The Jones Avenue Healthy Harvest site. Photo: OPOC

Rutgers University has received a $2.4 million award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) through the Research Facilities Act Program to support the modernization of agricultural research, teaching, and community engagement facilities that will support the ongoing development of Healthy Harvest and related programs. The project will replace an aging greenhouse and renovate the adjacent headhouse on the Jones Avenue Healthy Harvest site, creating a modern facility that will serve students, researchers, agricultural professionals, and community members throughout New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic region.  

Rutgers Gardens student interns at the Jones Avenue Healthy Harvest site. Photo: OPOC

The Rutgers project is one of 36 projects selected nationwide through USDA NIFA’s Research Facilities Act Program. In October 2026, NIFA announced more than $121 million in awards to universities and research institutions across the country to modernize, expand and build state-of-the-art agricultural research facilities. According to NIFA, these investments are designed to strengthen the nation’s capacity for food and agricultural research, accelerate innovation, and support workforce development through facilities such as laboratories, greenhouses, and integrated research hubs.  

The proposal was led by Cara Cuite, Associate Director of Community and Student Engagement at the New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, who serves as principal investigator and leads programming for the Healthy Harvest Living Laboratory. Healthy Harvest is a hub for experiential learning, food systems innovation, research, workforce development, and community partnership, bringing together students, faculty, Extension professionals, and community members to address food systems and environmental challenges. The Healthy Harvest urban agriculture spaces are managed by Rutgers Gardens, the university botanical garden, within the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS). 

The interdisciplinary team of grant co-investigators includes Laura Lawson, Executive Dean, SEBS, and Executive Director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station; Jennifer Shukaitis, Family and Community Health Sciences educator; A.J. Both, Extension Specialist and controlled-environment agriculture expert; Lauren Errickson, Director of Rutgers Gardens and Campus Stewardship; Christopher Hack, Director of Rutgers Facilities Contract Services at Rutgers Institutional Planning & Operations (IP&O); Brian Schilling, Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension and Senior Associate Director of NJAES; and Mazen Shehat, Senior Associate Dean of Finance and Administration for SEBS and NJAES.   

Healthy Harvest at Jones Avenue, New Brunswick. Photo: OPOC

A distinguishing feature of the project is the inclusion of Rutgers planning, facilities and operational leaders as co-investigators. While facilities professionals often support implementation of capital projects, it is unusual for experts in finance and construction to be integrated directly into the leadership team starting at the proposal stage. This collaborative approach helps ensure that the facility is intentionally designed to meet long-term research, teaching, Extension, workforce development, and community engagement needs. 

“This award recognizes Rutgers’ long-standing commitment to integrating research, teaching, Extension and community engagement to address critical agricultural and food system challenges,” said Lawson, Executive Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “The new facility will provide transformative opportunities for students, researchers, and community partners while strengthening Rutgers’ role as a leader in agricultural innovation and workforce development.”  

“This investment will help us create a space where education, research, and community engagement come together,” said Cuite. “As we continue building out the Healthy Harvest site on Jones Avenue and associated programming, we are especially excited to welcome students, families, farmers, community organizations and other partners into the new facility designed to support learning, discovery, and collaboration for years to come.” 

Image by Phoebe, licensed via Adobe Stock (Education License)

Beneath the frozen ground of Finland’s Arctic tundra and forests live bacteria that scientists are only now getting to know. A new study, published in MicrobiologyOpen, present two new species of bacteria, that seem perfectly built to survive in one of the coldest, harshest, and fastest changing places on Earth.

Professor Lee Kerkhof, in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, and Distinguished Professor Max Häggblom, in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, are affiliates of the Rutgers Climate and Energy Institute. Their work was done in collaboration with Dr. Minna Männistö, Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Institute Finland with Dr. Anil Kumar leading the genome analysis of the novel species.

These new bacteria, named Janthinobacterium silvisoli and Janthinobacterium saanense, were found by Dr. Minna Männistö, in soil samples from a tundra mountainside and a lichen-covered pine forest in Finnish Lapland. By reading the bacteria’s full genetic code, the team discovered that these microbes are equipped with an impressive toolkit: genes that let them break down tough plant material like cellulose and ligno-aromatics, pull nitrogen from scarce sources, resist temperature swings, and even produce natural antibiotic-like compounds to help them better compete with other microbes.

These bacteria can play a major role in shaping the future of the Arctic. The region is warming faster than almost anywhere else on the planet, driving changes in the types of plants that can survive there. As plant communities shift, the bacteria in the soil will influence how much of this plant material is broken down. Because plants assimilate carbon from the atmosphere and store it in their tissues, how quickly they decompose matters. Soil microbes ultimately determine whether that stored carbon remains locked in the ground or is released back into the atmosphere. Understanding which bacteria are present—and what they are capable of—gives researchers a clearer picture of how Arctic soils may respond as the climate continues to change.

“These tiny organisms are quietly shaping how carbon moves through one of the planet’s most climate-sensitive regions and understanding them helps us better predict what a warmer Arctic might mean for all of us,” says Häggblom.

By cataloging the biological diversity of microbes, the study adds a small but important piece to the larger puzzle of climate science.

You can read the full study here: https://doi.org/10.1002/mbo3.70239

This article was written with assistance from Artificial Intelligence, was reviewed and edited by Kenneth Tam, and was reviewed by Lee Kerkhof and Max Häggblom, co-authors on the study.

L-R: Arianda Sosa (SEBS’27) and colleagues Bria Nelson and Romolo Tobon-Ramirez working on the construction of the newest bridge at the Rutgers Ecological Preserve by screwing in new planks. Photo: Kendall Eldredge

For Rutgers senior Ariadna Sosa, a passion for wildlife that began in childhood has grown into a commitment to understanding ecosystems and protecting the natural world. Through an experiential learning project at the Rutgers Ecological Preserve, Sosa is exploring the relationships between native wildflowers and the insects that pollinate them, gaining practical research skills while helping others appreciate the importance of insect conservation.

Sosa, who expects to graduate in spring 2027 from the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS) with a degree in ecology, evolution, and natural resources and a minor in sustainability, has long been interested in the environment. As a child, she was fascinated by cheetahs and green sea turtles but learning that her favorite animals were endangered prompted her to think more deeply about the threats facing wildlife.

“I quickly learned that my favorite animals were endangered and that humans were at fault for hunting them and destroying their environment,” Sosa said. “Nine-year-old me couldn’t imagine a world where they wouldn’t be a part of it, so I needed an answer on what to do.”

That search for answers eventually led her toward environmental science. Her interest in sustainability developed later, following an environmental justice event at the community college she attended before transferring to Rutgers. Hearing Melissa Miles, executive director of the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance, discuss justice and sustainability introduced Sosa to another dimension of environmentalism and inspired her to pursue the sustainability minor at Rutgers.

Today, her experiential learning project, funded by the Experiential Connections & Engaged Learning (ExCEL) Lab, brings those interests into the field, where she is investigating the small but essential organisms that help sustain healthy ecosystems.

Observing the connections between flowers and insects

A glimpse of the diverse fauna and flora in the Small Meadow at the Rutgers Ecological Preserve. Photo: Ariadna Sosa

Sosa’s project focuses on the Small Meadow at the Rutgers Ecological Preserve (RUEP), near the intersection of the northern white trail connector and the orange trail. Her goal is to document interactions between native wildflowers and insect pollinators, identifying which insects visit the meadow’s flowers and which flowers attract the most activity.

The opportunity developed through Sosa’s summer internship at the preserve. Interested in insects, she discussed possible experiential learning projects with Richard Lathrop, a professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources and faculty director of the Rutgers Ecological Preserve. Lathrop suggested studying pollinating invertebrates in the Small Meadow, with the possibility of turning her findings into an educational infographic for visitors.

Sosa began by identifying insects and flowers, drawing on the iNaturalist identification platform, online image searches and notes from a previous insect biology course. She then visited the meadow weekly to observe interactions between insects and flowering plants, recording each encounter by insect species in a spreadsheet.

One of many flowers and bees that Ariadna Sosa spent observing as part of her experiential learning experience.

The work required patience, careful observation and a willingness to refine her approach. Initially, Sosa planned to observe each flower species for 10 minutes at a time to maximize the amount of data collected. She soon discovered that maintaining focus while watching a single flower for that long was more difficult than anticipated.

“I hadn’t considered how long 10 minutes would feel when just staring at one flower,” she said.

Rather than abandon the project, she adjusted her methodology. In the second week, she shortened each observation period to five minutes and restarted her data collection. The revised approach allowed her to remain focused while still gathering substantial information and producing more consistent observations.

That experience became an important lesson in the realities of research: a well-designed project requires not only a clear question but also the flexibility to adapt when an initial method does not work as expected.

Building confidence outside of the classroom
For Sosa, one of the most rewarding aspects of the experience has been developing the confidence to conduct independent fieldwork and research.

Although she had gained scientific knowledge through her coursework, leading a project of this scale presented a new challenge. She was accustomed to assignments with clearly defined instructions and expectations. This project, by contrast, gave her greater independence in determining how to collect and interpret information.

“Having nearly free rein was exciting, but I had doubts whether I would be able to succeed,” she said. “With each passing week I got more confident with my work and problems that came my way were fixed with a bit of brainstorming.”

In addition to strengthening her research skills, Sosa expanded her ability to identify birds, insects and trees through her work at the preserve. Her experience also illustrates how experiential learning can help students apply classroom knowledge in less predictable settings, where observation, critical thinking and problem-solving are essential.

Arianda Sosa, with Romolo Tobon-Ramirez and Bria Nelson working on leveling the ground to place the new stringer boards to extend the new bridge at the Rutgers Ecological Preserve. Photo: Kendall Eldredge

Lathrop, who oversees the preserve’s student land stewardship program, sees these experiences as valuable opportunities for undergraduates to develop both practical skills and a deeper sense of connection to the environment.

“Each summer we hire a crew of 3-4 undergraduate students to serve as land stewards at the Rutgers Ecological Preserve,” Lathrop said. Working under the guidance of an experienced graduate student, Kendal Eldredge, and Lathrop, as faculty director, students participate in a 12-week experience that includes trail maintenance and construction, carpentry, plant and animal identification, invasive species removal and ecological restoration.

“Most importantly, I hope they learn the value of putting in a hard day out-of-doors and giving back to the natural and human community,” he said. “Everyone we meet on the trail is very appreciative for the work the crew puts in that allows them to traverse a landscape that they treasure.”

Sosa’s project complements that stewardship work by examining the ecological relationships that make natural spaces valuable and worth protecting.

Turning research into public education
Sosa hopes her findings will have an impact beyond her own academic development. Once her analysis is complete, she plans to create an infographic highlighting the pollinators observed in the Small Meadow and their interactions with native wildflowers. The finished resource will be displayed at the preserve to help visitors better understand the diversity of insects that support local ecosystems.

“Insects are foundational to ecosystems globally, but often get a bad reputation,” Sosa said. She hopes the infographic will demonstrate that wildflowers depend on a variety of insects, not just bees, while helping visitors recognize and better understand these often-overlooked organisms.

Her approach reflects a broader conservation challenge: protecting biodiversity requires not only scientific knowledge but also public understanding. By helping visitors identify insects and learn about their ecological roles, Sosa hopes to encourage greater appreciation for species that might otherwise be dismissed or misunderstood.

“If my infographic can get even one person to care about the conservation of an insect that they weren’t familiar with beforehand, I would be proud,” she said.

Ariadna Sosa learning how to properly clean and take care of a chainsaw at the Rutgers Ecological Preserve. Photo: Kendall Eldredge

As her Fall 2026 experiential learning project continues, Sosa has completed data collection and is nearing the end of her analysis. Her next steps are to draw conclusions about the observed pollinator interactions and translate those findings into the planned infographic.

An opportunity worth pursuing
Reflecting on her experience, Sosa encourages fellow students to explore experiential learning opportunities early in their academic careers. With a major as broad as ecology, evolution and natural resources, she noted, students have many possible paths to consider after graduation. Hands-on experiences can help them discover which interests they might wish to pursue professionally.

“I definitely would recommend students try getting into a learning experience sooner rather than later,” she said. Starting early gives students time to explore different options and choose an experience that genuinely excites them, rather than treating it as a last-minute academic requirement.

For Sosa, the experience at the Rutgers Ecological Preserve has brought together her longstanding interest in wildlife, her developing commitment to sustainability and the practical skills needed to investigate ecological questions. It has also shown her that research is not simply about collecting data; it is about asking questions, adapting when challenges arise and finding ways to make discoveries meaningful to others.

Through her work in the Small Meadow, Sosa is learning to see the natural world not just as something to appreciate, but as something to study, understand and help protect.

Antarctica is very likely to lose ice overall through the end of this century even if nations sharply cut emissions.

A Rutgers researcher and colleagues find that decisions today may reduce the rise in seas facing coastal communities

Cutting greenhouse gas emissions now may limit how much ice Antarctica loses this century and reduce the rise in seas facing coastal communities, according to findings from a new study.

The research, reported in Nature Geoscience by an international team of scientists, including Rutgers climate scientist Robert Kopp, provides evidence that decisions about emission today can influence how much water Antarctica adds to the oceans by 2100.

Climate scientist Robert Kopp says communities are making decisions now about buildings and infrastructure that will last for decades. Photo: Nick Romanenko

The team found at least an 89% probability that the most ambitious low emission goal that fit the objectives of the Paris Agreement,  an international treaty on climate change adopted in 2015, would result in less Antarctic ice loss by the end of the century than very high emissions.

“Coastal communities need to prepare for rising seas, and the amount of rise they will have to manage still depends on the choices we make today,” said Kopp, a Distinguished Professor with the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences and an author of the study. “Cutting emissions now can limit the risks facing future generations. Better projections can help communities decide how to protect homes, roads and other essential infrastructure.”

Kopp was honored with the American Geophysical Union’s 2026 Ambassador Award, which recognizes contributions that extend beyond scientific achievement to benefit society and advance the common good.

The study shows how higher emissions could trigger a series of changes that speed up the movement of Antarctic ice into the ocean. 

“What we still control is how much, and whether we set off the chain reaction that takes us to the high end,” said Yucheng Lin an assistant professor at the City University of Hong Kong, and a former postdoctoral associate in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. “Every ton of greenhouse gas we add makes it worse, and the effect lasts for hundreds of years.”

The opportunity to limit future damage comes with a sobering finding, the researchers found. Antarctica is very likely to lose ice overall through the end of this century even if nations sharply cut emissions. The researchers put that probability at least 92% under the most ambitious scenario, in which the world cuts carbon dioxide emissions to net zero at around the year 2050. 

Antarctica holds the world’s largest store of frozen freshwater.

Antarctica holds the world’s largest store of frozen freshwater. Its enormous ice sheet rests on land, and when that ice moves into the ocean, it adds water and raises sea levels. Floating shelves of ice along the continent’s edges help restrain the glaciers behind them, acting somewhat like brakes.

The researchers examined how those brakes could weaken as the climate warms. Warmer ocean water melts ice shelves from below, thinning them, Lin said. As the shelves weaken or break apart, glaciers can flow more quickly into the sea. How easily the ice slides over the ground beneath it also influences the pace of that loss.

Under certain combinations of conditions, these changes can reinforce one another and accelerate the movement of ice into the ocean, he said.

To explore that possibility, the team examined combinations of assumptions producing the highest projected losses while remaining consistent with satellite observations. Under very high emissions, this selected high-end analysis produced a middle estimate of about 6 inches of sea-level rise from Antarctica by 2100, with an upper estimate of about 10 inches.

Those figures describe a possible high-impact outcome, rather than the study’s central forecast. The 10-inch estimate isn’t an absolute ceiling. It also represents Antarctica’s contribution alone, excluding water from melting Greenland ice and mountain glaciers as well as the expansion of seawater as it warms.

The researchers found that additional snowfall in a warmer climate is very unlikely to replace all the ice Antarctica loses. Its response to climate change unfolds slowly, meaning the consequences of today’s emissions can persist long after they enter the atmosphere.

Reaching clearer conclusions about Antarctica has long challenged researchers, Kopp said. Computer models must connect global warming with changes in the surrounding ocean and atmosphere, then calculate how the ice responds. Different assumptions at each step can produce widely different answers.

Running enough detailed simulations to explore all those possibilities would require enormous computing resources. The team instead used machine learning, a subset of artificial intelligence, to analyze an existing collection of ice-sheet simulations, allowing researchers to rapidly explore combinations of assumptions. 

The machine-learning tool learned the relationships between the assumptions in those simulations and their results. It could then estimate outcomes much faster than the original models, allowing the researchers to explore possibilities that would otherwise have been too costly to test in detail.

They checked the results against satellite measurements of Antarctic ice loss from 2002 to 2021, giving greater weight to combinations that better matched observations. That comparison narrowed the range of projected outcomes and increased confidence that Antarctica would lose ice overall this century.

The analysis also helped identify where additional research could make the greatest difference. Three major sources of uncertainty involve how warming ocean water melts ice shelves, how ice slides over bedrock and how the ocean and atmosphere warm around Antarctica.

“We can’t afford to study every detail of an ice sheet model, so we have to know which details matter,” Lin said.

Better measurements of those processes could sharpen projections and help communities make decisions about coastal development and protection, he said.

But the researchers said their analysis cannot account for processes missing from the original simulations, including some interactions among ice, ocean and atmosphere and changes in water flowing beneath the ice sheet.

Those gaps leave open the possibility of outcomes beyond the study’s projections. 

“We still have questions about how quickly Antarctica will change, but communities are making decisions now about buildings and infrastructure that will last for decades,” Kopp said. “Giving them a clearer picture of the risks can help them prepare.” 

This article first appeared in Rutgers Today.

Honors College students board the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences/New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station shuttle for a field trip in a new seminar that takes them to 12 off-campus research locations in six New Jersey counties. Photo: Chris Gutierrez

A new seminar helps undergraduates connect their interests to research they never knew existed

For Dave Bushek, the obstacle to bringing students to Rutgers’ field stations across New Jersey was getting them there.

A visitor to Rutgers’ shellfish research facilities wondered why more students weren’t seeing them, too. Bushek, a professor of marine and coastal sciences, explained that transportation from campus was the problem. The visitor offered a solution. 

Following Honors College students on a first-ever journey to all of the Rutgers research stations in New Jersey to discover how science shows up for the state and its people. Graphic: Michelle Cody

“The person made it possible for us to purchase a shuttle,” Bushek said.

This fall, a white, 18-passenger shuttle bus is carrying students into areas of Rutgers that many never knew existed. Their destinations include research farms, shellfish laboratories and centers devoted to clean energy and food innovation. 

Along the way, the undergraduates at Rutgers-New Brunswick will investigate a question that reaches beyond any single stop: Where might they fit into this work?

The new interdisciplinary honors seminar, “Beyond Campus: Research at Rutgers Off-Campus Stations,” brings together 12 students for a semester of Friday visits to places where university research meets the needs of New Jersey’s communities and industries. Leading them are Bushek, and Peter Oudemans, a professor of plant biology, both faculty members of the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.

Over 10 Fridays, the students will visit 12 research locations in six counties.

For Kyle Yoon, a sophomore mechanical engineering major from Closter, N.J., the course offered a departure from familiar routines.

“Currently I have only taken lecture style classes at college and when I saw the hands-on approach this seminar provided, I wanted to experience it for myself,” Yoon said. 

Peter Oudemans, left, a professor of plant biology, and David Bushek, a professor of marine and coastal sciences, created a new honors seminar to introduce students to the breadth of Rutgers research and help them see how their own interests and skills could contribute to it. Photos: Chris Gutierrez

The instructors, who oversee Rutgers’ marine field stations and research farms, want students to discover how their interests could contribute to work happening throughout the state.

Already, some connections are emerging.

Bushek recalled asking students whether they thought their majors related to the work they would encounter. Nobody raised a hand.

He then asked a civil engineering student how people get around on a farm. Roads, the student realized, require engineering. Bushek asked a mechanical engineering student what farmers use to harvest crops. Machinery, the student realized, requires engineers, too. 

For Oudemans, those moments of epiphany get to the purpose of the course. He wants students to see that rigorous research should also address problems that matter beyond the laboratory.

“You need to do your science well, but it has to be good for something,” he said.

Veronica Girgis, an Honors College student majoring in food science, selects a Scarlet Sunrise tomato during an exercise in a new honors seminar designed to show students the hands-on aspect of science. Photo: Mike Lucas

The first class offered a close look at what that means. After an introduction to Rutgers’ land-grant mission, students visited the hazelnut breeding program led by plant biologist Thomas Molnar. Working in six groups, the students located assigned trees and harvested 50 clusters of nuts from each, Bushek said. They then analyzed productivity, comparing trees with different parentage and characteristics.

The exercise opened a window onto the work behind a possible new agricultural industry. Students learned breeding a successful hazelnut involves decisions about traits, size and commercial uses, along with the effort of connecting growers and companies.

In subsequent stops, students will learn about sustainable agriculture, Rutgers-bred cranberries that are used worldwide, shellfish breeding, coastal ecosystems and food processing.

They will witness efforts that span generations of Rutgers research, from shellfish work begun in 1888 and cranberry research in 1918 to newer food and clean-energy centers.

For Foysal Sorwar, an Honors College sophomore studying biological sciences, the itinerary offers a new perspective on a familiar state. Originally from Bangladesh and raised in Elizabeth, N.J., Sorwar learned to appreciate gardening through his mother and is curious about the research behind food production.

“It gives me a new perspective of the other side of New Jersey that I would not get to see this close otherwise,” Sorwar said.

Rutgers professor and plant breeder Thomas Molnar explains his work developing new hazelnut varieties to students during the first field trip of a new honors seminar. Photo: David Bushek

Students will meet scientists whose working days unfold in fields, among experimental crops and beside tidal waters. Bushek has spent his career in such places. Once, when approached about moving to campus, he declined. Asked why he would pass up being where the academic action was, he had a ready answer.

“My action is my research,” Bushek said. “I can walk out the back of the lab, and I’m in the field where I’m going to do it.”

That proximity also brings researchers close to the people who depend on their findings

At the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory in Port Norris, N.J., members of the oyster industry still walk in to discuss problems, Bushek said. At the blueberry and cranberry research center, Oudemans and his colleagues work with growers on concerns that can threaten a harvest or a livelihood.

After MSX, a disease caused by a single-celled Protozoan, began devastating Delaware Bay oysters in 1957, Rutgers researchers studied the parasite and bred disease-resistant oyster lines.

These relationships help explain why Rutgers maintains a presence throughout the state.

Brian Schilling, director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, introduced students to Rutgers’ land-grant mission, which combines teaching and research with practical service to the public. The university’s farms and field stations are part of that statewide system, along with Extension offices in all the state’s 21 counties.

The exchange works in both directions.

“A problem comes in from the field, often through extension, into our research community,” Schilling said. “Answers are developed, and then they go back out through extension to the farmer community.”

Sometimes the response involves breeding a disease-resistant plant. Sometimes it means testing equipment before growers commit their own money.

“Let us kick the tires and see if this is going to work,” Schilling said. “If it doesn’t, let us fail with it. If it works, let us help you succeed with it.”

Students have work to do, too. They prepare questions before visits, keep field notebooks and write reflections. Their final multimedia projects will explain how research addresses a New Jersey challenge.

Kanishk Sharma, an Honors College sophomore studying computer science, data science and economics, already sees possibilities. A friend’s account of working at the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve helped inspire an interest in the course.

Hazelnuts gathered by students during a class exercise help illustrate how plant breeders compare trees for productivity and other desirable traits. Photo: David Bushek

“Hearing about how she used technology to study marine environments made me realize how much overlap there can be between computing and environmental science,” Sharma said. “I am hoping this course gives me a chance to experience that connection myself rather than only learning about it in a classroom.”

The instructors hope those connections will endure beyond the final assignment. Bushek said he wants students to be sharing their discoveries years from now. Oudemans said he hopes they will find places where their talents are needed.

Even ordinary surroundings could begin to look different.

At the Rutgers Plant Science Research and Extension Farm, often called the Adelphia Farm, in Freehold, N.J., students encountered more than 51,000 turf plots under evaluation. Rutgers has developed more than 500 improved turf cultivars with the seed industry that are used in high profile locations including several 2026 World Cup venues, at Yankee stadium and Augusta National Golf Club, where the Masters golf tournament is played. 

Reflecting on the students’ encounter with Rutgers’ turfgrass research, Oudemans offered one prediction.

“You’ll never look at turf the same.”

This article first appeared in Rutgers Today.

Board of Governors Distinguished Service Professor Mark Robson CC’77; GSNB’79, ’88; SPH’95. Photo: Luca Mostello

A new endowed legacy professorship at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences will recognize and support exceptional faculty in plant biology.

The Rutgers University Board of Governors approved the creation of the Robson Endowed Legacy Professorship on Oct. 1. The professorship was established through a gift from Mark Gregory Robson and Patricia Mykalosky Robson.

Robson first came to Rutgers in 1973 as an undergraduate at the newly established Cook College. He earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from Rutgers and began his Rutgers career in 1979. Today, he is a distinguished professor of plant biology, associate vice provost for graduate education at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

“I have spent my entire adult life at Rutgers, first as a student, where I had wonderful teachers, and then for many decades as a teacher, where I have had exceptional students,” said Mark Robson. “I feel truly fortunate to have been the beneficiary of an education at a public land-grant university. We felt strongly that this was an appropriate way to demonstrate our commitment to teaching and service excellence at Rutgers.”

Teaching and mentoring have been a significant part of Robson’s Rutgers career. In 2024, he received the Sustained Career Teaching Excellence Award, recognizing his decades of teaching and commitment to student success. His other honors include the Daniel Gorenstein Memorial Award in 2021, the Clement A. Price Human Dignity Award in 2020 and the Chancellor’s Award for Global Impact, among others.

Robson’s ties to Rutgers began even before he became a student. He grew up on a New Jersey farm, where his family interacted with Rutgers agricultural agents and participated in 4-H. 

The professorship is designed to honor, retain or recruit an exceptional faculty member in plant biology, with a preference for someone who demonstrates a passion for educating students or goes above and beyond what is required of them. It will support teaching, research and professional activities in the field.

Rutgers’ Board of Governors approved the creation of legacy professorships in 2020, allowing current, emeritus and retired faculty members and their families to create endowed positions honoring their legacy at the university.

This article first appeared in Rutgers Today.

Image by hansstuart1nm, licensed via Adobe Stock (Education License)

Along the white sandy shores of the northern Gulf of Mexico, two endangered species share the same narrow strip of coastline — but they don’t always want the same things from it. From a new study published in the journal, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, affiliate of the Rutgers Climate and Energy Institute Brooke Maslo, an associate professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, alongside co-authors Lydia Heilferty, Sara Zeigler, and Thomas Schlacher, explore what it takes to protect both beach mice and snowy plovers.

By compiling related publications from 1980 to 2023, the authors synthesize the habitat preferences of both beach mice and snowy plovers. Beach mice are tiny, pale-colored rodents that live in vegetated sand dunes. Snowy plovers are small shorebirds that nest on flat, open, sandy beaches with very little plant cover. While they live side by side, these two species have very different habitat needs — and that creates a real problem for land managers trying to help both.

Climate change makes this harder. More frequent and intense storms will reshape future coastline environments. This puts pressure on managers to act quickly — and sometimes reactively — in ways that may not serve all species.

However, there could be some overlap to serving both species. The authors recommend maintaining a diverse mix of beach and dune features rather than optimizing for just one species. Vegetation that appears in both habitats can be planted. Dune heights can be regulated to appeal to both beach mice and snowy plovers. Ultimately, more work needs to be done to investigate the intersection of these preferred ecosystems.

 This “habitat mosaic” approach could benefit not only mice and plovers, but also other coastal species like least terns and black skimmers — and could inform coastal management policy at the state and federal level.

“As wildlife are continually confined to managed open space habitats, meeting the conservation needs of all species becomes increasingly challenging. Identifying congruence among species of conservation concern is essential to preserving population viability.” -Brooke Maslo

You can read the full study here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109603

This article was written with assistance from Artificial Intelligence, was reviewed and edited by Kenneth Tam, and was reviewed by Brooke Maslo, a co-author on the study.

Anna and Ava from Hunterdon County 4-H spent the past year as youth leaders with the NJ 4-H Agriculture Ambassador Program, educating the public about agriculture, sharing their knowledge, and highlighting the important role agriculture plays in our everyday lives.

The future of agriculture depends on young people who can champion the industry, communicate its value, and help shape its direction. Fourteen New Jersey 4-H members from eight counties have been selected for the 2027 NJ 4-H Agriculture Ambassador Program, a statewide leadership initiative preparing teens to represent and promote agriculture across New Jersey, and led by Melissa Bright, 4-H agent, Somerset County.

Launched in fall 2024 through a partnership between National 4-H Council and Nutrien, the program gives high school youth opportunities to deepen their understanding of agriculture while developing skills in leadership, public speaking, communication, and advocacy. Open to active New Jersey 4-H members in grades 9 through 13, the program welcomes teens with interests spanning farming, animal science, food systems, and natural resources.

Avery from Gloucester County 4-H, proudly serving as NJ 4-H Agriculture Ambassadors.

Throughout the program year, ambassadors will connect with agricultural industry professionals, explore career pathways, and learn about current issues affecting the industry. “Educational programs, agricultural tours, leadership development experiences, and outreach activities help them build confidence in communicating agriculture’s importance to diverse audiences,” said Bright.

The 2027 cohort represents Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Monmouth, Salem, Somerset, Union, and Warren counties. Together, these young leaders will build connections across the state while gaining firsthand insight into the people, practices, and systems that sustain New Jersey agriculture.

By equipping youth with the knowledge and skills to engage their communities, New Jersey 4-H is helping cultivate a new generation of agricultural advocates, professionals, and leaders prepared to advance the industry’s future.

The surprise discovery of a natural fruit fly repellent could lead to new controls for one of New Jersey’s biggest blueberry pests. Photo: Keisuke Ferguson

Rutgers scientists have identified natural repellents against an invasive blueberry pest, a scientific breakthrough that was accidentally discovered when fruit flies invaded their laboratory.

The accident, more than a decade in the making, could one day transform how commercial crops are protected.

“As a kid, this is what I thought science was – you stumble on something and go, ‘Eureka!’” said Beth Ferguson, a postdoctoral researcher at the Rutgers Philip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research, and lead author of the study, published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. “Of course, that doesn’t happen most of the time, which is why I call this a very happy accident.”

Each summer, Ferguson and colleagues conduct research on an invasive fruit fly, the spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii). Found in New Jersey in 2011, the fly is one of the biggest threats to commercial fruit production, particularly soft-fleshed fruit such as blueberries.

Unlike other Drosophila flies, which lay eggs on and feed on rotten fruit, the spotted-wing drills into intact, ripening fruit, using a saw-like tube to deposit its eggs. The fly larvae hatch and destroy the fruit from within. 

The resulting spoilage is costly to producers. In 2025, New Jersey growers produced 47.5 million pounds of blueberries, with a production value of more than $94 million. The state consistently ranks among the top blueberry producers nationwide, and blueberries are New Jersey’s No. 1 crop. 

But growers spend heavily on chemical insecticides, which do not always provide complete control and can harm nontarget organisms.

In their lab, Ferguson and colleagues breed colonies of spotted wing to test new, nonchemical management strategies. And nearly every summer, something curious happened to the colonies they raised: the enclosure, located close to the research center’s kitchen, would be invaded by a common fruit fly, D. melanogaster, which led to die-offs of the spotted-wing flies.

With thousands of flies in these containers, not even a skilled researcher can differentiate them with the naked eye, said Ferguson. But fly colonies do have different smells, and when enough D. melanogaster flies had reproduced to outnumber the spotted wing flies, the scent was unmistakable. 

“We’d notice a smell change, going from a spotted wing-smell – like corn meal – to a very heavy vinegar decay odor, which is the telltale smell of melanogaster,” said Ferguson.

In nature, the two flies often avoid competition. But the accident of placing the enclosure near the kitchen, where melanogaster flies would feed on rotting fruits, fueled a hidden rivalry.

Ferguson noticed that as the vinegar smell intensified, a strange film-like deposit was forming on the flies’ food source. As with dogs marking territory, fruit flies mark food and egg-laying areas by depositing fecal and gut fungi. Ferguson swabbed the film and worked with colleague James Polashock from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to identify the yeast.

She and lab director Cesar Rodriguez-Saona then reached out to Jennifer S. Sun, an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology at Rutgers–New Brunswick, and a coauthor of the paper. 

Sun and undergraduate researcher Tia Hart ran a series of tests to confirm the spotted wing’s aversion to melanogaster’s fungi and how exposure affected the fly’s egg-laying preferences. “Our first question was whether this is truly repulsive to spotted wing,” said Sun. “The answer came quick.”

What she found was striking: The yeast “elicited aversive responses” in spotted wing while remaining attractive to melanogaster. Spotted wing flies also laid far fewer eggs after having encountered the yeast. 

Further testing will be needed to assess how the lab-produced compound might behave in nature. Ferguson said it can take years from discovery to gain regulatory approval. 

But already, the eureka moment is paying dividends. 

“I’ve been using it as a model for my students, explaining that when an experiment yields unexpected results, they shouldn’t assume that they did something wrong,” said Sun. “Instead, they could ask why it’s happening, and if there’s another phenomenon we could be studying. When the scientific process is used in experimentation, the result could be a very fruitful project like this one.”

This work was funded by several grants, including $2.1 million (award number R35GM165839) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

This article first appeared in Rutgers Today.

Gloucester County 4-H youth member earned Reserve Grand Champion Junior Showman at the NJ 4-H Beef Show held during the Burlington County Farm Fair.

From the show ring to national learning opportunities, New Jersey 4-H youth spent the summer building livestock expertise, strengthening leadership skills, and exploring careers in animal agriculture.

The 2026 New Jersey 4-H Beef Show, held at the Burlington County Farm Fair, brought together 45 youth from seven counties to exhibit 62 head of cattle. Participants competed in showmanship, fitting, and market and breeding cattle classes, gaining hands-on experience in animal husbandry, decision-making, and communication. The Sussex County team earned top honors in the County Herd competition.

At the 2026 New Jersey 4-H Dairy Show, also held at the fair, youth exhibited Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Jersey, and Holstein cattle in conformation and showmanship classes. The youth sharpened their animal management and evaluation skills while practicing public speaking and sportsmanship. Participants also earned recognition in breed classes, championships, and showmanship competitions.

Gloucester County 4-H youth member earning Reserve Grand Champion Junior Showman at the NJ 4-H Beef Show at the Burlington County Farm Fair.

In addition to the show ring, New Jersey 4-H members participated in dairy judging and dairy quiz bowl activities, applying their knowledge and critical-thinking skills while learning alongside their peers. One member, who was selected to attend the National 4-H Dairy Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, on September 29 to 30, joined youth from across the U.S. to explore dairy industry careers, leadership opportunities, and emerging issues in animal agriculture.

Together, these experiences demonstrate how New Jersey 4-H connects hands-on agricultural learning with personal growth, helping young people develop practical skills, build confidence, and discover pathways to future education and careers in the beef and dairy industries.