The Kickoff Welcome Event. Top row, left to right: Ari Daniel, Sage Lichtenwalner, Brian Schilling, John Krasting, Kay Bidle, Rachel Thibodeau-Nielsen, Susan Renoe, Ashley Schwab, and Travis Miles. Bottom row, left to right: Mitaali Taskar, Sue Shapses, Janice McDonnell, Petronela Radu, Mónica Bugallo, Margaret Duffy, Christine Kirchhoff, Melissa Libertus, and Nicole Fahrenfeld.

In early August, Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS) hosted the Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS) 2026 Research Fellowship Kickoff at the Rutgers University Inn and Conference Center. Organized by SEBS Associate Dean of Research Impact Janice McDonnell and ARIS Executive Director Susan Renoe, associate vice chancellor for research, extension and engagement at the University of Missouri, the kickoff brought together the 2025 and 2026 ARIS Research Fellows for professional development and science storytelling training.

Oscar Schofield spoke on RUCOOL’s monitoring work.

The ARIS Research Fellowship supports researchers in creating a coherent, leadership-driven strategy that centers why research matters, how it can drive change, and how it can continue to improve society. The 2026 fellows include Nicole Fahrenfeld, Rutgers University professor and Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Director; Mónica Bugallo (Stony Brook University); Casey Canfield (Missouri University of Science & Technology, attended virtually); Erin James (University of Idaho); Christine Kirchhoff (Pennsylvania State University); and Divya Sitaraman (California State University, East Bay, who was unable to attend).

Kevin Lyons spoke on designing projects with impact in mind.

During the kickoff, fellows were guided through their own leadership journeys by Margaret Duffy, executive director of the Novak Leadership Institute at the University of Missouri, who spoke about the power of personal branding and impact mapping. They also explored a Rutgers case study on building a culture of research impact. Department Chair Oscar Schofield led a tour of the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences and discussed how the department has cultivated its impact culture, as well as its role within the Rutgers University Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (RUCOOL). Fellows also heard case studies highlighting partnerships among communities, universities, and industry from Kevin Lyons, director of the Rutgers Business School Public Private Community Partnership Program.

Fellows also received science storytelling training from Ari Daniel, an independent radio producer whose work has appeared on media platforms including NPR and The New York Times.  James reflected on the importance of storytelling through her unique perspective as a professor of English.

“Training in narrative and emotional literacy makes scientists better tellers and receivers of information,” she said.

“You can’t do science without narrative,” she added. “Even a hypothesis is asking, ‘What if?'”

Ari Daniels (second from the right) and Margaret Duffy (third from the left) mid-discussion during an icebreaker exercise.

The 2026 fellows were joined by last year’s inaugural cohort, which included Kay Bidle (Rutgers University), Melissa Libertus (Case Western Reserve University), Roger Narayan (University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University), Petronela Radu (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), and Rachel Thibodeau-Nielsen (University of Missouri). Having visited Rutgers for their own kickoff last year, they shared insights into the value of the fellowship with this year’s participants.

“ARIS is a state of mind,” said Radu, chair of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

2026 Fellows Mónica Bugallo and Erin James, mid-discussion.

As part of her fellowship, she collaborated with more than a dozen units across campus through activities that promoted interdisciplinary thinking, including research roundtables, science movie screenings, and experiential learning initiatives. Along the way, she gained an appreciation for the leadership and communication skills required to shift institutional culture.

Libertus also reflected on how the fellowship’s emphasis on leadership development influenced her own career trajectory. Within the past year, she transitioned from professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh to chair of the Department of Psychology at Case Western Reserve University.

“After the success of the first kickoff at Rutgers, we were so pleased to welcome these fellows again,” said Janice McDonnell, SEBS associate dean of research impact and a member of the ARIS leadership team. “It is heartening to see them grow and embrace new opportunities to change the research impact culture within their disciplines and universities.”

2026 Fellows Nicole Fahrenfeld (left) and Casey Canfield (center, virtual) mid-discussion with 2025 Fellow Petronela Radu (right).

Bugallo, interim vice president for research and innovation at Stony Brook University, reflected that gathering at Rutgers gave the fellows an opportunity to consider what they hoped to accomplish during the fellowship and beyond.

“It is a space without judgment, where we can reflect openly on the opportunities ahead,” she said. “The power in this room is our shared passion for the broader impact of research and for making a meaningful difference in society.”

By the close of the kickoff, both fellow cohorts returned home with plans to remain connected and collaborate throughout the coming year. Their training will continue over the next year, culminating in presentations of their fellowship projects at the upcoming ARIS Summit.

About ARIS
The Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS), formerly the National Alliance for Broader Impacts, was founded in 2014 and is the largest societal impact community organization in the United States. ARIS supports practitioners, researchers, and communities in achieving positive societal impact. With more than 1,800 members worldwide, ARIS offers resources, certifications, and programs that build capacity, strengthen partnerships, and advance scholarship. Visit researchinsociety.org.

Editor’s note: This article was written by Mitaali Taskar, Research Project Coordinator II with Rutgers Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Geysers erupt at Yellowstone National Park, whose geothermal landscape includes the hot, acidic springs where ancient red algae support diverse microbial communities. Photo: Debashish Bhattacharya

Rutgers researchers reveal how ancient organisms drive microbial communities and may yield tools for biotechnology

Ancient single-celled red algae that thrive in scalding, acidic waters are emerging as far more than specialized survivors.

Research by Rutgers evolutionary biologist Debashish Bhattacharya and his collaborators show that the organisms, known as Cyanidiophyceae, form the foundation of entire microbial ecosystems, providing new insights into how complex life may have evolved and adapted to some of Earth’s harshest environments.

“They are like a work of art,” said Bhattacharya, a Distinguished Professor with the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology in the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. “This is a success story a billion years in the making.” 

The work is reshaping scientists’ understanding of the Cyanidiophyceae, which are an ancient branch of red algae whose ancestors diverged from other red algae about eons years ago.

From left, retired Montana State University professor Timothy McDermott; Julia Van Etten, who earned her doctorate at Rutgers and is now an assistant professor at the University of Maryland; and Gabrielle Panayotakis, a doctoral student in Rutgers’ microbial biology program, search for samples at Nymph Creek in Yellowstone National Park. Photo: Debashish Bhattacharya

Bhattacharya is a coauthor of a review published in New Phytologist that brings together findings from his Rutgers research group and scientists around the world. Cyanidiophyceae arose about 1.2 billion years ago, long after the planet’s first cells evolved, so they are not direct representatives of life on early Earth. But the way these algae sustain microbial communities in hot springs may resemble how much older ecosystems functioned, when bacteria rather than algae likely served as the primary producers. 

Bhattacharya said the algae also may hold practical value. Their enzymes evolved to function under heat, acidity and exposure to toxic metals, conditions that disable many ordinary enzymes. He and other researchers hope those biological tools could eventually be used in pollution cleanup, wastewater treatment and industrial manufacturing.

At the center of Bhattacharya’s research is the algae’s role as primary producers, organisms that use sunlight to create food and energy supporting an ecosystem. Through photosynthesis, they release organic forms of carbon that sustains surrounding bacteria and archaea, the latter are single-celled organisms that resemble bacteria but belong to a separate branch of life.

“The algae are the primary producers in these ecosystems,” Bhattacharya said. “Through photosynthesis, they release pulses of carbon over the day-night cycle, and the bacteria and archaea around them respond.”

Yellowstone National Park is a pivotal site for Rutgers evolutionary biologist Debashish Bhattacharya’s research on ancient red algae, which thrive in the park’s hot, acidic springs and help sustain diverse microbial communities. From left are Bhattacharya and his collaborators Gabrielle Panayotakis, Timothy McDermott and Julia Van Etten. Photo: Debashish Bhattacharya

Bhattacharya’s Rutgers group and its collaborators study the algae at Lemonade Creek and other hot springs in Yellowstone National Park. Water emerging from geothermal springs is initially too hot to support them. As it flows downstream and cools to between about 97 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit, Cyanidiophyceae become the dominant life form.

Despite their name, the algae do not appear red. Their ancestors lost phycoerythrin, the pigment that gives many red algae their color, leaving the green of chlorophyll visible. 

The researchers found that two Cyanidiophyceae species divide the habitat by time of day. Cyanidioschyzon merolae is highly active during daylight, using photosynthesis to produce carbon-rich compounds that feed nearby microbes. Galdieria yellowstonensis conducts less photosynthesis during peak daylight and becomes more active at night, consuming carbon already available in the environment.

In ongoing research, Bhattacharya’s team tracked microbial gene activity throughout the day and night. Some bacteria followed the rise and fall of the algae’s photosynthesis, while others became more active after sunset. “The algae are the true drivers of this ecosystem,” Bhattacharya said. “The microbes around them are responding to their photosynthetic activity.”

The Yellowstone sites also reveal how quickly life can adapt. Temperature, acidity, moisture, sunlight and metal concentrations can vary across only a few centimeters among stream water, nearby soil and spaces inside volcanic rock. Each habitat may support a distinct community of algae, bacteria and viruses.

“You end up with this hidden biodiversity within centimeters of each other,” Bhattacharya said.

Genetic analyses by the team show that even populations of the same algal species can begin to diverge in their DNA sequence when one occupies water and another lives in nearby soil, demonstrating how local conditions can drive adaptation over small distances.

Rutgers researchers also explore the algae’s unusual genetic history.

Studies by Bhattacharya and other scientists have shown that the organisms acquired genes from bacteria and archaea through horizontal gene transfer, a process in which genetic material moves between unrelated organisms. Bhattacharya described it as the algae “stealing” useful genes from neighboring microbes.

Those borrowed genes helped the algae tolerate acidity, use new carbon sources and survive exposure to toxic metals, according to the scientists.

In a separate paper published in Trends in Microbiology, Bhattacharya and his colleagues proposed the Integrated Horizontal Gene Transfer Model, which suggests that sharing resources and survival functions within microbial communities may have influenced how the borrowed genes evolved. It could help explain how cells developed new abilities while maintaining small, efficient genomes.

Bhattacharya and his colleagues used arsenic and mercury to illustrate two different survival strategies. Evidence from Yellowstone suggests that different organisms may perform different steps in response to arsenic.

“Arsenic detoxification is a community affair,” Bhattacharya said.

Mercury presents a different challenge, the researchers found. Because it is extremely toxic, organisms cannot safely depend on neighboring species. Individual bacteria and algae instead maintain their own genes for converting mercury into a less harmful form.

Other studies summarized in the New Phytologist review have overturned another long-standing belief about the algae: For more than a century, scientists thought Cyanidiophyceae reproduced only by making copies of themselves through a process known as mitosis. Researchers now know the algae also have a sexual life cycle and can switch between forms with different numbers of chromosome sets. Scientists are investigating which environmental conditions trigger that change.

These days, Bhattacharya is exploring whether the algae and their microbial partners contain enzymes capable of working under extreme heat, acidity and metal exposure. Such enzymes could eventually prove useful in environmental cleanup and industrial processes.

For Bhattacharya, those possibilities increase directly from fundamental research. Scientists first need to understand how the algae grow, reproduce and interact with surrounding microbes before they can determine which of their unusual abilities can be put to work, he said.

This article first appeared in Rutgers Today.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What do people need to understand better about climate?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This article first appeared in Rutgers Today.

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New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health.

Announcement by Laura Lawson, SEBS Executive Dean and NJAES Executive Director

I am pleased to announce new leadership for the Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health (IFNH), positioning the institute to further advance Rutgers University’s commitment to excellence in food, nutrition, health, and community engagement. I would like to thank the faculty members whose contributions through working groups, the IFNH retreat, and faculty committees helped create this strong foundation for the institute’s future.

Dr. Sue Shapses, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences.

Effective July 1, Dr. Sue Shapses has been appointed Director of the Rutgers Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health (IFNH). A Distinguished Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Sue has been a Rutgers faculty member for more than 35 years and has served as Director of the NEXT Metabolism Center since 2019. She also holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society for Nutrition.

An internationally recognized researcher, Sue’s work focuses on the nutritional regulation of obesity, osteoporosis, endocrinology, and healthy aging. Throughout her career, she has led multidisciplinary research teams, served on national committees for the National Institutes of Health, NASA, and the Institute of Medicine, and built collaborations across Rutgers and beyond.

As Director, Sue will lead IFNH in advancing a renewed vision that positions the institute as a research-driven hub focused on food, nutrition, and health while strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration, communication, outreach, and experiential learning. Building on the recommendations from the faculty retreat and steering committee, IFNH will foster new research partnerships, strengthen support for grant development and data science, enhance communication and knowledge translation, and expand opportunities for students and communities to engage with Rutgers research. Through this work, IFNH will continue to connect discovery with real-world impact across New Jersey and beyond.

Dr. Cara Cuite, Associate Extension Specialist in the Department of Human Ecology.

I am also pleased to announce that effective July 1, Dr. Cara Cuite has been appointed Associate Director of Community and Student Engagement at IFNH. As part of IFNH’s renewed vision, this position will strengthen IFNH’s impact with a strengthened focus on outreach, extension, and community engagement, helping translate research into meaningful impact for students and communities. An Associate Extension Specialist in the Department of Human Ecology, Cara’s scholarship focuses on food, nutrition, health, risk communication, and public engagement. She has been a leader in Rutgers’ efforts to address student food insecurity and basic needs and has played a key role in RU Engaged, Rutgers’ university-wide initiative to strengthen community-engaged scholarship and partnerships.

As Associate Director of Community and Student Engagement at IFNH, Cara will champion the growth of IFNH as a welcoming gateway connecting students, faculty, staff, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, and community partners through experiential learning, research, outreach, and engagement focused on food systems, nutrition, agriculture, health, sustainability, and food access. She will lead the outreach and extension arm of IFNH, helping translate research into action through community partnerships, cooperative extension programming, student engagement, and workforce development opportunities.

Cara will expand IFNH outreach by initiating new programs and connecting with existing programs, including the Healthy Harvest initiative, and associated campus sites, including Jones Avenue, the Rutgers Student Farm, and our farmers’ markets. 

Together, Sue and Cara will help build a more integrated and impactful future for IFNH- one that strengthens research excellence while connecting Rutgers’ research, teaching, Extension, and engagement missions to improve food, nutrition, health, and well-being throughout New Jersey and beyond.

Please join me in congratulating Sue and Cara on their new leadership roles. We look forward to working with them as they guide IFNH into an exciting future era of growth, collaboration, and impact.

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