University of Delaware faculty member Kali Kniel traveled to Geneva, Switzerland to participate in an expert committee meeting on viruses and food safety with other experts. Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Meetings on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA) committees are convened to review the state of science on particular topics and in turn provide information that is useful to global guidance, in this case to improve the control of viruses in food. The group ranked the most prevalent viruses transmitted through food and recommended how countries across the world could help combat outbreaks.

Graduate student Laura Taylor is testing a new approach to encourage coordination between adjacent homeowners who have become eligible for a flood-related buyout. Full participation in coastal buyouts can protect homeowners from repeated and severe flood risk and restore floodplain functionality. Working with UD Prof. Christina McGranaghan, Taylor conducts her economic experiments at UD’s Center for Experimental and Applied Economics (CEAE). Taylor is funded by the Delaware Sea Grant and a Graduate Research Enhancement Grant from Gerald J. Mangone Climate Change Science and Policy Hub.

University of Delaware faculty and students, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, are spearheading the restoration of bobwhite quail populations in Pennsylvania. After their extinction due to changes in land use, efforts centered at the Letterkenny Army Depot in Franklin County are focused on reintroducing the species to its native habitat.

New faculty member Bao focuses his research on digital agriculture, creating novel technologies to help plant scientists, animal scientists and farmers improve their efficiency and efficacy. He lends his expertise to everything from measuring plant performance and livestock performance to monitoring water quality.