Community Development

Land-Grant Cornerstone Conversation

Join the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) for the 2020 Land-Grant Cornerstone Conversation being held virtually during the 58th annual Farm Science Review on Tuesday, September 22. Dr. Cathann A. Kress, vice president for agricultural administration and dean of the CFAES and special guests, including Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, will discuss the future of agriculture research technology and prominent ways to ensure the food supply chain in Ohio and beyond. Follow this link to register. 

Sourced from: CFAES

Homeless Veterans use Urban Gardening to Heal Invisible Wounds

Less than 10 percent of Americans have served in the U.S. military, according to the Department of Veteran Affairs, but in Indiana, one in three men that are homeless is a veteran, according to Helping Veterans and Families (HVAF). HVAF is an organization that works to provide support and tools to help veterans get back on their feet. Here, they know that war and homelessness can leave scars, and they recently started an urban garden for their residents. Amanda Helfrich, a HVAF case manager, said she noticed that there was some space at the facility that wasn’t being utilized and thought it would be the perfect place for the garden. She said it’s made a difference among the residents. Follow this link to read more.

Sourced from: WTHR

A Beginner’s Guide to Intersectionality

Across outcomes in education, health, housing and nearly every other aspect of daily life in the United States, race is the single-most predictive indicator of one’s success. Racism is pervasive in government, non-profit and private systems and the policies, practices and procedures that create and uphold those systems and institutions. Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones defines racism as “a system of structuring opportunity and assigning value based on the social interpretation of how one looks (which is what we call “race”), that unfairly disadvantages some individuals and communities, unfairly advantages other individuals and communities, and saps the strength of the whole society through the waste of human resources.” Follow this link to learn more.

Sourced from: CitiesSpeak

Using ArcGIS StoryMaps in Your Research and Teaching

Want to make a map that will help you share the stories being uncovered through your research and make them accessible to a broader audience? Want to give your students an opportunity to engage with spatial thinking and work on an exciting digital project? ArcGIS StoryMaps allow you to weave an inspiring and interactive narrative by combining text, maps, and multimedia content – images, videos, and embeds – to communicate information through engaging and user-friendly web mapping applications. This self-paced, 100% online workshop should take approximately 90 minutes to complete beginning on September 14, 2020. Follow this link to learn more.

Sourced from: CURA

It’s Hot in the City: Understanding the Urban Heat Island Effect on Ohio State’s Campus

Forty years ago, Ohio State geography Professor John Arnfield would get into his Volkswagen Microbus and set out to study the microclimates in Columbus. His wife, Joan, marked intersections in the city as sensors mounted on top of the vehicle and a strip chart recorder kept track of the decreasing temperature from the urban settings of campus and downtown toward Scioto Downs, a horseracing track in a rural area south of the city.

The temperature was lower in the rural areas because of the urban heat island effect, which results from factors including activity in the city; buildings, roads, and their materials; and lack of green infrastructure.

Now, Jim DeGrand, a senior researcher in geography and assistant state climatologist, and colleagues from Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center; university planning, architecture, and real estate; and the Sustainability Institute at Ohio State are determining what the urban heat island effect means for Ohio State. By classifying climate zones at the Columbus campus and installing a sensor network to monitor and measure the heat island effect, the team expects to explore ways to reduce its impact.  Follow this link to read more.

Sourced from: The Ohio State University

130th Anniversary Celebration for 1890s Universities

Join higher education and civic leaders on Monday, August 31 at 1 p.m. for a webinar celebrating the 130th Anniversary of the Morrill Act of 1890, which designated 19 Historically Black Colleges and Universities with land-grant status. This legislation gave states funds to establish state universities for persons of color if higher education wasn’t already open to all in the state. The celebration will kick off the week of August 24 and conclude with this celebratory webinar. The webinar will be a chance to participate in a discussion of the legacy and future importance of the 1890s, led by 1890s leaders, policymakers, and others. Follow this link to learn more.

Sourced from: ECOP

Empowering Communities to Feed Themselves in the Time of COVID-19

On a morning in early April, a line of people snaked around a Bronx city block. Normally a bustling borough, the area, on this day, was subdued, as most residents heeded the government advice to stay home to stop the spread of COVID19. And yet some 3,000 senior citizens –  the majority of them nervous, wearing masks, and keeping a safe distance from their line neighbors, found their fear of the contagious illness trumped by a more immediate human need: hunger. Their queue stretched more than a mile as they waited next to their shopping carts for a city councilman to arrive with the pantry staples he had promised to distribute. Follow this link to read more.

Sourced from: Next City

Ohio Victory Gardens Program Kicks Off

Victory Gardens originated during World War I, an answer to a severe food shortage at the time. The idea was wildly successful, growing an army of amateur gardeners and serving to boost morale and patriotism. ODA and OSU Extension are reviving the effort and once again encouraging people to plant seeds, realize the fruits of their labor, and share with others if inspired. Advice and resources on every aspect of planting and harvesting produce are available at the Ohio Victory Gardens website.

“At a time when many people are spending more time at home with their families, we saw revitalizing the concept of Victory Gardens as an enjoyable, interactive way to learn about growing your own nutritious food that can be made into meals everyone can enjoy,” said Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Dorothy Pelanda. “This is a great way for anyone to start a new hobby and to have a little fun while learning an important life skill.” Follow this link to learn more.

Sourced from: Morning Ag Clips.