PMB professor Kris Niyogi was recognized in the Daily Californian for his recent election to the 2016 American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows. Niyogi was acknowledged for his investigations into photosynthesis regualtion, in particular with changes to light intensity.
PMB professor emeritus Bob Buchanan and professor Kris Niyogi are highlighted in this Daily Californian article on Niyogi's recently published research on the potential of genetic manipulation in plants to enhance yield. “Business as usual plant breeding is probably not going to get us the point we need,” Niyogi said. “This is one of the several approaches that we are hoping will be successful in the next few years.”
ESPM fomer postdoc researcher Julie Jedlicka is featured in this Popular Science article for her recently published research on the benefits of bluebirds in vineyards. Jedlicka, who worked with ESPM professor Rodrigo Almeida on the researcher, used "molecular scatology" to conclude that the birds ate mostly pesky insects.
Center for Fire Research and Outreach researcher and ESPM alum Brandon Collins (B.S. '01, Ph.D. '07) is featured in this Vox article on California's dead and dying trees. Collins discusses the mass tree dieoffs and the practicality of using prescribed fires to thin out forests, noting that prescribed fires are incredibly tricky to pull off in dense forests that have been allowed to build up for many decades.
ERG professor Dan Kammen was featured on a KQED Radio Forum segment, hosted by Michael Krazny. Kammen, who recently attended COP22 in Marrakesh, spoke on the economics of coal and the natural gas industry.
ESPM adjunct professor and Cooperative Extension specialist Matteo Garbelotto was quoted in this Daily Californian article on the lingering effects of California's recent widespread tree dieoff. “Lack of water makes trees more combustible and at the same time more susceptible to what we call secondary insects and diseases,” stated Garbelotto. “These secondary agents are the ones that really predispose trees to be affected by catastrophic fires.”
ERG professor Dan Kammen is highlighted in this Democracy Now interview segment on Kosovo and its coal-firing plant. Kammen noted that Kosovo is "a country where the wind and geothermal resources are enough, and yet—study after study from the outside has said go with the clean energy, and yet we’ve seen no switch in position from the World Bank. We haven’t seen a pullback from the U.S. position. It’s the kind of testbed where you want to see clean energy lead, not lag."
ERG professor Dan Kammen was featured in this Democracy Now video segment on the Pentagon's climate change analysis. Kammen noted that not only were "researchers around the planet were really pleased to see the analysis by the Pentagon’s internal experts and external deliberations," but that the analysis highlighted "clean energy is one of our best defenses against that, because we can build energy resources for poor communities more rapidly with clean energy than with dirty energy—with none of the downside."
ESPM postdoc researcher Joan Casey coauthored this commentary for the East Bay Times on the critical role of antibiotics and the increasing dangers posed by antibiotic research. Casey notes that California's newly passed regulation of antibiotic overuse, if successful, could serve as a model for other states.