Issue: 725

...................................................
AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
...................................................

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter
Iowa State University
Nov. 5, 2012 No. 725

...................................................
COLLEGE NEWS
...................................................

WILSON TO RECEIVE BRENTON CENTER'S FIRST ONLINE TEACHER HONOR
Enrollment in CALS distance education classes this fall increased 40 percent over last year. To recognize faculty who have helped the program excel, the Brenton Center for Agricultural Instruction and Technology Transfer will award its first Ag Online Teacher of the Year award to Lester Wilson, food science and human nutrition. When Wilson first started teaching online six years ago he had 11 students. Today he has more than 100 students in a food and consumer class each semester. Wilson was nominated because of his attention to detail while working with several online students each semester. The award will be presented on Nov. 12 at 4:10 p.m. in the Center for Crops Utilization Research Theater, room 1951 Food Sciences Building.

CALS STAFF PART OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AWARD
The University Economic Development Association announced is 2012 Awards of Excellence winners during its annual summit held in October. The Sustainable Economies Program at the Center for Industrial Research and Service, a unit of ISU Extension and Outreach, was named winner of the Research and Analysis Category. Liesl Eathington and David Swenson, economics, have been working with CIRAS on their EDA University Center projects for more than six years. They helped develop a set of sustainability indicators for Iowa's regional trade centers that are intended to help local leaders identify and prioritize issues and goals for economic development.

NEW WEB BANNER: AG BUSINESS STUDENT PROMOTES CAREERS
Nathan Johnston, a senior in agricultural business, is the newest student featured on the College's home page. Johnston has worked in the career services office for two years and says the services they provide are invaluable. The web page at http://www.ag.iastate.edu/ features eight different students, refresh the page to change the screen. If you know of any faculty, staff or students that should be featured on the web page contact communications service office at 4-5616 or jstewart@iastate.edu.

SYMBI PUTS GRADUATE STUDENTS INTO K-12 CLASSROOMS
Paul Skrade, an ISU doctoral student studying ecology and evolutionary biology, spends one day a week at Brody Middle School in Des Moines as a resident scientist. It's part of Symbi, a National Science Foundation effort to put graduate students studying science, technology, engineering and math into K-12 classrooms. Basil Nikolau, Frances M. Craig Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, is leader of the grant proposal that launched Symbi. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2012/11/01/symbi

HENDRICH TO PRESENT "THINKING LIKE A SCIENTIST," NOV. 8
Suzanne Hendrich, a University Professor in food science and human nutrition and current president of the Faculty Senate, will speak on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union South Ballroom. Hendrich will discuss "thinking like a scientist" both in our daily lives and in solving some of our greatest global challenges. Sponsored by Sigma Xi. More: http://www.event.iastate.edu/event/28846/

NEXT FEEDING THE WORLD SEMINAR THIS FRIDAY, NOV. 9
The next seminar in the fall 2012 "Feeding the World:  Are We Making Progress" series is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 9, noon to 2 p.m. in the Memorial Union Pioneer Room. The panel discussion, facilitated by Paul Lasley, professor and chair of sociology and anthropology, will focus on Guiding Principles in International Agricultural Development: The Sustainable Rural Livelihoods Model.

ORDERS FOR HOLIDAY HAMS DUE NOV. 9 AND DEC. 7
The Meat Science Club is selling semi-boneless hams for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Club members trim and prepare each semi-boneless ham for the curing, smoking and cooking process. They are injected with salt, sugar, spices and cure for flavor, smoked for more than two hours with natural hardwood smoke and vacuum packaged for a long refrigerated shelf life. Whole hams (12-15 pounds) are $3.50 a pound and half hams (7-9 pounds) are $4 a pound. Place an order by calling 4-8294, emailing ISU.Meat.Science.Club@gmail.com or by filling out an order form at the Meat Lab Sales Counter or in 2371 Kildee Hall. The deadline for Thanksgiving hams is Nov. 9 and the deadline for Christmas hams is Dec. 7, or until sold out. Hams will be available to pick up at the Meat Lab Sales counter, located at the north corner of the Kildee Hall atrium. Pick up times are Nov. 13 and 15 from 4 to 6 p.m. for Thanksgiving hams and Dec. 11 and 13 from 4 to 6 p.m. for Christmas hams.  

DAIRY PRODUCTS EVALUATION TEAM PERFORMS WELL AT TWO EVENTS
The ISU Dairy Products Evaluation team participated in the 91st National Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest in Springfield, Mo., last weekend. ISU placed fourth overall out of 17 teams that competed this year. Lisa Schmidt, senior in culinary science, placed first in butter judging, first in yogurt judging and third in cheddar cheese judging. Schmidt placed second overall in undergraduate students. Renata Cassia Campos, majoring in agriculture specials, placed first in ice cream judging. Molly Paterson, graduate student in food science and human nutrition, placed second in cheddar cheese judging. Michael Rathe, junior in agricultural studies, won the Joe Larson Merit award and scholarship. Two weeks ago, at the Regional Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest at Kraft Research and Development Center in Glenview, Ill., the ISU team placed second in yogurt, second in cottage cheese and third place overall. Individual recognitions include Schmidt, first place cottage cheese judging, and Lai Lung, senior in food science, first in yogurt judging. Paterson placed first in butter judging, second in cottage cheese, third in yogurt, and was third place graduate student in the contest.   

WOMEN LANDOWNERS SHARE THEIR STORIES IN NEW VIDEOS
A new series of videos gives voice to Iowa women who face daunting challenges as landowners with strong ties to the land, but perhaps little experience as decision makers on the farm. The videos were developed by the Sustainable Agriculture Land Tenure Initiative in partnership with Women, Food and Agriculture Network. The Leopold Center has funded the initiative.

ISU/UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN UPDATE: CALS NEARS GOAL
As of Nov. 1, the college had raised $56,810, which is 90.9 percent of its goal of $62,500. Overall, ISU pledges and gifts total $304,498, which is 94 percent of the goal. Go to http://www.uw.iastate.edu/ for details. Reminder: Envelopes are still being accepted.

DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
Nov. 18-19: Iowa Organic Conference at the University of Iowa
Nov. 28-29: Integrated Crop Management Conference

...................................................
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
...................................................

IOWA ENERGY CENTER PROPOSALS DUE DEC. 31
The Iowa Energy Center is accepting the second round of proposals for technology demonstration grants and energy education grants. Technology demonstration grants are for projects where public demonstrations of technology may remove barriers and lead to greater awareness and adoption of energy efficiency or renewable energy technologies or practices. Energy education grants are for short-term educational efforts that are multiple events and that will be conducted within one year. Maximum grants are $25,000, with 20 percent required cost share. Proposals are due Dec. 31. More: http://www.iowaenergycenter.org/grant-funding/competitive-grants/

USAID-NSF PARTNERSHIPS FOR ENHANCED ENGAGEMENT IN RESEARCH SCIENCE
The United States Agency for International Development and the National Sciences Foundation are supporting the second cycle of Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research Science. The PEER Science program invites scientists in developing countries to apply for competitive grants to support research and capacity-building activities in partnership with NSF-funded U.S. collaborators. The developing country PI should be engaged in or plan to be engaged in a collaborative research project with the U.S. PI on an NSF award that will be active over the duration of the PEER Science project. Broad areas of interest include food security, climate change and other development topics. Research Education for Undergraduates projects in developing countries may be proposed, with confirmation from the NSF program manager. More: http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/dsc/peerscience/index.htm

DOE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: CONVERSION TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADVANCED BIOFUELS
The Department of Energy has issued a request for information to obtain input from stakeholders and the research community regarding technologies for the deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass to intermediates and for the upgrading of biomass-derived intermediates to hydrocarbon transportation fuels and blendstocks, as summarized in the preliminary DOE Conversion Technologies for Advanced Biofuels Roadmap. Stakeholders also can contribute their views regarding the draft CTAB Roadmap. A formal funding opportunity announcement may be issued but is not guaranteed.

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/

Program Description Draft: USAID Draft Program Description for Support to Vulnerable Households "“ Nigeria.

Program Description Draft (statements of interest due Nov. 21): USAID Community-based Forest Management Programs for REDD Readiness in Zambia; one award, $11 million.

Dec. 14 (letter of intent): NIH Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutics Program (U01) Grant. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AG-13-014.html

Dec. 18 (brief proposals): Robert Woods Johnson Foundation "“ Public Health Services and Systems Research, $200,000 to $450,000 per award.

Dec. 20: The L'Oréal USA Fellowships for Women In Science; U.S. female post-docs, $60,000 per award.

Jan. 21 (letter of intent): NIH Epigenomics of Virus-Associated Oral Diseases. More: (R21) http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DE-13-003.html, (R01) http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DE-13-002.html

Jan. 21 (letter of intent): NIH NLM Grants for Scholarly Works in Biomedicine and Health (G13). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-13-014.html

Jan. 23 (preproposals): NSF Division of Environmental Biology Core Programs. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503634

Nov. 21, 2013: NSF Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability Fellows. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504673&WT

...................................................
COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
...................................................

ALTOGETHER vs. ALL TOGETHER
"Altogether" means wholly or entirely (that story is altogether false). "All together" refers to a unity of time or place (the family will be all together at Thanksgiving).
The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th ed., 2010

...................................................
INFOGRAZING
...................................................

NSF BROADER IMPACTS EVALUATION WORKSHOP, NOV. 28
The National Science Foundation is asking that grant proposals have assessment and evaluation measures for both the intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. To assist investigators with their broader impacts effort, Strengthening the Professoriate@ISU is offering a workshop, "Broader Impacts Evaluation," on Nov. 28 at the Memorial Union. More: http://apps.spisu.iastate.edu/events/view/id/34

GRADUATE COMMITTEE MEMBER AT A DISTANCE
The Graduate College has issued a new form if a member of the Program of Study wants to participate in a preliminary or oral exam via electronic communication. The form must be submitted in advance of the meeting and signed by the member who plans to use electronic communication. Please refer to the Graduate College website to access the form: http://www.grad-college.iastate.edu/common/forms/student_forms.php

BRAZILIAN SCIENTISTS SEEK TO WIPE OUT MOSQUITOES TO CONTROL DISEASE
Researchers in Brazil are genetically modifying mosquitoes in the hope of wiping them out in the wild and ending the spread of dengue fever. More: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-brazil-mutant-mosqu…

...................................................
EXTERNAL VOICES
...................................................

IOWA AG TEACHER PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
"This is the best thing we've done since I've been here. This is the first time we've been able to actually farm," said Sherm Rhoten, vocational agriculture teacher at Riverside High School, as he and his students harvested corn planted on roughly 60 acres at the junction of U.S. Highway 59 and U.S. Highway 6. The school-owned land is set to be the site of the new Riverside High School.

...................................................
MARGINALIA
...................................................

GOLD STAR CEREMONY HONORS TWO AGRICULTURE STUDENTS
An observance at ISU will honor two former students who served and died in military service during World War II. Although their names were previously engraved on the walls of the Gold Star Hall "“ the war memorial in the Memorial Union "“ their lives will be remembered at a ceremony on Nov. 12. Donald Beerbower, who enrolled in a two-year creamery operation course at Iowa State College in 1940, died while bombing German airfields in France. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2012/11/02/goldstar-beerbower. Allan Ewoldt was a student at Iowa State College from 1939 through 1941, entering in pre-veterinary medicine, later changing to major in science and then zoology. Ewoldt died in an air strike over Sicily, Italy. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2012/11/02/goldstar-ewoldt.

........................................................
AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
........................................................

EDITOR
Julie Stewart
jstewart@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5616
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, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries can be directed to the Interim Assistant Director of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, 3280 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.