CFAES Faculty and Staff Highlights

Wellbeing Wednesday: Brought to you by the CFAES Buckeye Wellness Innovators

Readers- are you looking for your next great book? Why not join our virtual Buckeye Bookworms Book Club reading "The Measure" by Nikki Erlick this spring. All meetings over Zoom on Thursdays - April 10 & 24, May 8 & 22 from 6 - 7 PM (EST). Register at go.osu.edu/fcsbookclub.

Submit your Lifestyle Spending Account reimbursement
To support health and well-being, Ohio State offers eligible employees the option of using a Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) to reimburse personal expenses related to health, fitness, family, emotional and social wellness. Submit your LSA reimbursement (expenses incurred January 1-March 31) by April 15. Learn more.

CFAES Awards and State of the College

Friday, April 4, 2025 | 9:00-11:30 a.m.
Join us for the 2025 CFAES Awards and State of the College as we celebrate the outstanding achievements of our faculty, staff, and students and the success of our college. 

CFAES and Extension Apparel Stores

Several apparel storefronts will be open soon with items branded for CFAES and Extension. The stores will be open for two weeks, with estimated delivery within six weeks after the stores close. Items will be shipped directly to purchasers. There will be three storefront options – one for CFAES-logo items, one with the Extension logo, and one with the Extension logo/4-H emblem. These stores are for individual purchase by employees, group orders are not available at this time. After the first offering, we will review sales, apparel options, and the overall process; with a plan to open the storefronts at least two more times this year (mid-summer and early fall).

Days of Service: 4/1-4/15/25

Make a difference across our communities this spring with Buckeye Days of Service
The Ohio State community is unique in size and spirit and positioned to make an incredible impact when we work together. We are mobilizing alumni and friends to make a difference across our communities April 1–15. Discover how you can make an impact in a way only Buckeyes can – from wherever you are. 

2025 CFAES Research Forum and Poster Competition

The CFAES Office for Research & Graduate Education is thrilled to announce the 2025 CFAES Research Forum and Poster Competition on April 10, 2025, at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center. The event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with lunch provided for registered attendees and bus transportation available from the CFAES Wooster campus. Participants can engage in three ways: presenting research, volunteering as a judge, or attending the event.

Great Lakes Now: Featuring Douglas Jackson-Smith

Great Lakes Now, powered by Detroit PBS hosted a virtual town hall focused on Climate and the Future of Agriculture. Douglas Jackson-Smith, Kellogg Chair of Agroecosystem Management in The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences was a featured guest. Jackson-Smith is the project lead of a $10 million project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “From the Ground Up” to empower farmers and strategies to enhance climate-smart agricultural practices across Midwest farms. Watch the Great Lakes Town Hall here.

CFAES Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Updates and Events

Dismantling the Imposter Narrative: Banishing Self-Doubt and Embracing Success
Thursday, April 10th, 2025 | 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
This interactive virtual workshop is for anyone ready to overcome pervasive feelings of self-doubt and begin to embrace their successes as legitimate. Through self-reflection exercises and group discussions, participants will explore the roots of their imposter beliefs, challenge the internal narrative that fuels feelings of inadequacy, and walk away with practical strategies for reframing negative self-talk. Learn more and register.

Excellence in Safety Award Nomination Deadline Extended

The 2025 University Laboratory Committee “Excellence in Safety” Awards nomination deadline has been extended to April 11. These awards recognize a university faculty or staff member (Individual Award), student (Individual Student Award) and a laboratory research group (Group Award) who have made a considerable contribution to improving laboratory safety on the Ohio State campus. 

EPN: Earth Day Event

Celebrate Earth Day with the Environmental Professionals Network on April 21 at the Fawcett Center. This year’s celebration brings together expert speakers, farmers, environmental professionals, students, and more to connect over a shared passion for sustainability and the Earth. The program features a discussion of “Farm to Fashion: Natural fiber footprints and futures” and attendees will have the opportunity to hear and experience sustainability stories of cotton, wool, hemp, and flax with a group of farmers and clothing producers. Also on display will be posters of senior capstone projects.

Cultural Connections

Tanzania: Peak of Africa, Home of the Great Migration and Keeper of Rare Tanzanite 
Tues., April 22 | 12:00-12:55 p.m.
Food served at 12:00 p.m./Presentation at 12:15 p.m.

Join us in Kottman Hall 102, 2021 Coffey Rd in Columbus or in Wooster Science Building 175 in Wooster. RSVP here by Tuesday, April 15. Presentation by Frolence Fidelis, MSc Student, HCS; Amina Kwiya, Visiting Scholar, Plant Pathology; and Catherine Mwanjisi, MSc Student, Plant Pathology. 

A talk in the series Cultural Connections presented by CFAES International Programs. Lunch is provided via the generous support of CFAES Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Questions? Contact: Jason Owens.1132@osu.edu 

The Ohio State Leadership Center Upcoming Workshops

April 16 | Applying Your Personality Type to Build Your Leadership Skills
Moving from recognizing and understanding to appreciating and effectively using differences is a challenge because we all have a natural bias for our own way of seeing things and making decisions. It can be hard to recognize our own biases, especially when they are reinforced by the cultural attitudes within which we live and work. Taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) inventory will help you identify your unique gifts. The information enhances understanding of yourself, your motivations, your natural strengths, and your potential areas for growth. For more information, click here. 

April 24 | Team Dynamics
How Dynamic is Your Team? Dynamic teams are vital to the success of the organization, it signifies that the employees are working towards a shared vision. So many teams struggle to overcome challenges that may keep them from achieving these shared goals. Dynamic teams capitalize on the strengths of each member. Join Dr. Greg Davis, and learn how to create a high-performing team. For more information, click here.

Bring the whole family to learn how 'We Grow Scientists'

The College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will host "We Grow Scientists” on April 30th, 3-7:00 p.m., at Waterman. This afternoon of hands-on activities will showcase the many STEAM fields CFAES has to offer, including a look at the Controlled Environment Agriculture Research Complex. This free event is a part of the COSI Science Festival.

Judges Needed: Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)

The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is the world’s largest international pre-college science competition. Regeneron ISEF provides an annual forum for more than 1,800 students in grades 9–12 from the U.S. and across the world to showcase their talent on an international stage. Students worldwide compete in science fairs, and winners go on to participate in society-affiliated fairs from which the best win the opportunity to attend ISEF, which will be held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, May 10–16, 2025. These top young scientific minds will showcase their talent, be judged by doctoral-level scientists, and compete for more than $9 million.

Ohio State will play an important role in ISEF 2025. ISEF needs 1200 judges, and OSU faculty and staff are encouraged to apply. Visit this website for more information. Please contact Cynthia Canan.20@osu.edu with questions.

CFAES Principles of Community 

We affirm our conviction that racism and inequality have no place in CFAES. Our CFAES Principles of Community serve as a base for managing these actions. We all contribute to our community and our collective experience. You are encouraged to download and post the principles, discuss them during meetings, share them with others, and most importantly, use them as a guide in all that we do to sustain life.

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