College News
Open Forum on Future of CALS Academic Programs April 29
The Task Force on the Future of Academic Programs in the College will hold an open forum to consider the report, "Transforming Agricultural Education for a Changing World," which was released last month by the National Research Council. The forum will be held Wednesday, April 29, from 3:10 to 5 p.m. in Room 13 Curtiss Hall. The main purpose is to gather input from faculty and staff on how to improve academic programs during challenging times. Dean Wendy Wintersteen will provide opening comments, followed by a presentation by Levon Esters, agricultural education and studies, who served as a member of the NRC committee that organized a national summit on this topic and prepared the report. An open discussion period will follow.
Agriculture and Statistics Grad Programs Rank High
Iowa State graduate programs in agriculture, statistics, chemistry and engineering scored high in the latest rankings of "America's Best Graduate Schools" published online by U.S. News & World Report magazine. The biological/agricultural engineering graduate program ranked third overall and second among public universities.
Alumni Share Memories in Veishea Slideshow
Alumni memories of the College gathered at Veishea have been made into a slideshow linked to the College homepage. The three-and-a-half-minute slideshow reflects this year's Veishea theme: "Memories in the Making." The photos and recordings may be used in the STORIES magazine print or online editions.
Webcast May 1 to Explore New Agricultural Collaborations
A webcast of a workshop for the Basic Research to Enable Agricultural Development (BREAD) Program for principal investigators will be May 1 in the Brenton Center, Room 8 Curtiss Hall. The BREAD Program is a National Science Foundation partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support new collaborations of scientists and engineers that lead to a different way of thinking about the major problems facing developing country agriculture. The webcast is scheduled from 8 to 10 a.m. Space is limited. RSVP Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu or 4-8842 by April 30. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503403&org=NSF&more=Y#m…
AST Degree Receives First Accreditation
The Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering has become the first in the country to have a baccalaureate Agricultural Systems Technology (AST) degree option accredited. The AST degree has both machine systems and agriculture and biosystems management options accredited for six years by the National Association of Industrial Technology (NAIT). NAIT accredits 128 baccalaureate program options in 57 institutions and a total of 212 associate program options in 31 institutions.
Steward Named Fulbright Scholar
Brian Steward, associate professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant. Steward will spend the 2009-2010 academic year conducting research at the Federal University of Viçosa in Brazil. He will work on developing unified modeling technologies for biorenewable production systems in Brazil and the United States.
Iowa Soybean Association Presents Pesek Scholarship
High school senior Jacob Venner of Boone has received the John Pesek Scholarship from the Iowa Soybean Association as one of seven scholarships the association awarded this year. Venner plans to enroll at Iowa State this fall. The scholarship is presented in honor of John Pesek, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences and agronomy emeritus professor.
Experts Seek Improved Farm Equipment Safety on Public Roads
Improving safety on roads that farm equipment share with other vehicles needs greater attention from governmental entities, according to a report produced by a committee including Iowa State University Extension agricultural safety specialist Charles Schwab.
Iowa State's NAMA Chapter Best in Nation
A team of students from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has been named the top National Agri-Marketing Association student chapter in the nation for the second consecutive year. The team received the award at the association's annual conference and trade show April 15-17 in Atlanta, Ga.
Spencer Award Nominations Due June 1
Nominations for the 2009 Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture, given to an Iowan who has helped family farms prosper and contributed to energizing Iowa's rural communities and economy, are due June 1. The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University administers the nomination process.
Targeted Conservation Outlined in New Extension Publication
In a new ISU Extension publication, a team of Iowa State researchers makes the case for deploying a portfolio of conservation practices on the land. The goal of the group, supported by the Ecology Initiative at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, is to encourage the strategic use of trees, prairies and other perennials in key parts of the landscape in a way that will result in multiple environmental benefits. More: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2009/042309_targeting…
Iowa Farmer Today Cropwatch Blog Begins 2009 Season
Ten days of near perfect weather conditions allowed corn planting to proceed quickly across Iowa. But that came to an end with widespread heavy rains over the weekend, according to crop experts sharing their insights on Iowa Farmer Today's CropWatch Blog. The blog, now in its third year, is online and is a cooperative project with Iowa State's Corn and Soybean Initiative. About 15 contributors, most of whom are ISU Extension specialists based in the field or on campus, began blogging last week and will continue to do so into November.
Deadlines and Reminders
April 27-28: 27th annual Loomis Lecture and Interdepartmental Plant Biology Mini-Symposium, Sun Room, Memorial Union
April 29: Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture Symposium, 3 to 6 p.m., Sun Room, Memorial Union
April 30: "Theirs and Ours; Implication of How Today's Students Process Information Into Knowledge and the Impacts on Classroom Dynamics" seminar on teaching in the digital age, 3 p.m., Ensminger Room, 1204 Kildee Hall
June 9-10: Agricultural and Food Traceability Conference, Renaissance Savery Hotel, Des Moines, http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/traceability/home.html
External Funding
Funding Information, Opportunities and Deadline Reminders
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu
- May 26: Enhancing Ecosystem Services from Agricultural Lands: Management, Quantification, and Developing Decision Support Tools. $4.5 million available to fund 9 awards.
- June 5: Expert IPM Decision Support System. $140,000 available to fund 1 award.
- June 10: Preproposals for the 2010 North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE). $10,000 to $175,000 per award, $1.8 million available.
- June 17: (E1) Developing Statistical and Other Analytical Techniques for Cumulative Risk Assessments and (E2) Evaluating the Interaction of Nonchemical and Chemical Stressors. $750,000 per E1 award, $1.25 million per E2 award, $8 million available.
- July 7: Urban Long-Term Research Area Exploratory Awards (ULTRA-Ex). $300,000 per award, $4.8 million available. More: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09551/nsf09551.htm?govDel=USNSF_25#toc
- July 15: Living Stock Collections for Biological Research (LSCBR). $1 million available, 2 to 4 awards. More: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09550/nsf09550.htm
Communications Kiosk
Being Consistent with "Consist"
There are two distinct phrases using "consist:" consist of and consist in. The first applies to the physical components that make up a tangible thing, as in, "the computer-system package consists of software, monitor and a printer." The second refers to the essence of a thing, especially in abstract terms, such as, "moral government consists in rewarding the righteous and punishing the wicked." (The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed., 2003)
Infograzing
Vaccines, Immunity and Well-Being Symposium May 17-19
Iowa State scientists, students, industry and the public can learn more about new research frontiers involving vaccines and the immune system at a symposium to be held May 17-19 at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center. Vaccines, Immunity and Well-Being is the third annual symposium planned by the university's Nutrition and Wellness Research Center, with the Office of Biotechnology 25th anniversary celebration and the Plant Sciences Institute as sponsors.
Dinosaur Exhibit Opens at Reiman Gardens May 1
More than 20 full-scale dinosaur sculptures will be a part of Iowa State's Reiman Gardens for the next three months. The "Dinosaurs and other Common Garden Pests" exhibit runs May 1 through July 24. A special preview party will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. this Thursday.
Ohio State Exhibit Highlights Science Innovations
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities presented Ohio State University with a People's Choice Award for its exhibit during this year's Science Innovations for a Better Life: Celebrating the new National Institute of Food and Agriculture - A University Science and Education Exhibition and Reception on Capitol Hill. Ohio State's exhibit was called A Domestic Source of Natural Rubber for the United States, and focused on a university-private industry partnership working to commercialize a domestic source of natural rubber.
External Voices
Alum and Dupont Exec Supports Public/Private Collaboration
"The question of whether science can supply the world's growing appetite for grain can be answered with a resounding 'yes' if we tap all of the talent and tools that are available. Public and private sector players must collaborate using cutting-edge science and top talent on a global scale to maximize the productivity of the world's farmers."
--Bill Niebur, College alumnus (BS agronomy 1979, MS agronomy 1980) and vice president of DuPont Crop Genetics Research and Development, speaking to agricultural leaders at the Informa Economics 17th Annual Food and Agricultural Policy Conference (Checkbiotech, April 21)
Marginalia
Celebrating Earth Day with Iowa Photo Gallery
The Leopold Center celebrated Earth Day with a photo gallery of Iowa nature scenes compiled by its communications student, Natalie Askren, a junior in journalism and art and design from Muscatine. It consists of wildlife photos taken by her brother, Ryan, a senior at Muscatine High School.
Ag and Life Sciences Online
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