During Tuesday’s ribbon cutting ceremony, Rutgers University dedicated the New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health (IFNH), a university-wide hub for interdisciplinary research whose mission is to make New Jersey the “Healthy State” and a model for the nation… The institute offers nearly 40,000 square feet of research space and approximately 30,000 square feet of community space to facilitate communication and cooperation among scholars who pursue interdisciplinary research; policymakers who apply research to real-world problems associated with food and health; and parents, their children and students whose lives can benefit from wellness programs and health and education activities… “This institute is another example of how Rutgers brings together faculty, staff and students from across the university to demonstrate our extraordinary expertise in the fields of nutrition and health and share it with the people of New Jersey and beyond,” said President Barchi.
Archives for October 2015
Rutgers NJAES Board of Managers Member Jess Niederer Recognized as New Jersey’s 2016 Outstanding Young Farmer
Jessica Niederer, a Hopewell Township organic produce and flower farmer, has been chosen as New Jersey’s 2016 Outstanding Young Farmer by the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture. Niederer will be presented with her award at the February 2016 New Jersey State Agricultural Convention in Atlantic City. In 2015, Niederer became a member of […]
Rain Storm Could Cause Minor Flooding on Jersey Shore
A coastal flood advisory for the New Jersey coastline will be in effect Wednesday night as the remnants of Hurricane Patricia bring wind and steady rain to the region, according to the National Weather Service… The storm system moving toward New Jers…
Garden State and Jewish State Share a Table on Food Innovation
Food innovation is the next course in the storied U.S.-Israel partnership. Rutgers University’s Food Innovation Center and Tel-Hai College in Israel’s northern Galilee region recently announced the New Jersey-Israel Healthy, Functional, and Medical Food Alliance, a venture that will create synergies between start-ups and more established food businesses in America’s so-called “Garden State” and the Jewish state… The key players are Member of Knesset Erel Margalit (Labor), founder of the Jerusalem Venture Partners venture capital firm, and Lou Cooperhouse, director of the Rutgers Food Innovation Center and president of the New Jersey Business Incubation Network… For students and faculty, a memo of understanding signed by Rutgers and Tel-Hai on Sept. 18 supports research collaboration, entrepreneurship education, exchange programs, and experiential learning. Israeli businesses will get access to incubation opportunities at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center and assistance in finding partners for joint ventures.
2015’s Best and Worst Cities for Halloween
According to the National Retail Federation’s annual Halloween Consumer Spending Survey, Americans will spend slightly less on holiday costs in 2015. The average person will shell out $74.34 – down from $77.52 in 2014 – on garb, candy and decorations, among other Halloween-related expenses. Total spending is expected to reach $6.9 billion in 2015, about $500 million less than in the previous year… We’ve asked a panel of experts to share their financial wisdom and strategies for parents and local governments to ensure the safety and health of young trick-or-treaters this year, including Barbara O’Neill, distinguished professor and extension specialist in Financial Resource Management in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University… “Different types of candy have different value. For example, some people might value chocolate candy, or a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, over candy corn. Similarly, in personal finance, we tent to spend our money (and time) on things that we value. Just like children can’t eat all the candy that they receive, neither can people buy everything that they want. We have to prioritize,” said O’Neill.
Jess Niederer — NJ’s 2016 Outstanding Young Farmer
This article was written by Nicholas Polanin is associate professor, agricultural agent II, Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension of Somerset County… Jessica Niederer, a Hopewell Township organic produce and flower farmer, has been chosen as New Jersey’s 2016 Outstanding Young Farmer by the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture… Niederer will be presented with her award at the February 2016 New Jersey State Agricultural Convention in Atlantic City… As well as being a dedicated farmer, Niederer enjoys giving back to the community. In 2014, she was voted the “Local Hero” by Edible Jersey readers in the Farm/Farmer category. To add to her community accomplishments, Niederer also is an active member of the Mercer County Board of Agriculture, teaches classes on organic farming through the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey, and volunteers as an EMT during the slower months.
Rutgers Dedicates N.J. Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health
Rutgers’ new hub for interdisciplinary research in food, nutrition and health aims to make New Jersey the “healthy state” and a model for the nation… The $55 million New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health on the George H. Cook Campus formally was dedicated Tuesday as college, state and private officials looked on. Financing came from a $35 million grant from the Building Our Future Bond Act and a $10 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation… Students in the building will study the country’s major nutrition-related health issues, including obesity, diabetes and heart disease. The building, designed with nature in mind and an open-space concept, also boasts New Jersey’s largest interior living wall. There also is space for conferences, meetings, laboratories, “smart” classrooms and offices.
Surge in Studies Hits Universities In Sandy’s Wake
As someone who came to New Jersey specifically to study sea-level rise and catastrophic storms, Ben Horton felt superstorm Sandy had presented him with a gift, albeit a grim one… There was so much interest in science explaining why Sandy caused so much damage late in the hurricane season,” said Mr. Horton, a British native who is a professor of sea-level research at Rutgers University. “It provided a focus for us.”… Three years since Sandy caused historic damage to the region, scientific learning and research on sustainability, climate change and coastal studies have had a renaissance. Tens of millions of state and federal dollars have flowed to projects pertaining to climate change, and interest among students to study the topics has been high at area universities since the storm made landfall on Oct. 29, 2012… And at New Jersey’s largest public university, the Rutgers Climate Institute opened in 2013. A paper co-authored by Mr. Horton was referenced by President Barack Obama in his State of the Union address earlier this year.
Rutgers Dedicates New $55M Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health
The $55 million New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, which is intended to make the state a national model in promoting healthier lifestyles, was dedicated Tuesday at Rutgers University in New Brunswick… The 78,000-square-foot building on Rutgers Cook Campus will allow for new collaborations, research and teaching on food-related issues, officials said. It was financed by a $10 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, $10 million from an anonymous donor and $35 million from a voter-supported bond referendum for higher education building projects… “New Jersey is number three when it comes to childhood obesity,” said Peter J. Gillies, founding director of the institute. “We need to pay attention to that.”
Creating a Culture of Health at Rutgers’ Newest Institute
The lieutenant governor and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation helped Rutgers cut the ribbon on the nearly 80,000-square foot New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health… “You’re going to change the model from treatment to wellness. You’re going to teach us all the value of eating right, of taking care of ourselves, and therefore, in the long run change the healthcare model for not just New Jersey, but the world,” Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno said… The Institute encourages children to share recipes with parents. For adults and the whole family, there’s the healthy eating courtyard called Harvest, where a chef cooks tuna and veggies for Scott Loveless… “You can not make a wrong choice in Harvest. It’s minimally processed food. It’s very healthy. It’s really remarkable how good food can taste,” said Founding Director Peter Gillies.