Davis College
News/Events

The Davis College will offer a new, one-credit-hour course, “Urban Tree and Shrub Health,” in Spring 2010 (cross-listed as ENTO 471 – CRN: 15232 and PPTH 471 – CRN: 15357).

Course learning goals include:

• Appropriate selection, planting and management of trees and shrubs in an urban environment

• Identification of common biotic and abiotic problems that can result in poor plant health

• Development of strategies that can be used to analyze and logically manage tree and shrub health problems

If you have any questions, please contact the instructors:

• William MacDonald in 115B South Agricultural Sciences, 304-293-8818

• Yong-Lak Park in G-164 Agricultural Sciences Building, 304-293-6023

Eric G. Strauss, founding director of the Boston College Environmental Studies Program and founding science director of the Urban Ecology Institute, will present a seminar entitled “Urban Ecology: Research for Understanding the Socio-ecological Dynamics of Cities” at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 in 316 Percival Hall on West Virginia University’s Evansdale Campus.

Strauss will explore his collaborative research efforts that have ranged from the conservation biology of diamondback terrapins to eastern coyote behavioral ecology and rapid ecological assessment of urban habitat mosaics. Also discussed will be regional and national initiatives from the USDA Forest Service and the National Science Foundation that are providing opportunities for collaborative research with faculty, staff, students and the greater community of WVU.

For more information, visit WVU Today.

Writing for The Charleston Daily Mail, Nicole Yanovsky profiles the “Piece of the Pride” project in Fashion Design and Merchandising:

After the WVU band got new uniforms, Vash arranged for her students to put parts of the old ones to good use.

Students in her product development class have used the old capes to create new items like blankets, scarves, hair bows, bags, cell phone caddies and more. The class will be accepting donations for the handcrafted products when they are ready and available later this month.

Click here for the full story. To see a video update on the project, click here. And to learn more about apparel recycling efforts at WVU, click here.

A agricultural engineering alum is among those who will be honored as “Most Loyals” during the 62nd annual Mountaineer Week, a celebration of Appalachian Heritage, Nov. 7-15, on West Virginia University’s campus:

The Most Loyal Alumni Mountaineer exemplifies faithfulness to the ideals and goals of the University and exhibits support for WVU activities and operations through leadership and service.

Edward “Jed” and Nancy DiPaolo of Spring, Texas, have been longtime active leaders and faithful supporters of WVU.

Mr. DiPaolo graduated from WVU in 1976 with a degree in agricultural engineering. He spent more than 25 years with Halliburton Co., serving in numerous positions including group senior vice president of global business development. He is currently chairman of JNDI Corp.

For more information on all of the “Most Loyals,” visit WVU Today. For information on this year’s Mountaineer Week celebration, click here.

Jacek Jaczynksi, associate professor of food science and technology in West Virginia University’s Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, will examine “Isoelectric Behavior of Food Proteins” in his contribution to the Davis-Michael Seminar Series at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, in 1001 Agricultural Sciences building.

Proteins carry electrostatic charges on their surface. These charges can be modified by pH adjustment. When a food protein is in a solution and the charges are modified, the protein solubility can be turned on or off. At a protein-specific pH, the net electrostatic charges equal zero and the protein precipitates, resulting in minimum protein solubility. By understanding protein solubility properties, food proteins can be selectively solubilized in food systems. This fundamental biochemical principle is the basis for continuous protein and lipid recovery system developed in our food science laboratory at WVU.

For more information on the Davis-Michael Seminar Series and a full schedule, visit WVU Today.

The West Virginia University Equestrian Club jump-started its season with back-to-back wins in shows held during the month of October.

Comprised of two teams – Western and Hunt Seat (English) – the club has 57 members from over 20 majors.

The Western Team defeated eight universities in two shows on Oct. 3, while the Hunt Seat Team defeated 12 teams on Oct. 4.

The three shows were held at the WVU Reedsville Farm in Preston County and riders from all schools competed on a total of 40 horses – including eight recently acquired by the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design. Three of those horses were donated to the college, while the other five were purchased to further develop the equine management program.

The following weekend (Oct. 9-10), the Western Team traveled to Indiana University of Pennsylvania and the Hunt Seat Team to Slippery Rock University. Both were victorious.

Each team competes against the same schools during the regular show schedule and different schools during zones, semifinals and nationals.

Western riders show in Horsemanship and Reining classes while Hunt Seat riders show in Equitation on the Flat and Equitation Over Fences (jumping). Equipment, saddles and clothing differ between both styles of riding as well.

Riders are separated into divisions based on their abilities. For scoring purposes, each division earns points toward a team’s total score.

“Show scoring is unique in that novice riders are just as important as those who are more advanced when it comes to determining the team’s final score,” said Holly Spooner, club adviser and Extension equine specialist and assistant professor in the Davis College.

Standings from each show culminate at the end of the year and may lead teams to regional and national competitions. Last year, the Western Team placed sixth at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Competition.

The teams will next compete Nov. 7-8 – the Western Team at Rutgers University and the Hunt Seat Team at Stone Gate Farms. The Hunt Seat Team will host another show a the WVU Reedsville Farm on Nov. 15.

Daily Athenaeum reporter Jessica Compton covers a seasonal community service project undertaken by the WVU chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers:

Alex Gockel, a freshman interior design major, said creativity was her favorite part of the project.

“The whole idea of decorating Christmas trees for others is great,” she said. “It’s a fun way for us, as design students, to interact and have fun with our creativity.”

Click here for the full story. For more on the Friends of WVU Hospitals, click here.

Update: “Festival of Trees” coverage at WBOY.

Unique new products are being made from recycled WVU Band uniforms by the Fashion Design and Merchandising Product Development class in our Division of Design and Merchandising:

And don’t forget that this year’s A-WEAR-Ness Campaign for the Homeless continues through Dec. 2!

The WVU Chapter of the Society of American Foresters will host Thomas M. Schuler, a research forester with the USDA Forest Service in its Northern Research Station in Parsons, W.Va. Schuler will speak on “Early Forest Exploitation and Uneven-Age Management Research in the 20th Century” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, in 316 Percival Hall on the Evansdale Campus. Refreshments will be served, and the event is open to all WVU students, faculty and staff. For additional information, email the organization.

Matt Wilson, associate professor of animal and nutritional sciences in West Virginia University’s Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, will examine “Dietary Manipulation of Progesterone Catabolism” in his contribution to the Davis-Michael Seminar Series at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, in 1001 Agricultural Sciences building.

Wilson is the recipient of the Young Scientist Research Award for the Northeast Region of the American Society of Animal Science and American Dairy Science Association. He has also has been named an outstanding early career alumnus of Purdue University’s Department of Animal Science. Wilson will be recognized at a ceremony on Nov. 13 in West Lafayette, IN.

For more information on the Davis-Michael Seminar Series and a full schedule, visit WVU Today.