In the News

• The Herald Journal Friday, Jun. 07, 2019

  Bridgerland Literacy to Stay Open with Aid of USU Center

  A new relationship between Bridgerland Literacy and the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University will help the literacy program continue to offer services to members of the community. “We are a very small nonprofit and that limits kind of what we can do. There are not a lot of financial resources. There are not a lot of person resources and those kinds of things. Being able to access those is incredibly helpful to us,” said Alice Shepard, the program director at Bridgerland Literacy. Bridgerland Literacy began in 1987 in an effort to help improve adult literacy rates in Cache Valley. Services at the center help patrons accomplish goals such as passing the GED, learning the content language of a specific field or gaining a better understanding of English as a non-native speaker. Matt Wappett, the executive director of the Center for Persons with Disabilities, said he began working with Shepard to bring Bridgerland Literacy under the umbrella of the center in January when he learned the center was planning on shutting their doors because of a lack of funds. ... According to Shepard, this new relationship will help her connect with an already established volunteer network, such as professors that include volunteer work in their curriculums.
   

• The Herald Journal Thursday, Jun. 06, 2019

  Latinx Boot Camp returns to Utah State for Second Year

  Over 300 Latinx middle and high school students attended the second annual Latino Youth Leadership Conference at Utah State University this week. After a successful pilot program last year, USU Extension partnered with Latinos In Action once again to organize the conference to provide Latinx students across Utah and Idaho with tools to become leaders in their communities, according to USU Extension Assistant Professor Celina Wille. ... LIA is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower Latinx youth to become leaders in their community, be civically engaged and prepare for the future. The organization offers a curriculum taught in middle and high school elective courses. The conference provided workshops, team-building activities and mentors to help guide the LIA students attending. Students participated in mock interviews, a career exploration fair, an etiquette dinner, outdoor recreational activities, a dance and a movie night. One of the major changes from the conference last year is rather than having professors teach and run the workshops, the professors mentored eight college students who prepared and presented the workshops.

• Deseret News Tuesday, Jun. 04, 2019

  Ex-Intelligence Agency Director Named to Space Dynamics Lab Council

  Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory has tapped the former director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to its guidance council. As a member of the council, Robert Cardillo helps guide the organization strategically and tactically, support customer relationships and provide industry insight and networking. The council, which is made up of government and industry veterans, serves to compliment the work of more than 850 engineers, technicians and business professionals who design, build, test, and manage software and hardware including small satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles for data gathering, synthesis and analysis for all branches of the military and intelligence community. ... Last year the lab, one of 14 university-affiliated research centers, was awarded more than $100 million for research.

• The Herald Journal Tuesday, Jun. 04, 2019

  Longtime USU Extension Agent, Ag Columnist Signs Off

  The oft quoted Author Unknown has said, “The best time to start thinking about your retirement is before the boss does.” As such, I’ve decided the time has come for me to step aside so a less experienced — though likely more capable — person can take my place. I’m not sure if retirement means a prolonged holiday, or if it’s the official act of being thrown on the scrap-heap. I must admit I don’t move as quickly as I once did so it’s best I step aside. ... I have really enjoyed 44 years of professional service in beautiful Cache Valley — and especially appreciate association with valued friends in the agricultural community. I readily admit that I have learned more from them than they have learned from me. It was only yesterday that I finished my BS and MS degrees at Utah State University in agricultural education. ... For the past 19 years I have enjoyed working for Utah State University in Cache County as an agricultural Extension agent. Each day is unique and different and it seems well-laid plans often get altered as the crisis of the day becomes the priority. Every phone call and every office or farm visit is challenging and rewarding for me and hopefully for others. ... I will miss daily association with the diversity of people I’ve worked with. I’ll also miss traveling all over the Cache County inspecting fields, animals and farmsteads. I’m sure I’ve been on every road in the county multiple times, and I know where most people live in the rural parts of the county. We really do live in a beautiful place and among wonderfully good people.

  
  
   

• National Geographic Friday, May. 31, 2019

  How Pesticides Can Actually Increase Mosquito Numbers

  Insecticides in at least one area are not only failing to control mosquitoes, new research suggests, they’re actually allowing the blood-sucking pests to thrive—by killing off their predators. The study, published this month in the journal Oecologia, reveals a new wrinkle in how insecticides may be impacting ecosystems. Mosquitoes in the study area in Costa Rica have evolved resistance to common chemicals meant to kill them and other pests. The mosquitoes’ predators, meanwhile, have not kept pace with that evolution—and that has allowed the mosquito population to boom. Edd Hammill, an ecologist at Utah State University and lead author of the study, first got an inkling that insecticides might not be having their intended effect while conducting research in orange plantations in northern Costa Rica. “We felt like we were getting a lot more mosquito bites in plantations than in pristine areas and started to wonder why,” Hammill says.

• The Herald Journal Friday, May. 31, 2019

  Number of Summer Citizens Continues to Grow

  It’s that time of the year again when the majority of Utah State University students leave the valley for a few months and the Summer Citizens come to town. “One of the things that is exciting this year is I think we have record attendance,” said Linda D’Addabbo, the program coordinator for event services at USU. As of Thursday, D’Addabbo said there were more than 830 people registered for the 2019 Summer Citizen program in comparison to 785 people last year. Entering its 43rd year, the Summer Citizen program is designed to provide individuals over age 55 an opportunity to enjoy Logan as a summer destination. Classes, tours, cultural and outdoor activities are offered through the university and other local businesses and organizations.

• Utah Public Radio Friday, May. 31, 2019

  USU Recruits Under-Represented Students Through Mentorship

  Utah State University in Logan is hosting some special guests from their sister campus in Blanding this month. “We arrange different lab experiences for them throughout different departments on campus," said Beth Ogata. She is referring to Native American students that are visiting Logan to learn more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics - STEM for short. The students are visiting through the Native American STEM Mentorship Program, or NASMP. The student body at the Blanding campus, which offers two-year programs, is 70% Native American, while the student body at the Logan campus is only 0.3% Native American. ... This year’s student participants will present the results of their work during their time in Logan at a symposium on June 4 at the USU main campus. The event is open to the public.

• The Herald Journal Tuesday, May. 28, 2019

  USU Appoints New Director of Utah Water Research Lab

  Utah State University announced David Tarboton as the new director of the Utah Water Research Laboratory. Tarboton will begin this position on July 1. ... The lab, located just below First Dam at the mouth of Logan Canyon is one of the largest research laboratories in the state and a leading institution for water research in the country. After a nationwide search, Tarboton, who has a background in civil and environmental engineering at USU, was chosen May 20 to replace Mac McKee, who is retiring after 20 years. ... Tarboton will be in charge of the approximately 200 faculty, staff and students at the lab. Tarboton came to USU in 1990 and worked at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand before moving to Utah.

• The Herald Journal Tuesday, May. 28, 2019

  USU Lecturer Adds Role as Logan City Poet Laureate

  Logan city’s new poet laureate has been writing poetry since she was old enough to hold a pencil. “I love poetry. I know how important it is. Being a teacher at the university, I have seen how transformative poetry can be for my students,” said Shanan Ballam, a senior lecturer at Utah State University. On Tuesday it was announced that Ballam was selected as Logan’s second poet laureate. Ballam said she received the news earlier this month when current poet laureate Star Coulbrooke delivered a letter to her from Mayor Holly Daines. ... Ballam teaches poetry writing, fiction writing and composition at USU. She is the author of several poetry collections, including “Pretty Marrow.” Her newest collection, “Inside the Animal: The Collected Red Riding Hood Poems,” will come out next week. ... As poet laureate, Ballam said she plans to coordinate with the Logan Library to offer free poetry workshops for individuals of all skill levels. “It doesn’t matter if you have ever written a word of poetry or if you have written a lot,” Ballam said. “I’m an experienced teacher so I will be able to help each person individually to write something that they are proud of.”

• The Herald Journal Tuesday, May. 28, 2019

  USU's Queta Declares 'I'm Back'

  Aggie men’s basketball opponents for the upcoming season have been warned. The Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year is returning to play at least one more season with Utah State. That’s right, Neemias Queta is pulling his name out of the NBA draft. Queta made the decision on Saturday and made it official on Tuesday — one day before the deadline to withdraw. He declared on social media platforms that “I’ll be back” and “Aggie nation, I’m back.” The 6-foot-11 center from Barreiro, Portugal, is excited to be back in Logan and rejoin his Aggie teammates. He plans on doing all he can to help USU repeat as Mountain West champs and return to the NCAA Tournament next season.

• Deseret News Monday, May. 27, 2019

  New Utah-based Program Offers a Solution for Rural Police Departments

  Giovanny Black had always planned to go into law enforcement — someday. But the police academy felt far away, both figuratively and literally. Living in rural Blanding in southeastern Utah, an hour and a half away from the nearest Walmart and a full three hours from the nearest academy, joining the force would mean quitting his job and driving hours back and forth on the weekends for months to earn his Peace Officer Standards and Training certification. As it turned out, he didn’t have to do either of those things. Black is one of a handful of graduates of a new Utah State University program that lets aspiring law enforcement officers in rural Utah earn their POST certification through online night classes. The program, which also incorporates hands-on training with local law enforcement, is aimed at helping small, isolated departments hire more people who already live and work in their communities. Across the U.S., law enforcement agencies of all sizes are struggling to recruit and retain qualified candidates. For small, rural police forces, those challenges are worse. ... Black, 21, is now a corrections officer with the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office. He has no plans to leave his hometown, and hopes to be a patrol deputy someday.

• Deseret News Sunday, May. 26, 2019

  First Wave of Outdoor Gear Design Pros from USU Finding Success

  The outdoor products industry is huge, and Utah has long been a player in stoking the gear needs of the populace as a state with more than its share of natural assets — be it the Mighty Five national parks, some of the best ski terrain on the planet or a geographic portfolio that spans from alpine lakes to ancient red deserts. Now, Utah State University is carving out its own territory as a feeder system for tomorrow's outdoor product professionals and earlier this month, the school's outdoor products design and development program graduated its first class. Program Coordinator Chase Anderson said the effort, launched in 2015, was born of a collaboration with outdoor industry representatives who worked with former USU faculty member Lindsey Shirley to craft the effort's initial curriculum. One of the few undergraduate programs of its kind in the U.S. or the world, the curriculum is aiming to arm graduates with a full set of tools to find success among the burgeoning slate of companies specializing in outdoor gear, or to take their first entrepreneurial steps in becoming the next Yvon Chouinard or Davis Smith. ... Much as the program's title suggests, Anderson said students are immersed in training that guides them through the full spectrum of product creation from design concept through the development stages that lead to manufacturing.

• The Herald Journal Monday, May. 20, 2019

  Board of Regents Appoints USU Regional VP as Interim Commissioner

  The Utah State Board of Regents recently appointed a Utah State University faculty member, David Woolstenhulme, as interim commissioner of higher education. Woolstenhulme, chosen during the board’s meeting at Snow College in Ephraim, will replace David L. Buhler on July 1 as Buhler will go on to teach political science classes at University of Utah. ... Woolstenhulme is currently the vice president of regional campuses at USU, a role he assumed in August 2018. Buhler became Utah’s eighth commissioner in June 2012, after serving for 12 years as associate commissioner. He announced in early 2019 that he would be ending his service in June. ... Woolstenhulme has overseen the nonacademic operations of USU Distance locations, including budget, recruitment and facilities. Woolstenhulme has served as USU’s regional vice provost and president of Uintah Basin Applied Technology College. He has two degrees from USU and a doctorate from the University of Wyoming.

• Fortune magazine Thursday, May. 16, 2019

  Fortune 500 Has More Female CEOs Than Ever Before

  In the latest Fortune 500 list, published Thursday, you’ll find a new record: As of June 1, 33 of the companies on the ranking of highest-grossing firms will be led by female CEOs for the first time ever. To be sure, that sum represents a disproportionately small share of the group as a whole; just 6.6%. But it also marks a considerable jump from last year’s total of 24, or 4.8%. The uptick in female CEOs this year is largely the result of women being named chief executive in the last 12 months, such as Best Buy’s Corie Barry, Northrop Grumman’s Kathy Warden, and Land O’Lakes’ Beth Ford. In fact, the 33rd CEO to make the list did so just this week, when home goods retailer Bed Bath & Beyond tapped Mary Winston as its interim CEO amid pressure from a trio of activist investors. ... The number of female CEOs in the Fortune 500 is, of course, vulnerable to the whims of individual companies, but, as a whole, it can also be seen as a barometer of women’s standing in the business world. So what might be behind the net increase of nine in one year’s time? In a word: boards. ... Christy Glass, a professor at Utah State University who focuses on gender inequality and race and ethnicity in work and leadership, says her research with co-author Alison Cook “has shown that when boards are well-integrated with women, women are much more likely to be appointed CEOs.” The push for board diversity, she says, “may be paying off in terms of women appointed as CEOs.” What’s more, her research has found that having a gender-diverse board also increases the likelihood that women CEOs have lengthier tenures; women CEOs in the Fortune 500 overall have shorter stints than their male counterparts—42 months versus 60.

  
   

• Deseret News Wednesday, May. 15, 2019

  Logan is the Best City for Entrepreneurship According to New Study

  Four small Utah cities have been named in the top 10 for growing entrepreneurship in a new study from Verizon, according to Inc. Logan tops the list thanks to Utah State University, which “specializes” in studies that attract talent vital to businesses, like engineering and science. USU also attracts more out-of-state students than any other public university in Utah. ... Verizon’s definition of a small city is one with 50,000-75,000 residents. The study examined 300 cities across the United States and settled on 50 of the best places for business. The methodology includes the number of residents with college degrees, commute times, infrastructure and the number of existing businesses.

• The Herald Journal Wednesday, May. 15, 2019

  USU Announces New Caine College of the Arts Dean

  A new dean of the Cain College of the Arts at Utah State University will officially start July 1. Rachel Nardo was selected to join USU, coming from California State University, Office of the Chancellor. “We are pleased to welcome Rachel to Utah State University and to the Caine College of the Arts,” said Frank Galey, executive vice president and provost for USU.  “She is an innovative and energetic educational leader with extensive experience in sustaining and growing distinctive multi- and interdisciplinary programs in arts, humanities and community outreach.” The news comes after current Caine College dean Craig Jessop announced he would be stepping down at the end of this school year. Jessop joined USU in 2008 as music department head and became the first dean of the Caine College of the Arts in 2010. Jessop plans to go on a sabbatical for a year, following which he plans to return to the music department faculty. Nardo served as the director of the multidisciplinary, international Summer Arts program for the past seven years at California State University.

• The Herald Journal Wednesday, May. 15, 2019

  USU Science Sean Elected to the National Academy of Sciences

  The National Academy of Sciences, one of the world’s premier academic institutions, has elected Utah State University’s Dean Maura Hagan from the College of Science, along with 100 other U.S. scientists and 25 associates this year. Hagan is the first person at USU to receive this recognition. The appointments were announced April 30 and membership is “considered one of the highest honors a scientist can receive,” according to the press release. “I was completely surprised,” Hagan said. “Someone who is already a member nominates you, so I don’t know who was responsible, but I was delighted and very honored.” ... USU President Noelle Cockett said that Hagan “not only continues her groundbreaking contributions to atmospheric research but, by her leadership and service, is guiding USU’s scientific research and teaching efforts toward a successful future.” Hagan was named dean of the College of Science in 2015 and joined USU after serving as interim director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, for two years. She began her career at NCAR as a scientist in 1992, and was promoted to senior scientist in 2003.

• The Herald Journal Tuesday, May. 14, 2019

  USU Audiology Students Reflect on Humanitarian Mission

  Eleven Utah State University students returned from the Dominican Republic on Sunday after a weeklong volunteer mission with the Starkey Hearing Foundation to provide hearing aids to individuals without access to health care. Audiology students in the doctoral program at the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence have raised funds all year as part of a course designed around the service mission. The students pay for the missions themselves, holding bake sales to raise the money to cover the trip. ... The doctoral program in audiology is a specialization in the disability disciplines Ph.D. program in the Emma Eccles Jones School of Education and Human Services. The trip is part of an ongoing service-learning opportunity with Starkey Hearing Foundation that Utah State has been a part of for 14 years.

• The Herald Journal Monday, May. 13, 2019

  Aggie Bull-evard to Add Signal Lights, Bike Lane

  Aggie Bull-evard, the section of 700 North that passes through the Utah State campus, has been closed multiple times in the past for road construction, most typically in the summer. This year, big changes are expected as construction begins once again. Access to USU from 700 North is temporarily closed until Aug. 23. The closure is to help facilitate road, sidewalk and crosswalk improvements from 800 East to 900 East between the Aggie Recreation Center and the Education Building. “The signal light crosswalks will be used to direct pedestrians to the crosswalks at 800 North and 900 North,” said Kelly Christoffersen from USU Facilities planning, design and construction. Christoffersen said that they will be adding a new center island with a rain garden and artwork to help keep individuals from jaywalking. “We want to make it easier for the buses, and we will be adding a bike lane as well,” Christoffersen said. ... Entrance into USU from 1200 East to 900 East will still be open, and an alternative route to the Taggart Student Center, Welcome Center and University Inn parking lot will be made available.

• Salt Lake Tribune Sunday, May. 12, 2019

  USU Study Shows Campaign Brought an Extra Half-million Visitors to Parks

  Wilshire Boulevard is among Los Angeles’ busiest streets, traveled by millions in cars, on foot and on bikes. For two months in 2013, a composite image showing several iconic Utah landforms — think Delicate Arch and the Great White Throne — soared above the equally iconic street connecting Beverly Hills with L.A.’s commercial districts. From the side of a 20-story building, the redrock scenery beckoned passersby to visit Utah’s “Mighty 5.” That 238-foot-high “wallscape” was the start of the now famous and much-copied ad blitz touting southern Utah’s five national parks. The campaign’s spring 2013 launch — placed in television ads, building wraps, digital billboards, magazines and social media at a cost of $3.1 million — coincided with a steep increase in park visitation that has continued unabated ever since. It was widely assumed that “Mighty 5” had a lot to do with that, and a new study by Utah State University economists confirms it: The campaign attracted an additional half-million visitors on average during each of the three years after the appearance of these ads in major Western cities within a long-day’s drive of Utah. Although Utah’s park tourism had been rising since 2008, the state Office of Tourism initiated the aggressive multimedia push promoting Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef national parks. But the campaign likely did little to push soaring visitation at Zion and Bryce Canyon, Utah’s two most crowded parks, according to the study’s senior author, Paul Jakus, a professor in USU’s Department of Applied Economics. Still, the study proves Mighty 5 was a huge success, for better or worse, and highlights the imperative for the state to adjust messaging surrounding Utah’s increasingly crowded redrock gems.