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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter
Iowa State University
Aug. 15, 2011 No. 664
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COLLEGE NEWS
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RESEARCH ON PIG LAMENESS COULD SAVE PRODUCERS $23 MILLION A YEAR
Anna Johnson, animal science, will be leading a research project to understand lameness in pigs and provide solutions to producers, an effort that could save producers $23 million a year. The four-year project is funded with a $700,000 grant from USDA's Agriculture Food Research Initiative.
AG BUSINESS CLUB RECEIVES AAEA HONORS FOR SIXTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR
The ISU Agricultural Business Club has been named the National Outstanding Chapter from the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association for the sixth consecutive year. Students received the award at the AAEA annual meeting in July in Pittsburgh.
RESEARCH SHOWS MOST PLANT SPECIES IMPORTANT TO THEIR ECOSYSTEM
According to a new analysis of plants in grasslands around the world, 84 percent of plant species are important to their ecosystem. Brian Wilsey and Stanley Harpole, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, are authors of a study on plant diversity published in the August issue of the journal Nature. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2011/aug/wilsey
WORK BEGINS ON BOOSTING IOWA-GROWN FOOD
Iowa has a new statewide program that aims to boost production, processing, distribution, marketing and consumption of Iowa-grown food. The Local Food and Farm Initiative bring together the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, ISU Extension and Outreach and CALS. Craig Chase, Extension farm management specialist and interim marketing program leader at the Leopold Center, will coordinate the new program. More: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2011/081011_coordinato…
eCarly: REMEMBERING LAUREN CHRISTIAN
Temperatures in the upper 90s and a heat index over 100 didn't stop the Lauren Christian Pork Chop Open that took place in July at ISU's Veenker Memorial Golf Course. Carly Martin, the summer intern in the CALS Communications Service, attended the annual event, which is organized by the Iowa Pork Industry Center and raises money for the Lauren L. Christian Endowment at ISU.
WEBINAR ON AUG. 17 FOCUSES ON LOSS OF IOWA TOPSOIL
The Iowa Learning Farms August webinar will feature Rick Cruse, agronomy and director of the Iowa Water Center. He will discuss the "Losing Ground" report, based on research by ISU scientists and the Environmental Working Group. The report shows that Iowa farms are losing topsoil up to 12 times faster than government estimates. The webinar will be Wednesday, Aug. 17, at noon through Adobe Connect.
RETIREMENT RECEPTION FOR BETH WEISER, AUG. 24
A retirement reception for Beth Weiser will be held 2 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 24 in 142 Curtiss Hall. Weiser has been at ISU for 39 years, and served as a program assistant with the CALS Development office for the last five years.
TOUR OF CREP WETLAND NEAR NASHUA, AUG. 24
A Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program wetland tour will be held in conjunction with the Aug. 24 Iowa Drainage School at the Borlaug Learning Center on the ISU Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Nashua. Research at ISU has demonstrated that strategically sited and designed wetlands can remove 40 to 90 percent of nitrates and more than 70 percent of herbicides from cropland drainage waters.
STRIP-TILLAGE AND PRECISION AG FOCUS OF AUG. 25 FIELD DAY
Iowa Learning Farms, ISU Research and Demonstration Farms and ISU Extension are hosting a field day at the Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy Farm near Ames on Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. The field day will feature strip-tillage and precision agriculture technology.
BABCOCK NAMED TO FOOD, AG POLICY RESEARCH COMMITTEE
Bruce Babcock, economics and director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, has been named a member of the research committee of AGree, a new initiative to transform food and agricultural policy. AGree was created by eight foundations to meet pressing challenges in food and agriculture policy by working across the academic and political spectrum.
KIRSCHENMANN RECEIVES FOOD LEADERSHIP HONOR
Fred Kirschenmann, distinguished fellow with the Leopold Center, has received a leadership award from the James Beard Foundation. Other honorees include First Lady Michelle Obama. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2011/aug/beard
FORMER AREA LIVESTOCK SPECIALIST DIES
Jim Meno, former area extension livestock specialist for ISU, died Aug. 6. He was 77. Meno earned a bachelor's degree and master's degree in animal science from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and relocated to Hudson, Iowa, in 1972 where he served as the area extension livestock specialist. He raised Dorset and Columbia sheep, which he showed, exhibited and judged nationally.
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
Aug. 25: Paul Farmer, U.N. Envoy to Haiti, 7 p.m., Stephens Auditorium, http://www.event.iastate.edu/event/25523/?sy=2011&sm=08&sd=25&featured=…
Sept. 15: Deadline for spring 2012 distance education course development awards
Sept. 21: CALS Fall Convocation, 4 p.m., Memorial Union Sun Room.
Sept. 23: BioCentury Research Farm open house, 1 to 4 p.m.
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EXTERNAL FUNDING
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NSF OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW REU SITES FOR UNDERGRAD STEM EDUCATION
In a Dear Colleague Letter, the NSF Directorate for Education and Human Resources encourages submission of proposals for new Research Experiences for Undergraduates sites that would engage undergraduate students in STEM education research. Relevant proposals should be submitted to the existing REU program on its annual deadline. This is not a special competition or new program. More: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11076/nsf11076.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT…
REMINDER: 2011 FALL GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP SERIES, SEPT. 19-23
The VPR/ED's office will hold a series of grant writing workshops, to be led by Joe and Lynn Jelinski of Sunshine Consultants, International. A general session, "Fundamentals of Grant Writing Seminar: How to Write a Winning Grant Proposal," will be held Sept. 19 and is open to all. Workshops on preparing proposals for NSF (Sept. 20) and NIH (Sept. 21) and one-on-one sessions with the Jelinskis (Sept. 22-23) require sign-up. Contact: Roxy Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu.
IOWA DNR REQUESTS PROPROPOSALS FOR STATE WILDLIFE GRANTS
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is providing the opportunity for organizations, colleges and universities to receive a portion of State Wildlife Grant funds through a competitive granting process. Preproposals for projects that help further the objectives of the Iowa Wildlife Action Plan are due Sept. 29. Grants will range from $25,000 to $150,000 and require a 1:1 funding match. More: http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/WildlifeStewardship/NonGameWildlife/…. Contact: Karen Kinkead, karen.kinkead@dnr.iowa.gov, 515-281-4818.
MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL COGNITIVE COURSEWARES DESIGN OPPORTUNITY
The provost's office is coordinating a response to a call for proposals for introductory courses that would benefit from redesign, including courses in the areas of biology/life sciences. The project is a partnership among the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, the Open Learning Initiative of Carnegie-Mellon University, and the American Association of Community Colleges. A Planning Grant is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Contact Provost Betsy Hoffman, bhoffman@iastate.edu, as soon as possible to indicate interest in submitting a proposal to be a developmental leader, a contributing member or a network member.
FUNDING INFORMATION, OPPORTUNITIES AND DEADLINE REMINDERS
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu
Additional information is posted at CALS Funding Resources, http://www.ag.iastate.edu/research/fundingResources/
Aug. 25 (letter of intent): DOE Small Business Innovation Research Small Business Technology Transfer FY 2012 Phase I; $150,000, proposal must be submitted by small business.
Sept. 1 (white papers): DOD Minerva Research Initiative (social sciences); $30,000 to $2 million. More
Sept. 6 (concept papers): Iowa NASA EPSCoR; $750,000 over three years.
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Sept. 6: EPA Capacity Building and Technical Assistance on Clean and Efficient Cooking Practices Grant; $1.2 million.
Sept. 12: USDA Second Language and Culture Exposure for Children Project; one award, $1.8 million.
Sept. 12: USDA Military Family Readiness System; one award, $1.8 million.
Sept. 12: Morris Animal Foundation Grants Addressing the Issue of Unwanted Horses; $70,000 over two years. More: http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/for-grant-seekers/special-researc…
Sept. 25: NIH Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program (R25). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-11-285.html
Sept. 26 (letter of intent): Mentored Career Award for Faculty at Institutions That Promote Diversity (K01) Grant; two to three awards, $300,000. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HL-12-029.html
Sept. 30: RWJ Foundation Health & Society Scholars Program (for postdocs); $80,000 stipend.
Oct. 16: NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21); $275,000 over two years. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-11-261.html
Sept. 19: EPA Regional Agricultural IPM Grants; $50,000, one project per region.
Nov. 10: Materials World Network: Cooperative Activity in Materials Research between US Investigators and their Counterparts Abroad (MWN); $200,000 to $700,000, 30 awards.
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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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COMPRISE vs. COMPOSE
To "comprise" is to be made up of, to include (the whole comprises the parts). To "compose" is to make up, to form the substance of something (the parts compose the whole). The phrase "comprised of," though increasingly common, is poor usage. Instead, use "composed of" or "consisting of."
The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed., 2003.
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INTERNAL VOICES
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EATHINGTON ON LARGER IOWA HOUSEHOLDS AMID TOUGH ECONOMY
"It could be an indication of stress or coping with difficult economic times that we've got some nontraditional living arrangements that seem to have increased." Liesl Eathington, economics, on figures released last Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau. The number of households that include children and grandparents living together is on the rise in Iowa. More: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-census-iowa,0,4656556.story
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EXTERNAL VOICES
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WOTEKI ON THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
"My response to this trying U.S. budget situation is to keep pointing out to all the audiences I speak to that investing in agricultural research is an investment for everybody. I talk first about the payoff for farmers, in new technology that they can use to increase their productivity and reduce their costs. But that also pays off for the general public in a wider variety of foods available, and in reasonable food prices." Catherine Woteki, Under Secretary for USDA's Research, Education and Economics mission area and USDA Chief Scientist, speaking at Fort Riley's Community Victory Garden in Kansas. Woteki was dean of the college from 2002 to 2005.
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MARGINALIA
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HAVE LECTURES, WILL CRUISE
Once or twice a year, Elizabeth Cobbs Hoffman, a history professor at San Diego State University, boards a luxury cruise ship for a working vacation. She spent most of last month in the waters off Iceland and Britain, giving talks on Vikings, druids and Celts. Susan Humphris, a senior scientist in geology and geophysics at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, estimates that she has lectured on a dozen sailings of the Queen Mary 2 since 2004. She lectures on undersea earthquakes and volcanoes, midocean ridges, sea-floor hot springs, and how the oceans affect climate. More: http://chronicle.com/article/Have-Lectures-Will-Travel/128413/?sid=at&u…
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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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