CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 10/10/16

Veteran foreign correspondent to explore struggle and solutions to feeding the world's growing population

By Merritt Melancon

Roger Thurow, veteran foreign correspondent for the Wall Street Journal and anti-hunger activist, will visit the University of Georgia on Nov. 7 to deliver the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ D.W. Brooks Lecture at 3:30 p.m. in the UGA Center for Continuing Education.

Thurow’s work explains and personalizes the global challenge of feeding a growing population. He explores the ways that science, trade, government policies and armed conflict all impact food scarcity and nutrition security around the world.

“Feeding the world’s growing population is perhaps the greatest global challenge of our time,” said Sam Pardue, UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences dean. “We only have limited time to develop the technologies and policies that will make it possible for the food supply and water resources to keep pace with that growth.”

The D.W. Brooks Lecture is held each year in honor of college alumnus and Gold Kist Inc. founder D.W. Brooks. The lecture will be held this year in conjunction with the D.W. Brooks Awards for Excellence, which recognize college faculty and staff who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the college’s mission of research, instruction and extension.

“The D.W. Brooks Lecture is our opportunity to bring in change-makers who are having an impact on hunger and malnutrition in the real world and to inspire and challenge ourselves to meet the goal of feeding the world’s growing population by the year 2030,” said Amrit Bart, director of global programs for CAES.

Thurow’s 20 years covering political conflict and famine in Europe and Africa for the Wall Street Journal fueled his interest in agricultural development and fighting hunger.

Today Thurow serves as a senior fellow for global food and agriculture on the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, but he still sees himself primarily as a journalist and storyteller.

His coverage of famine in Africa earned him a place as finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in international reporting in 2003 and accolades from the United Nations. He has written three books on the role of food security in developing nations, the latest focusing on the stories of mothers and children across the globe during the first 1,000 days of the child’s life—a vital window in which nutrition can determine a child’s health and ability.

His talk, “1,000 Days to Change the World: Stories from the Fight to End Early Childhood Malnutrition,” will discuss what is working in the fight to end maternal and childhood malnutrition and challenges that are left to tackle.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for us to hear from one of the major thought leaders in global food security who approaches this issue from his experience in journalism,” Pardue said. “Hearing from Roger Thurow will offer us a fresh perspective on this problem.”

In addition to Thurow’s talk, the celebration will help recognize 2016’s D.W. Brooks Faculty Awards for Excellence, D.W. Brooks Diversity Awards, CAES Awards and CAES Staff Awards for Excellence. This year’s winners are:

D.W. Brooks Faculty Awards for Excellence

  • Extension: Julia Gaskin
  • Global Programs: Wayne Parrott
  • Public Service Extension: Bill Tyson
  • Research: Tim Brenneman
  • Teaching: Darold Batzer

D.W. Brooks Diversity Awards

  • Department: Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications
  • Faculty: Ron Walcott

CAES Awards

  • Outstanding Faculty Advisor: Brian Fairchild
  • Outstanding Staff and Professional Advisor: JoAnne Norris

CAES Staff Awards for Excellence

  • Professional/Administrative: Lindsey Barner
  • Skilled Trades: Carla Barnett
  • Technical: Peter LaFayette

For more information on the D.W. Brooks awards and lecture series, see www.caes.uga.edu/events/dwbrooks.

Merritt Melancon, a public relations manager for the UGA Terry College of Business, previously served as a public relations coordinator for the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Extension.

Authors:
Merritt Melancon
Experts/Sources:
Amrit Bart
Samuel L. Pardue
Roger Thurow, a veteran foreign correspondent for the Wall Street Journal and anti-hunger activist, will visit the University of Georgia on Nov. 7 to deliver the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences' D.W. Brooks Lecture at 3:30 p.m. in the UGA Center for Continuing Education.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
Kaytlyn Cobb is now spearheading a historic partnership between the University of Georgia and Fargo, North Dakota-based Grand Farm as regional assistant director. CAES News
Kaytlyn Cobb joins UGA Grand Farm to boost agricultural innovation in Georgia 10/30/24 Sean Montgomery
Growing up in north Georgia’s Franklin County, Kaytlyn Cobb knew her aspirations in agriculture would always lead her to new opportunities. Inspired by her dedicated community and diverse background, Cobb is now spearheading a historic partnership between the University of Georgia and Fargo, North Dakota-based Grand Farm as regional assistant director. Hired in August, Cobb hit the ground running to continue development of the fast-forming ecosystem between Grand Farm, the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and global strategic partners.
Krysta Harden CAES News
D.W. Brooks lecturer brings policy expertise to address future of agriculture 10/03/24 Claire Sanders Kinnard
Krysta Harden, former United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and current president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, will be the speaker for the 2024 D.W. Brooks Lecture and Awards, an annual event hosted by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. From her parents’ farm in Camilla, Georgia, all the way to Capitol Hill, Harden has been a strong advocate for agriculture.
Caroline Hinton is the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. (Photo by Peter Frey/UGA) CAES News
Director of experiential learning herds students toward new fields of education 10/02/24 Averi Caldwell
Caroline Hinton wants to foster a love of learning for all students who walk through her door. As the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Hinton helps students connect with their fields of study outside of the classroom. “I find joy and excitement in getting to watch students experience different parts of agriculture and find a place in our state’s own agriculture industry,” she said.
Arch CAES News
Nine straight years as top 20 university 09/25/24 Savannah Peat
The University of Georgia climbed two spots to No. 18 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 ranking of the best public universities in the nation. This marks the ninth consecutive year that UGA has placed in the top 20. UGA shares the No. 18 rank with Purdue University and the University of Washington. “The University of Georgia has consistently strengthened its standing among the best public universities in the nation, and I am pleased to see this recognized for nine years in a row by U.S. News & World Report,” said President Jere W. Morehead.
The fall 2023 Signature Lecture series begins on Sept. 6. (Photo by Dorothy Kozlowski/UGA) CAES News
Signature Lecture Series brings prominent voices to campus 09/18/24 Mike Wooten
Distinguished scientists, artists and leaders in technology, business and government will speak at the University of Georgia this semester as part of the university’s Signature Lecture Series. Coordinated by the Office of the Provost, the Signature Lecture Series features speakers noted nationally or internationally for their broad, multidisciplinary appeal and compelling bodies of work. Many of the lectures are supported by endowments, while others honor notable figures and milestones in the university’s history.
southgeorgiafarmfield (1) CAES News
CAES releases 20 years of farm gate trends 08/19/24 Jordan Powers
For more than two decades, the Georgia Farm Gate Value Report has offered a comprehensive analysis of the county-level production value for commodities in Georgia’s No. 1 industry, agriculture. The reports provide essential data to farmers in the state’s 159 counties. Now the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is providing Georgia’s producers with a new tool, the Georgia Farm Gate Value 20-Year Trends.