Winter 2016
From the Dean's Perspective
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College News
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A new student council for the college , articleThe fall 2015 semester brought a new academic year, and, for the college, a new student council, formed by a group in last year’s Leadership Institute.
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Day helps develop sustainable sites initiative , articleAssociate Professor Susan Day initiated national discussions in 2007 that culminated with the recent rollout of the most comprehensive program and toolkit for developing sustainable landscapes.
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Expanding forest study with access to new research station , articleThe college has increased its capacity to study forests and how such landscapes influence climate by adding O’Halloran to the forest resources faculty.
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Article ItemNew geospatial, forest products publications , article
New publications make remotely sensed images more accessible to those working in geospatial sciences and help guide owners of new forest products firms.
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New sponsor for Virginia Master Naturalist program , articleThe Virginia Master Naturalist program welcomes the Virginia Institute of Marine Science’s Center for Coastal Resources Management as its newest sponsoring agency.
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Sullivan named department head , articleProfessor Jay Sullivan has been selected as head of the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation after an international search.
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WEI turns the tables , articleEach year, the Wood Enterprise Institute, a student-run entrepreneurial venture, uses a concept-to-market business approach to plan, design, manufacture, sell, and distribute a product, such as wooden coasters, cuttings boards, and bookends. This year’s team has taken on an ambitious challenge.
Research Spotlight
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Antibiotic resistance in Africa , articleMultidrug resistance was found across land types, from areas of human habitation to protected areas such as Chobe National Park.
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Habitat model to help protect piping plover , articleDoctoral student Katherina Gieder has created a model combining sea-level rise, shoreline change, geomorphology features, and piping plover nesting habitat suitability to help managers protect the birds.
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Land managers gain tools to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions , articleBeing able to measure forestry and agricultural intake and emissions of carbon dioxide is critical to developing a strategy for addressing climate change by reducing greenhouse gases. A team of 38 scientists has developed science-based methods for measuring changes in greenhouse gases.
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Research aims to preserve the Great Plains by controlling woody shrubs , articleA team of scientists from four universities received a $1.3 million grant from the NSF to determine how to slow the encroachment of woodlands that is occurring on the Great Plains.
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Researchers investigate human-natural feedbacks in freshwater systems , articleA multidisciplinary team of researchers led by Assistant Professor Kelly Cobourn will examine the linkages between humans and freshwater quality using an NSF grant.
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Scientists tap trees' evolutionary databanks to discover environment adaptation strategies , articleResearchers have been using the gene function of a small, simple, model plant to learn about and sequence hundreds of tree genomes for decades. However, a research team recently developed a new strategy to learn about trees’ genetics.
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Study on New River trotlines reveals changing traditions in fishing , articleWhile the popularity of fishing for smallmouth bass is on the rise in Virginia’s New River, the decades-old practice of fishing for catfish using trotlines is fading, according to a recent study.
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Successful ecological restoration must meet more robust standards , articleIn a succession of international agreements, governments worldwide have pledged to restore degraded ecosystems to address climate change.
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Successful natural resource management built on trust , articleTrust is an important driver of collaboration, conflict resolution, and enhanced group performance in the management of natural resources. Four forms of trust may play a role in building resilient collaborations.
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Training key to improving citizen scientist-collected data , articleUsing volunteer “citizen scientists” to collect data seems like an ideal way for budget-strapped agencies and nonprofits to augment their workforce.
Student Notes
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Deveau interns at the White House , articleAlena Deveau of Fairfax, Virginia, received a rare opportunity last summer, joining about 130 students selected to experience public service at its finest in the White House Internship Program.
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Leadership Institute , articleThe sixth student cohort of the college’s Leadership Institute visited the Virginia Department of Forestry headquarters in Charlottesville in January.
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Students attend Pack Expo , articleA dozen packaging students traveled to Las Vegas for the 2015 Pack Expo.
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Tech-savvy sophomore only student on interdisciplinary water study team in Africa , articleEnvironmental informatics major Paige Williams of Radford, Virginia, served on an interdisciplinary team conducting field research on multiple-use water services in Burkina Faso.
Engagement and Outreach
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Bird boxes at Blacksburg High School engage students , articleIn a partnership with Virginia Tech, approximately 50 wooden bird boxes were placed on a natural stretch of Blacksburg High School’s property.
Alumni Corner
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Alum debuts novel , articleChris Kohler professor emeritus of zoology at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, turned from scientific writing to fiction for his first novel.
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Alumni profile: Adam Layman — protector of the night sky , articleIn his 14-year career at Staunton River State Park in Halifax County, Virginia, Adam Layman has devoted himself to preserving its natural riches.
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General ItemAdditional alumni news
We love hearing about all the great things going on with our alumni — awards, promotions, retirements, etc. Regrettably, we don’t have enough space in the newsmagazine to print them all. You can now catch up with former classmates and fellow Hokies online.