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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter
Iowa State University
August 26, 2013 No. 764
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COLLEGE NEWS
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AS ENROLLMENT CLIMBS, CALS TAKES STEPS TO ENSURE STUDENT SUCCESS
Standardized advisor training and a revamped orientation curriculum are just two of many ways that CALS is taking steps to meet the needs of students as enrollment continues to grow. CALS offers informal meet-and-greet opportunities and emphasizes participation in learning communities to make a large university feel small and welcoming. More: https://www.cals.iastate.edu/enrollment
FRESHMAN/TRANSFER BARBEQUE SCHEDULED FOR AUG. 28
The CALS Student Council is hosting a barbeque for all freshmen and transfer students interested in joining an agriculture club. The barbeque will be Wednesday, Aug. 28, 5 to 7 p.m. in the Farm Bureau Pavilion in Kildee Hall. More than 20 clubs will be present.
ISU TURNS ON “CYENCE,” MOST POWERFUL COMPUTER ON CAMPUS
The most powerful computer ever on campus – a machine dubbed “Cyence” that is capable of 183.043 trillion calculations per second with total memory of 38.4 trillion bytes – is just beginning to produce data for 17 research projects. It was purchased with the help of a three-year, $1.8 million major research instrumentation grant from the National Science Foundation. Another $800,000 is being provided by ISU’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development and the colleges of agricultural and life sciences, engineering and liberal arts and sciences. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2013/08/21/cyence
NEW COURSE AT ISU DIGS INTO GREEN ROOFS
A new online course beginning Sept. 3 at ISU will offer up the dirt on green roofs, the high-rise gardens that are fast becoming fixtures of U.S. skylines. The one-credit, eight-week course will cover the design, installation and management of green roofs and will be taught by Jennifer Bousselot, horticulture. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2013/08/26/greenroofcourse
McNAY FARM HOSTS PRESIDENT LEATH AND BILTMORE VICE PRESIDENT
President Leath and Ted Katsignianis, vice president for agricultural and environmental sciences at the 8,000 acre Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., toured the McNay Memorial Research Farm in Chariton on Aug. 23. They were accompanied by Maynard Hogberg, Jim Russell, Dorian Garrick and Jim Reecy, animal science. The tour was led by McNay co-managers Kevin Maher and Nick Piekema. The Biltmore Estate and the McNay Farm have herds of purebred Angus cattle.
CALS SEEKS COMMENTS ON GUIDELINES FOR WORK IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
CALS is seeking comments and input on a draft set of guidelines for the work of faculty, staff and students in agricultural development activities in developing countries. Deadline for submitting comments is Sept. 1. All comments should be emailed to cals@iastate.edu.
IOWA LEARNING FARMS CO-HOSTS FIELD DAY FOR NUTRIENT REDUCTION
Iowa Learning Farms is co-hosting a field day focused on agricultural practices that can reduce nutrients leaving the field for better water quality on Sept. 10, 5 to 7 p.m. at the Drainage Research and Demonstration Project site near Gilmore City. Matt Helmers, agricultural and biosystems engineering, will provide an assessment of the Nutrient Reduction Strategy science.
ISU DAIRY COWS DESIGNATED `ELITE`
Three times a year, the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding releases genetic evaluations for dairy production traits. The top 1 percent of cows in each breed is designated “elite” for Net Merit Dollars, an index that estimates the dollar value of a cow’s production traits relative to all the animals evaluated. Five cows from ISU’s Holstein milking herd (born in 2011) have been designated as elite, demonstrating that the ISU dairy herd is comparable to the profile of the dairy industry as a whole. The last ISU cow to make the elite list was born in 2005.
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
Sept. 5: Feeding the World Seminar, 3:40 p.m., Ensminger Room, 1204 Kildee Hall
Sept. 10: CALS Convocation, 4:10 p.m., Harl Commons in Curtiss Hall
Sept. 23: Pesek Colloquium on Sustainable Agriculture, 8 p.m., Memorial Union Great Hall
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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TRAVEL SUPPORT FOR NSF FALL GRANTS CONFERENCE, OCT. 21-22
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will provide up to $700 each for up to four CALS faculty members to attend the National Science Foundation Fall Regional Grants Conference in Denver on Oct. 21-22. The conference will provide key insight into competitive grant funding at NSF. Travel support will be provided on a first-come-first-served basis, with preference given to individuals who have not recently received CALS travel assistance for a grantsmanship workshop. Interested faculty should contact Joe Colletti via email (colletti@iastate.edu) by Friday, Aug. 30.
NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR EXTENSION OF USDA GRANTS
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has implemented a new policy regarding extension of termination dates for grants. USDA now requires that an annual progress report be submitted by the primary investigator before an extension, even a no-cost extension, will be approved. Even when ISU extends the termination date for up to one year under its expanded authority, the change in end date is no longer automatic. The annual progress report should be submitted at the same time if not earlier than the request for extension. Contact Cathy Good, cgood@iastate.edu, 4-4544, with questions.
ONLINE INFORMATION FOR LIMITED SUBMISSION GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
To assist faculty and staff in anticipating the timing of internal competitions, the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development has posted information about funding solicitations that allow only a limited number of applications from an institution. The list is to be used as a guideline and is subject to change as funding agencies publish or archive solicitations. Internal competition dates are not listed for requests for proposals that have not been released.
NIH eRA VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
The Office of Extramural Research Administration of the National Institutes of Health has posted three tutorials to assist investigators using eRA Commons. The tutorials cover the new interface for the Personal Profile, submitting reference letters, and accessing correspondence related to the receipt and referral of a grant application. Additional tutorials relating to NIH grants are also posted at this site. More: http://www.youtube.com/user/NIHgrants?feature=playlist
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/
No due date (applications evaluated in order received): Plant Sciences Institute Communication Program.
Sept. 5 (preapplication): DOE Early Career Research Program; 30 to 50 awards, $750,000 over five years. More: http://www.grants.gov/view-opportunity.html?oppId=238188
Sept. 10 (concept note): Michigan State University - First Round of Innovation Grants for the Global Center for Food Systems Innovation. More: http://gcfsi.isp.msu.edu/
Sept. 12: USGS National Land Remote Sensing Education Outreach and Research Activity. More: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=239982
Sept. 13 (nominations): Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement; $200,000.
Oct. 20: DOD FY 2014 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program; $50,000 to $1.5 million per award. More: http://www.grants.gov/view-opportunity.html?oppId=240541
Oct. 31: NOAA/NWS Collaborative Science, Technology and Applied Research Program; three to five awards, up to $375,000 over three years. More: http://goo.gl/zsvAym
May 31, 2014: Iowa Energy Center Planning Grant Program. More: http://www.iowaenergycenter.org/grant-funding/competitive-grants/
June 30, 2014: Iowa Energy Center Matching Grant Program. More: http://www.iowaenergycenter.org/grant-funding/competitive-grants/
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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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EXPLAIN SIGNIFICANCE vs. MAGNITUDE
Lay audiences may not understand the meaning of significance in a statistical sense. Small but significant differences can sound unimpressive and unimportant. If you can, present data so that the magnitude is striking. Instead of saying, “We’ve seen a 4 percent annual decline since 1992,” say “we’ve lost more than 260,000 square miles in the past 20 years, which is an area the size of Texas.” (Escape from the Ivory Tower: A Guide to Making Your Science Matter, pg. 110)
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INFOGRAZING
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RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH TRAINING FOR POST-DOCS
A training seminar on responsible conduct of research for post-doctoral associates will meet Tuesdays at 11 a.m. in 1246 Howe Hall beginning Aug. 27. The semester-long seminar, Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research, is approved to meet NSF, NIH and USDA-NIFA requirements for RCR training for post-docs supported on NSF and certain NIH and USDA funds. The seminar is appropriate for postdocs in the life sciences, engineering and social sciences. Enrollment is limited. For more information or to sign up for the course, contact Judy Vance, jmvance@iastate.edu.
GRADUATE STUDENT ORIENTATION SCHEDULED FOR SEPT. 5
A graduate student orientation for incoming students is being held Sept. 5, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Reiman Ballroom of the ISU Alumni Center. University administrators and representatives from ISU service offices will be providing information and available for questions. Register online at the Graduate College website. Also, an online graduate student orientation guide is available at: http://www.grad-college.iastate.edu/orientation/
JOHN DEERE ON CAMPUS SEPT. 16
Sept. 16 will be John Deere Day on the ISU campus. In addition to Deere equipment, there will be a tent on central campus and two tents near the Marston Water Tower. Refreshments will be provided at both locations and John Deere staff will be available to talk with students, faculty and staff. There will be educational presentations in classrooms across campus and opportunities to interact with professionals from various disciplines spanning multiple colleges. John Deere's goal is to strengthen the many relationships they have at ISU.
TOOLS THAT STUDENTS WISH THEIR INSTRUCTORS USED MORE OR LESS
The Chronicle of Higher Education reports on a 2013 study of tools that college students wish their instructors used either more or less. Students favored using their laptops over their smartphones to assist in classroom learning. And nearly three-quarters wished that their instructors would record lectures more often, so they could be watched later. More: http://chronicle.com/article/Tools-That-College-Students/140771/?cid=at&...
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EXTERNAL VOICES
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USDA BLOGGER: INTEREST IN STEM STARTS AS INNATE CURIOSITY
In the same way that stems provide a sturdy foundation so that leaves can make food for the tree, science, technology, engineering and math (frequently referred to as STEM) education provides a strong base for a wide range of activities. In a blog for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Karen Hunter, Agricultural Research Service, said, "For many people, myself included, interest in STEM starts as an innate curiosity, refined over time with more specific guidance and instruction." More: http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/08/20/the-foundation-is-in-the-stem/
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MARGINALIA
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MARY de BACA INDUCTED INTO 4-H HALL OF FAME
Retired CALS diversity programs director, Mary de Baca, was inducted into the 4-H Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Aug. 18 at the 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Through the years, she has been a 4-H member, leader, parent, judge and committee member. “It’s one of the neatest organizations that’s based on youth development outside of school,” de Baca said. “Every kid has a chance to excel and be great.”
PEACHES FROM THE HORTICULTURE STATION SERVED TO THE PRESIDENT
ISU’s Horticulture Research Station has been testing new varieties of peaches and pears for hardiness this far north. This is the first year the trees are bearing fruit and Nick Howell, superintendent of the Horticulture Research Station, said they are harvesting five to 10 pounds a week. The peaches were part of a dessert recently served to President Leath.
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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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EDITOR
Julie Stewart
jstewart@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5616
https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/agonline
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