College News
University Announces Award Recipients from College
The 2006-07 university award recipients in the College of Agriculture have been announced. The recipients will be listed in Inside Iowa State this fall, shortly before the awards are presented at the Fall Convocation on Sept. 10. College recipients are:
- Steven Lonergan, animal science, ISU Award for Academic Advising Impact
- Anne Oldham, food science and human nutrition, ISU Award for Academic Advising Impact
- Matthew Helmers, agricultural and biosystems engineering, ISU Award for Early Achievement in Extension or Professional Practice
- Daryl Strohbehn, animal science, ISU Award for Outstanding Achievement in Extension or Professional Practice
- Max Rothschild, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture, International Service Award
- Arlen Patrick, horticulture, P&S Excellence Award
- Lisa Schulte, natural resource ecology and management, ISU Award for Early Achievement in Teaching
- Fredric Janzen II, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, ISU Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching
- Suzanne Hendrich, food science and human nutrition, Regents Award for Faculty Excellence
- Micheal Owen, agronomy, Regents Award for Faculty Excellence
- Chad Hart, Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Regents Award for Staff Excellence
College Website Helps Celebrate 150th
The College began celebrating its 150th birthday with the University at Veishea Saturday. The celebration includes a look at the past through a web site dedicated to the College's history. It includes memories of alumni, former faculty and administrators with more to be added throughout the sesquicentennial year celebration. Related events and pride points also will be updated.
Stress Management Discussion Set for Tuesday
"The Strength and Fragility of the Human Mind: Feeling more prepared to deal with your stress and the stress of others" is the theme of an invited discussion scheduled for Tuesday, April 24. Marty Martinez, a psychologist at Iowa State's Student Counseling Service and the counseling liaison to the College of Agriculture, will lead this discussion beginning at 11 a.m. in 1204 Kildee Hall (Ensminger Room). You are invited to participate in a college-wide discussion on assessing and detecting frustrated and overwhelmed students, staff or faculty and how to effectively respond and find available resources.
ISU ADVANCE Retreat Set for May 10
ISU ADVANCE will host a retreat May 10 titled "First Steps Toward Institutional Transformation: A Focus on ACTION." It is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Scheman Building. Lunch will be provided. Interested faculty, staff and students are welcome. RSVP to advance@iastate.edu by May 1. The ISU ADVANCE Program is supported by the National Science Foundation to increase the participation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers and to make Iowa State an optimal environment for all faculty in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Contact: Susan Masters, 4-6151 or susanma@iastate.edu.
NAMA Recognizes Student and Staff Member
Jessica Shifflett, a member of Iowa State's National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) chapter received a $1,000 scholarship at the organization's national conference held April 11 - 13. Shifflett, an agricultural communications sophomore from Osceola, was selected from numerous applicants from across the nation. Chapter advisor, Stacey Noe, was honored as National NAMA Advisor of the Year. Noe, a program coordinator in economics, is in her first year as the team's advisor.
Amber Herman Receives National Hunger Fellowship
Amber Herman, who graduated in public service and administration in agriculture in December, was one of 20 chosen to serve as a Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow with the Congressional Hunger Center for 2007-08. The 14th class of fellows will begin their fellowship training in August in Washington, D.C. before heading off to do local anti-hunger work in communities across the country.
Acker Presents Lectures at Japanese Institutions
David Acker, associate dean-academic and global programs, is in Japan this week to deliver lectures at five institutions. He will present a lecture titled "The Global Entrepreneurial University: American Leadership in Creating Innovative, Globally-Oriented Institutions of Higher Learning." Acker was invited by the U.S. Department of State and will speak at the Japan Foundation, Center for Global Partnership; Gifu University; Asia Pacific University; University of the Ryukyus; and Meio University.
Alternatives to Sow Gestation Stalls Researched
Keeping sows in individual stalls during pregnancy is coming under increasing scrutiny. Researchers at Iowa State have been studying group housing in hoop structures as an alternative and say the results are encouraging.
The Economics of Moving from Conventional to Organic
Does it pay locally to help farmers convert their operations from conventional to organic crop production? An Iowa State economics study funded by the Leopold Center shows the potential regional economic impact of organic crop production exceeds that of conventional crop production. Learn more: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2007/organic_041807.htm
Iowa State Food Science Seniors Unveil New Food Products
During the past semester, 23 food science students at Iowa State developed eight new food products. The new foods, including cinnamon roll ice cream, saffron-poached pears and cheesy broccoli rice balls, will be unveiled Tuesday.
Deadlines & Reminders
April 23: Think Tank on Animal Agriculture will at the Iowa Cattle Industry Headquarters, 6 p.m., RSVP to Julie Roberts at jrober@iastate.edu
April 24: Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative entrepreneurial roundtable, 6 p.m., contact: 4-4945, more: http://www.entrepreneurship.ag.iastate.edu
April 25: Science with Practice poster presentation, 3:30 to 5 p.m., Kildee Hall Atrium
April 27: Nomination deadline, Leopold Center's 2007 Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture
May 21-23: Spring Research Conference on Statistics in Industry and Technology, Scheman Building, more: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/src/home.html
Communications Kiosk
Correct Uses for Intense and Intensive
"Intense" is preferred outside philosophical and scientific usages. But "intensive" should be retained in customary phrases such as labor-intensive and intensive care. (The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed., 2003)
External Voices
Biofuels Train Moving
"This train is moving very, very fast, not just at Iowa State but across our entire country. Part of the problem is to keep up with it and not do damage along the way that creates long-term problems." --Gregory L. Geoffroy, Iowa State president, quoted in The Chronicle of Higher Education article, The Big Deals in Biofuels (April 20)
Marginalia
'Skyfarming' Proposed to Feed Urban Areas
Building or converting skyscrapers into crop farms could help reduce global warming and make the air cleaner, says Dickson Despommier, professor of environmental sciences and microbiology at Columbia University, in New York magazine. So-called "vertical farm" skyscrapers in urban areas could produce abundant fruit, vegetables, and grains, while generating clean energy and purifying wastewater. Despommier's design includes a rooftop solar panel, which rotates to follow the sun, providing power to the interior cooling system. Rooftop spires generate wind power, complementing the building's solar generators. Exterior glass panels are made of titanium oxide, which collects pollutants and prevents rain from beading. The rain slides down the glass, maximizing light and cleaning the pollutants. Runoff is collected in troughs for filtration. Despommier estimates that about 150 of these 30-story skyfarms could feed the entire city of New York for a year. (http://nymag.com/news/features/30020/?imw=Y)
Ag Online
Editor: Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616
Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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