College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
March 26, 2018
Top Stories
Iowa Monarch Consortium Receives Leadership Award
The Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium was one of four groups presented the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Leader Awards at the Iowa Agriculture Leaders dinner on March 6. CALS leaders in entomology accepted the award on behalf of the consortium, including Steven Bradbury, Sue Blodgett, Jacque Pohl and Dana Schweitzer. The consortium is a community-led organization whose mission is to enhance monarch butterfly reproduction and survival in Iowa through collaborative and coordinated efforts of farmers, private citizens and their organizations. The awards were created to recognize, honor and promote Iowa citizens, companies and organization who have made significant contributions to Iowa’s agriculture industry. More
Lawrence Named Vice President for ISU Extension and Outreach
After a nationwide search, John Lawrence has been appointed vice president for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Lawrence, who has been serving as interim vice president since March 2017, previously served as associate dean in CALS, and director of extension and outreach. He will begin serving in the permanent role immediately. More
Listening Sessions for CALS Dean Search Today and Friday
The search committee for the next CALS dean will host two open forums this week to provide more information on the search and solicit feedback from the university community on characteristics they would like to see in the next dean. Both forums will be live streamed to allow off-campus stakeholders to participate, and viewers may also submit questions. The first session is today, March 26, noon to 1 p.m. in the Memorial Union Gold Room. (Live webinar. Join by phone: (669) 900-6833 – ID# 295238679.) The second session will be held Friday, March 30, 4 to 5 p.m. in 1951 Food Sciences Building, CCUR Auditorium. (Live webinar. Join by phone: (669) 900-6833 – ID# 298365885.) Questions may be submitted during each session by using the chat window in the webinar, or via email to calsforum@iastate.edu.
Research
Koziel Tests New Solutions to Carcass Disposal after Animal Health Emergencies
Experiments testing a hybrid method of disposing of animal carcasses following animal health emergencies could point the way toward safer and more efficient carcass burial, according to Jacek Koziel, agricultural and biosystems engineering. The results of the experiments were published recently in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Waste Management. More
Schalinske Receives PIRS Research Grant
Kevin Schalinske, food science and human nutrition, is one of four selected to receive funding in ISU’s fall 2017 Presidential Interdisciplinary Research Seed Grant Program. The awards are designed to support high-risk, high-reward projects that help researchers from different disciplines collaborate on groundbreaking research. Schalinske will be characterizing microRNAs, small nucleic acid molecules, and their effect on obesity.
Teaching and Students
Promoting Pork through Education
Ken Stalder, animal science and extension swine specialist, says PorkBridge and SowBridge are key programs for the success of pork producers across the nation and around the world. This month, the PorkBridge program starts its 13th year and SowBridge starts its 10th year of educational programs for producers, operators, owners, managers, employees and those advancing the industry of pork production. Both programs are sponsored by a group of 11 state universities from the major pork producing states, including ISU. More
CALS Students Win Student Government Senator Positions
CALS students elected to senator positions on March 7 with ISU Student Government are listed below with the organizations they represent. They will take over legislative responsibilities in April. Student government works with more than 850 clubs and organization on campus, ISU administration, the Ames community, state legislature and the Iowa Board of Regents.
- Vishesh Bhatia, genetics – Inter-residence Hall Association
- Ariana Sanchez, animal ecology - Inter-residence Hall Association
- Adam Steffensmeier, animal science – Frederiksen Court
- Matthew Stenzel, agricultural business – Inter-Fraternity Council
- Kelsey Culbertson, environmental science – Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Madison Mueller, agricultural business – Agriculture and Life Sciences
CCUR-BCRF Hosting Poster Competition on Food, Feed and Biorenewables
The Center for Crops Utilization Research and the BioCentury Research Farm are hosting a poster competition for ISU undergraduate and graduate students engaged in food, feed or biorenewables research activities. The competition will be held April 3, 1-3 p.m. in the Food Sciences Building. Abstracts are due March 28.
Lawn Mower Service Days Set for April 6-7
The Agriculture Systems Technology Club will hold its annual lawn mower service days April 6-7 at Sukup Hall. Routine service includes an oil change, a new spark plug, blade sharpening, air filter cleaning, deck cleaning and a power wash. Pricing is $35 for a push mower, $50 for a riding mower and $15 for a weed eater. Pickup and delivery (Ames only) is available for $15 and $20; call (515) 708-8672 or send an email request to astservicedays@gmail.com. More
Agronomy Club Invites Youth to Experience Agronomy Day on April 7
The Agronomy Club is hosting Agronomy Day: The Future of Agriculture on April 7,8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Agronomy Hall. Middle schoolers will learn about the three pillars of sustainability in agronomy – economic, social and environmental. There will also be a session on technology in agronomy, and an outreach component that includes packaging meals for those in need in Iowa. Registration is available online. More
Block and Bridle Club to Host Animal Learning Day on April 7
The ISU Block and Bridle Club will hold its fifth Animal Learning Day on Saturday, April 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. The event is free and provides an opportunity for the public to learn about animals in agriculture. There will be activities for all ages, including a Taste of Iowa segment. More
Extension and Outreach
Hodgson Uses Scratch-Off Cards to Boost Learning
For entomologists working in extension, training sessions and workshops are where research gets turned into action. Erin Hodgson, entomology, has gone low-tech the last couple of years with a tool for on-the-spot evaluation of her workshops: Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique cards, or scratch-off tests. A March 19 article in Entomology Today, published by the Entomological Society of America, details Hodgson’s work is using the cards to evaluate program effectiveness. She also had an article published in February in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management. More
Extension Publication Highlights 13 Vegetables for Donation
A publication available from ISU Extension and Outreach, “Top 13 Vegetables to Donate to Food Pantries,” provides information on the type of vegetables food pantries need the most. “This publication is designed to encourage gardeners who have extra produce to recognize much of what they have is perfect for a food pantry,” said Cindy Haynes, horticulture and author of the publication. “If you think and plan ahead, you can plant extra vegetables for the purpose of donations.” More
ANR Extension Staff Spotlight: Meaghan Anderson
Meaghan Anderson, field agronomist, is featured in the latest Extension Staff Spotlight. She works with the crops team, other ANR teams and county offices to provide programming and education regarding all things field crop related.
Around the College
Wendel Named 2019 Fulbright Scholar; Will Hold Positions in London, Madrid
Jonathan Wendel, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, has been awarded two international professorships for 2019, including a Fulbright Scholar. During the first half of the year he will be a Leverhulme Professor at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, London. He will mentor early career researchers to help enhance their scientific productivity and understanding of career opportunities, deliver a course of Leverhulme Lectures at Kew and seminars elsewhere in the UK, co-organize two 1-day meetings and teach masters of science students in plant and fungal taxonomy, diversity and conservation. He will also initiate additional new research collaborations with Kew scientists, and contribute to Kew’s outreach agenda. During the fall semester, Wendel will be a 2019 Fulbright Scholar at the Royal Botanical Garden in Madrid and will visit other research-intensive institutions in Spain. Planned activities include mentoring early-career researchers; teaching a short-course in plant evolutionary genomics; presenting public as well as research lectures; and organizing a scientific conference on ecological and evolutionary genomics of plants, with a focus on early-career and female scientists as invited speakers.
Toth Named 2019 Fulbright Scholar
Amy Toth, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, has been named a 2019 Fulbright Scholar to support her upcoming sabbatical studies at the Universidad Nacional del Comahue in Bariloche, Argentina. She will collaborate with Argentine ecologists to study “Bombus dahlbomii,” the giant Patagonian bumblebee. Populations of this bumblebee, a keystone species in Patagonia, have crashed in recent years, landing the bee on the endangered species list. Toth and her collaborators will generate the first genetic information for the bee, to better understand and counteract the causes of the population decline. Through research, teaching and outreach, the goals of her year abroad will be to build bridges to facilitate ecological genomics research in Argentina, and to establish a trans-American partnership for bee conservation.
Hanna Earns Iowa Master Farmer Exceptional Service Award
Mark Hanna, a former extension agricultural engineer at ISU, is the recipient of the 2018 Iowa Master Farmer Exceptional Service Award. Sponsored by Wallaces Farmer magazine, the award is presented to individuals who aren’t farmers but have spent a lifetime helping farmers. Hanna received the award at the 2018 Iowa Master Farmers Awards Day on March 22 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny. More
ABE #2 in Graduate Programs from U.S. News and World Report
ISU’s graduate program in agricultural and biosystems engineering is ranked No. 2 in the country, according to the latest rankings of graduate programs by U.S. News and World Report magazine. ABE’s undergraduate program tied for top honors with Purdue and Texas A&M University. Other high marks went to the College of Veterinary Medicine, statistics and engineering. More
CALS Staff Receive Professional and Scientific Council Awards
The Professional and Scientific Council held its awards ceremony on March 22 at the ISU Alumni Center. The 2017 awardees were recognized for their outstanding contributions. CALS staff who received awards are listed below.
- Hanna Bates, Water Resources Research Institute, 2017 CYtation Award
- Yijing Ding, agricultural and biosystems engineering, 2017 CYtation Award
- Mary Sue Mayes, animal science, 2017 CYtation Award
- Tom Williams, animal science, 2017 CYtation Award
- Joel Dejong, extension field specialist, 2017 Woodin CYtation Award
- Katie Thorson, food science and human nutrition, 2017 Outstanding New Professional and Scientific Council CYtation Award
- Elizabeth Martinez-Podolsky, CALS Multicultural Liaison Officer, was a member of the College MLO team that won one of four 2017 CYtation Team Awards.
Honor the Memory of Ken Larson: Support the Larson Scholarship
Last month CALS and the Department of Agronomy lost a distinguished leader, teacher, advisor, researcher and administrator with the passing of Ken Larson. A memorial service was held for Larson on March 17. He served as the college’s associate dean for academic programs and as a professor of agronomy. His long career spanned three land-grant universities. To honor his memory and service, please consider an opportunity to contribute to the Department of Agronomy’s Kenneth L. and Ruth M. Larson Agronomy Scholarship, which supports undergraduate students. Contributions may be made online.
Calendar
March 26: Shivvers Memorial Lecture
The 2018 Shivvers Memorial Lecture sponsored by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and the Department of Agronomy, will be held today, March 26, at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Gallery. Steve Jones, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences and director of the Bread Lab at Washington State University, will present “White Bread, Wheat Breeding and the Beauty of Place.” More Also, Jones will present “Chromosomes, Bread and Community” at a plant breeding seminar on Tuesday, March 27, 4 to 5 p.m. in 3140 Agronomy Hall (refreshments at 3:45).
March 26: ADVANCE Lecture on Women in Global Science
Kathrin Zippel, associate professor of sociology at Northeastern University, will present “Women in Global Science: Advancing Careers Through International Collaboration” today, March 26, 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Campanile Room. CALS ADVANCE is a co-sponsor of the event.
March 28: Hilton Chair Lecture Series
Food Waste is the topic of the next installment of the Hilton Chair Lecture Series, scheduled for Wednesday, March 28, 4 to 5 p.m. in 2432 Food Sciences Building. Christine Moseley, founder of Full Harvest, the first business-to-business marketplace for ugly and surplus produce, will discuss the online marketplace connecting farms with food and beverage companies.
April 3: David Staniforth Memorial Lecture
The 2018 David W. Staniforth Memorial Lecture will be April 3 at 4:10 p.m. in 0127 Curtiss Hall. Fred Gould, co-director of the Genetic Engineering and Society Center, and William Neal Reynolds Professor of Agriculture and University Distinguished Professor of Evolutionary Biology in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at North Carolina State University, will present “Will Genetically Engineered Pests Protect Health, Biodiversity and Crop Production?” More
April 4: Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture
Amy Asmus, vice president of Asmus Farm Supply, will present the 2018 Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture on April 4 at 7 p.m. in the Dolezal Auditorium, 127 Curtiss Hall. More
April 17-18: Egg Industry Issues Forum
The 10th annual Egg Industry Issues Forum is April 17-18 in Scottsdale, Ariz. The forum is an annual education and outreach event organized and facilitated by the Egg Industry Center. The goal is to update or increase producer and allied-industry awareness on the latest developments and priority issues concerning the U.S. egg industry. More
Research Development Announcements and Funding Opportunities
FFAR and National Pork Board Fund Request for Proposals
The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and the National Pork Board are seeking proposals from groups of investigators to use a systems approach to improving pig health, well-being and productivity with the goal of improving whole-herd pig livability. Applicants should consider this a Program Grant, which is more complex in scope and budget than the individual research grant. Significant portions of the Program Grant should be dedicated to outreach to industry stakeholders and training of graduate and veterinary students involved as assistants on the project. One award of up to $2 million will be made to a diverse, multidisciplinary research team. Applications may include indirect costs of up to 10 percent of the entire budget. Applications are due by May 15. 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.
April 2 (letter of intent): NOAA Climate Variability and Predictability. More
April 18 (preproposal): NSF Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers. More
May 24: USDA NIFA Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program; individual and family health. More
Sept. various dates: NSF International Research Experiences for Students. More
Sept. 27: NSF Innovations in Graduate Education; limited submission, two proposals per organization. More
Communications Kiosk
How to Respond to Accusations
When responding to accusations, it is important to not draw attention to the misinformation. “When an attack on beef shows up online, our first instinct is to hit share and then include our response,” states an article in the March 2018 issue of the Iowa Cattleman, published by the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. “But sharing the article is counter-productive. It exposes the misinformation to more consumers. Instead, it is best to respond without referencing the original source of the misinformation.” More
Infograzing
National Farmworker Awareness Week is March 25-31
The 19th annual National Farmworker Awareness Week is March 25-31, to raise awareness about farmworker conditions and to honor their important contributions. Events on the ISU campus include a long-sleeve shirt drive for farmworkers in Iowa, sponsored by Engineering Student Services, and a screening of the “Food Chains” documentary followed by a panel discussion on Tuesday, March 27, 5:10 to 7 p.m. in 1652 Gilman Hall.
VPR’s Office to Host Science Policy Talk on April 3
The Office of the Vice President for Research is holding a science policy talk on April 3, 4:10 to 5 p.m. in the Memorial Union Cardinal Room. Tobin Smith, vice president for policy at the Association of American Universities, will present “The Lion in the Path: U.S. Science Policy in an Era of Political Polarization and Alternative Facts.”
VPR’s Office Seeks Feedback on Proposed Authorship Policy
The Vice Present for Research has proposed an authorship policy that applies to all individuals at ISU engaged in the publication of research, defined broadly as all forms of scholarly investigation or creative work, regardless of funding source. The university community is encouraged to review the draft policy and submit comments and questions by April 30. More
Tearoom Now Accepting Reservations Online
To enhance student learning and skills, as well as make the reservation process easier for customers, the Joan Bice Underwood Tearoom is now booking reservations online via OpenTable. More For more information on making reservations, contact Katie Ginapp (kmginapp@iastate.edu).
Marginalia
My Life in the American Gothic House
Beth Howard rented the famous cottage in the Grant Wood painting “American Gothic” in Eldon, Iowa, from 2010 to 2014. It is owned by the State Historical Society, but until recently was a private residence. “There are only a handful of people who can say they’ve lived ‘inside’ his masterpiece painting,” said Howard in an article for The New York Times. “I am one of them. And it was a wild ride.” 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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