Hybridized iris plants at their peak at Rutgers Gardens. Photo by Moira Keihm.

Nearly a century after their first collaboration, Rutgers Gardens and the American Iris Society reunite to celebrate horticultural excellence, student learning, and a shared legacy of iris innovation.

As a demonstration of its place as a garden of horticultural excellence and a nod to its history of showcasing hybridized iris research, Rutgers Gardens was selected as a featured site of the American Iris Society’s 2026 Convention. The AIS provided stunning “guest iris” plants bred by skilled hybridizers that were installed at Rutgers Gardens in 2024 and 2025.

On May 22, a beautiful day filled with blue skies and sunshine during an otherwise rainy week, a large contingent of AIS members and iris enthusiasts spent a full day exploring Rutgers Gardens. Attendees saw the irises in full bloom throughout the display gardens, held a silent auction at the Alumni Pavilion, engaged with student horticulturists, and judged entries in the 2026 Iris Awards. It was the culmination of years of hard work, collaboration, educational experiences, creativity, and the forging of new friendships.  

Visitors appreciate irises during Iris Field Day in May of 1939. Photo belongs to the Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries.

The connection between Rutgers Gardens and iris plants dates to 1922, when the Iris Display Garden was established in what was then known as Horticulture Farm No. 1. This early iteration of the site that would become Rutgers Gardens was not considered a public botanical garden at that time, but a living laboratory for ornamental horticulture research conducted to benefit New Jersey farmers and nursery industry professionals. This made the Iris Display Garden a singular addition. The garden generated public interest and popular Iris Field Days were hosted annually.

By 1930, Hort Farm 1 featured hundreds of varieties of irises as well as displays of test gardens developed with the AIS. Rising costs for exclusive iris varieties and changing trends in suburban landscape design led Hort Farm 1 to begin transitioning the iris collection in 1963 to a display of annual flowers in 1964. That space is now the Donald B. Lacey Display Garden.

Fast forward from 1964 to 2024, when the AIS was planning its 2026 Convention and selected Rutgers Gardens as one of the featured garden sites. Almost a century after Rutgers Gardens and the AIS first partnered to share horticulture education and a passion for iris varieties with the public, this reunion would amplify the historical significance of irises on display at Rutgers Gardens.

Attendees of the AIS 2026 Convention enjoy the irises in the Donald B. Lacey Display Garden at Rutgers Gardens. Photo by Lauren Errickson.

Lauren Errickson, Director of Rutgers Gardens and Campus Stewardship, emphasizes how powerful this project has been. “Bringing this garden to a full-circle moment in collaboration with the AIS is very meaningful to me. I am grateful that we have been able to work together to connect the efforts of hybridizers from across the country with the long-standing history of irises at Rutgers Gardens in a way that lets so many people appreciate and learn about the plants,” she shares.

A Northern Blue Flag Iris blooms in the Rain Garden at Rutgers Gardens. Photo by Moira Keihm.

Rutgers Gardens was eager to highlight its historical links to the plant, declaring the Northern Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor) the 2026 “plant of the year.” Rutgers Gardens members were given an Iris versicolor plant as part of their membership benefits, as the variety is one of the focal points of the Rain Garden in the spring.

For each annual convention, hybridizers providing guest irises to gardens featured during it’s the tours are required to follow specific rules and timelines for sending their beloved, creatively named rhizomes to the sites entrusted with their care. For two years, Rutgers Gardens staff members and student horticulturists worked to ensure these guest irises not only survived, but thrived, so that Convention guests could enjoy the peak blooms and judge entries in the annual AIS Awards in May 2026.

It was a privilege and a responsibility that Rutgers Gardens staff did not take lightly.

Assistant Director: Horticulture Maxine Marvosa worked with AIS Guest Iris Chair George Hildenbrandt to receive shipments of hybridized bearded and beardless rhizomes in 2024. “George was amazing. He provided labels and spreadsheets and was available for any questions we had. Working with the AIS has been wonderful. They are such a well-organized group who gave us planting information and guidelines that were helpful when installing the irises.”

Installed irises wait for spring. Photo by Moira Keihm.

The first delivery of rhizomes arrived during a particularly hot and dry summer. Marvosa continues, “We kept a close eye on them to make sure they were well watered and cared for. In early winter 2024, we received another shipment of irises to plant and the deer pressure on them was severe. The deer do not eat irises, instead they pull them out of the soil, realize they do not like them, and then drop them. We would search the grounds and collect irises in the snow, then try to replant them according to maps we made during the installation.”    

Marvosa is proud of the team’s commitment and dedication. “In the two years after planting, the beds were maintained by the Rutgers Gardens student horticulturists who fought tirelessly against the weeds and invasive species coming up in between the irises.”

David Ackerman, who began his journey caring for the irises as a student intern and became the full-time Gardens and Grounds Technician by convention time, says, “After cultivating the irises for years with fellow interns, the convention visit gave me an even greater appreciation for their history and the dedicated community that continues to preserve and improve them. Seeing irises incorporated into the Donald B. Lacey Display Garden was a fantastic way to bring back Rutgers Gardens history in a modern context.”

The Donald B. Lacey Display Garden in May 2026, designed by David Ackerman. It featured an alluring mix of spring bulbs such as ornamental allium, newly planted annual flowers, and the irises installed in 2024. The garden continues to transform throughout the bloom season as the irises and spring flowers recede and the annuals fill more of the space. Photo by Moira Keihm.

Ackerman tapped into his skills and creativity as a landscape architecture major to design the 2026 annuals display, which inhabits the outer beds of what is affectionately known as “the DBL.” While the vibrant annuals beckon many visitors to Rutgers Gardens each bloom season, this year would be notable with hundreds of additional AIS Convention guests also viewing the garden. Ackerman ensured that the color palettes, textures, and shapes found in his annuals design paired well with the kaleidoscope of colors in the iris beds to achieve a cohesive yet layered overall display garden.

However, during the 2024 installations, there was no way to know what each hybrid iris would look like when it bloomed. With names like “Stellar Wind,” “Mai Tai Join You,” and “Heaven’s Outskirts,” one could only guess the colors and unique features the iris would eventually present. Danielle Lohrman (SEBS’27), a Rutgers Gardens student horticulturist, admitted that she previously thought “irises only came in yellow.” Two bloom seasons later, she declares, “Now I’m a big fan of iris varieties, and some of them smell so good, like a mix of bubble gum and citronella.”

Marvosa adds, “When the irises were in bloom this year, the response we got from the public was incredibly positive. People were coming to Rutgers Gardens just to see the beautiful iris display at its peak.”

Rutgers Gardens was invited to the 2026 AIS Convention’s welcome dinner at the Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott Hotel on May 19 along with representatives of the three additional featured gardens. Moira Keihm, Senior Program Coordinator: Education and Engagement, was warmly welcomed by the convention co-chairs and AIS members. “I was wowed by the enthusiasm, knowledge, and friendliness of the organization’s leadership and its members.”

An AIS Convention guest takes photos of daylilies. Photo by Lauren Errickson.

The dinner also served as an annual meeting. “During roll call,” Keihm continues, “the regional clubs stood up and waved and celebrated, cheering for each other and showing how genuinely happy they were to be part of this community. The attendees’ love for these plants and their devotion to traveling all over the country to see iris displays was palpable.”

The Convention visit to Rutgers Gardens was a resounding success. Andi Rivarola, a 2026 Convention Co-Chair, and immediate past president of the AIS, describes key aspects of their organization’s time in the gardens. “Members of The American Iris Society enjoyed a wonderful visit during the 2026 AIS National Convention. It was a delight to stroll through the gardens and see the irises thriving, displaying a spectacular rainbow of colors that only they can provide.”

Rivarola continues, “We also appreciated the beautiful shade garden, where towering trees and lush foliage created a peaceful retreat. And, according to our youngest attendees, one of the highlights of the visit was discovering frogs hiding among the pond in the iris beds—a memorable adventure that added an extra touch of fun to the day.”

Assistant Director: Horticulture Maxine Marvosa, at right, chats with AIS members. Photo by Moira Keihm.

Staff members were pleased to see their efforts caring for the horticulture displays at Rutgers Gardens rewarded with a triumphant convention visit. “All of the AIS members were so complimentary of the gardens and the iris displays that our team put together,” notes Marvosa. “We are going to stay in contact with many of the breeders who would like to evaluate other new iris varieties out at Rutgers Gardens, including Japanese irises.”

SEBS student and landscape architecture major Lohrman shares how the educational experience impacted her: “It was nice meeting the breeders of the irises I was helping to make the display labels for. It was like encountering a celebrity! Previously, I had no idea how the breeding process worked. I spoke to so many different people who were more than happy to share their knowledge.”

“I found it to be a very educational event as well as a great opportunity to connect with passionate plant people from all over the country,” says Ackerman. As part of the guest iris donation process, Rutgers Gardens gets to keep all the irises and visitors can continue to enjoy them in the display gardens in the future. Ackerman is thrilled that this collaboration has resulted in “the reintroduction of irises at Rutgers Gardens, as they will add beauty and seasonal color in our ornamental spaces for years to come.”

Assistant Director: Horticulture Marvosa looks ahead. “I was so impressed by the convention experience and how welcoming the group was that I joined the American Iris Society as a member the next day. I want to be part of and support an organization that cares so much about what they do and is so willing to welcome new people and share their knowledge with others. I look forward to working with the AIS in the future.”

A version of this article originally appeared in the July 2026 Friends of Rutgers Gardens newsletter. Subscribe to receive monthly updates from Rutgers Gardens here.

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In May 2026, members of the Rutgers food systems research team met with the Federated States of Micronesia’s Honorable Secretary of Resources and Development Elina Akinaga and Assistant Secretary Menoleen Jacob Oswalt (third and fourth from left) to discuss the developing National Agriculture and Food Security Policy.

Green Climate Fund-Supported Policy Review Meetings in Yap, Chuuk, and Kosrae Bring Evidence-Based Food Security Frameworks to Communities Most Impacted by Climate Change

A Rutgers University food systems research team has completed a series of in-person stakeholder review meetings in Yap, Chuuk, and Kosrae states of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) during April and May 2026, marking the completion of the first full cycle of community-led food security policy co-development across all four FSM states.

This milestone work, funded through the Green Climate Fund’s SAP020 project “Climate-Resilient Food Security for Farming Households Across the Federated States of Micronesia” and administered by the Micronesia Conservation Trust, delivered evidence-based, state-specific Food Security Policy Action Items to local stakeholders, not as top-down mandates, but as co-authored frameworks built from the voices and data of the communities they serve.

Building on Years of Collaborative Partnership

The April-May 2026 policy review meetings are the culmination of multi-year participatory action research that began in 2022 when the Rutgers team, led by James Simon, Distinguished Professor of Plant Biology in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS), was contracted to conduct the baseline assessment for the Green Climate Fund food security project. Since then, the food systems science team-an interdisciplinary research group based at SEBS, representing disciplines spanning agriculture, marine science, agribusiness, ethnobotany, nutrition, climate modeling, anthropology, environmental engineering and science communication has partnered with local NGOs and community organizations to survey more than 1,500 farming families and stakeholders across the FSM’s four states: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae.

The Rutgers Food Systems Science team met with Kosrae State’s food system stakeholders to review and revise Kosrae State’s Food Security Policy Action items in May 2026.

The team has partnered with the Federated States of Micronesia and the Micronesia Conservation Trust since 2021 and has worked on six food security related major projects, including the Green Climate Fund GCF SAP020 baseline assessment; FSM’s Third National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; the US Economic Development Administration Food Systems Solutions project; and Pohnpei State’s Food Security Policy and Food Production Master Plan.

The FSM, a Pacific island nation of 607 islands, faces an urgent food security crisis driven by climate change and a decades-long dependency on imported foods that replaced its once self-sustaining traditional food systems. The Rutgers team’s approach has centered community voice, cultural relevance, and indigenous knowledge at every stage of data collection and policy development. The 2025 Pohnpei State Food Security Policy, developed by the Rutgers science team in close partnership with the Pohnpei State’s Department of Resources and Development, served as a model for the state-specific frameworks now prepared for Yap, Chuuk, and Kosrae. All four state policies are structured around nine strategic goals encompassing local food production, food processing and supply chains, food safety and water security, technical training, neighboring island food security, nutrition and cultural awareness, food production policy management, import and investment policies, and community management.

Significance of the Work

Dena Seidel, cultural anthropologist and food systems researcher, and doctoral candidate Tori Rosen met with Yap State farmers Carmen and Augustine Muguy in April 2026.

The completion of state food security policy reviews across all four FSM states represents one of the most comprehensive, participatory, and evidence-based food policy development efforts yet undertaken for a Pacific island nation. The convergence of more than 1,500 mixed methods surveys, focus group and repeated in- person community convenings has produced an unprecedented body of original empirical evidence returned to the communities who generated it.

“So many people in our community have food related diseases like diabetes and heart disease. We started growing our own vegetables because we wanted healthy food for our children and we could not find it in the stores. Now we are growing for our family and for the community and we cannot keep up with demand,” said Carmen Muguy, a farmer in Yap State.

“At the national level, it is our responsibility to address the needs of the communities we serve. We appreciate and value our long-term partnership with the Rutgers team and their approach to working at the local level with stakeholders in all our FSM states,” said Elina Akinaga, FSM’s Secretary of Resources and Development.

“This work exemplifies what it means to do research with communities in support of their environmentally and culturally based food production goals,” said Simon, lead scientist for the Rutgers food systems research team in the FSM. “Data points in these policies came from FSM farmers, fishers, community leaders, and local organizations who generously shared their knowledge, aspirations, and lived experience. Our role is to ensure those voices shape the policies that will determine their food future.”

The nine-goal framework structuring each state’s Food Security Policy Action Items provides both comparability across states and sufficient flexibility to accommodate each community’s distinct agricultural resources, cultural priorities, geographic constraints, and community aspirations. As the final action items are refined through stakeholder review and formally adopted by each state government, they will mark a pivotal step toward climate-resilient, culturally grounded food sovereignty in the FSM and lay the foundation for the next phase of the partnership.

Building upon the four state food security policies, the Rutgers food systems science team is now developing the FSM National Agriculture and Food Security Policy and Food Production Master Plan 2026-2031 in close collaboration with the FSM National Department of Resources and Development and all four state governments.

Chuuk state stakeholders met with Rutgers researchers for a two-day food security workshop as part of the Food Systems Solutions Project in February of 2025.

About the FSM National Agriculture and Food Security Policy and Food Production Master Plan 2026–2031

Currently under development, the FSM National Agriculture and Food Security Policy and Food Production Master Plan 2026-2031 builds directly upon and harmonizes the four state-level Food Security Policies following their formal state approval, translating their shared vision into a coordinated national program of action aligned with the FSM Sustainable Development Plan 2024-2043. The plan’s operational centerpiece is the FSM Food Innovation Infrastructure Network: a nationally standardized, three-tiered system of Food Innovation Centers providing every FSM community with a structured entry point into the local food economy. Grounded in the same participatory action research approach, the national master plan addresses interstate food trade, national food safety certification, coordinated digital market infrastructure and the policy levers needed to attract the investment this transformation requires. The plan sets ambitious but community-validated five-year targets: a 50% increase in locally produced food available to FSM households, a 50% reduction in food import categories that can be produced within FSM, and hundreds of new food system jobs across all four states.

Members of the Rutgers Food Systems Science team met with the Micronesia Conservation Trust in May 2026 to discuss the impact of the Green Climate Fund SAP020 Baseline Assessment to inform the Federated States of Micronesia’s developing food security policies and food production master plans.

The community-led food system development model at the heart of this work reflects the same approach that has guided Simon’s basil breeding program for decades: engaging directly with growers to understand their priorities and challenges. Together, these efforts demonstrate how stakeholder-informed research can generate practical solutions that strengthen food systems, support livelihoods, and build resilience in the face of environmental and economic change.

The interdisciplinary Rutgers food systems research team working in the FSM is co-led by Dena Seidel and Ramu Govindasamy and includes, Oscar Schofield, Yariv Ben-Naim, AJ Both, Roland Hagan, Tori Rosen, Lara Brindisi and Michael Balick (New York Botanical Gardens) and Iris Arbogast (University of Chicago). Additional Rutgers faculty supporting the development of FSM food security policies include James Shope, Dave Bushek, Nolan Lewin and Kevon Rhiney, and undergraduate students Lauren Koo, Olivia Finer, Ankora Sant’Angelo and Eamon Black.

About the Green Climate Fund SAP020 Project

The Green Climate Fund’s SAP020 project, “Climate-Resilient Food Security for Farming Households Across the Federated States of Micronesia,” is the first comprehensive FSM national effort focused on increasing the resilience of the nation’s subsistence farming families, in the face of climate change. The Micronesia Conservation Trust, a Direct Access Entity within the Micronesian Region, oversees the project’s overall technical implementation. Rutgers University was contracted to conduct the project’s baseline assessment and has remained a key technical partner throughout now supporting the development of state and national food security policies.

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Faculty and staff from Rutgers Department of Animal Sciences and Rutgers Gardens gathered with undergraduate and graduate student mentors and incoming cohort of students from LAGCC, OLLU, Texas State, Bergen County College and UPR for USDA NIFA NEXTGEN Animal Science Discovery Program on June 22 at Cook Campus Center MPR.

New Sustainable Urban Agriculture track, expanded student cohort and growing institutional partnerships highlight the USDA-funded initiative preparing the next generation of agriculture professionals.

The USDA NIFA NEXTGEN Animal Science Discovery Program (ANSCId) concluded its third summer on July 10 with a closing ceremony at the Douglass Student Center, Trayes Hall, on the Rutgers–New Brunswick campus. The intensive residential experience served 36 students across three experiential learning tracks while bringing together faculty, mentors and leaders from partner institutions across the country, underscoring the program’s growing national reach.

Animal Science Discovery Program students with horse from the RU Teaching Herd.

Now in the third year of its five-year, $4.5 million USDA NIFA NEXTGEN award, ANSCId is a joint initiative between LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC)—a federally designated Hispanic-serving institution within the City University of New York system—and Rutgers University. Through immersive experiential learning, research, and mentoring, the program prepares a highly skilled workforce for careers in agriculture, food systems, veterinary medicine, and related sciences. It creates an educational pathway from New York City high schools to LAGCC and ultimately Rutgers, providing under-resourced students opportunities to pursue careers in the food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences (FANH) workforce.

“Each year we see students arrive unsure whether there is a place for them in this field, and leave knowing that there is,” said Aparna Zama, ANSCId Project Director and teaching professor and director of the undergraduate program in animal sciences at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS). “Watching that transformation happen for a third cohort—and now across three different tracks—tells us that this model works.”

Preethi Radhakrishnan, ANSCId PI/Project Director at LAGCC noted that “this pipeline model has led to the first ever animal science major being established in NYC. Over 200 students are now enrolled in the environmental science major-animal science track at LAGCC.” Ten students have transferred from LAGCC to Rutgers University on ANSCId scholarships with one student graduating in January 2026, three more expected to graduate in Spring 2027, and six others by Spring 2028.

Students participating in cell and tissue culture labs in Foran 104.

ANSCId was launched in 2024 with two tracks—the Summer Experiential Learning Program (SELP) and the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE). This year it added a third, Sustainable Urban Agriculture (SUA), expanding its focus to include community gardens, urban food production and food security.

“I’m so glad Rutgers Gardens was able to host the urban agriculture pilot program,” said Lauren Errickson, director of Rutgers Gardens and Campus Stewardship. “Connecting students and community members around food and gardening is at the core of our work at Healthy Harvest, and it was wonderful to have the LAGCC students make meaningful contributions alongside our team while gaining hands-on learning experience.”

Assistant director, Meagan Terry, added “The LAGCC urban agriculture students jumped right in with our teams on both the Rutgers Gardens Student Farm as well as our Healthy Harvest urban agriculture expansion of both the community garden and in-ground food production. Through rain, extreme heat, and everything-in-between they displayed positivity, tenacity, and grit alongside our crew seven hours each day. We are grateful for their contributions to expand our growing areas with Healthy Harvest, and for participating in all farm activities during their three weeks.  We hope to continue learning from each other and stay connected as they progress in their urban agriculture journey”. 

This summer’s cohort included 29 students in SELP, four in SURE and three in the inaugural SUA track. Participants explored veterinary and human health careers through anatomy laboratories, animal handling and husbandry, cell culture, laboratory and field research, sustainable urban agriculture, community gardens and farmers market operations. All three tracks incorporated USDA workforce development activities, including résumé writing, interview preparation and career exploration.

From left to right, Ed Sanchez (BCC), Aparna Zama (Rutgers), Douglas Morrish (Texas State University), and Chuck Keeton (Vice Provost of Experiential Learning, Rutgers-New Brunswick).

A hallmark of the program’s growth this year was the participation of students and faculty from Our Lady of the Lake University, Texas State University, the University of Puerto Rico, and Bergen Community College. Speakers at the closing ceremony included Doug Morrish, associate dean for Student Success in the College of Science and Engineering at Texas State University and project director of the Texas State RAISE NEXTGEN grant, and Edward Sanchez, project director of the Bergen NEXTGEN Program for Food and Agricultural Sciences. Their participation reflected ANSCId’s growing role within a national network of institutions preparing the next generation of agriculture professionals.

Morrish said, “We were honored to participate in the USDA NIFA NEXTGEN Animal Science Discovery Program offered by Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. This program provided six Texas State University Department of Agricultural Sciences students with an exceptional experiential learning opportunity. Through hands-on exposure to animal science research, industry innovation, and career development, these students gained valuable skills and professional networks that will help prepare them to become the next generation of leaders in agriculture. This investment by USDA NIFA strengthens our commitment to developing a highly skilled agricultural workforce capable of addressing the evolving challenges and opportunities facing animal agriculture.”

“Animals are special creatures who need special people to understand and care for them,” said Sanchez. “The Rutgers Animal Science Discovery Program successfully united a cohort of students with the compassion to provide that care. They are the next leaders in animal stewardship.”

Morrish and Sanchez were joined by Rutgers leaders Laura Lawson, Executive Dean of SEBS; Ann Gould, Dean of Academic Programs at SEBS; Chuck Keeton, Vice Provost of Experiential Learning at Rutgers–New Brunswick; and Carolyn Moehling, Senior Vice Provost and Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education at Rutgers–New Brunswick.

“The students had incredible experiences and learned so much about animal science as a field and a career,” said Keeton. “They worked really hard and flourished thanks to support and encouragement from many Rutgers faculty, staff and students. All in all, this program is a model of immersive, hands-on learning.”

Christopher Nytch, project director of the IINSTAR-AS NEXTGEN Project at the University of Puerto Rico, said, “We are thrilled and appreciative that two undergraduate fellows from the IINSTAR-AS project at the University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras Campus could participate in the Summer 2026 Animal Science Discovery Program at Rutgers University. The experience provided unmatched practical training in animal sciences, offering a unique perspective that enriches our students’ academic journeys in environmental sciences and directly aligns with the goals of the USDA-NIFA NEXTGEN program.”

With three established learning tracks, expanding institutional partnerships and a growing network of NEXTGEN collaborators, ANSCId enters the second half of its USDA NIFA award positioned to deepen its impact. The initiative reflects Rutgers’ commitment to experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration and preparing a workforce equipped to address the future challenges of FANH careers.

“This is bigger than any one campus,” Zama said. “It takes faculty, staff, undergraduate peer mentors, graduate student mentors, community college partners, and now sister programs in other states all pulling together in the same direction. We are grateful for the continued funding from USDA NIFA, which supports American farmers, ranchers and producers while strengthening veterinary education and biomedical research.”

Students holding piglets in front of the farrowing house at the Rutgers Farm.

ABOUT ANSCId
The Animal Science Discovery Program (ANSCId) is a five-year, $4.5 million initiative funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under its “From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals” (NEXTGEN) program. A partnership between LaGuardia Community College and Rutgers University–New Brunswick, ANSCId provides paid experiential learning, transfer scholarships, peer mentoring, and career development to build a  pipeline of professionals in animal science and related fields. ANSCId is one of 33 programs funded under the USDA-NIFA NEXTGEN initiative, a $262.5 million investment supporting training for more than 20,000 future food and agricultural leaders nationwide. At Rutgers, the program builds on an articulation agreement that allows LAGCC students who earn an associate’s degree in environmental science with an animal science focus to seamlessly transfer and complete an undergraduate degree in animal sciences. The program also supports its participants through ANSCId scholarships for LAGCC students, reinforcing the transfer-and-completion pipeline at the heart of the initiative.

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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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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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Dr. James Shope (left) discusses the measurement of surface temperature with students. Photo credit: Sharon Kinsey

As summer temperatures climb, so does the risk of extreme heat—now recognized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States. In cities such as Camden, where buildings, pavement, and other infrastructure trap heat and create higher temperatures than surrounding areas, understanding the impacts of urban heat has become increasingly important.

Rutgers researchers, Extension educators, humanities scholars, and community partners are working together to help address that challenge through the Community Heat Assessment and Monitoring Program (CHAMP), an interdisciplinary initiative that combines climate science, community engagement and creative storytelling.

Dr. Jillian Sayre (left) and Dr. Carla Giaudrone making zines with students in the Cooper’s Poynt 4-H STEM Environmental Ambassadors Program. 

Co-led by Ben Lintner, professor, and James Shope, assistant extension specialist in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Rutgers–New Brunswick, CHAMP has established a network of weather stations throughout Camden to collect neighborhood-scale temperature and environmental data. The information will help researchers better understand how extreme heat affects different parts of the city while supporting locally driven solutions.

According to Shope, “CHAMP’s goal is to both provide the scientific foundation for assessing extreme heat risk and to work with residents to use this information to improve or elevate community-led adaptations to extreme urban heat.”

Recognizing that data alone cannot fully capture the impacts of extreme heat, the CHAMP team has partnered with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities (MARCH) at Rutgers–Camden to better understand residents’ lived experiences.

One of those collaborations is the VOCES de La Comunidad Project, led by Carla Giaudrone, associate professor in the Department of World Languages and Cultures at Rutgers–Camden, and supported by the Rutgers–Camden Urban Innovation Fund. The initiative engages Camden’s Spanish-speaking community through collaborative research, artistic expression, and the development of community resources.

By bringing together climate science, environmental humanities, and digital storytelling, the project demonstrates how creative practices can strengthen research, communication, and community engagement.

Giaudrone emphasized the importance of creating opportunities where scientific knowledge and community knowledge intersect, noting that “Art and storytelling help make complex environmental issues more accessible while also valuing the experiences and expertise that already exist within the community.”

Erielys Vicente teaching a workshop on digital zines. Photo credit: Carmen Benito-Asomoza.

That interdisciplinary approach recently came to life during an educational program at Neighborhood Collaborative Community Gardens’ Byron Street gardens. CHAMP researchers partnered with MARCH, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Camden County, and Neighborhood Collaborative Community Gardens to introduce students from Cooper’s Poynt School to the science behind urban heat islands.

Students learned from Shope, Lintner, and Stephanie Sharo, a doctoral student in the Graduate Program in Atmospheric Science, about the causes and impacts of urban heat islands before using infrared thermometers to collect surface temperature data throughout the gardens.

“It is integral for transdisciplinary research to include community members, and it is so much fun to watch the kids’ excitement as they find creative ways to explore their natural world,” said Sharo.

The students then transformed scientific observation into creative expression during a workshop led by MARCH Director Jillian Sayre, Giaudrone, Camden County 4-H Program Assistant and VOCES intern Erielys Vicente, and Rutgers–Camden undergraduate Carmen Benito-Asomoza. Through self-published zines combining artwork, writing, and educational content, students reflected on their own experiences with extreme heat in Camden.

For Sharon Kinsey, 4-H agent with Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Camden County, the event built on years of collaboration with Cooper’s Poynt School while demonstrating the value of experiential learning.

“We have been working with Cooper’s Poynt students for several years now teaching them about food systems, food access, and food insecurity. Introducing scientific concepts, such as urban heat islands, in a hands-on way helps them better understand how they are personally affected and what they can do to improve the environment. Programs like this prepare students to become changemakers in their own community.”

By integrating scientific research, community partnerships, youth engagement, and creative storytelling, the initiative demonstrates how Rutgers is helping communities better understand and respond to the growing challenges of extreme urban heat, a risk underscored by NOAA’s findings on the deadly impacts of extreme temperatures.

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Site sketches.

What if a walk across campus could be as restorative as it is educational?

That question is inspiring a new vision for the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS), where faculty, students, and campus leaders are exploring how the grounds of the George H. Cook Campus might evolve into a Health and Wellness Arboretum—a living landscape that supports learning, research, environmental stewardship, and human well-being.

For generations, college campuses have served as shared spaces where students, faculty, and staff live, work, study, and connect. At SEBS, the campus already offers a rich mosaic of forests, farms, gardens, open spaces, and historic landscapes. The emerging Health and Wellness Arboretum concept asks a simple but transformative question: How might these landscapes be intentionally connected and enhanced to support the health of both people and the environment?

This spring, students in the Planting Design course taught by Holly Grace Nelson, professor of practice in the Department of Landscape Architecture, took on that challenge. Through a semester-long design exploration, students imagined the campus as more than a collection of labeled trees. Instead, they envisioned a network of themed “tree gardens” and health and wellness landscapes linked by an arboretum loop that would connect existing forests, trails, agricultural lands, gardens, and other campus features.

Their vision builds upon the traditional role of an arboretum as a living museum dedicated to the cultivation, study, and conservation of trees and woody plants. While arboreta have long served as centers for scientific research, education, biodiversity conservation, and recreation, the Health and Wellness Arboretum expands that mission by intentionally integrating human wellness into the landscape experience.

The project began with listening.

Students organized a design charrette that brought together faculty, staff, and students from across the campus community to discuss what makes outdoor spaces meaningful, welcoming, and restorative. The conversations generated ideas about accessibility, environmental education, quiet reflection, social connection, and opportunities for physical activity.

Jason Grabosky, professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, and director of the Rutgers Urban Forestry Program, shared his work documenting and geolocating significant campus trees. His insights highlighted the extraordinary diversity of the campus landscape and the ecological stories already embedded within its forests and tree collections.

Patty Oehmke, director of wellness at SEBS and professor of practice in the Department of Family and Community Health Sciences, encouraged students to think beyond traditional notions of health. Drawing on the eight dimensions of wellness, she challenged participants to consider how landscapes might support emotional, social, cultural, spiritual, intellectual, occupational, environmental, and physical well-being.

The resulting ideas ranged from contemplative garden spaces and outdoor classrooms to sensory plantings, wellness walking routes, interpretive signage, gathering spaces, and immersive nature experiences designed to encourage reflection, movement, and connection.

The initiative aligns closely with Rutgers’ broader commitment to sustainability and environmental leadership. Increasingly, colleges and universities are recognizing that campus landscapes can serve multiple purposes simultaneously—as classrooms, research sites, biodiversity refuges, community gathering spaces, and places that contribute to mental and physical health.

A Health and Wellness Arboretum also reflects the growing understanding that human health is deeply connected to environmental health. Exposure to nature has been associated with reduced stress, improved mood, enhanced cognitive function, and increased opportunities for physical activity. By weaving these principles into the design and management of campus landscapes, institutions can create environments that actively support learning and well-being.

The concept continues to gain momentum this summer as landscape architecture junior Saanvi Bhattarai further develops some of the most promising ideas through the Public Design Internship Program in Landscape Architecture, funded through a grant secured by Nelson. Based in Rutgers Institutional Planning and Operations, Bhattarai is working with Brian Clemson, University Landscape Architect, to explore how student-generated concepts might inform future campus planning efforts. Co-directed by Clemson and Nelson, the internship provides an opportunity to advance the Health and Wellness Arboretum vision beyond the classroom, connecting academic design exploration with real-world campus planning and landscape stewardship.

For Nelson, the initiative represents an opportunity to connect the strengths of SEBS—its expertise in environmental science, agriculture, ecology, design, and human well-being—into a unified vision for the future.

“A Health and Wellness Arboretum ties together our campus grounds with our campus mission for a healthy and sustainable future,” Nelson said. “It invites us to think about how every landscape can support learning, stewardship, community, and wellness while reinforcing our responsibility to balance the wellbeing of all living organisms with the health of the earth.”

As the concept evolves, the Health and Wellness Arboretum offers a compelling vision for what a modern land-grant campus can be: a living laboratory, a place of discovery, and a landscape designed not only to educate, but also to nurture.

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New Jersey 4-H Leadership Academy 2026 participants L-R: Rylie Fellin, Aditi Anand, Aily Wei, Ethan Karuru, and Raima Bera.

Five New Jersey 4-H teen members traveled to Washington, D.C., from May 19–21, 2026, to participate in the national 4-H Leadership Academy, a program that aims to develop young leaders into lifelong problem-solvers who are passionate about tackling society’s biggest challenges. Representing New Jersey 4-H were Aditi Anand (Middlesex County), Raima Bera (Morris County), Rylie Fellin (Somerset County), Ethan Karuru (Bergen County), and Aily Wei (Essex County).

The academy was founded by Joel Roth, an Atlanta-based businessman and philanthropist who believed that an investment in 4-H was an investment in society through the next generation of leaders. Prior to his passing in spring 2025, Roth spoke about his motivation for establishing the 4-H Leadership Academy.

“The problems facing our society are getting bigger and bigger, and more and more lasting. It’s increasingly important that we prepare young people to be thoughtful, effective leaders who are well positioned to take on these challenges. 4-H’s national reach, university-backed expertise, network of highly trained educators, in-person and virtual programming options, and longstanding reputation make them the perfect positive youth development partner for this new academy.”

Across the United States, 4-H clubs and camps form the youth component of a partnership among local, state, and federal governments and public land-grant universities. In New Jersey, 4-H Youth Development is a department within Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE). Faculty and staff are based in each of New Jersey’s 21 counties, delivering research-based, evidence-backed science from the university to families throughout the Garden State.

“Programs offered through 4-H provide youth an opportunity to not only learn, but to share what they’ve learned. I believe that the young people involved in the 4-H Leadership Academy embody this to the fullest,” said Matthew Newman, chair of the Department of 4-H Youth Development.

New Jersey is one of five states invited to participate in the program, along with Ohio, Minnesota, Alabama, and Idaho. Each state selected five high school sophomores to represent their state over the next two years. These teens will complete a rigorous leadership curriculum covering topics including critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and civic engagement. Participants will also identify and research a community issue and develop and carry out a plan of action in collaboration with local community leaders.

2026 4-H Leadership Academy teen participants and national leadership team members.

From May 19–21, Aditi, Raima, Rylie, Ethan, and Aily met in Washington, D.C., to kick off the two-year program alongside fellow participants, national stakeholders, representatives from National 4-H Council, congressional 4-H alumni, and national 4-H award recipients. In addition to program activities, the teens explored U.S. history through tours of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, the Lincoln Memorial, and a nighttime bus tour of the city. Although their time together was brief, the 25 participants bonded quickly, and no one wanted to say goodbye. The group’s next in-person gathering will be held in spring 2028 for the Capstone Project Showcase.

“The youth participating in this program represent a wide range of lived experiences but share the same desire to positively impact their communities,” said Kelly Dziak, 4-H agent and state contact for the program. “Each teen’s unique perspective adds depth to conversations and provides insight into the complexity of community barriers. Participants work together to share ideas for solutions and resources.”

The New Jersey 4-H youth are supported throughout the program by Kelly Dziak, Morris County 4-H agent, and their adult 4-H mentors: Rodrigo Sanchez Hernandez (Hudson County), Alyssa Glynn (Bergen County), Laura Bovitz (Middlesex County), Lisa Rothenburger (Somerset County), Marissa Staffen (Essex County), and Valerie Smit (Morris County). Additional support is provided by Harry Brochinsky, 4-H administrator.

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Grayson Tung, Senior Coordinator for the Pesticide Safety Education Program, RCE.

We are pleased to announce that Grayson Tung has joined Rutgers Cooperative Extension as the new Senior Coordinator for the Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP).

As Senior Coordinator of PSEP, he will help lead statewide educational and certification programs for pesticide applicators across New Jersey. The Rutgers Pesticide Safety Education Program provides training and educational resources to farmers, landscapers, pest management professionals, mosquito control personnel, and other stakeholders to support safe, effective, and legally compliant pesticide use throughout the state. 

Tung brings strong expertise in insect biology, applied entomology, education, and public engagement. We are excited to welcome him to Rutgers and look forward to the many contributions he will make to Rutgers Cooperative Extension and New Jersey integrated pest and mosquito management.

Please join us in welcoming Grayson Tung to Rutgers University!

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