Issue: 750

................................................... AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE ................................................... The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter Iowa State University May 20, 2013 No. 750 ................................................... COLLEGE NEWS ................................................... BARTHOLOMAY RECEIVES RESEARCH CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD Lyric Bartholomay, entomology, has been named the recipient of the 2013 Bailey Research Career Development Award. Her project, "Developing Molecular Genetics Tools for the Pacific White Shrimp," seeks to fight diseases that cost the farmed shrimp industry more than $2 billion in losses each year. LITCHFIELD NAMED ASSOCIATE CHAIR Ruth Litchfield, food science and human nutrition, has been named associate chair of the department. Litchfield was named after an internal search for the position, which was vacated by Cheryll Reitmeier who retired at the end of the semester. PESEK TO BE HONORED AT TRAINING CENTER DEDICATION, MAY 22 John Pesek, emeritus professor and former agronomy department head, will be honored on May 22 in Madison, Wis., during a ceremony for the new training center at the American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America headquarters. The ISU Department of Agronomy will provide a live video feed of the dedication in 3022 Agronomy Hall on May 22 at 4:30 p.m. Pesek will participate in the dedication from Agronomy Hall and is scheduled to make a few comments during the ceremony. A small reception with refreshments will follow. HOMEOWNERS URGED TO USE INSECTICIDES CAREFULLY TO PROTECT BEES The careful use of insecticides by homeowners will help minimize ill effects on honeybee populations, according to Laura Jesse, plant pathology and microbiology. There has been a focus on the use of neonicotinoid insecticides in agriculture, but homeowners also need to be aware that they are widely available and used in the home landscape. FARMER PHILANTHROPY IMPORTANT TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Iowa's farmers are substantially involved in philanthropy, donating their time and money to organizations, causes and charities they believe in, according to the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll. Many rural communities are beginning to depend on these philanthropic efforts as an important part of local community and economic development. Paul Lasley and J. Gordon Arbuckle Jr., sociology, are co-directors of the annual Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll. RESEARCH FARM UNVEILS ALGAE PRODUCTION FACILITY The BioCentury Research Farm on May 16 featured its Algal Production Facility, ISU's first facility equipped to grow large amounts of algae biomass. UNITED WAY FOOD DRIVE CONCLUDES THIS WEEK, MAY 23  The fifth annual United Way LIVE UNITED Food Drive concludes this week. Non-perishable items will be collected through May 23. Collection boxes can be found at the Curtiss Hall Rotunda on ground and first floor, 2312 Food Sciences Building, 220 MacKay Hall, 251 Bessey Hall, 1210 Molecular Biology Building, 2200 Gerdin Building, and 104 Marston. More: Carla Persaud, cpersaud@iastate.edu, 4-1823.  NEW CALS WEB BANNER: STUDENT EMPHASIZES IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRY INTERNSHIPS Stephanie Carlson grew up with an understanding of the swine industry and a dream that she wanted to work in the industry. This spring her dreams came true. After she graduated she took a position with Cargill. She says her internship experiences helped her learn skills beyond the classroom. If you know faculty, staff or students who would make great features on the CALS web page contact the communications office at 4-5616 or jstewart@iastate.edu. STUDENT SPEAKER EMPHASIZES IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE Andy Chamra, a graduating senior in agricultural business, spoke about the importance of agricultural degrees at the College convocation on May 11. WIEGAND RECEIVES TEACHING AWARD FROM AMSA Bryon Wiegand, who earned his doctorate in animal science from ISU, received the 2013 Distinguished Teaching Award from the American Meat Science Association. DEADLINES AND REMINDERS June 12: Registration deadline for Lauren Christian Pork Chop Open on June 26 ................................................... FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ................................................... REVISED BUDGET FORMS FOR PROPOSALS Effective immediately, the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration has requested that all proposal budgets be prepared using the current budget forms (revised May 1, 2013) posted on the OSPA website (http://ospa.iastate.edu/forms/#budget). PIs are asked to contact their departmental grant coordinator, or Janet Brodie (jtbrodie@iastate.edu, 4-0875), Michele Rogers (msrogers@iastate.edu, 4-6455) or Lisa Shen (lisashen@iastate.edu, 4-6417) in the CALS Budget and Finance office, with any questions about the budget forms. 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/ June 6: ASPB Education Foundation Grant; promoting plant biology education and outreach; $50,000. June 14: DOS Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) Stakeholder Engagement in Support of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility; one award, $2 million. More: http://goo.gl/Z4b2O June 17 (letter of intent): DOE Collaborative Research in Support of GOAmazon Campaign Science; six to eight awards, $50,000 to $350,000 per year for up to three years. July 1: EPA Regional Agricultural Integrated Pest Management Grants; four awards, $100,000 to $170,000 over two years. July 8: FDA Collaborating Centers of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation (U01); one or two awards. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-FD-13-034.html   July 15: FDA National Consumer Food Safety Education Conference (U13); one award, $200,000. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-FD-13-003.html Sept.17: NSF Chemical and Biological Separations; $80,000, one to three years. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13363 Dec. 5: NSF Hydrologic Sciences; 25 to 35 awards, regular research awards $250,000 to more than $1 million. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13684 ................................................... COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK ................................................... TECHNOLOGY GIVETH AND TECHNOLOGY TAKETH AWAY From a generation reliant on computerized spell checking has emerged a new problem: the homophone. "Every professor I know has encountered the problem," said Lucy Ferriss, writer in residence at Trinity College in Connecticut and contributor to the Lingua Franca blog in The Chronicle of Higher Education. English contains about 10,000 homophones, including: * He retired at the peek of his career. * The Pilgrims learned to cook maze. * She soon came to her census. * What a waist of time! * For all intense and purposes"¦ In addition to lecturing students on the importance of proofreading, Ferriss talks about a new online option, Homophone Check. ................................................... INFOGRAZING ................................................... FINANCIAL GAINS SEEN IN LEARNING ABOUT VENTILATION SYSTEMS ISU Extension and Outreach teaches swine producers about ventilation systems in relation to their animals. Extension swine specialists and agricultural engineers in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and South Dakota have teamed-up to create an educational workshop using a "field day on wheels" "“ a swine ventilation training unit. NOMINATING PROCESS OPEN FOR WOMEN IMPACTING ISU CALENDAR The Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics is accepting nominations for the 2014 "Women Impacting ISU" calendar. Twelve women from a variety of disciplines and diverse backgrounds are selected each year based on their leadership and accomplishments that have positively impacted ISU. Nominations are due Sept. 30. More REGISTRATION OPEN FOR NATIONAL EXTENSION TOURISM CONFERENCE Registration is now open for the 2013 National Extension Tourism Conference, to be held Aug. 6-9 in Detroit, Mich. This year's theme is "Tourism "“ Building Lasting Relationships." More: http://extensiontourism.net/conference/ ................................................... INTERNAL VOICES ................................................... KEATING: SEASONAL SOW INFERTILITY A GLOBAL PROBLEM Aileen Keating, animal science, is searching for reasons and solutions for seasonal infertility in sows. "If we can come up with a kind of therapy or intervention strategy, it could save a lot of money for Iowa producers and those around the U.S. and abroad. This is a global problem," said Keating. The article is on page 20-21 of the May issue of the Iowa Pork Producer ................................................... EXTERNAL VOICES ................................................... ALUM: RURAL IOWA AND AGRICULTURE NEED BROADBAND Farming today is a fiercely competitive global industry and one that is getting more high-tech every year. In an article for the May 16 issue of Shreveport Times, Kevin Ross, a farmer in Minden, past president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association and a 2003 CALS alum, said that given those realities, affordable access to high-speed broadband service is a must-have productivity asset for farms to stay competitive. "Unlike the previous generation of farmers, I grew up with the Internet, and by the time I arrived at Iowa State University as an ag science major, the broadband revolution was up and running. Today, that revolution allows me a range of ag-related activity that would be impossible without broadband connections." ........................................................ 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.