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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter
Iowa State University
March 21, 2011 No. 643
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COLLEGE NEWS
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OPEN FORUM ON CALS STRATEGIC PLAN SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 8
The committee working on the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 2010-2015 Strategic Plan will hold an open forum on April 8 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the Memorial Union Pioneer Room. The committee will send out a URL address to access the draft plan next week. Members of the committee include: Ruth MacDonald, food science and human nutrition (chair); Bill Beavis, agronomy; Alle Buck, senior in animal science; Joe Colletti, CALS senior associate dean; Dedrick Davis, graduate student in agronomy; Helen Jensen, economics; Sue Lamont, animal science; Robert Martin, agricultural education and studies; Barb McBreen, agricultural communications; Chuck Schwab, agricultural and biosystems engineering; Shelley Taylor, CALS Study Abroad program; and Mark Westgate, Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods.
NEW PLANT BREEDING MASTER'S DEGREE
Plant breeders from around the world will soon have access to an advanced degree in their field through a new distance learning Master of Science program offered through the agronomy department. The program, believed to be the first of its kind, will be available this fall, according to Thomas Lubberstedt, agronomy and director of the program. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2011/mar/LubberstedtPB
SEED SCIENCE CENTER TO HEAD SEED POLICY PROJECT IN AFRICA
ISU's Seed Science Center is laying the groundwork to steer seed policy in a 19-nation African region. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2011/mar/SSCComesa
CALS DISTANCE EDUCATION POLICY ON REVENUE AND COST MANAGEMENT ONLINE
The final version of the CALS Online Distance Education Revenue and Cost Management policy is now available online. It is the goal of CALS to build a nationally and internationally recognized on-line distance education program. To support departmental efforts to invest in online distance education, the college will return a significant portion of the revenues to participating departments.
FEHR RECEIVES ASA SPECIAL MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD
Walter Fehr, agronomy, received the 2011 American Soybean Association Special Meritorious Service Award last week in Tampa, Fla. Fehr has developed an innovative plant breeding program that uses traditional plant breeding methods along with biotechnology to enhance the genetic traits of soybeans.
XIN REAPPOINTED TO USDA AIR QUALITY TASK FORCE
Hongwei Xin, agricultural and biosystems engineering and director of the Egg Industry Center, has been reappointed to a two-year term on USDA's Agricultural Air Quality Task Force. Xin's research and extension programs have focused extensively on air quality in animal feed operations with emphasis on the measurement and mitigation of air emissions.
NEW AG SPECIALISTS AT RESEARCH FARMS
Kirk Schwarte joined the Armstrong Research and Demonstration Farm at Lewis as a crops specialist on March 1. Schwarte received his bachelor's degree in animal science and his master's degree in nutritional science from ISU. Nate Meyers will be joining the Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy Research Farms and the BioCentury Research Farm as an agricultural specialist on April 1. Meyers received his bachelor's degree in agricultural systems technology from ISU. He will be working on activities regarding biomass production and GPS technology.
ROTHSCHILD SPEAKS AT FARM FOUNDATION FORUM
Max Rothschild, animal science, discussed issues in the livestock sector as part of a panel of presenters at the Farm Foundation Forum on March 15. Titled "Issues in the Future Regulation of Agricultural Biotechnology," the forum was held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. More: http://www.farmfoundation.org/webcontent/Farm-Foundation-Forums-363.asp…
PATIENCE NAMED PRESIDENT OF MIDWEST ASAS
John Patience, animal science professor, was elected president of the Midwest section of the American Society of Animal Science at the March 17 meeting. Also, Sara Morine, a sophomore in animal science, received first place in the Undergrad Poster Presentation. Erika Downey, animal science, received third place in the Masters Oral Presentation, and Nick Boddicker, animal science, received third place in the PhD Oral Presentation.
LIVESTOCK JUDGING TEAM WRAPS UP SEASON
ISU's Livestock Judging Team wrapped up its spring semester last week with a fifth place finish at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The contests consisted of 210 students competing from 27 universities around the country. Individually, Cole Danner, a junior in animal science, was fifth high individual overall and Jaclyn Amiss, a junior in animal science, was eighth high individual overall.
CURTISS HALL PARTICIPATING IN CARDBOARD RECYCLING PROGRAM
Curtiss Hall has begun participating in the ISU corrugated cardboard recycling program. A bin for collecting corrugated cardboard has been placed on the east side of Curtiss Hall near the garbage dumpster. Please link to the website below for guidelines on materials that can be recycled. Special thanks to the ISU Research and Demonstration Farms for providing the bin.
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
March 22: Undergraduates showcase research at capitol, 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2011/mar/ResearchCapitol
March 25: Registration deadline for Think Tank on Animal Agriculture: Iowa's Animal Industry. Jane Linn, jlinn@iastate.edu
March 25-26: Lawnmower Service Days, astservicedays@gmail.com, (515) 708-5476
March 30: Farewell reception for Rich Pirog, 2 to 3:30 p.m., Hunziker House, Reiman Gardens.
April 6: James Borel to present Hertz Lecture
April 6-7: Egg Industry Issues Forum
April 19-20: BIGMAP Symposium, http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/bigmap/home.html
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EXTERNAL FUNDING
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SP@ISU NSF PROJECT EVALUATION WORKSHOP, APRIL 6
An NSF Transforming Undergraduate Education in STEM Project Evaluation Workshop will be held to help prepare STEM faculty members to work with an evaluator to plan and implement an effective evaluation of an education research or development project. The workshop will be held April 6, 11:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., N147 Lagomarcino. Contact: spisu@iastate.edu
NIEHS SOLICITS VISIONARY IDEAS FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is seeking input from researchers and the public for its new strategic plan to help define future directions, research goals, and resource priorities. NIEHS is the leading U.S. federal biomedical agency supporting research to discover how the environment influences health. Submit ideas through April 30. Submitted ideas will be posted for public comment.
NCR-SARE CALL FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PREPROPOSALS
The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program is soliciting preproposals for professional development projects that provide sustainable agriculture training to agricultural professionals and educators serving the food and fiber system. Projects will be funded for up to $75,000 over three years. Contact: PDP Regional Coordinator, Rob Myers, (573) 882-1547, myersrob@missouri.edu. More: http://sare.org/ncrsare/PDP/pdp.htm.
FUNDING INFORMATION, OPPORTUNITIES AND DEADLINE REMINDERS
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu
April 20: Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education in Engineering. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13656&WT.mc_id=USNSF_39…
April 22: USAID Graduation with Resilience to Achieve Sustainable Development, Ethiopia; one award, $23.4 million.
April 22: A Cooperative Agreement for Education and Training for Climate, Water, and Weather; $30 million over five years.
April 27 (letter of intent): Partnerships for Biodefense; requires industry participant, $750,000 per year plus $300,000 for equipment. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AI-11-014.html
May 2: Animal Emergency Management Exercises; two to 10 awards of $10,000 to $75,000. More: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/mrpbs/fmd/announcements.shtml
May 16: USAID Project Leading to Design and Development of Sustainable, Scalable Farmer or Community Seed Storage Models for Vulnerable Populations; six awards, $250,000 each.
June 1 (brief proposal): Health Impact Project: Advancing Smarter Policies for Healthier Communities (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts); $25,000 to $125,000.
June 5: Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Biology and Medicine (R01). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-11-148.html
June 5 and June 16: Nutrition and Diet in the Causation, Prevention and Management of Heart Failure; (R01) http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-11-165.html, (R21) http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-11-166.html
June 14 (letter of intent): Improved Diagnostic Capabilities for Select Biodefense and Emerging Pathogens (R21/R33). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AI-11-024.html
Sept. 19 (letter of intent): Collaborative Research in Integrative Cancer Biology and the Tumor Microenvironment (U01). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-11-146.html
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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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ASSOCIATED PRESS UPDATES TO "EMAIL"
A March 18 update to the Associated Press Stylebook indicates that "email" is acceptable in all references for electronic mail. Use a hyphen with other e- terms: e-book, e-business, e-commerce.
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INFOGRAZING
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UNITS ENCOURAGED TO UPDATE LINKS TO ISU DIVERSITY WEBSITE
ISU's new Diversity, Equity and Community website is up and running. It contains information on diversity initiatives, programs, policies and opportunities through the university. Please update any links you may have to http://www.diversity.iastate.edu/
FEED THE NEED FOOD DRIVE
Student Volunteer Services will be collecting canned and non-perishable food for local people in need. The food drive, Feed the Need, will be held from March 28 to April 8. Food will be donated to Mid-Iowa Community Action and The SHOP for distribution through their food pantries. There will be various drop boxes across campus including academic buildings and residence halls. More: Jennifer Nissen, garrett1@iastate.edu, 4-4354.
ISU ADVANCE WORKSHOP FEATURES HIGHLIGHTS FROM PROGRAM
Faculty, staff and administrators are invited to a workshop featuring highlights from the five-year NSF-funded ISU ADVANCE Institutional Transformation project, April 29, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The program will consist of project accomplishments (an ISU ADVANCE "Top Ten" list), a Reader's Theater ("A Tale of Ten Departments"), and ideas for continuation of important initiatives. RSVP for lunch by April 20, advance@iastate.edu
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INTERNAL VOICES
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MILLER ON ISU EXTENSION WEEK, MARCH 21-25
"As a land-grant university, Iowa State was founded on three big ideas: to open higher education to all, to teach practical classes and to share knowledge far beyond the campus borders. When it comes to providing education that makes a difference in Iowans' lives, it starts with Extension." Gerald Miller, interim vice president for ISU Extension and Outreach, on ISU Extension Week, celebrated throughout the state this week, March 21-25.
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MARGINALIA
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A PART OF ISU RESEARCH FARM HISTORY FOR SALE
The Northern Iowa Experimental Association had a bit of its history for sale at its annual meeting last week at the Heartland Museum in Clarion. ISU Farm Superintendent Dave Rueber gathered up all the cotton and burlap seed bags stored at the association's Kanawha research farm scale house and offered them for sale at the annual meeting. ISU's Northern Iowa Research and Demonstration Farm, which was organized in 1931, used to clean, treat and sell seed. It was the first outlying research farm in Iowa. Rueber sold six bags at the meeting. The proceeds from the sale of the bags go back to the farm association. Anyone interested in a cotton or burlap seed or feedbag should contact Rueber at (641) 762-3247.
CONGRESSIONAL SOYFOODS LUNCH ON CAPITOL HILL
Approximately 350 guests attended the ninth annual Congressional Soyfoods Lunch on Capitol Hill held March 16. The buffet included Solae beef primavera, dilly carrot soup with Plenish oil, Caprese salad with soybean walnut pesto, chocolate pudding pies made with tofu, soy toffee bars, Soy Joy and soy apple chai latte. The luncheon provides a forum for the American Soybean Association and sponsoring partners to showcase products and demonstrate the importance of soyfoods to sound nutrition.
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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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