Rosahirene “Rosy” Andrade Cordova planted hundreds of marigolds with the Rutgers Gardens Student Farm team and appreciates the flower’s “scent that feels like a warm hug from my family in Mexico.”

For Rosahirene “Rosy” Andrade Cordova, gardening began very simply as a hobby in her yard. But as she watched plants grow and discovered the satisfaction of caring for them, she began to recognize something deeper.

“I realized that I had a very strong connection to the process of growing different kinds of plants,” she said. “It was always something that brought me joy growing up.”

Today, that early connection has grown into an academic interest and professional career trajectory. A sophomore majoring in plant science within the horticulture and agriculture track at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS), Rosy is gaining practical skills and applied knowledge through an experiential learning opportunity at Healthy Harvest, the SEBS food access and urban agriculture hub on Jones Avenue in New Brunswick.

Her garden-focused project, which began in July and extends into the fall semester, has given her the opportunity to apply concepts from her coursework to an actual urban growing environment while contributing to a community she knows well.

“I grew up in New Brunswick and doing my experiential learning at Healthy Harvest meant I could give back to the place I once grew up in,” she said.

Rosy’s experiential learning project focuses on crop planning for the upcoming growing seasons, building upon her current engagement on site in the urban gardens. Her responsibilities include tracking crop rotation, identifying spacing requirements, determining the number of plants needed for each section of the garden, and preparing a garden layout and design.

Rosy on one of many days spent learning, growing, and working with the Student Farm.

The work is part of a broader effort to help the urban Student Farm at Healthy Harvest plan effectively for future crop production, which includes growing fresh vegetables that will support food insecure students and community residents.

“Rosy helped create a crop rotation plan for the urban Student Farm at Healthy Harvest this summer,” said Meagan Terry, assistant director of Sustainable Agriculture & Urban Farms at Rutgers Gardens. “It is important to understand which crops can grow appropriately within each season of the year to maximize efficiency in crop production and time, and to minimize pest and disease pressure via crop rotation.”

For Rosy, that means looking at the garden not simply as a collection of individual plants, but as an interconnected system. She researched crop rotation and intercropping—the practice of growing different crops together—and is helping prepare beds for the crop rotation planned for the fall.

One of her learning goals is to understand best practices for sustainable urban food production through hands-on garden preparation, planting and care.

The project also exposes her to the practical considerations that shape what can be grown in an urban community garden, from the amount of available space to appropriate spacing between plants and the timing of different crops.

The urban Student Farm and community garden at Healthy Harvest appeal to Rosy because the growing spaces connect her academic interests with the community where she grew up.

Anahi Nicolas Gaspar, urban farm coordinator and a mentor to Rosy, focuses on growing cultural crops that are commonly enjoyed by New Brunswick residents. For Rosy, that community focus makes the opportunity particularly meaningful.

She is also drawn to the flowers planned for the fall harvest.

“Many of our in-ground beds are for marigolds and celosias, important flowers that will be sold ahead of Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) at the end of October,” Terry said.

For Rosy, the flowers carry a significance that extends well beyond the garden.

“I was inspired primarily because of how most of the harvests that I will do in the fall will be celosias and marigolds which are two flowers that are deeply rooted in my culture for Dia de los Muertos,” she said.

One of the marigold beds under Rosy’s care at the Healthy Harvest site.

The experience has allowed her to see the connection between sustainable agriculture, community needs, and cultural traditions.

“I am Mexican and seeing and smelling so many marigolds fills my heart with a lot of joy because it reminds me of my family back in Mexico,” Rosy said.

Like any hands-on experience, the project came with challenges. For Rosy, one of the first was understanding measurements and spacing.

“When I was doing the model of how I wanted the rotation to look, I kept messing up the spacing of the beds and the aisles and I had to keep redoing it,” she said.

But the repeated adjustments became part of the learning process. Rather than simply being given the correct measurements, Rosy had to work through the problem and develop a plan that would function in the available space.

That kind of practical decision-making is central to experiential learning.

Rosy also developed hands-on skills in planting different crops, working with drip irrigation, and caring for a community garden. Along the way, she has strengthened her communication and teamwork skills.

“I used to always be nervous about speaking up about my ideas but with this project I was able to fully share my thoughts and ideas,” she said.

The experience has helped Rosy see how concepts learned in her plant science courses translate into real-world agricultural decisions.

“This opportunity helped me connect what I have learned in the classroom to real-world situations by allowing me to apply concepts like crop spacing, crop rotation, soil health, irrigation, and plant care into an actual community garden,” she said.

The difference, she explained, was having to make decisions in an environment where there was no single answer automatically provided for her.

“I had to make decisions based on the available space rather than just learning information off of an assignment or lecture,” Rosy said.

Terry’s description of the project underscores that distinction. Crop planning requires students to consider the timing of production, available space, crop compatibility and strategies for managing pests and disease—not simply understand those concepts in theory.

For Rosy, being trusted with those decisions became an important part of her development.

“This project has influenced my confidence in expressing my thoughts and making decisions for myself,” she said. “I was given the freedom to make choices of crop planning and instead of relying on someone else, I was able to trust my knowledge and speak up about my ideas.”

The experience also changed how she thinks about mistakes.

“This experience taught me that it is okay to make mistakes and learn from them and now I feel more comfortable taking initiative and trusting myself with larger projects,” she said.

Rosy’s interest in plants began as a childhood hobby. At Rutgers, it has developed into a potential career path.

Rosy pictured with a bounty of chard, grown and freshly harvested from the Rutgers Gardens Student Farm fields.

She began volunteering at Rutgers Gardens during her first month of college. Wanting to gain more than volunteer experience, she went on to complete an agricultural internship and now works as a Rutgers Gardens Student Farmer while pursuing a field she is passionate about. Her work has direct impact on the community, as much of the produce grown by the Student Farm at Rutgers Gardens and Healthy Harvest benefits individuals and families at risk for, or experiencing, food insecurity. One way this is taking shape is through a new expansion of the Rutgers Community Farmers Market. Funded through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s (NJEDA) Food Equity and Economic Development (FEED NJ) initiative, a new mobile farmers market van will take the market on the road, bringing fresh produce to communities throughout New Brunswick. Rosy’s garden plans, and much of the hands-on work she’s completed this summer, lay the groundwork for this exciting endeavor.

As she continues her plant science studies, Rosy is looking toward obtaining her pesticide applicator’s license and further developing her expertise in horticulture and agriculture. Helping to bring her project to fruition is philanthropic support for student scholarships and experiential learning opportunities at SEBS through the Experiential Connections & Engaged Learning (ExCEL) Lab, including private donations and the New Jersey Committee of the Garden Club of America’s Millicent Mercer Johnsen Scholarship, of which Rosy is a 2026 recipient for her project. Her experience at Healthy Harvest has given her more than technical knowledge. It has helped her connect classroom learning with hands-on practice, contribute to a community that is part of her own story, and gain confidence in her ability to make decisions.

At the community garden, Rosy is not only learning how to grow plants. She is also learning how to grow into her future as an agricultural professional.

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Ximing Guo (right) and Sam Ratcliff examined selective bred oysters at Rutgers Cape Shore Laboratory. Photo credit: Micah Seidel.

New varieties of oysters that have become an important part of the global aquaculture industry have earned Rutgers researcher Ximing Guo a 2026 Edison Patent Award from the Research & Development Council of New Jersey (RDNJ). Guo’s invention is one of two Rutgers innovations recognized this year with the state’s highest honor for inventors and innovation.

Guo, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, received the Aquaculture Award for his patent, Molluscan Shellfish Produced by Controlled Crossbreeding (U.S. Patent No. 11,266,131). Conducting research at the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Guo has developed new oyster varieties for aquaculture in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States with improved disease resistance, growth, and genetic diversity. The resulting oysters are more uniform, faster growing, healthier, and better suited to commercial production.

Distinguished Professor Ximing Guo.

“It is deeply rewarding to see the breeding technologies developed at Rutgers contributing to oyster farming across the U.S. and around the world,” said Guo. “Oysters are remarkable organisms, valued not only as a premium seafood but also for the essential ecological services they provide. They face many diseases, and disease resistance is the single most important trait for oyster aquaculture and is critical for the restoration of natural populations devastated by disease. I remain grateful to the many students and colleagues whose dedication and expertise have shaped our breeding program over the years.”

Guo’s patented breeding technology has helped advance oyster farming both in the United States and internationally by addressing disease resistance, one of the industry’s greatest challenges, while improving productivity and supporting the restoration of natural oyster populations.

Also receiving a 2026 Edison Patent Award is a Rutgers School of Engineering research team for developing structural plastic lumber made from recycled plastics, including milk containers, coffee cups, and plastic bottles. The durable material has been used to manufacture approximately 1.5 million railway ties in the United States, diverting an estimated 300 million pounds of plastic from landfills and oceans.

This marks the fifth consecutive year that two Rutgers research teams have received Edison Patent Awards. The Rutgers researchers will be honored alongside this year’s other recipients during the RDNJ awards ceremony and banquet in November.

Now in its 47th year, the Edison Patent Awards recognize outstanding patented innovations developed in New Jersey across 12 categories. Named for Thomas Edison, the awards celebrate research that demonstrates significant scientific achievement, originality, commercial impact, and societal benefit.

R&D Council board members selected the winners after evaluating nominated patents for the significance of the problem addressed, utility and socioeconomic value, novelty, and commercial impact. At least part of the scientific or technical work supporting each winning patent must have been completed in New Jersey.

The Rutgers Office for Research supported both award-winning teams through its Technology Transfer unit, assisting with patent protection, licensing, and nominations for the 2026 Edison Patent Awards. To learn more about the Rutgers technology transfer process, visit innovate.rutgers.edu.

Read the full story about both Rutgers inventions on the Rutgers Office for Research website.

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James Murphy, director of the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science and extension specialist in the Department of Plant Biology, addresses attendees on Day 2 of the 2026 Rutgers Turf Field Days. Photo: Shaun Barry.

Turf professionals from across the United States and abroad gathered this summer for the 2026 Rutgers Turfgrass Research Field Days, where they explored the latest advances in turfgrass science and management while engaging directly with Rutgers researchers, faculty, staff, and students.

The annual educational outreach events highlighted cutting-edge research and practical solutions for golf courses, sports fields, lawns, and landscapes, reinforcing Rutgers’ longstanding leadership in turfgrass research and extension.

Attendees at NJAES Hort Farm No. 2 during the 2026 Rutgers Turf Field Days. Photo: Shaun Barry.

The Golf and Fine Turf Field Day, held July 28 at Rutgers NJAES Hort Farm No. 2 in North Brunswick, welcomed 249 attendees, along with 35 volunteers and 74 Rutgers faculty, staff, and students. The following day, the Lawn, Landscape, and Sports Turf Field Day drew 248 attendees, 31 volunteers, and 47 Rutgers personnel to the Rutgers NJAES Plant Science Research and Extension Farm near Adelphia. That evening, members of the Cultivated Sod Association toured the Adelphia research plots before holding their summer business meeting at the farm.

Participants traveled from New Jersey, 20 other states, and three countries—Canada, Ireland, and Spain—to learn about the latest Rutgers research and discuss emerging challenges facing the turfgrass industry.

Hosted by the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science, the field day tours featured research on technologies for remotely sensing and assessing turfgrass health and persistence, breeding improved varieties of Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, bentgrasses, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescues, and developing best management practices for turf diseases, weeds, insects, and abiotic stress tolerance.

Stacy Bonos presents the New Jersey Turfgrass Association Recognition Award to George Ziemienski, supervisor of the Adelphia research farm. Photo: Shaun Barry.

A highlight of the Adelphia event was the presentation of the New Jersey Turfgrass Association Recognition Award to George Ziemienski, supervisor of the Adelphia research farm.

The award recognizes his many years of dedicated service to the turfgrass industry and his commitment to sharing his expertise with researchers, students, and industry professionals. Stacy Bonos, associate director of the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science and professor in the Department of Plant Biology, presented the award during the luncheon following the field day program.

The success of both field days reflected a collaborative effort among Rutgers faculty, staff, students, volunteers, and industry partners. Organizers expressed their appreciation to the New Jersey Turfgrass Association and the Sports Field Managers Association of New Jersey for their continued partnership in coordinating the events, as well as to the many volunteers, industry professionals, and Rutgers personnel whose support helped make the field days a valuable educational experience for the turfgrass community.

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This Pathfinders session was an agricultural biosecurity activity led by Anna Kimtis, program specialist trainee with the Department of Agriculture (standing at the front of the room). Session presenters also included Dr. Shipra Mohan, director of the New Jersey Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory (standing, at left), and Dr. Kristofer Smith, veterinarian with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (not pictured).

Twenty-two middle school students from the Trenton area concluded five weeks of discovery, innovation, and hands-on learning by showcasing their summer projects during the closing celebration of the sixth annual Rutgers 4-H STEM Pathfinders Summer Academy.

Held from July 13 through August 13 at Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County, the academy immersed youth in weekly explorations of public health, cybersecurity, engineering, robotics, and agriculture while introducing them to the people, places, and possibilities that make up New Jersey’s STEM community. The program was led by Yaa Owusu-Mensah, 4-H program associate.

Alanna Weekes-Jackson discusses her experiences in the Rutgers 4-H STEM Pathfinders Summer Academy during the program’s closing showcase on August 13.

The final showcase featured student presentations highlighting projects completed throughout the summer and the skills they developed along the way. Among those attending was Dr. Francine Conway, chancellor of Rutgers–New Brunswick, who met with participants and learned firsthand about their experiences and aspirations.

More than a summer enrichment program, STEM Pathfinders is designed to help young people envision themselves in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. By combining hands-on learning with mentorship and real-world experiences, the program helps middle school students build confidence, strengthen problem-solving skills, and develop a lasting interest in STEM fields during a pivotal stage of their education.

Throughout the academy, participants worked alongside Rutgers faculty and staff, 4-H volunteers and teen mentors, and collaborators from industry, government agencies, and partner universities. These interactions allowed students to engage directly with STEM professionals while exploring how classroom concepts translate into real-world careers.

Pathfinders help monitor water quality and the overall health of a stream at The Watershed Institute in Pennington by using keys to identify the types and variety of aquatic organisms they found in a sample of water.

Field experiences have long been a hallmark of the program. Over the years, participants have visited the New Jersey Department of Health’s Public Health and Environmental Laboratories, New Jersey’s Regional Operations Intelligence Center, The Watershed Institute, and research laboratories at Rutgers University, Princeton University, and The College of New Jersey. These experiences provide students with opportunities to explore advanced research environments and connect with professionals whose work addresses challenges in health, technology, environmental science, and engineering.

Established in 2021, the STEM Pathfinders Summer Academy serves as the critical middle school link in Mercer County 4-H’s STEM education pipeline. It bridges two longstanding programs: Tomorrow’s Innovators Science Saturday, launched in 2013 through a collaboration between Rutgers 4-H and Bristol Myers Squibb volunteers, and the Rutgers 4-H STEM Ambassadors program for high school students, established in 2009.

The impact of this continuum is already evident. Several students who have progressed through all three programs credit their 4-H experiences with helping them identify future academic interests and career pathways, demonstrating how sustained engagement and mentoring can shape educational and professional aspirations.

The Rutgers 4-H STEM Pathfinders Summer Academy is supported through the Mercer County Extension budget and Intern Program and the Mercer County One-Stop Career Center, which provide funding for transportation, intern stipends, and STEM instructional materials. Additional technology support is provided through the Apple Community Education Initiative.

By connecting young learners with mentors, meaningful experiences, and a supportive community of educators and STEM professionals, the Rutgers 4-H STEM Pathfinders Summer Academy continues to cultivate the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders.

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Janelle S., Junior Champion (Atlantic County 4-H), wearing the NJ 4-H Egg Champion crown!

First statewide competition helps young people develop egg grading skills while exploring careers in agriculture

Following New Jersey’s strong showing at the 2025 National 4-H Avian Bowl, youth participating in the 4-H Youth Development Program, part of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, are finding new opportunities to build knowledge and leadership in poultry science.

In the spring, the Department of 4-H Youth Development at Rutgers partnered with the Atlantic County 4-H Livestock and Poultry Club to launch the inaugural New Jersey 4-H Golden Egg Contest, introducing young people to the science behind commercial egg production and the rigorous standards used to evaluate eggs in today’s marketplace.

Open to registered New Jersey 4-H members, the contest challenged participants to produce, select and present a uniform half-dozen market eggs that met industry expectations for quality and consistency. Entries were judged using official USDA egg grading standards and the National 4-H Poultry Judging Manual—the same principles used throughout the commercial egg industry.

Suzanna Vaino, Atlantic County 4-H poultry project leader and co-developer of the contest.

“The contest gives youth an opportunity to look beyond simply raising chickens,” said Suzanna Vaino, Atlantic County 4-H poultry project leader and co-developer of the contest. “They learn how eggs are evaluated for quality, gain valuable judging skills and begin to understand the many career opportunities available within the poultry industry.”

Vaino developed the competition with Amelia Valente, 4-H agent of Monmouth County. The contest was modeled after successful 4-H egg judging competitions in states with established commercial egg industries, including Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina.

To help prepare participants, Vaino led a six-session Short-Term Exploratory Program (STEP) conducted virtually throughout the spring. The sessions introduced youth to commercial egg production, USDA egg grading standards, poultry judging, oral reasons and career pathways in the egg industry.

The educational series featured guest speakers from the USDA Livestock and Poultry Program, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the University of Missouri Extension 4-H Youth Development Program. Grace Kreft, an Ocean County 4-H alumna and Rutgers Animal Science graduate, also spoke about opportunities available through Rutgers’ Animal Science bachelor’s degree program.

The inaugural contest attracted 19 youth from nine New Jersey counties, who submitted 42 entries. Six RCE county offices served as collection sites before entries were transported to Atlantic County for judging.

Zoe-Bella C., Junior Honorable Mention (Essex County 4-H).

To ensure fairness, entries were evaluated anonymously by participant number and age division—Cloverbud, Junior and Senior. Judges assessed egg size, shell quality, shell thickness, shape, air cell size, albumen quality and other characteristics that determine market quality, including Haugh Units, the industry standard for measuring egg protein quality.

Top honors were awarded to:

Senior Champion: Megan C., Cape May County

Senior Reserve Champion: Danika C., Cape May County

Senior Honorable Mention: Joel S., Atlantic County

Junior Champion: Janelle S., Atlantic County

Junior Reserve Champion: Ethan G., Cape May County

Junior Honorable Mention: Zoe-Bella C., Essex County

The tools of the egg-grading contest, conveying the rigor of the competition.

The contest also highlighted the collaborative nature of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, with six county offices assisting in collecting entries from participants across the state.

Vaino credited the success of the inaugural event to the many volunteers, educators and partners who supported the effort, including Erin Sharpe, co-leader of the Atlantic County 4-H Livestock and Poultry Club, and Micky Hall, professor emeritus and small poultry flock specialist with Clemson University 4-H Youth Development, whose guidance helped shape the competition.

Organizers are already planning to expand the contest in spring 2027 with new challenges for returning participants.

Meanwhile, New Jersey 4-H’s momentum in poultry science continues. Members of the newly formed Senior New Jersey 4-H Poultry Judging Team will attend Poultry Judging Camp this summer at the Department of Poultry Science at Texas A&M University before representing the state at the National 4-H Poultry Judging Competition in Louisville, Kentucky, this fall.

For more information about the New Jersey 4-H Golden Egg Contest or New Jersey 4-H poultry projects, contact Suzanna Vaino at Starla4270@hotmail.com or Amelia Valente at amelia.valente@rutgers.edu.

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Announcement by Dr. Josh Kohut, SEBS Dean of Research and NJAES Director of Research.

Dr. James Simon, Distonuished Professor in the Department of Plant Biology. Photo: Nick Romanenko

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Jim Simon, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Plant Biology, has been appointed Faculty Director of SEBS/NJAES Core Facilities, effective July 1.

In this role, Dr. Simon will provide strategic oversight and coordination across our shared core facility’s research infrastructure, working closely with each facility’s scientific directors to strengthen and expand the core facilities as a shared resource for the school and university. Under his leadership, SEBS/NJAES aims to position its core facilities as a central hub for scientific and research innovation, connecting faculty, students, and industry partners with the advanced instrumentation and expertise needed to advance research and extension across the school and beyond.

Dr. Simon, who was recently elected to the National Academy of Inventors, brings decades of experience leading large, multi-institutional research programs. His appointment reflects SEBS’s and NJAES’ continued investment in our research infrastructure, partnerships and team building, and training opportunities that support faculty, students and increase public trust in science.

Please join me in welcoming Jim to this new role!

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The LEO-15 research buoy, newly deployed in the Atlantic Ocean, is expected to bring forth a new era of ocean research, education and marine innovation in New Jersey. Photo: Rutgers Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (RUCOOL)

A compact offshore research platform has been deployed off the Jersey Shore, revitalizing the historic Long-Term Ecosystem Observatory (LEO) site and advancing a new era of ocean research, education and marine innovation in New Jersey.

The Rutgers Marine Field Station will play a central role in research operations associated with the LEO-15 program. Photo: Rutgers University

Anchored about three miles offshore of the Rutgers Marine Field Station in Tuckerton, N.J., the platform, known as the PowerBuoy®, serves as a floating data hub that delivers real-time information on ocean conditions while supporting scientific instruments, education initiatives and emerging marine technologies.

“The PowerBuoy will help unlock significant opportunities for marine research, scientific discovery and economic growth, all of which will advance New Jersey’s innovation future,” said Evan Weiss, chief executive of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. “Under the leadership of Governor Mikie Sherrill, the NJEDA is proud to partner with Rutgers University and Stockton University to grow our green economy and position New Jersey as a national leader in sustainable technology.”

The deployment marks a major milestone in a collaborative effort among Rutgers University, Stockton University, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Ocean Power Technologies Inc., a publicly traded, Monroe Township, N.J.-based provider of maritime technology and services. Together, the partners aim to position New Jersey as a leader in sustainable marine innovation while delivering tangible benefits for research, workforce development and economic growth.

Along the coast, scientists and researchers at two marine field stations will provide logistical and research support for the facility. The Rutgers Marine Field Station is located within the Mullica River-Great Bay estuary, one of the most pristine estuaries on the East Coast. Researchers there focus on fish ecology, coastal impacts and storm-related environmental change. Data from the offshore buoy will complement long-term estuarine observations, creating a more comprehensive understanding of coastal dynamics.

“The Rutgers Marine Field Station has long supported scientists working to understand the dynamic coastal environments and fisheries that define New Jersey,” said Thomas Grothues, director of the Rutgers Marine Field Station. “The revitalized LEO observatory extends that work from the estuary to the coastal ocean. By linking long-term observations near shore with new data from offshore, we can better study how fish, habitats, storms and changing marine conditions interact.”

In Port Republic, N.J., the Stockton Marine Field Station occupies an 8-acre waterfront site with laboratories, teaching and office space, dockage and a fleet of research vessels such as the R/V Petrel, which will support access to the LEO site. Research conducted at Stockton includes sediment transport, tidal dynamics, seafloor mapping, water quality monitoring and cultural resource investigations.

“Stockton University is proud to be part of this partnership that expands hands-on opportunities for our students,” said Amanda Norvell, dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Stockton. “With direct access to advanced ocean technology and real-time data, our students can engage in meaningful research and fieldwork, helping prepare them to become the next generation of coastal scientists and innovators.”

Scientists and students from Stockton University will partner with Rutgers on the LEO-15 program, through the Stockton Marine Field Station. The station occupies an 8-acre waterfront site in Port Republic with laboratories, teaching and office space, dockage and a fleet of research vessels. Photo: Stockton University

Powered by solar and wind energy, the LEO-15 PowerBuoy® system is a compact, autonomous offshore platform built and designed by Ocean Power Technologies. Altogether, the buoy stands about as tall as a streetlight, but it has a small surface footprint suited for shallow-water research. Above the waves, a small, round platform holds solar panels, small wind turbines, weather instruments and real-time communication sensors, allowing the system to collect and send ocean data for long periods without the need for a large, fixed structure offshore. 

The system also will provide additional ports for scientists and educators to deploy their own instruments. The buoy can support sensors that track weather, waves, water quality and other ocean conditions while serving as a test site for emerging marine technologies. Researchers, students and companies will be able to use the site to evaluate instruments, gather data and develop tools that could improve coastal monitoring, marine sustainability and storm preparedness.

The buoy was deployed May 2, renewing activity at a pioneering marine observatory site with deep roots in Rutgers-led coastal research.

The initiative is expected to create opportunities for workforce training, attract investment in ocean science and support startups and inventors working within the ocean economy, project leaders said. 

By providing offshore infrastructure for testing and development, the project will give researchers, students and companies a place to evaluate sensors, communications systems and other marine technologies under real ocean conditions. That kind of access can help move promising ideas from the laboratory into the field, while preparing students for careers in coastal science, marine operations and the expanding blue economy.

The LEO program, originally known as LEO-15, was established in 1996 as a pioneering ocean observatory that delivered real-time data from two cabled seafloor platforms, or nodes. It supported research on storms, sediment transport, phytoplankton, fish ecology and broader coastal dynamics. The 15 refers to the site’s depth of 15 meters, about 50 feet, where the observatory was installed.

LEO-15 was among the first systems in the world to integrate cabled observatories with autonomous underwater vehicles for coordinated data collection. The cabled seafloor nodes provided continuous measurements from fixed locations, while autonomous underwater vehicles could be sent through the surrounding water to collect data across a wider area. Used together, the fixed instruments and mobile vehicles gave scientists a fuller picture of changing coastal conditions than either approach could provide alone.

Rutgers scientists said the legacy of LEO-15 continued as ocean-observing technology advanced in the mid-2000s, with researchers increasingly combining fixed sensors, mobile underwater vehicles, satellite data and shore-based systems to study coastal change. The new wireless monitoring system builds on that history, revitalizing the site and extending its role as a testbed for coastal science and marine technology.

This article first appeared in Rutgers Today.

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A new teaching garden at Rutgers Gardens honors the memory of OCPE’s Fran Koppell.

When a student confessed he had been going hungry, program coordinator at the Office of Continuing Professional Education (OCPE), Fran Koppell, took money out of her own wallet to help him buy groceries. When a formerly homeless student was struggling academically, Fran made sure he had the support he needed. And when students had nowhere to go on Thanksgiving, she opened her home, welcoming them to gather at her dining table as part of her family.

OCPE director Karen Plumley, at left, helps to unveil the new teaching garden in Fran Koppell’s memory.

For 15 years, Fran Koppell was the face of the Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management Two-year Certificate Program, which brings students from all over the world to Rutgers to learn the science and art of turf management. As she took these students under her wing to help them achieve their dreams of becoming golf course superintendents, Fran became a second mom to many. Sadly, she was forced to step away from the program in 2021 and lost her battle with cancer in 2023.

To honor Fran’s legacy of care and kindness, a new teaching garden was dedicated in her memory on June 22, with her husband, children, grandchildren and extended family in attendance.

“This garden will allow Fran, in some small way, to continue to help and support students who will come to the two-year turf management program in future years,” said Karen Plumley, OCPE director. “Students who will never know Fran will still get to experience her generosity and caring nature.”

The garden was inspired by the vision of SEBS Dean Laura Lawson to create more experiential learning spaces on campus. As OCPE staff considered ways to honor their former colleague, they landed on the idea of creating a teaching garden to provide additional hands-on learning opportunities to the two-year turf management students for whom she cared deeply.

Stephen Kristoph, longtime instructor at OCPE and instructor in the Department of Landscape Architecture, guided the development of the teaching garden that was designed by Danielle Lohrman, landscape architecture junior.

“Fran’s legacy will live on with all of our visitors, and, in particular our students” said Lauren Errickson, director of Rutgers Gardens. “This garden serves as a place to learn about plant identification, proper pruning techniques, landscape design, and all of the technical aspects. It also gives us a chance to learn how to be kind to each other, how to care-take a space, how to become better people, and to grow as we all do on our journey within the gardens, the school, and the community.”

The garden came together through a collaboration between OCPE, Rutgers Gardens, SEBS, and Rutgers Institutional Planning and Operations. Under the guidance of Stephen Kristoph, a longtime OCPE instructor and instructor in the Department of Landscape Architecture, the teaching garden was designed by Danielle Lohrman, a junior in that major. The student team the built the garden also included Solana Garcia, Kaitlin Gotting, Addison Cheney, Andy Garcia, Olivia Sheehan and David Ackerman.

Lohrman was excited to take on the challenge. “In the landscape architecture program, a lot of the work we do is hypothetical. This garden is something I got to design and actually see come to fruition. It was nice to put pen to paper, shovel to ground, and plants in soil.”

As a Rutgers Gardens summer intern who will also stay on in the coming school year, Lohrman is happy she will be able to continue working in the space. “I really want to be involved in the maintenance of this garden. It’s my baby!”

The public is encouraged to enjoy OCPE’s Teaching Garden—located in front of the Holly House—on future visits to the Rutgers Gardens.

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David Robinson, New Jersey’s retiring state climatologist, draws on decades of experience to explain how shifts in temperature, precipitation and extreme weather are reshaping life across the state. Photo: Luca Mostello

A longtime Rutgers expert explains what decades of data show about the state’s warming climate, changing storms and need for public understanding.

For 35 years, David Robinson, the New Jersey state climatologist and a Distinguished Professor of Geography in the School of Arts and Sciences, has helped New Jersey understand its weather and climate. 

As he retires from his state climatologist role, he reflects on what decades of data reveal about a warming state, why extreme weather events such as Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and Hurricane Ida in 2021 changed the conversation and why climate information matters to public safety.

At age 11, future New Jersey state climatologist David Robinson was already keeping weather logs. A page from one of his first at age 9, a 1964 record, appears at right. Photo: Robinson family

State climatologists serve as the state’s primary resource for climate data and research, providing analysis and information to public and private sectors. The office was established at Rutgers’ Cook College (now the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences) in 1979 by then-Gov. Brendan Byrne to centralize climate-related activities and expertise within the state.

How has New Jersey’s climate changed on your watch?

Underlying everything we have seen in my 35 years as state climatologist is that the state is getting warmer. It is undeniably getting warmer.

New Jersey has not necessarily become less snowy in terms of annual snowfall. But more of our snow is coming in bigger storms, just as more of our rain is coming in bigger storms. It is not necessarily raining more often, but when it rains, it pours. We have also seen offshore waters warming, and New Jersey is one of the fastest-warming states. Since we are the most densely populated state in the country, those changes matter.

Why is New Jersey such a fascinating place to study climate?

The simplest answer is four seasons, and sometimes a couple of them in the same day. We get a taste of almost everything in New Jersey, from Arctic cold to tropical heat, from hurricanes to blizzards. We tend not to get the worst of the worst, but we are a sampler.

We are strategically located in the middle latitudes, about halfway between the pole and the equator. We have a continent to our west and the ocean right next door. I often call it a continental-ocean, polar-tropical squeeze play. That is why we can move so quickly from one weather pattern to another.

What do people need to understand better about climate?

Climate change is not an overnight sensation. It can be gradual, and it does not happen in a straight line. That can make it difficult for people to see clearly in their daily lives.

My approach has always been to focus on understanding. I try to explain what the data show and why it matters, while respecting that people come to the conversation with different levels of knowledge and different concerns.

What did thousands of media interviews teach you about how people understand weather?

People have some level of knowledge, but they often do not appreciate the full impact weather and climate have on every aspect of society. It affects transportation, the economy, tourism, emergency management, agriculture, the environment and daily life.

People know weather affects them because they feel it. But they may not appreciate its breadth. Weather affects refrigerator trucks coming up the Turnpike to bring food into the region. It affects Shore rentals, boardwalk tourism, beach badge sales and public safety. Most of the time, weather is not at the top of everyone’s mind. It is just there, underneath. Then a Sandy or an Ida comes along, and suddenly it rises to the top.

Downed trees block a roadway after a storm. David Robinson says New Jersey is seeing more rain and snow arrive in larger events, underscoring the growing importance of clear warnings and public preparedness.

Why does Sandy remain such an important storm in your career?

Sandy was transformative for the state, not just environmentally but economically and socially. The Jersey Shore is part of our psyche here in New Jersey.

I was live on NJTV at 11 o’clock the night of Sandy, sitting in my blacked-out house with two little flashlights on me. My laptop still had power, and I had an air card that allowed me to stay connected. Our weather network was still reporting. I had seen a 90-mile-an-hour wind gust at our Seaside Heights Rutgers NJ Network station and NOAA tidal information at Sandy Hook until the tide gauge was washed out. I was very fearful about what we would see when the sun rose the next morning because the data were still coming in.

What did storms like Sandy and Ida reveal about public safety?

You can gather the best data, and scientists can know what is going on. You can convey that to specialists and emergency managers, and the National Weather Service can put out warnings. But if that information does not reach the public, or if the public does not know how to respond, there can be serious consequences.

That chain matters. First there is the data. Then there is the processing of the data by specialists. Then there is getting the information to the public. Then the public has to know what to do with it. The goal is always to help people make safer, better-informed decisions.

Why has snow been such a central part of your scientific life?

Snow is a vital part of the climate system. The question often is, is it cold because it snowed, or did it snow because it is cold? The answer, of course, is yes.

Whether the ground is snow-covered affects local climate and can affect the positioning of storms. But snow is also a reservoir for a huge percentage of the global population. I have also used snow cover as a way to monitor climate change, including through my contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

What do you most want people to understand about our climate system?

I want people to have an appreciation for the natural world around them and the influence it can have on their lives. In the state climate office, we provide information to help people make decisions. We do not make decisions for them.

I hope I have left people more aware of the role weather and climate play in our lives, and I hope they use that awareness to make a difference.

This article first appeared in Rutgers Today.

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Retiring New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson, left, and incoming State Climatologist John Krasting set up a weather station on the Livingston Campus ahead of a storm. Photo Luca Mostello

John Krasting (CC’03, GSNB’08), a Rutgers-trained climate scientist whose career has spanned broadcast meteorology, climate modeling and sea-level research, has been named the New Jersey state climatologist, succeeding David Robinson, who is retiring after 35 years in the role.

Krasting, whose name is pronounced to rhyme with “lasting,” will begin July 1 as an extension specialist in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. He will oversee the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist and the Rutgers New Jersey Weather Network, known as the  NJWxNet, a statewide system of 70 weather stations that provides real-time environmental data. 

John Krasting, a Rutgers-trained climate scientist and longtime NOAA researcher, is the incoming New Jersey State Climatologist. Photo: Luca Mostello

The Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist was established at Rutgers in 1979 by the late Gov. Brendan Byrne to serve as a statewide source of weather and climate expertise. The office gathers, analyzes and shares climate information to support planning, research, emergency preparedness and public understanding across the state.

Krasting’s appointment comes at a time when climate information has become increasingly important to decisions about flooding, water resources, agriculture, public health, infrastructure, coastal planning and emergency preparedness.

“We are thrilled to welcome John Krasting back to Rutgers and into this vital role for the university and the state,” said Laura Lawson, executive dean of agriculture and natural resources. “John brings together the best of what this moment requires: world-class climate science, deep technical expertise, a gift for public communication, and a lifelong connection to Rutgers. His work has helped advance the models and data systems scientists use to understand a changing planet, and now that knowledge will be brought directly to bear for New Jersey’s communities, coastlines, farms and decision-makers.”

Krasting earned his bachelor’s degree in meteorology from Rutgers in 2003 and his doctoral degree in atmospheric science from Rutgers in 2008. A native of Wenonah, N.J., in Gloucester County, he said the new role feels like both a professional opportunity and a personal return.

“I’m a New Jersey native,” Krasting said. “I’ve lived through the very changes we talk about when we discuss how New Jersey’s climate is evolving.”

For the past 15 years, Krasting has worked at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, N.J., where he helped lead climate and ocean modeling projects. His work has included research on sea-level rise, coastal inundation, ocean processes, climate risk and Earth system modeling. He helped lead the laboratory’s $5.8 million Bipartisan Infrastructure Law research effort to develop datasets and models for sea-level-rise and coastal-inundation products. He also has contributed to next-generation climate and ocean models.

Krasting said he is taking on the role at a moment when climate science increasingly is being called upon to help people make practical decisions. 

“We’re in a phase where basic climate research has to become information people can use,” he said. “What drew me to it is that ability to connect people with the data and information that they need, when they need it.”

Krasting will inherit an office shaped by Robinson’s long record of public service, scientific leadership and statewide climate communication.

David Robinson, New Jersey’s state climatologist since 1991, is retiring after 35 years of statewide public service. The Rutgers Distinguished Professor is the longest-serving state climatologist on record in the United States. Photo: Luca Mostello

Robinson, a Distinguished Professor in the Rutgers Department of Geography, became New Jersey state climatologist in 1991 and is the longest-serving state climatologist on record in the United States. In addition to his work in the state, Robinson is internationally known for his cryospheric research, particularly the role of snow cover in the climate system and its use as an indicator of climate variability and change.

As state climatologist, Robinson became one of New Jersey’s most familiar public voices on storms, heat waves, drought, floods, snowfall and long-term climate trends. Over the years, he gave an estimated 10,000 media interviews. He also helped build the NJWxNet into one of the densest statewide weather networks in the country.

“Few scientists become part of the civic fabric of a state: Dave Robinson has done exactly that,” Lawson said. “For more than three decades, he has helped New Jersey understand itself through its weather, its climate and its changing environment. His legacy is measured not only in publications, grants and weather stations, but in trust. Through the Rutgers New Jersey Weather Network and his long service as State Climatologist, he helped build a foundation of climate knowledge that supports communities, public agencies, farmers, emergency managers, researchers and residents across the state.”

Robinson said the office has always been about more than collecting data. Its purpose, he said, is to help people understand how weather and climate affect daily life and public decision-making.

“People have some level of knowledge, but they don’t appreciate the full impact that weather and climate have on every aspect of society,” Robinson said. “Everything, every aspect of our lives, has this underlying influence of weather. It doesn’t often rise to the top, but it’s there. Occasionally a Sandy comes along, or an Ida comes along, and bam, it’s up to the top.”

Krasting said he hopes to build on that work while expanding the office’s role in areas where his research experience is especially relevant, including coastal flooding, sea-level rise, climate modeling and statewide climate services.

“I like to think I’ll be able to bridge everything from the farmlands to the coast and to our urban environment and really think of climate in a very broad sense of how it affects the way people live and move around the state,” Krasting said.

He said New Jersey faces both immediate and long-term climate challenges. In the near term, the state over the last two years has been experiencing a prolonged dry period, with recent months marked by below-average rainfall and growing concerns about water management. Over the longer term, coastal communities will continue to confront rising seas and more frequent flooding.

“Over the last century, New Jersey’s sea levels have been rising at a rate about three times the global average,” Krasting said. “Our land is naturally sinking from the last Ice Age, and at the same time, our ocean is expanding as it gets warmer.”

He said the consequences already are visible.

“What once seemed like a distant forecast of rising oceans is already here,” Krasting said. “What used to be a once-a-year high-tide flooding event in Atlantic City is now something that happens nearly every month.”

Retiring New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson, left, and incoming State Climatologist John Krasting stand beside weather-monitoring equipment. Both scientists emphasize turning weather and climate data into useful information for communities and decision-makers across New Jersey. Photo: Luca Mostello

Robinson has seen those changes unfold over decades. During his tenure, he said, New Jersey has become warmer, offshore waters have heated up and rain and snow increasingly arrive in bigger events.

“Underlying everything we’ve seen in my years as state climatologist has been the state getting warmer, undeniably getting warmer,” Robinson said. “It’s not like it’s raining more often, but when it rains, it pours.”

That long view is one reason Krasting said he is grateful for the program he is stepping into.

“What I find incredibly inspiring about Dave is that he really was the essence of the office for several decades,” Krasting said. “I’m going to be inheriting a wonderful program that has developed over the years into one of the leading state climate offices in the nation.”

Krasting brings an unusual mix of scientific and communication experience to the position. Before focusing fully on climate research, he worked as an on-air meteorologist for FOX Television Stations in New York and Philadelphia and was nominated for a Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmy Award. He said broadcast meteorology taught him how to communicate complex information clearly, quickly and under pressure.

“Broadcasting taught me to take something complex and boil it down to two and a half minutes with limited visuals, and convey it to the public under pressure,” he said.

That ability may prove especially important as the state climate office translates technical climate information into practical guidance for decisions about crops, coastlines, classrooms and infrastructure.

Krasting said New Jersey needs a state climate office defined by “authenticity, authority and relatability.” He said he wants the office to be accessible and visible across the state.

“Success in my tenure will be if every New Jerseyan feels that they can pick up the phone, call our office and get whatever information they need about our climate from our team,” Krasting said. “We’re not going to be hidden away behind a computer terminal. We want to be out talking with people across the state, working with community groups, and having a presence in our schools.”

He said that outreach should include meeting people where they are and listening to how weather and climate are already shaping their daily decisions.

Robinson said the same public-service ethic has guided the state climate office for decades. The office provides data and expertise, he said, but its ultimate role is to help people act on reliable information.

“We provide information to help people make informed decisions,” Robinson said. “We,” he said with a smile, “do not make the decisions for them.”

Krasting said he sees the office’s next chapter as both urgent and hopeful. Climate change can feel overwhelming, he said, but the future is not fixed.

“What I see that’s encouraging is that we still have choices that we can make as a society,” Krasting said. “Our fate is not sealed.”

His goal, he said, is to help people turn climate information into something useful, practical and shared.

“There are things we can do about it that everyone can be a part of,” Krasting said.

This article first appeared in Rutgers Today. Learn more about outgoing State Climatologist David Robinson’s insights on NJ’s climate over the years. What 35 Years of Watching New Jersey’s Climate Reveals | Rutgers University

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