College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Aug. 31, 2015 – No. 865
Top Stories
Avian Influenza Impacts Fall Classes and Research
Classes for about 500 students at ISU’s poultry teaching and research farm have been cancelled for fall semester due to the threat of a resurgence of avian influenza. The Department of Animal Science is minimizing traffic to the facility located south of campus to safeguard a flock of rare chickens used for research. The story includes information from Jodi Sterle, the department’s teaching section leader, and Susan Lamont, in charge of genetics research at the poultry farm. More
Research
Schnable on Genotyping by Sequencing in Crops
Patrick Schnable, agronomy and director of the Plant Sciences Institute and the Center for Plant Genomics, talked with GenomeWeb about genotyping by sequencing in an article that ran Aug. 25. Schnable was among the early adopters of sequencing in the crop research community, moving to the technology more than half a decade ago after relying on high-density microarrays to study maize. More
Teaching and Students
CyHire Now Available to Faculty
CyHire, the ISU web-based job search tool for students and employers, is now accessible to faculty. Those with high teaching and advising appointments may find this useful. Register via https://cyhire.iastate.edu/. Click on the “Faculty” icon and complete the short registration process. Once registered, faculty will be able to search job postings (full-time and internship), browse the employer database (18,000 organizations) and view career-related events. Call the CALS Career Services office at 4-4725 with questions.
Student Talks Issues with Six GOP Presidential Candidates
Kelsi Wolever, a junior in environmental science and economics, talked with six presidential candidates at the Iowa State Fair before returning to school Aug. 24. A summer intern at the Environmental Law and Policy Center, Wolever asked them about sustainability, renewable energy and preserving natural resources. Read about Wolever, the candidates’ attitudes and their level of interest in renewable energy and sustainability in an Aug. 26 article posted on the CBS News website. More
Application for Land O’ Lakes Global Food Challenge Due Sept. 25
Sophomore students interested in exploring solutions to world hunger and inspired to help solve the global food challenge are encouraged to apply for the Land O’ Lakes, Inc. Global Food Challenge: Emerging Leaders for Food Security program. The year-long fellowship program begins in October and offers experience and leadership skills outside the classroom, travel to Washington, D.C. and Africa as part of an 11-week paid summer internship, an opportunity to solve real-world agricultural issues through “challenge” assignments, and participation in a number of special events. On-campus information sessions will be held Wednesday, Sept. 2: Ag Career Seminar at 12 p.m. in 1 Carver; ABE Sophomore Class at 4 p.m. in 22 Sukup Hall; Information Session for Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Engineering and Business at 5 p.m. in 13 Curtiss Hall.
Top Reasons to Choose ISU for Your Next Adventure
As another school year starts, a banner on the ISU homepage has some returning students share why they think you should come to Iowa State for your next adventure. Dominique Banks, a senior in genetics, said “I love the campus. It’s my favorite thing about Iowa State.” Neil Gerstein, a recent graduate in economics and global resource systems, said the study abroad program will change your life. “We have an awesome study abroad center on campus. Study abroad…was an integral part of my undergraduate experience.” Shannon Writt, junior in biology, said she tells friends that transfer to ISU to join a club. “That’s where you find your family away from home. That’s how I got comfortable here – when I find found, you know, my people.”
Academic All-Staters Choose Iowa State…and CALS
ISU attracts more students from the Des Moines Register’s Academic All-State Team than any other college or university in the nation. All-Staters beginning their adventure in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences include: Emily Cook (Eldora), agricultural business; Abigail Hansen (Woodward-Granger), agronomy; Sophie Kock (Avoca), global resource systems; Morgan Kroymann (Solon), biology; Spencer Pech (Arlington), agricultural engineering; and Heather Wilson (Eagle Grove), agronomy. More
Extension and Outreach
Half of Iowa Farmers Haven’t Identified Successors
Many farmers nearing retirement have not identified successors who will take over their operations, according to the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll: 2014 Summary Report. Survey questions were developed in collaboration with staff from Iowa State’s Beginning Farmer Center. J. Gordon Arbuckle Jr., sociology, is co-director of the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll.
Research Guides Farmers in Harvest and Winter Storage Plans
Grain drying research and case studies conducted by Mark Hanna, agricultural and biosystems engineering and Extension and Outreach specialist, can help farmers as they plan for harvest and winter storage. The case study results are featured in an updated publication, “Energy Consumption during Grain Drying.” More
Around the College
Youngs and Russell Among 20 Influential Farm Animal Professors
Curtis Youngs and James Russell, animal science, are among “20 Influential Farm Animal Veterinary Professors” featured on the VetTechColleges.com blog. They were chosen for being highly influential in the world of farm and food animal care and growth. More
Optimism, Support Help Professor Overcome Illness, Return to Teaching
Tom Baas, a member of the animal science faculty since 1994, is back to teaching and advising this fall after being diagnosed with leukemia. Baas is in remission and told the Iowa State Daily that he feels closer to normal every day. In an Aug. 25 article, Baas tells how optimism and support helped him overcome his illness and return to teaching.
Calendar
Sept 2: Reception for Paul Lasley, Sociology
Paul Lasley has returned to the faculty after 13 years as chair of the Department of Sociology. To honor his years of service, a reception is being held Sept. 2, 4:30 p.m. in the Harl Commons, Curtiss Hall. Refreshments will be provided.
Sept. 3: Feeding the World Seminar Series
The Feeding the World seminar series will begin its ninth year on Sept. 3, 3:40 p.m. in 1204 Kildee Hall. Authors David Acker, Dorothy Masinde, Rob Mazur, Gail Nonnecke, Max Rothschild and Mark Westgate will discuss their book, “Tapping Philanthropy for Development.”
Sept. 4: Ticket Sales Open for 2015 Bacon Expo
Tickets go on sale Friday, Sept. 4, for the 2015 Bacon Expo, scheduled for Oct. 10, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. A student-powered event, the Bacon Expo is dedicated to expanding the horizons of bacon lovers and educating the public about pork production.
Sept. 22: CALS Fall Convocation
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Fall Convocation is scheduled for Sept. 22 at 4:10 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. The program will include brief comments from Dean Wendy Wintersteen and recognition for the College’s new faculty and staff since last fall. A reception will follow.
Sept. 23: Brenton Center Lunch and Learn
September’s Lunch and Learn, 12 to 1 p.m. in 8 Curtiss Hall, will provide faculty teaching online through CALS an opportunity to meet Brenton Center staff and learn about technology, support and services available to them.
Funding Opportunities
National Academy of Sciences Award Nominations due Oct. 1
The National Academy of Sciences is accepting nominations for awards to be presented in 2016. Self-nominations are not accepted. Joint nominations will only be considered when nominees have collaborated closely - usually in the same laboratory - on the work to be recognized by the award. More
NIFA Webinar to Obtain Stakeholder Feedback on Center of Excellence Implementation
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture will hold a webinar at noon on Sept. 3 for anyone interested in providing feedback on NIFA’s implementation of the Center of Excellence provision from the 2014 Farm Bill. More
RFA for Regional Center Grants to Enhance Food Safety Terminated and Replaced
On Aug. 27, the Food and Drug Administration terminated RFA-FD-15-003 for the National Training, Education, Extension, Outreach and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program: Regional Center Grants to Enhance Food Safety. Also on Aug. 27, an opportunity of the same title was released as RFA-FD-16-005. Applications submitted in response to RFA-FD-15-003 will not be reviewed. Letters of intent for RFA-FD-16-005 are due Oct. 1. More
ISU Internal Competition Cancelled for Indo-U.S. 21st Century Knowledge Initiative
The Office of the VPR has cancelled the internal competition for the Indo-U.S. 21st Century Knowledge Initiative. A team from ISU was recently awarded funding through the program, making ISU ineligible to apply for the current round of applications.
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.
Rolling basis (letter of intent): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Evidence for Action: Investigator-Initiated Research to Build a Culture of Health.
Sept. 8 (letter of intent): DOE Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I; universities as sub-contractors. More
Sept. 28 (concept papers continuously accepted during open period): DOE Innovative Development in Energy-Related Applied Science; $500,000. More
Oct. 16: NIH - CDC Small Business Innovation Research Program; universities as sub-contractor. More
Oct. 30: Jeanie Borlaug Laube Women in Triticum Early Career Award Borlaug Global Rust Initiative; funding to attend workshop and training at CIMMYT. More
Jan. 1, 2016: The Glaucoma Foundation 2016 Research Projects; $40,000, exfoliation syndrome and exfoliation glaucoma.
Jan. 15, 2016: Dear Colleague Letter: Special Guidelines for Submitting Collaborative Proposals under the U.S. NSF/BIO/IOS – U.S.-Israel BSF International Collaborative Research Opportunity – Division of Integrative Organismal Systems Core Programs Solicitation. More
Jan. 25, 2016 (pre-proposal): NSF Long Term Research in Environmental Biology; $90,000 per year for five years. More
May 5 (letter of intent): NIH Understanding Factors in Infancy and Early Childhood (Birth to 24 months) That Influence Obesity Development (R01). More
Communications Kiosk
Master the Art of PowerPoint
Author Karin Hurt shared several ways to improve a PowerPoint presentation in the Aug. 24 issue of Advancement Weekly, published by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
- Simplify text – “Keep to the rule of one point per slide and make your point pop.”
- Use clean fonts – “Don’t use more than three fonts. If you have to reduce font size to less than 24 pt, you’re cramming too much in.”
- Let heading tell a story – “Go through the presentation and just read the headings. If your headings don’t tell a coherent story on their own, revise them.”
- Use compelling visuals – “Don’t use clip art. Instead find clean photographs that tell your story. If the image doesn’t enhance the meaning, leave it out.”
- End with a call to action – “Ask your audience for what you need or want them to do.”
- Create a separate leave-behind document – “If you want to capture your primary audience’s attention, build a few slides that truly support your main ideas. Then create a separate document with additional detail and supporting data.”
Marginalia
10 Things This Instructor Loves
Jane Dmochowski, a teaching faculty member in earth and environmental science at the University of Pennsylvania, posted the following list of “10 Things This Instructor Loves” on her course website. More http://chronicle.com/article/10-Things-This-Instructor/232483/
- Students.
- Students who come to class with an open mind.
- Students who come to my class to fulfill a requirement but decide to make the most of the experience.
- Students who give eye contact during a lecture.
- Students who come to me when they need help.
- Students who aren’t afraid to ask questions.
- Students who tell me not just that they enjoyed my course, but why.
- Students who have their own ideas.
- Students who give me unique and powerful things to say in a letter of recommendation.
- Students who are fully engaged in the learning process.
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.