College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
May 14, 2018
Top Stories
College Posts New Fact Sheets
CALS has posted five new college fact sheets on the Points of Pride site of About the College. A link to the new fact sheets also was added to the dean’s search website to provide additional information for prospective candidates. The fact sheets focus on the college, the student experience, the Agriculture Experiment Station, Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension and Outreach, and alumni. More
Research
Research on Implications of Gene-Editing Technologies
Carmen Bain, sociology, received a grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to identify key inducements and impediments to public trust of gene-edited foods and their governance. The funding is made possible through the Social Implications of Emerging Technologies initiative with NIFA’s Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities program area. More
Beitz Leads New CAST Publication on Omega-3 Fatty Acids
A new special publication released by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology addresses omega-3 fatty acids. Led by task force chair Donald Beitz, animal science, the authors focused their attention on the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, food sources and dietary recommendations. More
CALS Research Examines Switchgrass Feasibility in Crop Fields
Newly published research by CALS examines converting underperforming areas in Iowa crop fields to switchgrass, which could help farmers decrease costs while potentially providing an economic benefit from a future bioenergy crop market. An article about the project appeared in GCB Bioenergy, an international journal that publishes research about biological and environmental sciences and the production of fuels from plants, algae and waste. Authors of the paper are Emily Heaton, agronomy, Alejandro Plastina, economics, and Elke Brandes, a postdoctoral researcher in agronomy at the time of the study.
Teaching and Students
New Startup Accepted to CYstarters Linked to FSHN Research
After a 10-week intensive accelerator program this summer, a new cohort of ISU student entrepreneurs will come up for air with a plan to move their startup businesses forward. Max Gangestad, a December graduate in agricultural engineering, is now a bioprocess engineer at Gross-Wen Technologies. Gross-Wen, a member of the Startup Factory’s inaugural cohort and created by Martin Gross and Zhiyou Wen, food science and human nutrition, has seen tremendous success with its patented algal wastewater treatment technology. Gangestad is heading into CYstarters with a new way to use that technology, called GWT Micronutrients to Algae. More
Monsanto Donates Planter to Agronomy Soybean Breeding Program
As planting gets underway for farmers and researchers, Asheesh Singh’s soybean lab will be able to plant more efficiently thanks to a planter donation from Monsanto. The planter will be used by the Singh Lab developing soybean cultivars and germplasm for the benefit of farmers and the agricultural industry. More
CALS Students Receive Graduate Awards
The Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools and Proquest Dissertation Publishing awarded two ISU students at a recent awards luncheon. Rafael Martinez-Feria, agronomy, received a Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award for “Suitability of Winter Canola for Enhancing Summer Annual Crop Rotations in Iowa.” Chase Mayers, plant pathology and microbiology, received the doctoral level Excellence in Teaching Award.
Extension and Outreach
Watershed Improvement Practices Highlighted in Publication Series
A new series of Extension publications highlights practices that can be implemented to reduce flooding and improve water quality. “The Iowa Watershed Approach” walks readers through the impact these practices have on flood reduction, water quality, watershed management, wildlife benefits and more. Authors are Jamie Benning and Kristina TeBockhorst with ISU Extension and Outreach. More
ANR Extension Staff Spotlight: Keri Jacobs
Keri Jacobs, assistant professor and extension economist specializing in cooperatives, is featured in the latest ANR Extension Staff Spotlight. In July, Jacobs will participate in the International Cooperative Alliance European Research Conference in The Netherlands, where she will present her research to cooperative scholars and policy-makers and learn how cooperatives in other countries function within their supply chains.
Around the College
Rosentrater Organizes National Distiller Grains Symposium in Des Moines
The Distillers Grains Technology Council is hosting the 22nd annual Distillers Grains Symposium on May 16-17 in Des Moines. The national symposium will discuss the latest information and issues related to distillers grains marketing/merchandising, animal nutrition, processing technologies and government regulations. Kurt Rosentrater, agricultural and biosystems engineering, serves as the DGTC executive director. More
Leopold Center Recognized for Grazing and Forage Research and Education
The Iowa Forage and Grasslands Council recognized the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture for its significant contributions to funding grazing and forage research and education in Iowa over the last 20 years. The council periodically recognizes individuals or organizations promoting forages in Iowa and helping producers manage them.
Calendar
May 16: Iowa Learning Farms Webinar
Iowa Learning Farms monthly webinar will be held Wednesday, May 16, at 12 p.m. Charles Brown, farm management specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, will share best practices for adding cover crops to a farm lease arrangement. More
Research Development Announcements and Funding Opportunities
Webinar: Using Imagery from Unmanned Aerial Systems in HTP Phenotyping
As part of an NSF-funded Big Data project, ISU and CALS are hosting the presentation/webinar, “Acquiring Ultra-High-Resolution Imagery using Unmanned Aerial Systems (Drones) and its Applications in High-Throughput Phenotyping.” Presenters are Kevin Price of AgPixel LLC and Jianming Yu, agronomy. This presentation will be held May 21, 1-2 p.m. in 009 Curtiss Hall. Light refreshments will be provided. Individuals who cannot attend in person can join via Zoom.
New Form to Apply for CALS Funds for Grant Consulting
ISU has several grant consulting companies under contract to assist faculty and staff in preparing grant applications. CALS can provide resources to assist with the cost of engaging a grant consultant upon request. To apply for these funds, PIs are asked to use the new form available on the CALS Pre-Award Resources website.
Funding Information, Opportunities and Deadline Reminders
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu. Additional information is posted at CALS Pre-Award Resources.
June 4 (letter of intent): The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research - Emerging Leader Award; contact ISU Foundation to express interest; $750,000, PI must be three to eight years from the start of independent research appointment.
June 8: USDA Commodity Credit Corporation/Foreign Ag Service 2019 Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops; $500,000. More
June 8: USDA Commodity Credit Corporation/Foreign Ag Service 2019 Emerging Markets Program; $500,000. More
June 8: USDA Commodity Credit Corporation/Foreign Ag Service 2019 Quality Samples Program; $15,000 to $75,000. More
June 21: EPA FY 2018 and FY 2019 National Wetland Program Development Grants; $75,000 to $200,000, 25 percent cost share required. More
June 25 (pre-proposal): Department of Defense Tick-Borne Disease Research Program; Career Development Award, Idea Award, Investigator-Initiated Research Award.
July 9: State Department U.S. Mission to India - Food Diplomacy: A Recipe for Entrepreneurship; $55,000. More
July 12 (registration deadline): Roddenberry Prize; food waste, plant-rich diets, girls’ education, (cfr@foundation.iastate.edu) to express interest. More
Infograzing
Sign Up for Training on Expense Reporting WorkCyte Workshop
An overview of the Workday expense report system’s functions and terminology is the focus of the next WorkCyte workshop. This one is especially relevant to faculty and staff who create, review or approve expense reports and employee reimbursements. The 90-minute introductory workshop lays the groundwork for hands-on training that will take place closer to the Workday go live date. The expense reports workshop will be offered May 23, June 14 and June 26 in 0198 Parks Library. Registration is required. More
Marginalia
Catching Up After a Cold Spring
Mike Fiscus, superintendent at the Ag Engineering/Agronomy Research Farm near Boone, reported on May 8 that plot planting was in full swing with seven corn planters running at the same time with row widths from four to 12 rows.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Julie Stewart, Editor
jstewart@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5616
https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/agonline
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online, the newsletter for faculty and staff in Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is published by email every Monday. The deadline for submitting content is 12 p.m. on Friday.
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