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Summer 2024

In Vivo

Dean Glenda Gillaspy smiles as she poses for a photo in front of Agricultural Hall.
Photo by Michael P. King

 

The world is changing rapidly. As it shifts, the challenges our stakeholders face — and what they require to tackle them — continue to evolve. So CALS is evolving too.

Through ongoing conversations with alumni and industry representatives, several of our academic departments have recognized a need for adjustments in how we prepare our graduates. These adjustments have now arrived in the form of new undergraduate majors and certificates, designed to improve how we develop and send problem-solvers out into the world.

The Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences recently launched a new major in dairy and food animal management. The new major comes in response to the needs of the dairy industry as well as the livestock, poultry, and meat processing industries. It encompasses a range of food animal species and meat science, but it’s also designed to provide stronger training in economics, business, management, and effective interpersonal skills, all of which are necessary for taking on modern challenges in animal agriculture. With the change, the department is also expanding flexibility and options for students to choose courses that match their interests.

The dairy and food animal management major will replace the current dairy science major, which focuses heavily on dairy cow biology, and is an excellent option for dairy-focused students. Students enrolled in the dairy science major have the option to complete their degree or switch to the new major.

The Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences (PAS), home to the current agronomy and horticulture majors, is also implementing a new major. It’s called agroecology. This refashioned academic program takes aim at what may be the grandest challenge facing humanity. That challenge is achieving food, feed, fiber, and fuel security and sovereignty for an ever-growing and ever-diversifying population — all while setting up future generations to do the same.

Simple, right?

Maybe not, but agroecology majors will at least leave CALS ready to take this on. Through a suite of coursework and experiences focused on organisms, land, ecosystems, and people, students will grapple with questions and problems in a holistic way. They will rely on disciplinary academic expertise in PAS, entomology, plant pathology, soil science, and community and environmental sociology, but they will also search for multi- faceted solutions involving multiple sectors of society. This transdisciplinary approach requires planning and training, which the agroecology major will provide.

These new CALS majors are accompanied by two new certificates. One will be offered by the Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences (the new name for the Department
of Soil Science, a change that better reflects the department’s courses and programs). With the updated name comes a new undergraduate certificate focused on the science and environmental implications of soil. Its coursework mirrors the core courses of the soil science major and can be added to complement any existing major, even those outside of CALS, because knowledge of soil science is vital for a variety of academic and career paths. The department will be suspending admissions to the soil science undergraduate major, which has had low enrollment for several years, but its popular environmental sciences major will continue.

And last (but certainly tastiest), the Department of Food Science has launched a fermented foods and beverages certificate, open to all UW–Madison undergraduates. Through hands-on learning, students pursuing this certificate will develop skills and knowledge in the science, development, production, and marketing of everything from beer and wine to kimchi and sauerkraut to cheese and yogurt. They will also learn about non-food applications for fermentation, such as production of renewable materials and biofuels, and will be able to tailor the course selection to suit their career goals.

I can’t wait to see our students learning and engaging in exciting new ways through these evolved majors and certificates. I know you’re curious about it as well, so we’ll be sharing their experiences with you in a future issue of Grow.

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