Name: Dr. Karyn Malinowski Job Title: Professor of Animal Sciences and Founding Director of Equine Science Center Organization: Rutgers–The State University of New Jersey Education/Degree Earned: BS, MS, PhD If you were in 4-H, when and what club(s) were you a part of? How did 4-H help you grow as a professional? I was a member of […]
This month we are going to talk about the importance of leading quality STEM discussions in your animal science club. I recently read a great book by Karen Gallas called Talking their Way into Science. In the book Karen talks about how hands-on activities are not enough to help young people construct meaning and make sense […]
We live in bear country; so how do you keep your alpacas, llamas, farm property, and yourself safe? The black bear population in New Jersey has been on the rise over the last 50 years. The majority of the black bear population inhabits the northwestern part of the state; however, they have been documented in […]
In our first blog post, we began the process of planning to find just the right lamb for your 4-H market project. I hope you have been studying up on the parts of the lamb, good conformation traits and determining what size lamb you will need. Now, let’s take a look at your next big […]
Buttercups are a common flower in New Jersey pastures. Did you know they are poisonous to horses when consumed? Above is a picture of what they look like in early spring. Photo from Rutgers Fact Sheet # 938; Poisonous Weeds in Horse Pastures. April showers bring spring flowers! Flowers may be pretty, but not in […]
Dr. Sara Ruane B.S. (Bachelor of Science) in Biology; M.S. (Master of Science) in Biology; Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in Biology: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior Assistant Professor, Herpetology and Evolutionary Biology Rutgers University-Newark email address: sara.ruane@rutgers.edu News from Dr. Ruane’s Lab What does a typical work day look like for you? A typical work day for […]
For many youth and adult leaders, 4-H delivers a club-based experience. This means we attend regular 4-H Club Meetings, perhaps once a month. We spend the entire year learning more about our project area, whether that means learning how our chickens lay eggs or grooming our horses for a regional show. We record what […]
Samuel McDowell, the late herpetologist and professor at Rutgers-Newark, spent a good part of his life studying ground snakes in New Guinea. Forty years later, Sara Ruane – who joined the Department of Biological Sciences faculty last semester – was able to find evidence that the snakes McDowell studied were, in fact, a new species of […]
Public speaking is one of the most useful skills developed in 4-H. Public presentations are also a great way to learn about a topic of interest and share it with others in your club and county. One of the most important decisions members make each year is the topic for their presentation. For goat clubs, […]
How do I know if it is working for my youth? As we talked about last month, the Internet is chock-full of sites claiming that their activities will turn your young people into scientists and engineers. We know however that all STEM activities are not created equal and it can be challenging to find the […]
