Once again, the Collegiate Crops Judging Team from the University of Minnesota, Crookston was in the top three finishers at the national crops judging contests held in November. At the contests held in Kansas City, Mo., on November 17, and Chicago, Ill., on November 21, the team from the U of M, Crookston finished third overall. Members of the team included: Sophomore Theresa Hamel from Lakota N.D.; Junior Jakob Heggedal from Badger, Minn.; and Junior Mark Riepe from Perham, Minn. The team was coached by Associate Professor Charles "Chuck" Habstritt.

In the photo at left (l to r): Hamel, Riepe, and Heggedal.

The crops contests integrate a student's knowledge of agronomy into three categories: seed analysis, grain grading and crop and weed identification.

In Kansas City, individual finishes included a second place finish in grain grading by Heggedal, while Riepe was in sixth and Hamel in eighth. Overall, Heggedal finished fifth, Riepe finished seventh, and Hamel finished eleventh. The addition to their third place overall finish, the team finished second overall in grain grading and fourth in both seed analysis and crop and weed identification.

Results from the contest in Chicago included a first place finish for Heggedal in grain grading and a sixth place finish in seed analysis. Heggedal's individual finish was fifth overall. Other finishes included a sixth place finish by Riepe and eighth place finish by Hamel in grain grading.  Riepe finished sixth overall while Hamel was fourteenth. The team once again finished second overall in grain grading and fourth in seed analysis as well as crop and weed identification.

Out of a possible 1200 points in the grain grading portions of the Kansas City and Chicago crops contests, Heggedal missed just 8 points.

Preparation for the contests begins early in the semester and requires intense preparation. Crops teams from the Crookston campus have placed in the top three more than 25 times over their history. For more than 35 years, Habstritt has served as a coach to the highly successful Collegiate Crops Judging Team on the Crookston campus. He was also responsible for compiling the rules and regulations book that has been used for national contests in both Chicago and Kansas City.

The Chicago contest began in 1923 and has been held every year except in 1929 and during World War II (1942-'46). The Kansas City Contest was held the first time in 1929 and has been held annually through 1941, with the exception of 1942-'46.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 applied-science undergraduate degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; math, science and technology; and natural resources. To learn more, visit www.UMCrookston.edu.

Contact: Rob Proulx, lecturer, 218-281-8136 (prou0041@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Three University of Minnesota professors have been named Fellows to American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). These professors have been elevated to this rank because of their efforts toward advancing science applications that are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished. Election as a Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers. Carol Windels, a professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the Northwest Research and Outreach Center (NWROC) in Crookston, will be honored as one of the 2010 Fellows and welcomed into the prestigious society at its annual convention in February.

Windels was recognized for her definitive research on ecology of soil borne plant pathogens on field crops and integrated control of diseases and for national professional leadership. Windels is one of three from the University of Minnesota to be named a 2010 Fellow. Joining her are Marc A. Hillmyer, a professor in the Department of Chemistry in the Institute of Technology, and David J. Norris, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science in the Institute of Technology.
 
This year 531 members have been awarded this honor by AAAS because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. New Fellows will be presented with an official certificate and a gold and blue (representing science and engineering, respectively) rosette pin during the AAAS Fellows Forum from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 at the 2010 AAAS Annual Meeting in San Diego.

This year's AAAS Fellows were announced in the AAAS News & Notes section of the journal Science this month.

The tradition of AAAS Fellows began in 1874. Currently, members can be considered for the rank of Fellow if nominated by the steering groups of the association's 24 sections, or by any three Fellows who are current AAAS members (so long as two of the three sponsors are not affiliated with the nominee's institution), or by the AAAS chief executive officer. Each steering group then reviews the nominations of individuals within its respective section and a final list is forwarded to the AAAS Council, which votes on the aggregate list.

The council is the policymaking body of the association, chaired by the AAAS president, and consisting of the members of the board of directors, the retiring section chairs, delegates from each electorate and each regional division and two delegates from the National Association of Academies of Science.
The NWROC is located 300 miles from the St. Paul Campus and offers unique opportunities for plant pathology research in the agriculturally rich Red River Valley.  The Center has a plant pathology research laboratory, greenhouses, controlled environment chambers, and field facilities.  To learn more, visit www.nwroc.umn.edu.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 applied-science undergraduate degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; math, science and technology; and natural resources. To learn more, visit www.UMCrookston.edu.
 

Contact: Maureen Aubol, Northwest Research and Outreach Center, 218-281-8602 (aubo0002@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Dan Svedarsky, Ph.D., professor, wildlife biologist, and director of the Center for Sustainability at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, recently returned from Copenhagen, Denmark, where he represented the 8,000-member The Wildlife Society as an official observer at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change.  He took part in the conference from December 7 through 14.

The U.N. Conference on Climate Change, which just concluded at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, may be one of the most significant environmental gatherings of our time.  Noted climatologists and a majority of the world's scientists believe that current rates of greenhouse gas emissions (notably carbon dioxide) from fossil fuel use and land use changes could cause climate warming accelerations that may jeopardize food production and human habitation in many low-lying areas of the world.  If predictive climate models are correct, two billion people who work with their hands to feed their families in those areas would potentially be affected first.  Plant and wildlife species may already be feeling effects, and wildlife biologists are planning strategies to mitigate these changes. 

"The conference was one of the most incredible gatherings that I've ever attended," said Svedarsky.  "There was such a diversity of disciplines, occupations, and cultures represented." Estimated official attendance was over 25,000 with more than 110 heads of state from different corners of the world present, including Nobel Peace Prize winners Wangari Maathai, Al Gore, and President Barack Obama.  During the conference Svedarsky had the opportunity to meet Wangari Maathai at the Danish Film Institute, where the film "Taking Root," a profile of her life, was screened.  Maathai earned her B.S. from Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas; her M.S. from the University of Pittsburgh; and her Ph.D. from the University of Nairobi.  She is the founder of the Green Belt Movement as well as the goodwill ambassador for the Congo Basin Rainforest Ecosystem. In 2004 she was the first to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for environmental achievements. 

A key focus of the conference was to revise the Kyoto Protocol, which called for nations of the world to strive and reduce carbon dioxide levels.  According to Svedarsky, "There were many first-hand accounts of climate change effects detailed at the meeting as well as premiere screenings of documentary films.  Two major plenary session meeting halls--about the size of a football field--were set up for sessions involving governmental officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and media personnel."  Numerous smaller meeting sessions were underway as groups refined position statements to present in larger sessions.

There were also several protests and demonstrations by entities wishing "a more dramatic expression of their views," Svedarsky added.  "To be sure, there are points of view in the larger debate based on science, politics, and anecdotal observations, but the evidence is irrefutable that climates are indeed changing.  Not so clear is the precise effect that man's activities are having.  We know that rising temperatures are correlated with rising carbon dioxide levels and that fossil fuel combustion adds to these levels.  It would seem prudent in this global experiment to minimize combustion and the generation of associated greenhouse gases, as well as vigorously accelerating the pace of generating renewable energy."

The U.S. peaked in the production of domestic fossil fuels in the early 1970s, and a world-wide peak is predicted in 2010-2015.  The most accessible resources were the first to be extracted. "So if we do not find alternatives to fossil fuels, dramatically conserve energy, and implement vigorous carbon management now, then when?" asks Svedarsky. 

It was fitting that Denmark  would  host a conference of this sort, noted Svedarsky, since the country is a world leader in the production of renewable energy, especially in using wind turbines and biofuels and in using a comprehensive systems  approach to sustainable development.  The design of mass transit systems and other alternatives for people movement rather than automobiles is exemplary. 

Numerous related sessions were staged in Copenhagen and in nearby Malmo, Sweden, connected by the Oresund Bridge.  Malmo prides itself as one of the most sustainable cities in the world and the city has decoupled economic development from energy use, growing its economy while decreasing carbon emissions.

More information about the conference is available online at en.cop15.dk.

Photo caption:  Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai with U of M, Crookston Professor Dan Svedarsky at the Danish Film Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Contact: Dan Svedarsky, professor, 218-281-8129 (dsvedars@umn.edu); Andrew Svec, director of communications, 218-281-8438 (asvec@umn.edu)

On Monday, Dec. 14, from 7 to 9 p.m., the National Wildlife Federation will sponsor an evening of discussions with a live broadcast link on the University of Minnesota, Crookston campus in Dowell Hall Room 100. The event is free and open to all interested individuals.

The broadcast will originate at the Center for Innovation IdeaLab on the campus of the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D., and also will be broadcast to sites in in North Dakota including Bismarck, Devils Lake, Fargo, and Jamestown.

Presentations Include:

Economic Impact of Hunting and Sportsmen Activities on North Dakota's Economy - Roger Hollevoet, Project Leader for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Devils Lake Wetland Management District

Prairie Wetlands and Climate Change - Droughts and Ducks in the Potholes - Rick Voldseth, Department of Soil Science, North Dakota State University

Pots of Gold - Carbon Sequestration Opportunities for Hunters and Landowners - Liz Mathern, Carbon Credit Program Specialist, North Dakota Farmers Union

Natural Resource Adaptation Funding in the Federal Climate Bills - Justin Allegro, Legislative Representative for Wildlife Conservation, National Wildlife Federation

Learn more at http://online.nwf.org/site/Calendar?view=Detail&id=103901.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 applied-science undergraduate degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; math, science and technology; and natural resources. To learn more, visit www.UMCrookston.edu.

Contact: Andrew Svec, director, communications, 218-281-8438; Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Hundreds of rooted poinsettia cuttings arrive in August in anticipation of another holiday season. For six students involved in the commercial floriculture class at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, those cuttings have developed into a beautiful poinsettia crop under their skill and coaxing.

This year's poinsettias create a beautiful and colorful display including Red, Peppermint, and Creamy White poinsettias along with a new one for this year called Ice Punch.

In the photo are members of the fall semester class including: back row (l to r): Tim Butson, Platteville, Wis.; Teddy Gutman, Burlington, Iowa; Steve Freeman, White Bear Lake, Minn.; and Kristine Neu, Pelican Rapids, Minn. Front row: Jada Ellenberg, Perham, Minn.; Stepheni Tietje, Kasson, Minn.; and U of M, Crookston Horticulture Instructor Sue Jacobson.

The students started the process of forcing the plants to bloom in time for the holiday season in October. Following a specific procedure to control the light, the students covered the plants with a dark cloth at 4 p.m. and uncovered them at 8 a.m. each day to regulate the length of daylight the plants receive. The students are responsible for greenhouse chores on the weekends as well. Although the class is taught by Jacobson, the crop is in the hands of the students. The work and production of the poinsettia crop is entirely the responsibility of the class.

The Agriculture and Natural Resources Department offers commercial floriculture as part of the horticulture program to acquaint students with producing plants for a specific date - a skill necessary for employment in a greenhouse or garden center. "Poinsettias form their colored "flowers" only if the length of days and nights are carefully regulated," explains Jacobson. "The poinsettia really doesn't have a bloom like most flowers. Instead, the colorful red, pink, or white petals are modified leaves known as bracts. The blooms are actually the small yellowish clusters in the center."

Jacobson often allows problems to develop to see how the students will solve them--something they would have to do in an employment situation and giving them an opportunity to apply what they have learned. The class demands hard work, dedication, and a strong team effort to grow the best poinsettias. Leadership and responsibility are two of the qualities that develop in this type of teaching and learning environment.

"Students learn so much from applying their classroom learning to real-world experience," Jacobson explains. "By taking responsibility for the crop, the students are accountable for the outcome making the commercial floriculture class one of the most memorable for the students." The class is excellent training for a career in horticulture, a multi-billion dollar industry in the U.S. To learn more about the horticulture program with emphases in environmental landscaping, production horticulture or urban forestry, visit www.UMCrookston.edu/academics.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 applied-science undergraduate degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; math, science and technology; and natural resources. To learn more, visit www.UMCrookston.edu.
 

Contact: Sue Jacobson, horticulture instructor, 218-281-8118 (sjacobso@umn.edu) ;Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Larry Smith, Ph.D., head of the Northwest Research and Outreach Center has been named a recipient of the Sugarbeet Distinguished Service Award for 2009. The Sugarbeet Research & Education Board presented the award to Smith at the American Crystal Sugar Company annual meeting on Thursday, December 3, at the Holiday Inn in Fargo, N.D.

Smith joined the staff at Crookston in 1971 as an agronomist and was later appointed to the sugarbeet agronomist position that was created in 1978. He is widely known across the country for his field research and extensive education in sugarbeet production. His appointment as head of the NWROC began in 1983.

The Sugarbeet Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals for their recent,  significant contributions to the success of the sugarbeet industry in Minnesota and North Dakota. A recipient must demonstrate excellence in sugarbeet research, and/or sugarbeet education programs that have made a significant impact on the industry.

American Crystal Sugar Company is a world-class agricultural cooperative specializing in the production of sugar and related agri-products. American Crystal is owned by approximately 3,000 shareholders who raise 500,000 acres of sugarbeets in the Red River Valley of Minnesota and North Dakota. To learn more about American Crystal Sugar, visit www.crystalsugar.com.

The NWROC serves the prairie and adjacent land area of northwestern Minnesota.  Its activities are a part of the total agricultural research program for the University of Minnesota. The Research and Outreach Center, located adjacent to the UMC campus, owns approximately 1,500 acres of land.  The center provides laboratories, fields, and herds for use by U of M, Crookston students enrolled in agriculture programs. For more information, visit www.nwroc.umn.edu.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 applied-science undergraduate degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; math, science and technology; and natural resources. To learn more, visit www.UMCrookston.edu.

Contact: Maureen Aubol, office supervisor, Northwest Research and Outreach Center, 218-281-8602 (audo0002@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

When students have the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom to address the needs of a real-world client, they gain experience that will benefit them when they leave the classroom for a career. While the students were learning, they were also conducting service to the community. Business instructor Rachel Lundbohm's classes in marketing research and integrated marketing communication at the University of Minnesota, Crookston had the opportunity to synthesize current research and develop plans to address the specific needs of several businesses and organizations in the region fall semester.
 
The marketing research class, a senior level course, worked with the Northwest Minnesota Area Health Education Center (AHEC) on some research that addressed high school students' perceptions of career choices in general along with healthcare related careers. Sandy Henneberg along with Executive Director Joan Tronson, represented AHEC and met with the students about the research project. The class conducted focus groups in high schools, in-depth interviews with guidance counselors, and developed surveys that were sent to every high school covered by the Northwest Minnesota AHEC.

In the photo above: Members of the marketing research class presented their research findings on the perceptions of high school students about healthcare careers to a representative from the Northwest Minnesota Area Health Education Center on Friday, December 11, 2009. Class members include: Seated (l to r):Cynthia Weber a senior from Crookston, Minn.; Marketing Instructor Rachel Lundbohm; Northwest Minnesota Area Health Education Center Executive Director Joan Tronson; Thomas Melhorn, a senior from White Bear Lake, Minn.

Standing: Kyu Tae Kim,a junior from Seoul, South Korea; Jessica DeBoer, a senior from Crookston, MInn.; Matthew Heier, a junior; from Ray, N.D. Brett Wright, a senior from Cortland, N.Y.; Alyssa Jensen, a senior from Cameron, Wis.; David Bawdon, a senior from Harrisburg, S.D.; Abbie Tosh, a senior from Climax, Minn.; Stephanie Onken, a senior from Round Lake, Minn.; Chansouda Rattanavong, a senior from Warroad, Minn.; Jared Hendricks, a senior from Owatonna, Minn.; Adeboye Adeyeye, a junior from London, England; Treasure Clemons, a junior from Minneapolis, Minn.; Wilfred Kooser, a junior from Omaha, Neb.; Jacob Karras, a senior from Janesville, Wis.; and Benjamin Welch(not pictured), a senior from Edina, Minn.  

In the integrated marketing communications class, students were divided into two groups. One of the groups worked with Shawnn Balstad from Pembina Trail Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D) to help raise awareness and knowledge about RC&D. The students met with Balstad and worked on a campaign that covers all marketing channels to develop one cohesive message for the RC&D.

These two groups of students, both engaged in projects for a not-for-profit business, were involved in what is known as service-learning. Service Learning, a method of teaching, learning, and reflecting where participants learn and develop through active participation, is an important part of the classroom experience at the U of M, Crookston. It combines the academic classroom curriculum with meaningful community service. To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu/services/ServiceLearning.

The other group of students in the integrated marketing communications class met with Paul Blomquist from C & M Ford Sales in Hallock, Minn., to create a marketing campaign that integrates traditional print and broadcast media with Internet, direct marketing  and personal selling. The students developed a plan that addressed marketing needs for the dealership located in Hallock as well as Roseau County Ford located in the Roseau, Minn.

In December, students will present the findings of their research and make recommendations based on what they learned to help each of these entities determine future marketing decisions. Lundbohm knows the experience will benefit her students in the classroom as well as the workplace. "The students enjoyed the hands-on learning opportunity in marketing provided by these projects," she explains. "I set the standards high in the class because they were working for real-world clients and I wanted them to get the most from this experience.

"The students took different approaches and used different strategies to meet the needs of the clients and they were able to provide service to businesses and organizations in the region which has given the projects more meaning."

The U of M, Crookston is set to offer two new bachelor's degree programs in business beginning in January 2010.  The Bachelor of Science in Marketing and the Bachelor of Manufacturing Management in Quality Management were recently approved by the University of Minnesota Board of Regents and both of the degree programs will be available online as well as on site. 

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 applied-science undergraduate degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; math, science and technology; and natural resources. To learn more, visit www.UMCrookston.edu.
 

Contact: Rachel Lundbohm, instructor, Business Department, 218-281-8190 (rlundboh@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

The third annual Women's Holiday Social at the University of Minnesota, Crookston raised more than $6,795 for student scholarships on the campus. More than 120 people gathered to celebrate the season, connect with friends of the University, enjoy refreshments and listen to holiday music on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, while bidding on some 20 holiday baskets with a value totaling more than $2,750; handcrafted items; artwork as well as participating in raffles and a live auction featuring a French gourmet dinner for four.

Two of the baskets received special awards during the social: Best of Show went to the Academic Assistance Center for their basket themed "Handmade from the Heart." The Chancellor's Choice was awarded to University Relations and the Office of Alumni & Development for their basket which featured the theme "The Good Life."

During the evening, several items were raffled  and winners included Peggy Henry, who won the Hugo's Family Marketplace Party Basket; Natasha Kuhle was the winner of a gift package from TLC Family Hair Care and Salon and Red River Massage Spa Treatment; Richard Jones  won a Dessert of the Month for 6 months, compliments of Erica White, an information technology specialist in the Office of Admissions; and Lori Wagner was the recipient of a fresh floral arrangement from the U of M, Crookston Horticulture Club.

All proceeds from the raffles, silent & live auctions go to the Women's Project Fund to support awareness and the recognition of scholarly work and service throughout the University of Minnesota, Crookston.

A special thank you to Hugo's Family Marketplace, TLC Family Hair Care and Salon, Red River Massage, the UMC Horticulture and International Clubs, Sodexo, Two Fool's Vineyard and the entire community who shared their creative talents in raising awareness for women's scholarships at UMC.

This year's social was a success through the involvement of Emily Knutson, Sherry Just, Ardith Pelton, Audrey Eickhof, Judy Neppel, Barbara Muesing, Jeannine Windels, Michelle Christopherson, Mary Beth Sargeant, Tricia Sanders, Erica White, Amber Bailey, Amber Evans-Dailey, Laurie Wilson, Stephanie Helgeson, Leanne Butt, Kim Knutson, Jess Schein, Yvonne Valgren, Alyssa Aaland, Anna Ogaard, Katie Bowar, Kayla Bowar, Jodi Steiner, Jennifer Severinson, Heather Sperling, Natasha Kuhle, Lynnette Mullins, Audrey Eickhof, and Corby Kemmer.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 applied-science undergraduate degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; math, science and technology; and natural resources. To learn more, visit www.UMCrookston.edu.

Contact: Michelle Christopherson, director, Center for Adult Learning, 218-281-8679 (mchristo@umn.edu) ;Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)