College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
July 20, 2015 – No. 859
Top Stories
Carver Intern Develops Poultry Quiz Bowl
Zachary Brown, one of 29 students participating in the George Washington Carver Internship program this summer, is tackling curricula covering everything from genetics to poultry to cattle. He has developed a poultry quiz to be used at county fairs this summer, to fill the gap left by the cancellation of poultry exhibits due to the Avian Flu outbreak. More
Research
Wang and Schnable Part of “Plant Sciences Milestones”
The American Society of Plant Biologists has launched the Plant Sciences Milestones timeline of major events and activities in plant biology. The initial draft begins in the 1920s and includes work by Kan Wang, agronomy, in 2007 on nanotechnology penetrating plant cell walls, and Patrick Schnable, agronomy, in 2009 on publishing the corn genome. Additional entries may be submitted.
Teaching and Students
Graduate Student Wins Global Innovation Challenge
Hanyu Yangcheng, a CALS graduate student in food science and human nutrition, won first place at the Institute of Food Technologists Global Student Innovation Challenge, July 11-14 in Chicago. Yangcheng created KIK, a food stabilizer system that has the potential to revolutionize dairy products by making them taste and feel better, and last longer. Stephanie Clark is Yangcheng’s advisor. More
Graduate Student Wins Best Student Research Paper
Lily Benner, a graduate student in food science and human nutrition, and advisor Stephanie Clark, won first place in best student research paper competition at the Institute of Food Technologists annual conference, July 11-14 in Chicago.
Student Interns Write Blog about Experiences at Reiman Gardens
The 10 student interns at Reiman Gardens this summer are writing a blog about their experiences. Four of the interns are CALS students: Marcelo Almeida de Oliveira, agricultural studies, is working on glasshouse display and greenhouse production; Jessica Mason, horticulture and biology, is working on garden and landscape maintenance; Sarah May, animal science, is working on entomology; and Dillon Timm, agricultural business, is working on turfgrass and irrigation maintenance.
Extension and Outreach
Responding to Avian Influenza Disaster in Iowa
ISU has played a significant role in the response to what some are calling the largest animal disease emergency in U.S. history – the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza. The July 15 issue of the Alliance for Iowa State newsletter provides an overview. More
Around the College
Rothschild Receives Morrison Award
Max Rothschild, distinguished professor of animal science, received the Morrison Award from the American Society of Animal Science at an awards ceremony in Orlando on July 13. An ASAS news release states, “Rothschild is considered one of the world’s foremost animal geneticists. He earned this title through his unique and highly productive research program, his exemplary activities as the U.S. Pig Genome Coordinator and his service and teaching in animal breeding and genetics.”
Bain to Speak on GMO Labeling at National Press Foundation Event
Carmen Bain, sociology, will speak on GMO labeling at a National Press Foundation program for 20 of its fellows in St. Louis on July 22. The program, “Food, From Farm to Table,” is supported by Monsanto, the Organic Trade Association, AARP Foundation and the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Miller Featured in Farm News
Laura Miller, communications director for the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, was featured in the July 17 issue of Farm News. “A real key to the Center’s success is the exchange of ideas coming from those of us focusing on our environment and landscape,” Miller said. “It’s especially meaningful when you see what this means to humanity in general, not only on a state, regional or national basis, but on a global basis.”
Funding Opportunities
USAID Accepting Expressions of Interest for Middle East Water Security Initiative
USAID’s Middle East Bureau is accepting Expressions of Interest for a Middle East Water Security Initiative. The initiative seeks participants to co-create, co-design, co-invest and collaborate in the research, development, piloting, testing and scaling of innovative, practical and cost-effective interventions to address water solutions to improve sustainable, long-term access to water. The initiative will target Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, West Bank/Gaza and Morocco. Expressions of Interest are Stage 1 of the application process and are due Sept. 18. More
Limited Submission: CALS Accepting Expressions of Interest for NSF S-STEM Program
The NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program seeks to increase the success of low-income academically talented students who are pursuing degrees in STEM. NSF limits applications to one per college. PIs whose primary appointment is in CALS should contact Joe Colletti (colletti@iastate.edu) by July 31 to express interest so the college can determine whether an internal competition is needed. More
NASA Iowa Space Grant Consortium Proposals Due Aug. 3
The NASA Iowa Space Grant Consortium is accepting applications for a Research Innovation Program. Awards will fund projects that develop new collaborations and conduct research important to NASA’s mission. Four awards of $10,000 are available, and cost share of 125 percent is required. Proposals are due Aug. 3.
NSF to Fund U.S.–China Joint Research Projects in Environmental Sustainability
The NSF Engineering Directorate and the National Natural Science Foundation of China Department of Engineering and Material Sciences are partnering to encourage joint research by U.S.-China teams collaborating on fundamental research that addresses critical environmental sustainability. The two topics of interest are Combustion Related to Sustainable Energy and Urban Water Sustainability. NSF will fund U.S. researchers of each winning team up to $500,000 total for four years. The NSFC will fund the China researchers of the winning teams. Proposals are due Oct. 20. More
Funding Information, Opportunities and Deadline Reminders
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu. Additional information is posted at CALS Pre-Award Resources.
Aug. 3 (pre-proposals for internal competition): NIH Nanomaterials Health Implications Research: Comprehensive Evaluation of Interactions between Engineered Nanomaterials and Biological Systems (U01); $300,000, one application per institution, contact Sue Shipitalo (sueship@iastate.edu) for information. More
Aug. 11: NIH NINDS CREATE Bio Discovery Track: Optimization in Preparation for Development of Biotechnology Products and Biologics (U44); application must be submitted by U.S. small business concern. More
Aug. 30 (letter of intent): NIH Nanomaterials Health Implications Research: Engineered Nanomaterials Resource and Coordination Core (U24); $500,000. More
Aug. 31: NIH Development of Therapeutic Products for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases. More
Sept. 5 (letter of intent): NIH High Throughput Screening to Discover Chemical Probes (R01). More
Sept. 15 (letter of intent): NIH Facile Methods and Technologies for Synthesis of Biomedically Relevant Carbohydrates (U01); $2 million. More
Sept. 15 (letter of intent): NIH Novel and Innovative Tools to Facilitate Identification, Tracking, Manipulation and Analysis of Glycans and their Functions (R21); $400,000. More
Sept. 15 (letter of intent): NIH Novel and Innovative Tools to Facilitate Identification, Tracking, Manipulation and Analysis of Glycans and their Functions (U01); $400,000 per year up to three years. More
Sept. 16 (letter of intent): NIH High Throughput Screening to Discover Chemical Probes (R21). More
Sept. 24: NIH NIAID Comprehensive Resources for HIV Microbicides and Biomedical Prevention. More
Oct. 20: NSF Energy for Sustainability. More
Nov. 3: NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Education and Human Resources (IUSE: EHR); $300,000 over three years. More
Infograzing
Alum Featured in Celebration of 1890 Land-grant Universities
Ever since their inception 125 years ago with passage of the Second Morrill Act, the 1890 land-grant universities have had a major impact on the lives of students in 18 states in the field of food and agricultural science. One alumnus of the 1890 LGU education system and CALS has created a program that provides students access to educational tools that weren’t accessible before. Read about Antoine Alston (PhD ’00 agricultural education), professor and associate dean for academic studies in North Carolina A&T State University’s School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, in USDA’s July 16 blog. More
Alum Part of Ag Growth Far from the Field
Technology has transformed farming, one of the Midwest’s biggest industries. And while fewer people are now needed to actually work the farms, new types of jobs keep many office workers tied to agriculture. Iowa Public Radio highlighted four examples on July 17, including CALS alum Johnna Decker (’15 ag comm). More
Farm Foundation Organizes Workshop in Ames on FDA Requirements
Stewardship of medically-important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals is the focus of a workshop in Ames on Sept. 16, one of 12 organized across the U.S. by the Farm Foundation. The workshops are an opportunity for livestock producers, their feed suppliers and veterinarians to gain a comprehensive understanding of new requirements issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The workshops are free of charge, but registration is requested. More
Marginalia
Webcam at ISU Ag Farm Caught Tornado that Prompted Thursday’s Warning
The KCCI-TV webcam at the ISU Ag Farm caught the landspout that prompted the tornado warning for Ames on Thursday afternoon, just after 5 p.m. The landspout was reported to be briefly on the ground just south and east of the Ag Farm. The phenomenon is caused by a strong updraft in the storm causing some spin near a boundary to be stretched into a fast spinning vortex. More
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.