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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter
Iowa State University
July 14, 2014 No. 807
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COLLEGE NEWS
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USDA TO BE BRIEFED ON RESEARCH FROM CLIMATE AND CORN PROJECT
An assessment of farmer perspectives on climate change, from a survey of 5,000 Corn Belt farmers in corn-producing states, is being studied and used by the USDA Secretary of Agriculture, his staff and other national program leaders. The survey is a product of the Climate and Corn-based Cropping Systems Coordinated Agricultural Project, led by ISU and directed by Lois Wright Morton, sociology. Wright Morton shared a recent report, “Farmer Perspectives on Agriculture and Weather Variability in the Corn Belt: A Statistical Atlas,” with Secretary Vilsack during his June 6 visit to Ames. Following that visit, sociologist J. Gordon Arbuckle Jr., the lead social scientist on the project, was invited to meet with Karla Thieman, senior advisor to the Secretary, in Washington, D.C. to brief her on the study. Arbuckle is giving a webinar presentation today, July 14, about the study’s findings to Catherine Wotecki, USDA undersecretary for Research, Education and Economics, Ann Bartuska, deputy undersecretary for REE, and administrators from USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, Economic Research Service, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, and National Institute for Food and Agriculture. The report can be found on the project’s website.
FEDERAL COLLABORATION MODELED AFTER ISU WORK
Water quality researchers and extension specialists at ISU have joined with scientists at 11 other land-grant universities in the Mississippi River watershed and the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Hypoxia Task Force in a formal partnership to strengthen efforts to reduce the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. The new regional partnership is modeled after ISU’s successes and working relationships with task force members and state agencies. Matthew Helmers, agricultural and biosystems engineering, and Catherine Kling, economics, represent ISU on the regional committee. More: https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/releases/new-federal-collaboration-12…
CROP PRODUCTION EXTENSION MOVING TO INTEGRATED APPROACH
ISU Extension and Outreach has created a new team and direction to advise farmers on corn and soybean production. Sotirios Archontoulis, agronomy, will lead the team. His research interests include cropping systems modeling, agronomy, crop physiology and bioenergy. Mark Licht, who has served as the extension field agronomist for central Iowa since 2011, has moved to campus as part of the new team. More: https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/releases/iowa-state-crop-production-e…
DISCUSSION SESSIONS FOR OBESITY RESEARCH BEGIN NEXT WEEK
Discussion sessions have been scheduled for anyone interested in obesity research to facilitate interactions and assist faculty in connecting with potential research collaborations and grant development teams. Attendees will have the opportunity to provide an informal 5 minute synopsis of their research area and/or interest with time for interaction and discussion. Sessions are July 23 and Aug. 6, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in 142 Curtiss Hall, and Aug. 20, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (lunch provided) in 142 Curtiss Hall. For more information contact Ruth MacDonald, ruthmacd@iastate.edu, 4-5991.
CALS STUDENTS WIN SCHOLARSHIPS FROM MEAT INDUSTRY
Aaron Blakely and Ty Sexton received two of seven $10,000 scholarships awarded to students studying meat science at universities across the country by the Meat Industry Suppliers Alliance Foundation.
ISU RESEARCH SHEDS LIGHT ON FEED EFFICIENCY IN PIGS
Research conducted at ISU is dispelling myths about the practice of breeding pigs to improve feed efficiency, a measurement of how well swine convert the feed they consume into mass. The research has the potential to help pork producers save money and lower prices for consumers. Jack Dekkers, John Patience, Nicholas Gabler and Jessica Colpoys, animal science, are all involved with the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant that lasts through March 2016. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2014/07/10/feedefficiency
NEW MANUAL SHOWS PRODUCE GROWERS HOW TO SHARE MACHINERY
Labor remains one of the key challenges for fruit and vegetable growers who want to scale up their operations to serve increasing consumer demand for local produce. A new manual from ISU Extension and Outreach and the Leopold Center offers one possible solution: sharing machinery.
FIELD DAYS CATER TO GARDENERS SEEKING NEW PLANTS
ISU’s Research and Demonstration Farms will kick off its series of Demonstration Home Garden Field Days July 21 in southwest Iowa. Cynthia Haynes, horticulture, said a variety of new and different vegetables and flowers will be highlighted, including purple vegetables, sun-loving impatiens and compact zinnias. More: https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/releases/iowa-state-university-field-…
STUDENTS WIN INTERNATIONAL DATA MINING COMPETITION
A team of ISU graduate students is statistics topped 98 universities from 28 countries to capture first place in the 15th annual Data Mining Cup. It is the first time a U.S. team has won. A leading European data mining company sponsors the intelligent-data analysis competition for universities to identify the best up-and-coming data miners. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2014/07/10/data-miners
VIDEO: DIETETIC STUDENTS GROWING A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY
What started as an unused plot of land on ISU’s campus turned into a garden project for a group of ISU dietetic students. Rebecca Jardon, Jenna Roeding and Susie Roberts are using their passion for healthy eating to help those in need. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/video/view/id/DnqEPUQPDVo
IOWA’S SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE MEETS WITH CARVER INTERNS
Bill Northey, Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture, visited Curtiss Hall on July 11 to talk with the George Washington Carver interns on campus for the summer. He discussed the importance of the industry and the opportunities that are presented to those entering into the world of agriculture as professionals, researchers, teachers and advocates. Northey also discussed Iowa agriculture and improvements we are making to our state’s agriculture and land stewardship programs. The George Washington Carver Summer Research Internship Program promotes “science with practice” by exposing high school and undergraduate students to research opportunities under the direction of CALS research faculty.
CALS ALUMNI MAGAZINE WINS FIRST PLACE AT NAADA
STORIES in Agriculture and Life Sciences, the college’s alumni magazine, received first place in the print division for a magazine produced by a college/outside agency at the National Agricultural Alumni and Development Association’s annual conference, June 17-20.
FSHN PROFESSOR EMERITUS DIES
Murray Kaplan, food science and human nutrition professor emeritus, died June 26. Kaplan was an academic and research leader in the department for many years and served as an interim director of the Center for Designing Foods to Improve Nutrition. His research program and interests are depicted in two murals hanging in the 1121 conference room in HNSB, which were commissioned at the time of his retirement.
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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APLU ACADEMIC PROGRAMS SECTION INNOVATIVE TEACHING AWARDS
The Academic Programs Section of the Association of Public Land-Grant Universities is seeking applications to fund teaching awards for faculty to expand their scholarship of teaching and learning by providing innovative teaching and learning experiences for students. Applications are sought that build and use collaborative relationships between faculty at different institutions that will take an innovative approach to teaching and learning in the food, agricultural and natural resources sciences as well as serve as a pilot for future grant proposals. Preference will be given to applications that include at least one non-tenured faculty member. Nine awards of $2,000 each are anticipated. Applications are due by Aug. 5.
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/
Aug. 8: USDA NIFA Military Families Learning Network; one award, $2.2 million over one year. More:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=259270
Sept. 12: NIST Community Resilience Center of Excellence Program; $20 million, one application per institution. More: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=259088
Sept. 26 (letter of intent): NSF Interdisciplinary Research in Hazards and Disasters. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504804
Oct. 5: NIH NEI Audacious Goals Initiative in Vision Research High Priority Research Area: Molecular Therapies for Eye Disease (R01). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-13-283.html
Continuous (white papers required): DOD NRL Broad Agency Announcement.
July 12, 2019: DOD Broad Agency Announcement-Open Innovation and Collaboration
Grant. More: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=259251
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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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CORRECTING LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION MISHAPS
Being in front of the public means being under scrutiny, said Shari Alexander in an article in “Entrepreneur.” The words of anyone in a leadership post will be dissected and scrutinized more than anyone else’s. A leader’s intentions may be good, but sometimes the wrong words are used to express something. When facing the predicament of having to backtrack and explain ill-advised comments, try the following strategies to navigate through:
- Be absolutely clear. Unfold the original comments and expose the layers underneath them.
- Explain the underlying intention. Take responsibility for ill-chosen words and explain the original intention behind the statement.
- Repeat, repeat, repeat. Be prepared to repeat the corrected message multiple times.
More: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/235093
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INFOGRAZING
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CAN AGRICULTURE APPEAL TO TODAY’S YOUTH?
With an aging population of farmers, it’s clear that agriculture needs to attract more young people. An article in the July 10 issue of The Christian Science Monitor states that agriculture’s image among young people is changing, where youth are now turning to farming and the food system as a viable career path. More: http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/The-Bite/2014/0710/Can-agriculture-ap…
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INTERNAL VOICES
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BEGHIN AND POULIOT: MEET ENERGY INNOVATORS
Johh Beghin and Sebastien Pouliot, economics, are highlighted in the July issue of Iowa EPSCoR Energy Innovator. Beghin is studying the impact of a potential Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the U.S. and the European Union on bio-energy and feedstock markets. Beghin says he enjoys research because he can, “reflect, analyze and come up with useful answers for economics challenges.” Pouliot’s research focuses on the demand for ethanol, one type of biofuel made mostly from corn. He teaches classes at ISU in agricultural markets and conducts workshops for Iowa EPSCoR. “Teaching is my passion because this is where I can have the most direct and immediate impact.”
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EXTERNAL VOICES
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AGRICULTURE, HISTORY AND ART COALESCE IN BIORENEWABLES COMPLEX
If you stand in just the right spot in the lobby of the shiny new Biorenewables Complex at ISU, you can see centuries of agricultural history stretching up to the 75-foot ceiling. The story evolves in a series of laser-cut steel panels Boston artist Ralph Helmick hung last week in the building on the west side of campus. “My orientation was mind-blowing,” Helmick said. “I mean, the straight-up brilliant people I was meeting here were so good. They cared so much about this building and what artwork would go in it.” They saw it as a chance to show off the “transformative potential of agricultural research,” Helmick said, noting the researchers’ efforts to feed the world and transform waste into fuel. Two of the three buildings in the Biorenewables Complex house the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. Read the full story in the July 12 issue of The Des Moines Register: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/life/2014/07/13/isu-iowa-state-u…
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MARGINALIA
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PRODUCE NOW AVAILABLE TO ORDER FROM HORT STATION
ISU faculty, staff and students can now order fruits and vegetables grown on the Horticulture Research Station near Gilbert. The online produce-ordering website was created by the 2014 spring Horticulture 465 class, Horticulture Enterprise Management: Marketing, as a project in the study of management and operation of fruit and vegetable enterprises for local markets. More: https://foodlo.cals.iastate.edu/
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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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