and navigate to the Benefits and Pay Hub from the main menu. From here, select My FSA/HRA/LSA under selected links and follow the instructions.