Agricultural Sustainability Institute

ASI Distinguished Speaker William C. Clark was quick to admit that a Harvard Professor discussing outreach and research for the public good to a room full of Aggies seemed amiss.

This week, scientists from around the world are convening in Sacramento for the Ecological Society of America’s annual meeting to discuss cutting-edge research for a sustainable future. The meeting comes at a pivotal time for California, as the three-year drought drags on. According to the latest Drought Monitor report, more than 58 percent of the state is experiencing “exceptional drought,” the most severe classification, characterized by extreme water shortages and crop loss.

We are pleased to announce today that Mary Bianchi of the University of California’s Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources is this year’s recipient of ASI’s Eric Bradford and Charlie Rominger Agricultural Sustainability Leadership Award.

We are pleased to announce that Thomas Tomich, director of the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis, has been appointed a scientific adviser to the world's preeminent agricultural research system, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.

Isao Fujimoto, lecturer emeritus of Community Development and Asian Studies at UC Davis, has been named the 2014 recipient of the Eric Bradford and Charlie Rominger Agricultural Sustainability Leadership Award for his commitment to California agriculture, rural communities, and social change.

The prestigious award, given each year by the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis, will be presented at a ceremony at UC Davis on April 23. The keynote speaker will be Navina Khanna, a UC Davis alumna and leader for food justice in California.