College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Sept. 18, 2017
Top Stories
New Short Courses for Emerging Seed Leaders
The ISU Graduate Program in Seed Technology and Business has created a short course that addresses the rapidly changing advancements in agriculture from both a seed technology and business perspective. The course is divided into two parts: Seed Science and Technology on Nov. 6-10 and Seed Business Management on Feb. 5-9. Participants in the fall session will take part in hands-on demonstrations led by faculty from ISU’s Seed Technology and Business Graduate Program, Seed Science Center, CALS and the College of Business. Guest speakers, discussion sessions and tours of Iowa State labs and a local seed industry facility will be included.
Research
CALS Research Uses Light to Neutralize Livestock Odors
Jacek Koziel, agricultural and biosystems engineering, and his team are using black light to help neutralize the volatile components that make up objectionable odors. A paper in the June 10 issue of the journal Atmosphere describes the work in the lab that has led to a test in an Iowa swine facility. More
Iowa Nutrient Research Center Funds 11 New Projects
The Iowa Nutrient Research Center has funded 11 new projects related to water quality. Researchers from Iowa State and the University of Iowa will collaborate on the projects with those from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Iowa Soybean Association, the Nature Conservancy and East Carolina University. This is the fifth year the center has funded research. More
High-Skilled Jobs and Iowa’s Economy
A shortage of high-skilled jobs is a primary factor driving Iowa’s brain drain, according to a new analysis by Dave Swenson and Liesl Eathington, economics. The data show Iowa produces more educated employees than its economy can use. More
Teaching and Students
CALS ADVANCE Co-Sponsors Workshop on Diversity and Inclusion
CALS ADVANCE is co-sponsoring a workshop on diversity and inclusion by the Cornell Interactive Theatre Ensemble on Oct. 24 in the Memorial Union South Ballroom. Two sessions will be offered: 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. CITE scenarios are multidimensional, revealing the dynamics of diversity issues and the dynamics of human interaction around those issues. Registration deadline is Oct. 12 or when program capacity is reached; there is no registration fee. Log in to Learn@ISU to register.
Women’s Leadership Workshop for CALS Graduate Students
A Women’s Leadership Workshop series has been planned to empower female graduate students and post-docs across CALS to achieve their career ambitions. From Dean Wintersteen speaking about the valued qualities of STEM professionals to gaining confidence and embracing risk from Rita Mumm of the University of Illinois, topics are designed with women in mind. Sessions are held once a month, beginning on Sept. 19, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Elings Hall. Food and beverages will be provided. Please register and indicate if you would be interested in childcare. The workshop series is organized by faculty and graduate students in the department of agronomy, with funding from the department, the CALS Advance program and the vice president of diversity and inclusion.
CALS Technology Advancement Committee Call for Proposals
The CALS Technology Advancement Committee is accepting proposals from faculty, staff and students for improving technology that benefits student learning. Contact Gaylan Scofield, TAC chair, for proposal guidelines (ggs@iastate.edu). Proposals are due by 1 p.m. on Oct. 2.
Animal Science Student Receives Scholarship from Land O’Lakes
Erin Horst, animal science Ph.D. student under the direction of Lance Baumgard, has being awarded a $25,000 scholarship from the Land O'Lakes Foundation to support her studies in dairy cattle immunology. The John Brandt Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to graduate or Ph.D. students who have shown exceptional aptitude in dairy, food science or agribusiness-related research. More
Extension and Outreach
Animal Scientists Help Plan Big Data and Livestock Production Conference
Nick Serao, James Koltes and James Reecy, animal science, have been involved in developing the vision and agenda for the Livestock HTP and Big Data conference, scheduled for Nov. 13-14 in Beltsville, Md. The program is billed as groundbreaking in nature for animal science, with the specific purpose of stimulating the expansion of high-throughput data use and creating vision and strategy to apply these data to production agriculture.
Around the College
Weber Named Harmon Family Professor in Forestry
Mike Weber, natural resource ecology and management, has been named the Harmon Family Professor in Forestry. Weber was awarded the professorship in a medallion ceremony at the CALS convocation on Sept. 12. More
Helmers and Nikolau Receive Kolmer Applied Research Award
Matt Helmers and Basil Nikolau received the Dean Lee R. Kolmer Award for Excellence in Applied Research at the CALS convocation on Sept. 12. Helmers, agricultural and biosystems engineering, holds the Dean’s Professorship in CALS, is leader of the nitrate team for the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy and is nationally recognized for his research on cropping system management and field drainage. Nikolau, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, is director of the Center for Metobolic Biology, director of the W.M. Keck Metobolomics Research Laboratory, deputy director of the NSF-funded Engineering Research Center for biorenewable Chemicals and is recognized national and internationally as an expert in plant metabolic biology. More
ISU Signs MOU with Israeli Agricultural Research Organization
ISU has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Agricultural Research Organization located in Rishon Le Zion, Israel. The partnership will focus on the development of the institutions’ research programs. Sarah Nusser, vice president for research, signed the MOU while on a trade and investment mission trip to Israel with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. The points of contact at ISU for this agreement are Nusser and CALS Dean Wendy Wintersteen.
ABE Number One in U.S. News and World Report Rankings
The Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering is tied for number one in the annual ranking of undergraduate programs by U.S. News and World Report. More
Two More Listening Sessions Scheduled for Leopold Center
Two more listening sessions are scheduled for this month to gather input on the future of the Leopold Center – Sept. 19, 6 to 8 p.m. at Dordt College in Sioux Center; Sept. 26, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Johnson County Extension Office in Iowa City. The listening sessions are free and open to the public. More
ISU Horticulture Station Celebrates 50th Anniversary
The ISU Horticulture Station celebrated its 50th anniversary on Sept. 16 at the farm. Learn more about the history of the Horticulture Station, research milestones and student experiences from Nick Howell, superintendent, in a video on the CALS website. The Horticulture Station anniversary also was featured in the Iowa State Daily.
Website Ranks ISU Among Best for Agricultural Sciences
ISU was ranked the third best college for agricultural sciences in a recent posting by Niche, a website that provides readers with information on choosing schools, from K-12 up through college. The Best Colleges for Agricultural Sciences ranking is based on key statistics and student reviews using data from the U.S. Department of Education. More
New Faculty and Staff Recognized at CALS Fall Convocation
A list of faculty and staff that joined CALS during FY2017 was distributed to participants at the college’s fall convocation on Sept. 12. The list is available online.
Wes Buchele, ABE Emeritus Professor, Dies
Wesley Buchele, emeritus professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering, died Sept. 13. He was 97. Buchele joined ISU in 1963 and was awarded 23 patents prior to his retirement in 1989, the two most notable being the large round baler and the axial-flow or helical-flow threshing cylinder for combines. Visitation is Friday, Sept. 22, 6 to 8 p.m. at Collegiate United Methodist Church in Ames. More
Peter Peterson, Agronomy and GDCB Emeritus Professor, Dies
Peter Peterson, emeritus professor in agronomy and in genetics, development and cell biology, died Sept. 7. He was 92. Peterson joined ISU in 1956 and his research focused on maize genetics and plant breeding. He retired in 2013, after 57 years at ISU. More
Calendar
Sept. 21: North Central Regional AAAE Meeting
CALS hosts the North Central Regional meeting of the American Association for Agricultural Education beginning Thursday, Sept. 21, at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center. The annual meeting includes a research conference with paper presentations, posters and innovative idea posters. There will be two professional development tracks Friday: online learning with the Brenton Center and experiential learning with the Ag450 Farm and neighboring teaching/research farms. Also scheduled are committee meetings, an annual business meeting and an awards breakfast. An undergraduate program introduces students to the profession and related scholarship as well as provides leadership and personal development training. More
Sept. 26: Women and Philanthropy Workshop
CALS is a co-sponsor of the Women and Philanthropy Workshop, scheduled for Sept. 26, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center. The keynote speaker is Debra Mesch, director of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. More
Sept. 26-28: Agricultural Entrepreneurship Week
The Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative will be celebrating Agricultural Entrepreneurship Week Sept. 26-28 with a variety of activities for continued learning and exploration. A schedule of events is available online. More
Oct. 2: Deal Endowed Leadership Lecture
Joe Kerns, risk management consultant and president of Kerns and Associates, will present the 2017 William K. Deal Endowed Leadership Lecture on Oct. 5, 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. More
Research Development Announcements and Funding Opportunities
USDA Accepting Applications for 2018 Borlaug Fellowships
USDA is accepting applications for the 2018 Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program. The program offers training and collaborative research opportunities to scientists, researchers and policymakers from 40 eligible countries. Fellows will work one-on-one with a mentor at a U.S. university, research center or government agency, usually for eight to 12 weeks. The U.S. mentor will later visit the fellow’s home institution to continue collaboration. Applications are due by Nov. 5. More
NSF Invites Topics to Accelerate Research through International Collaboration
The National Science Foundation has issued a Dear Colleague Letter inviting white papers on topics in science, engineering and/or STEM education that are ripe for international network-to-network collaboration. Topics should hold the potential to accelerate discovery and advance research outcomes. Research areas with sufficient maturity to have a nascent, but not well-established, network of researchers in the U.S. and abroad are of particular interest. Interdisciplinary research ideas are encouraged, though ideas are welcome in any area funded by NSF. There should be potential to link multiple networks, leading to a network of networks. White papers are due by Nov. 30. No funding is associated with this call for white papers. More
USDA Listening Opportunity for Stakeholder Feedback
USDA has published a Federal Register Notice, "Stakeholder Listening Opportunity for Priorities in Research, Education and Extension.” This opportunity allows stakeholders to provide feedback on top priorities in food and agricultural research, extension or education that NIFA should address, and the most promising science opportunities for advancement of food and agricultural sciences. Listening sessions will be organized throughout the U.S. to obtain input from all stakeholders. Individuals interested in attending in-person must RSVP no later than Oct. 12. Written comments must be received by Dec. 1. More
Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu. Additional information is posted at CALS Pre-Award Resources.
Communications Kiosk
Farther vs. Further
Farther refers to physical distance: He walked farther into the woods. Further refers to an extension of time or degree: She will look further into the mystery. (Associated Press Stylebook, 2016, pg. 103)
Marginalia
GIS Specialist Helps ISU Show Land-grant Legacy through Online Maps
The ISU Land Grant Legacy Project tells the history of Iowans’ connections to each other, the land and ISU by sharing stories about how Iowa’s land grant came to be and the accomplishments of those with ties to the university. The ISU Extension and Outreach Geospatial Technology program in Community and Economic Development created a digital map based on records collected from the Iowa State Historical Building. GIS specialist Bailey Hanson created online, interactive parcel maps from land sales archive data. 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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