Announcement from Sara Elnakib, chair of the Department of Family and Community Health Sciences Please join me in welcoming Erin Comollo to Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) as a Family and Community Health Sciences (FCHS) Assistant Professor of Teaching. In this role, she will support the FCHS undergraduate minors, Health Equity and Holistic Wellness, manage our experiential learning internships, […]
Food/Nutrition/Health
FCHS Extension Educator Shailja Mathur Receives National Distinguished Service Award
Rutgers Family and Community Health Sciences Extension Educator (FCHS) Shailja Mathur was honored with the 2025 Distinguished Service Award at the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) Annual Session held October 20-23 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Distinguished Service Award is NEAFCS’s highest honor, recognizing members who demonstrate exceptional leadership, outstanding educational […]
Annalise VanVranken is the new Family and Community Health Sciences Educator in Atlantic County
Announcement by Sara Elnakib, chair of the Department of Family and Community Health Sciences Please join me in welcoming Annalise VanVranken as the new Family and Community Health Sciences (FCHS) Educator in Atlantic County, effective August 1. A lifelong advocate for an equitable and sustainable food system, Annalise will be part of the Community Food […]
Climate Change and Food Waste Reduction Curriculum Empowers Next Generation of Sustainability Leaders
The Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) Food Waste Team has developed a new climate change and food waste reduction curriculum for fifth grade students called Guardians of the Food Galaxy. This curriculum is available for public use on the Rutgers website. It merges climate change education with food waste reduction and sustainable eating initiatives to encourage […]
Cooperative Extension SNAP-Ed Team Wins Rutgers Outstanding Service Award
Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s Family and Community Health Sciences (FCHS) SNAP-Ed Team members were among the more than 40 employees honored with Presidential Employee Excellence Recognition Awards in December at the Rutgers Club. The universitywide awards recognized both individuals and teams for their service to students and employees, for their role in cultivating a beloved community, […]
Announcement: Patty Oehmke Joins FCHS as Professor of Practice
Announcement from Sara Elnakib, Chair, Family and Community Health Sciences Please join me in welcoming Dr. Patty J. Oehmke as the new FCHS Professor of Practice. Patty joins Rutgers Cooperative Extension as a Family and Community Health Sciences Professor of Practice in the area of wellness. She will lead initiatives in student wellness on the […]
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 […]
Announcement: Kathleen Cullinen is the new FCHS Educator in Ocean County
Announcement by Sara Elnakib, chair of the Department of Family and Community Health Sciences. Please welcome Kathleen Cullinen, Ph.D., RDN, joins the Rutgers Cooperative Extension as a Family and Community Health Sciences Educator for Ocean County. Cullinen will be part of the Healthy Aging efforts within Rutgers Cooperative Extension, supporting education, outreach, and scholarship in […]
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 […]
3 People Dead and 6 Hospitalized After Listeria Outbreak From Washington Restaurant’s Milkshakes
Don Schaffner – Department of Food Science









