Issue: 746

................................................... AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE ................................................... The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter Iowa State University April 22, 2013 No. 746 ................................................... COLLEGE NEWS ................................................... U.S.-CHINA COMMISSION HEARING AT ISU, APRIL 25 The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission will hold a public hearing on China's agriculture policy and U.S. access to China's market at ISU on Thursday, April 25, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Curtiss Hall Auditorium (Room 127). Each year the commission holds a field hearing outside Washington, D.C. This year the commission chose ISU based on its strengths in agriculture, economics and relationships with China and East Asia. Dean Wintersteen will provide opening remarks. Dermot Hayes, economics, is one of the experts testifying. The hearing is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required. Public comments will be welcomed on a first-come, first-served basis. JANZEN AND RESEARCHERS UNLOCK SECRETS OF TURTLE GENOME Researchers at ISU including Fred Janzen, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, have helped unlock some of the secrets buried deep in the genome of a common species of turtle with the use of the latest methods and cutting-edge technology. Fred Janzen, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, said conclusions drawn by the authors of a recently published paper in the journal "Genome Biology" shed light on important biological topics and answer questions regarding some of the western painted turtle's most remarkable characteristics. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2013/04/17/turtlegenome INTEGRATED ANIMAL GENOMICS CENTER ENDS AFTER 11 YEARS OF SUCCESSES After 11 years of successfully building Iowa State's research capacity and scientific prestige in the field of genomics, the Center for Integrated Animal Genomics is ending its activities. The center held its last annual symposium in March, and with no remaining funds, the decision was made to close the center. More: http://www.inside.iastate.edu/article/2013/04/18/genomics FOOD SAFETY TOPIC OF SCIENCE CAFÃ‰, APRIL 25 Jim Dickson, animal science, will present "Food Safety and Why You Should Care" at Sigma Xi's Science CafÃ© on April 25, 6:30 p.m. at Lucullan's Italian Grill (street level). Dinner is optional and begins at 5:30 p.m. with food and drink available for purchase. GRS LEARNING COMMUNITY HOSTS AUCTION TO BENEFIT UGANDA The Global Resource Systems Learning Community is hosting a celebrity auction on April 25, 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Proceeds will go to a student service learning program called "Establish & Grow," which works to fight food insecurity and malnutrition in the Kamuli District in Uganda. More: Elly Arganbright, ellya@iastate.edu. CALS FACULTY, STAFF IN EMERGING LEADERS CLASS Twenty-five faculty and staff have been chosen to participate in the next cohort of ISU's Emerging Leaders Academy, including Elizabeth Lonergan, animal science, Tong Wang, food science and human nutrition, and Andy Zehr, CALS student services. ELA is an academic-year initiative to develop faculty and professional and scientific staff currently serving in leadership roles at ISU, or who aspire to hold leadership positions. More: http://www.inside.iastate.edu/article/2013/04/18/academy CULTIVATING DIVERSITY IN AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES Kelsey Lohff, student intern in the CALS Communications Service, talks with assistant dean for diversity Theressa Cooper about her adjustment to ISU and her goals for diversity within CALS. In her new position, Cooper oversees diversity programs such as the George Washington Carver Internship Program, diversity training for faculty, staff and students, leading the CALS Diversity Committee, grant writing, and connecting with minority serving institution. WIEDENHOEFT AND STUDY-ABROAD STUDENTS ON NEW ZEALAND TV "Country Calendar," New Zealand's longest-running television series, visited a farm last November to film an episode about nitrogen leaching. Mary Wiedenhoeft, agronomy, and her study-abroad group were visiting the farm and are featured in the episode, which aired March 30. Wiedenhoeft and the students can be seen about the 12:15 mark into the show. More: http://tvnz.co.nz/country-calendar/hyundai-s2013-ep2-video-5382592 FSHN LECTURER PUBLISHES BOOK: LESSONS FOR TEACHERS "Lessons for Teachers From A Through Z" by Julie Goldman, food science and human nutrition, is now available at the ISU Bookstore. Her reflections, authored under the name of Julie Hanson, on her own teaching experiences are organized into practical lessons. The book is appropriate for casual reading or can be used as a course workbook. More: bit.ly/ZijqC1 CALS A SPONSOR OF AMES CHAMBER'S AGRICULTURE FORUM APRIL 18 Last Thursday, the Ames Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development held a 2013 Agriculture Forum in the Scheman Building that focused on the research and business of biofuels and foods. Speakers were Larry Johnson, food science and human nutrition and director of the BioCentury Research Farm and the Center for Crops Utilization Research; Tristan Brown, Bioeconomy Institute; and Daniel Oh, president and CEO of Renewable Energy Group of Ames. Johnson set the stage with a presentation on the bioeconomy and research and economic development efforts at the BioCentury Research Farm. Brown spoke on the food versus fuel issues and Oh spoke on the future of biodiesel. CALS was a sponsor of the forum, along with Ag Leader Technology, Davis Brown Law Firm and Great Western Bank. CALS STUDENTS IN UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM, APRIL 16 ISU undergraduates will share their research and creative endeavors during the seventh annual Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression on Tuesday, April 16, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Memorial Union. Participating from CALS are: Sean Lundy and Brian Castro, seniors in nutrition and global resources systems, will discuss their field research in Panama on the "Impact of Dairy Goat Milk on Childhood Undernutrition." Ted MacDonald, horticulture, advised their work. Heather Sanders, junior in animal ecology, will present "Preparing for the Advance of White Noise Syndrome in Iowa." Julie Blanchong, natural resource ecology and management, advised her project. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2013/04/09/undergrad-research DEADLINES AND REMINDERS April 24: Retirement reception for Jan and Cornelia Flora, sociology, 2 to 4 p.m., Memorial Union Campanile Room April 29: Think Tank on Animal Agriculture, 6 p.m., Iowa Cattleman's Association Building. Register with Jane Linn, jlinn@iastate.edu, before noon on April 24. ................................................... FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ................................................... REMINDER: BREAD IDEAS CHALLENGE SUBMISSIONS DUE APRIL 30 The Basic Research to Enable Agriculture (BREAD) program, a partnership between the National Science Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, supports innovative, basic scientific research designed to address key constraints to smallholder agriculture in the developing world. The BREAD Ideas Challenge seeks creative, novel challenges and research foci in crop sciences, microbes and insects, livestock and animals, soil sciences, weather forecasting and technology development. Faculty, postdocs and graduate students are eligible to apply. Ideas must be presented in 100 words or fewer. Prizewinners will receive $10,000 to create new collaborations and begin work on their idea. 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/ May 21: USDA NIFA Integrated Research, Education and Extension Competitive Grants Program "“ Methyl Bromide Transitions Program; $500,000 for integrated grants, $250,000 for Extension projects, cost-share may be required. June 5 (concept papers): USAID Integrated Rural Program to Improve Nutrition and Hygiene in Mali; $450,000 to $10 million over two to five years. June 10: USAID Mekong Partnership for the Environmental Project; one or more awards, $13,000,000 over four years. June 17: Economic Development Administration FY2013 University Center Economic Development Program Competition; 50 percent cost share, eight to 10 awards, $80,000 to $200,000. June 18 (letter of intent): NIH Modeling of Infectious Disease Agent Study Research Projects (U01); $500,000 per year for five years. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-GM-14-007.html Â July 2 (letter of intent): NIH Methods Development in Natural Products Chemistry; university researchers can subcontract. More: (SBIR) (R43) http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AT-14-001.html. (STTR)(R41); http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AT-14-002.html July 12: NSF EHR Core Research (ECR); 28 awards, $1.5 million for research proposals, $300,000 for capacity building proposals. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504924 July 16: NSF Collections in Support of Biological Research; three proposals per university, 10 to 20 awards of $500,000 for three years. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503651 Aug 7: NSF Online Resource Center for Ethics Education in Science and Engineering; one proposal per organization, one award of $1.5 million over five years. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503490 Aug 15 (letter of interest): USAID Development Innovation Ventures; $100,000 to $15 million. More: http://www.usaid.gov/div ................................................... COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK ................................................... COMMON SYNONYMS FOR THE VERB "˜CHANGE' * Alter "“ a more formal word for change. * Adjust "“ to change something slightly so that it is exactly the way you want it. * Adapt "“ to change something to deal with a specific situation. * Convert "“ to change something so that it can be used for a different purpose. * Modify "“ to make small changes, for example to a machine or system, in order to make something suitable for a different situation. * Transform "“ to change something completely so that it looks or works much better. * Vary "“ to make continuous or repeated changes to something. More: http://www.macmillandictionaryblog.com/language-tip-of-the-week-change ................................................... INTERNAL VOICES ................................................... LIEBMAN: DIVERSIFICATION AND INTEGRATION STILL RELEVANT Matt Liebman, agronomy and Henry A. Wallace Endowed Chair for Sustainable Agriculture, recently spoke with Chuck Jolley at the Drovers Cattle Network, about a study he has completed on the effects of increasing the number of crops in a rotation sequence. ""Diversification and integration are as relevant today as they were in the past, especially if you believe that agriculture must reduce its negative impacts on water quality and wildlife habitat," Liebman said. AGRONOMY STUDENT: I HAVE A PASSION FOR AGRICULTURE Elyssa McFarland, senior in agronomy, is a lot like most college students. She keeps busy with classes, homework, friends and campus organizations. Like many college students, she holds a part-time job. That is where the comparison ends. This past spring, McFarland rented 170 acres of crop ground near her hometown of Columbus Junction. On most weekends, she commutes from Ames to Louisa County to tend her farm. "I have very busy weekends, but I love it," McFarland told Iowa Farmer Today. "I came to Iowa State and I learned a lot about agriculture, and I learned that I have a passion for it." ................................................... EXTERNAL VOICES ................................................... CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL, NO MATTER THE CAUSE A panel of climate specialists including Lois Wright Morton, sociology, told North American Agricultural Journalists at their annual spring meeting in Washington, D.C. last week that climate change is real, no matter the cause. "We really have to get past talking about what is causing it and agreeing that we need mitigation and adaptation strategies," said Fred Yoder, a former president of the National Association of Corn Growers, who farms in Ohio. "In the end it doesn't matter one bit if it's a natural cycle or a man-made problem, we have to deal with it." ................................................... MARGINALIA ................................................... BOOK SALES SUPPORT ISU TURTLE RESEARCH "River's Edge," written by Erin Keyser Horn, an author of books forÂ young adults, was released April 15. River's Edge is loosely based on the turtle research that ISUÂ conducts every summer at Thomson Causeway Recreational Area, an Army Corps of Engineers site just outside Thomson, Illinois. Turtle Camp was started 25 years ago by Fred Janzen, ecology, evolution and organismal biology. Ten percent of sales from River's Edge through May 5 will be donated to Janzen's team of turtle researchers. ........................................................ 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.