VT News: Susan Day honored with top arboriculture research award

From VT News:

Susan Day, associate professor of urban forestry in Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment, is this year’s recipient of the International Society of Arboriculture’s L.C. Chadwick Award of Arboricultural Research. This award of distinction is given to individuals to recognize their investigation and analysis and its valuable contribution to arboriculture.

Read the entire article here: https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2017/09/cnre-susandayisaaward.html

Job Posting: Assistant Farm Manager, Dining Services Farm

The Dining Services Farm at Kentland Farm is a farm-to-campus program at Virginia Tech that provides hands-on education for students and produces vegetables, fruit, and herbs on six acres for campus dining centers.  The Assistant Farm Manager will provide technical support in crop production at the Dining Services Farm and in a high tunnel at the Urban Horticulture Center.  This position will also be responsible for managing a pilot hydroponic project located in Owens Dining Hall.  This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a unique and growing program that advances the sustainability of the food and farming system of Virginia Tech and the surrounding community.  Please follow the link below for more details of the position responsibilities and qualifications, and to apply.

https://listings.jobs.vt.edu/postings/78643

 

Job Announcement: Director for the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences

Applications are invited for the position of Founding Director of the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech. The new School will be a national and international leader for improving human well-being and quality of life through learning, discovery and engagement in plant and environmental sciences. The School’s faculty will integrate fundamental discovery as well as applied science to enhance plant and soil health, protect water resources and quality, improve food security, design intelligent human landscapes, and promote environmental stewardship. The School will integrate three outstanding departments that share certain mission elements: Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Horticulture, and Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science. These units already share cross-cutting interdisciplinary research, and will be further connected through undergraduate curricula and linked graduate programs, as well as through statewide Research, Extension and Outreach activities. The School will initially consist of 86 affiliated faculty and postdocs, 64 staff, and over 100 graduate students, and will have over $8M in annual research expenditures. The School will provide an unparalleled opportunity for interdisciplinary research in the food, energy, water nexus as part of a new University focus on Global Systems Science.

The director will provide leadership for the design and implementation of the curricula, infrastructure, and new hires for the School. The responsibilities of the Director will be to provide strategic leadership and vision for the School, effectively oversee administrative, fiscal and human resource matters, advocate with external stakeholders, and pursue development opportunities. In addition to those core responsibilities, the Director will actively conduct impactful scholarship within the School’s mission. The individual will be hired at full Professor rank, with the expectation of tenure.

Applicants must apply online (https://listings.jobs.vt.edu, use posting # TR0170012).  When applying for this position, please include in the online application a Curriculum vitae, a cover letter summarizing leadership philosophy and vision for the position, along with the names of three references who may be contacted. Inquiries concerning the position or application process should be directed to Dr. Glenda Gillaspy (gillaspy@vt.edu).  Applications received by September 15, 2017, will receive full consideration, but applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

 

Congratulations to Paul Chumbley, CALS June Employee of the Month!

Pictured left to right are Lisa Lipsey, Paul Chumbley, Alan Grant, and Richard Veilleux

Congratulations to the June Employee of the Month – Paul Chumbley, Horticulturist with Department of Horticulture

Paul’s nominator praised his work ethic and attitude  “He makes hard work fun.  With a positive attitude and a smile, Paul comes everyday to work at the Hahn Horticulture Garden with a willingness to help his co-workers, to guide and instruct student interns and volunteers, and to work diligently to make the Hahn Garden the most beautiful place on the Virginia Tech campus.

In addition to his prescribed work, Paul has over the years mentored numerous students, not just those pursuing a horticulture degree, but many from diverse backgrounds and disciplines.  He instructs students in Public Garden Maintenance and Landscape Construction classes as they work in the Hahn Garden on specific maintenance and expansion projects.  He guides student interns and workers showing by example how best to accomplish tasks, giving them invaluable real-world experience. 

…  He makes annual events –  such as the spring Plant Sale in partnership with The Horticulture Club, our Garden Gala, our Art in the Garden exhibit, and our Christmas Open House – happen with ease and enthusiasm.  He is inventive when problem solving, respectful of his co-workers, and proud of his work here at Virginia Tech.  He stays current in his job by attending seminars and classes outside the University, traveling to industry trade shows, and visiting industry leaders in our state. “

As the June Employee of the Month, Paul received a plaque, gifts from the college, has his photo displayed in the case in Hutcheson Hall, and will be eligible to be considered for the 2016-17 Employee of the Year award.

(This write-up and photo is from Stephanie Stockholm’s email to the CALS listserv)