College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
April 6, 2015 – No. 844
Top Stories
CALS Featured in Special Edition of USA Today
A special edition of USA Today focuses on America’s Farming Landscape. On page 80-81, David Acker, associate dean for academic and global programs, highlights some of the enrollment trends in CALS. Matt Kerns, a junior in animal science, and Drew Mogler, a senior in agricultural business, talk about the travel and real-world opportunities available for undergraduates. An article on page 86-87 highlights the opportunities to make a living in agriculture away from the farm. Mike Gaul, director of career services, said nearly 98 percent of Iowa State ag graduates get job placements. More
Research
Monsanto Pledges $100,000 to Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium
Monsanto Co. has pledged $100,000 to CALS to support the new Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium. Monsanto’s pledge will support consortium research that will guide the development of cost-effective methods to establish and maintain milkweed plants, and extension programs that will deliver practical, “how to” information for conserving monarch butterfly breeding habitat on farms and rural areas. More
Al-Kaisi Weighs Environmental Impacts of Corn Residue Removal
Farmers who are considering selling corn residue from their fields to produce cellulosic ethanol first should weigh a range of site-specific factors to their operation, according to new research from Mahdi Al-Kaisi, agronomy. Variables such as topography, tillage, nitrogen application and the amount of organic matter present in the soil all have a role in residue removal. More
Castellano Talks with Spokesman about Nitrate Loss
In an article for the April 1 issue of the Iowa Farm Bureau Spokesman, Michael Castellano, agronomy, said, “More than anything else, the amount of nitrate that ends up in surface water is controlled by temperature and precipitation during periods when crops aren’t growing.” Cover crops can be an effective tool to offset that loss, he said.
Teaching and Students
Rasmussen to Speak at George Washington Carver Lecture
Mark Rasmussen, director of the Leopold Center, will be speaking at the second installment of the George Washington Carver Lecture Series on April 8 at Tuskegee University. This year’s lecture focuses on global food security and sustainable agriculture.
CALS Students Selected for New International Leadership Program
Six CALS students (listed below) have been selected for a new leadership program that will take them beyond the classroom to better understand global challenges and the impact for international corporations. The Vermeer International Leadership Program is a year-long, in-depth leadership experience in which students will learn how companies operate on an international scale. More
- Cassie Krebill, animal science
- Adamarie Marquez-Acevedo, general pre-veterinary medicine
- Dakota Olson, global resource systems
- Eli Sents, agricultural systems technology
- Madelyn Sislow, animal ecology
- Erika Suessmith, animal science
Block and Bridle Club to Host Animal Learning Day
The ISU Block and Bridle Club will host an animal learning day on April 11, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Jeff and Deb Hansen Learning Center. The day will provide an opportunity for the public to learn about animals in agriculture. The event will include a “Taste of Iowa” segment and a shortened version of the movie “Farmland” will be shown. More
Ag Man and Woman of the Year Named
Cody Sacquitne, senior in dairy science, and Haley Banwart, senior in agricultural and life sciences education, were named 2015 Ag Man and Woman of the Year at the CALS Student Council luncheon on March 31. To celebrate National Ag Day a free lunch was provided in the Kildee Farm Bureau Pavilion. More
Extension and Outreach
Walugembe Receives Swine Innovation Award
Muhammed Walugembe, animal science, received the National Pork Board’s Swine Innovation Award for Education at the recent Midwest meeting. Walugembe and colleagues developed a mobile phone application to predict live body weight in Ugandan village pigs without the use of a scale by using various body measurements.
Arbuckle Talks with Spokesman about New Farmer Survey
ISU and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship are using a new farmer survey to capture the breadth of farming practices being used to protect soil and water quality and show the influence of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. J. Gordon Arbuckle, sociology, told the Iowa Farm Bureau Spokesman in its April 1 issue, that the survey will be used for education and outreach efforts.
Calendar
April 8: New York Chef to Present Shivvers Lecture
Dan Barber, co-owner and executive chef of Manhattan’s Blue Hill restaurant and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, New York, will present “Beyond Farm-to-Table: The Future of Food” on April 8 at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. His talk is the 2015 Shivvers Memorial Lecture coordinated by the Leopold Center.
April 14-15: Interlocking the Pieces for Global Food Security
The Global Food Security Consortium and the Seed Science Center will welcome experts from around the world April 14 and 15 to discuss the components necessary for addressing global food security. The symposium, titled Interlocking the Pieces for Global Food Security, will be held at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center in Ames. To attend, register by April 13. More
April 14: Agricultural Entomologist to Present Staniforth Lecture
Michael Gray, professor of agricultural entomology in the department of crop sciences at the University of Illinois, will present the 2015 David W. Staniforth Memorial Lecture on April 14 at 4:10 p.m. in 210 Bessey Hall. Gray will speak on “Managing Pests in the Transgenic Era: Is the Integration in IPM an All But Forgotten Consideration?” A reception will follow in the Agronomy Commons. More
April 22: Assistant Professor P&T Workshop – 4:10 to 5:30 p.m. in 1951 Food Sciences Building.
April 23: Associate Professor P&T Workshop – 4:10 to 5:30 p.m. in 142 Curtiss Hall.
April 24: Retirement Reception Honoring Larry Johnson – 1:30 to 4 p.m. in the Memorial Union Campanile Room.
April 28: Science With Practice Poster Presentation – 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the Kildee Hall Atrium.
May 6: P&T Mirroring Session – 12 to 1:30 p.m. in 142 Curtiss Hall. RSVP to Carla Persaud (cpersaud@iastate.edu) by April 27.
Funding Opportunities
Regents Innovation Fund Grants Competition
The Office of Economic Development and Industry Relations, supported by an Iowa economic development appropriation to the Board of Regents, is accepting applications for grants designed to expand the commercialization of ISU technology. Up to $50,000 for six months per project will support ISU innovations with commercial potential. An additional $50,000 for six months may be available for successful projects. One-to-one matching is required. Proposals can be sent to industry@iastate.edu by May 31.
NIH Advice When Considering an R03 Grant Application
NIH R03 grants are ideal for small feasibility studies, nudging an ongoing interest in a new direction or developing or fine-tuning methodology. R03s are limited to two-year award periods and $100,000 maximum funding limits. Projects must be tightly focused and meet the time and funding limits. More
FY 2016 ISU International Grants Program
The ISU Council on International Programs is accepting applications for grants to support individual and group projects that expand the number of students who participate in study abroad. Twelve to 15 awards of up to $5,000 each will support the development of new programs or substantial expansion of existing programs. Grants must focus on the student learning mission area. Applications are due May 4.
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.
May 19: National Pork Board Spring Call 2015; pre-harvest pork safety and PRRS, match encouraged. More
May 22: Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship - Conservation Research and Demonstration Projects; $50,000 over two years. More
May 31: Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences; accomplishments in life sciences broadly defined, up to six prizes of $3 million each. More
June 1 (pre-application): USDA NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative/Citrus Disease Research and Extension; $50,000 to $7 million.
June 5: NIH Research Projects to Enhance Applicability of Mouse Models for Translational Research (R01); $1.35 million direct costs over three years. More
June 5: NIH Collaborative Research Projects to Enhance Applicability of Mouse Models for Translational Research (Collaborative R01); $1.35 million direct costs over three years. More
June 9: NSF Innovation Corps Sites Program (I-Corps Sites); one proposal per organization. More
June 24: NSF Big Data Regional Innovation Hubs; $1.25 million for up to three years, one proposal per organization. More
Sept. 5 (letter of intent): NIH Diet and Physical Activity Assessment Methodology (R01). More
Continuous through Mar. 31, 2017: US Army BAA for Basic and Applied Scientific Research for FY 2012 through 2017. More
Communications Kiosk
Using a Semicolon to Link Independent Clauses
Use a semicolon when a coordinating conjunction such as “and,” “but” or “for” is not present. For example: The package was due last week; it arrived today. If a coordinating conjunction is present, use a semicolon before it only if extensive punctuation also is required in one or more of the individual clauses. For example: They pulled their boats from the water, sandbagged the retaining walls and boarded up the windows; but even with these precautions, the island was hard-hit by the hurricane. Unless a particular literary effect is desired, however, the better approach in these circumstances is to break the independent clauses into separate sentences. (The Associated Press Stylebook, 49th ed., 2014)
Infograzing
Communicating Science in a Networked World
Alison Van Eenennaam, 2014 recipient of the Borlaug CAST Communication Award, will present “Communicating Science in a Networked World” on April 16, 8 to 10 a.m., at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Van Eenennaam is an animal genomics and biotechnology Cooperative Extension specialist in the department of animal science at the University of California, Davis.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Julie Stewart, Editor
jstewart@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5616
https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/agonline
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online, the newsletter for faculty and staff in Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is published by email every Monday. The deadline for submitting content is 12 p.m. on Friday.