................................................... AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE ................................................... The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter Iowa State University May 6, 2013 No. 748 ................................................... COLLEGE NEWS ................................................... COLLEGE CONVOCATION TO HONOR GRADUATES SATURDAY Faculty and staff are invited to recognize graduating seniors at the College convocation Saturday, May 11, in C.Y. Stephens Auditorium. Doors open at 8 a.m. for a reception. The convocation begins at 9 a.m. Andy Chamra, agricultural business, is the convocation speaker. Rachel Owen, agronomy and global resource systems, is the college's student marshal. The Ag and Life Sciences Student Council will present awards to the following graduates: Hannah Fuller, food science, for academic achievement; Megan Leill, food science, for distinguished service; Nathan Johnston, agricultural business, for outstanding ambassador of agriculture; Brianna Brun, genetics, for leadership excellence; and Kai Hillman, microbiology, for outstanding senior. THIRTEEN CALS HONOREES IN 2013 UNIVERSITY AWARDS Thirteen honors to 12 CALS faculty and staff members will be given at the university awards ceremony to be held during the fall semester, Sept. 23, in the Memorial Union: * Jack Dekkers, animal science, named Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences. * Catherine Kling, economics, named Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences. * Patrick Schnable, agronomy, named Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences. * Micheal Owen, agronomy, named University Professor. * Gail Nonnecke, horticulture, named Morrill Professor. * Leo Timms, animal science, named Morrill Professor. * Liesl Eathington, economics, Regents Award for Staff Excellence. * Darren Jarboe, Center for Crops Utilization Research, Regents Award for Staff Excellence. * Marshall Ruble, animal science, Regents Award for Staff Excellence. * Jack Girton, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, ISU Award for Academic Advising Impact. * Gail Nonnecke, horticulture, International Service Award. * Max Rothschild, animal science, ISU Award for Achievement in Intellectual Property. * Kevin Schalinske, food science and human nutrition, ISU Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching. CALS STUDENTS TAKE TOP PRIZES IN PAPPAJOHN COMPETITION Two CALS students claimed prizes in the statewide Pappajohn New Venture Student Business Plan competition on May 3. Colin Hurd, senior in agricultural studies, received a $5,000 top prize for his venture, Agriculture Concepts, which has developed an aftermarket tillage solution called Track Till that reduces field compaction. Shivani Garg, graduate student in biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, received $5,000 for her new venture, Omega Chea Renewables, which has a plan to commercialize the production of sustainable, bio-based raw materials for detergents, lubricants and polymer manufacturing. HY-LINE INTERNATIONAL DONATES GENETICIST'S TIME TO ISU Hy-Line International, a world leader in poultry genetics based in Dallas Center, Iowa, will share one of its scientists with ISU. Hy-Line hired Anna Wolc as a full-time genomics geneticist last year. Under an agreement with the university, the company will donate 30 percent of her time to conduct research in animal science at ISU. SYMPOSIUM TO ADDRESS PROTEINS IN HUMAN HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE The ISU Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences and the ISU Nutritional Sciences Council are organizing a conference on proteins in human health and performance for May 16-17 in the 1414 Molecular Biology Building. The conference is in honor of ISU professor Steven Nissen, animal science. Nissen and his collaborator, Naji Abumrad, professor and chair, department of surgery, Vanderbilt University, discovered beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate and its beneficial effects on human health and performance. Sponsors include the Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and the Iowa Beef Industry Council. 17th EDITION OF HARL'S ESTATE PLANNING BOOK NOW AVAILABLE The 17th edition of Neil Harl's "Farm Estate and Business Planning" is now available in print and all forms of eBook. The 471-page soft cover book is a guide for farmers and ranchers who want to make the most of the state and federal income and estate tax laws to assure the least expensive and most efficient transfer of their estates to their children and heirs. Harl, an emeritus distinguished professor, was a faculty member in the ISU economics department for 40 years prior to retiring. More: http://www.agnewscenter.com/archives.cfm?news=8615 COOK JOINS COLLEGE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE Haley Cook joined the College Communications Office on May 1 as an alumni relations and event coordinator. Cook will design, market and implement events for college alumni and stakeholders. In addition, she will assist the College's alumni relations program with print and electronic communications and social media. Prior to joining the College, Haley worked as the ISU sales and services manager for the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau and as an event coordinator for ISU Extension and Outreach, Conference Planning and Management.  During her time with both organizations, Haley collaborated with several CALS departments on events and initiatives. TRANSPLANT DECISION TOOL NOW AVAILABLE FOR GROWERS As demand for local and organic produce rises, vegetable growers face the challenge of scaling up the size of their operations. A new online tool provides information to growers in the upper Midwest about the methods and equipment available for transplant production. The Leopold Center awarded a grant to the Iowa Organic Association to compile the tool. ISU WESTERN RESEARCH FARM TO HOST ANTRHOPOLOGY STUDENT DIG The ISU Western Research and Demonstration Farm near Castana, Iowa, will be the site for an archeological excavation in May. Eleven anthropology students will be staying at the farm and exploring a 4,400 year old site near Ute, Iowa. Matthew Hill, Iowa State anthropology associate professor, will be leading the team as they learn the basics of field archeology excavating techniques, GPS mapping and stone tool identification. The project is part of a six-credit course offered through Iowa State. DEADLINES AND REMINDERS May 16: Algal Production Facility Open House, 3 to 5 p.m. June 26: Lauren Christian Pork Chop Open June 27: Iowa Swine Day ................................................... FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ................................................... TRAINING REQUIRED IN RESPONSIBLE, ETHICAL CONDUCT OF RESEARCH The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture now requires that program directors, faculty, undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and any staff participating in a NIFA research project receive appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research. Documentation of such training is subject to NIFA review upon request. ISU's graduate level (GR ST 565) and postdoctoral level courses on the Responsible Conduct of Research meet NSF, NIH and USDA training requirements in RCR and are highly recommended for graduate students and postdocs. Online training is available through the CITI Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative. More: http://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/rtc.jsp and https://about.citiprogram.org/series/responsible-conduct-of-research-rcr/ REMINDER: KECK FOUNDATION OPEN FORUM MAY 8 An Open Forum to discuss the W.M. Keck Foundation and the application process will be held May 8 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Memorial Union Gold Room. The deadline for concept papers is June 3 at noon, submitted electronically to Sandra Norvell (snorvell@iastate.edu). Contact: Donna Van Pelt (DVanpelt@foundation.iastate.edu). 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 29 (notice of intent): NASA ROSES Carbon Monitoring System: Continuing Prototype Product Development, Research and Scoping; 15 to 30 awards, $2.25 million per award over three years. More: http://goo.gl/qwxT5 June 3: NSF Smart and Connected Health "“ Integrative Proposals; $500,000 over four years. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504739&WT.mc_ev=click June 5: USAID Kandahar Food Zone; cost sharing encouraged, one award, $20 million over two years. June 7: USDA NIFA Farm Business Management and Benchmarking Competitive Grants Program; one year, $200,000. July 2: DHS Refugee Agricultural Partnership Program; 12 awards, $85,000 per award. July 31: NSF Instrument Development for Biological Research; 12 to 17 awards. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=9187 Aug. 2: NIH Developing and Improving Institutional Animal Resources (G20); limited submission "“ contact VPR/ED office, 10 to 12 awards, $500,000 (direct costs). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-13-219.html Sept 17: NSF Biotechnology, Biochemical and Biomass Engineering; average awards $100,000 individual investigators, $200,000 multiple investigators. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=501024 Jan. 10 (preliminary proposal): NSF Long Term Research in Environmental Biology; six to eight awards, $450,000 over five years. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13544 ................................................... COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK ................................................... JARGON AND SMOTHERED VERBS Too much jargon in a sentence is a sign a writer is tying too hard to impress. It's important to make sure terms are clear and easily understood by readers. Here's an example: We're going to up-ramp our efforts to onboard new hires more quickly. Here's the fix: We're going to try to get new employees in place more quickly. Smothered verbs happen when a verb gets replaced with a wordier verb-noun phrase. Example: Police conducted an investigation of the robberies. And here's the fix: Police investigated the robberies. "Sweat This, Not That: Real Rules vs. Grammar Myths," by Lisa McLendon, University of Kansas, 2013. ................................................... INFOGRAZING ................................................... GM CROPS: PROMISE AND REALITY It was 30 years ago this month that scientists first published the news that they could place functional foreign genes into plant cells. The feat promised to launch an exciting phase in biotechnology, in which desired traits and abilities could be coaxed into plants used for food, fibers and even fuel. A special issue of "Nature" looks at the promise and reality of genetically modified crops. More: http://www.nature.com/news/fields-of-gold-1.12897 ................................................... INTERNAL VOICES ................................................... HAVLOVIC: CONNECTION TO PEOPLE KEEPS HIM READY FOR NEXT STUDY Nestled on 400 acres of rural land along the Pottawattamie and Cass county boundaries, the Armstrong Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm started in 1993 and houses livestock, field crop and horticultural crop studies. Bernie Havlovic, superintendent at the farm for almost 20 years, said he loves the variety the job brings. "It's always changing. And you get to work with a lot of great people and meet farmers and others locally and from around the world." ................................................... EXTERNAL VOICES ................................................... VILSACK: DATA AMONG MOST IMPORTANT COMMODITIES Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack launched the U.S. Government's new Food, Agriculture and Rural virtual community on Data.gov on April 29. In his opening remarks at the G-8 International Conference on Open Data for Agriculture, Vilsack said, "Data is among the most important commodities in the world. By making our data accessible and encouraging others to do the same, we will enable collaborations of data users that will spur innovation and drive economic growth." More: http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/04/30/open-agricultural-data-at-your-fingert…, 1.usa.gov/YsOEae ................................................... MARGINALIA ................................................... IOWA GIRL EATS BLOGGER: I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT FARMING Kristin Porter of West Des Moines, author of the "Iowa Girl Eats" blog, is taking her online adventure to the farm this spring, summer and fall with the help of the Iowa Food & Family Project. "I love food," said Porter, whose blog is read by nearly two million people. "Even though I've spent most of my life in Iowa, I'm not a farm girl. But I want to know more about farming and our state's rural heritage. I can't wait to take my fans along on this incredible journey." ........................................................ 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.