Ag/Env & Wildlife Sci

KINGSVILLE — Texas Native Seeds (TNS), a research program of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute (CKWRI) at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, recently received a grant from the Texas Department of Transporation (TxDOT). The $1.5 million grant was awarded for the project “Native Plant and Pollinator Seed Source Development and Specification Program Cooperation.” The funds will be used during the years 2022 to...

KINGSVILLE (August 11, 2021) — The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents recently approved the naming of the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Soils Science Laboratory in honor of the late Clarence F. “Dick” Schendel ’51, ’55. Located within the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Texas A&M-Kingsville, the laboratory is utilized for both teaching and research purposes. Dick...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has selected two Texas A&M University-Kingsville faculty members as 2021 E. Kika De La Garza Fellows. They are among the 25 faculty and staff chosen from Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) across the nation. Dr. Ammar Bhandari, Assistant Professor of Soil Health, Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management was selected as a Science Fellow. “It means a lot for me to get selected for this program,” Bhandari said....

KINGSVILLE — High school students from across Texas visited the Texas A&M University-Kingsville campus for the Texas 4-H Livestock Ambassador Short Course June 21-24. The course at the university, in partnership with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, was one of three Texas 4-H Livestock Ambassador Short Course in the state. Nearly 20 students enrolled in the course at Texas A&M-Kingsville. While on campus, the students toured facilities, learned...

KINGSVILLE — The Veterinary Technology Program at Texas A&M University-Kingsville held its first Veterinary Science Camp on campus June 7-9. The three-day camp hosted 25 high school students from different areas of Texas including Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston. Christine Hoskinson, Assistant Director for the Veterinary Technology Program, said the camp was held to give high school students interested in veterinary medicine experience in the...

KINGSVILLE — Nearly two dozen Texas A&M-Kingsville Veterinary Technology graduates celebrated their transition from students to veterinary healthcare professionals. They recited the veterinary technician oath and received a pin at one of three separate ceremonies on Friday, May 7, 2021 at the Veterinary Technology facility. Graduates who received a pin include Syerra Montalvo, Sarah Garza, Christian Resendez, Megan Guzman, Gilbert Ramos, Shyana Rodriguez,...

Dr. Steven Lukefahr, a Texas A&M University-Kingsville Regents Professor, has been awarded the Piper Professor Teaching Award for the year 2021.The Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation, a non-profit, charitable corporation that was organized in 1950, annually honors 10 professors in the state of Texas for superior teaching at the college level. The roster of Piper Professors includes outstanding professors from two and four-year colleges and universities, public and private.In 1994, he joined...

KINGSVILLE — Texas Native Seeds (TNS),a research program of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute (CKWRI) at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, recently received a grant that will fund research to identify planting methods and native seeds sources that could help lower solar operating costs, improve biodiversity including pollinator habitat, improve erosion control and determine if lower ambient temperatures below panels improves project output. The...

Texas A&M University-Kingsville students and faculty received more than a dozen awards at the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society (TCTWS) state meeting. Due to COVID, the annual conference was held virtually in February 2021. Dr. Scott Henke, Regents Professor and Chair of the Rangeland and Wildlife Science Department in Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, reported that students from Texas A&M-Kingsville submitted about half of the...

An assistant research professor at the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Citrus Center received an award to fund research on treatment and control of the citrus greening disease. The United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service awarded $349,794 to Dr. Madhura Kunta for his project “Providing Practical Solutions for Huanglongbing Treatment and Prevention.” According to the project description, Huanglongbing (HLB) is the most severe threat to...

Cutline: Pictured here are donors to the new Agricultural Leaders Scholarship Endowment at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Shown from left, are Dr. Mark Hussey, president of Texas A&M University-Kingsville; Tom Best, Glenda Best, Judy Colston and Bill Colston Jr. by Elaine Barnes Coordinator, Alumni & Donor Communications Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Office of Alumni Services & Giving Feb. 12, 2021 (Kingsville, TX) – The Texas A&M University-Kingsville...

A new podcast will shed light on wildlife issues in South Texas. Dr. Sandra Rideout-Hanzak, a Texas A&M University-Kingsville professor and certified senior wildland fire ecologist, has been selected to receive the 2021 Harvey Weil Sportsman Conservationist Award from the Rotary Club of Corpus Christi. The award of $100,000 will fund her podcast project “A Talk on the Wild Side.” “A Talk on the Wild Side” is scheduled to begin in June and will be...

KINGSVILLE (January 11, 2021) —Four retired faculty members are being honored as Professor Emeritus—a designation that recognizes their on-going commitment to scholarship. The 2020 Professors Emeriti are: Fred Bryant, professor and Leroy G. Denman Jr. Endowed Director of Wildlife Research of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute (CKWRI); Tim Fulbright, Regents Professor in the department of rangeland and wildlife sciences and Meadows Professor for Arid...

Dr. Scott Henke, Regents Professor and Chair of the Dept. of Rangeland and Wildlife Sciences, presented three new books he wrote to Dr. Mark Hussey, President of Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Dr. David Hewitt, Leroy G. Denman, Jr. Endowed Director of Wildlife Research and Executive Directorof the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute (CKWRI) and Dr. Shad Nelson, Dean of the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture and Natural Resources,...

A grant from the United States Department of Agriculture will help launch a new program at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. The grant is a collaboration between the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and theCollege of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Maria E. Velez-Hernandez, Assistant Professor of Biological and Health Sciences, is the principal investigator and director of the project. Dr. Shad Nelson, dean of the College of Agriculture,...

B.S. in Agribusiness offered in Bryan at RELLIS Campus Texas A&M University-Kingsville has joined other universities in the Texas A&M-System by offering degree programs in Bryan, Texas at the RELLIS campus. This year, A&M-Kingsville is excited to offer a new program there, a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness. This Bachelor of Science degree program will provide a major in Agribusiness with applied educational training emphasized in courses such as: agribusiness management, food...

Two institutions dedicated to the conservation and stewardship of natural resources will present a free virtual wildlife and ranching symposium titled “The Future of the Wildlife Enterprise: Applying New Knowledge and Tools” on October 29-30, 2020. The King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management’s (KRIRM) 17th Annual HOLT CAT® Symposium on Excellence in Ranch Management will be held virtually in partnership with the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife...

The Texas A&M University-Kingsville Citrus Center has been awarded over $1,000,000 in grant funding from the United States Department of Agriculture to continue imperative citrus research in Weslaco. Citrus Center Interim Director, Dr. Mamoudou Sétamou and his team have been awarded funding from the United States Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) for their project Citrus Commodity Pest Survey 2020-2021in the...

Water is always on the mind in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, especially for those whose livelihoods depend upon consistent and reliable water for irrigating crops. “In times when water supplies are tight, irrigation conservation pays off,” Dr. Lucas Gregory with Texas Water Resources Institute said. “In these types of situations, water that is available needs to be better used and more effectively delivered to the crop where and when it is needed.” Dr....

Dr. Weimin Xi,associate professorand senior ecologistin the biological and health sciences department, is working on two studies thathe hopes will helpbetterunderstand wildfires and how people canprevent thedevastationassociated with them.His projects were funded by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service for a total of nearly...