Paper: Fulfilling the Land Grant University Mission at State Agricultural Experiment Stations in Urban Interfaces of the West
Since the Hatch Act of 1887, which established agriculture experimental stations for Land Grant institutions, much has changed, especially in areas of urbanization. This deep dive explored Agricultural Experiment Stations (AESs) and Research and Extension Centers (RECs) that are in a rapidly developing, peri-urban setting, with prime agricultural soils and a strong commitment to continued agriculture. The paper provides insights into funding, staffing and content shifts as a result of urbanization.
Applied Research Fellow: Jordan Jobe, MEM
Jordan manages and supports interdisciplinary agriculture, water, and natural resource management projects and communication efforts for the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Water Research Center. She is also the Project Manager for the AgAID Institute. Jordan has a broad background, starting with coral reef restoration work as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Western Samoa, and coral reef conservation for The Nature Conservancy. She managed projects related to agriculture and floodplains at PCC Farmland Trust before joining WSU in 2018. Jordan has a Masters in Environmental Management from Yale University, and a B.S. in Zoology and Fisheries from the University of Washington. Outside of work, Jordan enjoys running, knitting, gardening, and inventing new hot sauce recipes.
Applied Research Fellow: Todd Murray, Ph.D.
Todd is a tenured and fully promoted faculty member in the Agriculture and Natural Resource Extension Program Unit. Todd has a diverse experience in Extension programming such as leading Master Gardeners, creating invasive species detection curriculum, developing youth programs in forestry along with engaging in multistate research programs responding to emerging pest issues. Todd currently is an endowed chair in Urban Entomology and is leading a team of faculty and programs that focus on urban issues at the Puyallup Research and Extension Center located in a farming valley just outside of Tacoma city limits in the metropolitan Seattle-Tacoma region. The center is embedded in an area that houses over half of the state’s population within a 35-mile radius.