College News
Farewell Reception for Dean Woteki Friday
A farewell reception for Dean Woteki will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, July 29, in the Memorial Union's Campanile Room. A brief program will begin at 3:30 p.m.
Schnable Appointed to Plant Sciences Institute Position
Patrick Schnable has been appointed associate director of the Plant Sciences Institute. Schnable is professor in the departments of agronomy and genetics, development and cell biology. He also is director of the Center for Plant Genomics.
Researcher Details Genetic Origins of Corn on the Cob
Erik Vollbrecht, assistant professor of genetics, development and cell biology, has helped determine a genetic reason for modern corn's straight rows and compact ears. The research findings are published in the July 24 advance online edition of the journal Nature.
Yang Named Fellow of Phytopathological Society
X.B. Yang, professor of plant pathology, has been named a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society. Yang was honored for his studies on plant disease risk-assessment, the impact of climatic changes on plant health and the effects of El Niño on plant health.
Miller Faculty Fellowships Go for Projects in College
Several College of Agriculture faculty and staff have been awarded Miller Faculty Fellowships. The winners were announced in April and will receive funding throughout the 2005-2006 school year. This year's recipients include: Brian Steward, agricultural and biosystems engineering, for his proposal titled, "Course in Sustainable Engineering and International Development" Jon Tollefson, Pat Anderson, Matt O'Neal, John VanDyk and Carol Pilcher, entomology, for their project, "Real Learning with Virtual Insects" and Tom Brumm, Steven Freeman, Steven Mickelson and Brian Steward, agricultural and biosystems engineering, for their proposal titled, "Useful and Effective Evaluation & Review of Instruction." Up to $250,000 is awarded each year to faculty members to create or enhance undergraduate classes.
Steward Honored with NACTA Journal Award
Brian Steward, agricultural and biosystems engineering, received the 2005 Jack Everly Journal Award at the 51st annual conference of the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA). Steward, the principal author, collaborated with department colleagues Steve Mickelson and Tom Brumm to write the article, "Formative and Summative Assessment Techniques for Continuous Agricultural Technology Classroom Improvement." NACTA is a professional society that provides for all postsecondary teachers of agriculture a forum for discussion of questions and issues relating to the professional advancement of agricultural instruction.
ABE Members Visit China
Several members of the agricultural and biosystems engineering department attended the Seventh International Livestock Environment Symposium held in Beijing, China in May. The symposium, hosted by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers was designed to encourage the sharing of research results among animal scientists, veterinarians and other professionals in the field. Key topics addressed included animal production efficiency and welfare. This was the first time the symposium was held in Asia, home of the world's fastest growing livestock industry. Seven ABE students and faculty members gave presentations at the conference they include: Hongwei Xin, professor; Jacek Koziel, assistant professor; and Ph.D. students Angela Green, Jeremiah Davis, Rachel Cook.
Deadlines and Reminders
July 25: Demonstration Garden Field Days begin
July 25-29: Seed Corn Conditioning Workshop, Seed Science Center, more: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/seed.htm
Aug. 1: Deadline for Leopold Center pre-proposals in ecology, policy and marketing and food systems, 5 p.m.
Communications Kiosk
Hyphens are Joiners
Use hyphens to avoid ambiguity or to form a single idea from two or more words. Use a hyphen whenever ambiguity would result if it were omitted. For example: "He re-covered the leaky roof," and "He recovered his health." (The Associated Press Stylebook, 2002)
Infograzing
Frontiers in Biological Research Proposals Sought
The Frontiers in Integrative Biological Research program, which supports research addressing major questions in the biological sciences, seeks preliminary proposals. They are due Oct. 3, with a deadline for full proposals of Feb. 15, 2006. The program encourages investigators to identify major understudied or unanswered questions in biology and to use innovative approaches to address them by integrating the scientific concepts and research tools from across disciplines. More: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2005/nsf05597/nsf05597.htm
PR Survey: Americans Confused About What to Eat
American consumers are confused about food choices, according to a recent survey released at the Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting. Public relations company Porter Novelli reported that 20 percent of consumers are confused about what and how they're supposed to eat. Twenty-five percent say they're tired of others telling them what to eat. Nearly 80 percent believe that in the next five years experts will have messages completely different from what they're saying now. (IFT Weekly Newsletter)
Cast Commentary Addresses Crop Commingling Issue
Adventitious presence, or the unintended commingling of trace amounts of one type of seed or product with another, was the subject of a commentary released by Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) last week. The purpose of the commentary is to provide a framework to facilitate the informed discussion of adventitious presence and to assist in the development of federal policy. The commentary (QTA 2005-1) may be found on the CAST Web site: http://www.cast-science.org
External Voices
Can Organic and Conventional Farming Work Together?
"The organic movement is an excellent case study of the profitability found in food producers responding to consumer demand. What a success this niche has become; I applaud the farmers who have made organics work for their situation. At the same time, I urge a sense of caution so the face of agriculture isn't 'blemished.' False claims made about organics being safer than conventionally produced foods are an excellent case study about how the agricultural industry can be 'divided and conquered.' After all, a farmer using modern agricultural production practices shouldn't be condemned because conventional farming is what works best for him or her . . . Why draw lines in the sandbox? If organics work for you, then ride the wave. But don't condemn conventional food production or be a part of spreading false information. If you work with conventionally produced food, perhaps it's time to study how the organic movement has been successful. At the end of the day, shouldn't we -- as an agricultural industry -- work together to connect with consumers and help them understand the real facts about how their food is produced?"
--Michele Payn-Knoper, Indiana farmer and agricultural consultant, in a July 14 commentary on Successful Farming's Agriculture Online website.
Marginalia
Mars Inc. Probes Cocoa's Healthful Properties
Mars Inc. today (Monday) unveiled plans to develop medications that use a component of cocoa to help treat diabetes, strokes and vascular disease. The privately held U.S. company that produces M&Ms and Mars bars said it hoped to make medications based on flavanols -- plant chemicals with health benefits found in cocoa, as well as red wine and green tea. Mars said it is in talks with large pharmaceutical companies for a licensing or joint venture agreement to reproduce the compounds in cocoa shown to improve blood flow. Two clinical trials have also found that cocoa flavanols can boost the flow of blood to key areas of the brain, raising the possibility of treatments for dementia and strokes. Mars has already launched CocoaVia, a nutrition bar containing 80 calories and specially preserved flavanols, which usually get destroyed in usual cocoa processing. [Editor's note: Dean Woteki will begin work Aug. 1 as Mars' global director of scientific affairs.] (Reuters, July 25)
Next issue: Aug. 1
Ag Online
Editor: Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616
Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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