ESPM professor Todd Dawson is featured in this Tech Crunch article on his work in tracking forests with using drones and advanced imaging technology. His project's setup used the drones to quickly and repeatedly profile individual trees, resulting in data that can show overall health and growth for the trees.
Bloomberg Business Week | December 08, 2016
ESPM Ph.D. candidate Adam Calo is highlighted in this Bloomberg Businessweek article for his work on beginning farmers. Calo notes that a neo-feudal system has emerged: “Wealthy landowners reap private long-term benefits with an underclass of semipermanent farm operators.”
New Food Economy | December 06, 2016
BFI executive director Ann Thrupp and policy director Nina Ichikawa are quoted in a feature for The New Food Economy about focusing on local food policy changes in the wake of the presidential election. While emphasizing that California can play an important role in serving as a model for the nation, Thrupp also highlighted the importance of staying involved in national policy efforts.
Daily Californian | November 29, 2016
PMB professor Kris Niyogi was recognized in the Daily Californian for his recent election to the 2016 American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows. Niyogi was acknowledged for his investigations into photosynthesis regualtion, in particular with changes to light intensity.
Daily Californian | November 28, 2016
PMB professor emeritus Bob Buchanan and professor Kris Niyogi are highlighted in this Daily Californian article on Niyogi's recently published research on the potential of genetic manipulation in plants to enhance yield. “Business as usual plant breeding is probably not going to get us the point we need,” Niyogi said. “This is one of the several approaches that we are hoping will be successful in the next few years.”
Popular Science | November 25, 2016
ESPM fomer postdoc researcher Julie Jedlicka is featured in this Popular Science article for her recently published research on the benefits of bluebirds in vineyards. Jedlicka, who worked with ESPM professor Rodrigo Almeida on the researcher, used "molecular scatology" to conclude that the birds ate mostly pesky insects.
Vox | November 22, 2016
Center for Fire Research and Outreach researcher and ESPM alum Brandon Collins (B.S. '01, Ph.D. '07) is featured in this Vox article on California's dead and dying trees. Collins discusses the mass tree dieoffs and the practicality of using prescribed fires to thin out forests, noting that prescribed fires are incredibly tricky to pull off in dense forests that have been allowed to build up for many decades.
KQED | November 21, 2016
ERG professor Dan Kammen was featured on a KQED Radio Forum segment, hosted by Michael Krazny. Kammen, who recently attended COP22 in Marrakesh, spoke on the economics of coal and the natural gas industry.
UC Berkeley News | November 21, 2016
ESPM adjunct professor and Cooperative Extension specialist Matteo Garbelotto was quoted in this Daily Californian article on the lingering effects of California's recent widespread tree dieoff. “Lack of water makes trees more combustible and at the same time more susceptible to what we call secondary insects and diseases,” stated Garbelotto. “These secondary agents are the ones that really predispose trees to be affected by catastrophic fires.”