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Welcome to this issue of our bi-weekly CSU Land-Grant e-News. We keep you in the know of happenings in the CSU 1890 Land-Grant Programs, Extension, and Agricultural Research and Development (ARD). Each issue brings you new and engaging content. Enjoy!

Join us for Land-Grant Open House Friday, April 26

Photo by Cyril Ibe/Land-Grant Communications

CSU 1890 Land-Grant Open House Planning Committee members brave the rain Thursday last week to conduct a drive-through of the various locations -- research labs and demonstration lots -- that attendees to the 10th-anniversary celebration will tour Friday, April 26, when they come to the Wilberforce campus. Free registration to participate will continue through the morning of that date.

Organizers are expecting 500 attendees to come and discover the impactful work of CSU’s Extension team in communities in 42 Ohio counties; explore how dedicated researchers are generating knowledge to address pressing societal challenges; and see first-hand students' research showcase.

Visit centralstate.edu

Watch an Open House-related video below:

In the News...CSU research highlighted in Farm and Dairy article

RESEARCH

CSU wins prize at agricultural research symposium in Nashville

Photos by Cyril Ibe/Land-Grant Communications

Thando Mawasha, a graduating environmental engineering senior, won third place in the "Outstanding Achievement in Plant Health and Production and Plant Products for Undergraduate Competitive Poster Presentations" category at the 2024 Association of 1890 Research Directors (ARD) Biennial Symposium, held in Nashville, Tenn., April 6-9.

Mawasha's presentation was titled, "Quantifying evapotranspiration of rainfed corn and soybean crops in southwestern Ohio using eddy covariance technique."

Mawasha was among more than 400 undergraduate students attending the nation's 19 Historically Black Colleges and Universities designated as 1890 Land-Grant institutions who made oral or poster presentations at the event. Twenty students, four research professors, and one post-doctoral researcher from Central State presented either orally or with a poster. Together with student ambassadors, accompanying supervising professors, and staff, the CSU contingent was 48 strong, including Dr. Morakinyo Kuti, vice president for Research and Economic Development and director of the 1890 Land-Grant Programs. Dr. Kuti will assume office as the 10th CSU President on July 1.

"It is an honor to be a part of something so special, being in the company of individuals who share my desire for success," Mawasha said. "The bonus of receiving an award will make this an unforgettable experience."

"I think our students have done an excellent job that reflects the effort that the faculty has put forth for them to be prepared," added Gorgui Ndao, director of Student Success and Experiential Learning. "Win or lose, they've done an excellent job."

CSU students' exposure and their interaction with peers from other HBCUs is an invaluable benefit for participation in the national symposium, according to Marcus Nagle, research assistant professor of soil science who is mentoring three of the undergraduate researchers.

"Every student should feel like a winner. I know that they all worked hard in the high level of work that's being presented here," said Nagle. "I've been impressed one after the other of these students, seeing their posters, attending their presentations, reaffirming that the 1890s (Land-Grant institutions) are doing a stellar job, high-quality research, impactful, meaningful results -- really impressive."

Read more

See the presenters

Did you watch the solar eclipse?

An estimated 300 curiosity seekers gathered at the Central State University Seed to Bloom Botanical and Community Garden on Monday, April 8, to watch what was known as the Great North American Eclipse.

According to Clare Thorn, CSU Extension associate for Agriculture and Natural Resources, the turnout was impressive.

“It was amazing," said Clare, who handed out nearly 260 glasses at the Garden in addition to those distributed by others. "The most exciting part was that most of the people were our CSU students, faculty, and staff. Now they can’t say they don’t know where the Seed to Bloom Garden is.” 

According to reports, southwest Ohio witnessed totality for almost three minutes from 3:10 p.m. that day.

View a photo gallery

Photos at the Garden by CSU staff Stanley Jefferson II. Photos of the eclipse, as seen in Fairborn, Ohio, by Crystal Duckett/Land-Grant Communications.

Satina Dunigan joined the Central State University family on Jan. 15, 2024, as a fully remote Sponsored Programs Officer from Portage, Mich. In that capacity, Dunigan will be responsible for, among other duties:  

• Managing the fiscal administration of externally sponsored projects, including Land-Grant activities, determining allowability of costs, the application of the appropriate regulations and policies, and the documenting and reporting of cost share. 

Prior to Central State University, Dunigan was the Finance and IT Manager at Black Cultural Zone CDC, where she was responsible for accounts payable and receivable, and grant management. She is a graduate of Bryant and Stratton College, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in health service administration with honors. 

Hongmei Li-Byarlay, Ph.D., research associate professor of entomology (left), recently welcomed Zachary Y. Huang, Ph.D., (center), associate professor of entomology at Michigan State University, during Huang's visit to Central State. Li-Byarlay and Huang are co-principal investigators for an ongoing, $750,000 USDA-funded study of the effects of different stresses on honey bees as "the most important managed pollinators in U.S. agriculture." While at CSU, Huang conducted a research seminar for students and faculty. The two entomology professors were joined by an unidentified CSU professor of computer science. (Submitted photo by Hongmei Li-Byarlay).

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CSU Land-Grant e-News is published on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month. Feel free to share the newsletter with your work colleagues, friends, and family members.

Land-Grant Communications Team

Lena Fields-Arnold

Communications Coordinator

Cyril Ibe, Ph.D.

Media Relations Specialist/Editor

Crystal Duckett

Media Relations Specialist

Alfred Robertson

Videographer & App Developer

Jesse Montgomery

Videographer & App Developer

Research and Economic Development & 1890 Land-Grant Programs

Morakinyo A.O. Kuti, Ph.D.

Vice President for Research and Economic Development & Director, 1890 Land-Grant Programs

Extension

Cindy (Alcinda) Folck, Ph.D.

Interim Associate Director of Extension

Agricultural Research and Development Program (ARDP)

Shafiqur (Shafi) Rahman, Ph.D.

Associate Research Director

Contact:

937.376.6276

landgrantcommunications@centralstate.edu

YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH US

CSU Extension has offices in five regions in Ohio, covering 42 counties. You can contact Alcinda Folck, Ph.D., interim associate director of Extension, at (937) 376-6101, or via email: afolck@centralstate.edu.

We welcome your feedback.

Central State University, an 1890 Land-Grant Institution, is committed to the full inclusion of all people and does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, race, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, marital or family status, military status, national origin, political beliefs, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. If reasonable accommodations are needed, please contact the Department of Human Resources at (937) 376-6540. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution.