Issue: 680

................................................... AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE ................................................... The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter Iowa State University Dec. 12, 2011 No. 680 ................................................... COLLEGE NEWS ................................................... COLLEGE CONVOCATION TO HONOR GRADUATES SATURDAY Faculty and staff are invited to recognize graduating seniors at the College convocation Saturday, Dec. 17, in C.Y. Stephens Auditorium. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. for a reception. The convocation begins at 9:30 a.m. Ashley Dermody, agronomy, is the convocation speaker. Barton Howard, agricultural business, is the college's student marshal. The Ag and Life Sciences Student Council will present awards to the following graduates: Sara Goemaat, agricultural and life sciences education, for academic achievement; Stephen Bowers, industrial technology, for distinguished service; Britney Heim, agricultural and life sciences education, for outstanding ambassador of agriculture; Dermody for leadership excellence; and Carly Cummings, agricultural business, for outstanding senior. COLLEGE GOES ABOVE UNITED WAY 2011 GOAL Thanks to everyone who contributed to United Way. The College exceeded its campaign goal and reached a total of $62,560, which is 100.90 percent above the 2011 goal. Iowa State also exceeded its goal with a total of $325,366 and set a fundraising record by raising $7,000 more than last year. For more information about the Iowa State United Way campaign go to http://www.uw.iastate.edu/ PERSAUD RECEIVES UNITED WAY WALL OF FAME AWARD Carla Persaud, CALS administration, helped United Way of Story County raise a record amount this year. The total topped $1.7 million and Persaud was recognized for her work as this year's Wall of Fame Award winner. The award was started in 2000 to recognize a volunteer who has gone beyond the call of duty. Persaud has served on the ISU Campaign Cabinet for the past four years and has been involved in goal-setting, developing training materials and the campus campaign. In addition to personal pledges, she worked on a silent auction, two book sales and a clean-up book sale that collectively raised nearly $3,000. She also served on the Day of Caring committee for the past three years and led the effort to recruit volunteers to help with projects at the Friendship Ark, Lutheran Services in Iowa and the Center for Creative Justice. NEW INTERDISCIPLINARY MINOR IN SUSTAINABILITY A new minor in sustainability at ISU is available to any student who wants to learn about sustainability issues affecting humans today and in the future. The interdisciplinary minor exposes students to ideas and issues related to a sustainable, balanced and ethical future for the planet and its inhabitants. CALS and the colleges of Design, Engineering and Liberal Arts and Sciences sponsor the minor in sustainability. POLICY ON SPENDING FROM ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNTS A policy on spending from endowed scholarship accounts was discussed and agreed upon with department chairs at the Nov. 18 meeting of the CALS Cabinet. The ideal and preferred situation is for accumulated funds in the expendable portion of the endowed scholarship account to be equal to one year of the annual scholarship amount. RESEARCH SEEKS TO SAFEGUARD SOIL WHILE PRODUCING ENERGY FROM BIOMASS ISU scientists are leaders in developing a process called fast pyrolysis, which rapidly heats corn stover or other biomass to high temperatures without oxygen to produce bio-oil, which can be refined into liquid transportation fuels, and a powdery biochar material as a byproduct. eCARLY: STUDENTS STEP FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE REAL THING Carly Martin, the student intern in the CALS Communications Service, talks about the Agricultural Weekend Experience that she coordinated this fall. Eleven students visited farms near Marion, Iowa. STUDENT BIORENEWABLE POSTER SESSION, DEC. 12 Student cross-disciplinary teams in the TSM 325 "“ Biorenewable Systems class were asked to develop a poster that identifies a biorenewable problem or issue, discuss constraints and opportunities, and propose a solution. The student teams will be presenting their project posters today, Dec. 12, at 2:15 p.m. in the lobby of the Biorenewables Research Laboratory. More: Tom Brumm, ABE, tbrumm@iastate.edu, 4-5145. BEST TIME/WORSE TIME FOR YOUNG FARMERS GETTING INTO THE BUSINESS With farm land prices reaching record levels, and demand for agricultural products higher than ever, this is the best time and the worst time for young farmers to be getting into the business, says Mike Duffy, economics and director of the Beginning Farmer Center. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2011/dec/duffy DUFFY TO HOLD LAND VALUE SURVEY NEWS CONFERENCE, DEC. 14 A news conference to announce the results of the 2011 Iowa Land Value Survey conducted by ISU is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 10 a.m. at the Extension 4-H Youth Building. Michael Duffy, economics and director of the survey, will announce the findings. WEBINAR EXPLORES PATCH-BURN GRAZING, DEC. 14 The Iowa Learning Farms' December webinar will be held Wednesday, Dec. 14, at noon. Ryan Harr, natural resource ecology and management, will discuss patch-burn grazing as part of the multistate Restoration Ecology in Working Landscapes project. MENTORS SOUGHT FOR GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM CALS is accepting proposals for faculty to serve as mentors for the George Washington Carver Internship Program for summer 2012. The 8-week summer research program for undergraduates exposes students to research by matching them with a faculty mentor in their area of interest. Faculty mentor proposals are due Jan. 14. More: Aurelio Curbelo, acurbelo@iastate.edu, 4-3231 HORSE JUDGING TEAM COMPETES AT NRHA FUTURITY The horse judging team consisting of Monica Madsen, a senior in animal science, Liz Sample, a sophomore in ag and life sciences education, Bree Schwarte, a junior in elementary education, Katie Spenler, a senior in animal science, and Sarah Tenley, a senior in animal science, finished seventh at the National Reining Horse Association Futurity on Dec. 2. VIDEO HIGHIGHTS SCIENCE WITH PRACTICE STUDENTS A video of students in the Science With Practice program sharing their results on Dec. 7 is available on the CALS website. Students work closely with faculty and staff on projects and assignments, earn money and earn academic credit. SURPLUS MACHINERY AUCTION AT CURTISS FARM On November 30, the Research and Demonstration Farms held a surplus machinery auction at the ISU Curtiss Farm in Ames. More that 500 lots of machinery and surplus items were sold consigned by 25 units and affiliates of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The auction had more than 200 sale numbers distributed and generated approximately $230,000 that will be returned to the units to support research and teaching activities. Tim Goode, ISU Research and Demonstration Farms, coordinated the sale. DEADLINES AND REMINDERS Feb. 17: Deadline for Computation Advisory Committee call for proposals, http://www.cio.iastate.edu/committees/cac/proposals/2012-2013/cac_cfp_2… ................................................... FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ................................................... COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT: INTRO TO RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH The one-credit spring semester course, Professional Practices in Science and Engineering "“ Responsible Conduct of Research, is approved to meet National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health requirements for RCR training. Listed as PL P 565A: Professional Practices in Science and Engineering - Responsible Conduct of Research, the course is cross-listed in AGRON, AN S, BCB, CH E, CPR E, EEB, HORT, M E, MICRO, V MPM.  Students can sign up for 565A Section 5, which meets Wednesdays, 5:10 to 6 p.m., with instructors Charlotte Bronson (cbronson@iastate.edu) and Gary Mirka (mirka@iastate.edu). Permission of the instructor is required. Priority will be given to students expecting to graduate by Dec. 31, 2012, and required to take an RCR course because of support on certain NSF or NIH funds. More information on NSF and NIH RCR requirements: Jerry Zamzow, Office for Responsible Research, 4-3115   NIH SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS FOR UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS Internships at the National Institutes of Health provide an opportunity to spend a summer working with some of the leading scientists in the world, in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research. The NIH consists of the 240-bed Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center and more than 1,200 laboratories/research projects located on the main campus in Bethesda, Md., and the surrounding area; Baltimore and Frederick, Md.; Research Triangle Park, N.C.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Hamilton, Mont.; Framingham, Mass.; and Detroit, Mich. Awards cover a minimum of eight weeks and stipends range from $1,900 to $3,100. More: https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/sip   IIASA YOUNG SCIENTISTS PROGRAM CALL FOR APPLICATIONS The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, located near Vienna, Austria, is accepting applications for a three-month summer research program for students who are approximately two years away from receiving a Ph.D. or equivalent and whose interests correspond with IIASA research. Each student works with an IIASA senior scientist mentor on a project proposed by the student. Selected fellows receive funding for travel and a living allowance. Applications are due Jan. 16. IOWA NASA EPSCoR Research Community Development GRANTS The Iowa NASA EPSCoR intends to make three to four awards of $10,000 each for projects that bring together intra-state scholars to better exchange ideas; explore emerging research areas; and work more effectively with NASA Centers, industry and other research organizations. Examples of eligible activities include a visit to a NASA Center for establishing new collaborations, organizing a conference or workshop in Iowa, or supporting students to collect preliminary data. Deadline for proposals is Jan. 9. NCRCRD SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development small grants program will fund seed grants aimed at enhancing the ability of land-grant institutions to positively influence the quality of life in rural areas within the region. Activities to be funded may include, but are not limited to, developing proposals for major funding, presenting results on emerging issues, organizing conferences and proceedings, and developing or piloting Extension curricula. Awards may range from $5,000 to $20,000 each. Proposals are due Jan. 10. More: http://ncrcrd.msu.edu/ncrcrd/call_for_proposals 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/ Jan. 13 (letter of intent): Regional Comprehensive Metabolomics Resource Cores (U24). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-11-016.html Jan. 15 (letter of intent): Metabolomics Data Repository and Coordinating Center (U01). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-11-020.html Jan. 19: Dept. of Defense Young Faculty Award; $300,000. Jan. 20 (preproposal): Bring Back the Natives: A Public-Private Partnership for Restoring Populations of Native Aquatic Species; $25,000 to $100,000, requires 2:1 nonfederal match. Feb. 15: NSF Biomechanics and Mechanobiology. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13523 Feb. 24: Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (R25). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-12-056.html March 5: NSF Math and Science Partnership. More: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12518/nsf12518.htm?WT.mc_ev=click March 5: NSF Plant Genome Research Program. More: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12517/nsf12517.htm?WT.mc_ev=click June 1: NIST Measurement Science and Engineering Research Grant Programs; $5,000 to $1.5 million. Aug. 9 (letter of intent): Enhancing Developmental Biology Research at Undergraduate Institutions Academic Research Enhancement Award (R15). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-12-057.html ................................................... COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK ................................................... ATTAIN vs. OBTAIN To "attain" something is to accomplish it through effort (e.g., a goal) or endurance (e.g., an age); to "obtain" something is to gain possession of it. So in best usage you attain a degree and obtain a diploma. The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th ed., 2010 ................................................... INFOGRAZING ................................................... EXTENSION PUBLISHES HEALTHY AND HOMEMADE COOKBOOK ISU Extension and Outreach has published the "Healthy & Homemade" cookbook. Originally designed to acknowledge the achievements of families who graduated from the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and the Food Nutrition Program, the cookbook is helpful for families that have limited time and want to stretch their food dollars. PROPOSALS FOR IOWA YOUTH CONFERENCE DUE JAN. 5 Faculty and staff are encouraged to submit workshop topics for the 2012 Iowa 4-H Youth Conference, scheduled for June 26-28 on the ISU campus. With more than 900 high school students from across Iowa attending, it is an opportunity for departments to share what they have available for potential students. An information letter and workshop proposal form can be found at the bottom of the conference website under "Workshops" (http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/StateConference/). Proposals are due by Jan. 5 to Brenda Allen, bsallen@iastate.edu, 4-1567. ........................................................ AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE ........................................................ EDITOR Julie Stewart, jstewart@iastate.edu Phone: (515) 294-5616 Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/ SUBSCRIBE Ag and Life Sciences Online, the newsletter for faculty and staff in Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is e-mailed every Monday. To subscribe, send your name, e-mail address and the message "Ag and Life Sciences Online subscribe" to jstewart@iastate.edu. To unsubscribe, send "Ag and Life Sciences Online unsubscribe." Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/IowaStateU.AgLifeSciences Twitter: http://twitter.com/iastate_cals Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries can be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, 3280 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.