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With the slogan "There's a Little Scientist in All of Us," 4-H National
Youth Science Day brought out neophyte scientists eager to participate
in the National Science Experiment.
There's a little scientist in all of us
What can a diaper, a zip-lock bag, and a ½ cup of water teach you about conserving water? And how can an experiment involving these three simple items help the United States keep its competitive edge in the global marketplace?
Six million 4-H'ers and their families know. On October 8, 2008, the 4-H Youth Development Program launched the first-ever National Youth Experiment as part of a larger effort to help build America's future science, engineering, and technology workforce. On the slightly chilly day in question, an eager crowd of youth and adults gathered outside Symons Hall to investigate the mysterious properties of hydrogel polymers. The experiment, billed as "Helpful Hydrogels," is part of 4-H's comprehensive public service campaign "One Million New Scientists. One Million New Ideas," which supports the goal of attracting 1 million new youth to 4-H science, engineering, and technology programs (SET) by 2013.
Gathered around tables set up with materials for the experiment, each neophyte scientist began by cutting up a disposable diaper and placing the contents in a 1 gallon zip-lock bag. Vigorously shaking the bag to separate the powder from the stuffing, each participant ended up with about 1 teaspoon of the powdery hydrogel polymer from the disposable diaper. Mixing the powder with ½ cup of water produced a gooey, gelatinous solid, to the delight of the new young scientists. A short discussion of the properties and uses of the hydrogel polymer wrapped up the experiment.
The young participants appreciated the words of encouragement they received from additional speakers, including Provost Nariman Farvardin, who lent his support to the event.
4-H has been involved in youth science education for decades. 4-H SET programs reach more than 5 million youth nationally with hands-on learning experiences in subjects like rocketry, robotics, bio-fuels, renewable energy, and computer science. These out-of-school opportunities are supported by more than a half million dedicated adult volunteers.
October 8, 2008 was officially designated as 4-H National Youth Science Day by Congress. For more information about 4-H's science engineering and technology programs or to explore more 4-H environmental curricula, visit www.4-H.org.
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(L to R) Dale Johnson, Ray Miller (IPAN), Robert Hill, Mark Varner, and Brad Paleg
Multi-disciplinary team receives award for distance ed work
A multi-disciplinary team in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) was recognized at the University of Maryland's 2008 International Awards Ceremony in November. Dr. Mark Varner, Animal and Avian Sciences; Dr. Robert Hill, Environmental Science and Technology; Dale Johnson, Maryland Cooperative Extension; and Brad Paleg, Information and Educational Technologies; received the Landmark Award in honor of their exceptional long-term achievements in support of international life at the university. International team member, Dr. Pavel Sorokin, a professor of agribusiness management at Moscow State Agro-Engineering University, was also named in the award.
Several members of the team have been involved in teaching their Russian counterparts to use distance education technology since 1999. More recently the team developed and implemented a multi-faceted program incorporating distance education technology and subject matter expertise that has helped build the technological capacity of several Russian universities, modernized the curriculum, and created a distance learning center (RDLC). This center is located at Stavropol State Agrarian University in a region with few opportunities for continuing education. In addition to AGNR and Stavropol State Agrarian University, the project involves four institutes, the Ministry of Agriculture in Stavropol Region, practicing veterinarians, a U.S. non-governmental organization, and small businesses and farmers in the North Caucasus region of Russia.
Participants' efforts have garnered national recognition for innovation and-through video-teleconference-brought world-knowned veterinary experts to a province far from Moscow.
Brad Paleg, IET's Distance Learning Specialist, says, "This acknowledgement of our group's commitment and effort to plan, implement, evaluate, and sustain these compelling programs is tremendously exciting. We constantly challenged ourselves and those associated with these programs to evolve how we teach, collaborate, and communicate while addressing a range of important critical needs in southern Russia." He adds, "The actual University of Maryland Landmark Award Program provided our group the opportunity to demonstrate the use of distance learning technologies by having one of the award recipients participate live from Moscow via web conferencing." View a streamed video of the award program at: http://www.persephone.umd.edu/agnr/landmark.html.
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Dr. Daniel Perez
One step closer to a one-size-fits-all AI vaccine
Led by Dr. Daniel Perez of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, a team of scientists has developed the component of a universal influenza vaccine for animals that may help prevent or delay another human flu pandemic.
This vaccine component can be used to immunize both birds and mammals from dangerous forms of the flu, including the highly lethal H5N1 avian influenza strain. It can be used to vaccinate wild and domestic birds or other species, thus reducing the spread of flu viruses among these populations and decreasing the chance that deadly new human flu strains will spring from these animal reservoirs.
Perez and his team isolated genes from the H9N2 virus-another avian influenza that can infect both birds and mammals-to make up a "backbone" that consists of internal genes common to other flu strains. This backbone can be used as a starting point from which to quickly create other live, weakened flu vaccines. "We can attach any surface proteins to this backbone to make a vaccine specific for almost any other influenza virus," Perez says.
Most currently used vaccines offer protection for a specific animal species against a small range of virus strains. These vaccines take a long time to make (about six months for a vaccine tailored for humans) and they generally cannot be shared between species.
"We now have a vaccine that works in many animal species and can protect against any type of influenza that we want," Perez said. "In the case of pandemic influenza, a vaccine from this backbone could be deployed much faster than one specifically tailored to humans because the vaccine would be already available for other animals. All we would have to do is modify it. We wouldn't have to make it from scratch."
Perez and his team have already shown that a vaccine consisting of a weakened form of the H9N2 virus is capable of protecting chickens, their eggs and mice against two other lethal forms of the flu virus, including the highly lethal H5N1 avian flu. This vaccine could be administered to immunize wild and domestic birds against avian flu to minimize spread to humans. Next they will test the vaccine in other mammals like pigs and ferrets-good models for the human immune system.
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Bonnie Braun named first endowed chair of Health Literacy Center
 Dr. Bonnie Braun has been named the first Herschel S. Horowitz Endowed Chair in Health Literacy at the University of Maryland's School of Public Health. In this role, Braun will help lay the foundation for the Horowitz Center-the first academic center for health literacy in the United States-overseeing the creation of a strategic plan and the implementation of priority research, service, and education activities in the burgeoning field of health literacy.
Braun is an associate professor in the School of Public Health's Department of Family Science and a state family policy specialist with the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension, which makes her well suited to her new responsibilities, according to Dr. Cheng-i Wei, dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. "Our educational mission in the college and in Extension is to provide students and other clientele with research-based, unbiased knowledge that they can use to make sound judgments regarding their health and well-being. Bonnie's work with the Horowitz Center will reflect and complement that mission."
Dr. Nick Place, MCE associate director, agrees. "Bonnie recognizes and appreciates collaboration and the development of partnerships," he says. "Her efforts in Extension at Maryland as well as previous work in Virginia and Minnesota give her plenty of experience to build upon, helping prepare her for this position."
Braun is a nationally recognized researcher in the fields of family health and health policy who has written more than a hundred articles and received numerous awards for her work. She earned her Ph.D. in Family Consumer Sciences Education from the University of Missouri, and recently served as the President of American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and as Co-Director of the Maryland Family Policy Impact Seminar.
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Wei's Way
Welcome to a new year at AGNR.
Despite a volatile economic climate, AGNR will continue to serve its constituencies as it has in the past--with creative solutions, innovative programming, and an enthusiasm for rising to challenges. As we decide how best to handle the budget shortfall, we will continue to be guided by our commitment to our students and constituents, while sustaining the quality and integrity of our academic and research programs, and minimizing impact on faculty and staff.
I hope we will look on 2009 as a time of opportunity to build a stronger college so that we can work more closely with various USDA components and show leadership in the state, region, and nation.
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