Growing Nevada

About our College

A founding college of the University, we have a long tradition of excellence in teaching, research and engagement programs that benefit the health and economic vitality of Nevada. We offer programs in:

• agriculture, horticulture, rangeland & veterinary sciences
• biochemistry & molecular biology
• children, youth & families
• community & economic development
• health & nutrition
• natural resources & environmental science

Nevada 4-H youth and families provide over 2,000 face masks for their communities

Extension called upon by those helping to manage the COVID-19 crisis

Claudene Wharton

When the Elko County Emergency Operations Center put in a call to their local University of Nevada, Reno Extension office saying they needed face masks, Extension’s 4-H youth and their families swung into action, making masks not only for the Operations Center, but also for their local School District nutrition services workers who are helping to serve lunches to students who receive free and reduced meals. Similarly, 4-H youth and their families in White Pine County were early responders to the need for masks, and have now made hundreds of masks for the William Bee Ririe Hospital and Rural Health Clinic in Ely.

Once the word got out that 4-Hers were helping to make masks, more requests started coming in.

“I’d say that requests are coming in faster than our 4-H members can sew,” said Jill Baker-Tingey, Extension educator in Elko County.

After these early efforts in Elko and Ely, Nevada 4-H launched a statewide service project to help provide face masks for all Nevada communities. Now, more than 2,000 masks have been provided by 4-H across Nevada, spanning 10 counties, from Reno to Las Vegas, and from Carson City to Elko. The face masks have been donated to hospitals, hospices, health clinics, tribal healthcare, senior centers, emergency operations centers, school districts, state parole offices, and other collaborative mask-making projects.

In addition, over 100 other PPE-related items have been provided by the 4-H service project, including scrub hats, surgical gowns and ear bands/savers, which prevent ear strain and irritation for those wearing masks for extended periods.

Carrie Stark, Nevada 4-H program director with Extension, said, "The whole 4-H community has pitched in – our 4-H youth and their families, as well as 4-H alumni and volunteers."

Catch a falling star ... literally

How to collect micrometeorites in your own backyard in August

Don Deever

Catch a falling star this August using only a basin of water, a plastic cup, a magnet and a paper plate. Photo by Trevor Bexon.

Every year, there are nine meteor showers that are rated as "Class 1" events. These showers are the are most exciting to see and produce particles that fall from the sky that anyone can catch. The Perseid meteor shower is generally considered to be the finest meteor shower of the year. It is renowned for displaying up to 100 "shooting stars" per hour.

This year, the shower is predicted to peak Aug. 11-13, so mark your calendars now and gather a few simple supplies to prepare to "catch a falling star." It's a simple, yet exciting, science project a child of any age can enjoy. Gazing upon these extraterrestrial visitors brings lasting memories and connects Earth-bound mortals to the wonders of infinite space from our own backyards.

University offers agricultural crop research tours at Field Day in Fallon

Research being done on drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant crops

Claudene Wharton

Chickpeas are one of the crops being researched by Extension at the Experiment Station Fallon Research Center.
Photo by Maninder K. Walia.

Agriculture producers and others are invited to get a first-hand look at crop trials and research being conducted in northern Nevada by the University's College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources. Field Day in Fallon is free and open to the public, and will take place 9:30-10:30 a.m., Aug. 12, at the College Experiment Station’s Fallon Research Center, 2053 Schurz Highway, as well as at two local farms.

"With a limited water supply, we are always looking for drought-tolerant crops for long-term sustainability," said Maninder K. Walia, assistant professor and field crop specialist with the College's Extension unit. "We are also looking at crops in high demand that our producers are interested in growing."

The Field Day will include walking tours and discussions of crops being researched at the Experiment Station and at two local farms. The crops currently being researched at the Experiment Station include chickpeas, dry beans, and ag and forage soybeans. Walia will discuss plant traits of these crops, including early maturity, forage nutrient content, biomass production and drought tolerance.

"There has been a good deal of interest in growing hemp from local producers, so we wanted to do some crop trials based on our growing conditions here in northern Nevada," she said.

This spring, Walia also began a three-year butternut squash crop trial at Rick Lattin’s Lattin Farms. There were four varieties planted in mid-May. The varieties are being evaluated in terms of quality, taste, consumer demand, ability to grow in Nevada’s climate and overall yield.

"There is a high demand from casinos in particular for butternut squash," Walia said. "They use it for soup and other recipes."

At the Field Day, Walia will also discuss opportunities to partner with the University to develop new cropping systems adapted to northern Nevada.

Associate deans elected to regional and national leadership positions in academics and research

Chris Pritsos and Claus Tittiger selected for service with Association of Public and Land-grant Universities sections

Ashley Andrews

Chris Pritsos.

Claus Tittiger.

Associate Dean of Research & Experiment Station Director Chris Pritsos and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Claus Tittiger were elected to regional and national leadership roles in the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

The association works to strengthen and advance public universities in three North American countries.

Pritsos was selected to be the next chair of the association's national group, Experiment Station Section. The section is made up of experiment station directors nationwide.

Pritsos is also completing his second year as chair of the section's Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors Executive Board, a board made up of experiment station directors from 13 states and four territories.

Tittiger was elected to serve as chair of the association's Western Region Academic Program Section Executive Board. The board is composed of associate deans of academic programs in colleges of agriculture from 13 states and four territories.

The pair will represent Nevada on a regional and national level through their work with the association to improve student success, address global challenges, advance society,  foster economic growth, deliver tomorrow's workforce and build vibrant communities.