VOLUME 2023, ISSUE 6 04/17/2023 |
|
|
Good day, Aggies and friends of the College of ACES, We are poised to witness outstanding changes in the university and college. We welcome those changes, and at the same time, as we look in retrospect, we see the learning that has emerged from every occasion. At this time, I want to take the opportunity and thank all of the faculty, staff, and students who participated in our 4th ACES OPEN HOUSE. We had a lot of presence from the community. Many people came to me and thanked us for opening the college to the community so that they can learn about the fantastic work that the students, faculty and staff are doing. Also, we had the FFA Convention of New Mexico the same week, where we also had very good participation, with a lot of activities and student exposure to the college and university. I want to take this opportunity to welcome the new Chancellor and Provost to our college and university. Dr. Jay Gogue, who will serve as Interim Chancellor, started on April 10th, and Provost Dr. Alan Shoho will start on April 17th. We want to convey to Drs. Gogue and Shoho that they can count on the ACES team to move NMSU forward. I’m also delighted to welcome two new department heads to the College of ACES. Dr. Ricardo Ramirez, who will be taking leadership of the Entomology, Plant Pathology, and Weed Science Department, and Dr. Barbara Chamberlin, who will be taking the lead in the Innovative Media Research and Extension Department. We welcome these additions to our new crop of department heads in the college, and we are also getting ready to start interviewing for department heads of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Extension Plant Sciences. New faces and new programs – always focused on the needs of the whole state of New Mexico in agriculture and the needs of New Mexicans. Also, I want to mention that we now have available a new issue of the ACES Magazine, which you can refer to at the end of this newsletter. It focuses on Fabiola Cabeza de Baca, one of our historical leaders and an impressive member of the extension program that consolidated and brought a lot of progress to the state thanks to her hard work. I encourage you to read more about her and all the incredible work that is happening in the college in many different areas. Thank you, and Go Aggies! |
|
|
Rolando A. Flores Galarza Dean & Chief Administrative Officer |
NMSU NEW INTERIM CHANCELLOR |
|
|
At a special meeting Friday, April 7, the New Mexico State University Board of Regents, announced the selection of former NMSU President Jay Gogue to serve as the university’s interim chancellor, starting Friday. Gogue will lead the NMSU system while the search for the university’s next permanent chancellor takes place. Gogue has a long and distinguished career in higher education. He served as NMSU president from 2000-2003 and later served as president and chancellor of the University of Houston system from 2003-2007 and as president of Auburn University from 2007-2017 and again from 2019-2022. “Susie and I are pleased to be back at NMSU,” Gogue said. “My plan is to hit the ground listening. No two institutions of higher education are the same. Just because something worked at Auburn doesn’t mean it will work at NMSU. In the coming days, I intend to meet with as many people as I can to get a better understanding of our overall landscape.” During the time Gogue spent at Auburn, that university continued to assert its status as a premier land-, sea- and space-grant university through research, academic rigor and national recognition. He holds a Ph.D. in horticulture from Michigan State University and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in horticulture from Auburn. He also served as provost at Utah State University from 1995-2000, vice president for research at Clemson University from 1986-1995 and vice president for agriculture and natural resources at Clemson University from 1993-1995. During Friday’s meeting, the board of regents also selected the executive search firm WittKieffer to help with the chancellor search process, including identifying qualified candidates, conducting initial screenings and evaluating individuals for the position. The board plans to begin hosting listening sessions and gathering input from stakeholders around the state in the coming weeks. |
 |
NEW DEPARTMENT HEAD APPOINTMENTS IN ACES |
We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Ricardo Ramirez as department head of Entomology, Plant Pathology, and Weed Science. He will start his position on August 1, 2023. Dr. Ricardo Ramirez rejoins New Mexico State University as Department Head of the Entomology, Plant Pathology, and Weed Science department, where he received his BS and MS degrees. He received his PhD in entomology at Washington State University. He then joined Texas A&M University as a postdoc where he investigated tools for the suppression of insect pests of potato and cotton, respectively. He served as Extension entomologist and professor in the department of Biology at Utah State University, focusing on agroecology and integrated pest management of field and forage crops. Dr. Ramirez investigates how abiotic factors, including plant water stress and pesticide use, impact the conservation of insect predators and pollinators and the outbreak of arthropod pests in agroecosystems. We want to thank Dr. Gerald Sims for all his dedication and excellent work as department head for the last 11 years. Also, our sincere appreciation goes to the search committee chaired by Dr. Steve Fraze for their hard work and dedication. We encourage you all to congratulate Dr. Ramirez and assist and collaborate with him in moving the department forward toward the accomplishments of the goals of LEADS 2025 in benefit of ACES, NMSU and New Mexico. |
 |
|
|
We are also pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Barbara Chamberlin as department head of the Innovative Media Research and Extension (IMRE). She will start permanently in the position on April 17. 2023. In her work at NMSU, she collaborates with other faculty and designers and has published more than 80 games, apps, interactives, animations, videos, and other learning tools. Her research focuses on design models and processes for media; diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in media design; and user testing and other types of formative assessment. She speaks frequently nationally and internationally, with more than 300 speeches and presentations since joining NMSU as faculty. She has published 60 peer-reviewed chapters, articles, and proceedings. Most of the educational outreach work is funded by grants, and she has collaborated on almost 200 proposals. She serves as graduate faculty and has served as Dean’s rep on committees for 45 students doing research on game-based learning. She is an NMSU Alumnus and member of the Sam Steel Society: She received her BA in Communications Studies and her MA in Agricultural and Extension Education at NMSU. Her PhD in Educational Technology and Instructional Design is from the University of Virginia, where her research was one of the earlier dissertations in game-based learning. Our sincere appreciation to the search committee, chaired by Dr. Gerald Sims, for their hard work and dedication. This is a great opportunity for the IMRE team to continue with the outstanding work that over the years Dr. Jeanne Gleason’s leadership provided in bringing the IMRE team to national recognition. |
 |
|
|
MINORITIES IN AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES AND RELATED SCIENCES (MANRRS) |
 |
With the help of Co-Advisors Dr. April Ulery and Dr. Alwin Dsouza, newly elected President Rebekah Roybal is delighted to announce the re-establishment of a Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) chapter at NMSU. MANRRS provides access to valuable connections, internships, conferences, and opportunities for students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, agriculture, mathematics, or related STEAM careers. Membership is available to any undergraduate or graduate student. The College of ACES Academic Programs Office is providing support to three students who will be attending the national conference being held in Atlanta, Georgia in April. The student organization is working to secure sponsors to support future travel to regional and national conferences. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact April Ulery at aulery@nmsu.edu. You can follow them on: Instagram - MANRRS_NMSU and Facebook - MANRRS NMSU. For more information about MANRRS visit: https://www.manrrs.org/ |
 |
Co-Advisors Dr. April Ulery and Dr. Alwin Dsouza with newly elected President Rebekah Roybal (fifth from the left) |
New Mexico 4-H State Shooting Sports Youth Leadership Summit The New Mexico 4-H State Shooting Sports Youth Leadership Summit was held March 24-26 at the Whittington Center in Raton for senior age (13- to 18-year-old) 4-H members. Participants were selected through an application process. During the summit, youth explored different disciplines in the program, received instruction in leadership, connected with youth from around the state, and gained skills for serving as ambassadors for the 4-H Shooting Sports program. Twenty-three youth participated in the three-day, two-night event. Discipline areas included pistol, rifle, shotgun, hunting skills, muzzleloader, and archery. Leadership instruction concentrated on teamwork, the art of teaching, telling your story about the values shooting sports has taught you, and social media. A National 4-H Shooting Sports Ambassador spoke about the program and opportunities offered to youth interested in serving in this role. Extension agents and shooting sports volunteers taught the subject matter. Applications to participate in the 2024 New Mexico 4-H State Shooting Sports Youth Leadership Summit will be available in January 2024. For more information, contact Interim Extension Department Head Laura Bittner at lbittner@nmsu.edu. |
 |
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION (AES) |
The Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) is the principal research unit of ACES. The AES system consists of scientists from NMSU’s main campus in the College of ACES and twelve agricultural science and research centers throughout the state. Research programs focus on four identified critical issues for New Mexico that will also have a global impact. These programs are (1) Food & Fiber Production and Marketing, (2) Water Use and Conservation, (3) Family Development and Health of New Mexicans, and (4) Environmental Stewardship, all of which are based on the foundation of education and training of qualified professionals in the field of agriculture. These critical issues help guide research initiatives for federal capacity funded research through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA). NIFA capacity projects can include Hatch, Hatch multistate, McIntire-Stennis, Animal Health and Renewable Resources Extension programs. Each of these programs has specific distinctions for a research focus. The AES has 48 projects ongoing in various areas of research. Here is one more example of ongoing NIFA Hatch projects that directly impact the New Mexico agricultural industry. For more information, contact AES Program Operations Director Claire Montoya at ccortner@nmsu.edu. |
|
|
Assistant Professor Dennis Lozada, Director of the Chile Pepper Breeding and Genetics Program |
|
|
An ongoing research project addresses two major issues affecting chile pepper production in New Mexico, namely, decreased yields and high disease pressures. This project aims to facilitate the development of chile pepper cultivars with improved yield potential and increased resistance to Phytophthora capsici, a plant pathogen that causes blight and fruit rot in peppers, using novel genomics-assisted breeding approaches. Information from these genetic experiments will be used to perform robust breeding and selection decisions toward the development of genetically improved chile pepper cultivars in New Mexico through the NMSU Pepper Breeding Program. With chile being one of the largest agricultural crop industries in New Mexico, this research can provide economic opportunities for chile pepper farmers. To read the paper: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-08-22-0297-RVW |
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE (CES) |
Southeast Ranchers Workshop A workshop for southeast ranchers was held in Artesia on March 28, 2023. The program was a collaboration between Eddy, Chaves, and Roosevelt County Cooperative Extension Services. The program featured discussion on new and emerging technologies and issues facing producers. It also looked at policy change and management options that affect day-to-day decisions. The morning opened with an overview of virtual fencing and the options available on the market today, their differences, costs, and limitations. Following virtual fencing, E-collars were discussed and demonstrated, and their real-world applications were presented to attendees. A panel discussion after lunch featured guest speakers talking about direct marketing of beef from producer to consumer. They discussed how their business started, pitfalls to avoid and lessons learned. Resource and time management were the next topic, featuring Ranchbot Monitoring Solutions. This company supplies water monitoring systems and more to ranchers around the world. Weed and brush control was presented with situations and opportunities available for management and control. Rounding out the day was a presentation on judicious use of antimicrobials and implications for producers and providers alike. For more information, contact Eastern District Director Leigh Ann Marez at lemarez@nmsu.edu. |
 |
|
|
NMSU Extension to host Biochar and Soil Health Field Day April 26 New Mexico State University’s Cooperative Extension Service will host a Biochar and Soil Health Field Day from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Wednesday, April 26 at the Leyendecker Plant Science Center, 7200 Plant Science Circle, Las Cruces. At the field day, participants will learn how to prepare biochar using the Ring of Fire biochar kiln. Biochar is a charcoal-like substance produced by burning organic materials in an oxygen-limited environment and is used to rejuvenate soil health. Attendees will also learn about cover crops and other soil health practices at the Leyendecker long-term soil health research and demonstration plots. To register for this free event, visit https://rsvp.nmsu.edu/rsvp/soilhealth3. Media Contact, student writer Elizabeth McCall. |
INDIAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT (IRD) |
This year, GEAR UP New Mexico, a division of the New Mexico Higher Education Department, is partnering with Tewa Women United, the American Indian Chamber of Commerce, Native Forward, NMSU Indian Resources Development, and the New Mexico Higher Education Department to host the 2023 Pathways to Success: Empowering Native American Students for College and Career Conference. |
 |
Conference Description Join us for a two-day conference aimed at inspiring Native American students toward college and career readiness. Led by indigenous thought leaders from across New Mexico, this conference will explore the unique experiences facing Native American students and provide practical resources to help Native students achieve their goals. From college readiness to workforce development, these interactive workshops and engaging speakers will offer valuable insights and inspiration for all attendees. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn, connect, and grow within the community. Register now and join us for an unforgettable experience! Pathways to Success: Empowering Native American Students for College and Career — FOCUS Training (focustrainingedu.com) |
Faculty Share Successful Strategies on Using Media for Food Safety Education An NMSU IMRE team offered findings on their work on creating educational media campaigns (such as their Don’t Wash Your Chicken! Campaign), and strategies for matching educational media to the audience, at the 2023 Consumer Food Safety Education Conference, March 1-3, in collaboration with food safety partners and content experts. The conference centered on the importance of delivering food safety information for all generations, focusing on how and where the next generation of food handlers will get this information. In the round table “Choosing the Right Media for the Message” the team discussed the various elements of our process to define the most effective media for a given food safety material – for example, accessibility, budget, and learning outcomes definition. We shared best practices for determining when to use what kind of media, and how to use research to inform that decision. The team also reviewed some of our current projects on food safety education — a game for vendors at farmers’ markets, a set of interactives for farm workers, and two educational social media campaigns — giving examples of the choices made, and making recommendations for future projects (such as VR and app use). |
 |
Pamela Martinez, EdD, assistant professor and Extension technology specialist; Matheus Cezarotto, PhD, visiting assistant professor, NMSU Department of Innovative Media, Research and Extension; and Kristen Gibson, PhD, professor of food safety and microbiology, director of the Center for Food Safety, University of Arkansas, presenting at the 2023 Consumer Food Safety Education Conference. |
Barbara Chamberlin, PhD, professor and director of the Learning Games Lab, Department of Innovative Media, Research and Extension, presenting at the 2023 Consumer Food Safety Education Conference. |
NEW MEXICO NATIONAL FFA ASSOCIATION |
New Mexico FFA State Career Development Events 2023 The members of New Mexico FFA just finished up a busy judging season. The State Career Development Events were held March 29th through the 31st in Las Cruces, NM on the New Mexico State University campus. Over 1,200 students competed in 22 events throughout the week. The state contest is highly competitive, and these members are competing not only to win but to gain knowledge in agriculture and career interests. State-winning teams will have the opportunity to compete at the National FFA Career Development Events in October. The New Mexico FFA Association would like to congratulate all teams that competed as well as extend our appreciation to all volunteers and those who made another great state contest possible! |
|
|
To find all results from the State CDEs and more information, visit our website and social media pages! Website: http://www.nmffa.org Facebook: New Mexico FFA Instagram: @newmexicoffa |
|
|
PLANT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (PES) |
NMSU’s soil judging team traveled to the National Soil Judging competition held in Woodward, OK from Saturday March 25th – Saturday April 1st. Four NMSU students, Ashley Riggs, Tiana Peterson, Beatriz Salazar Archuleta, and Stella Gomez, competed against twenty-three other soil judging teams from around the nation. Soil judging requires individual competitors and school teams to describe, classify, and interpret soils in less than 1 hour. In this year’s competition, students described soils formed in a complex mix of alluvial (stream deposited), eolian (wind deposited), and residual (formed from bedrock) parent materials in both freezing and gusty conditions. For example, during the last day of the competition the students described a sandy soil while battling blowing sand as the wind gusted to 60 mph. The contest consists of four days of practice and two days of competition. In total, the students observed and described twenty soils (more than double what it is possible to do in class). The opportunity for students to apply classroom learning in new landscapes is a fundamental part of soil judging. Although NMSU’s team did not place in the top 10, the team gained extensive practice and experience as we prepare for next year. |
|
|
NMSU's 2022-2023 Soil Judging Team. From left to right: Beatriz Salazar, Ashley Riggs, Stella Gomez, Tianna Peterson, Dr. Colby Brungard (coach) |
| Students practicing timed soil profile description. |
|
|
NMSU's soil judging team contemplates alluvial soils on a flood plain beneath gypsum cap rock on a frosty morning. |
|
|
School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Edible Book Festival At the ACES Open House on April 1st, the School of Hotel, Restaurant, & Tourism Management hosted its 3rd annual Edible Book Festival, where people represent literary work as food. We had 26 participants this year, mostly from high schools in Las Cruces and Chaparral. Over 90 people stopped in 100 West Café and voted for their favorite edible literary piece. The Judge’s and People’s Choice Award winner was Macbeth by Sandra Crane. The winner in the Junior category was the Communist Manifesto by Anasofia Hernandez, Jenny Radtke, Mariah Enriquez, and Nizhoni Marin. The Best Collaborative Piece was awarded to The Tell-Tale Heart by Aracely Herrera & Arely Marquez. The competition was organized and hosted by the students in Chef Danielle Young’s HRTM 443 – Meetings, Conventions and Special Events class. Visitors to the HRTM facilities could also sample New Mexico Wines in the Bobby Lee Lawrence Academy of Wine, sponsored by the New Mexico Wine Association, VivaVino. https://100west.nmsu.edu/events/festival.html |
 |
|
|
Our department of Innovative Media Research & Extension produced a great video demonstrating our college. You can access the video by clicking on the following link: ACES About Home (nmsu.edu) |
|
|
COLLEGE OF ACES MAGAZINE – SPRING 2023 ISSUE |
|
|
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. |
|
|
| |
