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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter
Iowa State University
Nov. 8, 2010 No. 627
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COLLEGE NEWS
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VIDEOS POSTED FROM AGWEB.COM VISIT TO ISU CAMPUS NOV. 4-6
Greg Vincent, editor of AgWeb, the Farm Journal website, visited ISU Nov. 4-6 as part of the AgWeb Campus Tour. Earlier this fall, the website held a competition to let its readers decide where the campus tour would stop during a fall football weekend. ISU overwhelmingly won the online vote. Durint his visit, Vincent, a CALS alumnus in ag journalism, interviewed Dean Wintersteen; Chad Hart, economics; Lance Baumgard, animal science; Matt Darr, agricultural and biosystems engineering; plus, he toured the Dairy Farm and BioCentury Research Farm. He also spoke with CALS student leaders and went on a campus tour with them. AgWeb currently has posted videos of Dean Wintersteen and Chad Hart from the visit to campus that can be found online.
ABE FACULTY DESIGN GRAIN STORAGE FOR UGANDA
Tom Brumm, agricultural and biosystems engineering, has been working with Carl Bern, ABE, the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods and ISU students to design a hermetic storage system for use in Uganda. Their main problem facing grain storage is insects. While in Uganda, Brumm tested the system, and the storage unit was able to kill 100 percent of the insects after four weeks of being sealed.
SERVICES FOR REGIS VOSS TODAY
Funeral services for Regis Voss were held today, Nov. 8, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Ames. Voss retired professor emeritus in 1999 after 35 years as an agronomist at ISU Extension. He was added to the Marquis Who's Who in America in 2009 because of his outstanding service to agriculture.
CARRIQUIRY DISCUSSES FOOD CONSUMPTION DATA, NOV. 16
Alicia Carriquiry, statistics, will present "Chewing Over the Numbers: How Food Consumption Data are Driving Nutrition Policy" on Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. She will discuss research conducted at ISU on the analysis and interpretation of food intake data and how the findings have impacted the way in which countries in every continent are now using food consumption data to guide their food and nutrition policies.
CLEANING UP POLLUTING CONTAMINANTS TAKES LONGER THAN THOUGHT
An ISU researcher has discovered why theories and timetables established to predict how long it takes for a contaminated site to be free of pollution are overly optimistic. A new study by Robert Ewing, agronomy, shows that the rates vary according to how porous and connected the rocks are. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2010/nov/Ewing
UNIT SPACE SURVEY COORDINATORS ASKED TO ATTEND TRAINING
Next week, all unit space survey coordinators will be receiving an email from the Space Office in FP&M containing information and instructions for completing their campus space surveys. Before beginning this process, space survey coordinators are asked to sign up for and attend a one-hour training class. Ten training classes have been scheduled, with the first classes starting Tuesday, Nov. 9. More: Kathy Dobbs, controller's department, kadobbs@iastate.edu, 4-6653, or Kelly McCool, space office, kmccool@iastate.edu, 231-1968.
ISU CLUB TO SERVICE SNOWBLOWERS, NOV. 12-13
The ISU Agriculture Systems Technology Club will service snowblowers this year on Friday, Nov. 12 (1 to 6 p.m.) and Saturday, Nov. 13 (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.) in the parking lot north of Industrial Education II, west of the ISU horse barns. The $25 fee includes oil and sparkplug change, grease and gas. To schedule a $15 pickup and delivery (Ames only), send an e-mail to astservicedays@gmail.com or call (515) 708-5476 by 2 p.m. Nov. 11.
AWARDS FAQ WEB PAGE TO ASSIST WITH NOMINATIONS
CALS reviews all college and university award nominations except the university P&S awards. Nominations are due to the college for review and ranking by Nov. 16.
BLOCK AND BRIDLE CLUB SELLING SUMMER SAUSAGE AND CHEESE
An online form is available for the Block and Bridle Club's holiday summer sausage and cheese sale. Orders will be accepted through Dec. 3 for Thanksgiving or Christmas delivery.
PODCAST AVAILABLE OF LECTURE BY RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT LEADER
A podcast of the Oct. 18 lecture at Iowa State by a member of the Russian Parliament and president of a farmer organization now is available. Senator Vladimir Plotnikov is president of the Association of Private Farmers and Cooperatives of Russia. AKKOR works to protect the rights and interests of small- and medium-sized Russian farmers. The podcast opens with an introduction by Wendy Wintersteen, CALS dean, and closes with comments by Craig Lang, president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. The podcast: feed://realserver.ait.iastate.edu:8080/ITS/Podcasts/Lectures.xml
2011 CALENDAR HONORS 12 WOMEN AT ISU
Twelve women whose leadership has made a difference at ISU will be honored by the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics on the fifth annual "Women Impacting ISU" calendar. Included in this year's calendar are Diane Birt, food science and human nutrition, and Bonnie Bowen, ecology, evolution and organismal biology. More than 1,000 copies of the 2011 calendars will be distributed free after an official unveiling and recognition reception on Dec. 3, 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room.
IPIC SWINE/LIVESTOCK SPECIALISTS HONORED
During the 2010 ISU Extension annual conference in late October, the eight-person team of swine and livestock field specialists was honored with the Team Achievement Award. This team (Dennis DeWitt, Russ Euken, Larry McMullen, Tom Miller, Terry Steinhart, Dave Stender, Mark Storlie and Jerry Weiss) has led Iowa and the nation in providing Pork Quality Assurance Plus and Transport Quality Assurance certification to producers. PQA Plus assists producers in measuring, tracking and continuously improving animal well-being, and helps ensure U.S. pork products remain safe and of high quality. TQA provides information on maintaining animal well-being and pork quality to those who handle, move and transport pigs. Collectively, this advisor team completed more than 1,700 individual certifications in 2009.
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
Nov. 12: Holiday ham orders due to the Meat Science Club
Nov. 16: CALS P&S award nominations.
Dec. 12: Student applications due for Borlaug-Thomson Summer Internship in Cresco. More: David Acker, dacker@iastate.edu, 4-6614.
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EXTERNAL FUNDING
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GRADUATE EDUCATION STUDY CIRCLE: SUMMER REU PROGRAMS
The Strengthening the Professoriate program will hold a lunchtime graduate education study circle on broadening participation through summer REU programs on Nov. 16, 12 to 2 p.m. in 2030 Morrill Hall. The discussion will focus on background research and examples of best practices to connect REU students to entry into graduate school. Register at spisu@iastate.edu. More: Drena Dobbs, ddobbs@iastate.edu, and Adin Mann, jamann@iastate.edu.
2011 RFA FOR EXTENSION RISK MANAGEMENT EDUCATION COMPETITIVE GRANTS
The North Central Risk Management Education Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is seeking proposals for educational projects designed to help agricultural producers succeed through targeted risk management strategies. Proposed programs can address production, marketing, financial, legal/institutional or human risks. Awards range from $5,000 to $50,000 for projects to be conducted between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012. Preproposals are due Dec. 9. More: http://www.ncrme.org/
PLANT FEEDSTOCK GENOMICS FOR BIOENERGY RESEARCH FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
U.S. Department of Energy and USDA/NIFA are accepting pre-applications for genomics-based research that will lead to the improved use of biomass and plant feedstocks for the production of fuels. Applications are sought for fundamental research on plants that will improve biomass characteristics, biomass yield or sustainability. Systems biology approaches to identify genetic indicators enabling plants to be efficiently bred or manipulated, or research to predict phenotype from underlying genotype that could lead to improved feedstock characterization and sustainability are also encouraged. Pre-applications are due Dec. 17. More: https://www.fedconnect.net/fedconnect/?doc=DE-FOA-0000417&agency=DOE
FUNDING INFORMATION, OPPORTUNITIES AND DEADLINE REMINDERS
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu
Dec. 1: SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund.
Dec. 8: American Association for Cancer Research and Landon Foundation Innovator Awards; $100,000 over two years.
Dec. 10: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Young Faculty Award Grant; untenured assistant or associate professors within five years of appointment to a tenure-track position, $300,000 for 24 months.
Dec. 13: 2011 L'Oreal USA Fellowships for Women in Science (postdoctoral researchers); five awards of $60,000 each.
Jan. 4 (letter of intent): Centers for Agricultural Disease and Injury Research, Education and Prevention (U54); seven to nine awards for up to five years, $12 million anticipated funding in FY2011, one application per institution. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-11-022.html
Jan. 16 (letter of intent): Methodology and Measurement in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R21); $275,000 (direct costs) over two years. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-213.html
Jan. 16 (letter of intent): Improving Diet and Physical Activity Assessment (R21); $275,000 over two years.
Jan. 18 (letter of intent): Innovative Bioavailability Assays to Assess the Effectiveness of Contaminated Sediment Remediation (R01); five to six awards, $1.6 million total anticipated funding. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-ES-11-005.html
Jan. 18 (letter of intent): Medical Marijuana Policy Research: Exploring Trends and Impacts (R01); $500,000 per year for up to five years. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DA-11-008.html
Jan. 28: NIST Small Business Innovation Research program; PI's primary employment must be with the small business, 24 awards, $90,000 for seven months.
Jan. 31: Specialty Crop Research Initiative; awards up to $10 million, 100% cost share, $47.3 million total anticipated funding.
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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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BEING PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY AVAILABLE DURING OFFICE HOURS
In "Promotion and Tenure Confidential," a book written by David Perlmutter, professor and associate dean for graduate studies and research at the University of Kansas' school of journalism and mass communications, he advises graduate students and new faculty members on how to make themselves both physically and mentally available to students during designated office hours. Included are how and when to schedule your hours, how to organize the space in your office, and what kinds of office-hour activities will enable you to be productive. More: http://chronicle.com/article/The-Invisible-Curriculum/125197/?sid=at&utm...
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INFOGRAZING
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DAIRY SCIENCE STUDENT HONORED IN GOLD STAR HALL CEREMONY
A Veterans Day observance at ISU will honor a former dairy science student who served and died in World War I. John Woodward of Hamburg attended a one-year dairy science program at Iowa State in 1911. Woodward, private first class in the U.S. Army, was killed in action in October 1918 near Ponchaux, France. The Gold Star Hall ceremony is Thursday, Nov. 11, at 3:15 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Hall. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2010/nov/GSCeremony
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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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EDITOR
Julie Stewart, jstewart@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616 Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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