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| FDWSRU Equal Opportunity/Civil Rights Workforce Diversity and Outreach Initiatives Calendar of Events |
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Fiscal Year 2009
FDWSRU Equal Opportunity/Civil Rights Workforce Diversity and Outreach Initiatives Calendar of Events for Fiscal Year 2009
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October |
Towson University Student visit – As part of the National Interagency Biodefense Campus and Confederation (NICBR), USDA-ARS presented the Unit mission (Doug Luster) and student outreach opportunities (Diana Sherman) to 50 students (mostly minority students), then 12 students visited the plant containment building and spoke with researchers.
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November |
Recruitment of a pant pathologist was extended to all HBCU, HSI and Tribal colleges by sending a copy of the vacancy announcement to those institutions for distribution to interested applicants. A direct result of the recruit effort was the hiring of a female plant pathologist.
Dr. Paul Tooley as an invited speaker at the Plant Biosecurity Conference at Southern University and spoke to graduate students giving career advice in the area of research representing ARS.
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December |
Dr. Bill Bruckart, hosted a female student interested in a scientific career and provided tour of Location facilities. As a result, this student was hired by another scientist as a student intern. |
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February |
Diana Sherman, working for the Location, ensured student intern summer positions were advertised via email to HBCU, HSI, Tribal Colleges. She also encouraged and facilitated participation in the Frederick County Workforce Internship program, this program targets minority and underprivileged students, resulting in one intern through the program.
Mr. Peterson recruited an STEP African American Biological Science Lab to assist with summer research efforts. |
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March |
Dr. Doug Luster spoke to Leadership Frederick, a group of Frederick County Maryland business, government, and education professionals, about the ARS, FDWSRU research and mission.
Dr. Bill Bruckart and Dr. Erin Schuenzel involved as “hosts” for the Potomac Division, American Phytopathological Society Meeting in Gettysburg, PA. Dr. Schuenzel ensured that local colleges/university undergraduates were provided information on the event to broaden the opportunity for diversity in representation in future ARS scientific staff. |
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April |
Dr. Tooley recruited a TERM Biological Science Technician was extended to all HBCU, HSI and Tribal colleges by sending a copy of the vacancy announcement to those institutions for distribution to interested applicants. |
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May |
In conjunction with the Spring Research Festival, the USDA participated in the NICBR Open House, Doug and Diana presented the Unit mission and student outreach opportunities to 50+ students, faculty and mission partner employees. Offered a visit to the plant containment building.
One scientist and two technicians were scientific poster judges at the Ft. Detrick Research Festival. |
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Future Link – Student Professional Development Conference – This conference is an opportunity to connect with 10th grade high school students from Frederick County Public Schools. The students participate in numerous sessions at Frederick Community College, where the presenters talk about prospective career opportunities. FDWSRU participated in this event, hosting 3 sessions titled “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” emphasizing invasive species and biological relevance. Different career options were discussed and how widely applicable studying science is. |
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June |
Paul Tooley, Tim Widmer and Nina Shishkoff hosted Jason Preuett (a graduate student in Urban Horticulture at Southern University) for a month long educational visit studying the disease Sudden Oak Death. |
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July |
Student Appreciation Day – Morning seminars by Unit scientists, lunch, a plant containment facility tour, and an afternoon “Thank you” ice cream reception. All current students were invited as well as prospective students.
Ft. Detrick Take Your Child to Work Day – FDWSRU hosted 2 sessions of “Why Plants Get Sick” and a Science Room table where scientists and technicians complete Fruit DNA extractions with participants (ages 6-12) while interacting with the kids to encourage science and math enthusiasm.
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September |
Community Outreach Event – The Great Frederick Fair – ARS/FDWSRU booth with pamphlets for the entire fair (September 18th – 27th), plus participated in Kid’s Day with Banana DNA extractions with interactions with kids, parents and community members about the research at our location and through out ARS.
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Diana Sherman or Doug Luster attended monthly/bimonthly Education Training Working Group (ETWG) meetings as a member participant and USDA representative of the National Interagency Biodefense Campus and Confederation
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Fiscal Year 2010
FDWSRU Equal Opportunity/Civil Rights Workforce Diversity and Outreach Initiatives Calendar of Events for Fiscal Year 2010
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October |
Dr. Paul Tooley served on a Maryland Business Roundtable for Education speaker’s bureau addressing 3 different 9th grade classes. The theme is to become a Maryland Scholar and make their high school career count for their future and also about what it’s like to be a professional scientist with ARS and his own career path.
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November |
As a partner agency in the NICBR-Education and Training Working group hosted a “NICBR Education and Career Symposium. USDA-ARS presented the Unit mission (Bill Schneider) and student outreach opportunities (Diana Sherman) to 75+ students, faculty and mission partner employees. Offered a visit to the plant containment building.
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December |
Dr. William Bruckart presented a lecture at the University of Maryland, Plant Science Department, to students of the course PLSC 489J: Exploring Plant Protection, Health and Quarantine Issues. The presentation was titled “Foreign Crop Pathogens and Biological Weed Control”. After the seminar, Dr. Bruckart took questions and provided answers for the students.
Dr. Tim Widmer provided a lecture at the University of Maryland, in conjunction with the course PLSC 420: Principles of Plant Pathology, the lecture was titled: “Use of Microorganisms for Biological Control”. He also gave a general seminar at the University of Maryland, titled “Investigating Biological Control Techniques to Limit the Spread of Phytophthora ramorum”.
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January |
One technician participated in a Science Day at Maugansville Elementary (Maryland) for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders.
One technician judged the Plant/Botany division at the Jefferson County Middle/High School Science Fair (West Virginia). |
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February |
Sent letters of introduction to 1890, HSI and 1994 liaisons about a new Forensic Plant Pathology Program by Oklahoma State University in collaboration with Dr. William Schneider. The grant includes money for numerous graduate fellowships.
Diana Sherman encouraged participation in the Frederick County Workforce Internship program, this program targets minority and underprivileged students. |
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March |
Dr. William Schneider provided a lecture at the University of Delaware in conjunction with the course Current Concepts in Plant Health, the lecture was titled: “Applying the latest in molecular biology to plant disease diagnosis and biosecurity”. Dr. Schneider also provided a lecture at John’s Hopkins University in conjunction with the course Biological and Chemical Threat and Forensic Response.
One scientist judged the Plant Science category at the Loudoun County Public School Science and Engineering Fair (Virginia).
One technician was a judge at the Frederick County Science and Engineering Fair (Maryland). |
Diana Sherman or Doug Luster attended monthly/bimonthly Education Training Working Group (ETWG) meetings as a member participant and USDA representative of the National Interagency Biodefense Campus and Confederation
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