University of Idaho Boise

10/27/2026

Two scientists will bring their expertise to Idaho’s legislative and executive branches this year through the Idaho Science and Technology Policy Fellowship (ISTPF). ✨

The ISTPF, led by University of Idaho’s McClure Center for Public Policy Research, is a nonpartisan program that places scientists, social scientists and engineers in state government, each serving in yearlong assignments in executive branch agencies and the Legislative Services Office (LSO). The ISTPF is a partnership among Boise State University, Idaho State University and U of I.

First-year fellow Kerrick Robinson, Ph.D., will spend this year with the LSO. Second-year fellow Ryan Tarver, Ph.D., will work with the Idaho Workforce Development Council (WDC), building on his first year with LSO.

The two make up the ISTPF’s seventh cohort. The program has supported 12 fellows since it began, with 40% continuing to work in state government.

“We are pleased to welcome a new fellow to the Legislative Services Office,” said Jared Tatro, LSO Impact Review Team lead. “Fellows have brought creative thinking, extensive research skills and new tools to LSO; we are excited to add another fellow to the team and provide a unique opportunity to experience the policymaking process firsthand.”

Robinson is a natural resources social scientist. He was most recently a research scholar at North Carolina State University studying coastal and rural community dynamics. Robinson holds a doctorate in human dimensions of natural resources from U of I, a master’s degree in human dimensions of fisheries science from Oregon State University and a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, policy and management from University of Minnesota.

Tarver is a scientist who studies how people and natural resources interact. Before joining the ISTPF, he completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Boise State. He earned a doctorate in environment and society at Utah State University and holds a master’s degree in cultural and environmental resource management and a bachelor’s degree in recreation and tourism management from Central Washington University. This year, he will be applying his data management and visualization skill set to the WDC’s programs.

Explore the full press release 👇
https://www.uidaho.edu/newsroom/istpf-2026-cohort

10/01/2026

U of I Boise graduate student tackles food insecurity through sustainable indoor farming 🪴

It’s no secret that in Idaho, the agriculture industry is a major driver of the economy.

According to a recent U of I report based on 2024 data, $44.5 billion in annual sales and 17.2% of the state’s total economic output can be attributed to agriculture.

Developing solutions to complex issues, like food insecurity, can sometimes require an interdisciplinary approach where multiple areas of expertise are needed.

The environmental science program at U of I provides Zarin Subah, a doctoral candidate in the program, with the tools to develop more sustainable farming solutions using limited resources.

Subah’s research is centered around aquaponics and hydroponics, where she grows plants without soil, and instead, uses the nutrient-rich water from an adjacent aquatic system that houses mature rainbow trout.

Each week, she carefully monitors and cares for a variety of robust leafy vegetables and seventeen adult rainbow trout, which are cold-water fish that flourish in cool lakes and streams.

Subah’s lab at U of I’s Idaho Water Center in downtown Boise received USDA organic certification in 2024.

"The unique part of my research is that I specifically focus on the organic side and on cold-water aquaponics. I grow rainbow trout in a low-cost, fully controlled organic aquaponic environment, which is still quite novel in this field," said Subah.

Explore the full story 👇
https://www.uidaho.edu/newsroom/sustainable-indoor-farming

09/25/2026

U of I’s Food Technology Center and Agribusiness Incubator in Caldwell helps entrepreneurs turn passion for w**e into thriving businesses

Inspired by summer trips spent teaching geology classes in Sardinia, Italy, one of the world’s preeminent w**e regions, C.J. Northrup and his wife, Janet, dreamed of owning a small vineyard and w**ery. 🍇

In 2012, the couple bought 6 acres in Caldwell’s Sunnyslope area and planted grapevines. A decade later, they opened a tasting room called Famici W**e Co. The w**ery is a labor of love made possible in part by the University of Idaho’s Food Technology Center and Agribusiness Incubator, located at the Caldwell Research and Extension Center. The facility offers specialized processing and packaging equipment and educational assistance to aspiring food entrepreneurs, as well as space and support for agricultural enterprises, including w**eries.

Famici is part of a small but accomplished group of southwest Idaho w**eries, including Hat Ranch W**ery and Veer W**e Project, using the U of I facility’s refrigerated bays to ferment, press, age and bottle vintages. A few other Idaho labels contract with Veer to make some of their w**e and one large Idaho w**ery, Huston Vineyards, relies on the incubator for temperature-controlled storage of finished products, further extending the Caldwell facility’s influence on the industry.

Read the full story👇
https://www.uidaho.edu/newsroom/caldwell-incubator-supports-w**eries

09/17/2026

U of I Law alumnus put all his energy into creating a new path

It makes sense that Cody Harrison ’26 would build a career related to nuclear energy. Growing up in Pocatello – about an hour from Idaho National Laboratory, where several of his family members worked as engineers – he understood the industry.

Although he also earned a degree in nuclear engineering, Harrison’s career interests lie on the legal side of nuclear energy, a field that is still emerging.

Harrison graduated from University of Idaho College of Law (Idaho Law) in Spring 2026 and began work in September as a general civil litigation associate with the law firm Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani (Gordon Rees). His long-term ambition is to specialize in nuclear regulatory and safety law.

With a background in science, 10 years of service in the U.S. Navy — including four years aboard a nuclear aircraft carrier and three years on a nuclear submarine — and a Juris Doctor with emphases in business law as well as natural resources and environmental law, Harrison feels prepared to pursue this developing field.

https://www.uidaho.edu/newsroom/harrison-nuclear-lawyer

08/28/2026

Thank you to everyone who came together and showed their Vandal Pride at the annual Vandal Block Party in downtown Boise! 🏙️✨

What an amazing time connecting with University of Idaho alumni, students, employees and friends to kick off the start of the fall semester! 🎉

08/12/2026

The annual Vandal Block Party is back for its fourth year! 🎉

Join Treasure Valley alumni, students, employees and friends as we kick off the new academic year. Get ready for an evening of fun in downtown Boise including live music, local food and drink options and a VandalStore - Boise pop-up shop!

Event details:
📅 Wednesday, August 26 from 5 - 8pm MDT
📍 Downtown Boise on Broad Street, between 5th and 6th Streets (behind the College of Law building)
🎟️ Free to attend – RSVP at the link below

Be sure to tag who you're going with in the comments below, and don't forget to wear your Vandal gear! ✨

RSVP here 👇
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vandal-block-party-in-boise-tickets-1992152236968

08/10/2026

We're officially 2 weeks away from the start of fall classes! We're looking forward to seeing everyone soon and kicking off the new semester! ✨📚

07/23/2026

New artificial intelligence degrees combine hands-on research, industry partnerships and flexible learning options 🎓💻

University of Idaho is expanding its leadership in artificial intelligence education and research with three new degree programs designed to prepare students to build AI systems, solve industry challenges and meet growing workforce demand across Idaho and the Pacific Northwest.

Beginning in Fall 2026, students can pursue a bachelor’s degree, master’s of science or master’s of engineering in artificial intelligence. Graduate programs are available fully online, and all three degree levels are available at the Moscow and Coeur d’Alene locations. Programs combine classroom instruction with hands-on research and industry partnerships that allow students to build the AI tools to solve real-world problems.

“The U of I helped build the applied engineering, computational and interdisciplinary foundations that became important as AI matured into a real-world industrial technology,” U of I President C. Scott Green said. “Our students don’t just learn how to use AI, they learn how to build AI tools and systems, teach computers to understand and generate language on state-of-the-art AI infrastructure and apply AI in the real world.”

According to the U.S. Department of Education, AI employment opportunities are expected to increase by 17.3% nationwide by 2034. In the Mountain West region, job growth is projected to be even stronger, with an anticipated increase of 25.5%.

Learn more
👉https://www.uidaho.edu/newsroom/ai-degrees

07/09/2026

06/17/2026

New Boise farm incubator provides veterans hands-on training, mentorship and market opportunities

University of Idaho Extension is launching a new incarnation of its Harvest Heroes program in collaboration with the Farmer Veteran Coalition of Idaho and the City of Boise to prepare military veterans for careers in small-scale agriculture.

Extension is establishing a farm incubator for military veterans at Spaulding Ranch Park — a 20-acre, historic homestead owned and maintained by Boise Parks and Recreation. Participating veterans will work alongside Extension to grow a market garden, receiving regular hands-on instruction from Extension experts, guest presenters and veteran farmer mentors.

Read more about the program and its impact 👇
https://www.uidaho.edu/newsroom/extension-veteran-farmers-boise