In 2003, Anne Nielsen became the first doctoral student in the U.S. to study the brown marmorated stink bug, which was beginning its ascendancy as an invasive species notoriously damaging to crops. Working with her mentor, Rutgers entomologist George Hamilton, Nielsen traced the stink bug’s life cycle and origins. By the time the stink bug […]
Inaugural Animal Science Discovery Program Opens Pathways for Diverse Students in Agriculture and Animal Science
Douglass Student Center at Rutgers-New Brunswick was abuzz with expressions of gratitude and a reinvigorated passion for working with animals on July 3, as the inaugural USDA NIFA NEXTGEN Animal Science Discovery Program’s (ANSCId) Summer Experiential Learning Program (SELP) and Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) celebrated with a closing program. The three-week intensive, residential experiences […]
Collaborative 2024 New Jersey FoodTech Conference Connects Industry Stakeholders
The 2024 New Jersey FoodTech Conference was held on June 26 at the Rutgers College Avenue Student Center in New Brunswick and brought together close to 250 attendees representing a wide range of food industry stakeholders. The conference, which has grown significantly since it was inaugurated last year, helps to promote the growth of New […]
Rutgers Is Developing a Sweeter, Firmer Blueberry for New Jersey Growers
Research to find a new variety enters its final phase this summer Rutgers researchers are getting close to identifying a new blueberry variety that can produce a sweeter, firmer fruit for Garden State growers. The decade-long research project will move into its final trial this season. Of the thousands of blueberry plants evaluated for desirable […]
New Jersey Food System Dashboard Launched
New Jersey residents now have a one-stop source for information on different aspects of the state’s food system, thanks to a new tool designed to build capacity in community non-profits, municipal departments and grassroots organizations to support data-driven decision-making, increased grant funding and tracking of outcomes. By improving accessibility and transparency of important data relating […]
RUCOOL Staff Lead Multi-Institutional Workshop on Oceanographic Data Literacy
Members of Rutgers University Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (RUCOOL) hosted a data literacy workshop in Wilmington, North Carolina on June 2-5. Led in part by Janice McDonnell and Sage Lichtenwalner, the workshop involved nearly 50 professors from across the country learning about each other’s experiences teaching at various institutions, including community colleges, primarily undergraduate […]
Rutgers Ecologist Helps Develop Novel Habitats to Aid Proliferation of Bees
Novel structures designed to aid the proliferation of wild, native bees – key pollinators for the food supply Rutgers ecologist Kimberly Russell is the lead researcher on an unusual project that, if successful, will soon allow her to share the idea throughout New Jersey and beyond: the installation of “bee bunkers” and “bee hotels” in […]
NJ Climate Change Corps Makes the Connection Between Food Waste and Climate Change
Rutgers Cooperative Extension Food Waste Team has successfully partnered with New Jersey schools since 2018 to implement strategies that reduce the amount of food waste generated by school cafeterias. The Food Waste Team has also piloted curricula in schools that teach students the importance of reducing food waste. In 2020, New Jersey became the first state in […]
Rutgers Haskin Lab Postdoc Collaborates with NOAA Fisheries on Atlantic Surfclam Research
Laura Steeves, postdoctoral researcher at the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, collaborates with NOAA Fisheries to understand how a species important to New Jersey will respond to changing ocean conditions. “The Atlantic surfclam is a shellfish species recognized for their large shells that wash up on beaches along the east coast of the United States. I’ve been […]
Rutgers Cooperative Extension Food Waste Team Partners with Ohio State in Consumer Food Waste Education Project
The Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) Food Waste Team is partnering with The Ohio State University, which was awarded a $2.5 million Pilot Consumer Education Campaign on Food Loss and Waste grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. RCE’s Food Waste Team has a strong record of success in implementing food waste education and reduction initiatives […]