News
New Acting Director in Office of Information Technology
Pratima Boyapati is serving as the Acting
Division Director of the Applications Division in Office of Information Technology. Pratima is a project manager and has been a business analyst,
software developer, and database administrator at NIFA for over 18 years. She
has successfully led a number of application projects in conjunction federal
and contract staff. Some notable recent efforts include the integration of
CREEMS with the award document repository and co-leading the implementation of
capacity grants program in ezFedGrants. Feel free to congratulate her via email.
Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage
 In celebration of the Asian
American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, the Diversity and Inclusion
Committee (D&IC) will host a brown bag lunch session on May 8 at noon in room 3455. The event will celebrate the contributions of Asian
Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) to the U.S. food and agriculture industry and advancement of NIFA’s mission. Please join the
D&IC at this fun lunch-time learning opportunity, which includes a mix
of cultural highlights and the personal experiences of Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders who are either NIFA program grantees or current employees.
You will also find out the hidden lineages of some of your colleagues as
they share stories about growing up as AAPI in different parts of the country.
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 IT Tip of the Week: Excel Nice-to-Knows
Did you know there’s a quick way
to insert sort filters? Follow the steps below.
1. Highlight the header area to which
you want to apply filters.
2.
Press and hold: Ctrl-Shift-L.
3.
The filter buttons should then
show up.
4.
Sort data as needed.
This week’s IT Tip of the Week was
submitted by a program assistant from the Institute of Youth, Family, and
Community. Do you have a helpful IT Tip to share? Tell us about
it! Contact Hope Marshall.
Be sure to put: “IT Tip of the Week” in the subject line.
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How to Stay out of Trouble Project
Kickoff!
Project Leads Evan Hughes, Awards and Management Division, and
Angela Simmons, Budget Staff, are formalizing a team to examine NIFA’s funds
control processes. The project, sponsored by Deputy Director Cynthia Montgomery,
Office of Grants and Financial Management, and Budget Officer Paula Geiger, is
the first of four projects that were identified at NIFA’s Project
Identification and Selection Workshop. The next project in the queue is Request
for Applications Development, sponsored by Jeanette Thurston, science program
and analysis officer, and Maribel Miller, director of the Policy and Oversight
Division. You can find additional information on the Continuous Process
Improvement intranet page. Keep checking the Beet for updates.
 Virginia Tech Researchers Compare Apples, Pears, Discover Link Between Sex, Fat
When it comes to fat accumulation, men tend to carry more weight around their abdomens and women tend to carry more weight around their hips and thighs, but the mechanical reason for the difference has remained a mystery. The apple-shaped body has been associated with higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome, largely because of increased accumulation of visceral fat around the waist. A recent study by Virginia Tech researchers discovered a cell that explains why men and women store body fat differently. Read the full Virginia Tech story.
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Promoting Diversity in Competitive Programs: NSF Perspective
You are invited to a discussion on ways to promote diversity in
NIFA programs through increased participation of minority serving institutions
(MSIs) on April 30, from 1 - 2 p.m. in room 4103. Dr. Jermelina Tupas, the
National Science Foundation’s (NSF) acting Division Director for the
Division of Human Resource Development, will share her perspective on the topic
and NSF’s strategies for engaging MSIs in competitive programs. This will
provide valuable insights on related programs in other federal agencies and
potential opportunity for interagency collaboration.
 WorkLife4You Be Positive Webinar
Reap
the benefits of optimism! Join the WorkLife4You Be Positive webinar, April
17 from noon - 1 p.m. Learn to think and behave more positively.
Participants will explore how attitude, both positive and negative, can impact
behavior, experiences, and relationships. They will discover how to benefit
from the power of positive thinking by making changes in thought process and
perspective. Register for the event.
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 April/May Events
April 17, WorkLife4You Be Positive webinar, noon - 1 p.m, Register for the event.
April 22, Earth
Day
April 24 - 26, Science
Week, Patriots Plaza III, auditorium 1 & 2
April 25, Administrative
Professionals Day.
May 1, Asian- American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May 5, USDA Family Day, 11
a.m. - 3 p.m. Washington Carver Center, Beltsville, Maryland
May 8, Smith-Lever anniversary
(1914)
May 8, OIT town meeting, 1 - 2 p.m., room 1410. Zoom
May 13, Mother's Day
May 28, Memorial Day
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OIT Town Hall Meeting
Join the Office of Information and Technology (OIT) for a town
hall meeting on May 8, from 1 - 2 p.m.
in room 1410. This event will include updates
from the OIT divisions, ezFedGrants, and Continuous Process Improvements, and
also information the current status of the REE Agency Chief Information Officer
(ACIO) realignment plans. You may also
participate via Zoom.
Audio will broadcast through the computer, not a conference line, so please
test your speakers ahead of time.
OGFM Visits Southern University and A&M College
Members of the Office of Grants and Financial Management recently visited Southern University and A&M College to conduct a compliance review.
Pictured (left – right) Dr. James Ammons, SU executive vice president;
Edwin Lewis, NIFA national program leader for 1890 Capacity and Facilities Programs;
Dr. Dawn Mellion-Patin, SU vice chancellor for extension and outreach; Maribel
Miller NIFA’s Director of the Policy and Oversight Division; Brenda Barnett,
branch chief of NIFA’s Awards Management Division; Dr. Ray Belton, SU president;
Cynthia Montgomery, NIFA Deputy Director, Office of Grants and Financial
Management; Dr. Bobby Phills, SU chancellor and dean; Dr. Andra Johnson, SU vice
chancellor for research and technology development; Dr. Oscar Udoh, SU coordinator
for planning and evaluation; Linda Batiste, SU director of finance; Benjamin
Pugh, SU vice chancellor for budget and finance; and Brian Adams, SU internal auditor.
Stuck in a Rut? Tinker with Your Routine
By Evernote
We’re supposed to wake up with the sunrise, meditate, squeeze in
a workout, eat a balanced breakfast, and then get to work before everyone else.
This will set intention for our day as we methodically work through our to-do
lists and stay on top of our messages. No matter how it’s presented, there’s a
lot of advice out there on exactly what you should be doing to nail your
routine, but you’ve got to wade through all of these tips and hacks, some of
which contradict each other. It all can be pretty overwhelming. Read the full Medium story.
Teaching Your
Children to Be Mentally Healthy and Happy
By Nancy Buck
You help your kids learn the signals for when to use the
bathroom, to eat and to go to bed, as well as the importance of eating a
balanced diet and getting plenty of exercise. You teach your kids to brush and
floss their teeth twice a day and to see the dentist twice a year. But what are
you doing to teach your children about their mental health? You’re not alone if
you’re at a loss as to how to answer questions regarding mental health. Read
the full US News story.
Heal Your Gut, Heal Your Mind
By Maria Cross
It would be foolish to believe that depression can be
overcome with a single solution. But for some people, the light at the end of
the tunnel shines in a very surprising place. It certainly did for me. Healing
my depression came with healing my gastrointestinal tract. When I became a
nutrition student in 1992, I had a lot of healing to do. Read
the full Better Humans story.
 How I Use Art to Bridge Misunderstanding
Playwright Adong Judith creates provocative art that sparks dialogue on issues from LGBTQ rights to war crimes. In this talk, the TED Fellow details her work including, the play Silent Voices, which brought victims of the Northern Ugandan war against Joseph Kony's rebel group together with political, religious and cultural leaders for transformative conversation. Watch the Ted Talk video.
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