News Stories - Page 8

Radon, an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., but it can be detected and mitigated with the help of local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service offices across the state. Radon comes from the breakdown of uranium in granite and rocky soils, so Georgia’s wealth of granite bedrock increases the chance of household radon for its residents.

On a tour of her Blairsville, Georgia, home, Becky Griffin navigates a swaying maze of perennial grasses interspersed with pussy willows, switchgrass and boneset. Although it may not fit the traditional image of a well-kept lawn, this landscape is the result of careful planning and a deep commitment to ecological stewardship. As a native plant enthusiast and coordinator of the Great Southeast Pollinator Census, Griffin hand-selected each of these native plants for the countless ecological services they provide year-round.

For Sadie Lackey, graduating college during a global pandemic was never part of the plan. Nor was being diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma nearly three years later at age 25. Lackey’s cancer diagnosis meant shifting her goals into strategic career decisions based on her health — all while maintaining her passion for agricultural policy. “I really love ag policy, and I love that I’m surrounded by it and get to nerd out and learn every day, but it’s also important to look at your career holistically,” Lackey said.

Renowned plant genetics researcher Scott Jackson has returned to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences as the inaugural Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) Eminent Scholar in Synthetic Biology. GRA Eminent Scholars are internationally renowned scientists recruited to Georgia’s leading research universities in collaboration with the Georgia Research Alliance. GRA Eminent Scholars are distinguished by the significance of their research discoveries and their potential for commercial application.

For Yangxuan Liu, her career as an associate professor of agricultural and applied economics feels like equal parts coincidence and fate. “I was initially involved in agriculture because of my family farm in China. During breaks from school as a child, I would go visit my grandparents and work in their fields where they grow corn, wheat, cotton and other crops. This really gave me respect for the value of working the ground,” Liu said.

A new study by experts in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is seeking to increase the value of Georgia’s peanut crops for new markets while reducing losses caused by aflatoxin, a consistent threat to the No. 1 peanut-producing state in the United States. The four-year, $490,000 grant will take a systems-based approach toward developing high-oil peanut varieties bred to withstand the unique climate and pest pressures of the Southeast.

The Congressional Agricultural Fellowship is a transformative program for students in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, offering unique opportunities to engage with the legislative process and gain practical experience in agricultural policy. In partnership with the offices of U.S. representatives Sanford Bishop, Austin Scott, Buddy Carter and Raphael Warnock, CAES offers a prestigious 12-week summer fellowship program that provides selected students with firsthand exposure to the legislative process and the creation of agriculture policy. 

The Georgia Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program is celebrating its 45th anniversary with signature events throughout 2024, culminating in the Georgia Master Gardener Association’s annual conference Oct. 4-5. Hosted on the University of Georgia Griffin campus, the event’s theme is “Think Globally, Grow Locally” and will feature research tours, presentations and workshops hosted by Master Gardeners.

The University of Georgia continues to solidify its position among the nation’s most prestigious institutions of higher education. “The University of Georgia’s impressive rankings by a host of national publications reflect the tremendous talent and hard work of our exceptional faculty, staff and students,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “While individual rankings can fluctuate from year to year, UGA’s consistently strong performance across a wide range of criteria speaks to our position among the nation’s leading universities.”