Students

Panelist information will be posted in Handshake: https://umd.joinhandshake.com/events/1755997/share_preview

Check out more information on the 2025 Agriculture Futures of America Leaders Conference, including viewing the application, here: https://www.agfuture.org/experiences/leaders-conference/overview

Leaders Conference is a transformative experience for students interested in agriculture, food, environment, and animal industries. Student delegates at the conference have the opportunity to learn from and network with leaders in each of these industries.

Malique will be hosting virtual Q&A sessions for the week leading up to the application closing: Tues - Fri, September 2-5, from 2-3 PM. You can obtain the Zoom link on Handshake in the AFA Leaders Conference Application Night event page.

The Procrastinator's Pesticide and Urban Nutrient Management Conference will be held in person on Friday, June 27, 2025 at the University of Maryland Extension's Montgomery County Office in Derwood, Maryland. Discussion topics will include: Contaminants in our soil amendments; ornamental diseases, weed control, personal protective equipment, pesticide spills, and an update from our Plant Diagnostic Lab. Attendees can earn Maryland, Virginia, and District of Columbia pesticide credits for attending the meeting.

This event will provide a unique opportunity for students to look at environmental justice and restoration through creative expression and empower students from all majors to seek a connection between their fields of study and sustainability.

Event Details:

🗓 Date: Tuesday April 29th
📍 Location: Price George's Room, Stamp Student Union
⏰ Time: 6:00 pm

Event Highlights:

🌮 Sustainable, customizable, vegan dinner provided
🎥 Screening of Toxic Art – an award-winning short film about transforming pollution into paint pigments
🎨 Hands-on watercolor painting with paints created from natural, plant-based pigments
🎤 Poetry reading by the winner of the Sadat Arts for Justice & Peace Competition
🎟 Raffle prizes – enter to win a soil-based watercolor paint set

Come visit with researchers and other growers. Event is free to attend. Strawberries and ice cream served!

Get ready to dive into the fascinating world of Maryland’s native bees! Join Madeline Potter, UME Faculty Specialist for Entomology & IPM, for this interactive webinar where we will explore the critical role native bees play in sustaining native plants and resilient landscapes, while spotlighting the diversity and unique stories of our local pollinators. Learn how to support a variety of native bee species by creating bee-friendly habitats—from planting diverse natives to leaving bare ground and stems, minimizing pesticides, and offering clean water sources. Along the way, we will share train-the-trainer tips to help educators inspire others to take action for native bees. Whether you’re a pollinator advocate or just bee-curious, this session will leave you buzzing with ideas to make a meaningful impact in your greenspace and community!

Get ready to celebrate National Pollinator Week (June 16-22, 2025)! Join Madeline Potter, UME Faculty Specialist for Entomology & IPM, for an interactive session to equip you with tools, resources, and creative outreach strategies to support pollinator-themed education during National Pollinator Week. We’ll explore ideas for engaging community events and activities, walk through planning tips, and collaborate in a brainstorming session to spark inspiration. Bring your ideas and let’s build impactful, pollinator-friendly programming together!

Have you noticed something odd about crape myrtles in your area? Have you heard of the invasive crapemyrtle bark scale? Join Madeline Potter, UME Faculty Specialist for Entomology & IPM, to learn about a spreading invasive insect that is impacting many crape myrtles throughout Maryland. During this engaging, science-based session we will bust common myths, learn how to spot crapemyrtle bark scale in the landscape, and talk through sustainable management strategies. We will also explore how this pest ties into the bigger picture of biodiversity and building healthier, more resilient landscapes. Bring your questions—this will be an interactive webinar with Q&A and a hands-on brainstorming activity to help you create outreach tools and strategies for effectively informing your communities about invasive insect pests.

This presentation explores whether landscape architecture’s ongoing neglect of ecological planting design—despite its growing importance in addressing urban environmental challenges—warrants the creation of a distinct professional discipline. As cities grapple with climate change, biodiversity loss, and stormwater management, the need for resilient, ecologically sound planting strategies has never been greater. However, traditional landscape architecture often prioritizes aesthetics and spatial planning over ecological function. Should ecological planting design be elevated into a specialized field with its own standards, training, and professional identity? This inquiry aims to assess the viability and necessity of such a shift within the profession.

Join the Environmental Science & Policy program for an in-depth discussion on artificial intelligence and nuclear power with an emphasis on clean energy solutions, data center demands, and the future of energy in Maryland and beyond. The event will take place from 9:30-11:30am on Thursday, April 17 at the Prince George's Room in The Stamp. 

Achieving 100% Net-Carbon Free Energy
Paul Pinsky, Director, Maryland Energy Administration

The Role of Nuclear in Meeting Data Center Demand and Securing a Reliable, Clean Energy Future
Melissa Zimmerman, Director Data Economy Strategy, Constellation Energy Corporation

Energy Generation Infrastructure and Data Centers: Regional Planning and Siting Perspective
Morris Schreim, Senior Advisor, Maryland Public Service Commission

Small Modular Nuclear Reactors:Challenges and Opportunities
Dr. Mohammad Modarres, Director, UMD Center for Risk and Reliability

Data Centers and Energy Use in Maryland: Legislative Update
Kristen Harbeson, Political Director, Maryland League of Conservation Voters
 
Panel Q & A and Discussion
Moderated by Anna Saderholm, Legislative Director for Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo