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C O N T E N T S
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COLLEGE NEWS
- College name changed approved by Faculty Senate
- ISU student elected national MANRRS president
- Interviews for Wallace Chair for sustainable ag
- ISU plays a role in seed sent to fight hunger in Russia
- New soy foods database will help cancer researchers
- ISU exchange group reports on Tuskegee
- Minority students to spend summer in ISU labs
- Senior send-off April 21 features kissable pig
- Block & Bridle horse show set at state fairgrounds
- Evaluating course impact: Ag Comm on April 22
- Committees to examine sustainable ag grad degree
- ADA approves expansion of dietetic internships
- RSVP by April 21 for World Bank funding seminar
- Summer field days to honor George Washington Carver
- Deadlines & Reminders
COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
- College of Ag authors showcased in Curtiss Hall
INFOGRAZING
- Lush to be honored at ISU animal breeding/genetics forum
- Climate change information from Ag Forum now on web
EXTERNAL VOICES
- Pulitzer Prize winner will stay in kindergarten
MARGINALIA
- PBS documentary covers environmental, ag issues
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C O L L E G E N E W S
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COLLEGE NAME CHANGE APPROVED BY FACULTY SENATE
On Tuesday, April 13, the ISU Faculty Senate approved a request to change the name of the College of Agriculture to the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. The Senate approved the proposal with little discussion and with a unanimous voice vote. In a memo requesting the change, Dean David Topel said the name was necessary to keep pace with other ag colleges in the land-grant system, many of which already have changed their names to better reflect their focus. Next steps for the proposal: consideration by the President’s office and then the Board of Regents.
ISU STUDENT ELECTED NATIONAL MANRRS PRESIDENT
An ISU student has been elected the national president of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS). Charles Stewart, a senior in agricultural biochemistrys, was elected at the national meeting of MANRRS in Roanoke, Va., April 7-10. Last year he was a regional vice president. MANRRS, which has more than 1,300 members at universities across the country, introduces minority youth to educational and career opportunities in agricultural and related fields. The group prepares students for leadership roles through mentoring, networking and the exchange of ideas among members. Last year ISU’s MANRRS chapter hosted the national meeting in Des Moines.
INTERVIEWS SET FOR WALLACE CHAIR FOR SUSTAINABLE AG
A schedule of candidate interviews has been set for the Henry A. Wallace Endowed Chair for Sustainable Agriculture. The chair, which will have an appointment of three to five years, was established with a $1 million grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and a $500,000 gift from the Wallace Genetic Foundation, plus funds from the college and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. The schedule of candidate open forums is: today (April 16), Lorna Michael Butler, Washington State University, in 236 Memorial Union; April 23, Richard Levins, University of Minnesota, 3140 Agronomy; April 27, Charles Francis, University of Nebraska, 248 Memorial Union; and April 30, Jerald DeWitt, Iowa State University, 3140 Agronomy. All forums begin at 1 p.m.
ISU PLAYS A ROLE IN SEED SENT TO FIGHT HUNGER IN RUSSIA
The Seed Science Center recently conducted tests and provided technical advice that allowed 15,000 metric tons of seed corn and vegetable seed to be sent to Russia. The shipment was a "Food for Progress" donation organized by the USDA and the American Seed Trade Association. The seeds, which came from more than two dozen U.S. companies, will help Russian farmers plant crops this spring and help alleviate hunger in the country. Before shipping, tests were required to ensure the seed was high-quality and disease-free. ISU conducted tests on more than 650 seed corn samples. To ensure the seed would be shipped in time for spring planting in Russia, ISU staff worked overtime and weekends.
NEW SOY FOODS DATABASE WILL HELP CANCER RESEARCHERS
A new USDA/Iowa State database will help scientists pinpoint which isoflavones (estrogen-like compounds) in soy foods may be responsible for a lower risk of cancer, especially breast cancer. USDA scientists who assembled the database, which was launched April 7 on the Web, relied on analyses of isoflavones by ISU’s Pat Murphy, professor of food science and human nutrition. Murphy and other ISU researchers have been studying isoflavones in soybeans and soy foods for several years. The USDA database gives values for the major isoflavones in 128 soy foods and ingredients. Isoflavones have antioxidant capability, and may perform other functions that enhance health. The USDA-ISU isoflavone database, which was funded in part by the U.S. Army Breast Cancer Research Initiative, can be found online.
ISU EXCHANGE GROUP REPORTS ON TUSKEGEE
Four students, economics professor Marvin Hayenga and economics staff member Danette Kenne visited Tuskegee University last month. It was the first exchange involving agriculture students between the two universities. The participants recently reported on their visit at an Ag Cabinet meeting. Othman Abdullah, animal science, said the legacy of George Washington Carver is strong at Tuskegee, and hopes ISU’s emphasis on Carver in the past year will strengthen his legacy here. Sarah Denburger, ag education/ag business, said the exchange has helped her understand more about the land-grant tradition and mission, and she believes more land-grant history should be added to 100-level courses at ISU. Hayenga said universities wanting to forge ties with Tuskegee need to enter exchanges like this willing to make serious commitments to student and faculty relationships. The college is making plans to bring a group of Tuskegee students and faculty to campus in September.
MINORITY STUDENTS TO SPEND SUMMER IN ISU AG LABS
Eighteen high school and college students will spend the summer in ISU labs for the college’s summer research internship program for minority students. This is an increase of 10 students over last summer. The high school students will come from Alabama, Hawaii, Illinois and Oregon. The undergraduate college students are from Tuskegee, Crownpoint Institute of Technology, University of Montevallo, Florida A&M, Eastern New Mexico, Prescott College, New Mexico State and Sitting Bull College. They will conduct research with faculty in biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology; horticulture; ag education and studies; economics; food science and human nutrition; entomology; agronomy; plant pathology; animal science; forestry; veterinary medicine; and other departments. The group includes students who are African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Native American and Hawaiian.
SENIOR SEND-OFF APRIL 21 FEATURES KISSABLE PIG
Faculty and staff are invited to attend the College of Agriculture Senior Send-off on Wednesday, April 21, in the Kildee Pavilion at 12:30 p.m. It’s free. Activities include a kiss-a-pig contest featuring the professor, advisor and ag club officer who received the most nominations. The lucky contestants are Lee Burras, agronomy; Ron Deiter, economics; and Angie Pithan, Sigma Alpha. There also will be door prizes and a chance to win a $40 gift certificate. The college event is part of Senior Week, April 19-24.
BLOCK & BRIDLE HORSE SHOW SET AT STATE FAIRGROUNDS
The Block and Bridle Club’s 57th annual horse show will be held April 22-25 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. It is believed to be the largest student-run horse show in the nation. The event includes 4-H, FFA, stock horse and quarter horse shows. This year there also will be a cutting horse show sponsored by the National Cutting Horse Association. For more information: Jeffrey Mayes, 296-6182 or jmayes@iastate.edu.
EVALUATING COURSE IMPACT: AG COMM ON APRIL 22
"Evaluating Communication-Intensive Course Impact," the final Ag Comm workshop for the spring semester, will be held April 22 in 8 Curtiss, noon to 1:30 p.m. The session includes an overview of information and skills, sharing of experiences of selected faculty and a general discussion. A light lunch will be available. RSVP to Norma Hensley, 4-6614 or nhensley@iastate.edu.
COMMITTEES TO EXAMINE SUSTAINABLE AG GRAD DEGREE
Committees have been established to continue the development of an ISU sustainable agriculture graduate program. Three committees will examine curriculum, governance and funding. Faculty members interested in participating as committee members or in other ways are encouraged to do so. It is believed the effort would be the nation’s first comprehensive graduate program in sustainable agriculture. For more information: Matt Liebman, 4-7486 or mliebman@iastate.edu; Mike Bell, 4-2129 or mikebell@iastate.edu; or Tom Richard, 4-0465 or tlr@iastate.edu.
ADA APPROVES EXPANSION OF DIETETIC INTERNSHIPS
The American Dietetic Association has approved expansion of ISU’s dietetic internship program. The expansion will add 14 more interns for the program, which currently accepts 18 students per year. The 10-year-old internship program recently received initial accreditation status for another 10 years from the ADA. Technology has played a role in expansion of the program. A "virtual classroom" web page on dietetics was developed, and beginning in May, new instructional modules will enhance the learning and experience of interns.
SUMMER FIELD DAYS TO HONOR GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER
Field days at ISU Research and Demonstration Farms begin June 15. This year the field days will celebrate the legacy of George Washington Carver with displays of his contributions to teaching, research and extension. There also will be plots of sweet potatoes and peanuts -- two crops that Carver studied -- in the farms’ home demonstration gardens. A tentative schedule of field days is on the Research and Demonstration Farms’ Web site: https://farms.cals.iastate.edu/research-farms-field-days-and-meetings.
RSVP BY APRIL 21 FOR WORLD BANK FUNDING SEMINAR
RSVP by Wednesday, April 21, if you plan to attend the grantsmanship workshop on April 29 featuring Alex McCalla, director, Rural Development Department, The World Bank. McCalla will speak on World Bank funding opportunities, April 29, 1:30 to 3 p.m., Pioneer Room, Memorial Union. The workshop is a part of the college’s initiative to strengthen relations with international agencies such as the World Bank. RSVP to Deanne Brill, 4-2517 or dbrill@iastate.edu.
DEADLINES & REMINDERS
April 16-18: Veishea.
April 17: Biotechnology and Global Justice, Bioethics Symposium, Molecular Biology Building, 4-0343.
April 19: Gamma Sigma Delta banquet, Great Hall, Memorial Union, 4-5904.
April 22: ISU Science in Agriculture Day.
April 22-25: Metabolic Networking in Plants Conference, 4-7978.
April 29: World Bank Funding Opportunities, Successful Grantsmanship workshop, 1 p.m., Memorial Union, 4-2517.
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C O M M U N I C A T I O N S K I O S K
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COLLEGE OF AG AUTHORS SHOWCASED IN CURTISS HALL
A display case on the ground floor of Curtiss Hall is used to showcase the latest books authored or edited by college faculty. Recent additions to the display include "American Bamboos" with Lynn Clark, botany, as one of four authors; "The Genetics of the Pig," edited by Max Rothschild, animal science; "An Invitation to Environmental Sociology" by Michael Bell, sociology; "Valuing Recreation and the Environment," edited by Joseph Herriges and Catherine Kling, economics; "Native and Naturalized Leguminosae of the United States" by Duane Isely, botany; and "Agriculture in the 21st Century - Surviving and Thriving" by 19 authors in economics. New books are welcome, and will be returned after a six-month stint in the display case. Contact Susan Thompson, Ag Information, 4-0705 or sander@iastate.edu, or send the publication to 304 Curtiss.
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I N F O G R A Z I N G
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LUSH TO BE HONORED AT ANIMAL BREEDING/GENETICS FORUM
In May, ISU will host animal scientists from around the world to discuss future directions in animal breeding and genetics at "From Jay L. Lush to Genomics: Visions for Animal Breeding and Genetics." The May 16-18 conference will observe the pioneering work of Lush, an internationally known animal scientist who began his work at ISU in the 1930s. Scheduled to speak are scientists from the United States, Canada, Scotland, France, the United Kingdom, Israel, Belgium, The Netherlands and Kenya. For more information: Max Rothschild, 4-6202; Sue Lamont, 4-4100; or check online.
CLIMATE CHANGE INFORMATION FROM AG FORUM NOW ONLINE
Audio and text of some presentations from the 1999 National Forum for Agriculture in March are now available online. The theme of the forum, hosted by ISU, was "Climate Change and the Implications for Agriculture and Energy." Check the web site for presentations by Thomas Spencer of the European Parliament, and Bruce Babcock and Catherine Kling of CARD. Other presentations will be posted later. Check the forum link on CARD’s homepage: http://www.card.iastate.edu/.
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E X T E R N A L V O I C E S
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PULITZER PRIZE WINNER WILL STAY IN KINDERGARTEN
"We're in the middle of studying insects and nothing can take me away. I will continue teaching. I enjoy it." Margaret Edson, a kindergarten teacher in Atlanta, who says she has no plans to leave teaching to further pursue playwriting. On Monday Edson won the Pulitzer Prize for drama for her play, "Wit." (New York Times, April 12)
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M A R G I N A L I A
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PBS DOCUMENTARY COVERS ENVIRONMENTAL, AG ISSUES
"Journey to Planet Earth," a three-part documentary examining ecological problems from scientific, economic, political and historical viewpoints, has been running in April on PBS stations (including Iowa Public TV). At 9 p.m., April 20, the episode "Land of Plenty, Land of Want" visits farming communities in four countries to examine worldwide problems of feeding a growing population. It includes a segment on the Horan family in Iowa and how satellite technology is being used to increase yields. For more information: http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/science/planetearth/about.htm.