College News
Miller to Become Interim Chair of Agricultural Education and Studies
Wade Miller, agricultural education and studies, has been named interim chair of the department. His appointment will begin July 1 for a term of up to two years. Miller replaces Robert Martin, professor of agricultural education and studies, who served as chair for 12 years and will return to the faculty. Miller holds a joint appointment in agricultural education and studies and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Human Sciences. The Texas native joined the faculty at ISU upon completion of his doctorate in 1980 from Texas A&M University.
View Slideshow of Dairy Month Celebration at Dairy Farm
The Iowa State Dairy Farm was the site of a Dairy Month celebration June 12. More than 1,000 visitors stopped by the farm for tours. The celebration was organized by ISU, Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers, Midwest Dairy Association, Iowa State Dairy Association and the Western Iowa Dairy Alliance.
Egg Industry Center Hires Program Manager
Maro Ibarburu has joined the Egg Industry Center at ISU as program manager-business analyst. Ibarburu will conduct egg industry statistical analysis; study regulations and opportunities for the egg industry; and identify and apply for grant funding to support research and outreach programs for egg-producing and processing companies. The Uruguay native received his master's degree in agricultural economics at ISU in 2005, and has been working as a research associate conducting research in cattle and swine production and markets in the ISU economics department.
Intensive Program in Biorenewables Shows Students the Action
Iowa State's first Intensive Program in Biorenewables attracted 46 students from across the country and around the world. They're spending two weeks in talks, tours, demonstrations and tests that cover the science, the opportunities and the challenges of developing a bioeconomy. Details: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2009/jun/biorenewprogram
Biorenewable Ideas Displayed Memorial Union Today
Participants in an Iowa State course focused on biorenewables will present exhibits of their work today. The poster session, which coincides with BioEnergy Awareness Day, is open to the public. It will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Sun Room and South Ballroom at the Memorial Union.
Bioplastics Software to be Tested at Plastics Show
Iowa State researchers are developing a software program that can help determine the economic viability of a proposed biobased product. David Grewell, assistant professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, has led the software's development.
United Way Day of Caring Sign Ups Due July 13
The ISU community has been invited to participate in the annual “Day of Caring” on Sept. 11, organized by the United Way of Story County (UWSC). Last year a small group from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences helped paint the offices of the Center for Creative Justice. The Day of Caring will match volunteer groups with community service projects at various UWSC partner agencies and nonprofit organizations around the county. Possible projects include painting interiors and exteriors of buildings, landscaping, serving meals to the elderly, assisting at an adult day center or creating posters for marketing purposes. If you would like to take part, respond to Carla Persaud (cpersaud@iastate.edu or 4-1823) by July 13 with the hours you are available on Sept. 11, work you would be willing to do and a suggestion of a specific agency you would like to work with. If you would rather form your own group, contact Carla for the required forms United Way needs by July 15.
Three New Board Members Chosen to Advise Leopold Center
Three new members have been appointed to the advisory board for the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture in 2009. Details: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2009/060809_lcab.html
U.S. Pork Center of Excellence Updates Gateway Website
The U.S. Pork Center of Excellence at ISU has updated the Pork Information Gateway (PIG) to create a more user-friendly Web site. The updates feature a new site design and a home page featuring up-to-date pork headlines.
College Communicators Receive Awards
Several College communicators received awards at the international conference of the Association for Communications Excellence and National Extension Technology Conference (ACE-NETC) held in Des Moines June 6-9. The awards, presented at the ACE Awards Banquet, included:
- Laura Miller, Carol Brown and Mary Adams, Leopold Center - Bronze award for quarterly newsletter
- Barb McBreen, CALS Communications Service - Bronze award for "A Legacy of Excellence," a video history of CALS
- Andy Zehr, CALS Marketing/Recruitment, and Barb McBreen, CALS Communications Service - Bronze award for CALS Recruiting Brochure Template Series in marketing and media relations
- Andy Zehr, CALS Marketing/Recruitment - Gold award for CALS Parents print ad
- Andy Zehr, CALS Marketing/Recruitment - Bronze award for ISU Global Resources Systems print ad
Deadlines and Reminders
June 21-23: North Central Division American Phytopathological Society meeting, Reiman Gardens
External Funding
Funding Information, Opportunities and Deadline Reminders
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu
- July 13: Urban Forest Health Information Center; one award, $220,000.
- July 15: Innovative Food Defense Projects (R18); $62,500, four awards, $250,000 available.
- July 24: Susan Harwood Training Grant (occupational safety and health training); average award $250,000, $6.9 million available.
- July 31: Requests for seed money associated with WiDAD Research Initiative; three to four awards, $75,000 available. More: For a copy of the RFP or to submit a proposal, contact Roxanne Clemens (rclemens@iastate.edu or 4-8842)
- Aug. 5 (Letter of Intent): Basic Research to Enable Agricultural Development (BREAD); 10 to 20 awards, $6 million available. More http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09566/nsf09566.htm?govDel=USNSF_25
- Aug. 14 and Dec. 14 (Letter of Intent): NHLBI Systems Biology Collaborations (R01); award size and duration will vary. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-09-214.html
- Nov. 16: Clean Air Research Centers; $8 million award ceiling, $32 million available.
Communications Kiosk
Teens Preer Texting, Social Networks Over Tweets
The always-online generation of millennials hasn't caught the Twitter bug. Today's young people "don't see value in Twitter, although they spend hours daily texting friends and communicating on social networks," according to a new study from the Participatory Marketing Network. The study suggests that only one in five millennials use Twitter and its 140-character real-time posts. Of those who use it, 85 percent say they follow friends, 54 percent follow celebrities, 29 percent follow family and 29 percent follow companies and organizations.
Infograzing
Extension to Launch Directory on Managing in a Downturn
"Managing in Tough Times" is an upcoming directory of existing educational programs and materials relevant to managing in difficult economic times. The directory will be available through eXtension and marketed to Extension educators across the country. The directory will provide easy access to materials Extension educators can download and use, saving them time and resources while accelerating the response to clients. The directory is expected to launch mid-summer. Contact: Lyla Houglum, director of Special Initiatives and Western Region Extension executive director, lyla.houglum@oregonstate.edu.
External Voices
Writing Key to Academic Career Success
"If you want a journal to accept your paper, or a federal agency to grant you coin, you have to make clear what is at stake and why the reader should care. Then you have to put forward the strongest reasoning based on evidence you provide in the clearest language you are able to rally. And then you need to know when you need help. ... If graduate students in the humanities are not being taught how to write - how to structure an argument, how to make clear what is at stake, how to build tension on the sentence level - how can we expect those in the sciences to do any better?"
--Rachel Toor, assistant professor of creative writing at Eastern Washington University, (Writing Like a Doctor, Chronicle of Higher Education, June 9, http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/archives/columns/page_proof)
Ag and Life Sciences Online
Editor
Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616
Website: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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