Speaker: Dr. Carol Miles, Washington State University
Extension Outreach in a Digital World
Presentation description: As Extension specialists we carry out applied research and develop new research-based information and deliver it to our clientele in easy-to-understand publications. Today we must deliver our information on-line and though social media, and we track numbers of hits and downloads. How have Extension publication trends changed over the past 20-30 years, including print/online, sales/revenue, promotion/advertising, and what do we see as the future for extension publications. Forming partnerships with extension communication specialists can enable us to focus on information development, where most extension specialists do best, while achieving impacts through information access, which is how we are evaluated.
Speaker: Dr. Wagner Vendrame, Interim Chair & Professor, Ornamental Horticulture and Biotechnology. University of Florida International Strategies in Horticulture Internationalization of the curriculum and research programs in horticulture has become increasingly important to us in higher education. For students, exposing them to different cultures brings a better understanding of horticultural markets and activities, unique cultural experiences, and a broader view of global issues related to agriculture. For researchers, adding an international component to your program is essential for promotion, while also bringing opportunities for collaboration and increased funding. In this presentation, I will share my international experience and discuss different strategies for internationalization of research and academic programs.
Dr. Vendrame leads a broad research program focusing on production and conservation of ornamental plants using plant tissue culture and cryopreservation techniques, including orchids, ornamental trees, foliage plants, palms, and other ornamental plants. In 2007, he partnered with NASA on an innovative research project to evaluate the growth, development and differential gene expression in plant cells of jatropha (Jatropha curcas), a biofuel species, as affected by microgravity, with five spaceflight studies on board of the space shuttles Atlantis, Endeavour and Discovery, and the International Space Station National Laboratory. More recently, studies have focused on cryopreservation of orchid seeds, protocorms and pollen, palm seeds, and banana in vitro shoots; and large scale propagation of plants using temporary immersion bioreactor technology, including micropropagation of orchids, bromeliads, sugarcane, banana, papaya, palms, and caçari (a tree native to the Amazon rich in vitamin C).
Dr. Emran Ali, a faculty member and state horticulture specialist at Alcon State University, MS, leads cutting-edge research on horticultural crops. Title: Tech-Powered Mobile Plant Clinics: Transforming On-Site Plant Disease Diagnosis in Extension Program
Dr. Michael Hardigan has worked as the Research Geneticist and Caneberry Breeder leading the USDA-ARS and Oregon State University cooperative small fruit breeding program since 2021. Title: Supporting U.S. Caneberry Production With Genomic Breeding and Mechanization
Dr. Qingwu Meng is an Assistant Professor of Controlled-Environment Horticulture at the University of Delaware. Title: To Infinity and Beyond: Advancing Research and Teaching in Controlled-Environment Horticulture
Dr. Sushan Ru, is an Assistant Professor and Small Fruit Breeder in the Department of Horticulture, Auburn University. Title: Establishing the first small fruit breeding program in Alabama
Dr. Muhammad Shahid is a plant physiologist specializing in stress physiology of specialty crops with special focus on fruit crops with the University of Florida, Horticultural Sciences Department. Title: Research-Driven Extension for Sustainable and Profitable Fruit Production in Florda under Climate Change Scenario
