College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Aug. 14, 2017
Top Stories
Meat Science Short Course – 39 Years of Sausage
Sixty-one participants from 20 states and nine countries traveled to campus for ISU’s 39th annual Sausage and Processed Meats Short Course, held July 17-21. The Iowa State Meat Science Extension Program hosts the short course, which annually shares trends and technology with meat industry professionals. The course is unique because participants have the opportunity to make the products. Towards the end of the week, participants, speakers and others involved in the short course were invited to Wurstfest, where guests may sample 42 different types of processed meat products made in conjunction with the course. More
Research
New Study Tracks Nonnative Plant Species and Prairie Phenology
The introduction of exotic, nonnative plant species to U.S. grasslands has led to changes in prairie phenology, or the timing of season changes. A new study from Brian Wilsey, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, details the magnitude of those changes. More
NSF Grant Aims to Use Big Data to Improve Crops
Patrick Schnable, agronomy and director of the Plant Sciences Institute, is part of a multistate, multidisciplinary research team that received a 3-year, $1.2 million grant to help biologists sift through large amounts of data on plant traits and the environment. The team will focus on improving understanding of the interaction between genes and the environment to create better corn crops. More
Teaching and Students
Wintersteen: Student Entrepreneurs Drive Agriculture Technology
Dean Wendy Wintersteen and Andy Thulin, dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, discussed how their respective schools foster entrepreneurship, as well as bottom-line challenges facing the farming industry during a recent appearance on the CUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s mobile livestreaming studio during this year’s FOOD IT: Fork to Farm.
Graduate Student Research on Woodchip Bioreactors
Emily Martin, graduate student in environmental science, provided an update on her graduate student research grant program in an Aug. 3 blog for the Iowa Water Center. Her project, “Enhancing phosphate removal in woodchip bioreactors,” is conducted with advisor Michelle Soupir, agricultural and biosystems engineering. More
CALS Student Named 53rd Iowa State Fair Queen
Jacqueline Ehrlich, sophomore in agricultural biochemistry, was named the 53rd Iowa State Fair queen at Saturday’s coronation on the Anne and Bill Riley Stage. As part of her prize, Ehrlich will receive a $3,000 scholarship from the fair and a $5,000 scholarship from former Gov. Terry Branstad. More
Extension and Outreach
Takle Concerned about Increased Humidity
Gene Takle, agronomy and director of ISU’s climate science program and one of the architects of the seventh annual Iowa Climate Statement, told a Statehouse news conference that “absolute humidity” has increased statewide by 8 percent to 23 percent since 1971 and scientists have “good evidence” the rise is because of increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that likely will increase in the future. The statement was endorsed by 190 science faculty, researchers and educators from 39 Iowa colleges and universities. More
Peters on Iowa Poverty Statistics during Recession
Iowa Farmer Today interviewed David Peters, sociology, about poverty in the last decade of economic instability. Peters said Iowa’s micropolitan areas, defined as counties with a city between 10,000 to 50,000 people, experienced unexpected spikes in poverty as the U.S. economy entered recession in December 2007. More
New Emerald Ash Borer Resources Available
New forestry resources are available from ISU Extension and Outreach to assist with emerald ash borer management decisions. The extension forestry team has released three new publications to assist in making informed decisions about hiring arborists and selecting replacement trees. More
Field Day to Focus on New Agronomy Crop Forecasting Project
A CALS project to forecast and evaluate real-time soil and crop conditions in specific fields will be the subject of a field day Aug. 24 at the Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy Farm near Boone. Speakers include Kendall Lamkey, Sotirios Archontoulis, Mike Castellano, Andy Vanloocke and Mark Licht, agronomy, and Dennis Today, National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment. More
Research Farm Field Day to Highlight Crop Markets and Pest Management
The Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Nashua will host a field day on Aug. 25, 1 to 4:15 p.m., with information for the upcoming harvest. Speakers include Chad Hart, economics; Alison Robertson, plant pathology and microbiology; and Bob Hartzler, agronomy. More
Around the College
Smith Honored with ASTA Lifetime Honorary Membership Award
Stephen Smith, visiting scientist in the agronomy department and with the Seed Science Center, received the American Seed Trade Association’s Lifetime Honorary Member Award during its annual meeting in Minneapolis this summer. “He is known worldwide, well respected and deeply committed to the seed industry,” said ASTA Chair Mark Herrmann.
Wang Receives Society for In Vitro Biology Fellow Award
Kan Wang, agronomy, received the Society for In Vitro Biology Lifetime Achievement Award during its annual meeting this summer in Raleigh. The award recognizes Wang’s contributions and achievements in plant cell culture.
Darr Receives Young Researcher Award
Matt Darr, agricultural and biosystems engineering, received the New Holland Young Researcher Award at the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers annual meeting, July 16-19, in Spokane. The award recognizes the dedicated use of scientific methodology to discover facts or principles significant to the agricultural engineering profession. More
Borlaug Fellow from Rwanda Studies at ISU
Madjaliwa Nzamwita, a food scientist at the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board, spent three months at ISU as part of the Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program. Working with Dirk Maier, agricultural and Biosystems engineering, Nzamwita conducted research in post-harvest management, nutrition and food safety.
Biology Program Moves into New Labs in Bessey Hall Addition
Bessey Hall, home of the biology program, has a new four-story addition on the east side. The addition includes eight teaching laboratories and six research laboratories for biology faculty and staff. Last week, CALS staff and students, including many from the Iowa State Research Farms, helped move more than 500 boxes into the new biology labs. In addition to boxes, Mary Madsen, teaching laboratory coordinator for genetics, development and cell biology, organized the transition of skeletons and bones from 219 Science II to their new home in the Bessey Hall addition. More
Got Empty Milk Jugs? Contact NREM
Adam Janke, natural resource ecology and management, is in need of 100 empty one-gallon plastic milk or water jugs. He is working on a demonstration project related to a lead bullet fragmentation study. If you are able to contribute to the cause, contact Janke at ajanke@iastate.edu, 4-7429.
Calendar
Sept. 2: Annual CALS Alumni BBQ
CALS faculty, staff and guests are invited to join the college at the annual barbecue on Sept. 2, 3 to 6 p.m. at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center prior to the ISU vs. UNI football game at 7 p.m. BBQ attendees will enjoy complimentary Hickory Park BBQ and Dairy Science Club ice cream, networking with CALS alumni and friends, and hands-on activities from CALS student organizations. Shuttle service will be provided to and from the stadium. Register to attend by August 21. More
Sept. 2: Volunteers Needed for Annual CALS Alumni BBQ
Similar to previous years, faculty and staff may volunteer in various roles to welcome guests to the BBQ. Approximately 500 CALS alumni and friends are expected to attend. Register to volunteer by Aug. 21.
- Registration (2:30-4 p.m. or 4-5:30 p.m.)
- Greeting (2:30-4 p.m. or 4-5:30 p.m.)
- Beverage service—(2:30-4 p.m. or 4-5:30 p.m.)
- Tear down (5:30-6:30 p.m.)
Funding Opportunities
Web-Based Listening Session for Education Grant Programs, Aug. 24
The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture is seeking stakeholder input regarding the Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program and the National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Program Request for Applications in FY 2018. NIFA is interested in achieving the maximum impact and identifying suggested priorities in these workforce development programs. The listening session will be held on Aug. 24 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. More
FFAR Virtual Briefing on Innovation Investment Opportunities, Aug. 24
Sally Rockey, executive director of the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, will hold a public briefing on FFAR's recent investments in agricultural innovation. The briefing will include an update on the latest FFAR program launches, how best to share innovative agriculture research ideas with FFAR, a preview of opportunities and 2018-2019 priorities, and an open Q&A session. The webinar will be held on Aug. 24 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. 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. 16, Feb. 15 (required letter of intent): FDA Scientific Conference Grant Program (R13); $25,000 to $50,000. More
Aug. 27 (letter of intent): NIH Dual Purpose with Dual Benefit: Research in Biomedicine and Agriculture Using Agriculturally Important Domestic Animal Species (R01). More
Sept. 12 (pre-proposal - letter of intent): National Pork Board Human Nutrition (dietary pork); protein in a healthy diet, cardiometabolic well-being, dietary nutrients and functions. More
Sept. 22: EPA Gulf of Mexico Program Farmer to Farmer Cooperative Agreements RFP; two awards up to $1 million each, improve water quality, habitat and environmental education in the Mississippi River Basin. More
Sept. 25, Jan. 25: NIH NIAID Investigator Initiated Program Project Applications (P01). More
Oct. 10 (pre-proposal): NOAA FY18 Saltonstall-Kennedy Competition; fisheries research, $300,000. More
Oct. 20: NSF Energy for Sustainability. More
Nov. 6 (letter of intent): NIH NIAID Research Education Program (R25). More
Dec. 1: American Jersey Cattle Association; awards average $7,500 per project. More
Communications Kiosk
Best-Read Emails Sent in the Morning
People generally like reading emails early in the morning, according to a study by Boomerang for Gmail. The study reports that the best time to send an email is 6 a.m. This makes sense, writes Alyse Kalish, associate editor for The Muse, in a recent blog post. Professionals often choose to deal with their emails when they’re not deeply engaged in work; many do so before they get to the office.
Infograzing
Faces of Iowa State Exhibit Opens Aug. 21 at Brunnier Museum
The Faces of Iowa State portrait exhibition will open at the Brunnier Art Museum on Aug. 21. Faculty and staff are invited to a welcome reception at 4:30 to 6 p.m. Iowa artist Rose Frantzen painted 19 portraits at the Iowa State Fair last August and 13 more portraits in March during a nine-day residency on campus. The portraits make up the Faces of Iowa State exhibition. Portraits sponsored by CALS are: Grace Obata Amemiya, Marcia Borel, Joe Lyon and Paxton Williams. More
Marginalia
Fourteen and Farming
“Summer is here, I wake up and I farm…I work the land beside my dad, my grandfather, my uncles and our crew. I can’t imagine a life any better than this. I leap out of bed, thinking a little about what’s going to get packed in my lunchbox, A LOT about what piece of equipment I am going to run on this day… I am 14, I am the farm.” Published on July 31 in Morning Ag Clips about a young farmer in New York. 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.
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