[{"id":437,"date":"2026-03-13T13:31:28","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T13:31:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/?p=437"},"modified":"2026-03-13T13:31:28","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T13:31:28","slug":"cafls-strategic-planning-implementation-teams-formed-and-charged","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/cafls-strategic-planning-implementation-teams-formed-and-charged\/","title":{"rendered":"CAFLS strategic planning implementation teams formed and charged"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Implementation teams have been formed to move&nbsp;<strong>CAFLS Boundless Impact<\/strong>, the College\u2019s long-term strategic plan, from vision to action. Organized around each of the plan\u2019s six priority areas, these cross-college teams bring together faculty, staff and partners to advance shared goals, identifying opportunities, aligning resources and helping track progress over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><em>Team Membership<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Priority 1<\/strong>: Deliver innovative, responsive curricula and experiences that position students for success&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Matt Interis (chair)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Michael Vassalos&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Andrew Hurley&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ramesh Jeganathan&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jim Strickland&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Toni Becker&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dara Park&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Taylor O\u2019Neil (alum)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Priority 2<\/strong>: Attract, develop, and retain exceptional faculty and staff&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>John Andrae (chair)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Julie Helm&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Candice Heatherly&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>David Coyle&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Susan Chen&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Michael Atkins&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chris Heintze&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marie Hegler<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Priority 3<\/strong>: Leverage the college\u2019s statewide footprint to drive innovation and engagement&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Jane Dever (chair)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bhupinder Farmaha&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Karissa Ulmer&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shannon Alford&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kristin Kunde&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jagger Harvey&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wayne Phillips&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Donna Bowen<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Priority 4<\/strong>: Conduct high-impact research that meets the needs of South Carolina&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Carlyle Brewster (chair)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Steve Cole&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chris Saski&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Susan Duckett&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Puneet Dwivedi&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Raghupathy Karthikeyan&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sandra Branham&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hannah Wilson&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mira Mihajlovich&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Guillermo Rimoldi<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Priority 5<\/strong>: Foster strategic engagement and build trust with stakeholders and partners to support collaboration, innovation, and impact&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Paula Beecher (chair)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Martin Hamilton&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Matt Burns&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kathy Coleman&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Laura Jordan&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kirby Player&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Greg Batt&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Patrick Hiesl&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gavin Berry&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jarrod Bruder&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kathryn MacDonald&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kendall Kirk<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Priority 6<\/strong>: Prioritize operational excellence and drive efficiency across the college<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Kyle Barrett (chair)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Blake Lanford&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ashley Hendrix&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brandon Barker&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marzieh Motallebi&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Khristy Glover&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jennifer Hooper&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sarah White&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><em>Expectations<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&nbsp;Service&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Serve one year term, option to renew&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attend regular meetings to review progress and obstacles (one per month, adjustable based on needs of committee)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chairs serve on college-level implementation committee&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Metrics&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Clarify and prioritize metrics (i.e., What does success look like?)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Establish baselines and targets, where possible&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identify tools or methods for collecting data (surveys, known reporting cycles, etc.)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Engage Stakeholders&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Consult faculty, staff, students, and other relevant stakeholders to gather insights and identify strategy leaders&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Act as bridge between strategic plan and strategy leaders, helping individuals understand their position\u2019s contributions to a priority\u2019s success&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prioritize Initiatives&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use implementation timeline to prioritize short\/medium\/long term initiatives&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identify interdependencies and cross-over between other priorities and units&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure alignment with existing initiatives and avoid duplication as well as prevent siloed efforts&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Escalate cross-priority issues to the college-level committee, as needed&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Operations&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Propose updates to plan based on past achievements and changing realities&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Offer insights into likely budget requirements, staffing needs, professional development needs, and\/or technology tools&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identify constraints or risks that may impede progress and adjust timelines based on new information&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Communication&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Regularly share progress updates, decisions made, challenges encountered, and upcoming priorities with implementation committee, Dean, and other relevant stakeholders&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Highlight achievements that can be included in broader communication&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Act as advocate within college community, showing how priority contributes to mission of CAFLS&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Implementation teams have been formed to move&nbsp;CAFLS Boundless Impact, the College\u2019s long-term strategic plan, from vision to action. Organized around each of the plan\u2019s six priority areas, these cross-college teams bring together faculty, staff and partners to advance shared goals, identifying opportunities, aligning resources and helping track progress over time. Team Membership Priority 1: Deliver [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3719,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[125332],"tags":[],"coauthors":[125339],"class_list":["post-437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-strategic-plan"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3719"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=437"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/437\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=437"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":457,"date":"2026-03-11T12:41:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T12:41:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/?p=457"},"modified":"2026-03-11T16:32:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T16:32:06","slug":"public-perceptions-of-ongoing-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/public-perceptions-of-ongoing-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Public perceptions of ongoing research"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In a study of public perception of ongoing research to develop reduced-gluten wheat and reduced-allergen peanuts using crossbreeding and genome-editing techniques, scientists Sachin Rustgi of Clemson University and Meghnaa Tallapragada of Temple University examine public perceptions of this research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The survey highlights differences in public opinion regarding preferences for purchasing and consuming gene-edited peanuts compared with wheat, even though respondents generally considered both research streams to be morally acceptable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, for both crops, the conventional crossbreeding method remained the preferred approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This study highlights an important point: while government approvals may eventually be granted, public opinion ultimately drives acceptance. Therefore, it is important to consider and integrate public perspectives when planning and conducting the research, rather than only at the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information, read <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/10755470251403517\">When visual-verbal overlap matters: examining its boundary conditions in communicating innovations<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A study of public perception of ongoing research aimed at developing reduced-gluten wheat and reduced-allergen peanuts using crossbreeding and genome-editing techniques.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3778,"featured_media":154,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[125323,125336],"tags":[],"coauthors":[125333],"class_list":["post-457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pee-dee-research-education-center","category-public-service-and-agriculture"],"fimg_url":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/01\/Peanuts_011123-150x150.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/457","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3778"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=457"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/457\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=457"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=457"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=457"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=457"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":455,"date":"2026-02-19T12:41:06","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T12:41:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/?p=455"},"modified":"2026-02-19T12:41:06","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T12:41:06","slug":"deans-message","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/deans-message\/","title":{"rendered":"Dean&#8217;s Message"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Dear CAFLS Family, Friends, and Alumni,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As we enter a new year, I\u2019m excited to share the remarkable progress and ongoing initiatives within the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences (CAFLS) at Clemson University. Our commitment to our land-grant mission drives transformative change, empowering our students and benefiting communities across South Carolina and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This past fall showcased significant accomplishments by our faculty, staff, and students. This momentum is reflected in our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/fiercelyforward.clemson.edu\"><em>Fiercely Forward<\/em>\u00a0campaign<\/a>, which is guiding strategic investments in our people, programs and places to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.\u00a0Despite uncertainties about federal funding, our research funding has grown impressively, with record increases in both requested and awarded sponsored research dollars. Notably, a five-year, $18.6M project, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/news.clemson.edu\/u-s-forest-service-taps-clemson-for-storm-recovery-efforts\/\">Hurricane Helene Watershed Response Services in North Carolina<\/a>,\u201d funded by the U.S. Forest Service, will involve 12 CAFLS faculty and support 40 graduate and undergraduate students. Additionally, Dr. Jeff Adelberg from the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences secured a $1.2M\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.clemson.edu\/clemson-university-partners-with-iita-to-revolutionize-banana-farming-in-africa-boost-south-carolina-agriculture\/\">award from the Gates Foundation to enhance banana multiplication techniques<\/a>, which also relate to strawberry and sweet potato production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are proud to celebrate the achievements of our exceptional faculty. Dr. Jane Dever, a professor in Plant and Environmental Sciences, was&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.clemson.edu\/dever-inducted-into-cotton-research-and-promotion-hall-of-fame\/\">inducted into the Cotton Research and Promotion Hall of Fame<\/a>&nbsp;for her significant contributions to cotton research and genetics. Dr. Jeryl \u201cJeri\u201d Jones, Emeritus Professor in Animal and Veterinary Sciences,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.clemson.edu\/clemsons-dr-jeryl-jones-honored-with-the-acvr-bernstein-lifetime-achievement-award-for-contributions-to-the-field-of-veterinary-radiology\/\">received the American College of Veterinary Radiology Bernstein Lifetime Achievement Award<\/a>&nbsp;for her contributions and mentorship in veterinary radiology. Dr. Gilbret Miller, retired Clemson Extension vegetable specialist, was honored with the Order of the Palmetto for his mentoring of young farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our students continue to excel, transforming lives in the process. Ms. Ally Brawner, an M.S. student in Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences, is&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.clemson.edu\/clemson-graduate-student-pioneers-nanotechnology-based-therapy-for-heart-disease\/\">pioneering a nanotechnology-based therapy for heart disease<\/a>, while Mr. Jacob Johnson is&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.clemson.edu\/clemson-graduate-student-helps-lead-breakthrough-in-cotton-gene-editing\/\">advancing cotton farming through gene editing research<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our collaboration with the South Carolina Governor\u2019s School has flourished, with 26 alumni now enrolled at Clemson, enriching our community and paving pathways to higher education in agriculture and natural resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m pleased to announce new leaders in CAFLS.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.clemson.edu\/clemson-university-names-soledad-peresin-as-director-of-wood-utilization-design-institute\/\">Dr. Soledad \u201cSole\u201d Peresin<\/a>&nbsp;began her role as the Patricia \u201cPat\u201d Layton Endowed Director of the Wood Utilization + Design Institute (WU+D) in August, bringing over 20 years of experience in transforming biomass into high-value solutions.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.clemson.edu\/jeganathan-named-chair-of-clemson-department-of-food-nutrition-and-packaging-sciences\/\">Dr. Ramesh Jeganathan<\/a>&nbsp;also joined us this summer as the chair of the Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences, bringing over 25 years of academic and leadership experience from Auburn University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lastly, our two regulatory units, Livestock and Poultry Health (LPH) and Regulatory Services (RS), continue to monitor and prepare for various invasive threats. For example, RS staff members manage South Carolina\u2019s Yellow Legged Hornet eradication program and Asian Longhorn Beetle monitoring and quarantines. Likewise, LPH continues to focus on the looming threat (reemergence) of the New World Screwworm and on ongoing issues with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), both of which pose a threat to our livestock operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking ahead, we expect to complete the new FEC building by April 2026, enhancing our educational and research facilities. We are also forming six strategic planning implementation teams focused on key areas outlined in our Boundless Impact strategic plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As we move&nbsp;<em>Fiercely Forward<\/em>, I encourage you to stay connected with CAFLS. Your support is vital as we strive to transform lives through education, research, Extension, and regulatory services. Thank you for being an integral part of the Clemson Family. Together, we continue to make a lasting impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Go Tigers!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Matthew T. \u201cMatt\u201d Holt&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>Dean, College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences&nbsp;<br>Vice President, Public Service and Agriculture<br>Clemson University<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dear CAFLS Family, Friends, and Alumni, As we enter a new year, I\u2019m excited to share the remarkable progress and ongoing initiatives within the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences (CAFLS) at Clemson University. Our commitment to our land-grant mission drives transformative change, empowering our students and benefiting communities across South Carolina and beyond. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3719,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"coauthors":[125339],"class_list":["post-455","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-alumni"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/455","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3719"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=455"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/455\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=455"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=455"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=455"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=455"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":438,"date":"2026-02-05T14:02:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T14:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/?p=438"},"modified":"2026-02-06T13:04:25","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T13:04:25","slug":"packaging-science-co-ops-take-clemson-learning-beyond-the-classroom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/packaging-science-co-ops-take-clemson-learning-beyond-the-classroom\/","title":{"rendered":"Packaging science co-ops take Clemson learning beyond the classroom"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/01\/adelaide-shirley-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-450\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.7500126281759862;width:270px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/01\/adelaide-shirley-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/01\/adelaide-shirley-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/01\/adelaide-shirley-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/01\/adelaide-shirley-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/01\/adelaide-shirley-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Adelaide Shirley<\/strong>&nbsp;at the Arthrex headqaurters in Naples, Florida<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Hands-on, industry-driven experience is a defining feature of our packaging science program. Through paid, full-time co-op assignments, students step beyond the classroom to apply what they\u2019ve learned in professional settings while building skills, networks and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the 2026 Spring and Summer terms, 18 Packaging Science students are completing co-ops with companies across the food, consumer goods, automotive, medical device and sustainable packaging sectors. Their placements span the Southeast, Midwest and Northeast, reflecting both the reach of the program and the demand for Clemson-trained packaging professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Real-world experience, real responsibility<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Co-ops offer extended, immersive experiences that go beyond traditional internships. Students work alongside engineers, designers and operations teams, contributing to projects that include materials testing, package development, quality assurance, automation and logistics. Along the way, they gain firsthand insight into how packaging decisions shape sustainability efforts, supply chains and the consumer experience.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"831\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/02\/caroline-beecher-831x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"Caroline Beecher\" class=\"wp-image-451\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.7500126281759862;width:270px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/02\/caroline-beecher-831x1024.jpeg 831w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/02\/caroline-beecher-243x300.jpeg 243w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/02\/caroline-beecher-768x946.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/02\/caroline-beecher-1247x1536.jpeg 1247w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/02\/caroline-beecher-1662x2048.jpeg 1662w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 831px) 100vw, 831px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Caroline Beecher<\/strong>\u00a0at Kraft Heinz in Chicago, Illinois<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Spring\u2013Summer 2026 packaging science co-op placements<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sarah Allen<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;3M, St. Paul, Minnesota<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Caroline Beecher<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;Kraft Heinz, Chicago, Illinois<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Grace Bonacci<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;Pratt Industries, Conyers, Georgia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kiersten Bouknight<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;Mercedes-Benz, Vance, Alabama<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Carter Brown<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;TekniPlex, Winston-Salem, North Carolina<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ethan Gibson<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;Greif, Greenville, South Carolina<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dylan Raven Millare<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014 Pratt Industries, Austell, Georgia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Alea Mitchell<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014 Greif, Franklin, Tennessee<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Grace Montgomery<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;Arthrex, Anderson, South Carolina<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Samantha Mullen<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;Tyson Foods, Springdale, Arkansas<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reagan Raney<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;Keurig Dr Pepper, Frisco, Texas<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Emma Riser<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014 Keurig Dr Pepper, Burlington, Massachusetts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ellis Runnels<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;Brown-Forman, Louisville, Kentucky<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Elizabeth Saleeby<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014 Arthrex, Ave Maria, Florida<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adelaide Shirley<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014 Arthrex, Naples, Florida<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lillian Tolson<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;Packaging Corporation of America, Mooresville, North Carolina<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bridget Yaney<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;Printpack, Atlanta, Georgia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sarah Ng<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;Sealed Air, Charlotte, North Carolina<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Preparing graduates for the packaging industry<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Co-ops are a core part of how Packaging Science students prepare for professional practice. By graduation, students have not only mastered theory but also applied it in production environments and corporate settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When students return to campus, they bring industry perspectives that strengthen coursework, inform senior projects and reinforce Clemson\u2019s partnerships with employers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hands-on, industry-driven experience is a defining feature of our packaging science program. Through paid, full-time co-op assignments, students step beyond the classroom to apply what they\u2019ve learned in professional settings while building skills, networks and confidence. During the 2026 Spring and Summer terms, 18 Packaging Science students are completing co-ops with companies across the food, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3719,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[41982,41979],"tags":[],"coauthors":[125339],"class_list":["post-438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-experiential-learning","category-food-nutrition-and-packaging-sciences"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3719"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=438"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=438"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":442,"date":"2026-01-28T19:31:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T19:31:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/?p=442"},"modified":"2026-01-28T19:32:31","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T19:32:31","slug":"new-study-shows-how-climate-change-is-quietly-shifting-snake-hotspots-across-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/new-study-shows-how-climate-change-is-quietly-shifting-snake-hotspots-across-india\/","title":{"rendered":"New study shows how climate change is quietly shifting snake hotspots across India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Thoughts of climate change usually entails rising sea levels, melting ice caps in the Arctic and extreme storms. Who knew it could also reshape where India\u2019s deadliest snakes live, leading to millions of people finding themselves living in high-risk snakebite zones?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"mailto:https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-025-24731-z\">A newly published study in Nature\u2019s Scientific Reports<\/a>, led by an international research team that included Clemson University\u2019s Jim Anderson, director of the James C. Kennedy Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation Center and Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science, and doctoral candidate Akshit Suthar, highlights how climate change may reshape venomous snake distribution, potentially increasing snakebite risk in vulnerable regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Snakes, like most reptiles, depend on environmental temperature and humidity to survive. When the weather changes, as with weakened monsoons, longer dry seasons and warmer nights, the snakes must find more suitable conditions to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/01\/Spectacledcobra.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-444\" style=\"width:354px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/01\/Spectacledcobra.jpg 750w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/01\/Spectacledcobra-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Spectacled cobra.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The research team, which also included members from India and Germany, conducted the first nationwide assessment of climate-driven distributional shifts for 30 venomous snake species across India, focusing particularly on the \u201cbig four\u201d \u2013 the common krait, Indian or spectacled cobra, Russell\u2019s viper and saw-scaled viper. Those four are responsible for the majority of India\u2019s serious snakebites, causing 46,000-60,000 deaths each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The researchers used species distribution models and high-resolution climate date to predict how suitable habitats for venomous snakes may change under future climate scenarios between 2050-2070. The results showed northward and elevational shifts in venomous snake hotspots with emerging areas of suitability in northern, northeast and central India. Some southern regions may see contraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Researchers also linked predicted habitat for the big four species with state-level snakebite incidence data, which revealed a significant positive relationship between climatic suitability and snakebit occurrence. The finding suggests that climate-driven shifts may translate into new or intensified human-snake conflict zones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese results highlight how climate change can indirectly shape public health risks through wildlife redistribution,\u201d Suthar said. \u201cBy identifying where venomous snake hotspots and snakebite risk may increase in the future, we can help anticipate and mitigate those risks.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Study shows that climate change could shift hotspots of venomous snakes lacross India.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4231,"featured_media":443,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[125320,125348],"tags":[],"coauthors":[125347],"class_list":["post-442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-baruch-institute-of-coastal-ecology-and-forest-science","category-james-c-kennedy-waterfowl-and-wetlands-conservation-center"],"fimg_url":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2026\/01\/Rusellsviper-150x150.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4231"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=442"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/442\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=442"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":412,"date":"2026-01-02T08:27:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T08:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/?p=412"},"modified":"2026-02-05T14:04:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T14:04:49","slug":"clemson-announces-spring-2026-entomology-seminar-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/clemson-announces-spring-2026-entomology-seminar-series\/","title":{"rendered":"Clemson announces Spring 2026 ENT\/PES Seminar series"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Clemson University announces its Spring 2026 ENT\/PES Seminar Series, welcoming a diverse group of guest speakers who bring valuable perspectives from across academia and industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The series runs from January through April. Seminars will be held beginning at 1:25 p.m. on Fridays in BRC G100 and via <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Zoom<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This season\u2019s speakers include colleagues from the University of Pretoria, Utah State University, University of Arizona, University of Florida and GrowLiv Biologicals, along with Clemson University Research Foundation and Plant and Environmental Sciences Department. Topics will span technology transfer, plant physiology, breeding, nematology, insect systematics, vector biology, biological control and applied entomology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dates and speakers for the Spring 2026 ENT\/PES Seminar Series are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jan. 16 &#8211; Thava Thavarajah and Andy Bluvas, CURF, Clemson University, CURF Explained: Technology Transfer and NSF Resources for Faculty and Graduate Students. In-Person and <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Zoom<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jan. 23 \u2013 Jaco Greeff, Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, South Africa. Stuck on the Slopes of Mount Improbable: Maladapted Sex Ratios in a Fig Wasp. <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Zoom only<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jan. 30 &#8211; Bruce Bugbee, Department of Plants, Soils and Climate, Utah State University. The physics of farming without sunlight. In-person and <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Zoom<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Feb. 6 \u2013 Ashish Saxena, director Global Maize Program, CIMMYT. Saxena uses science not as an end in itself, but as a powerful tool to improve farmer livelihoods, strengthening food systems not only in North America but also across several vulnerable communities in Global South. Ashish provides leadership to a global team of more than 200 scientists across three continents, stewarding a portfolio to deliver climate-resilient maize innovations that directly benefit millions of smallholder farmers. In\u2011Person and <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Zoom<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Feb. 13 &#8211; Zane Grabau, Department of Entomology and <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Nematology<\/a>, University of Florida. Out with the old: Successes and failures with new nematode management tools in field crops. In-Person and <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Zoom<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Feb. 20 \u2013 Akito Kawahara, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida. Evolution of Anti\u2011Bat Defenses in Moths: Sonar Jamming, Acoustic Deflection, and Visual Lures. In\u2011Person and <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Zoom<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Feb. 27 &#8211; Patrick Wechter, director of the Clemson University Coastal Research and Education Center. <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Zoom<\/a> only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>March 6 \u2013 Lauren Diepenbrock, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida. So Many Pests, So Little Time: A Discussion of Invasive Invertebrate Pest Challenges in Florida Citrus. <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Zoom only<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>March 13 &#8211; Zoe Dubrow from Pairwise in Durham, N.C. Topic TBD. In-Person and <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Zoom<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>March 27 \u2013 Abida Nasreen, GrowLiv Biologicals. For Nature, by Nature; Advancing Sustainable Agriculture. For Nature, by Nature; Advancing Sustainable Agriculture. In\u2011Person and <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Zoom<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>April 3 &#8211; Churamani Khanal, PES, Clemson University. Addressing Nematode Issues in South Carolina and Beyond. In-Person and <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Zoom.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>April 10 \u2013 Lance Osborne, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida. In\u2011Person and <a href=\"https:\/\/clemson.zoom.us\/j\/99612802832\">Zoom<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>April 17 &#8211; Student proposals, Clemson University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>April 24 \u2013 Student proposals, Clemson University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This series is organized by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clemson.edu\/cafls\/faculty_staff\/profiles\/ltindal\">Linda Tindal<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clemson.edu\/cafls\/faculty_staff\/profiles\/mahmed2\">Zee Ahmed<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clemson.edu\/cafls\/faculty_staff\/profiles\/SKUTTY\">Sruthi Narayanan<\/a>. It is part of both ENT 8090 and PES 4550\/8250 and is open to all who are interested in learning and connecting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A diverse group of speakers is scheduled to present during the 2026 Clemson University ENT\/PES Spring Seminar Series.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3778,"featured_media":413,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[41977,125320,4987,16541,125322,125323,125324,125314,125336,125325],"tags":[],"coauthors":[125333],"class_list":["post-412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agricultural-sciences","category-baruch-institute-of-coastal-ecology-and-forest-science","category-coastal-research-education-center","category-cooperative-extension","category-edisto-research-education-center","category-pee-dee-research-education-center","category-piedmont-research-education-center","category-plant-and-environmental-sciences","category-public-service-and-agriculture","category-sandhill-research-education-center"],"fimg_url":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Flyer_Spring_Entomology_Seminar_Speakers_2026.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3778"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=412"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/412\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=412"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":417,"date":"2025-12-17T13:54:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T13:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/?p=417"},"modified":"2025-12-18T20:45:37","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T20:45:37","slug":"clemson-turfgrass-students-shine-at-carolinas-golf-course-superintendents-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/clemson-turfgrass-students-shine-at-carolinas-golf-course-superintendents-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"Clemson turfgrass students shine at Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"464\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Turf-Team.jpeg\" alt=\"Members of the Clemson Turf Team who claimed the 2025 title of Turf Bowl Champions at the 2025 Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Conference are, from left: Sarah Mclerins, Luke Totten, Gray Lister, Bryce Baker, Sean Crowe, Grayson Copeland, Keegan Brown, Matt Waldrop, Adam Hicks, Eli Ricker, Andrew Hart, Bo Morris, Ryan Hadden, Nathan Holloman and Gavin Trout.\" class=\"wp-image-418\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Turf-Team.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Turf-Team-300x218.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Members of the Clemson Turf Team who claimed the 2025 title of Turf Bowl Champions at the 2025 Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Conference are, from left: Sarah Mclerins, Luke Totten, Gray Lister, Bryce Baker, Sean Crowe, Grayson Copeland, Keegan Brown, Matt Waldrop, Adam Hicks, Eli Ricker, Andrew Hart, Bo Morris, Ryan Hadden, Nathan Holloman and Gavin Trout. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Conference once again brought together turfgrass managers, industry professionals and students for a week of education, networking and competition. Held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the annual event focused on modern challenges facing the turfgrass industry, offering strategies and insights from leading experts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A team of four Clemson University turfgrass students claimed the title of Turf Bowl Champions. The team consisted of Keegan Brown of Fort Mill, South Carolina; Sean Crowe of Cleveland, South Carolina; Adam Hicks of Ware Shoals, South Carolina, and Gavin Trout of Loris, South Carolina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Turf Bowl triumph<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Clemson fielded three teams, two of which advanced to the final round. In a nail-biting finish, Clemson Team Two claimed the title of Turf Bowl champions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To prepare for the event, the Clemson teams participated in weekly study sessions. Their victory underscored the collaborative spirit of the Turfgrass Club, with all members contributing to the success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe created Jeopardy mock practices that would be the same as the competition,\u201d said Crowe, club president and a senior turfgrass major who plans to graduate in Fall 2026. \u201cThe material used for these practices has been gathered by the club for years. When studying for the competition, we use a mixture of old questions and new questions as the industry is ever changing and new products are being developed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The new material comes from students notes and research. Clemson professors help create a wide a diverse range of topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brown used knowledge gained from classes taken at Clemson, including Advanced Turfgrass Management taught by Bert McCarty, Turfgrass Diseases and Insects taught by Joseph Roberts and Introduction to Turfgrass taught by Haibo Liu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI spent a lot of time studying with the team,\u201d said Brown who is graduating Dec. 18. \u201cWe conducted different Jeopardy- and Kahoot-style review sessions to sharpen our speed and fine-tune our knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hicks is also graduating Dec. 18. In addition to knowledge gained from taking classes, working part-time at the Walker Golf Course under the direction of Don Garret also helped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe met just about every Monday evening of the semester and studied books from our professors,\u201d Hicks said. \u201cAnd Mr. Garret is a great mentor. I learned a lot from him while working at the Golf Course.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trout plans to graduate in December 2026. Preparing for this competition was a \u201cteam effort,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cClemson Turfgrass won as a whole, not just us four guys,\u201d he said. \u201cI am super happy to compete with these gentlemen and with our win. These are guys that I will work with for my entire career. We will continue our friendship throughout our careers and call each other if we need help with any matter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to Clemson, other teams vying for the Turf Bowl championship were Horry Georgetown Technical College, North Carolina State University, Sandhills Community College and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Joseph Roberts, state turfgrass pathologist, is a new advisor to the Clemson Turfgrass Club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt has been exciting to see the initiative from students throughout this group, especially the officers, who have been diligent in organizing regular meetings, recruiting new members, fundraising and generating an open encouraging environment for future students interested in the profession,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cBy participating in events such as these, students get to test their knowledge of all aspects related to turfgrass management, highlighting technical skills and comprehension of concepts covered in the courses or internships taken as a Clemson student.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building the future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond competition, the conference provides valuable networking opportunities. Clemson students connected with superintendents offering internships and potential career paths, as well as industry professionals and manufacturers showcasing the latest innovations in turf management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These experiences help build diverse networks that will support the students throughout their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for careers, Crowe plans to pursue a profession in golf course management. His goal is to become a superintendent. Trout also plans to work in the turfgrass industry, with a goal to become a golf course superintendent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following graduation, Brown will work for Golf Course Services Inc., a golf course reconstruction and renovation company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hicks also has a job lined up. He will work as an assistant project manager for Environmental Golf and Athletic Construction where he will participate in construction\/renovation jobs all over the southeastern U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Academic and research highlights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The conference also offered students opportunities to learn directly from instructors from sessions that bridged classroom learning with real-world applications. This gave the students firsthand exposure to the challenges golf course superintendents face daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A major topic of discussion throughout the conference was Waitea zeae \u2013 mini ring management. This is an area where Clemson has been at the forefront of research. Clemson graduate student Grace Gable delivered an update on her ongoing research during the closing session, earning recognition for Clemson\u2019s continued leadership in turfgrass pathology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Grateful for support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>All of the members said they are grateful for the generosity of sponsors and donors as opportunities such as this would not be possible without their generosity. Their contributions ensure students can attend events like the Carolinas Conference, where education, competition and networking converge to prepare the next generation of turfgrass professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pictures from the event<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" data-id=\"425\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Unknown-5.jpeg\" alt=\"The Clemson team attend lectures to learn about the turfgrass industry from experts.\" class=\"wp-image-425\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Unknown-5.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Unknown-5-300x225.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Learning from experts.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" data-id=\"424\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Unknown-4.jpeg\" alt=\"The Clemson team attend lectures to learn about the turfgrass industry from experts.\" class=\"wp-image-424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Unknown-4.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Unknown-4-300x225.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Learning from experts.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"240\" height=\"320\" data-id=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Unknown-2-rotated.jpeg\" alt=\"Keegan Brown is a winner!\" class=\"wp-image-422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Unknown-2-rotated.jpeg 240w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Unknown-2-225x300.jpeg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Keegan Brown is a winner!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" data-id=\"421\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Unknown-1.jpeg\" alt=\"Teams study before the competition.\" class=\"wp-image-421\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Unknown-1.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/Unknown-1-300x225.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Teams study before the competition.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Conference once again brought together turfgrass managers, industry professionals and students for a week of education, networking and competition. Held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the annual event focused on modern challenges facing the turfgrass industry, offering strategies and insights from leading experts. A team of four Clemson University turfgrass [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3778,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[125314,9438],"tags":[],"coauthors":[125333],"class_list":["post-417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-plant-and-environmental-sciences","category-student-spotlight"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3778"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=417"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=417"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":410,"date":"2025-12-01T19:16:24","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T19:16:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/?p=410"},"modified":"2025-12-01T19:16:24","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T19:16:24","slug":"sachin-rustgi-receives-2025-randall-m-lacross-distinguished-research-leadership-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/sachin-rustgi-receives-2025-randall-m-lacross-distinguished-research-leadership-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Sachin Rustgi receives 2025 Randall M. LaCross Distinguished Research Leadership Award"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/587187584_1475369974590021_932852321362407680_n-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Sachin Rustgi, a scientist at the Clemson Pee Dee Research and Education Center, accepts the 2025 Randall M. LaCross Distinguished Research Leadership Award during the South Carolina Governor\u2019s School for Science and Mathematics 37th Annual Research Colloquium on Nov. 21.\" class=\"wp-image-411\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/587187584_1475369974590021_932852321362407680_n-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/587187584_1475369974590021_932852321362407680_n-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/587187584_1475369974590021_932852321362407680_n-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/587187584_1475369974590021_932852321362407680_n-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/587187584_1475369974590021_932852321362407680_n.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Sachin Rustgi, a scientist at the Clemson Pee Dee Research and Education Center, accepts the 2025 Randall M. LaCross Distinguished Research Leadership Award during the South Carolina Governor\u2019s School for Science and Mathematics 37th Annual Research Colloquium on Nov. 21.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The South Carolina Governor\u2019s School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM) presented the 2025 Randall M. LaCross Distinguished Research Leadership Award to Sachin Rustgi, associate professor of molecular breeding at the Clemson University Pee Dee Research and Education Center during GSSM\u2019s 37th Annual Research Colloquium on Nov. 21.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rutsgi also serves as a faculty scholar at the Clemson University School of Health Research and as an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at Washington State University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Randall M. LaCross Distinguished Research Leadership Award recognizes mentors, coordinators and advocates who have made meaningful and sustained contributions to the success of GSSM\u2019s student research programs. The award is named in honor of Randy LaCross, GSSM\u2019s longtime leader of student research initiatives and the school\u2019s current Vice President for Outreach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rustgi was selected based on his exceptional mentorship, global collaboration and long-standing support of GSSM students pursuing advanced research in agriculture, biotechnology, molecular biology and related fields. Since 2017, he has mentored 13 GSSM students and 12 students from partner schools in Germany through the Research Experience Scholars Program (RESP), helping expand GSSM\u2019s statewide and international research network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur students\u2019 research experiences are only possible because of the extraordinary generosity of our volunteer research mentors and their lab teams. It takes a community of scientists, educators, families and supporters to make these opportunities real, and Dr. Rustgi has been an exceptional part of that effort,\u201d said Josh Witten, director of research and inquiry at GSSM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rustgi\u2019s research portfolio addresses critical challenges at the intersection of agriculture and human health, including the development of disease-resistant crops and innovative approaches to managing celiac disease. Students trained in his laboratory describe their experiences as \u201cenlightening,\u201d \u201cmemorable,\u201d and \u201cdeeply meaningful,\u201d noting the confidence and curiosity he inspires in young researchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe relationship between mentors and mentees may form over a short period, but it lasts a lifetime,\u201d Rustgi said. \u201cEverything I received from my own mentors, I try to pay back by supporting the next generation of scientists, and I am grateful to GSSM for giving me the opportunity to be part of these beautiful journeys year after year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more about GSSM\u2019s research and inquiry programs, visit www.scgssm.org.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The South Carolina Governor\u2019s School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM) presented the 2025 Randall M. LaCross Distinguished Research Leadership Award to Sachin Rustgi, associate professor of molecular breeding at the Clemson University Pee Dee Research and Education Center during GSSM\u2019s 37th Annual Research Colloquium on Nov. 21. Rutsgi also serves as a faculty scholar at [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3778,"featured_media":411,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[125323],"tags":[],"coauthors":[125333],"class_list":["post-410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pee-dee-research-education-center"],"fimg_url":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/12\/587187584_1475369974590021_932852321362407680_n-150x150.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3778"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=410"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=410"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":404,"date":"2025-11-19T19:35:19","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T19:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/?p=404"},"modified":"2025-11-19T19:38:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T19:38:15","slug":"creative-inquiry-spotlight-alligator-diet-and-microplastics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/creative-inquiry-spotlight-alligator-diet-and-microplastics\/","title":{"rendered":"Creative Inquiry feature: alligator diet and microplastics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This Creative Inquiry focuses on analyzing the diet contents of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) to understand how different contaminants, such as microplastics and PFAS, impact aquatic systems and the animals that rely on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During their semesterly trip, students gain field experience and practice safe capture and handling skills, pit tagging, scute clipping, gastric lavage (stomach pumping), and venipuncture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Back in the Clemson lab, students&nbsp;process hunter-harvested stomachs, weigh and record the contents. Because different plastics contain varying chemical components, they may have different effects, including cancer, birth defects, and blockages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Identifying and quantifying microplastics found in stomach samples contributes to Ph.D. candidate&nbsp;Miriam Boucher&#8217;s research, which aims to understand the toxicological impacts of plastic on wildlife and ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"408\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/44C22365-63C8-4AFA-ACE7-CAD59F7812D8_1_102_o-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-408\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/44C22365-63C8-4AFA-ACE7-CAD59F7812D8_1_102_o-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/44C22365-63C8-4AFA-ACE7-CAD59F7812D8_1_102_o-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/44C22365-63C8-4AFA-ACE7-CAD59F7812D8_1_102_o-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/44C22365-63C8-4AFA-ACE7-CAD59F7812D8_1_102_o-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/44C22365-63C8-4AFA-ACE7-CAD59F7812D8_1_102_o.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/0385F180-011C-4D1C-8F09-66ABB895F6F1_1_105_c.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/0385F180-011C-4D1C-8F09-66ABB895F6F1_1_105_c.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/0385F180-011C-4D1C-8F09-66ABB895F6F1_1_105_c-225x300.jpeg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"406\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/98FB24E9-D203-4983-95DD-563B28B38FE9_1_102_o-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-406\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/98FB24E9-D203-4983-95DD-563B28B38FE9_1_102_o-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/98FB24E9-D203-4983-95DD-563B28B38FE9_1_102_o-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/98FB24E9-D203-4983-95DD-563B28B38FE9_1_102_o-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/98FB24E9-D203-4983-95DD-563B28B38FE9_1_102_o.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"407\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/444AF1E5-7E15-4882-8CD7-6C2700DBCBC3_1_105_c.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-407\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/444AF1E5-7E15-4882-8CD7-6C2700DBCBC3_1_105_c.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/444AF1E5-7E15-4882-8CD7-6C2700DBCBC3_1_105_c-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/444AF1E5-7E15-4882-8CD7-6C2700DBCBC3_1_105_c-768x576.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This Creative Inquiry focuses on analyzing the diet contents of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) to understand how different contaminants, such as microplastics and PFAS, impact aquatic systems and the animals that rely on them. During their semesterly trip, students gain field experience and practice safe capture and handling skills, pit tagging, scute clipping, gastric [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4271,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16537],"tags":[],"coauthors":[125343],"class_list":["post-404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-forestry-and-environmental-conservation"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4271"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=404"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=404"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":400,"date":"2025-11-18T13:14:55","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T13:14:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/?p=400"},"modified":"2025-11-22T12:05:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T12:05:12","slug":"clemson-soil-specialist-seeks-farmer-input-to-shape-future-research-priorities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/clemson-soil-specialist-seeks-farmer-input-to-shape-future-research-priorities\/","title":{"rendered":"Clemson soil specialist seeks farmer input to shape future research priorities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/Farmaha-and-Shikha-Dubey-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Bhupinder Farmaha, soil nutrient management specialist, and Shikha Dubey, former doctoral student, discuss the nitrogen dataset generated by research into how South Carolina farmers can reduce fertilizer costs by using conservation practices.\" class=\"wp-image-401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/Farmaha-and-Shikha-Dubey-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/Farmaha-and-Shikha-Dubey-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/Farmaha-and-Shikha-Dubey-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/Farmaha-and-Shikha-Dubey-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/Farmaha-and-Shikha-Dubey-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/files\/2025\/11\/Farmaha-and-Shikha-Dubey-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><strong>Bhupinder Farmaha, Clemson soil fertility specialist, and Shikha Dubey, former doctoral student, discuss the nitrogen dataset generated by research into how South Carolina farmers can reduce fertilizer costs by using conservation practices.<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After three years of groundbreaking research that reveals how South Carolina farmers can significantly reduce fertilizer costs through conservation practices, Clemson University Extension Soil Fertility Specialist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clemson.edu\/cafls\/faculty_staff\/profiles\/bfarmah\">Bhupinder Farmaha<\/a> is turning to the state\u2019s agricultural community to help set research priorities for the coming years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Farmaha is planning soil fertility research and Extension programming across South Carolina for 2026 and beyond. Direct input is needed from farmers regarding their primary challenges with crop nutrition, cover crops, manure management and soil health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Farmer feedback is absolutely critical to ensuring our research addresses real-world challenges in South Carolina fields,&#8221; said Farmaha, who is housed at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clemson.edu\/cafls\/edisto\/\">Edisto Research<\/a> and Education Center in Blackville, South Carolina. &#8220;Their input will significantly influence soil fertility research for South Carolina cropping systems over the next 5 to 7 years.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A brief 5-minute survey has been created to gather feedback on topics including field days, county meetings and on-farm trials. The survey is available at <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/4rk03HY\">https:\/\/bit.ly\/4rk03HY<\/a>. The &nbsp;survey deadline is Dec. 12. Research planning sessions will begin in early 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Farmaha emphasizes that input is needed from farmers across all major cropping systems in the state \u2013 including cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat and specialty crops. This feedback will help his research team prioritize studies that can deliver immediate, practical benefits for South Carolina\u2019s farmers while addressing long-term sustainability goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve seen firsthand how conservation practices can reduce input costs while maintaining productivity,&#8221; Farmaha noted. &#8220;Now we need to hear directly from farmers about what challenges they&#8217;re facing and what research would be most valuable for their operations.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Farmers unable to complete the online survey can share their input through their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clemson.edu\/extension\/co\/\">Clemson Cooperative Extension Service<\/a> county agent or by emailing Farmaha at bfarmah@clemson.edu or by calling (217) 778-5170.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The request comes on the heels of Farmaha&#8217;s recent cotton nitrogen research across 50 sites statewide from 2021 to 2023. The research found that 56% of fields responded to nitrogen fertilizer while 44% did not. This shows farmers using conservation practices could substantially reduce their fertilizer needs without sacrificing yields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis work has revealed soil cation exchange capacity as a key predictor of nitrogen needs, offering practical applications that could save farmers thousands of dollars annually,\u201d Farmaha said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">-END-<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After three years of groundbreaking research that reveals how South Carolina farmers can significantly reduce fertilizer costs through conservation practices, Clemson University Extension Soil Fertility Specialist Bhupinder Farmaha is turning to the state\u2019s agricultural community to help set research priorities for the coming years. Farmaha is planning soil fertility research and Extension programming across South [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3778,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16541,125322,125314,125336],"tags":[],"coauthors":[125333],"class_list":["post-400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cooperative-extension","category-edisto-research-education-center","category-plant-and-environmental-sciences","category-public-service-and-agriculture"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3778"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=400"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/400\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=400"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/cafls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}]