University of Idaho College of Agricultural & Life Sciences

Assistant Professor Rhett Spear joined the Science Friday podcast to discuss potato science, including how potatoes are grown and what scientists look for when they develop new potato varieties.

Listen: https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/thanksgiving-food-potato-science/.

A Horn Of Potato Plenty Just in time for Thanksgiving, a potato researcher explains potato varieties, potato nutrition, and some tubular tuber facts.

Help us fill the Food Pantry now through Jan. 31!

Food drop-offs can be made at our donation box in the Ag Sciences Building main entrance or in the Academic Programs office (Ag Sci Room 65).

The CALS Food Pantry, located in the Ag Science Biotech Lounge, is open to students, faculty and staff. Popular food items include: canned soups, canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, cup of noodle, boxed pasta, and breakfast bars.

Visit this link to make a monetary donation: uandigive.uidaho.edu/pantry.

CALS Food Pantry Challenge University of Idaho, CALS Food Pantry Challenge - Make a Gift today!

Congratulations to Rita Franco, nutritional sciences Ph.D. student, who placed second in the University of Idaho Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition and received the People's Choice award! Franco will compete at the statewide 3MT event in Idaho Falls in February 2025. She is studying the impact of egg consumption on child health in Guatemala under the mentorship of Assistant Professor Ginny Lane.

Congratulations to Daniel Strawn, a professor of environmental soil chemistry, for his selection as a 2024 Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) Fellow! Fellow is the highest recognition bestowed by the SSSA. Members of the Society nominate colleagues based on their professional achievements and meritorious service.

student members of the Student Idaho Cattle Association recently attended the Idaho Cattle Association Convention in Sun Valley. They heard from industry professionals, agriculture advocates, and different companies to learn about new technology and trends, as well as the abundance of opportunities in the industry.

Steve Cook, a professor and head of the Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, was recently featured on the University of Idaho podcast, The Vandal Theory, where he discussed his research into huckleberries and why they are so hard to domesticate.

Listen:

Episode 8.8: Taming the huckleberry Question: Can you tell us about your first huckleberry hunt? Steve Cook (go.uidaho.edu/3O6hc5u) is the head of the Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology (go.uidaho.edu/3UKfCKj) a

Idaho farmers can expect more varieties to be released from the University of Idaho wheat breeding program that resist the fungal diseases dwarf bunt and common bunt thanks in large part to the work of a recent doctoral graduate, Pabitra Joshi.

Joshi, of Nepal, also became a licensed drone pilot for a research project using modeling and high throughput phenotyping – which involves collecting large amounts of data to assess phenotypic traits of plants – to assess potential yield, height, maturity, biomass and other traits among wheat cultivars.

Joshi, who made a strong mark on Idaho agriculture during her four years as a graduate student, received her doctorate in plant science earlier this month and will start her career with the USDA in New York.

Read more:

Advancing Wheat Breeding CALS grad investigates disease resistance in wheat.

Connor Daugherty’s path to the University of Idaho took a few twists and turns. After growing up on his family’s 140-acre farm in Charlo, Montana, Daugherty decided he wanted to try something completely different. He enrolled at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine and earned a bachelor's degree in marine biology and small vessel operations. He also met his wife, and the pair decided to move to Washington where Daugherty took a position as a deckhand for the Western Towboat Company.

Although he loved being on the ocean, the long rotations to Alaska meant that Daugherty would go months without seeing his wife. After two years, he knew he needed to consider a different career path. The couple’s long-term plan was to settle in Montana, so Daugherty began searching for master’s programs that would complement his biology background, agriculture experience and apply to environmental issues – this time on the ground rather than the water.

That search led him to where he earned a master’s degree in soil and land resources earlier this month.

Read more: https://www.uidaho.edu/cals/news/features/2024/connor-daugherty-sws.

From Sea to Soil CALS grad makes switch from marine biology to soil science to address environmental issues in Montana.

Abigail Crawford was a self-proclaimed horse girl as a child with the dream of becoming a veterinarian. Growing up in Kuna, Crawford didn’t have a direct connection to agriculture, so she decided to enroll in agriculture classes in high school to gain experience working with horses and to learn more about veterinary science.

That fateful decision introduced Crawford to her true passion – plant science, specifically w**d science – and set her on a course to . She earned her degree in crop science and management last weekend and will soon start her career in plant science research.

Read more: www.uidaho.edu/cals-ps-abigail.

University of Idaho

Cultivating Curiosity CALS grad explores a passion for plants.

Every summer from the age of 8 until he was 12, Ken Koceja spent three idyllic months on his grandparent’s farm in Baja California, Mexico. He enjoyed the slower and quieter pace of life compared to his experiences in the suburbs of Camas, Washington during the rest of the year. He was able to explore the outdoors and help his grandfather with small tasks on the farm. Around the same time, he joined the Boy Scouts where he discovered a love for horses.

Those experiences developed a curiosity and appreciation for agriculture, eventually leading Koceja to where he will earned a degree in animal and veterinary science: business option.

Read more: www.uidaho.edu/cals-avfs-ken.

University of Idaho

Leap of Faith CALS grad explores interest in animal agriculture.

Bronte Sone’s research subjects aren’t easy to work with – they’re microscopic and number in the billions in just small samples. Yet, they are vital to agricultural systems. Soil microbial communities, which include bacteria, fungi and archaea, play a critical role in ecosystems. They help with nutrient cycling, produce and consume greenhouse gases, enhance plant growth, and help plants access more water and nutrients, among other benefits.

Sone’s passion for her research is fueled by the belief that understanding soil microbes is essential for sustainable agriculture and environmental resilience. Sone graduated with a doctorate in soil and land resources from last weekend and will continue her career studying soil microbial communities as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Idaho.

Read more: www.uidaho.edu/cals-sws-bronte.

Beneath the Surface CALS grad explores soil microbial communities

All students are invited to enjoy a FREE breakfast and lunch each day of finals week (Dec. 9-13). Stop by and grab a meal to go, or sit and eat before heading off to your finals. ⁠Located in the Ag Biotech Courtyard. 7-10:30 a.m. for breakfast and 11-1:30 p.m. for lunch.

Jack Scheffler’s interest in agriculture began in Illinois when he was 8 years old. His father worked for Monsanto producing field corn seed and asked him if he’d be interested in selling sweet corn for a friend. He started with an acre of sweet corn in Illinois and eventually expanded to 26 acres when his family moved to Pasco, Washington the summer before his freshman year of high school.

He began taking agricultural courses in high school and joined FFA where his interest in plant science continued to grow, leading him to . Scheffler graduates on Saturday with degrees in crop science and management and agricultural economics: agribusiness emphasis, a certificate in agricultural commodity risk management (ACRM) and a minor in accounting and will begin his career as a field testing specialist for Corteva Agriscience.

Read more: www.uidaho.edu/cals-ps-aers-jack.

University of Idaho

Passion for Plants CALS grads passion for plants results in a career with Corteva.

Congratulations to Marina Steiner, a graduate student from St. Paul, Minnesota studying water resources: science and management option, who was selected as a 2024 Accelnet PEER2PEER Fellow by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and partners at University of California, Irvine and Oklahoma State University.

The fellowship program focuses on transboundary water resource management and provides resources for fellows to travel to a host lab to participate in ongoing research, while exploring their own research interests. Steiner will travel to Samarkand, Uzbekistan in May 2025 to collaborate with Toshpulot Rajabov at Samarkand State University on the implementation of water saving technologies and efficient irrigation methods under increased drought and soil salinization in Uzbekistan agriculture. She will also present to Samarkand State graduate students and university researchers about water resource and irrigation work being done at the University of Idaho.

Steiner is working with Moscow-based nonprofit TerraGraphics International Foundation to investigate drinking water contamination in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan due to the Aral Sea Crisis for her graduate research project. Also partnering on the project are Doctors Without Borders and the Ministry of Health of Karakalpakstan.

Raveen Rani never thought much about food and nutrition until a health scare opened her eyes to the importance of a healthy diet. Growing up in Mansa, Punjab, India, Rani had access to an abundance of locally grown and nutritious food, yet, like many children, gravitated towards fast food and unhealthy snacks. After being admitted to the emergency room for a health crisis, Rani met with a nutritionist and was advised to change her eating habits if she wanted to stay healthy.

That experience had a profound impact on Rani and ultimately led her to and a master’s degree in nutritional sciences. Read more: www.uidaho.edu/cals-fcs-rani.

UI Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences
University of Idaho

Transforming Lives Through Nutrition CALS alumna investigates the role of nutrition in chronic disease prevention.

Dinesh Gulati, a Ph.D. student from Ferozepur, Punjab, India studying water resources with an emphasis in engineering and science, was selected as an Irrigation E3 Student by the Irrigation Association. Gulati was one of 17 students across the nation selected as an E3 Student, a program that focuses on providing irrigation students and faculty members with exposure, experience and education that revolves around the irrigation industry. The program sponsored Gulati's attendance at the 2024 Irrigation Show in Long Beach, California Nov. 4-7.

senior instructor Sara Matthews recently presented at the annual meeting of The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in Anaheim, California. Her presentation topic was: ‘Using Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Crafting Pedagogy that Enhances Learning, Critical Thinking and Ethical Responsibility in Early Childhood Educators.’

Help us celebrate our 2024 fall graduates at a reception prior to the commencement ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 7. Light snacks and beverages will be provided.