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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter
Iowa State University
October 7, 2013 No. 770
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COLLEGE NEWS
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THE YEAR OF THE FARMER CELEBRATED DURING CALS WEEK, OCT. 7-11
This week, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council is celebrating “The Year of the Farmer” for 2013 CALS week, Oct. 7-11. Schedule is as follows:
• Monday – “To the Agronomist in all of us.” Pizza on central campus, penny wars, Alpha Zeta food drive, blood drive at Memorial Union.
• Tuesday – “To the Advocate of Agriculture in all of us.” Pork burgers on central campus, FFA Day, Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative Round Table at 6 p.m. in 4 Scheman (pre-registration required).
• Wednesday – “To the Animal Caretaker in all of us.” Brats on central campus, Deal Lecture at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial Union Sun Room, dance at 8:30 p.m. at Memorial Union Terrace.
• Thursday – “To the Environmentalist in all of us.” Hamburgers on central campus, machinery show.
• Friday – “To the Farmer in all of us.” Breakfast pizza on central campus, Backroad Anthem concert at 8 p.m. at Charlie Yokes (tickets sold at the lunch tent).
More: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=656372827736818&set=a.166351250…
HOWARD HILL TO PRESENT DEAL LECTURE AT ISU, OCT. 9
Howard Hill, president-elect of the National Pork Producers Council and strategic council to Iowa Select Farms, will present the 2013 William K. Deal Endowed Leadership Lecture Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Hill will present “Entrepreneurs and Leadership in the Swine Industry." The event is free and open to the public. More: https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/releases/howard-hill-present-deal-lec…
WEB BANNER HIGHLIGHTS CURTISS RENOVATION, BEFORE AND AFTER VIDEO
The Curtiss Hall renovation celebration was held on Oct. 1 and more than 300 people attended. The ribbon cutting photo is highlighted on the web page and a slide show comparing the before and after can be seen when you click on read more. www.cals.iastate.edu
CALS FACULTY TO DEBATE PROS AND CONS OF GMOs, OCT. 14
The Des Moines Register will present a free panel discussion on the pros and cons of genetically modified crops to coincide with the start of World Food Prize activities. The event will be held at 4 p.m. on Oct. 14 at the Cowles-Kruidenier Auditorium at the State Historical Museum in Des Moines. Panelists from CALS are Ruth MacDonald, food science and human nutrition, Gary Munkvold, plant pathology and microbiology, and Micheal Owen, agronomy.
CALS CAREER DAY SET FOR OCT. 15
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is holding its largest job fair ever on Oct. 15. More than 230 companies and organizations will participate in the career day, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lied Recreation Athletic Center. The job fair provides an opportunity for all ISU students to meet with recruiters on internships and full-time positions available with agribusinesses, commodity groups and governmental agencies. Mike Gaul, director of CALS Career Services, said, “The growth of this event and the number of new companies in attendance is a testament to the quality of students and programs associated with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.” More: https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/releases/ag-career-day-job-fair-set-o…
FEEDING THE WORLD SEMINAR SERIES CONTINUES OCT. 10
The fall 2013 seminar series, “Feeding the World: Are We Making Progress,” continues Oct. 10 at 3:40 p.m. in the Ensminger Room, 1204 Kildee Hall. Mary-Louise Penrith, School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, will present “Livestock Health Issues in South Africa.” The annual seminar series is sponsored by the M.E. Ensminger International Chair in Animal Agriculture and the Raymond and Mary Baker Chair in Global Agriculture.
CAREER SERVICES TO HOST FINANCIAL PLANNING WORKSHOP, OCT. 10
CALS Career Services is sponsoring a financial planning workshops for CALS students on Thursday, Oct. 10, 7 to 8 p.m. in 13 Curtiss Hall. Special emphasis will be placed on 401K’s, other retirement savings plans and the importance of saving at an early age. Guest speaker is Ryan Brooks, financial advisor and manager for MassMutual Financial Group.
CALS UNITED WAY ONLINE AUCTION BEGINS OCT. 10
The fourth annual CALS United Way online auction begins Oct. 10 and ends Oct.16. You can bid on almost 60 auction items. If you want to donate items for the auction contact Carla Persaud at cpersaud@iastate.edu or 294-1823.
AED UNIT LOCATIONS IN CURTISS HALL
The College's two automatic external defibrillators units for Curtiss Hall are currently located in 133 Curtiss, behind Rita Knight's desk, and 0004 Curtiss, behind Amy Pilcher's desk. The units will be placed in permanent cabinets next to the restroom on first floor and inside the fire doors on the north wing of third floor as soon as facilities has tested the emergency contact connections. Ten staff members received AED training last October. If you don't have training, the AED unit has audio instructions that will talk you through the process. The trainer stated that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be administered immediately in an emergency situation. Contact Barb McBreen at 4-0707 or barbmc@iastate.edu if you have questions.
MONSANTO HONORS PAST PRESIDENT WITH INCREASED SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING
Monsanto Company and its employees have increased funding of the Monsanto Agriculture Scholarship to honor the accomplishments of Nick Reding, the company’s past president. The gift will provide an additional $25,000 in scholarships. The awards will go to students who show promise in addressing the need for increasing food production on a shrinking agricultural land base, and each of the students will be named as a Monsanto Nick Reding Scholar in his honor. After Reding earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Iowa State in 1956, he joined Monsanto, and remained there throughout his career.
OXFORD ECONOMIST TO DISCUSS MIGRATION AT OCT. 15 LECTURE
Paul Collier, professor of economics and public policy and director of the Centre for the Study of African Economies at Oxford University, will discuss his latest book – an analysis of immigration and its impacts – in a talk at ISU on Oct. 15. His presentation, “How Migration is Changing Our World,” will be at 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Co-sponsors of the lecture include CALS and the Department of Economics. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2013/10/01/lecture-collier
GOURMET PIG BREEDER TO SPEAK AT ISU, OCT. 18
Pig farmer, tech start-up entrepreneur and computer consultant Carl Blake is on a quest to breed the country’s tastiest pig by following a 19th century German formula. He will share his experiences in a talk at ISU on Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union Gallery. Blake’s talk, “In Pursuit of the Perfect Pig,” is part of the National Affairs Series on Innovation and is free and open to the public. The talk is co-sponsored by Bacon Expo and the Culinary Science Club. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2013/10/02/lecture-blake
OFFICIALS CONSIDERING REGIONAL QUARANTINE TO SLOW TREE PEST
Emerald ash borer has been positively identified in a tree in Mechanicsville in northern Cedar County, making this the fourth location where the invasive beetle has been found in Iowa. Allamakee County was declared infested in May 2010, Des Moines County in July 2013 and Jefferson County in August 2013. EAB kills all ash species and is considered to be one of the most destructive tree pests ever seen in North America. Officials are considering a regionalized quarantine to slow the accidental movement of the pest by people. This regulatory action would restrict movement of hardwood firewood, ash logs and wood chips out of quarantined counties. More: https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/releases/emerald-ash-borer-confirmed-…
SUSTAINABLE AG STUDENTS OFFER TWO FOOD DAY LECTURES
ISU’s Sustainable Agriculture Student Association is co-sponsoring two lectures in celebration of Food Day 2013. The first lecture, “Food, Land and Small Planet Producers: An Evening with Frances Moore Lappe, Harriet Nakabaale and Kijoolu Kaliya,” will be held Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. at the Ames United Church of Christ. The second lecture, “Foodopoly: The Battle Over the Future of Food and Farming in America,” will be presented by Wenonah Hauter on Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room.
ISU UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN UPDATE FOR CALS
At the end of the fourth week of the ISU United Way Campaign, the college has raised $40,311, which is 64.5 percent of its goal of $62,500. Overall, ISU pledges and gifts total $180,384, which is 54 percent of ISU’s goal. The winners of the CALS’ early participation drawing were Sara Lundvall, Lois Benning and Rita Knight. The ISU campaign ends Oct. 31.
CALS UNITED WAY BOOK SALE
Last week’s book sales, held in Curtiss Hall and Molecular Biology building, raised $532. Leftover books are being sold in 109 Curtiss Hall Oct. 8-11. All items are for a freewill donation. Money should be brought to Carla Persaud in 138 Curtiss Hall.
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
Oct. 14: Norman Borlaug Lecture, 8 p.m., Memorial Union Great Hall
Oct. 15: Proposals due for CALS Online Course, Certificate and Program Initiative
Oct. 31: Deadline for students to submit an essay to David Acker (dacker@iastate.edu) for the 2014 Agricultural Outlook Forum
Nov. 13: Fine Dining Class present “At Home in Paris,” 6:30 p.m., Joan Bice Underwood Tearoom, $30, Katie Fuller, kjfuller@iastate.edu.
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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IOWA WATER CENTER 2014 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
The Iowa Water Center is requesting proposals for its annual 104(b) program sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey. The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture will also contribute funds to this IWC program. This year’s focus will be understanding climate variability in relation to water management. Awards normally range from $20,000 to $30,000 per year for two years. Proposals between $5,000 and $10,000 for projects conducted by graduate students will also be considered. A 1:1 match of nonfederal funds is required. Proposals are due on Nov. 18 by 5 p.m. Contact Melissa Miller (millerms@iastate.edu, 515-294-7467).
AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION PRIZE
In collaboration with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have launched the 2014 National Agricultural Innovation Prize. The competition encourages transdisciplinary student teams to develop innovative ways and real-world plans to address social and agricultural challenges within food systems to improve the standard of living and quality of life for the world’s population. Graduate and undergraduate students are eligible to compete for the grand prize of $100,000. Entries are due by Feb. 28, 2014.
EXTENDED DEADLINE FOR 2014 NSF MRI PRE-PROPOSALS TO CALS
The deadline for submitting pre-proposals for the NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program has been extended to Oct. 11 at 5 p.m. The extension applies only to pre-proposals being submitted to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Faculty whose primary appointment is in CALS should submit their pre-proposal to Joe Collette (colletti@iastate.edu) by Oct. 11 at 5 p.m.
SRA INTERNATIONAL SHUTDOWN RESOURCE CENTER
The Society of Research Administrators International has established a website with updates from several major federal funding agencies.
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/
Nov. 13 (letter of intent): Energy Frontier Research Centers. More: http://www.grants.gov/view-opportunity.html?oppId=243953
Dec. 3 (pre-application): DOE Exploratory Research for Extreme-Scale Science. More: http://science.energy.gov/ascr/funding-opportunities/
Dec. 15 (letter of intent): NIH Research Answers to NCI's Provocative Questions - Group A (R21) and companion funding opportunities. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-CA-13-016.html
Sept. 30, 2014: DOD U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command Broad Agency Announcement Dept. of the Army. More: http://www.grants.gov/view-opportunity.html?oppId=244033
Sept. 30, 2014: DOE FY 2014 Continuation of Solicitation for the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program. More: http://www.grants.gov/view-opportunity.html?oppId=244053
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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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MAKING YOUR MESSAGE MEMORABLE
Try passing through a room with a tray of items heaped in a pile. When you return, ask your colleagues (or your kids), what was on the tray? They will remember different things, and some will recall more than others. But if you leave the room and return with only four things on the tray, it is likely that everyone will remember the same four things. If you want your message to be memorable, less is more.
(Escape from the Ivory Tower: A Guide to Making Your Science Matter, 2010, pg. 114)
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INFOGRAZING
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INDIA’S AMBASSADOR TO U.S. WILL SPEAK AT ISU, OCT. 8
The Manatt-Phelps Lecture in Political Science will be held Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the Dolezal Auditorium, 127 Curtiss Hall. Her Excellency Nirupama Rao has served as India’s Ambassador to the United States since Sept. 2011, and will present “United States and India: How Far Have We Come, What Lies Ahead?” More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2013/09/23/lp-rao
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INTERNAL VOICES
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ROBERTSON: 10 PERCENT OF CORN CROP COULD FALL TO GOSS’S WILT
It has come on like a tidal wave, washing across the Corn Belt from Minnesota to the Texas panhandle, a disease that few farmers had seen until five years ago. Known as Goss’s wilt, it has cut some farmers’ corn yields in half, and it is still spreading. “My theory is that there were a couple of hybrids planted that were selected because they had extremely high yield potentials,” said Alison Robertson, plant pathology and microbiology, in an article for The New York Times. “They also may have been highly susceptible to Goss’s wilt.” Robertson estimates that about 10 percent of this year’s corn crop would fall to Goss’s. More: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/01/science/earth/a-disease-cuts-corn-yie…
KIRSCHENMANN INTERVIEWED BY GOOD FOOD ON EVERY TABLE WEBSITE
Fred Kirschenmann, president of the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture and distinguished fellow for the Leopold Center, was interviewed by the Good Food on Every Table website. Kirschenmann describes how Stone Barns has evolved and talks about the nonprofit organization’s training program for young beginning farmers. “For a long time I thought my mission was to change people… my mission isn’t about changing people. It’s preparing for the changes that are coming… When I talk to farmers now, for example, who are locked into the conventional system, I don’t try to change them. What I try to say to them is, we should both think about the challenges coming at us. So let’s assume 10 years from now that crude oil will be $300 a barrel, we only have half the amount of fresh water and twice the number of severe weather events. Can you still do what you’re doing? Can I still do what I’m doing? My answer is, no, I can’t, I’ve got to make some changes. Can we talk about this together? We start to have a conversation.”
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EXTERNAL VOICES
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INVESTOR: GET AN AGRICULTURE DEGREE
Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holding, believes the finance industry is about to slip into decline. That’s why the investor advises young people to pursue careers in farming rather than in finance. “If you’ve got young people who don’t know what to do, I’d urge them not to get MBAs, but to get agriculture degrees,” Rogers told CNBC.com. "In the future, the center of the world will not be finance—it's going to be the producers of real goods." More: http://www.cnbc.com/id/101087391
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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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