News
 Farewell to Denise
Eblen
May 11 was my last day at NIFA. I want to take this
opportunity to let you all know how greatly I have enjoyed my three years
serving as Deputy Director for the Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition. I am
impressed every day with the passion NIFA employees at every level show in
addressing societal and agricultural challenges.
Continue to truly listen to each other, and engage with
each other, and recognize that we’re all working towards the same goals as part
of the same team; there’s no limit to what can be achieved. So, seek first to
understand, assume good intentions, and continue to bring your very best self
to work every day.
May 14, I start a new chapter as Assistant Administrator
at the Food Safety and Inspection Service, where I will lead the Office
of Public Health Science. We are One USDA, and I am staying in the USDA family. You will be able to find me on Outlook, so don’t be a stranger!
With my very best wishes for your continued success,
Denise
Photo: Denise at a Louisiana alligator farm during a 2017
Extension meeting.
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Updates from Science Week
Read the Science Week Assessment Report to recap what
happened throughout the planning and execution phases of Science Week and even get a glimpse into the future. Science Week activities may be over, but your
input will continue to help NIFA remain at the forefront of cutting-edge
science!
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 Last Week to Donate Your Running Shoes
Put those gently used
athletic shoes to good use by donating them to this year’s Running and Walking
Club shoe drive. We are collecting adult shoes, sizes 6-12, through Friday.
The NIFA collection box is on the 2nd floor, directly across from the
elevators.
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New Date for Second Annual USDA Family Day
I am pleased to announce that the new date for the Second Annual USDA Family Day is June 9. We know you work hard fulfilling USDA’s mission to do right and feed everyone, so this event allows us to come together as a USDA family, with our families, and enjoy good fellowship and good fun. I hope to see you there!
Sonny Perdue
 These are the Most Popular Travel Destinations for
Memorial Day Weekend, According to Priceline
By Sarah Berger
Memorial Day kicks off the summer vacation season, with
crowds eager to take advantage of the three-day holiday weekend and warming
weather. Ever wonder where most people are jetting off to? Priceline analyzed
its current bookings for May 25 to May 28 to determine the most popular
destinations for Memorial Day weekend 2018; most travelers are
opting for city getaways as opposed to beach escapes. Read
the full CNBC article.
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 Division of Community and Education Discussion Series
The Division of Community and
Education Discussion Series gives NIFA staff an opportunity to learn about education topics that are relevant to
the agency. Sharing ideas can help attendees, gain new knowledge, enhance program planning and implementation, and introduce opportunities for networking across Institutes. The next discussion is Wednesday, from noon to 1 p.m. in room 4103.
Discussion Topics Include:
- Strengthening the capacity of higher education institutions
to develop curricula and carry out formal and non-formal instruction in the
food and agricultural sciences and STEM-related fields, with Michael Silas.
- How the planning and evaluation and the accountability
and reporting teams can support DoCE in its development of program
goals and impact analysis with, Tekila Gray.
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 May Events
May is Asian Pacific
American Heritage Month
Learning Links:
May 16, (DoCE) Discussion Series, noon to 1 p.m., in room
4103
May 28, Memorial Day
May 30, Reasonable Accommodation Training (TBD)
May to June, Federal Viewpoint Survey
June 5, NIFA Safety Stand Down Day, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.,
room 1410
June 8, USDA Family Day, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Washington
Carver Center, Beltsville, Maryland
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Fill-out the Federal Employees Viewpoint Survey
 Please take a moment to complete the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS). The survey provides results at lower levels, allowing managers to see where improvements within their work units are necessary. Results from FEVS provide agency leaders insight into areas where improvements have been made, as well as areas where improvements are needed. The survey is conducted electronically, with employees notified by email. Take the time and fill-out the survey.
 New Outlook for
Outlook
Do you find yourself sending the same types of email?
Tired of sounding like a broken record? Create a template!
1) Draft and save email as a template:
- File
> Save As… > Outlook template.
2) To use your template:
- On
the Home tab, in the New group, click New Items, point to More Items, and then
Choose Form.
- In
the Choose Form dialog box, in Look In, click User Templates in File System.
- Select
the template, and then click Open.
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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Remaining
Objective Is Hard, But the Best Leaders Figure Out How to Do It
By Michael P. Dempsey
There is no single leadership trait that guarantees
success in any profession, but there is, based on my experience, one that many
of the best leaders share: a fierce commitment to objectivity. And yet I
realize it’s often not easy for leaders to remain objective. In my nearly
three-decade career in the intelligence community, I have worked for and
with 11 Directors of CIA and all five Directors of National Intelligence.
Each has brought their own personality and skill set to the job. Read
the full Harvard Business Review article.
Three Things You
Really Need to Stop Saying In Presentations
By Darren Menabney
You can’t give an effective presentation–or do much
of anything at work, for that matter–without looking and sounding
credible. Fortunately, there are many ways for presenters to appear
confident and sound like they know their stuff. Unfortunately, there are
also many ways to do the opposite, and that can be as simple as saying the
wrong thing. Here are three common phrases that can sap your credibility
if you don’t make an effort to avoid them. Read
the full Fast Company article.
Three Ways the
Psychology of Images Affects Your Content’s Reach
By Justin Joffe
Though smartphones have put cameras in the pockets
of just about everyone these days, the knowledge gap between professional
photographers and amateurs remains ever vast. Most assume that
becoming a professional photographer requires a requisite amount of technical
knowledge, including an understanding of manual settings - shutter speed,
aperture and ISO - a fancy DSLR camera body with expensive lenses and a
mastery of editing software like Photoshop. While these
tools definitely make for an easier time at capturing high-resolution
memories, developing an understanding of the psychology behind what types of
images evoke emotional reactions can be just as crucial for those who hope
to improve their content's reach. Read
the full PR News Online article.
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