Craig Beyrouty
Dean and Director
Here in AGNR, the possibilities for partnership and impact are limitless. Enjoy this issue of Momentum, and I look forward to seeing you in-person in the fall.
Features
The self-sustaining Ripple design, created by a diverse team of recent alumni and students across AGNR while stuck at home during the pandemic was selected as one of only ten worldwide winners of the 2020 Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) International Design Challenge.
James Archsmith, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, has uncovered some data trends around fuel efficient car purchases, indicating that there is something unexpected in play.
Ask AGNR
Evelyn Cooper, assistant dean for academic programs and director for retention and diversity at AGNR, discusses the college’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR).
In Your Community
The media was abuzz this year with the emergence of the Brood X periodical cicadas, and Mike Raupp and his “Cicada Crew” of graduate students were directly at the center of this historic insect event.
The Cicada Media Buzz
Alumni News
A relatively unplanned elective course within the Institute of Applied Agriculture shifted Henry Spies' future, enabling him to give birth to Marsh Creek Cattle & Company, a successful pasture-raised animal farm that has risen to prominence with a commitment to environmental sustainability.
If Jacob Ngeve’s(’88, PhD Plant Genetics) 30 plus years in agricultural research has taught him anything, it is the power of hard work. Now, his daughter is a postdoctoral researcher in plant biology and ecology in the very same department in AGNR where he graduated the year she was born.
Student Achievement
Recent graduate sherry fan ’21 (Nutritional Science and Biological Science) has common interests shared by many people: a vast appreciation for science, love for food and nutrition, and a general desire to do good. But what sets Fan apart is the action she is taking to seek change for a better world.
Only a select few students are able to tackle the challenge of ANSC 245 or Sheep Management, popularly known as “Lamb Watch,” and say they accomplished the feat of helping bring a life into this world.
Counting Sheep and Losing Sleep
Faculty & Staff Recognitions
Events & Celebrations
ROOTS Africa Wins Do Good Challenge
ROOTS Africa took home the top prize in this year's virtual Do Good Challenge, an annual UMD pitch competition to help raise funds for the issues and communities Terps care about most. As the top winner for the Project Track, students were awarded $5,000, and the team received an additional $5,000 in matching funds from the Rugged Elegance Foundation.
AGNR’s DOTS Art Park
Our Information & Education Technology (IET) staff contributed this innovative installation, entitled "Zoom Happy Hour," to the UMD Department of Transportation Services (DOTS) Art Park. This spring, our reduced campus density left a surplus of empty parking. DOTS therefore decided to launch the Art Park initiative, lending parking spaces to programs seeking a venue for outdoor art installations.
New UMD Extension Website
This spring, AGNR launched a new public face for UMD Extension (UME) with a brand new website. The upgrade represents over two years of discussion, stakeholder engagement, design, and development, prioritizing the public user experience.