College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Oct. 14, 2019
Top Stories
2019 World Food Prize Focuses on Peace Through Agriculture
The 2019 World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue, Oct. 16-18 in Des Moines, will focus on “Pax Agricultura: Peach Through Agriculture.” It will address the increasingly intersectional issues of food security, conflict and development. With topics ranging from religion, diplomacy, climate, scientific innovation and corporate leadership, this year’s Dialogue will serve as an opportunity to take stock of the current state of global agriculture and food security. More Events related to the World Food Prize taking place on campus or involving CALS or ISU faculty and staff are listed below. An agenda and list of side events are available on the World Food Prize website.
World Food Prize: Everson Global Seed Symposium, Oct. 14-15
The 2019 Leroy and Barbara Everson Global Seed Symposium is taking place today and tomorrow, Oct. 14-15, in conjunction with the World Food Prize in Des Moines. The symposium will delve into the subjects covered by the six-part documentary film, Seeds! Diversity of Wonder. Speakers include Candy Gardner, ISU Plant Introduction Station. Closing remarks will be offered by Catherine Woteki, food science and human nutrition, and Manjit Misra, director of the ISU Seed Science Center. More
World Food Prize: Norman Borlaug Lecture, Oct. 14
The 2019 World Food Prize Laureate will present the Norman Borlaug Lecture today, Oct. 14, at 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Simon Groot, a sixth-generation seedsman and the founder and leader of East-West Seed, will present “First: The Seed.” A reception and the 18th annual Norman Borlaug Lectureship Poster Competition for graduate and undergraduate students will precede the lecture at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union South Ballroom. This event is presented by the food science and human nutrition department and the Nutritional Sciences Council. More
World Food Prize: Laureate Groot Visits Campus, Oct. 14
Prior to the Norman Borlaug Lecture, World Food Prize Laureate Simon Groot will be on campus for an informal reception with faculty and students in agronomy and horticulture. Groot will then meet with Plant Breeding e-Learning in Africa faculty and staff and visit with horticulture professors and students working in the U.S. Virgin Islands and in Uganda.
World Food Prize: Governor’s Reception, Oct. 16
Iowa’s network of universities, industry leaders and new startups will be highlighted at the Iowa Governor’s Reception on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 5:30 to 7 p.m. at The Tea Room in Des Moines. President Wendy Wintersteen will speak at the event, which is co-hosted by ISU. More
College Establishes New Exchange Program with Belgium University
A Memorandum of Agreement was signed on Oct. 11 allowing for the exchange of undergraduate and graduate students from CALS and from the faculty of Bioscience Engineering at KU Leuven in Belgium. The MOA was signed by Dean Dan Robison and Dean Jos Van Orshoven. KU Leuven is ranked among the most innovative universities in Europe and is the international headquarters of the International Association of students in Agricultural and related Sciences. There is a student chapter of IAAS at ISU. Based on academic calendars, the first KU Leuven students could arrive at ISU in fall 2020 and the first CALS students could arrive in Belgium in spring 2021. The CALS Study Abroad office now has 12 exchange programs with international universities for CALS students to study abroad for a semester paying their normal ISU tuition and fees.
Research
Research Looks at Strategies to Combat Pests and Disease in Organic Agriculture
Mark Gleason, plant pathology and microbiology, leads a new grant to look at innovative ways that allow organic fruit and vegetable growers to combat pests, weeds and diseases. Much of the research centers on mestotunnels, or material used to create a physical barrier to protect plants from certain pests. The practices to be analyzed could help organic growers with management challenges without the use of conventional or organic pesticides. More
Teaching and Students
CALS Career Day the Largest Ever: 278 Employers
Last week after Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Day, employers conducted 830 interviews with students on campus. The job fair attracted 278 organizations, the largest ever, said Mike Gaul, director of CALS Career Services. Approximately 2,000 students attended representing 69 ISU majors and 13 other schools.
First-Time Recruiter: Overwhelmed by Students’ Professionalism and Good Nature
A first-time recruiter at the CALS Career Day on Oct. 9 said they were overwhelmed by the students’ professionalism and good nature. “How do you get them to dress professionally? What an outstanding statement of their respect for who they are and for the vendors. I travel all over the country working grad fairs. I’ve been in admissions for 25 years, I have never seen the professional presence and demeanor I have witnessed today. Whatever you are doing to have such a positive influence on your students needs to be broadcasted. A wonderful event, so well-organized and administered. Thank you for all your efforts.”
Lecturer Bridges Gap Between Students and Alumni
Steven Bell, senior lecturer in agricultural and biosystems engineering, founded the Blue Chip Network to close the gap between alumni and undergraduate students. Bell leads interactive classes where he will video conference with alums and ask them to walk the class through their day. Upon graduation, seniors are invited to join the Blue Chip Network. Those involved receive a chip that resembles a challenge coin or award used in the military. More
FundISU: Support Sought for Block and Bridle National Convention
A crowdfunding campaign has been launched in support of the Block and Bridle Club. ISU will host the 100th National Block and Bridle Convention in Ames on April 2-5, 2020. Iowa State’s club was one of four inaugural clubs to become a chapter in 1919. Contributions on FundISU, the crowdfunding site on the ISU Foundation website, will be used to fund speakers and tours. The goal is $5,000 and the campaign runs through Sunday, Oct. 20. More
CALS to Host Reception for Transfer Students
As part of National Transfer Student Week, CALS is recognizing the unique adventures of transfer students and the advisers who help them during a reception on Oct. 23 at 4 to 5 p.m. in Harl Commons, Curtiss Hall. There will be light refreshments, giveaways and a resource fair for students. Twenty-five percent of the fall 2019 first-year students in the college transferred from another institution or community college. For more information contact Breanna Wetzler, bwetzler@iastate.edu, 4-4875.
Deadline Oct. 30: Leopold Center Sustainability Scholarships for Undergraduates
Junior and senior undergraduates at Iowa four-year colleges and universities are invited to submit proposals to a new sustainability scholarship program sponsored by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Awards of up to $1,000 will be provided to selected proposals to support planned learning and participation experiences for students interested in the broad area of sustainability. The program is made possible by private donor funds supporting the Leopold Center. Additional scholarships will be provided by private donor funds supporting CALS; scholarships from these funds will be awarded to eligible juniors and seniors from among the 25 majors in CALS. The deadline for submission is Oct. 30. More
Extension and Outreach
Bee Research Topic of Monthly Webinar
Iowa Learning Farms will host its monthly webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 12 p.m. Randall Paul Cass, extension entomologist, will present Iowa State research that focuses on observing the challenges and opportunities for bees in Iowa's agricultural landscapes More
Fish Processors Need to Follow HACCP Rules
To help fish farmers and processors understand the food safety requirements for their industry, a new fact sheet is available from ISU Extension and Outreach and the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center titled The Seafood HACCP Regulation and its Effects on Aquaculture. More A second fact sheet has been published to help producers understand invasive species control, titled Aquatic Invasive Species HACCP in Baitfish and Aquaculture Operations. More
Improving Pig Survivability Project Plans 2020 Conference
The Improving Pig Survivability project has announced that it will hold an international conference on Oct. 28-29, 2020, in Omaha. The objective is to bring the swine industry together to discuss solutions and motivate change toward improving pig survivability. The conference is one portion of the five-year Improving Pig Survivability Project funded by the National Pork Board and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research. Jason Ross, animal science and director of the Iowa Pork Industry Center, is the project lead. More
Around the College
CALS Town Hall Meeting on Oct. 15: Attend or View Livestream
CALS will hold a town hall meeting for all college faculty and staff on Tuesday, Oct. 15, from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the Dolezal Auditorium in Curtiss Hall, Room 127. Feel free to bring your lunch. Beverages and cookies will be provided. Dean Dan Robison will provide a welcome and remarks. Key topics will be enrollment, budget and future plans for the college. Bring your questions, comments and ideas. For those unable to attend, listen live through zoom.
Opportunities Added for CALS P&S Staff Awards – Deadline Nov. 19
This year the CALS Awards Program will include additional opportunities for professional and scientific staff recognition. P&S staff are now eligible for 11 awards and the restriction limiting P&S staff to one award during their career at ISU has been eliminated. Faculty and staff are encouraged to nominate P&S peers and colleagues to their departmental awards committee. Look for an email with additional information.
Feature: Global Resource Systems Major Celebrates 10 Years
On Oct. 2, CALS held a 10th anniversary celebration in the Scheman Building for the global resource systems major with 125 faculty, staff, students, alumni and donors. "GRS was a difficult curriculum designed to take an interdisciplinary and systems approach to understanding complex global resource issues," said Gail Nonnecke, horticulture and faculty coordinator for the major. "It pushed requirements in ways we hadn't pushed students before." Over the past decade, 235 students have completed GRS internships in 45 countries on six continents. More
Calendar
Oct. 15: Communicating Scientific Research
An Interdepartmental Genetics and Genomics Seminar will be held Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 4:10 p.m. in 1414 Molecular Biology Building. Joanne Manaster, senior faculty instructor for the School of Integrative Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will present “Expand Your Horizons with Popular Science Books.” More
Oct. 22: Staniforth Memorial Lecture
The 2019 David W. Staniforth Memorial Lecture will be held Oct. 22 at 4:10 to 5:10 p.m. in 0018 Horticulture Hall. Michael Walsh, director of weed research at the University of Sydney – Australia, will present “The Importance of Harvest Weed Seed Control in Integrated Weed Management Decisions.” The lecture series is presented in honor of David Staniforth, a pioneer in the field of weed science who was particularly interested in weed biology-ecology. More
Nov. 6-7: Intensive Tasting Proficiency Training
The Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute at ISU is hosting Intensive Tasting Proficiency Training, a two-evening course for consumers and wine enthusiasts examining the critical evaluation of wines, on Nov. 6-7, from 6 to 9 p.m.
Nov. 7-8: McKean Swine Disease Conference
The 2019 ISU James D. McKean Swine Disease Conference is scheduled for Nov. 7-8 at the Scheman Building in Ames. This year's program will focus on African Swine Fever, biosecurity and how to be prepared if it arrives in the U.S. The pre-conference sessions will focus on helping producers develop their Secure Pork Supply Plan and what is new in diagnostic surveillance tools. ISU faculty and students may register for free prior to Oct. 20. The Iowa Pork Industry Center is a co-sponsor. More
Infograzing
Soil and Water Conservation: Imagine a Day Without Water Trivia Night, Oct. 23
The Soil and Water Conservation Society is hosting the second annual Imagine a Day Without Water Trivia Night on Oct. 23 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the 1717 Brewing Company in Des Moines. The national campaign is to help Americans think more critically about water resources. More
Submit Proposals to Present at ISCORE by Dec. 2
A call for proposals has been released for the Thomas L. Hill Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity, scheduled for March 6. The comprehensive forum on issues of race and ethnicity is free and open to the ISU community. Proposals to present at ISCORE are due online by Dec. 2.
Marginalia
CALS Alum a Champion for Agriculture at Iowa State Capitol
Jacob Swanson (’14 global resource systems), legislative liaison for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, said he has always had a passion for agriculture in an Oct. 13 feature for The Messenger. As a seventh-generation Iowa farmer, he works as often as he can on the family farm, but spends his workdays championing for farmers and agriculture at the Iowa State Capitol. 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.