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The Vantage Point
Glenda Humiston
Vice President
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
Last week, I had the honor of opening the 11th Biennial Rosenberg International Forum on Water Policy (Oct. 23-27) in Cape Town, South Africa. This forum, created by an endowment gift to UC ANR from Bank of America to honor its chairman and CEO Richard Rosenberg when he retired in 1996, aims to reduce conflicts and promote peace through cooperation on responsible, sustainable water management.
My thanks to Erik Porse and Hope Zabronsky of UC ANR’s California Institute for Water Resources for participating in the forum, and to Sherry Cooper and Julia Kalika for superbly handling on-site logistics. Forum attendees heard and shared the latest advancements in securing safe, reliable water for agriculture, environmental health, economic growth and human well-being across the Global South.
The forum was especially poignant as we remembered and celebrated Dick Rosenberg, who passed away in March. I am proud that UC ANR is carrying forward his legacy by contributing to this fundamental issue of water for global communities – while we learn, in turn, from world-renowned experts who can spark cutting-edge solutions in California.
Another critical issue on which our state and the UC will continue to lead is renewable energy. I was thrilled by the announcement this month that the U.S. Department of Energy is awarding California up to $1.2 billion to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen, a crucial piece in decarbonizing key sectors of our economy.
The Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (a statewide public-private partnership known as ARCHES) will develop projects that benefit all Californians by creating green jobs, protecting the environment, improving public health and advancing climate goals. I’m excited to see how UC researchers such as Cooperative Extension specialist Dan Sanchez and UCCE bioenergy advisor Haris Gilani contribute to ARCHES, especially in leveraging woody biomass to produce hydrogen.
Harnessing the potential of the state’s natural resources – especially in rural areas – was a crucial discussion point during the California Economic Summit (Oct. 11-13), produced by California Forward in partnership with the California Stewardship Network. Among the many productive sessions I attended, I was especially inspired by a convening of many of our economic and community development advisors, along with other UC ANR colleagues who are partnering with local groups to drive growth and spread prosperity more equitably across the state. I am grateful that our friends from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and the California Office of Planning and Research joined our team for that pre-summit meeting, and I look forward to new collaborations on our shared goals.
Our UC ANR ethos of nurturing community and partnership was beautifully showcased earlier this month during the UC Master Gardener conference at Lake Tahoe (Oct. 2-6). Through the efforts of director Missy Gable, the statewide office team and our Program Support Unit, more than 250 Master Gardener volunteers, program coordinators, academics and staff gathered for their first in-person conference since 2017.
In addition to hands-on sessions, highlights included a ceremony recognizing the exemplary Search for Excellence award winners, as well as keynotes by Abra Lee, director of horticulture for the Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, and Herman Fillmore, culture and language resources director of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. Lee celebrated pioneering Black women in horticulture, and Fillmore invited attendees to immerse themselves in the region’s natural and cultural history.
Building authentic connections with tribes and other historically marginalized groups was central to the life’s work of Dorina Espinoza, UCCE youth, families and communities advisor for Humboldt and Del Norte counties. Since Dorina passed away on Oct. 2, I have heard from many colleagues who regarded her as a visionary and leading voice for equity and inclusion. While we mourn her loss, personally and professionally, we also cherish Dorina’s memory and her contributions to the North Coast that continue to inspire our efforts to meaningfully partner with all our communities. The knowledge, passion and collaborative spirit of our people, exemplified by Dorina, are what make UC ANR truly unique.
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