Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology

Congratulations to our ANSC and AECT graduates! Department Of Animal Science - UA

Congratulations to Tru Joi Curtis on being featured nationally in the National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow newsletter with her photo "Brewing a Brighter Future." Way to go Tru Joi Curtis!

Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences College Awards and Honors Recognition!

Lexi Dillbeck—Spitze Award
Natasha Hightower—Senior Scholar
Schyler Angel—Rising Senior Award
Isabel Whitehead-Adams—AECT Outstanding PhD
Elizabeth Abati—AECT Outstanding MS Student
Madison Estepp—Outstanding AECT undergrad; Bumpers College lead ambassador
Anna Mathis—John W. White Outstanding Senior, Senior Scholar, and Honors graduate
Olivia Larson—Honors graduate
Brooke Bradford—Honors graduate
Evan Seay—Bumpers Ambassador

Not pictured: Kelly Duggins, ambassador; Josh Uptigrove, ambassador; Gracie Hewat, Sr. Scholar; Alana Skogen, First Ranked Senior; McKenna Sairls, Honors graduate; Karley Williams, Anbassador

The AECT department has had a busy few weeks across the state so prepare for a few recap posts!

These students and faculty members worked together to aid in the preparation of the State FFA Media Moom to take photographs of state champions, winners of the Global Food Prize, and other award honorees. Additional coverage from them includes video footage and photos of multiple competitions, such as the FFA knowledge contest, the parliamentarian procedure competition, the public speaking competition, and chapter meetings. The many sessions and activities that took place during the conference were also covered in press releases that will be published in the news.

The Arkansas FFA State Convention is a yearly event that brings together FFA members, advisors, alumni, and supporters from all over the state. This platform is dedicated to celebrating achievements, nurturing leadership development, and advocating for agricultural education. The convention offers a wide range of activities, such as competitive events, workshops, keynote speakers, and networking opportunities. These activities are designed to empower young individuals to emerge as leaders in agriculture and their communities.

What a great article showcasing two great AECT highlights- a fantastic student and a student opportunity, Leah Greene and the Experiential Learning Lab!
Way to go Leah!

Leah Greene Built Valuable Skillset Through Hands-On Learning Leah Greene credits her time at the Experiential Learning Lab (ELL), including managing the Arkansas Water Resources Center’s media program, with helping her develop a valuable skillset that she ca…

of Ariel Scholten

Second-year Agricultural Extension and Education master's student Ariel Scholten is working with professor of agricultural education Chris Estepp to study the volunteer management system at a local farm, Cobblestone Farms. The goal is to develop a research-backed guide for managing volunteers at nonprofits.

Scholten is also the graduate coordinator for the Experiential Learning Lab, working on prints and designs for students and clients alike.

Springtime sure is a busy time around Fayetteville for sure! We had a very successful and efficient lawnmower tune-up event, hosted by the Ag Systems and Technology Club and FFA Alumni and Supporters!
If you missed it and you have a lawnmower with dull blades or not working right, come out next year!

We had a blast hosting the Arkansas Institute of World Food Prize and seeing the new cohort of Borlaug Scholars!

World Food Prize Foundation Arkansas FFA Foundation Norman Borlaug

Congratulations to Anna Mathis and Brooke Bradford for completing their honors theses!
Anna Mathis had an outstanding and unique project documenting and helping with , a non-profit supporting Ugandan women in agriculture!

Brooke Bradford studied agricultural accuracy in children’s books, another super important topic!

Big moments today in the lives of two of our students! A honors thesis defense for undergraduate and PhD dissertation defense for !

Spotted! Madi Dains and Kelly Duggins interning at Oklahoma Youth Expo for the week!

THIS TUESDAY 3/12 at 5:30 p.m. All Club will be held in D115 followed by the Collegiate Farm Bureau political change event!
We can't wait to see everyone!

We know him!

Donald Johnson knows technology and he knows teaching. Now, he’s learning how to use AI in higher education.

As soon as he heard about ChatGPT in November of 2022, Johnson signed up for the free version and started playing around with it. He uses it in his classes now. He says his knowledge and thinking are evolving, just like the AI programs and offerings themselves. His key takeaway so far: Use it to make yourself better than you are alone.

But he has questions, and not just the one that is top of mind for most faculty members: potential cheating by students using AI. Johnson also wonders:

How can AI be used productively in the teaching and learning process?
What about faculty using the generative AI large language model and other programs like it to write letters of recommendation for students?
What about using it to help turn a phrase while writing an academic research paper?

Johnson, who holds the rank of University Professor in the Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, is in his 31st year at the U of A. He teaches courses in agricultural systems technology, which he described as kind of a bridge between engineers who design the technology and users of the technology. He teaches students from freshmen to doctoral students, on campus primarily, with one online graduate class in quantitative statistics each fall.

“I was aware of AI before that because it has been used for years in ag systems,” Johnson said about the unveiling of ChatGPT, “but the use of AI at that point was a fairly complex technological undertaking. You had to learn specialized languages and skills and so forth. It’s not like the chatbot that we have now that you just ask a plain language question and that gives you a response.”

(story by Heidi Wells)

https://t.ly/Fgr-v





Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station University of Arkansas ONLINE University of Arkansas AACSB Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service Global Ag Tech Initiative Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) Successful Farming Agritechtomorrow.com

Come on out and get that mower tuned up! Register using the QR code below for the best process and service around from the best students, of course!

A documentary screening and panel discussion for the entire U of A campus community is set for March 13 at the Jim & Joyce Faulkner Performing Arts Center.

Transcending Spaces: A Community Conversation of Gaining Ground, The Fight for Black Land & Panel Discussion includes the documentary from 4:30-6 p.m. and the panel conversation from 6-7 p.m.

Gaining Ground examines the causes, effects and what is being done to fight the exploitation of Heirs' Property law, and how landowners are reclaiming their agricultural legacy and creating paths to generational wealth.

The film covers the Heirs' Property law, the LEAP coalition, why Black land ownership is important, why land is important for food and infrastructure, and more.

It was directed by Eternal Polk, produced by Al Roker Entertainment and underwritten by Deere & Co. Since its festival screening in June, Gaining Ground has won seven awards.

Panel members include Deacue Fields, vice president for agriculture, U of A System Division of Agriculture; Ron Rainey, assistant vice president, UA System Division of Agriculture; P.J. Haynie, secretary of the National Black Growers Council, rice farmer in Arkansas and the primary farmer featured in the Gaining Ground film; Kesha Cobb, founder and CEO of Black Women in Ag; and Logan Moss, MANRRS graduate student in agricultural economics and agribusiness. The event will be moderated by Ayanna Bledsoe, director of inclusion and belonging, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

In college, Haynie was president of the MANRRS chapter at Virginia Tech University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural and applied economics in 1999. A fifth-generation farmer, he is owner of Haynie Farms, a transportation company, a timber harvesting company, and a landscaping and excavating company.

Haynie will speak about the struggle Black people often encounter in retaining ownership of their land and the resulting erosion of the Black agricultural legacy. He will also talk about his role in the film.

Transcending Spaces is sponsored by Bumpers College, U of A's MANRRS RSO — Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences — and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

MANRRS provides underrepresented students with academic support, networking and career development, and is open to anyone with an interest in promoting diversity in agriculture, natural resources and related sciences.

Transcending Spaces: A Community Conversation of Gaining Ground, The Fight for Black Land & Panel Discussion

Wednesday, March 13, 4:30-7 p.m.
Jim and Joyce Faulkner Performing Arts Center

The film is also being screened at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff on Friday, March 15, as part of the 65th Annual Rural Life Conference. The conference theme is “Legacy Opportunities for Community Service and Outreach – Connecting, Collaboration and Commitment.”

https://t.ly/HoahF





Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Arkansas Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Department Of Animal Science - UA Crop, Soil, & Environmental Sciences (CSES) at the University of Arkansas Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas Uark Horticulture School of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas University of Arkansas Human Development & Family Sciences University of Arkansas Poultry Science Department International Students and Scholars Gaining Ground Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art UARK-Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences MANRRS - Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences Division of Student Affairs-University of Arkansas

We're !

Chris Estepp, associate professor of agricultural education in our Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology, is one of eight faculty members named a Fellow of the U of A Teaching Academy.

Estepp teaches six different courses in agriculture education. His expertise in teaching is recognized by the many professional development experiences that he has developed and implemented for his colleagues and faculty across campus. Estepp has participated in outreach efforts that inspire continued education, such as his podcast for high school agriculture teachers. He has earned awards for his commitment to exemplary teaching and research which include the AAAE Southern Region Distinguished Teacher Educator award, John W. White Outstanding Teaching Award and NACTA Teaching Scholar Award.

https://t.ly/Ov2mv





Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology U of A Professional and Workforce Development Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station National Association of Agricultural Educators Arkansas Agricultural Education & FFA Arkansas 4-H American Association for Agricultural Education NACTA (North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture)

Get ready!

The NCAA Basketball Tournament begins this month, but for the second year, it's madness of a different sort as U of A's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences is back with its Bracket Buffet tournament.

In addition to a fun, interactive food challenge bracket, this year the college is partnering with the Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry to request donations to help assist those in need who are part of the campus community.

Bumpers College's Munch Madness is a tournament full of select food qualifiers. Everyone is welcome to participate in voting for their favorite dishes in head-to-head matchups leading to the Final Feast and ultimately the Dominant Dish.

Foods are divided into four regions: proteins, carbs/grains, vegetables and desserts, but just like the NCAA version, the Bracket Buffet begins with a mini opening round, the First Course appetizer round.

Throughout the tournament, a Food Pantry drop-off bin will be available in Bumpers College's Waldrip Student Center in Agri Building 205 and in the atrium of the AFLS Building. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to drop off any item, and in return, pick up a limited edition 2024 Munch Madness sticker.

According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Arkansas has the highest level of food insecurity in the nation, and there's a need on campus. The pantry serves an average of 300-500 unique clients each month. It reaches 9.250 houshold members annually. Graduate students accounted for 54.35% of all visits between August and December, and during that time period, international students accounted for 1,354 visits.

Primary needs of the pantry include:

Canned meat (chicken, tuna, Vienna sausage, etc.)
Granola bars
Oatmeal
Pasta
Broth
Shampoo and conditioner
Beans and other proteins

The pantry also accepts monetary donations. Anyone donating is asked to add "Munch Madness" to the comments section at the bottom of the gift page.

Addressing food insecurity is a major emphasis area for faculty members in Bumpers College, many who are researchers and scientists with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the U of A System Division of Agriculture.

AAES researchers are at the forefront of the fight against hunger, addressing food security in Arkansas and abroad.

Fruit breeder Margaret Worthington and the Fruit Breeding Program are developing new, adaptable, high-quality varieties of crops, like the Sweet-Ark® Immaculate blackberry and Ozark Mango™. Plant pathologist Ioannis Tzanetakis is working with the world's most populous country to potentially increase yield by as much as 500% in some crops. Agricultural economist Trey Malone co-authored an analysis of the 2022 baby formula crisis to help guide future policy decisions to ensure infant nutrition security.

A study on micronutrient deficiency in Tanzania by ag economist Brandon McFadden provided recommendations to increase nutrition in the African country. Griffiths Atungulu in food science is improving the post-harvest process of removing moisture from rice without breaking the kernals, which results in decreased value of almost 60%. Food science's Kristen Gibson was awarded a $206,108 grant to develop new food safety guidance for produce growers. Gibson is also part of a $5 million grant with Malone to help develop an AI-driven platform to help plan and manage regional food supplies.

Munch Madness voting on individual matchups takes place on the college's Instagram and Twitter accounts () on the following dates:

March 18: First Course Appetizer Round (one winner, does not advance to main bracket)
March 19-20: First Round
March 21-22: Second Round
Third Round: March 25-26
Fourth Round/Final Feast: March 27
Dominant Dish: March 28 (winning food item)

Voting for each round will be enabled as polls for each individual matchup for 24-hour periods.

A full bracket, which will be updated with winning vote totals following each round, is available on the Bumpers College homepage.

https://t.ly/aZVEx

Munch Madness home page: https://t.ly/h8smg





Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Arkansas Department Of Animal Science - UA Crop, Soil, & Environmental Sciences (CSES) at the University of Arkansas Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas Uark Horticulture School of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas University of Arkansas Human Development & Family Sciences University of Arkansas Poultry Science Department Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry Volunteer Action Center at the University of Arkansas Division of Student Affairs-University of Arkansas University of Arkansas Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service

2NITE!!! 🌮 🔔 📸 👩🏽‍🏫

AECT proudly hosts an Agriculture Leadership Bachelor's major and minor, helping create future leaders!

Part of the University of Arkansas’s land-grant mission is to provide life-changing opportunities that lead to building a better world. As a pillar of the university’s 150 Forward strategic plan, student success is at the forefront of that mission and U of A graduates are leaving better prepared for leadership and success, according to a new ranking.

TIME Magazine named the U of A as one of the Best Colleges for Future Leaders in the United States, ranking it in the Top 60 out of 100 schools, Top 30 of public institutions, and ahead of fellow SEC schools, Florida and Kentucky.

TIME and Statista analyzed the resumés of 2,000 top leaders in the U.S. — politicians, CEOs, union leaders, Nobel winners, and more across sectors — to assemble a list of the universities and colleges where they received their degrees. The list is also weighted for school size.

(story by John Thomas)

https://t.ly/giX5v



Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Arkansas Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Department Of Animal Science - UA Crop, Soil, & Environmental Sciences (CSES) at the University of Arkansas Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas Uark Horticulture School of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas University of Arkansas Human Development & Family Sciences University of Arkansas Poultry Science Department

Can't wait to see everyone again!

Bring a friend and come to the cookout!

Congratulations to Elizabeth Berner for her successful defense on Social Media Impacts On Arkansas
Consumer Perceptions Of GMOs!

Hey Barbie! Hi Barbie! Hi Ken! Hey Ken! AECT graduate students and staff had a blast dressing up as different Barbies & Kens - check out our story for who they are!

Fall Fest was the best!! We had such a good turnout and the chili cook-off competition was extra tasty. Anytime AECT faculty, staff and students get a chance to hangout, it ends up being a dang good time.