Penguins waddling across Antarctic ice might seem far removed from a classroom in New Jersey, but a new study shows that these charismatic birds can be a powerful hook for teaching young people about climate change — and inspiring them to see themselves as future scientists. The study was led by researchers at Rutgers University, […]
New Jersey Kids Care About the Planet — But Don’t Connect It to What’s on Their Plates
Ask a New Jersey middle schooler what they think about when choosing what to eat, and you’ll probably hear: taste, texture, and whether it’ll upset their stomach. Ask them what they do to help the planet, and they’ll mention picking up litter or recycling. What most won’t mention? The connection between the two. A new […]
Rutgers Cooperative Extension Hosts 2026 Annual Conference
The 2026 Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) Annual Conference convened on January 15 at the Busch Student Center, bringing together faculty, staff, and stakeholders from across New Jersey. The annual gathering provided a shared space for networking, professional development, research collaboration, and the exchange of best practices in delivering research-based educational programming with service excellence. The […]
Rutgers Showcases Research and Expertise at 2026 Northeast Agricultural Expo
Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) played a leading role in shaping the 2026 Northeast Agricultural Expo (formerly the New Jersey Agricultural Convention and Trade Show), held January 21–23 at Harrah’s Resort and Waterfront Conference Center in Atlantic City. In remarks to the delegates, NJAES Executive Director Laura Lawson expressed appreciation to Secretary of […]
Announcement: Patrick McMullen Joins Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic County
Announcement by Nicholas Polanin, chair of the Department of Agricultural and Natural Resources Please join me in welcoming Patrick McMullen as our newest tenure-track faculty member. Patrick joins us from Cornell University, where he recently completed his PhD focused on soilborne pathogen management and healthy crop establishment. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from […]
Rutgers Cooperative Extension Leads Drafting of New Food Donation Guidelines to Reduce Waste
Rutgers Cooperative Extension has co-authored new statewide guidelines aimed at clearing up confusion over what food can be safely and legally donated, a move expected to divert millions of meals from landfills to people in need. The New Jersey Food Donation Guidelines, published online this fall, were developed by Rutgers and the Meal Recovery Coalition, […]
Rutgers Historian Is Telling a New Story About New Jersey Wineries
American Studies Professor Angus Gillespie, an expert in folklore who taught at Rutgers for more than 50 years, has a new passion: Promoting New Jersey’s growing wine industry and the university’s efforts to bolster its success. Several years ago, Gillespie and his wife, Rowena, were strolling Lambertville’s Bridge Street when he found a tourism brochure […]
New Jersey 4-H Youth Place in Top Three at 2025 National Avian Bowl
New Jersey 4-H sent two youth competitors to the National 4-H Avian Bowl Championships, marking a milestone for the state’s 4-H Poultry Project and Rutgers Cooperative Extension. The competition took place in Louisville, Kentucky, on November 18–21, 2025, where Brooklyn and Cheyenne Bilge of Atlantic County 4-H received an impressive third place overall. The National […]
RCE 4-H Agents Recognized with National Awards at Annual Extension Banquet
Five Extension professionals with the 4-H Department of Youth Development, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, were recognized with national awards for their work supporting 4-H Youth Development in New Jersey by the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals this fall. The annual conference, which was held in Atlanta, GA, this year, recognized “those individuals who […]
William Bamka Recognized with “Distinguished Service Award” by Burlington County Board of Agriculture
On November 1, William “Bill” Bamka, agriculture and natural resources (ANR) agent, RCE of Burlington County, was recognized at the Burlington County Board of Agriculture (BOA) dinner with the board’s “Distinguished Service Award.” Bill Cutts, cranberry farmer and Burlington County BOA member, paid tribute to Bamka’s impressive accomplishments over almost three decades at Rutgers. “I’ve […]
