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 Editor: Kelly Sprute May 29, 2018
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NIFA's Reasonable Accommodations Training
 NIFA’s Equal Opportunity Staff is providing Reasonable Accommodation
training May 30. A reasonable accommodation is an interactive process to
assist employees with changes to a position or workplace that will enable them
to perform the essential functions of their job despite having a disability.
Such request are covered under two laws: The Rehabilitation Act
(Rehab Act) of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, amended in 2008.
The Rehab Act addresses federal employees and prohibits
discrimination on the basis of a disability, which is a protected activity. The
law also covers federal employment and protects employees from retaliation when
they exercise their right to due process. The ADA, similar to the Rehab Act,
covers discrimination stemming from all aspects of employment (hiring,
promotion, and termination to include retaliation.
Agencies are required by law to provide reasonable
accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities unless doing so would
impose an undue hardship on them. We look forward to you joining us in room
1410 to gain an in-depth level of understanding regarding the framework of
the process, request for medical documentation, confidentiality requirements,
and the interactive process. There are two separate training sessions, non-managerial
employees, 10 to 11 a.m., and managers/supervisors, is 1 to 2 p.m.
Register in AgLearn and if you need a reasonable accommodation
for the event identified, please contact NIFA’s EOS office at 202-720-2700, by email, or stop by room 1230 to provide
notification.
AgLearn Link
NIFA's 2018
Reasonable Accommodation Training for Employees, Non-supervisory 10 to 11 a.m.,
in room 1410.
NIFA's 2018
Reasonable Accommodation Training for Manager and Supervisors, 1 to 2 p.m., in
room 1410
Zoom: Reasonable Accommodation Training
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News
 Congratulations Dr.
Nancy Cavallaro
Nancy Cavallaro is the recipient of the 2018 International
Award for Scientific Research from the National Science and Technology Council of
Mexico (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Mexico) for her scientific
achievements and invaluable collaboration between Mexico and the United States
of America related to understanding the state of the carbon cycle.
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 Congratulations Dr.
Charles Cleland
Charles Cleland is the recipient of the Small Business
Technology Council’s 2018 Champion of Small Business Technology
Commercialization Award. Cleland is the first Federal Small Business Innovation
Research (SBIR) program manager to receive this award. This award recognizes
individuals who have made unique and extraordinary contributions to small
businesses. The Small Business Technology Council is a non-partisan, non-profit
industry association of companies dedicated to promoting the creation and
growth of research-intensive, technology-based U.S. small business, and is a
council of the National Small Business Association.
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 Farewell to Alicia
Frame
Dear NIFA Friends,
I wanted to say goodbye and thank you all for the
kindness you’ve shown me in my short time here. I’m excited to be joining a New York based
pharmaceutical start up, Benevolent AI, but I’m sad to be leaving the federal
service and the wonderful people I’ve worked with. Please feel free to keep in
touch, through my personal email or LinkedIn.
Best,
Alicia
Date Science National Program Leader
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 NIFA Safety Stand
Down Day
As a reminder, please attend the first NIFA Safety Stand
Down Day, June 5 from 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m., in Conference Room 1410. Federal
Protective Service (FPS) along with Paragon Security will be conducting the
trainings. FPS will conduct the active shooter and workplace violence
training, and Paragon will conduct the security awareness training. Everyone is
encouraged to attend the safety stand down day.
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 A Wealth of
Knowledge from JOE Journal
The Journal of Extension (JOE) is a rigorous,
peer-reviewed journal that brings the scholarship of university outreach and
engagement to educators and practitioners around the world. JOE creates
opportunities for professionals and students to publish intellectual, creative
work; nurtures emerging scholars and new authors for success; encourages
professional development; and advances the theory and practice of
Extension. Learn more about the Journal of
Extension.
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 Search, Subscribe
and Share from the Grants.gov App
With the new Grants.gov mobile app, it is easier than
ever to quickly search for, subscribe to and share federal funding
opportunities on the go. Got a couple of minutes before your next meeting?
Waiting in line for coffee? Open the Grants.gov app and run a quick search
for grants on the topic of your choice. You can even segment your search by
funding provider. Subscribe to it. You will get an alert if the grantor makes
any updates to the funding announcement. You can also easily share an
announcement with a colleague or friend. The app's Search and Subscribe
features are especially useful to grant pros on the go. Download the Grants.gov app today on Google Play and Apple's App Store.
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May & June Events
May is Asian Pacific
American Heritage Month
Learning Links:
May 30, Reasonable
Accommodation Training, non-supervisory 10 to 11 a.m., Manager/Supervisor 1 to
2 p.m., in room 1410
May to June, Federal
Viewpoint Survey
June 5, NIFA
Safety Stand-Down Day, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., room 1410
June 7, PRIDE Observance, 10 a.m. to noon,
Whitten Patio, Whitten Building
June 9, USDA
Family Day, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Washington Carver Center, Beltsville, Maryland
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What to do on 15,
30, and 60-minute Breaks to Boost Productivity
By Stephanie Vozza
Science has shown that breaks are good for you. They
refresh your focus and help you get more done. Being disciplined enough to take
them, however, isn’t always easy. With long to-do lists and an eye on
productivity, stopping to pause seems indulgent. If you’re not seeing the
benefits of a break, perhaps you’re not using them correctly. Read
the full Fast Company article.
Is Your Emotional
Intelligence Authentic, or Self-Serving
By Ron Carucci
It’s possible to fake emotional intelligence. Similar to
knockoffs of luxury watches or handbags, there are emotions and actions that
look like the real thing but really aren’t. With the best of intentions, I’ve
seen smart leaders charge into sensitive interactions armed with what they
believed was a combination of deep empathy, attuned listening, and
self-awareness but was, in fact, a way to serve their own emotional needs. It’s
important to learn to spot these forgeries, especially if you’re the forger. Read
the full Harvard Business Review article.
 The Power of Listening
Effective listening has the power to
build relationships, influence, help others solve their own problems, cultivate
leadership presence, ease tension, and help resolve conflict situations. Refer
to this list of helpful tips on practicing and fostering effective listening to
build your social capital and maximize productivity in the workplace. Review
the helpful tips.
This list has been adapted from Cynthia Way of Way
to Go! Consulting and leadership coach Stephanie
Winters.
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Asian American and Pacific Islander Feature
Dev Patel
Actor
Dev Patel is a BAFTA-nominated actor known for roles in
films like ‘Slumdog Millionaire,’ ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ and ‘Lion.’
Dev Patel was born on April 23, 1990 in the Harrow
section of London, England. The youngest of two children, his parents, of
Gujarati Hindu background, migrated to the United Kingdom from Kenya. Noting
her son’s perennially high energy levels, Patel’s mother had him pursue acting.
At 16, he took on a role in the teen-oriented series Skins, becoming a
featured player in the show from 2007-08. Read the full Biography
article.
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To submit material for a future edition of The Beet, email thebeet@nifa.usda.gov. Submissions are due by noon on Thursday for publication the following Tuesday.
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