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Research Links Carbon Markets and Tree Planting to Slow Global Warming, Fight Poverty
David Skole

Read the Special Report on MSU Carbon2Markets projects in Thailand and Laos

A team of MSU scientists is combining sustainable forest management with emerging carbon markets in a unique effort to help small farmers in developing countries grow crops that will boost their standard of living and slow climate change.

Called Carbon2Markets, the program includes collaborative projects with farmers, researchers and government agencies in 10 Asian and African countries. The farmer groups are integrating high-value forest crops such as jatropha, teak or shea into the crops they're currently growing using methods that are smart and sustainable. Then the farmers use techniques and standards created by MSU remote-sensing experts to accurately measure and record the carbon stored by the trees and soil. Storing carbon in the soil and plants keeps it out of the atmosphere and helps slow global warming.

Besides being one of the first efforts to help small landowners gain access to the carbon offset market, the project also helps support the research goals of its collaborators, such as Thailand. This hasn't always been the case when developed countries work with developing countries.

"We are very pleased to collaborate with Michigan State on this project," said Anond Bunyaratvej, secretary general of the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT). "The king [of Thailand] supports reforestation, and the NRCT works to support the king's initiative. This project with MSU fulfills both of the NRCT's objectives: to help people live and grow things sustainably, and to transition the country to a knowledge-based economy. There are very few projects that serve both purposes -- we are very satisfied."

Jim Peck

Read Big Ten Network Producer Jim Peck's blog about MSU resarch in Thailand and Laos

David Skole, MAES forestry professor and leader of the Carbon2Markets projects, called the initiative an "exciting opportunity to leverage the growing carbon financial markets in the United States and Europe to assist poor farmers in developing countries."

"The farmers can plant trees or participate in other vegetation regeneration projects and earn money, which can stimulate economic development in their communities, increase rural income and promote natural resource conservation," Skole said.

The MSU Carbon2Markets program works with farmer groups composed of small landholders (usually farming 25 acres or fewer). This keeps management of the land in the hands of local villages, where it traditionally has been. Some Thai farmers feared that large reforestation projects would simply turn over forest management to large corporations, denying local people access.

"I had been working with the Inpang Network [a group of farmers in northeastern Thailand] for about 15 years on biodiversity projects when I met MSU Professor Skole at a conference about five years ago," said Usa Klinhom, biology professor at Mahasarakham University (also abbreviated as MSU) in the northeast Isan region. "At the Inpang Network, we were already working on planting trees, but I was looking for ways to get more value from the trees than just growing them to harvest fruit and nuts. I was very interested in Professor Skole's work on measuring carbon sequestration."

Klinhom asked Jeeraphan Suksringarm, dean of the Mahasarakham University Faculty of Science, if the two MSUs could work together on a project to add carbon storage to the reforestation and biodiversity work being done by the Inpang Network. Suksringarm was initially hesitant, but her respect for Klinhom's research led to her full support of the collaboration.

David Skole, MAES forestry professor, explains how the MSU Carbon2Markets team uses remoting sensing tools to measure carbon stored in trees in Thailand.

"This project helped bring the university and the community together," Suksringarm said. "This is a unique project because we all have the same philosophy of transferring education to the community. If the community is strong, the university is strong. We’re very proud to be part of this work."

Accurately measuring stored carbon offers the farmers the potential to earn money on the global carbon market -- the Chicago Climate Exchange offers trading for all greenhouse gases. A farmer who planted trees on about 3 acres would earn about $40 per year from the carbon market at current prices. A 25-acre plot could earn up to $400 per year -- a significant amount in a region of Thailand where the average annual income is about $ 1,200.

The farmers also use and sell the forest products they grow. Jatropha tree nuts can be used to make biodiesel, which is then used to run farm equipment or produce energy for a village. Shea tree nuts yield shea butter, a staple ingredient in high-end moisturizing lotions. The trees also provide food, timber and medicines.

"The Carbon2Markets work is the application of more than 20 years of basic research on tropical forest conversion and climate change," Skole said. "We're using remote sensing technology to enhance basic forestry techniques to develop climate change solutions.

"The ability to link tree planting with near-term payments through the emerging carbon markets – with additional payments from other tree products coming online in subsequent years -- has the potential to positively affect millions of lives," he continued. "And the continued generation of high-value tree products such as fruits and oil-producing nuts serves to protect the stored carbon from being harvested as fuel wood, burned and re-released into the atmosphere."

Besides Skole, other members of MSU's Carbon2Markets team are Oscar Castaneda, research assistant; Walter Chomentowski, research specialist; Stuart Gage, professor of entomology; Eric Kasten, information technologist; Jay Samek, research assistant; Gene Safir, professor of plant pathology; Brent Simpson, visiting associate professor in the Institute of International Agriculture; and Mike Smalligan, research assistant.

Carbon2Markets is supported by the United Nations, NASA, the World Wildlife Fund, the Asia-Pacific Forum for Environment and Development, the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research, the Global Change System for Analysis and Training, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies and the MSU Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies.

For more information on Michigan State University's biofuel and bioenergy research, visit: bioeconomy.msu.edu.

'Genetic Arms Race' between Bacteria, Viruses Subject of Stimulus Grant

Jay LennonThe oceans teem with microscopic bacteria that produce much of Earth’s oxygen as they absorb carbon dioxide. Fast-mutating viruses also populate the seas, attacking marine bacteria in an ages-old evolutionary arms race.

An MAES researcher will probe that ancient dynamic against the backdrop of environmental and climate change and the pivotal role played by aquatic bacteria in maintaining the Earth’s biological balance.

"Even though viruses are important for regulating these bacteria populations, we find that a lot of rapid evolution occurs," said Jay Lennon, MAES microbiology and molecular genetics researcher. In laboratory settings, the organisms known as cyanobacteria can take just weeks to evolve resistance to viruses, Lennon said, and viruses similarly mutate to find new ways to infect them.

Cyanobacteria play a vital role in sequestering ocean nitrogen and phosphorus. At the same time, they remove carbon dioxide from the air and produce oxygen. Understanding how they evolve to resist viruses could unlock information critical to environmental and climate studies, Lennon said.

Lennon will pursue his research using a $199,000 National Science Foundation grant, which includes American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. He will work with microbiologist Steven Wilhelm of the University of Tennessee and biochemist Nathan VerBerkmoes of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, both funded by other grants.

One of the most common mechanisms for virus resistance is evolutionary change or loss of cell surface receptor molecules -- the structures through which viruses enter their hosts. The researchers will study such changes in natural cyanobacteria populations. Once key receptors are identified, Lennon will focus on generation of virus-resistant bacterial cell lines and species competition experiments at his lab at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station.

Marine viruses have been subjects of interest only since the late 1980s, Lennon explained, and little about how that parasite-host relationship operates is understood. Just a milliliter of seawater can contain up to 10 million viruses, he said, some of which are deadly to some cyanobacterial hosts but not to others. The viruses also could wield substantial influence on global environmental cycles by killing vulnerable cyanobacteria and changing the nature of marine bacterial populations through natural selection, the researchers said.

Earlier research by MAES evolutionary biologist Richard Lenski and others has shown that virus-based natural selection can negatively affect cellular organisms’ ability to take in nutrients -- that there’s a fitness trade-off in bacterial evolution.

Cyanobacteria are sometimes referred to as blue-green algae but are in fact bacteria more closely related to organisms such as E. coli than to green algae. Ancient forms of life found on fossils billions of years old, cyanobacteria might be responsible for formation of many of today’s oil and iron ore deposits, and they remain one of the most prevalent forms of bacteria on earth.

Cyanobacteria population explosions in some freshwater lakes in recent hot seasons have released toxins that killed waterfowl and forced closure to recreation. Such blooms are not typical in oceans.

In addition to the NSF grant, Lennon’s work is supported by the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Broad Institute at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which will sequence virus genomes for the research project to genetically evaluate how they evolved.

Can Amber Waves of Grain Become Perennials?

Sieg SnappEvery time farmers plant a cash crop, they make substantial investments of money, time and labor resources. But what if the crop didn't have to be planted every year but resprouted each spring and was ready for harvest by summer?

MAES crop and soil scientist Sieg Snapp, who’s located at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS), is addressing that question. Her team is studying the possibilities for developing perennial wheat as a crop for environmentally friendly agricultural production. Her research is supported by a four-year, $1 million U.S. Department of Agriculture organic research grant.

Snapp is leading a team made up of MAES agriculture, food and resource economics scientist Scott Swinton; outreach specialist Vicki Morrone; MAES wheat breeder Janet Lewis; Michigan farmers; and colleagues at Washington State University. The work builds on research that led to a new type of perennial grain crop.

"Our goal is to go the next step and develop perennial wheat varieties and management practices that are practical for farmers to adopt to use as a ground cover, a forage and a grain crop," Snapp said. "Washington and Kansas have conducted innovative plant breeding, crossing intermediate wheatgrass forage with annual wheat to get the annual wheat grain characteristics and a close to marketable product. I realized that nobody was focusing on the agronomic management and practical aspects of variety development, so my student, Brook Wilke, started to evaluate varieties suitable for Michigan about three years ago."

Snapp and the team will study these perennial wheat varieties at KBS in southwestern Michigan.

"We're going to be looking at their adaptation to Michigan farms," Snapp said. "We're looking at organic production practices and various management options, such as whether we could possibly graze the crop in the fall to obtain multiple products, forage and grain."

The research team members will study the wheat over three to four cropping seasons so they can observe its hardiness under various weather conditions and extremes in temperature and precipitation. The perennial wheat isn’t just a money-saving crop -- it also protects the environment by helping to keep soil in place and capture moisture from rain and snow.

"It's always growing and keeps roots in the soil to prevent erosion," Snapp pointed out. "We've already found that the roots of the perennial wheat can reach three times deeper than annual wheat roots, and this is promising for a crop that could capture carbon."

In a year or two, the researchers will produce enough seed at KBS to provide farmers with opportunities for experimentation. The project will include growers who help test the wheat under a variety of conditions on farms of varying sizes around the state.

The results will be used to inform basic science research conducted at universities around the world. Snapp also will disseminate the study's outcomes via MSU Extension.

MAES Scientists Receive University Distinguished Professor Title

Three MAES researchers were among 10 MSU professors named university distinguished professors in recognition of their achievements in the classroom, laboratory and community.

The designations, recommended by Michigan State University President Lou Anna K. Simon, were approved by the MSU Board of Trustees at its June meeting.

Michael AllenThis is one of the highest honors that the university can bestow on a faculty member. Those selected for the title have been recognized nationally and internationally for the importance of their teaching, research and public service achievements.

Individuals holding the professorship will receive, in addition to their salary, a stipend of $5,000 per year for five years to support professional activities.

The MAES researchers honored are:

Mike Allen, animal science and dairy cattle nutrition researcher. Allen is nationally and internationally known for his research in basic and applied dairy nutrition. His primary research interests are regulation of feed intake, modeling the passage of ingesta through the rumen, studying the genetics of corn hybrids for silage production, digestibility of forage fiber and the investigation of the site of starch digestion.

Pam FrakerPamela Fraker, biochemistry and microbiology and food science and human nutrition researcher. Fraker is recognized internationally for her studies on the effect of nutritional and hormonal status on the immune response. Her work was the first to demonstrate the critical role that zinc plays in the immune response. Fraker is a member of the prestigious National Academy of Sciences and the first woman from Phil Robertsonthe MSU faculty to be named to the academy.

G. Philip Robertson, crop and soil sciences researcher. Robertson is an international leader in the developing field of agroecology. He is founding director of the MSU Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program at the Kellogg Biological Station -- a National Science Foundation-funded initiative that applies ecological concepts to agricultural systems to foster economic sustainability and minimize environmental impact. His pioneering work on geostatistics applied to agroecosystems is increasing the understanding of how multiple factors affect global warming.

Researchers Work to Eradicate BVD from U.P.

Dan GroomsIs it possible to eradicate bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula cattle herds?

This is the question that MAES researchers, Extension specialists, and local and state large animal veterinarians are asking as they continue to implement an aggressive three-step animal disease eradication program with the region’s producers. The plan includes incorporating equal doses of education about the disease, disease testing and training to put disease control management strategies into practice.

BVD is a highly contagious disease that spreads quickly through a herd. Animals infected with the virus encounter reproduction and productivity problems that can lead to thousands of dollars in losses for a farm. It is estimated that BVD is the most costly viral disease in today’s U.S. cattle herds, costing an estimated $2 billion per year.

"BVD is an underlying issue on many farms," said Dan Grooms, MAES large animal clinical scientist and a large animal veterinarian. "BVD can cause reproduction problems and abortions in cattle. It can also inhibit the immune system, which leads to many other issues, including pneumonia."

The MSU team has received funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pfizer Animal Health and the MSU Animal Agriculture Initiative to develop producer education programs in the Upper Peninsula to help rid the region of this costly animal disease.

"One of our objectives is to see if it’s possible to eradicate a specific disease within a geographical area," Grooms said. "We chose the Upper Peninsula because of its easily defined region. If we are successful with this program in this area, we will implement it in other regions of the state."

Grooms, along with Steve Bolin, MAES scientist with the MSU Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, and Ben Bartlett, MSU Extension dairy and livestock educator, launched the BVD eradication program with a series of producer meetings in December 2007. Following these meetings, Bartlett visited with individual farmers about becoming involved with the eradication program. Through the program, farmers learned proper vaccination and biosecurity measures. The herds were also tested to determine the rate of infection, if any, present in each herd.

"The key to eradicating BVD from a herd is to eliminate any persistently infected (PI) cattle,” Grooms said. “PI cattle transmit the virus to their unborn fetuses. The PI cows become unsuspecting disease reservoirs, spreading the disease both on and between farms."

Jim Kronenmeyer and his father, John, own a 250-head registered Holstein herd in Pickford, Mich. Four years ago, they unknowingly brought one PI heifer into their herd. That one cow caused the loss of more than 30 calves and cost them thousands of dollars in animal losses, genetic losses and milk production.

"We now know the importance of testing all animals and taking measures to control this disease," Jim Kronenmeyer said. "We encouraged everyone to go to the meeting to learn about controlling the disease. We wish we would have had this information a few years earlier."

The Kronenmeyers are still working through the devastation caused by the BVD outbreak in their herd. They lost more than a dozen calves before they determined that BVD was present in the herd. It was at that point that they tested all the animals in the herd and culled nearly 30 more to eradicate the disease from the herd. They now ear-notch any new animals coming into the herd and keep them in quarantine until they get the test results back.

The Kronenmeyers' biosecurity measures are in line with the information presented by the MSU researchers. Bartlett and Grooms are working to explain the importance of testing all animals and screening any new animals before they enter the herd, as well as stressing the need for proper vaccination programs.

The program will continue over the next three years, eventually reaching more than 90 percent of the cattle in the Upper Peninsula.

Peer Pressure Plays Major Role in Environmental Behavior

Jack LiuPeople are more likely to enroll in conservation programs if their neighbors do -– a tendency that should be exploited to protect the environment, according to a pioneering study by MAES scientists.

The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first to focus on the phenomenon of social norms in the context of China’s conservation efforts, said Jianguo "Jack" Liu, university distinguished professor and MAES fisheries and wildlife scientist.

The study focused on a mammoth government initiative called Grain to Green that pays Chinese farmers to convert cropland back to forest. Though money is a key factor in whether people sign up for the voluntary program, peer pressure also plays a surprisingly large role, Liu said.

"That's the power of social norms," Liu said. "It's like recycling -- if you see your neighbors doing it, you’re more likely to do it."

A representative survey of households in China’s Wolong Nature Reserve for giant pandas found that both government payments and social norms had significant impacts on citizens' intentions of re-enrolling in the Grain to Green program.

"In other words," the study says, "people's re-enrollment intentions can be affected by the re-enrollment decisions of their neighbors and tend to conform to the majority."

Xiaodong Chen, MSU doctoral student and lead author on the study, said government officials should leverage these social norms along with economic and demographic trends when deciding how to support conservation programs such as Grain to Green.

"We found that, without considering the social norm factor, the conservation payments may not be used efficiently," Chen said. "But if the government considers social norms as it decides where to invest money, it could possibly obtain more environmental benefits in communities that are more supportive of these programs rather than those that aren't."

"Simply by taking account of the social norms, more conservation can be obtained from limited conservation budgets," added co-author and MAES fisheries and wildlife scientist Frank Lupi.

Liu, director of the MSU Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, is an internationally renowned scientist who investigates coupled human and natural systems, including complex interactions among pandas, people and policies in China.

Also contributing to the study was doctoral student Guangming He.

Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation, NASA, the National Institutes of Health, the MSU Environmental Research Initiative and the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.

Three MAES Researchers Receive ASPB Awards

The American Society for Plant Biologists (ASPB) recognized three Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station researchers for their contributions to plant biology at its annual meeting in Hawaii. The awards were presented on July 18 during the ASPB 2009 Plant Biology Awards Ceremony.

John Ohlrogge, Robert Last and Michael Thomashow received ASPB society fellowship awards for "distinguished and long-term contributions to plant biology in areas that include research, education, mentoring, outreach and professional and public service."

John OhlroggeJohn Ohlrogge, MAES plant biology scientist, also received the Martin Gibbs Medal for "advances that have served to establish new directions of investigation in the plant sciences."

"The outstanding people I’ve worked with and the great resources at MSU made this award possible," Ohlrogge said. "MSU is known worldwide for its excellence basic plant sciences and attracts the very best students and post-doctoral researchers. The support of MSU administration in providing funds for state-of-the-art equipment and facilities has played a key role in our advances."

Ohlrogge's medal is for his plant oil synthesis research. Oils from plant seeds are a fundamental source of calories for the human diet and are useful in industry, such as being a key component in biofuels. Ohlrogge said MSU was one of the first universities to recognize that high-throughput DNA sequencing -- a technology that has significantly accelerated biological research and discovery by determining DNA nucleotide sequences by the thousands or even millions -- could revolutionize the plant science field.

Mike ThomashowMichael Thomashow, director of the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, served as president of ASPB in 2005. He has also been an editorial board member for various society publications.

"I am greatly honored to have been elected a fellow of the society," Thomashow said. "The ASPB is widely acknowledged for its leadership role in advancing research and education in the plant sciences both in the United States and internationally."

MAES biochemistry and molecular biology researcher Robert Last has been a member of ASPB for nearly 20 years. He has remained active in the society and industry by hosting lectures, writing on the organization’s editorial board, maintaining relationships with government offices, various industry committees and holding editor-in-chief positions for ASPB publications.

Rob Last"The ASPB is a terrific organization that does great things for the community of plant biologists and society as a whole," Last said. "I am honored to be associated with this organization and all of its members at MSU and around the world."

The ASPB was founded in 1924 to promote the growth and development of plant biology, to encourage and publish research in plant biology, and to promote the interests and growth of plant scientists in general. It publishes the highly-cited and respected journals Plant Physiology and The Plant Cell. ASPB membership spans six continents, with members working in such diverse areas as academia, government laboratories, and industrial and commercial environments.

MAES Researcher Receives Award for Contributions to Forage and Grassland Agriculture

Doo-Hong MinMAES crop and soil scientist and Extension forage specialist Doo-Hong Min recently received a merit award from the American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC) in recognition of his superior contributions to forage and grassland agriculture. The award was presented to Min at the AFGC’s annual conference, held June 21-23 in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Over the past nine years, Min has developed a very active and effective forage research and Extension program in Michigan, working closely with producers and the public in Michigan, particularly the Upper Peninsula, to make forage-based animal systems more sustainable economically and environmentally. Recently, Min has been focusing on bioenergy crop research to ultimately boost the rural economy and slow down the global warming process. He is active in the Michigan Forage Council and its programs, and is a regular presenter at AFGC and other forage-related events.

"I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this merit award from the American Forage and Grassland Council," Min said. "Although the award was given to me, I accepted the award on behalf of everyone that has contributed to and supported the forage and grasslands research and Extension work of which I’ve been privileged to be a part. This is a tribute for them as well."

"Min has done an outstanding job of establishing relevant applied research and Extension programming in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan," said MAES associate director Doug Buhler. "He has revitalized the forage and crop research program there and established himself as a leader in the production of biomass crops for energy production. His efforts have made a significant contribution to agriculture and to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula economy."

The American Forage and Grassland Council is made up of 21 affiliate councils with approximately 2,500 members. Founded in 1944, its primary objective is to promote the profitable production and sustainable utilization of quality forage and grasslands.

MAES Researcher Top Publisher of Mycotoxins Papers

Jim PestkaMAES food science and human nutrition researcher Jim Pestka has been busy. According to recently released rankings published in Science Watch.com, Pestka published 59 papers on mycotoxins (toxins produced by molds) from 1998 to 2008, giving him the No. 1 rank in this category among 9,727 authors. He also ranked No. 2 in number of citations (808) and No. 12 in average citations per paper (13.59) for the same time period.

"Mycotoxins present a variety of health threats to the consumer and unique economic challenges to producers that require multidisciplinary approaches to achieve solutions," Pestka said. "These mycotoxin publications reflect the intense collaborative atmosphere at MSU and include colleagues from animal science, biochemistry and molecular biology, food science and human nutrition, microbiology and molecular genetics, pathology and diagnostic investigation, pharmacology and toxicology, as well as physiology and plant pathology. Both the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and the MSU Center for Integrative Toxicology continue to provide the 'glue' for taking these team approaches, making MSU unique among U.S. academic institutions."

Institutionally, MSU is the leading U.S. university in all three categories for the same decade, ranking No. 4 overall in number of papers (90), No. 3 in total citations (1,118) and No. 7 in number of citations per paper (12.42) in the mycotoxins field among 2,654 institutions. Pestka’s papers account for almost two-thirds of MSU’s productivity in the number of mycotoxin-related papers published and almost three-quarters of the MSU citations in this ranking.

"These rankings reflect not only a significant recognition of Jim’s contributions to the field but of the stature of MSU in this important area of research, which comprises the contributions of many investigators on campus," said Gale Strasburg, chairperson of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. "MSU is internationally known for its leadership in toxicology research, and these data confirm both the productivity of and regard for MSU research in the overall field."

New Faculty Members

The MAES is pleased to welcome six new faculty members.

Adrian BlowAdrian Blow, assistant professor of marriage and family therapy, became affiliated with the MAES in August. His research focus is families and health and includes military families, women living with breast cancer and persons living in South Africa with HIV/AIDS. Blow is particularly interested in interventions that ameliorate the effects of these health concerns. He is also the principal investigator for a study of postdeployment adjustment of Michigan National Guard (MING) couples, a study that includes a close collaboration with MING around issues of data collection, service delivery and reporting to policymakers about issues related to reintegration.

Before coming to MSU in 2005, Blow was a faculty member in the Department of Counseling and Family Therapy at Saint Louis University from 1999 to 2005. Blow received his doctorate in marriage and family therapy from Purdue University in 1999, his master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from Abilene Christian University in 1995 and his bachelor’s degree in psychology and biblical studies from the University of South Africa in 1992.

Holly Brophy-HerbHolly Brophy-Herb, associate professor of child development, became affiliated with the MAES in August. Her research focuses on early social-emotional development in infants, toddlers and young children, particularly at-risk children. Most of Brophy-Herb's research looks at development in low-income populations. She is especially interested in emotion-related parenting and caregiving contexts that promote social-emotional competencies in infants, toddlers and young children, as well as the development of self-regulatory skills.

Brophy-Herb came to MSU in 1996 as an assistant professor of child development and was named associate professor in 2002. She also served as assistant professor and program supervisor for the MSU Child Development Laboratories from 1999 to 2001. Brophy-Herb received her doctorate in child development and her master’s degree in child development and family studies from Syracuse University in 1996 and 1992, respectively, and her bachelor’s degree in elementary/early childhood education from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas in 1990.

Daniel McCole, assistant professor of commercial recreation, became affiliated with the MAES in August. His research focuses on human resource issues in the commercial recreation and tourism industries. McCole's recent research has focused on the retention of seasonal employees.

Before joining MSU, McCole served as assistant professor of resort management at Western State College of Colorado. Before joining academia, he worked in human resources for General Mills in Minneapolis. McCole received his doctorate in commercial recreation from the University of Minnesota in 2005, his master’s degree in human resources management from Michigan State University in 1998 and his bachelor's degree in German literature from the University of Massachusetts in 1994.

Susanne Mohr, associate professor of physiology, became affiliated with the MAES in August. Her research focus is on identifying the mechanisms underlying the development of diabetic retinopathy, a common complication of diabetes leading to blindness. Mohr is especially interested in the role of inflammation and cell death in the initiation and progression of the disease, for which no drug therapies currently are available. A primary goal of her research is to understand how elevated glucose levels lead to the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine known as IL-1ß (a small secreted protein which mediates and regulates immunity and inflammation), how its actions promote disease development and progression, and how new therapeutic strategies can be used to intervene with the actions of IL-1ß in an effort to find drugs with potential to prevent the development and/or progression of diabetic retinopathy.

Before joining MSU, Mohr was an assistant professor of medicine, ophthalmology, physiology and biophysics at Case Western Reserve University from 2000 to 2009, where she was promoted to associate professor in July. Mohr received her doctorate in biological chemistry and her master's and bachelor's degrees in chemistry from the University of Konstanz, Germany, in 1996, 1992 and 1989, respectively.

Chi-Ok Oh, assistant professor of tourism and recreation economics, became affiliated with the MAES in August. His research focuses on estimating the economic benefits of tourism activities and related natural resources. Oh’s future research will examine the interrelationships between environmental problems and tourism and leisure demands to better understand the social and economic consequences in modern society.

Before coming to MSU, Oh was an assistant professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at Clemson University from 2005 to 2009. He received his doctorate in recreation, park and tourism sciences from Texas A&M University in 2005, his master’s degree in hospitality and tourism management from the University of Massachusetts in 2001, and his bachelor’s degree in economics at Chungnam National University, South Korea, in 1999.

Santiago UtsumiSantiago Utsumi, assistant professor of animal science, became affiliated with the MAES in July. His research focuses on animal-plant interactions, the grazing behavior of livestock, mechanisms of diet selection and forage intake, grazing systems and ruminant nutrition. Utsumi's major goal is to develop an integrative research, extension and education program in grazing ecology and management specifically tailored to pasture-based dairy systems in Michigan. His research will primarily focus on gathering management and ecological information on major plant-, animal- and environment-related factors likely to influence the use of pastures by cows and the overall efficiency of pasture-based dairy systems. Outcomes from research efforts will be used to support the development of novel cost-effective and environmentally sound grazing and farm management strategies directed at a more efficient use of natural resources and improved animal performance.

Before coming to MSU, Utsumi served as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Animal and Range Science Department at New Mexico State University. He received his doctorate in range science from New Mexico State University in 2009, his master's degree in animal science from the Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 2003, and his bachelor's degree in agriculture from the Universidad Católica Argentina, Argentina, in 1998.

MAES Welcomes New Administrative Assistant

Linda EstillThe MAES welcomed Linda Estill as administrative assistant to Director Steve Pueppke and Associate Director John Baker July 27.

Estill has been with MSU for almost 25 years, most recently as executive secretary in the School of Packaging. She began at MSU in 1985 in the Payroll Office and also worked in the Department of Psychiatry.

Estill fills the position left vacant when Debbie McCaffrey retired in July after 40 years with MSU, including 18 years with the MAES.

"We wish Debbie all the best in this new chapter of her life and know that she won't be a stranger to the office," said Pueppke. "We look forward to hearing updates on her adventures.

"We're very pleased that Linda has joined the MAES team," Pueppke continued. "We needed to find someone to fill Debbie's position, and we've found a great fit in Linda."

Estill may be reached via e-mail (lsestill@msu.edu) or phone (517-355-0123, ext. 100).

Last Updated: July 30, 2009
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