The Solid Road: Research as Our Foundation for Innovation

Justin McMechan Author

08/06/2025 Added

41 Plays

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Roadside Reflection #13 features Justin McMechan talking about staying grounded in Extension.

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[00:00:00.000]Hi, Nebraska Extension. I'm
[00:00:02.960]Justin McMechan. I'm a crop
[00:00:04.360]protection and cropping system
[00:00:05.460]specialist in
[00:00:06.100]the Department of Entomology
[00:00:07.360]here at the university, and I
[00:00:08.780]want to spend a few minutes
[00:00:09.780]talking about my thoughts on
[00:00:11.130]how to stay grounded in
[00:00:12.200]Extension and how I try to
[00:00:13.390]approach it through
[00:00:14.440]my own work. For me, staying
[00:00:16.050]grounded in Extension means
[00:00:17.560]never losing sight of who we
[00:00:19.000]serve.
[00:00:19.580]It's about keeping your feet in
[00:00:21.280]the field, literally or figuratively,
[00:00:23.640]and it's making
[00:00:24.960]sure that the work you do is
[00:00:26.170]tied directly to the needs and
[00:00:27.460]challenges of the clientele you
[00:00:28.980]serve.
[00:00:29.240]For me, that's farmers,
[00:00:30.360]consultants, and ag
[00:00:31.280]professionals as a large group.
[00:00:32.880]It's easy to get caught up in
[00:00:35.000]the data and reports and
[00:00:36.740]deadlines that we all face,
[00:00:38.960]but being grounded means
[00:00:40.310]remembering that every
[00:00:41.600]recommendation we make impacts
[00:00:43.340]someone's
[00:00:43.980]decisions, their livelihood,
[00:00:45.730]and often their trust in the
[00:00:47.190]science we represent.
[00:00:48.580]So I've got a couple points I'm
[00:00:50.390]going to cover for the next few
[00:00:52.610]minutes on how I try to stay
[00:00:53.960]grounded, and I hope some of it
[00:00:55.430]resonates with you. If it doesn't,
[00:00:57.230]I'd love to hear from all
[00:00:58.480]of you on how you do it as well.
[00:01:01.070]So first, I make time to be out
[00:01:03.050]in the field. You need to
[00:01:05.280]see what's working, what's not,
[00:01:07.040]and what people are really
[00:01:08.160]dealing with. It's one thing to
[00:01:09.750]read
[00:01:10.080]about an issue, and it's
[00:01:11.130]another to see it firsthand and
[00:01:12.430]talk through it with someone
[00:01:13.700]who's living it every day.
[00:01:15.680]Second, and this can be a
[00:01:17.310]challenge for me, I try to
[00:01:19.070]listen more than
[00:01:20.120]I talk. And I don't always do a
[00:01:21.690]great job of this, but I feel
[00:01:23.130]like if I remind myself going
[00:01:24.700]into a conversation, I tend to
[00:01:25.860]get a lot more out of it if I
[00:01:26.780]ask more questions. So I'm
[00:01:27.720]going to
[00:01:27.720]ask more questions than provide
[00:01:29.930]answers. Growers are incredibly
[00:01:32.370]observant. They often spot
[00:01:34.560]trends
[00:01:34.920]or problems long before the
[00:01:36.510]research catches up with the
[00:01:38.170]answers to what they're facing.
[00:01:40.240]I've learned so much just by
[00:01:42.010]asking questions and listening
[00:01:44.130]carefully.
[00:01:45.140]Third, I try to stay flexible.
[00:01:47.540]I built my program on emerging
[00:01:49.790]issues. Since it started,
[00:01:52.240]new things have shown up. The
[00:01:54.230]weather's constantly changed,
[00:01:55.830]and really being grounded
[00:01:57.380]means being responsive,
[00:01:59.140]avoiding getting stuck in a
[00:02:00.800]fixed agenda, and being willing
[00:02:02.900]to shift focus
[00:02:03.880]when the situation demands. And
[00:02:05.790]I think Extension's really good
[00:02:07.370]at that, adjusting when the
[00:02:09.110]situation
[00:02:09.520]calls for it. Fourth, this is
[00:02:11.720]the very core of what we do. It's
[00:02:13.820]making that research that's
[00:02:15.820]being conducted at the
[00:02:17.080]university usable, translating
[00:02:19.000]technical results into
[00:02:20.320]something
[00:02:20.980]that someone can take to the
[00:02:22.360]field and act on. And we're
[00:02:23.910]really, Extension's really
[00:02:25.310]about bridging
[00:02:26.020]the gap between science and
[00:02:26.270]technology. And I think that's
[00:02:26.610]one of the things that we're
[00:02:26.840]really
[00:02:27.040]trying to do. And I think that's
[00:02:27.110]one of the things that we're
[00:02:27.160]really trying to do. And I
[00:02:27.230]think that's
[00:02:27.360]one of the things that we're
[00:02:27.600]really trying to do. And I
[00:02:27.850]think that's one of the things
[00:02:28.040]that we're
[00:02:28.060]really trying to do. And I
[00:02:28.060]think that's one of the things
[00:02:28.060]that we're really trying to do.
[00:02:28.100]What I would add to this is
[00:02:29.630]that we need to build in the
[00:02:31.580]conversation. Sometimes we get
[00:02:33.690]in the
[00:02:33.820]habit of kind of disseminating
[00:02:35.570]that information, but being
[00:02:37.250]creative about making dialogue
[00:02:39.140]happening
[00:02:39.700]with our conversations,
[00:02:41.400]ensuring that we're getting
[00:02:42.360]some feedback on what they're
[00:02:43.800]taking
[00:02:44.260]away from those conversations
[00:02:45.690]and how they're using it, and
[00:02:47.040]what gaps are there is really
[00:02:48.420]important as well. Fifth, it's
[00:02:50.040]about including other
[00:02:51.110]disciplines when appropriate.
[00:02:52.660]It can be
[00:02:54.020]challenging to know who to
[00:02:55.130]involve when an issue arises,
[00:02:56.450]but having a conversation with
[00:02:57.020]the
[00:02:57.020]couple extras at the table is
[00:02:59.320]really important early on. They
[00:03:01.900]can always opt out if they don't
[00:03:03.020]see a fit when you're dealing
[00:03:04.400]with something, but I have
[00:03:05.680]greatly expanded my vision and
[00:03:07.240]interpretation of a problem by
[00:03:08.580]including those from other
[00:03:09.760]disciplines when dealing,
[00:03:11.060]especially
[00:03:11.540]with unexpected or emerging
[00:03:12.800]issues. And finally, investing
[00:03:15.120]in relationships. You can't
[00:03:17.950]build trust
[00:03:19.220]in one conversation. It takes
[00:03:21.230]time, consistency, and being
[00:03:23.390]honest. And I want to elaborate
[00:03:25.340]a little
[00:03:25.960]bit on being honest. I want to
[00:03:27.000]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:27.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:27.000]little
[00:03:27.000]bit on being honest. I want to
[00:03:27.330]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:27.590]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:28.140]little
[00:03:29.000]bit on being honest. I want to
[00:03:29.490]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:29.770]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:30.750]little bit
[00:03:31.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:32.240]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:33.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:33.000]little bit
[00:03:33.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:34.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:35.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:35.000]little bit
[00:03:35.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:36.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:37.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:37.000]little bit
[00:03:37.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:38.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:39.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:39.000]little bit
[00:03:39.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:39.520]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:40.130]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:40.730]little bit
[00:03:41.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:42.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:43.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:43.000]little bit
[00:03:43.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:43.520]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:44.270]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:44.730]little bit
[00:03:45.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:45.510]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:46.100]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:46.690]little bit
[00:03:47.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:48.260]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:49.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:49.000]little bit
[00:03:49.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:50.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:51.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:51.000]little bit
[00:03:51.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:52.130]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:53.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:53.000]little bit
[00:03:53.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:54.050]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:55.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:55.000]little bit
[00:03:55.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:56.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:57.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:57.000]little bit
[00:03:57.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:03:58.090]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:03:59.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:03:59.000]little bit
[00:03:59.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:00.140]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:01.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:01.000]little bit
[00:04:01.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:02.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:03.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:03.000]little bit
[00:04:03.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:03.520]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:04.100]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:04.690]little bit
[00:04:05.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:06.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:07.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:07.000]little bit
[00:04:07.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:08.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:09.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:09.000]little bit
[00:04:09.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:10.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:11.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:11.000]little bit
[00:04:11.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:12.140]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:13.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:13.000]little bit
[00:04:13.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:14.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:15.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:15.000]little bit
[00:04:15.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:16.240]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:17.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:17.000]little bit
[00:04:17.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:18.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:19.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:19.000]little bit
[00:04:19.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:20.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:21.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:21.000]little bit
[00:04:21.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:21.510]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:22.240]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:22.700]little bit
[00:04:23.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:24.050]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:25.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:25.000]little bit
[00:04:25.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:26.070]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:27.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:27.000]little bit
[00:04:27.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:28.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:29.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:29.000]little bit
[00:04:29.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:30.050]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:31.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:31.000]little bit
[00:04:31.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:32.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:33.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:33.000]little bit
[00:04:33.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:34.120]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:35.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:35.000]little bit
[00:04:35.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:36.080]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:37.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:37.000]little bit
[00:04:37.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:38.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:39.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:39.000]little bit
[00:04:39.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:39.510]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:40.100]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:40.690]little bit
[00:04:41.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:42.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:43.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:43.000]little bit
[00:04:43.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:44.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:45.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:45.000]little bit
[00:04:45.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:46.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:47.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:47.000]little bit
[00:04:47.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:48.060]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:49.000]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:49.000]little bit
[00:04:49.000]on being honest. I want to
[00:04:50.090]elaborate a little bit on being
[00:04:50.590]honest. I want to elaborate a
[00:04:50.590]little bit

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The Solid Road: Research as Our Foundation for Innovation

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