Thanks to the tremendous support of advocates for 4-H and UTIA, more than 7,000 contacts to legislators were made, and more than $4 million has been gifted or pledged to support the new West Tennessee 4-H Camp and Conference Center at Lone Oaks Farm in Hardeman County. The stunning 1,200 acres of woods, pastures, lakes and farmland will soon host 4-H campers and people of all ages looking for a great place to gather and learn.
Climate and Water
the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.
UTIA scientists are working to predict how weather patterns may affect water use and availability across the state and the Southeast. A five-year $4.9 million study funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture proposes to model how changes in temperature, droughts and flooding will affect land use in the Tennessee and Cumberland River basins. The study will also examine how changes in demand for water for cities and rural areas will affect water quality and availability for agricultural uses.
Top Philanthropists
Donnie and Terry Smith were named the Ruby C. McSwain Outstanding Philanthropists of the Year by the National Agricultural Alumni and Development Association for their gift of $3.2 million to establish the Smith Endowed Chair for International Sustainable Agriculture at the UT Institute of Agriculture. Donnie Smith (Knoxville ’80), who is CEO of Tyson Foods, earned his undergraduate degree in animal science from the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and Terry Smith (Knoxville ’80) is a graduate of the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences.
Academic Changes
The College of Veterinary Medicine and the Graduate School of Medicine are now offering a master’s degree with a concentration in forensic odontology, the first such program in the U.S. Students will learn to investigate crime scenes, provide positive identifications and process dental remains as evidence. A second change is the new Ph.D. in entomology, plant pathology and nematology. The degree reflects the formal addition of nematology (the study of roundworms) to the curriculum. The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources is one of only two programs in North America, Europe and Australia to offer a formal Ph.D. degree that includes nematology.