CALS Online and Dean’s Message
October 9, 2023
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS – What a beautiful weekend! I hope you were able to get outside and enjoy it, or at least to watch the Cyclone football game from inside and enjoy that, too! This week, please watch for and attend Tuesday's lecture by Steve Hanke, "Money Madness: The Federal Reserve is Flying Blind. Why?" It will start at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union and is co-hosted by the Department of Economics. We are looking forward to next weekend's CALS Family Weekend… Next week is the fall CALS Town Hall, on Tuesday, Oct. 17, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. in 127 Curtiss (Dolezal Auditorium)…
Top Stories
New Equipment to Revolutionize Research Possibilities
Equipment has arrived at labs in Kildee Hall and the Molecular Biology Building that will revolutionize research possibilities for faculty and students at Iowa State. Karl Kerns, animal science, led the effort to bring the next-generation equipment to campus. He investigates the biochemical makeup of sperm cells, including their proteins, lipids (fats) and use of energy sources. His research focuses on production animals, primarily swine and cattle, but has implications for humans and other animals. Kerns (back right) and doctoral students Alexandra Keller and Tyler Weide, recently gave a tour of the latest research instruments that are helping build a Single Cell Phenomics Center. The center will make it possible for researchers in animal and plant sciences to pursue in-house projects that would have been impossible before. This is the third and final article in a series highlighting CALS researchers and their journey to receive funding. Read the first article on Joshua Selsby, animal science, and the second article on Melha Mellata, food science and human nutrition.
Research
ISRC Funds Three New Research Projects
The Iowa Soybean Research Center has funded three new soybean research projects, which will be led by Silvina Arias and Leonor Leandro, plant pathology, entomology and microbiology. The center’s advisory council also held a Think Tank to discuss the challenges and direction of soybean production research.
Teaching and Students
Register to Participate in Food Insecurity Challenge
The Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship, in collaboration with CALS and the Ivy College of Business, presents the second annual Food Insecurity Challenge. This challenge invites students and local community members from diverse disciplines to form teams and create innovative solutions to this global issue. The kick-off event is Oct. 23 from 5-8 p.m. in the Gerdin Business Building, Kingland Hub.
CALS Career Day Set for Oct. 10
The fall CALS Career Day is Tuesday, Oct. 10, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lied Recreation Athletic Center. More than 285 companies are expected to attend, and Mike Gaul, CALS Career Services director, anticipates that number will grow.
CALS Students to Hold Annual Bacon Expo Saturday, Oct. 14
The annual Bacon Expo is Saturday, Oct. 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. Organized by CALS students, the Bacon Expo is a family focused event where participants can sample creative bacon treats and enjoy live entertainment and educational displays about the pork industry.
Extension and Outreach
Land Stewardship Leadership Academy Holds Graduation
Twenty-four natural resource professionals from across Iowa (including eight CALS alumni) were part of the Land Stewardship Leadership Academy graduation ceremony held Sept. 28 at the Iowa State University Alumni Center. The goal of the program, now in its second year, is to help early and mid-career professionals build stronger relationships with farmers and landowners, while advancing conservation practices that balance environmental stewardship with profitability and resiliency. Adam Janke, wildlife extension specialist, is one of the program organizers.
AgLink Connects New Farmers with Transitioning Farmers
ISU Extension and Outreach’s Beginning Farmer Center has created AgLink, a platform that helps facilitate the transition of farming operations from established farmers to beginning farmers. According to Kitt Tovar Jensen, staff attorney with the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at Iowa State and manager of the Beginning Farmer Center, the program is completely user-led and allows beginning or established farmers and landowners to build connections on a person-to-person basis.
Workbook and Webinar Address Farm Succession Planning
To help the farming community better understand estate planning, ISU Extension and Outreach has published a 100-page guide called “Estate and Succession Planning for the Farm.” The workbook will be highlighted during a webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 11, from noon to 12:45 p.m. A second webinar will be held Dec. 13.
Iowa Beef Center Holds Inaugural Genetic Symposium
The Iowa Beef Center, with ISU Extension and Outreach, is holding a Genetic Symposium Dec. 18-19 at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. The event will educate producers on the tools available for making genetic improvements for their operation.
Around the College
Iowa State Dedicates New Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex
The Iowa State University Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex, a state-of-the-art, hands-on training, teaching, research and extension venue for faculty, staff, students and external partners and stakeholders, was dedicated on Sept. 8. The new facility was funded through private donations and supports an understanding of best practices in the field of feed mill and grain science while modeling the most up-to-date technologies and methods to link grain crops with their processing and use, including storage and handling, animal well-being and health, food safety and environmental standards. It is located southwest of the intersection of Highway 30 and State Avenue in Ames and includes a feed mill tower, pilot plant, grain center, quality lab, grain storage bins, a warehouse and an educational building with classrooms.
Deal Lecture by Al Tank Available Online
Al Tank, ag and food entrepreneur, investor and consultant, presented the 2023 William K. Deal Endowed Leadership Lecture Sept. 27 at Iowa State. A video of the full lecture, “Innovating Ag Innovation,” is available online.
Calendar
Oct. 10: Lecture, The Federal Reserve is Flying Blind
Steve Hanke, founder and co-director of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health and the Study of Business Enterprise at The Johns Hopkins University, will present “Money Madness: The Federal Reserve is Flying Blind. Why?” on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Hall. The Department of Economics is a co-sponsor of the lecture.
Oct. 11: INRC Water Quality Research Seminar
The Iowa Nutrient Research Center’s next “Focus on the Future” water quality research seminar is Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 3:10 p.m. in 1306 Elings Hall and online. Graduate student Jingyi Tong, economics, will discuss accelerating adoption of nutrient reduction practices. Former graduate student Lindsey Hartfiel, agricultural and biosystems engineering, will discuss her work on water quality monitoring on farms in Iowa and Wisconsin.
Oct. 12: Feeding the World Seminar Series
The 2023 Feeding the World seminar series concludes Thursday, Oct. 12, from 3:40-4:55 p.m. in 1204 Kildee Hall, Ensminger Room. Genna Tesdall, director of YPARD, will present, “Young Professionals for Agricultural Development: A Global Network.”
Infograzing
Artist Addresses Climate Change
University Museums is co-hosting a lecture by April Surgent, artist and environmentalist, on Thursday, Oct. 12, from 5-6 p.m. in the Brunnier Art Museum, Scheman Building. Surgent will discuss her inspiration behind her new commission for University Museums, her unique expression of environmental change through cameo engraved glass, and experiences participating in several research fellowships.
Food Pantry Competition Pits Iowa State against Cincinnati
Iowa State is competing with the University of Cincinnati in the first Big 12 Food Pantry Alliance Competition. It began on Oct. 7 and runs through Saturday, Oct. 14. The competition will track food donations (in pounds), Instagram followers and monetary donations. One way to contribute to the competition is to donate food items to the SHOP during open hours.
Finding Art in the Biological Rhythms of Trees
Johnny DiBlasi, art and visual culture, is creating art out of data produced by tree saplings and the environment using sound, light and artificial intelligence. It’s an experimental approach to science and technology that inspires an alternate awareness of the environment in its audience.
Marginalia
Lecture Explores how Gardens Inspire Murder Mystery Writers
Author and gardener Marta McDowell will explore how gardening has influenced the murder mystery literary genre at a lecture on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 6 p.m. in the Garden Room at Reiman Gardens. She will present, “Gardening Can Be Murder: How Poisonous Poppies, Sinister Shovels and Grim Gardens have Inspired Mystery Writers.”
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 Thursday.