Connecting With You

How many of you have a Facebook page? Go ahead, raise your hand. Good for you. You've joined a highly select group of about 1 billion active users worldwide (about 15 percent of the planet's population) who are sharing their lives online with friends and family.

Ten years ago, the concept of social media did not exist. Today, social media sites like Facebook, Twitter (500 million users) and YouTube (800 million users monthly) have revolutionized how we communicate and interact. Traditional media like the very magazine you're reading offer one-way communication. We write. You read. That's the deal. Social media allows us to write, you to read, then we start a dialogue about the topic. And the Noble Research Institute has a lot we'd like to talk with you about.

Established by Lloyd Noble, this organization is dedicated to advancing agriculture through education and interaction with farmers, ranchers and land managers, not to mention conducting world-class agricultural and plant science research.

In the last year, we've increased our social media presence to make the Noble Research Institute more accessible, filling numerous sites with our stories, information and findings, and seeking your feedback about topics important to you. Most importantly, these platforms offer us an invaluable outlet to share agriculture's story as a whole. Below is a snapshot of each of the Noble Research Institute's social media outlets. So come visit us on one or all of them. Give us some feedback. Connect. That's what social media is all about.

• The Noble Research Institute Facebook page provides an in-depth look at the people, programs and research occurring every day on the organization's Ardmore, Okla., campus. Photos of visitors and tours are posted regularly, and we often offer informational links, videos and event information.
• Noble's Twitter account offers real-time news about agricultural issues, as well as tidbits of timely advice affecting agricultural producers in the Southern Great Plains. Through Twitter, Noble agricultural consultants relay necessary tips to farmers and ranchers in real time. If, for instance, a particular pest is moving into the area (such as armyworms), consultants can alert producers through our Twitter page.
• The Noble Research Institute YouTube channel offers videos of recent agriculture educational programs and - coming soon - we will have a series of "how-to" videos for agricultural producers.
• Our Pinterest and Flickr pages present a more visual look into every aspect of Noble activities, including history, infrastructure, research and agricultural programs.
• The Noble Research Institute's presence on LinkedIn provides job seekers a chance/the ability to see employment opportunities. The page also offers a forum for current and past researchers to connect in the Noble Alumni section.