College News
Students Recruit at FFA Convention
College of Agriculture and Life Science students helped recruit prospective students last month at the National FFA Convention. A display at the convention was staffed by Michael Pate, Amy Burmeister, Dustin Wickman and Dan May, agricultural education and studies; Michael Cooley, Crystal Schauer, Ashley Radcliff and Ben Covington, Collegiate FFA club; and Devin Dutilly, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences. The students gave away more than 1,000 t-shirts to prospective students interested in careers in agriculture and life science. Andy Zehr, recruitment and marketing director, coordinated the effort.
College Faculty Elected AAAS Fellows
Philip W. Becraft, genetics, development and cell biology, and Marit Nilsen-Hamilton, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, were College faculty members named fellows by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
ICM Newsletter Authors to Be Presented Award
The publication "Integrated Crop Management: Special Issue Corn Following Corn," published Feb. 12 by Iowa State has been selected for recognition in the 2007 American Society of Agronomy Educational Materials Awards Program. The authors listed on this publication are; Dean Wendy Wintersteen; Jack Payne and Jim Fawcett, extension; Alison Robertson, Gary Munkvold and Greg Tylka, plant pathology; Ken Pecinovsky, research farms; Michael Duffy, Robert Wisner and David Correll, economics; Mahdi Al-Kaisi, Brent Pringnitz, Lori Abendroth, Roger Elmore, Jim Rouse, Antonio Mallarino, Mike Owen and John Sawyer, agronomy; Jon Tollefson, Rich Pope, Benjamin Kaeb and Patricia Prasifka, entomology; and Mark Hanna, agricultural and biosystems engineering. The awards for this category will be presented Wednesday, Nov. 7 at the ASA meetings in New Orleans.
College Faculty Receive Research Lab Funds
College scientists Julie Blanchong, natural resource ecology and management, and Thomas Lübberstedt, agronomy, are among newly hired biotechnology faculty members to receive research lab start-up funds provided by the Office of Biotechnology.
North Korea Subject of Seminar
The next seminar in the Feeding the World: Are we making progress? series is titled, "North Korea: Energy, Farm Policy and Famine." It will be presented by Randall Ireson, former development assistance coordinator of the American Friends Service Committee, noon to 1 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 8, in Ensminger Room, 1204 Kildee Hall.
Iowa State Agronomist Awarded Pioneer Hi-Bred Professorship
Michael Thompson, agronomy, has been awarded the Pioneer Hi-Bred Agronomy Professorship.
Iowa State's Anex Featured in Green Video
Robert Anex, associate professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, is featured in a new video produced by a team from YourEnvironmentalRoadTrip.com. They're visiting every state looking for signs of environmental sustainability. During their stop in Iowa, Anex told them about the use of perennial grasses as an alternative to corn for ethanol production. The video features a visit to the plots where Iowa State researchers grow alternative biomass crops.
Participants Sought for Ground Beef Study
An Iowa State study on purchasing decisions about ground beef is seeking participants. The study will take place this month on the ISU campus or the research park. Participants will receive a small monetary reward. If interested, call 4-6785 or visit http://www.card.iastate.edu/meat/ for more information and to schedule an appointment.
Deadlines and Reminders
Nov. 5-6: Bio-based Industry Outlook Conference More
Nov. 14: ISU ADVANCE Networking Event, "Making a Career in STEM: Three Women's Stories," brown-bag lunch, noon to 1 p.m., 240 Bessey
Nov. 20: Deadline for award nominations for the College and most University awards
Communications Kiosk
Consider Age when Communicating with Prospective Students
Today's college-bound teenagers are so resistant to marketing-speak and so skeptical of "we're the best" claims, that educational copywriter and marketing consultant Norman Kraft felt the need to write an open letter to college presidents suggesting they review their institutions' communication. "Your youngest prospects, who cut their teeth on Internet searches and learned early how to separate wheat from chaff, have learned to filter traditional marketing messages and regard most advertising with a degree of skepticism," wrote Kraft in his blog, Zen and the Art of Higher Education Marketing. "Authenticity sells to this group," he explained, "and an examination of how you present your institution and its programs is needed, and needed now."
Infograzing
Iowa State Establishes Bioeconomy Institute
Iowa State is establishing a Bioeconomy Institute to help the university and state maintain their leadership in biorenewable fuels, chemicals and technologies. The institute will replace Iowa State's Office of Biorenewables Programs.
International Grants Proposal Deadline is Nov. 15
Iowa State's Council on International Programs seeks proposals for up to $5,000 in internationalization/globalization grants. The grants will fund individual and group projects led by faculty and staff to introduce international perspectives into learning, discovery and/or engagement activities of the university. The deadline is Nov. 15 and should be submitted electronically to Penni Bryant at pabryant@iastate.edu.
Student Nominations Sought for Alumni Association Award
The ISU Alumni Association is seeking nominations for the 2008 Wallace E. Barron All-University Senior Award. The deadline for nominations is Dec. 1. The award recognizes outstanding ISU seniors who display high character, outstanding achievements in academics and university/community activities and promise for continuing these exemplary qualities as alumni. Contact: Julie Larson, 4-8490 or jlarson@alumni.iastate.edu. More: http://www.isualum.org/en/awards/index.cfm?nodeID=7916&audienceID=1
Cast Commentary on Invasive Pests
The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) today, Nov. 5, released a new commentary, "Biofuel Feedstocks: The Risk of Future Invasions." The publication deals with invasive pests that might be introduced into the United States on biofuel feedstock species being considered for commercial production. The full text the commentary (QTA 2007-1) will be available online without charge CAST website http://www.cast-science.org.
External Voices
Lauren Christian's Impact on Pork Industry
"To say that Lauren Christian has had a profound impact on the pork industry and the people it encompasses would be an understatement. Lauren was just 62 when he passed away in 1998 after a long battle with cancer, but his influence will be felt for many generations to come." --JoAnn Alumbaugh, Farms.com reporter, commenting on the Lauren Christian Swine Symposium Oct. 18 at Iowa State (http://www.farms.com/swine/freecommentary.asp?commentaryid=5196)
Marginalia
AST Club Annual Snowblower Service Days This Weekend
The Agricultural Systems Technology Club will hold its annual snowblower service days Friday and Saturday, Nov. 9 and 10. Service costs $25 and includes changing the oil, sparkplug, putting in fresh gas, grease and cleaning the air filter. Hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. Snowblowers may be dropped off in the Davidson Hall Courtyard during the service hours until 11 a.m. Nov. 10. Pickup and delivery in Ames is available for a $10 fee. Contact: Jake Miller at (515) 450-0011 or Sylvia Anderson 4-1434 by 4 p.m. Nov. 8 to sign up for delivery. Questions: jkmiller@iastate.edu
Ag and Life Sciences Online
Editor: Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616
Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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