Athens, Ga. – This year, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is inviting campus and the northeast Georgia community to learn something new about the world of agricultural and environmental sciences by stopping by one of the events happening during its inaugural CAES Spring Showcase April 3-16.
“Our college is a very exciting place to be throughout the year but especially in April,” said Jean Bertrand, the college’s assistant dean for academic affairs. “From protecting the environment to feeding the world, we work to improve lives. We are very proud of our college’s accomplishments and want to open our doors to our community. We invite you to visit and see for yourself.”
From the annual Insect Zoo and the Great Southland Stampede Rodeo to celebrations of international development and undergraduate research, CAES Spring Showcase features events designed to appeal to people of many different interests and ages.
For more information about CAES Spring Showcase events, see www.caes.uga.edu/students/events/spring-showcase.cfm. Events are listed below by date.
April 3
• 30th Annual Insect Zoo Open House, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., front lawn of the Miller Plant Sciences Building
The UGA Bug Dawgs of the UGA Department of Entomology will host the 30th annual Insect Zoo Open House on the lawn in front of the Miller Plant Sciences Building. The zoo features several activities including a photo booth, live bug exhibits, roach races, cricket spitting, beetle tractor pulls and more.
• Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Graduate Student Plant Sale, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Miller Plant Sciences Building and Miller Learning Center
Save a trip to the home improvement store and buy seedlings from some folks who really know plants-plant breeders. Pre-sale orders can be made by filling out the form at http://benstewartbrown.wix.com/pbggplantsale and emailing it to IPGGsa@gmail.com. Plant pickup will be located at the Miller Plant Sciences Building and the Miller Learning Center.
April 7
• International Ag Day, 4-6 p.m., Georgia Museum of Art
Prabhu Pingali, director of the Tata-Cornell Agriculture and Nutrition Initiative at Cornell University, will speak during the college’s Office of Global Programs International Ag Day, an annual celebration of student and faculty global work. Pingali has spent more than three decades working some of the leading international agricultural development organizations as a research economist, development practitioner and senior manager.
April 9-11
• Great Southland Stampede Rodeo, gates open at 6 p.m., shows start at 8 p.m. in the UGA Livestock Arena
The UGA Block and Bridle Club’s annual award-winning student-run rodeo opens to the public at the UGA Livestock Arena on South Milledge Avenue. For more information, see www.greatsouthlandstampederodeo.com.
April 9
• UGA Thank a Donor Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tate Student Center Plaza
Visit with the college’s AgDawgs at the Tate Student Center Plaza and send a thank you note or thank you selfie to the donors who help make the college great. For more information, see http://calendar.uga.edu/detail/thank-a-donor-day2/.
April 11
• G-Day Game and CAES Tailgate, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Connor Hall
Join generations of AgDawgs at the CAES G-Day tailgate during the hours prior to the 2 p.m. kickoff in Sanford Stadium.
• Plantapalooza, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
It’s time to stretch those green thumbs. The UGA Horticulture Club (near the Riverbend Greenhouse Complex), the Trial Gardens at UGA (located between Snelling Dining Commons and the pharmacy building) and the State Botanical Garden of Georgia will all host plant sales in their respective locations. From cacti to camellias to cantaloupe, they have spring and summer plants covered. For more information, see www.facebook.com/plantapalooza.
April 14
• Timothy Ziemer lecture on international malaria outreach, 4-5:30 p.m., Masters Hall
Retired Navy Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer has overseen a more than 40 percent drop in worldwide malaria deaths since taking the helm of the President’s Malaria Initiative in 2006. He will share lessons he has learned from this experience and goals for the future when he presents his talk on “Presdient’s Malaria Initiative: The U.S. Government’s Commitment to the Global Malaria Fight” in the UGA Center for Continuing Education.
April 15
• CAES Undergraduate Research Symposium, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Conner Hall
The daylong symposium gives undergraduate students a chance to highlight their research projects and practice presenting their findings to the public. They also compete for cash awards for best poster and best presentation.
April 16
• Ag Day at Tate, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tate Student Center Plaza
Sigma Alpha Agricultural Sorority will bring a little bit of South Campus north with their annual Ag Day at Tate open house. They will host a mobile petting zoo, mini-insectival and information booths.