Author Archive
Meet new faculty member Cristina Connolly
This August, Cristina Connolly joins the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics as a new assistant professor. As a native New Englander, she is happy to return to this area, where the scale of farming suits her research focusing on smaller operations. As a faculty member, she plans to involve her students in community-based work […]
A new life for an “old” technology
Animal cloning first hit the public eye in 1996 when Dolly the sheep was born. The next year, Professor of Animal Science Cindy Tian and her late husband Jerry Yang, also professor of animal science and founding director of the UConn Center for Regenerative Biology, created the first cloned calf in North America. From then […]
Meet undergraduate student Autumn Blasi
Autumn Blasi is planning a career as a registered dietitian (RD), but she is open to various options. While she can see herself in pediatric nutrition, she would also enjoy working with an elderly population. When asked to name a pressing issue for her generation, Blasi says that the oppression of the Black community must […]
Biostatistician studies health behavior and health policy
The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the importance of using data to guide action, such as allocating resources and designing effective health policies. In health-related research, biostatisticians are key researchers who collect and analyze data in order to translate biology, medicine and public health information into practical knowledge. As a biostatistician in the […]
Meet graduate student Amanda Reiter
Amanda Reiter always knew she wanted to work with animals. Her cousin arranged for her to adopt a rescue horse, so she spent her younger years working in barns around horses and cattle. Her master’s degree research led to an interest in muscle biology, which brought her to CAHNR. She sees herself working at a […]
Economist studies mismatch between industry needs and workforce skill sets
Nathan Fiala, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics recently received a three-year $500,000 USDA grant to study workforce and economic development issues in Connecticut and throughout New England. “Workforce mismatch is the idea that there are businesses in particular areas that need certain skills but the people surrounding those areas do […]
Meet graduate student Danielle Tanzer
Danielle Tanzer loves everything about the forest—whether she’s out hiking or collecting data for research. As a master’s student in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, she is most interested in ecosystem disturbances such as invasive plants, insects and drought. She credits her mom with instilling a love of nature and her dad […]
NSF funds study of COVID-19 effects on underrepresented STEM students
The COVID pandemic has affected college students worldwide, particularly those from lower socio–economic backgrounds. This issue is such a high priority that the National Science Foundation has provided grants for research projects relating to effects of COVID-19 on education. Concerned that STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students might fall through the cracks during this […]
Meet 2020 graduates Caitlyn and Kristen Splaine
Recent graduates Caitlyn and Kristen Splaine may have inherited a love of science from their physician mother, but each found her own way to pursue a career path. Caitlyn grew up loving animals, particularly horses, and plans to become a veterinarian, preferably in a larger facility that caters to both small animals and horses. She […]
Resource economics student leverages food security solutions to strengthen communities
When Christian Heiden discovered the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ARE) in CAHNR, he felt as if there was a major created just for him. “I’m studying applied and resource economics and international development,” he says. “I am learning how to use agriculture to create economic development and empower communities through sustainable agriculture.” His […]