UF-ABE: An Exciting Place To Be

By Michael Gutierrez

In August, Dr. Kati Migliaccio formally began her term as Chair of UF’s Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department. With new administrators come new ideas and Dr. Migliaccio is very much a researcher of the moment - well-versed in perfecting how engineering and technology can benefit the end-user. During the recent ASABE meeting in Detroit, Dr. Migliaccio agreed to an interview with IrriGator to discuss water-use research at UF-ABE and other thoughts about where the department is and where it’s going.

IG: What’s exciting right now in terms of water-use research at UF-ABE?

KM: There are several things that are exciting. One is looking at water scarcity and the aspects of how we’re going to manage water for the growing food demand and the growing population, and with sea level rise. There are many factors at play in a dynamic system. Another interesting aspect, related to climate change, is the change in water availability over space and time. Crops that are grown in some places may no longer be grown there; crops may be grown in other places, so the water demands are going to change. How are we going to modify our food systems on small scales and larger scales to adjust with those changes in a sustainable way?

Water research is also moving forward with technology. Technology is becoming an integrated part of all water management decisions. Technology is more user-friendly and people are becoming more accustomed to using it. You’re seeing more and more technology applications related to making better water decisions - in restrooms, outdoors in irrigation. With any water application, new technology is developing either in sensing, or managing volume, or allocating our resources so we don’t overuse something for an application that requires a smaller amount to get the job done.

IG: Is there some water-related research that may be missing that you would like to see develop further in the department?

KM: The one area that I would like to explore more that we haven’t has to do with vertical farming and how we can manage resources - water and energy - to produce our food in a more contained environment in readily accessible places like cities. I see that as a real future focus area for our department.

Something to look forward to in 2019, @UF_ABE Dept Chair Kati Migliaccio will co-edit a special Resource edition devoted to women leaders in the discipline. #ASABEaim18 pic.twitter.com/aXEcAq7KH2

— UF/IFAS IrriGator (@IrriGatorUF) August 1, 2018

IG: You have always had an interest in the professional development of students. Are there any plans to encourage more of that in the department for undergraduates - more lab and industry experience?

KM: One of the really valuable things a student can experience is that partnership with industry. I would like to see us grow those relationships so that students are exposed on a more regular basis to what it would be like to work for different types of companies and do different types of things. And also, give students the experience in the profession environment. So not just applying the knowledge or the fundamental principles they learn in graduate school, but also polishing their professional skills and working in that environment that is driven by many factors and not just the science.

IG: What would you say to an incoming undergraduate student with an interest in engineering. Why choose UF-ABE?

Follow Dr. Migliaccio on Twitter

KM: UF-ABE provides a very unique opportunity for students. We have a fairly good ratio of faculty to students. Students in classes do get to know the faculty and faculty are very helpful to the students. That’s not true in all engineering disciplines, many of which have larger classes. Also the application aspect is something that you may not experience in other disciplines. Because it is agricultural and biological, all of the engineering principles and core operation management principles, are applied to real world situations - water issues, energy issues, and food management system issues. You get that experience of applying concepts that you’re learning to something you can really appreciate because they are part of your life. It’s a great place to be. You learn how to not only solve problems from a technical aspect that you might apply professionally, but also how you can integrate this knowledge in your own personal life to be a better citizen.

The future and our ability to live well will depend on our ability to manage our resources. The agricultural and biological engineering discipline focuses on managing our resources. ABE students will contribute to a more sustainable world for future generations - and UF-ABE offers excellent training for students to succeed in this endeavor.

Next Stop: Detroit - An ASABE AIM 2018 Preview

By Michael Gutierrez

Summer means rain and heat for us in Florida, but it also means a new ASABE Annual International Meeting (AIM). This year many students and faculty from UF-ABE will be making the trek to Detroit, MI, to compete, present research, and network with both international and national peers.

Things To Do

There will be dozens and dozens of talks during ASABE AIM. Here I’ll highlight some of what I’ll be focusing on from a water-use perspective, with an interest in UF-ABE work. Activities ramp up on Monday with the General Session and the start of technical sessions. The “Producing More Food with Less Water” panel should generate some excellent discussion on water quality, quantity and the role of ag and bio engineers. Monday also features incoming UF-ABE Department Chair Dr. Kati Migliaccio presenting “Water Quality - The Reality Show” in Session 123. Big data and Computational Tools presentations are slated for Tuesday in Session 254 among others. UF-ABE graduate students Miles Medina and Kathleen Vazquez will present during this session. I’ll also be on the lookout for talks from Hao Gan and Thaigo Onofre (Sessions 210 and 242 respectively) two top UF-ABE graduate students in precision ag and cloud computing.  

Please join us in congratulating #UFABE Land and Water Resources graduate student Ian Hahus on receiving the @ASABEorg Robert E. Stewart Engineering-Humanities Award! Ian will be recognized at the ASABE Annual International Meeting in Detroit, Michigan next month. #ItsGreatUF pic.twitter.com/qW8vbaG3nB

— UF/IFAS Agricultural and Biological Engineering (@UF_ABE) June 26, 2018

“I am looking forward to listening to Dr. Ian Hahus’ two presentations and meeting with Resource magazine about a special issue I am co-editing next year focused on women leaders in the discipline,” said Dr. Migliaccio, UF-ABE Chair. ABE alum Dr. Hahus will present during Sessions 262 and 324 at AIM, and on Wednesday will accept the Robert E. Stewart Engineering Humanities Award.

The RoboGators are back for 2018!

Design Competitions

Amidst the presentations and networking, student teams also travel from far and wide to take part in the Robotics Design and Fountain Wars Competitions. 2018’s robotics competition features 19 teams in two categories. Teams will field autonomous robots on a board to simulate the harvest and storage of apples. All three rounds of robotics take place on Tuesday.  Fountain Wars is judged on a number of criteria - including written and oral presentations. But crowds will form Monday evening when teams put their fountains to the test completing two technical tasks - launching a golf disc and keeping a balance beam level, using only water and engineering savvy.

#ASABEaim18

IrriGator will be in Detroit for all the goings-on. If you are attending ASABE AIM follow along and contribute to the happenings on Twitter using the #ASABEaim18 tag. Digital presence has never been more vital to scicomm so be sure to add your research and POV to the mix.

Florida Section ASABE Meeting 2018

In June, the Florida Section of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers hosted their annual meeting. This meeting provides a venue for all working in the profession to come together, share ideas, network, and learn. The section has a tradition of meeting annually and hosting a trade show exhibit, research presentations, an awards ceremony, and professional development opportunities.

Talent On Display

(image Jodi Scholtz)

 Drs. Eban Bean and Adam Watson of UF ABE presented research during the sessions. Dr. Bean's programs focus on urban hydrology and work closely with the Program for Resource Efficient Communities and the Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology. Dr. Watson's focus is on agribusiness, farm economics, supply chain management and food systems. He is a faculty member in the Agricultural Operations Management program in ABE. Other presenters included Dr. Yiannis Ampatzidis and Dr. Kati Migliaccio.

Dedicated Professionals

(image Jodi Scholtz)

Dr. Steve Searcy from Texas A&M University (and current ASABE president) providing the 25 year award to Dr. Rafa Munoz-Carpena. Dr. Carpena is a Professor in ABE and is the Interim Chair of the Department.

The excellent work of former and current students was also recognized.

(image Jodi Scholtz)

Dr. Anne Elise (Creamer) Wester current PhD student Thiago Borba Onofre were recognized for contributions to the discipline and presentation excellence, respectively.

(image Jodi Scholtz)

Other noteworthy contributions were made by Dr. Richard Scholtz who has long supported and been part of the Florida Section ASABE leadership.

(image Jodi Scholtz)

We should also mention that Dr. Aditya Singh was recognized for his work by the section with an award.

(image Jodi Scholtz)

Dr. Singh is UF ABE's new remote sensing faculty member and specializes in optical remote sensing.

If you haven't attended a Florida Section meeting for ASABE lately - plan to attend next year. The meeting provides a great place to share ideas, meet new people and learn about exciting new advances in the discipline. Look for more information on the website.

A Full Slate for Summer 2018

By Michael Gutierrez

Summer is always an exciting time for ag and bio engineering in general

and water-use work in particular. The next two months include both the

Florida Section ASABE Annual Conference and the

ASABE Annual International Meeting. July also ushers in

Smart Irrigation Month, a national effort to educate everyone about how

to water smartly just as outdoor water-use ramps up across the country.

Expect coverage of all of the above here on irriGator.

Tampa Bay Water HQ in April

Our first summer entry is a brief report back from the recent Landscape Irrigation Water Conservation Technologies Training which took place in

Clearwater, FL. This event was a joint effort by Tampa Bay Water,

Florida Irrigation Society (FIS) and UF/IFAS - bringing together regional

practitioners, a variety of vendors showcasing their latest devices, and

IFAS researchers training on best practices. This is a rare treat in

Florida in the spring, so much so that I made the trek from South Florida

to attend.

“Why go all that way?” you may ask. Well, Dr. Michael Dukes had promised an expansive agenda that would not only include water-saving devices like weather-based controllers and soil moisture sensors, but also pressure regulating sprinkler spray bodies (now a EPA WaterSense certified product). And that’s exactly what the training delivered. We covered water-saving technology best practices, why rain sensors are not the best choice for preventing unnecessary irrigation, and the work that went into testing how and why pressure regulating spray heads save water. Further, this year’s training featured a new lab portion requiring attendees to engage with a vendor to learn some basics about a specific technology, making for a lively vendor area with great exchanges about attendees.

Training lab session underway

The combination of Tampa Bay Water and Florida Irrigation Society (offering CEUs) helped attract a broad spectrum of practitioners to the training. I took every opportunity to speak to attendees to learn what area of the green industry they worked in and what they were interested in learning about. I spoke landscape architects, irrigation technicians, and a residential system contractor. Some attended to learn more about a specific technology (soil moisture sensors), others learned the most during the vendor lab session, and the residential contractor had plenty to share about the limitations of adopting new technology with homeowners when/where there are no incentives (rebates, etc.).

There will not be a more worthwhile irrigation-focused event until fall when

FIS and the Irrigation Association have trainings and certification exams. I

certainly journeyed back to South Florida eager to build on what I learned in

the auditing work that I do. Smart Irrigation Month is just a few weeks away.

Look for more information on water-saving technology and irrigation best

practices on here on irriGator.

2018 Water Institute Symposium Preview: Water Technology Session

2018 UF Water Institute Symposium Feb 6-7 
Session: Use of Technology to Shape our Water Future

The UF Water Institute Symposium is always filled with great information and opportunities to meet others in the profession. On February 6th - one of the sessions will focus on using technology in water decision making.

This will be an exciting session composed of Agricultural and Biological Engineering expertise and Electrical and Computer Engineering expertise. To give you a taste of what's to come, one of the presenters - Thiago Onofre (ABE graduate student) - created this video:

Other speakers include Drs. Eisenstadt (Wireless Weather Stations and Maintenance Training for Haitian Agriculture) and Zare (Synthetic Aperture SONAR Soft Segmentation using Possibilistic Fuzzy Local Information C-Means) from ECE and Drs. McLamore (Mobile phone-based nanosensor diagnostics for planetary health) and Migliaccio (Using smartphone apps to make water management decisions) from ABE. 

Sponsored by Tampa Bay Water, the session takes place at 3:30 pm in Reitz Union 2365. If you are interested in the latest in technology and its application to water - don't miss it!

Research and Communications with Dr. Natalie Nelson

One of this summer’s highlights at UF-ABE was celebrating the successful PhD defense of graduate student Natalie Nelson. An NSF Graduate Research Fellow, a U.S. Presidential Management Fellows Program finalist, Dr. Nelson’s accolades go on and on. But we at IrriGator know her as an enthusiastic collaborator whose blog contributions were always illuminating, audience favorites. Before moving on to the next stage in her research career, Dr. Nelson agreed to share some insight about her work, interests, and future endeavors.

Dr. Natalie Nelson of NC State BAE

What was the focus of your graduate studies?

NN: At ABE my studies focused on hydrologic sciences, but then my research was really focused on specifically water quality and more specifically cyanobacteria and phytoplankton in freshwater and brackish systems – using data analytics and models to study long-term monitoring data sets that exist from a few different systems in Florida to try and infer what types of patterns we could detect between these different types of phytoplankton (such as cyanobacteria) and environmental conditions.

Did you always know you were going to pursue a STEM career?

NN: Yes. In high school I remember giving a presentation in my English class explaining that I wanted to be a marine biologist. I’m not sure exactly why I transitioned away from that but I decided that I was really interested in engineering and the applied sciences. It’s kind of interesting to see how things have evolved, where now I’m obviously not a marine biologist but I’ve incorporated some of those interests by focusing on phytoplankton in these estuarine systems but with more of an engineering perspective. I didn’t know that this is where I would end up, but I always was really interested in math and science and I definitely knew I’d be in a STEM field.

You’ve been one of our more popular guest authors on IrriGator, contributing some of the most viewed entries on the blog in 2016. Do you have any tips for graduate students on perfecting writing/ communication skills?

NN: Everything with communication, it takes practice and there are a lot of opportunities that are really easy to access - in terms of different opportunities to present your work in all sorts of different media, whether it be social media or different presentations. There are all these opportunities, but you have to take advantage of them. No one is going to force you into it.

.@UF ABE's Natalie Nelson shares her summer research experience w/ @SmithsonianEnv http://t.co/jHRnxkuKFJ pic.twitter.com/zjcRS0NEWc

— UF/IFAS IrriGator (@IrriGatorUF) September 30, 2015

Ultimately, the way in which I’ve been trying to develop my communication skills is just by prioritizing communication and trying to pursue these different opportunities as they arise. So take advantage of opportunities! Don’t let them pass you by. Especially because it does take time so you have to prioritize it. It’s very easy to prioritize research over everything.

You’re active on Twitter. Can you talk about how maintaining this digital presence has been useful to you?

NN: I have learned a lot about various research activities through Twitter that I would not have discovered otherwise. If you’re rather selective in who you choose to follow you can really gain a tremendous amount of information about different initiatives that are being created. Just the other day I learned about this great collaborative research institute that’s being created. It’s right up my alley, so I get to have easy and quick access to this developing group.

Our study on temporal variability in tidal-marsh creek DO is in press with Water Resources Research. Check it out! https://t.co/LpwhkXmzSK

— Natalie Nelson (@natnels) July 25, 2017

In terms of presenting myself and showing some of what I’ve been doing, it’s really easy and very effective. For example, when I posted about the article that I had published in January/February a friend who I know just personally and through courses saw that tweet and then went and looked at the paper and discovered that the method I use was really relevant to what he was working on. Then a bunch of conversations started from there and we’ve been collaborating a bit on a project he’s currently working on. Twitter allows for you to communicate with people quickly and easily who you might not necessarily discuss research with. It has been really practical.

Can you tell us about your new position at North Carolina State University?

NN: I’ve been hired as an assistant professor at NC State to work primarily in research and also in teaching in the area of data analytics and integrated modeling, but as applied to questions that fall within the scope of biological and agricultural engineering. This would span from bio processing to agricultural systems analysis, but then also some of what I’ve done in the past such as water quality evaluations and ecological evaluations. The scope is really broad. The idea with this position is to bring in someone who can work across disciplines within biological and agricultural engineering through the use of a common set of tools such as data analytics and some of these machine learning tools I’ve been using.

Congrats to @natnels on defending her Ph.D. yesterday at UF! Dr. Nelson will join @NCState_BAE in August. Her Weaver office is almost ready! pic.twitter.com/PXJldWkGe8

— Garey Fox (@GareyAFox) July 7, 2017

In addition, I will also be pursuing projects related to various aspects of estuarine ecology, but from an engineering perspective – looking at how different global and local modes of change might impact estuaries and what does that mean for the people that rely on estuaries.

I’ll be looking for students starting in 2018 so anyone who’s interested in a funded PhD or Masters should contact me!

Spokane Report Back: ASABE AIM 2017

Last month I attended ASABE’s Annual International Meeting in Spokane, WA. Along with hundreds of students, researchers, and experts, I had the opportunity to catch up with colleagues from around the country and see some of the latest research in ag & bio engineering topics.

ABE and the Future

One of the themes of AIM was what role engineers might play in ensuring a sustainable future for an ever-expanding population and its food, water and energy requirements. World Food Prize Foundation President, and keynote speaker, Dr. Kenneth M. Quinn addressed the concern at length. 

Infrastructure is critical to reducing suffering. "Where the road ends,
poverty and malnutrition begins" --Amb Kenneth Quinn #ASABEaim17 pic.twitter.com/Tte2wGt3vy

— ASABE.org (@ASABEorg) July 17, 2017

And later a distinguished panel on Opportunities in the Food/Water/Energy Nexus got into specifics about research, policy and collaboration. 

Food-Energy-Water Nexus panel talking food security to a packed house #ASABEaim17 pic.twitter.com/WUqpG9dMM6

— Miles Medina (@MilesDMedina) July 17, 2017

There were hundreds of additional presentations at AIM. Peruse the library of technical papers presented at AIM here.

Accolades for UF

UF ABE was a presence at both the student awards breakfast and the awards luncheon at AIM. Dr. Michael Dukes was formally inducted as an ASABE Fellow. In addition, Dr. Kati Migliaccio was named the G.B. Gunlogson Countryside Engineering Award recipient for 2017. 

Congratulations again to the 2017 Class of ASABE Fellows! #ASABEaim17 pic.twitter.com/Vppj1FSXpr

— UF/IFAS IrriGator (@IrriGatorUF) July 18, 2017

Among the students, Biomass Conversion PhD candidate Joe Sagues took first place in the Boyd-Scott Graduate Research Competition. And in the robotics design competition the AggreGators surprised everyone with a 4^th place finish among 13 teams.

Stay Tuned

Speaking of robotics, my role at AIM involved both social media and digital media work. Watch for short videos summarizing the student robotics and fountain wars design competitions in the months ahead. 

Back on the boards for some post-competition stick pummeling @ #ASABEaim17! pic.twitter.com/73g0HGij0j

— UF/IFAS IrriGator (@IrriGatorUF) July 18, 2017

Next Stop: Spokane, WA

Next week students, researchers and industry members from across the globe will gather in Spokane, WA, for ASABE’s Annual International Meeting. I will be attending as well, once again collaborating with ASABE to bring the digital audience inside the goings-on during the event’s four days. Here’s a preview of some of what will happen next week.

Gainesville Presente

There will be a sizeable UF contingent in Spokane. UF-ABE researchers will be presenting in a host of technical sessions from Monday to Wednesday. Our ABE graduate students are exhibiting work in poster sessions ranging from Natural Resources and Environmental Systems to Machinery Systems. Several will also present in technical sessions, including the imminently graduating Natalie Nelson (PhD) who will also moderate the Leveraging Big Data session. 

How heated was Robotics Design Competition at AIM 2016? Take a look!

The UF-ABE robotics team returns to AIM to put their precision ag skills to the test in the robotics competition. In addition, Dr. Michael Dukes, CLCE Director and UF/IFAS irrigation specialist will be officially inducted as a 2017 ASABE Fellow in Spokane.

As teams across the US begin their 2017 designs, have a look at last years @ASABEorg Fountain Wars competition: https://t.co/vp8qrrLmt6 pic.twitter.com/7EmGGqXRVc

— UF/IFAS IrriGator (@IrriGatorUF) February 10, 2017

#ASABEaim17

One of the more exciting aspects of AIM is the professional development opportunities afforded to students. I’ll be working to showcase as many of those as I can – namely in the design competitions like Fountain Wars, where student teams complete tasks with water and engineering (this year beach balls and eggs are afoot) and Robotics Design, where autonomous robots simulate tasks with props on a board (for 2017, the raspberry farm is where we lay our scene). I’ll also move among the poster and technical sessions to highlight exciting graduate student research.

Tune In

Get an inside look at AIM events with IrriGator and ASABE on Twitter on the #ASABEaim17 tag. And if you’re attending AIM make sure to download the event app (iOs or Android) to keep your schedule organized. See you in Spokane! 

On the Cutting Edge of Water Saving Science: A Look Back at 2016

By Michael Gutierrez

We're not usually in the habit of ending the year having to clarify what it is we do and why, but here we are. From my perspective, 2016 was a remarkable year in water research. Summer water quality issues in South Florida put our water in the national headlines for weeks (the debate rolls on). Then projections about future water demand in Florida underscored the need for continued work around water-use efficiency. Meanwhile our group of UF/IFAS water specialists on campus and around the state remained focused on providing solutions for present and future challenges, and I kept doing my best to find unique ways to communicate those efforts to you. What follows are some highlights from 2016.

Water researchers: Maria Zamora, Mackenzie Boyer, Eliza Breder, Michael Dukes & Bernard Cardenas

Statewide Work

One of the measures of successful research is how well it can move from design and data to real-world impact. For the Dukes research group (pictured above), the smart irrigation study in Orange County continued to inform policy this year when the Board of County Commissioners formally recognized the water-saving capacity of smart technology. There is already work around creating a watering restriction variance for smart device users

This year also saw UF/IFAS go even bigger on promoting and coordinating water-focused work in Florida by creating 5 positions for regional specialized agents in water. Each agent concentrates on the water issues specific to their sector. This year we profiled Dr. Lisa Krimsky from the South District. We’ll continue to profile the other water RSAs in 2017 to learn about the water issues of note in their sectors. In the meantime, keep up with their efforts on Twitter.

Irrigation Tools and How to Get Them

In my experience as a water resources tech with UF/IFAS I have never seen more interest in basic landscape irrigation know-how among IFAS staff around the state than in 2016. I wrote about one instance of assisting an agent in Lake County earlier this year. But we had other requests for help that we were not able to address. Fortunately, some of the best irrigation-focused programs in the state are currently lending their expertise to fashioning workshops where extension agents can learn irrigation system audit basics. How do I know they’re the best? Well in 2016 I had the privilege to work with both of them.  

Miami-Dade’s Urban Conservation Unit administers an irrigation rebate program as large as its region requires. This program is a model of UF/IFAS and utility collaboration. Further, despite their whopping load of field work they remain largely accessible online and eager to share their knowledge. 

FYN agent Morgan Hopkins details how a @UF_IFAS & @MiamiDadeWater partnership impacts water-savings in South FL! pic.twitter.com/QO2Bjbunld

— UF/IFAS IrriGator (@IrriGatorUF) October 28, 2016

On the Southwest coast of Florida is Manatee County Extension. Their mobile irrigation lab also executes an irrigation rebate program, the details of which I was so impressed with that I requested a ride-along this summer while in the area on other field work. The result of that meeting was a short video that tries to do some justice to how effective that team is in educating the public about water-use efficiency.

@UF_IFAS #extension faculty in #ManateeCounty teaching about saving water and improving landscapes https://t.co/ZWVijtPpud @JackPayneIFAS

— Nick Place (@nplace01) September 8, 2016

As more utilities move toward incentivizing smart irrigation technology, the demand for trainings and workshops for area irrigation contractors continues to grow. That’s where we come in. In 2016 the Dukes research group conducted 3 trainings in Southwest/Central Florida on proper installation and use of soil moisture sensors and weather-based irrigation controllers. Look for us in your area in 2017.

Dr. Kati Migliaccio at ASABE AIM 2016

Home Team

This year ASABE held their annual international meetings (AIM) in Orlando. Most of our water group presented research there and I had the opportunity to document really exciting student competitions like robotics and the fountain wars. AIM also served as an occasion for recognizing noteworthy work as Dr. Michael Dukes was honored with the John Deere Gold Medal and Dr. Kati Migliaccio won for Outstanding Associate Editor (pictured above). 

.@UF_IFAS expert Dr. Michael Dukes reflects on receiving @ASABEorg's John Deere Gold Medal #ASABEaim16 pic.twitter.com/3pR9EIUkeC

— UF/IFAS IrriGator (@IrriGatorUF) July 20, 2016

This was not the only honor Dr. Migliaccio would receive in 2016. This year the UF Water Institute recognized Dr. Migliaccio as a Faculty Fellow. Watch her Distinguished Scholar Seminar on the future of water management here.

.@UF_IFAS water specialist Kati Migliaccio reflects on being recognized as a 2016 @UFWater Faculty Fellow. pic.twitter.com/UweLqMHpeb

— UF/IFAS IrriGator (@IrriGatorUF) September 21, 2016

For me collaborating with students is one of the more rewarding aspects of work in academia. At ASABE, UF ABE robotics team leader (and the future of precision ag) Amanda DeCanio was integral to me being able to complete the short video I was tasked with. Later, Ms. DeCanio agreed to reflect on her ASABE AIM experience for IrriGator.

UF ABE's Natalie Nelson w/ her poster on dissolved oxygen dynamics. Learn more: https://t.co/ZWEmxl3KWr #ufwater16 pic.twitter.com/HdjcNVVLGv

— UF/IFAS IrriGator (@IrriGatorUF) February 16, 2016

UF ABE PhD Candidate and NSF Graduate Research Fellow Natalie Nelson continued contributing excellent entries to IrriGator this year – taking our readership along on her treks to conferences and researcher gatherings across the country. And while I missed my first Irrigation Show and Education Conference since 2012 this year, Food and Resource Economics PhD Candidate Maria Vrachioli attended as an E3 Learner and chronicled her experience with the wider irrigation industry for us as well.  

2017: You Are Invited!

The fall of 2016 found us dedicating considerable lab time to pressure regulating sprinkler bodies. This work helped inform what will eventually result in EPA WaterSense certification of spray sprinkler bodies (SSB) as water-saving devices. Despite the solitary nature of this lab work – research associate Bernard Cardenas toiling at the testing apparatus for hours with different sprinkler brands - we found inventive ways to bring our audience/the greater public into the lab with us. Similarly this summer, Dr. Michael Dukes and I translated a sensor wiring mishap and some great corrective work in Pasco County into an elucidating dialogue about water saving technology and perception. Look for this piece to go national in 2017’s first issue of Irrigation Today. 

"We've got a lot going on in the lab that we want to share with you in 2017. Stay tuned!" - @MDDukes pic.twitter.com/triFpdM5YH

— UF/IFAS IrriGator (@IrriGatorUF) December 21, 2016

We’re going to stay on the cutting edge of irrigation research because that’s where we need to be. See you in the new year!

“It’s really about communicating”: An Interview with Dr. Eric McLamore

This November, Dr. Eric McLamore, associate professor in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, was honored with a USDA Excellence in Teaching award in the New Teacher category. Dr. McLamore is popular among students in the ABE department for his wide-ranging research and a grant writing course he teaches which includes learning about and creating digital media. In fact, not too long ago Dr. McLamore worked with IrriGator on a short video about air conditioning condensate irrigation.

In this same collaborative spirit, Dr. McLamore recently shared with us some thoughts on his current research and receiving a teaching award.

USDA Excellence in Teaching award recipients for UF/IFAS: Eric McLamore and Nicole Stedman 

What do you focus on in your research?

We make biosensors – measurement technology for measuring small molecules, viruses, cells and everything in between. Most of our work is applied within food safety or water quality; although we do some medical and nutritional work as well.

Right now we have a big project where we’re trying to measure a bacterium in food called Listeria monocytogenes – it’s a particularly dangerous organism that affects children and the elderly. It’s a major problem across the world. We’re working in the US with food producers on both the water quality side – things like irrigation water within the farm and also the processing facility. And we’re also working overseas. We have a project in Colombia working with displaced refugees monitoring that pathogen as well as others on food - trying to help people who are very vulnerable from a health standpoint. We also have some work initiating in that same sort of humanitarian context in Malaysia right now.

La Toma: Colombian community impacted by small-scale gold mining

I mentioned that we measure small molecules. One of the larger things we’re measuring in a similar humanitarian effort in Colombia is mercury. That project is focusing on illegal gold mining which is prevalent in that region of the world. We’re working with a community of displaced Afro-Colombians and indigenous tribes who live in the mountains. The illegal miners use mercury to create what’s called amalgamate - which is how they extract the gold. The miners don’t understand the damage that they’re doing to the environment and to themselves and the indigenous communities by using so much mercury. We’re finding levels hundreds of times higher than what the World Health Organization allows in any drinking water. We also measure fish that the locals consume. We’re trying to put together a project where we can assist the community as well as help train the miners who are exposed to the most dangerous levels of mercury.

Read a WHO report on gold and mining health

You teach a grant writing course which emphasizes the usefulness of digital media in terms of professional development. How do you use these tools in your research?  

This is enormously important. In engineering we do a lot of nanomaterials and chemistry and physics and all these things – the fundamental sciences drive what we do. But at the end of the day it’s really about communicating it to people and making sure that they know where we’re coming from, they understand how to use the science in the way that we intended it to be used. 

Sampling and testing for mercury in water

And that really comes down to oral communication, digital media - these sorts of things. From a technology standpoint as well, the sensors typically output data that goes to a smart phone. So we’re getting to a point now where we’re going to start creating apps. We’re going to develop some of those things for the communities so that it’s user-friendly and not so sciencey.

Right now on the mercury project we’re working with a filmmaker in Colombia. We have several videos online. We need to get the message out and give a voice to the people who need help.

What does it mean to be honored with the new teacher award at this stage of your career?

It was primarily associated with the humanitarian work and bringing that kind of research into the classroom. It’s humbling and it’s a big honor. Just standing in the room with some amazing people who have been teaching their entire career and learning from them about all the things they do gave me a lot of confidence in what I’m doing.

Researchers and community leaders meeting 

What are some projects you’re focusing on in 2017?

The big thing is these two humanitarian projects. There are a lot of other projects that we’re working on that are important. For example, I have a student who is trying to make a type of breathalyzer, but it monitors a compound associated with diabetes that is the number one diagnostic tool for preventing death in children – it’s called diabetic ketoacidosis. He’s monitoring a specific maker in the breath that’s kind of difficult to measure with ornery kids who are sick and can’t communicate as adults can. Hopefully we can make a cute, fun breathalyzer that monitors this marker and helps these kids stay out of the emergency room because it’s a deadly problem. We have some other very important projects, but the humanitarian work has been a focus of the last year and will probably continue to be for the next four or five years.