CALS Online and Dean’s Message
Oct. 14, 2024
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS – I hope you had a great weekend and are enjoying the most certain arrival of fall! The leaves are falling like the snow we’ll soon see, and the frost this week will declare the remnants of summer over. I think it’s a spectacular time of year… This week, on Wednesday, Oct. 16, join me for a CALS Chat from 7:30-9 a.m. in Curtiss Hall's Harl Commons. This is a casual, drop-in event for all faculty and staff. Come and thank our advisors for their efforts with the transition to Workday student, chat with your colleagues, and talk about what’s on your mind…
Top Stories
NIH Awards $4 Million to Further Zebrafish Genetics Research
Maura McGrail and Jeffrey Essner, genetics, development and cell biology, have received almost $4 million dollars for a new four-year NIH project. The scientific duo has developed a state-of-the-art zebrafish discovery platform to research the genetics of health and disease. With the new funding, they plan to build on their past work to better understand enzymes inside cells that help regulate the function of the genome and explore the biology of metabolic diseases. Partners on the new project include Iddo Friedberg, veterinary microbiology and preventive medicine.
Teaching and Students
Video: Drones in Agriculture
Chris Tonkel’s creative component for his graduate degree through the distance learning program in agronomy is about drones - how they are used in agriculture, advantages and disadvantages, protocol and safety. He works for Keystone Cooperative in Indiana.
Nominations for Senior Awards Due Oct. 18
The CALS Student Council is seeking nominations for fall 2024 senior awards. Every fall and spring semester, CALS Council recognizes graduating seniors through six different awards: leadership and innovation, academic achievement, distinguished service, outstanding ambassador of agriculture and life sciences, inclusive excellence and outstanding senior. Nominations are due Friday, Oct. 18, at 11:59 p.m.
Snow Blower Service Days Scheduled for Nov. 8-9
The Agricultural Systems Technology Club will hold its annual snow blower service days Nov. 8 (1-6 p.m.), and Nov. 9 (8 a.m. to 1 p.m.), at Sukup Hall. The $30 cost includes an oil change, a new spark plug and a power wash. Pickup and delivery (Ames zip code only) is available for an additional $25; send an email request to astservicedays@gmail.com.
Extension and Outreach
Organic Conference to Highlight Climate-Smart Systems
The Iowa Organic Conference will be held Nov. 25 at the University of Iowa Memorial Union and focus on economic opportunities and climate-smart systems. A joint effort of ISU Extension and Outreach and the University of Iowa, the conference will feature producers and experts sharing tips for transitioning into organic production and methods to enhance organic operations. Registration is $100 through Nov. 10, $150 after that date.
Virtual Gardening Symposium Returns Oct. 19
Gardening is an art, and to be successful, a gardener must manage a wide range of factors and conditions. ISU Extension and Outreach will help bring the many pieces together in a one-day, nine-session webinar on Saturday, Oct. 19, called Gardening in the Air.
Bee Owners Should Start Overwintering Efforts Soon
Preparing honeybee colonies for surviving the winter is an important task for beekeepers in northern states, according to Randall Cass, a bee specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. In a recent article for the Acreage Living Newsletter, Cass highlights five main steps to take to prepare bees for the winter months.
Around the College
Celebrating 40 Years of Empowering Innovation
“Amidst the lively atmosphere of a spring break getaway, two faculty members, Walter Fehr (agronomy) and Donald Beitz (animal science), found themselves in a deep conversation about the future of research at Iowa State University. Frustrated by the lack of investment in biotechnology-related infrastructure, they envisioned a centralized unit that could support the university’s research endeavors and ensure Iowa State did not fall behind its peers.” As the Office of Biotechnology recognizes its 40th anniversary, it reflects on the journey from a simple conversation by a pool to becoming a cornerstone of research at Iowa State University. Celebrate at a reception on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 4 p.m. in the atrium of the Molecular Biology Building.
Seed Science Center Donation Fuels 4-H Club Garden in Ghana
The Seed Science Center donated $300 to two newly established 4-H clubs in Ghana, helping youth cultivate skills in agriculture while contributing to food security in their communities. The two clubs, located in Akraman and Anomabo, were launched earlier this year as part of the CALS Ghana Study Abroad Program led by David Kwaw-Mensah, agronomy, and Theressa Cooper, CALS assistant dean of collaborative initiatives, which brought students and faculty to Ghana in January 2024.
CSRL to Host Borlaug Dialogue Side Event
The Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods is holding a side event at the World Food Prize International Borlaug Dialogue on Oct. 29 from 6-8 p.m. at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. The evening will consist of a 15-minute video commemorating the center’s 20th anniversary and a panel discussion with the CSRL team moderated by Dean Robison. Author Roger Thurow will share an excerpt from his book “Against the Grain” along with photos taken by Anne Thurow. The program will be followed with a networking reception. Registration to the World Food Prize International Borlaug Dialogue is not required to attend this event. RSVPs are appreciated.
CALS Award Nominations Due Nov. 19
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences recognizes the excellence and dedication of its faculty and staff through the conferring of college awards. Award recipients are selected from nominations made by their colleagues and peers in recognition of their commitment to the college’s missions of student learning, research discovery and innovation, service, and extension and outreach. We encourage your nominations. Award descriptions and nomination guidelines are found on the college awards website. Of special note: the Rossmann Manatt Faculty Development Award recipient will be from CALS this year. This award recognizes a tenured faculty member who has demonstrated an exceptional level of creativity and productivity in scholarship, teaching and service, and who shows great promise of continuing such achievement. Nominations for the Rossmann Manatt award are also due to the college by Nov. 19 through the online submission portal. Faculty nominations will be reviewed by the college faculty awards committee, and staff nominations will be reviewed by the staff awards committee in December. Award recipients will be honored during the annual CALS Awards Program in the spring. Contact your departmental awards committee, or Julie Stewart (jstewart@iastate.edu), for additional information.
United Way of Story County Campaign Underway
The 2024 United Way of Story County campaign is underway. CALS has set a fundraising goal of $65,000. Donations can be made through payroll deduction, credit card, check or Venmo (#CALS).
Calendar
Oct. 16: CALS Chat with the Dean
Dean Robison will host a CALS Chat on Wednesday, Oct. 16, from 7:30-9 a.m. in Harl Commons, Curtiss Hall. The informal, drop-in event will be an opportunity for casual conversation and to celebrate and thank the college’s advisors.
Oct. 16: Eat, Move and Find Your Groove
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and author Susie Kundrat (’93 MS food science and human nutrition) will present “How to Eat, Move and Find Your Groove for Optimal Wellness” on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 5 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Co-sponsors include the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the ISU Student Dietetic Association.
Oct. 17: Feeding the World Seminar Series
The Feeding the World seminar series concludes Thursday, Oct. 17, from 3:40-4:55 p.m. in 1204 Kildee Hall, Ensminger Room. Maria Wurzinger, animal science, will present “Livestock Breeding Programs: A Contribution to Food Security.”
Oct. 23: CALS Town Hall
Join Dean Robison for a Town Hall meeting on Oct. 23, at 12:15 p.m. in 2432 Food Sciences Building.
Communications Kiosk
When to Hyphenate Compound Adjectives Before a Noun
(4 of 4) Sometimes a hyphen is necessary in a compound adjective to prevent misreading. 1) three-layer cakes. The hyphen indicates that the term refers to cakes with three layers, not to three cakes with layers. 2) Swiss-cheese maker. The hyphen makes it clear that the term refers to a maker of Swiss cheese, not to a cheese maker who is Swiss. 3) ocean-blue bird. The hyphen indicates that the bird is a certain shade of blue, not a blue bird from the ocean. (Modern Language Association Handbook, 9th edition, pg. 29)
Infograzing
Four QPR Training Sessions Offered this Fall
QPR Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention is a one-hour educational program designed to teach lay and professional “gatekeepers” the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond. The process follows three steps: 1) Question the individual’s desire or intent regarding suicide. 2) Persuade the person to seek and accept help. 3) Refer the person to appropriate resources. The fall sessions are Oct. 14, Oct. 28, Nov. 11 and Dec. 2 from 4-5 p.m. in 1322 Hoover Hall.
Webinar Focuses on Preparing Effective Award Nominations
A webinar on preparing effective award nominations is Thursday, Oct. 17, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. via Zoom. Kirsten Abel, faculty recognition coordinator, and a panel of past nomination reviewers will present, followed by Q&A. Registration is available online.
Lecture Addresses Agriculture and the Fountain of the Four Seasons
Pamela Riney Kehrberg, history, will discuss the historical agricultural context of the 1930s and 40s, during which Christian Petersen was creating the imagery for the Fountain of the Four Seasons, in a lecture on Oct. 22 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Christian Petersen Art Museum, 1017 Morrill Hall. Discover what farming practices were typical during that time and compare them to the depictions in the fountain, as well as modern practices.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Julie Stewart, Editor
jstewart@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5616
https://www.cals.iastate.edu/cals-online
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.