VOLUME 22, ISSUE 15 12/14/2022 |
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2022 ACES Fall Sam Steel Ceremony Left to Right- Department Head of Animal Science Dr. Shanna Ivey, student Amadeus Omar Barto, ACES Dean & Administrative Officer Rolando Flores A. Galarza, Associate Dean & Director of Academic Programs Dr. Donald Conner. |
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The 2022 calendar year is reaching its end and with it our fall semester. Which bring us to this point, celebrating our graduating students. We are celebrating the graduation of 104 undergraduate and 64 graduate students in the College of ACES. This is a moment to reflect on the joy of our students who’ve accomplished a great deal and fulfilled their goal of graduating. This is a great time to celebrate and participate in end-of-year activities. We have been enjoying the ceremonies on campus, seeing relatives and loved ones gather to celebrate the successes of our students. Thank you to all staff and faculty for their work this semester and to the dedicated ACES faculty team that attend all the graduation ceremonies. Also, in this issue, I want to communicate a new hire, Dr. Jay Lillywhite as Assistant Dean for Economics and Rural Development in the College of ACES. Until November 30th, Dr. Lillywhite was the department head of Agricultural Economics & Agricultural Business. Now, he will take up the challenge to coordinate efforts at the state level toward the mission of the College, “… to be an engine for economic and community development in New Mexico.” He will make sure our mission is carried forward in an effective and efficient manner and is responsive to the current needs and requirements of our state government and legislators. This position will be charged with coordinating efforts in rural and economic development, including working with extension specialists, extension agents, and other organizations in the state. At the same time, Dr. Lillywhite will continue co-directing CESFAS (Center for Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems), which, along with Indian Resources Development (IRD), will be coordinating important activities for economic development in the state and expanding the demographics impacted by the ACES college in New Mexico. For the Las Cruces community, this is a great opportunity to have representation of the College in economic development forums. The College of ACES brings a lot of opportunities, not only by improving the fabric of New Mexico every time a student graduates, but also in the opportunities that arise in research, discovery, and extension, especially in areas with great potential for economic development, such as the border area and Southern New Mexico. We expect activities to flourish and the visibility and impact of the College to increase in response to Dr. Lillywhite’s work around the whole state of New Mexico. This is our last issue of the year, and we want to conclude by wishing all of our readers a happy and safe holidays to be spent with family and friends. As the year concludes, we are getting ready for the new challenges of 2023. Our thanks go to all faculty, students, and staff for the successful conclusion of a great fall semester, and especially to the ACES Dean’s Office that put this newsletter together, especially to Heber Lara, Karlei Olivarez, and Amy Muise; as well as all the contributors to the newsletter. Thank you for your support and feedback. Sincerely, |
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Rolando A. Flores Galarza Dean & Chief Administrative Officer |
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| The College of ACES mission that states, “The ACES College is an engine for economic and community development in New Mexico, improving the lives of New Mexicans through research, teaching and extension.” Dean & Chief Administrative Officer Rolando A. Flores Galarza believes, "There is a big need to bring more economic development based on agriculture to New Mexico, to the college reach statewide, and to provide strong support and effort coordination to rural communities while we provide expansion to effective programs in urban areas." |
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Please join us in welcoming Dr. Jay Lillywhite, who has accepted the position of Assistant Dean for Economic and Rural Development for the College of ACES, effective December 1, 2022. Dr. Lillywhite will lead the College’s economic development efforts with expressed attention to rural communities. He will work closely with senior college and university administrators, faculty and staff, and university stakeholders to collect, organize and analyze data to assist the college in making effective and positive impact management decisions. Dr. Steve Fraze will be acting as interim department head in Agricultural Economics & Agricultural Business (AEAB). Dr. Fraze is the current department head of AXED and AEAB and will be covering three departments' leadership while a national search gets underway, with Dr. Fraze as chair of the search committee. We appreciate your support to Dr. Lillywhite as he starts this new critical effort in NMSU and ACES. Also, your support is requested to Dr. Fraze while he serves as acting department head of AEAB and Extension Economics. |
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Sustainable Aquifer Management for Food Security In aquifer-dependent regions like much of New Mexico, balancing aquifer protection, desalination, economic development, irrigation, and food security can be better managed through discovery and development of reliable sources of sustainable groundwater pumping. Aquifer desalination for irrigation to protect food security can reduce pressure on local freshwater aquifers. This work develops and applies an innovative approach to assess the economic capacity to pay for aquifer desalination for irrigation for a recently discovered large saline aquifer. It develops a framework to assess the economic capacity to pay for aquifer desalination; these results can guide policymakers on efficient and sustainable pumping across users, aquifers, and time periods, important for New Mexico agriculture. |
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Results show that in northern Kenya, a region with NMSU ACES research ties, the economic capacity to pay for aquifer desalination for irrigated agriculture lies in the range of $0.08–$0.18 per cubic meter under current economic conditions and desalination technologies available. While this economic capacity to pay is lower than its current cost in most places, the future could be more optimistic. Advances in desalination technology, higher crop prices, technical advance in agriculture, and development of drought-resistant crops can all contribute to a future capacity to pay enough for irrigation aquifer desalination to justify its expense in climate-stressed regions such as New Mexico. This paper is scheduled to appear in the journal Agricultural Water Management. Please contract Dr. Frank A. Ward at fward@nmsu.edu for additional details. |
Recent grant-funding successes in Extension Plant Sciences (EPS) and Plant and Environmental Sciences (PES) PES and EPS researchers, with collaborators across NMSU and beyond (notably, lead PIs in EPPWS, ANRS/WRRI and Biology), have led or contributed to 24 successful proposals during the second half of 2022, securing ~$15M in new funding for research, education and extension programs to the NMSU main campus and Agricultural Science Centers. For more information, contact Interim Department Head Niall Hanan at nhanan@nmsu.edu. |
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New Mexico 4-H Adult Forum The New Mexico 4-H Adult Forum was held November 12 in San Juan County. Volunteers, county Extension faculty and parents representing sixteen counties attended workshops and enjoyed a guest speaker and the opportunity for networking. Workshops included learning about the numerous 4-H contests, windowsill gardening, science projects, animal care, helping youth with disabilities feel included, and chocolate therapy. Volunteer scholarships were awarded to 15 participants. Two scholarships were awarded to first time attendees. Thirteen scholarships were in honor of long-time 4-H volunteer Gerri Copeland, who believed in professional development for 4-H volunteer leaders. The New Mexico 4-H Volunteer Leaders’ Association Executive Board was recognized for their service to 4-H and commitment to volunteer training. For more information, contact Interim Extension Department Head Dr. Laura Bittner at lbittner@nmsu.edu. |
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New Equipment Arrives to Elevate Agricultural Research at Farmington The ASC Farmington received a permanent plot combine replacement at the beginning of November. The last plot combine in operation at the ASC Farmington was a 1960s model Wintersteiger (shown left in the photo) that was powered by a Volkswagen engine (as in the VW Beatle of the same period). The science center staff had been using a 1980s commercial combine up to 2022, but the parts were becoming more difficult to locate. The new 2022 Wintersteiger brings the facility up to peer institution standards and will boost research in cereal grains (such as wheat and barley) and beans. AES would like to thank the NM Legislature for assisting with this purchase and supporting NMSU agricultural research. Plans are to eventually restore the old plot combine as a classic piece of research plot equipment. For more information, contact AES Program Operations Director Claire Montoya at ccortner@nmsu.edu. |
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The Department of Animal and Range Sciences has teamed up with ReproLogix, a reproductive technologies company headquartered in Fort Scott, Kansas, to increase student training opportunities and accessibility to producers within the region interested in oocyte pick up (OPU), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and embryo transfer (ET). The campus farm welcomed their first ever IVF-born lambs earlier this month, with a set of twin registered Southdown ram lambs. Nine producers took advantage of using OPU and ET technologies in sheep or goats this summer and fall, with over 300 embryos transferred into recipient animals. For more information, contact Department Head Shanna Ivey at sivey@nmsu.edu. |
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Growing Forward Farm Project The Growing Forward Farm project, located at the NMSU San Juan County Extension office in Aztec, NM, began as a fallow piece of farmland in late 2020. With the help of the San Juan County administration, County Commission, numerous volunteers and community partners, the Extension and community team has worked diligently to bring the land back to life and create a unique outdoor educational space. The vision of the farm project is to create an outdoor educational facility that will foster experiential learning opportunities around agriculture, youth and 4-H development, and community health that will train and support the future endeavors of agricultural production in San Juan County. Growing Forward Farm puts the work of Cooperative Extension into practice through hands-on programs and living demonstration areas to help community members better understand new and emerging agricultural principles. The farm project aims to become the central location for agriculture learning and become a resource hub for all ages in our community. The farm will be used to serve the diversity of populations of our community and will actively seek out innovative ways to incorporate Extension programs that address current and emerging issues facing our region. Having hands-on opportunities for our youth, gardeners, and farmers, as well as urban community members, has already begun to create an invaluable opportunity that will directly contribute to the vitality of our local economy by strengthening our local food system through education. The Extension staff continue to collaborate with community partners and advisory committee members to develop the future of the farm, to ensure that it has the capacity to address a broad range of challenges and opportunities facing the region. It is our goal that the farm grows with the community, as a space that helps to preserve the legacy of agriculture in our region, as well as a place to gather and grow together. |
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Left to right – Richard Griffiths, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Augusta Ahlm, 4-H Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Rolando A. Flores Galarza, ACES Dean & Administrative Officer, Bonnie Hopkins, County Program Director |
| Outside of San Juan County Extension Office |
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Turner named Extension Northern District Department Head Following a national search, Christina Turner has been selected as the Northern District Department Head for the Cooperative Extension Service. “I would like to thank Christina for serving in the interim role and look forward to her leadership of the Northern District,” said Jon Boren, Associate Dean and Director, Cooperative Extension Service. Turner started her career with NMSU’s Cooperative Extension Service in 2000. She has experienced many different program areas, including Tribal Extension programming and 4-H Youth at Risk programming. In 2004, Turner moved to Santa Fe County, where she served as the 4-H Ag Agent and later the County Program Director. Turner earned a bachelor’s in Animal Science and a master’s in Agricultural Extension and Education, both from NMSU. Turner currently serves as the state representative for the Western Extension Leadership Development Program, a multi-state collaborative effort aimed at developing leadership skills in Extension Professionals throughout the west. For more information, contact CES Program Operations Director Julie Hughes at juhughes@nmsu.edu. |
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Empowering Navajo Livestock Producers Livestock (cattle, sheep, and horses) are at the center of Navajo culture, traditions, and livelihood. Producers face many challenges when it comes to accessing veterinary care and services. There are seven (7) veterinary clinics and one (1) mobile veterinarian that offer veterinary care on the Navajo Nation (27,413 square mile area), subject to the veterinarians’ availability. The cost to visit a veterinary office can range from $300-$600 in basic office fees and fuel; actual cost of treatment is dependent on diagnosis. Over half of veterinary emergency visits can be prevented with proper first-aid training and prevention education (vaccines, deworming, livestock management). NM CES’ Navajo Sustainable Agriculture (NSA) Project applied for and received a $14,999 grant from the Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC) Community Benefit Fund (CBF) to facilitate livestock first-aid trainings to increase producers' knowledge of basic first-aid treatment and developing a vaccination/deworming schedule to increase production and operation sustainability. The producers will participate in workshops designed to increase their knowledge of livestock vaccines, wound treatment, pain management, colic treatment, addressing calving/lambing complications, and antibiotic treatment for each class of livestock. The workshops will give producers a great opportunity to address common first-aid issues and vaccination questions. The NM CES NSA team managing the project includes Dr. Michael Patrick, Jesse Jim, and Kelle Lantana. Visit the NSA website (http://nsa.nmsu.edu) or contact Extension Community Resource and Economic Development Specialist Michael Patrick at jmpat@nmsu.edu for more information. |
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NMSU Floral Team has a great year at competition Summertime is generally break time for students, but for the NMSU Floral team, it's competition season. The 2022 competition season started out in July in Las Vegas, NV for five undergraduates. Overall NMSU scored 5th out of 8 collegiate teams. In the People’s Choice category, Madison Baker placed 6th and Sabrina Montoya placed 8th. In Interpretive Design Madison Baker placed 2nd, Maxine Burford 4th, Alexa Vermillion 5th, and overall, the team placed 2nd in this category. In wedding bouquet, Madison Baker placed 7th. In Sympathy, Sabrina Montoya placed 4th. In August, regional competition was held in Lubbock, TX. This competition is open to professional florists, so students were in competition with others from the retail floristry industry. There were two categories. In the Dorsey Cup competition NMSU students Madison Baker (1st), Rhiannon Rodrigues (2nd), and Maxine Burford (3rd) took a clean sweep, and in the Silver Cup categories Maxine took 1st, Rhiannon 2nd, and Madison 4th. Finally, the local competition at the Southern NM State Fair and Rodeo allowed new students from the Horticulture 2190 Beginning Floral Evaluation and Design class to dip their toes into competition. We had 13 entries, 13 ribbons (1st through 4th), as well as a Best of Show, 2 Best of Lot, and Sweepstakes. The 2023 competition season starts in June in Chicago, and there are 10 hopeful candidates for competition this coming year. For more information, contact Floriculture Program Coordinator Sabine Whitley Green at swhitley@nmsu.edu. |
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(Top Row) Left to Right - Maxine Burford, Lexi Vermillion, Rhiannon Rodriguez, Floriculture Program Coordinator Sabine Green. (Bottom Row) Left to Right - Madison Baker, Sabrina Montoya. |
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Students from the Horticulture 2130 Beginning Floral Evaluation and Design class host artist’s reception Eighteen beginning students and four advanced designers proudly displayed their final creations during the floral artist’s reception and silent auction on December 6th. Twenty consecutive years of testing with a hands-on format, including a fundraiser in the form of a silent auction, for floriculture students at NMSU, created a festive feel in the lobby of Skeen hall Tuesday of finals week. This unique testing format helps students to learn time management, planning, resource gathering, product identification and design principles and maybe most importantly, interpersonal communication skills as they interact with visiting faculty, administration, and community members. Feedback from donors, faculty, and students regarding the event point to a positive overall experience. Overall, about 50 guests walk through the reception and interact with students, some finding themselves in bidding wars over the most favored creations. This year, student talent has upped the bar for future students. We look forward to the challenge. Go Aggies, Flower On! For more information, contact Floriculture Program Coordinator Sabine Whitley Green at swhitley@nmsu.edu. |
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| Student Marissa Cereceres |
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Plant & Environmental Science graduate student receives top award in professional society Paramveer Singh, a PhD candidate in Plant & Environmental Sciences, won 2nd place overall among the entire Soil Science Society of America graduate student entries for 2022. His presentation on how topsoil of center pivot systems can be protected by circular grass buffer strips was selected as the best graduate student presentation in the Soil & Water Conservation & Management Division and went on to compete against 12 other Division winners. His research focused on reintroducing native perennial grasses into center pivot systems as innovative circular buffer strips alternating with crop strips to improve ecosystem services and climate resiliency of irrigated agriculture. The innovative approach offers protection against both wind and water erosion. His faculty mentors include Sangu Angadi, Dave Dubois, Rajan Ghimire, and John Idowu. For more information, contact Sangu Angadi at angadis@nmsu.edu. |
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Paramveer Singh next to College of ACES Agronomist Dr. Rajan Ghimire, ACES Dean & Administrative Officer Rolando A. Flores Galarza, NMSU's Chancellor Dan Arvizu, and New Mexico State Senator Martin Heinrich. |
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The School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Salutes Barbara “Mother” Hubbard! HRTM was honored to participate in several activities surrounding the Barbara Hubbard – 95 and Still Very Much Alive Tribute Dinner. Barbara “Mother” Hubbard is the inspiration behind and co-teaches HRTM 444 – Entertainment Business and Venue Management with Dr. Jean Hertzman. Barbara arranges for outstanding industry speakers to visit the class. On October 17, photojournalist and videographer Mike McLean taught the students about concept development and shooting great moments. On October 18, HRTM alumni, Mashawn Nix and Steve Dixon shared their experiences producing television shows and concerts and their advice on how to succeed in life and business. Students volunteered to assist with registration and greeting guests at the October 19 dinner at the Pan American Center. HRTM faculty and staff were pleased to attend to see Barbara presented with a proclamation from Jen Schroer, NM Secretary of Tourism, and the sign for Barbara Hubbard Way from Chancellor Dan Arvizu, along with performances by comedian Jeff Dunham and opera singer Barbara Padilla. For more information, contact Department Head Jean Hertzman at jhertzma@nmsu.edu. For more information, click on the link below: For the article in the Las Cruces Sun-News, click on the link below: |
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Mashawn Nix, Barbara Hubbard, and Steve Dixon |
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| HRTM students and faculty with the speakers |
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NMSU's soil judging team qualifies for national competition with 3rd place win at regional contest NMSU’s soil judging team traveled to the western regional soil judging competition held at the Rosasco Ranch in Jamestown, CA on Saturday November 19th. Four NMSU students, Ashley Riggs, Tiana Peterson, Beatriz Salazar Archuleta, and Stella Gomez, competed against five other soil judging teams from California for the chance to attend the National Soil Judging Competition in the spring. These students successfully described four soil profiles to win third place and qualify for the National Competition! This win continues to highlight NMSU’s success in soil judging. Soil judging requires competitors to describe, classify, and interpret four contrasting soils that they have never seen before. In this year’s competition, student-described soils formed in a volcanic lahar (a mudflow on or near the flank of a volcano that is composed mainly of volcaniclastic debris) and colluvial materials. The opportunity for students to apply classroom learning in new landscapes is a fundamental part of soil judging. For more information, contact Assistant Professor Colby Brungard at cbrung@nmsu.edu. |
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NMSU's 2022-2023 Soil Judging Team From left to right: Stella Gomez, Tianna Peterson, Beatriz Salazar, Ashley Riggs, Dr. Colby Brungard (coach) |
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NMSU's Board of Regents along with Dean & Administrative Officer Rolando A. Flores Galarza visiting the new building wtih Dr. Shanna Ivey. |
Biomedical Research Center |
Animal Nutrition and Feed Manufacturing Facility |
SUSTAINABLE SOUTHWEST BEEF |
The Sustainable Southwest Beef Project Invites You to an On-Ranch Demonstration This will be an opportunity to see some of the ranch management technology we are researching in action, and also hear from a rancher who has been raising Raramuri Criollo for some time now. Please note that this will be an in-person event only, no virtual option. Registration is not open yet; to receive a notification when registration opens, please enter your contact information here: https://tinyurl.com/2023ORD. Please direct any questions to Skye Aney (sierra25@nmsu.edu). |
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| The Graduate Research and Arts Symposium is an event designed to give graduate students experience presenting their research. There are five events: oral presentations, performance art, exhibit art, lightning talks, and posters. Cash prizes were awarded to the best presentations in each category. Congratulations to the following award winners from the College of ACES: - Jordan Ellison, $250 - Using a Bayesian Hierarchical Model to Estimate the Effect of Nest Age on Burrowing Owl Nest Survival.
- Suman Sharma, $250 - A Development of Disease Resistant Onions using an Artificial Inoculation Mature Bulb Screening.
Questions? Email gscvpactivities@nmsu.edu with any and all questions about this event. |
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On behalf of Dean & Chief Administrative Officer Rolando A. Flores Galarza and the College of ACES, Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones! |
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COLLEGE OF ACES MAGAZINE – FALL 2022 ISSUE |
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The College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences is an engine for economic and community development in New Mexico, improving the lives of New Mexicans through academic, research, and Extension programs. |
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