College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Aug. 12, 2019
Top Stories
Dean Robison Participates in Charity Steer Show at State Fair
Dean Daniel Robison participated in the annual Iowa Governor's Charity Steer Show Saturday, August 10, at the Iowa State Fair. Robison joined exhibitor Quin McCollom, Story County 4-H'er from Colo, Iowa, to show his steer, Trump. The steer was sponsored by DeeZee. Robison presented McCollom with a $1,000 scholarship to CALS for his outstanding work in the beef project area. The steer sold for $20 thousand at the auction. This year's Governor's charity steer show raised more than $250,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa. ISU College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Dan Grooms also participated in the show. CALS alum, Justine Hosch Stevenson ('10, animal science), founder of the Seeds of Hope Foundation, won the showmanship award during the show. During the Fair, the Dean also visited the ISU exhibit, the I Milked A Cow Exhibit run by the Dairy Science Club, the Iowa 4-H Exhibit Building, 4-H Swine Show, Iowa State Fair Animal Learning Center, Iowa State Fair Agriculture Building and Iowa commodity exhibits.
Research
New Study Looks at How Temperature Influences Development of Painted Turtles
A new study from ISU scientists, including Anna Carter, postdoctoral research associate, and Fred Janzen, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, looks at how temperature influences the development of painted turtles. The results may lead biologists to rethink the theoretical frameworks they use when analyzing the topic. More
Rosentrater and Exchange Students Study Ancient Grains
Kurt Rosentrater, agricultural and biosystems engineering and executive director of the Distillers Grains Technology Council, is working with six student interns from southern France to study value-added uses for ancient grains such as buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa and teff. This is part of a global partnership and research exchange program with ISU and the Polytechnic University in Montpellier. Each summer, three to seven interns from both universities travel abroad and work with researchers to compile data. They use the results for public outreach and publications. More
Researchers to Develop Safer, More Reliable Machines with New Grant
Matt Darr, agricultural and biosystems engineering and administrative leader of the BioCentury Research Farm, is co-PI of a new grant from the National Science Foundation Partnerships for Innovation program. Darr, along with Chao Hu, mechanical engineering, Simon Laflamme, civil engineering, and Carey Novak, Center for Industrial Research and Service, will be integrating physics-based modeling and data-driven transfer learning to enable practical and predictive maintenance that makes agricultural and industrial rotating machines safer and more reliable. More
Teaching and Students
CALS Students Sharpen Ag Policy Knowledge on the Hill
Two CALS students were part of a group of 10 students from across the country who completed the Ag Voices of the Future program, July 22-25 in Washington, D.C. Brooke Beinhart, junior in agricultural business, and Leah Mosher, freshman in agriculture and society, learned about effective advocacy and the significant legislative, trade and regulatory issues that impact farmers. The program also gave students the chance to visit with others who work in Washington to learn more about careers related to agriculture policy. The program is sponsored by Valent U.S.A. and the American Soybean Association. More
Extension and Outreach
New App Offers Opportunity to Assist with Monarch Recovery
A new mobile app has been launched designed to improve data collection about pollinator habitats. HabiTally is available as a free download for iOS devices from the App Store. It was developed as a collaboration between Bayer and The Climate Corporation, with support from ISU’s Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology. More
Risk Management to Highlight Field Day at Nashua
The Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Nashua will hold its fall field day on Aug. 28 from 1 to 4:20 p.m. The program will begin in the Borlaug Learning Center with a talk on crop price risk and cash flow management. More
Southeast Research Farm to Hold Fall Field Day
The Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Crawfordsville will hold its fall field day on Sept. 5, beginning at 5:30 p.m. with a complimentary meal. A tour starts at 6 p.m. with topics including water quality improvements, the market facilitation program and an outlook on harvest issues. More
Around the College
Volunteers Needed for Annual CALS Alumni BBQ
CALS faculty and staff volunteers are needed for the annual CALS BBQ, Aug. 31, at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. Approximately 500 CALS alumni and friends are expected to attend this year’s event, which will run from 7 to 10 a.m. prior to the ISU vs. UNI football game (kick-off is 11 a.m.). Complimentary breakfast, parking and shuttle to the stadium will be provided. The first 20 volunteers who register will receive a CALS baseball cap in thanks for their service. Register to volunteer online or by contacting Haley Cook (hcook@iastate.edu) by Friday, August 16. Volunteer opportunities include:
- Registration/Greeting (6:45 to 8:30 a.m. or 8:15 to 10 a.m.)
- Beverage service (6:45 to 8:30 a.m. or 8:15 to 10 a.m.)
- Tear down (9:45 to 10:30 a.m.)
Calendar
Aug. 21: Iowa Learning Farms Webinar
A webinar on Aug. 21 at 12 p.m. will examine how Iowa Learning Farms has evolved over the past 15 years and discuss what new goals and challenges the future holds. More
Oct. 14-15: Everson Global Seed Symposium
Registration is now open for the 2019 Everson Global Seed Symposium, scheduled for Oct. 14-15 in conjunction with the World Food Prize in Des Moines. The symposium is designed to engage and inspire seed professionals, policy makers, educators and students on the beauty and value of seeds to society. More
Infograzing
Editorial Marks Anniversary of Landmark Report on Climate Change
Marcia McNutt, president of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., marks the 40th anniversary of the landmark report on climate change in an Aug. 2 editorial in Science. “The Charney report demonstrates the power of scientific prediction,” said McNutt. “Since its release, scientists have built a formidable evidence base on climate change. At no time since 1979 has the science backed down from its dire predictions for the prospects of human civilization to prosper in a world warming well beyond limits encountered in all of human history. The scientific community must better connect the issues with what now matters to the public, so that the evidence is acted upon for the benefit of society.” More
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Julie Stewart, Editor
jstewart@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5616
http://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.