Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) convened its annual conference on January 14 at the Busch Student Center. Focused on the theme, “Cultivating Connection: Building a Culture of Communication,” the 2025 conference attracted more than 230 attendees from all NJAES units. RCE Director Brian Schilling welcomed conference participants and outlined the day’s goals for professional development, information […]
Faculty
Bergen County Agent Joel Flagler (CC’74) Retires after 38-Year Career at Rutgers
Joel Flagler, Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in Bergen County and professor in the Department of Plant Biology, retires effective March 1. Flagler, whose Rutgers journey began as a student – he holds a degree in horticulture from Cook College in 1974 – leaves a deep legacy at his alma mater. […]
Report Urges Global Leaders to Address Environmental, Social and Economic Crises Comprehensively
A Rutgers scientist says isolated attempts to address interconnected issues will not succeed Pamela McElwee, a professor in the Department of Human Ecology at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, has spent the last 25 years studying human adaptation to global environmental change. She has served as an adviser on environmental policy to […]
Announcement: Distinguished Professor Gerben Zylstra to Serve as SEBS Associate Dean of Graduate Education
Announcement from Laura Lawson, SEBS Executive Dean and NJAES Executive Director It is with great pleasure that I announce that Dr. Gerben Zylstra will serve as the SEBS Associate Dean of Graduate Education, effective February 15. Please join me in congratulating him on this new role. Gerben Zylstra is a Distinguished Professor in the Department […]
New Journal Spotlights Rutgers-created Broader Impacts Toolkit
Community Engagement and Research Development experts from over 15 universities reviewed the Rutger-designed ARIS Broader Impacts (BI) Toolkit in the November Special Issue of the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship (JCES). This 13-article edition dives deep into the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Broader Impacts merit criterion, showcasing the transformative and capacity building resources of […]
Immersive Learning Through Science Storytelling Lab Wins “2025 Broader Vision Award” by the Garden State Film Festival
The Immersive Learning through Science Storytelling Lab, developed by SEBS scientists, science storytellers, STEM learning researchers and youth educators, has been awarded the Broader Vision Award by the Garden State Film Festival. In early January, Diane Raver, founder of the Garden State Film Festival and Executive Director of the New Jersey Film Academy, came to […]
SEBS/NJAES Retirees Connect at Annual Luncheon
In what is one of our favorite Cook campus traditions, retired faculty and staff from the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS) and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) convened in Neilson Dining Hall for the annual Retired Faculty and Staff Luncheon on December 5, 2024. Executive Dean Laura Lawson was on hand […]
Rutgers Science Webinar Plunged Into Ocean Exploration
More than 265 students from across the U.S. dove into the mysteries of the ocean and explored how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) can address global environmental challenges during a virtual event hosted by Rutgers University’s Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences (DMCS). The students from the FIRST LEGO League, participated as part of their […]
Chi Chen publishes research on the biophysical effects of croplands on land surface temperatures
The academic journal Nature Communications published new research this month authored by Chi Chen, assistant professor and faculty member in the Rutgers University Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources. The paper, titled “Biophysical effects of croplands on land surface temperature,” draws on two decades of satellite data to analyze the biological and physical mechanisms […]
Plant Biology Professor James White and Team Recognized by Rutgers with Agriculture Innovation Award
James White, Professor in the Department of Plant Biology, was presented with the Agriculture Innovation Award for “innovations regarding endophytic microbes with applications in agriculture” at the first-ever Rutgers Innovation Awards that recognized researchers who have demonstrated excellence by developing a breakthrough idea, process, or technology that has the potential to improve lives and create […]











