News Stories - Page 47

Two students in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences were selected to attend the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Outlook Forum in Washington, D.C., as part of the Future Leaders Program.

From studying the way light affects foodborne pathogens to designing innovative technology for data processing, the team at the University of Georgia Center for Food Safety is pushing the boundaries of technology to help protect a safe and secure global food chain. The center, a unit of UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is critical to both domestic and international advances in food safety—an estimated 48 million people in the U.S. alone get sick from contaminated food or beverages each year, and 3,000 die from foodborne illness. CFS is the base of operations for a team of food scientists with a wide variety of backgrounds and areas of expertise working together on the front lines of food safety research.

“If you ever need someone to help with bartending at the pub, just give me a call and I’d be happy to come over one night and help out.” This was the parting offer from a local landscaper to the owners of Soldier of the Sea Distillery, Mark Davis and Jennifer Berry, at the close of a discussion about future plans for a patio and outdoor space at their newly opened distillery in Comer, Georgia.

There’s a world of information under your feet. Just ask UGA Assistant Professor Matt Levi, who maps and models soil data for use across disciplines, from precision agriculture to fire prediction research. A pedologist by trade, an earnest respect for soil and its critical functions underlies his interdisciplinary work in predictive GIS mapping.

Anny Chung studies the smaller things in life — microbes in plants and soils, to be exact. And though microscopic, these organisms can influence entire ecosystems by altering a plant’s ability to survive and thrive.

Edgar L. Helmey waited in the cockpit of the single-engine T-6 for clearance to take off. His feet held firmly to the brakes. His knees, however, were shaking. It was 1952 on a Lakeland, Florida, airstrip.

Chatham County growers Edwin and Leslie Thomas of CJ's Produce work to close grocery gaps and provide access to nutritious food options in Savannah food deserts. The coastal Georgia agribusiness foresees growth and plans to take its fresh produce distribution inland.

A new club for students at the University of Georgia aims to celebrate the connections between Black students and the outdoors. Through on-campus discussions and off-campus field trips to state parks, Get Outdoors offers experiences couched in a context that can help students gain a deeper understanding of nature, sustainability, outdoor activities and the history of the land.

Elliott Marsh is highly involved in his alma mater, serving on the board of directors of the University of Georgia Alumni Association and having been a president of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Association, but his most recent commitment to the university is among his most personal.