Issue: 817

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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter
Iowa State University
Sept. 22, 2014  No. 817

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COLLEGE NEWS
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HATFIELD INDUCTED INTO USDA SCIENCE HALL OF FAME
Jerry Hatfield, director of the USDA Agricultural Research Service National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment at Iowa State University, was inducted Sept. 10 into the ARS Science Hall of Fame. The honor recognizes researchers for outstanding, lifelong achievements in agricultural science and technology. Hatfield has worked since 1975 on how agriculture, the environment and weather intersect. Hatfield was interviewed on the Sept. 19 issue of Agribusiness Report on WHO TV. More: http://whotv.com/2014/09/19/iowa-state-graduate-enters-usda-science-hal…

NEW PROJECTS FUNDED THROUGH IOWA NUTRIENT RESEARCH CENTER
Ten new projects have been funded through the Iowa Nutrient Research Center at ISU. The new projects approved for 2014-2015 build on 10 projects already underway that were funded for 2013-2014. More: https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/releases/ten-new-projects-receive-fun…

NEW ISU REPORT SHOWS SHRINKING MIDDLE CLASS
Job growth in the retail and service sector has not matched the wages of manufacturing and other middle-skill level jobs lost over the past decade in Iowa. The different has contributed to a growing disparity between low and high income households, which is especially profound in specific parts of the state, according to a new report by David Peters, sociology. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2014/09/15/incomeinequality

NEW FACES ON FIRST FLOOR OF CURTISS ROTUNDA
Check out the new displays on the first floor of Curtiss Hall. The new displays feature three recent alums and one professor. They include Lucas Carlstrom, ’08 animal science; Jaquelyn Jackson, ’08 Ph.D. plant genetics; Trisha Collins, ’14 animal science and international agriculture; and Curtis Youngs, animal science professor. Carlstrom is working on his physician scientist Ph.D. and M.D. Jackson is identifying and cloning disease resistant genes in sweet potatoes. Colllins is pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine, and Youngs will be receiving an award in November.

ISU CALS WEEK SEPT. 29 – OCT. 3
Next week, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council is celebrating “Telling Our Story” for 2014 CALS week, Sept. 29 to Oct. 3. Schedule is as follows:
Monday, Sept. 29 
* 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. - Lunch on central campus, Papa John’s pizza and the Dairy Science Club ice cream, sponsored by the Iowa Corn Association, ISU Horticulture Farm and Nutra-Flo.
* 7:30 p.m. - Sigma Alpha’s Mr. CALS event at the Hansen Agricultural Student Learning Center
Tuesday, Sept. 30 
* 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. - Lunch on central campus, pork burgers and the Dairy Science Club ice cream. Sponsored by the Iowa Pork Producers and Hy-Vee.
* 1 to 4 p.m. - Hunger Fight at the Kildee Hall Farm Bureau Pavilion.
* 4 to 7 p.m. - Tractor Show at the Hansen Agricultural Student Learning Center.
* 4-6 p.m. - Quiz Bowl at the at the Hansen Agricultural Student Learning Center.
* 7 p.m. - Bill Northey, Deal Lecture at Curtiss Auditorium.
Wednesday, Oct. 1 
* 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. - Lunch on central campus, brats and the Dairy Science Club ice cream. Sponsored by FC Coop and Hy-Vee.
* 6:30 to 10 p.m. - Ag Olympics at the Hansen Agricultural Student Learning Center with Mike Pearson. 
Thursday, Oct. 2
* 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. - Lunch on central campus, hamburgers and the Dairy Science Club ice cream. Sponsored by Iowa Beef Industry Council and Hy-Vee.
* 8 to 11 p.m. - David Nail concert at the Hansen Agricultural Student Learning Center, sponsored by CALS.
Friday, Oct. 3
* 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. - Casey’s Pizza breakfast on central campus, sponsored by the Iowa Farm Bureau.

SEMINAR: AN INSECT PERSPECTIVE ON SURVIVING ANTARCTICA
The Department of Entomology in conjunction with the Presidential Distinguished Scholar Seminar program will present a lecture on Sept. 29 at 4:10 p.m. in E164 Lagomarcino Hall. David Denlinger, distinguished university professor in the Department of Entomology at The Ohio State University and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, will present “Surviving Antarctica: An Insect Perspective.”

BEAL LECTURE FEATURES BERKELEY SOCIOLOGIST ON OCT. 1
The George M. Beal Distinguished Lectureship in Rural Sociology will be held Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Claude Fischer, professor of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, will present “Rural Life, Rural Iowa and the Making of the American Character.” More: http://www.event.iastate.edu/event/32875/?sy=2014&sm=10&sd=01&featured=…

BACON EXPO TICKETS ON SALE OCT. 10
The second ISU Bacon Expo will be Nov. 8 from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Jeff and Deb Hansen Agricultural Learning Center on the Iowa State campus. The cost is $8 and 1,800 tickets will be sold through MidwesTix.com beginning at 10 a.m. on Oct. 10. For more information contact Hannah Darr, Bacon Expo Co-chair, (515) 314-948, hmdarr@iastate.edu

HOWELL TO PRESENT AT ITALIAN FEDERATION OF LIFE SCIENCES
Stephen Howell, genetics, development and cell biology, will present the plenary talk at the XIII Congress of the Italian Federation of Life Sciences in Pisa, Italy, on Sept. 26. Howell’s presentation is titled “The Unfolded Protein Response in Plants – Facing a Changing World.” The Federation consists of 15 scientific societies dealing with different areas of biological and biomedical research.

POWELL PROMOTES AGRICULTURE LITERACY IN IOWA SCHOOLS
The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation is a new statewide organization aimed at promoting agriculture literacy and its global significance in Iowa schools. It is a collaboration of business, education and the agriculture industry. Amy Powell, an extension program specialist in animal science, is a member of the Ag Literacy Education advisory council. More: http://www.osceolaiowa.com/2014/07/24/agriculture-literacy-efforts-take…

THURSDAY’S SEMINAR ADDRESSES THE DIGNITY OF WORK
The fall 2014 seminar series, “Feeding the World: Are We Making Progress,” continues Sept. 25 at 3:40 p.m. in the Ensminger Room, 1204 Kildee Hall. Nora Tobin, program executive director with Self-Help International, will present “The Dignity of Work: Alleviating Hunger through Self-Reliance.” The annual seminar series is sponsored by the M.E. Ensminger International Chair in Animal Agriculture and the Raymond and Mary Baker Chair in Global Agriculture. More:  http://www.global.ag.iastate.edu/Fall2014Seminars.html

PHENOMICS WORKSHOP SERIES CONTINUES SEPT. 26
The Plant Sciences Institute weekly interdisciplinary phenomics workshop series continues Friday, Sept. 26, 12 to 2 p.m. in the private dining room at Frederiksen Court Community Center. The goal is to promote interaction among faculty in diverse disciplines and help forge new collaborations that will lead to the submission of successful grant proposals, ground-breaking research and the formation of new companies. More: http://plantsciences.iastate.edu/news__events/iences.iastate.edu/news__…

NEED VOLUNTEERS SEPT. 30 TO PREPARE MEALS FOR HUNGRY
The ISU Block and Bridle Club is putting out a call for volunteers to help prepare meals for the hungry. The club is hosting a Hunger Fight on Sept. 30 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the ISU Kildee Hall Farm Bureau Pavilion. Contact Lexi Marek at aamarek@iastate.edu or Shelby Patten at slpatten@iastate.edu if you are interested in volunteering.

STUDENTS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN BORLAUG POSTER COMPETITION
All ISU graduate and undergraduate students are invited to submit a poster abstract in the area of world food issues for presentation at the 13th annual Norman Borlaug Poster Competition, Oct. 13. Submit the poster title and an abstract or summary (250 word limit) to Breanna Wetzler (bwetzler@iastate.edu) by Sept. 29 to be considered for this competition. Abstracts should contain hypothesis and objectives of project, methods, results, discussion of results, conclusion, and relationship of poster to world food issues.

STUDENTS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN RENEWABLE ENERGY POSTER COMPETITION
As part of the “Meeting the Renewable Energy Challenge” symposium on Oct. 15, 2 to 5 p.m. at the University of Iowa Memorial Union, undergraduate and graduate students have an opportunity to showcase their research related to renewable energy, climate change or environmental policy or planning. The symposium is hosted by the University of Iowa Public Policy Center. Abstracts must be submitted by Oct. 1.

DONATE ITEMS FOR CALS UNITED WAY ONLINE AUCTION
CALS is collecting items through Oct. 1 for the fifth annual United Way online auction. Contact Carla Persaud at cpersaud@iastate.edu or 4-1823 with a description of your items. The college-sponsored auction will run Oct. 2-8, with proceeds going to the ISU United Way Campaign.

DONATE BOOKS FOR CALS UNITED WAY BOOK SALE  
Donations of paperback/hardcover books, comic books and DVDs are being collected in 138 Curtiss Hall (Carla Persaud), 1210 Molecular Biology (Diane Jepsen), and 2102 Molecular Biology Building (Linda Wild). Two separate book sales will take place simultaneously on Oct. 8 in the rotunda of Curtiss Hall and the atrium of the Molecular Biology building. All proceeds go to the 2014 ISU United Way Campaign. Contact Carla Persaud at cpersaud@iastate.edu or 4-1823 with questions.

RETIRED PLANT PATHOLOGY FACULTY MEMBER DIES
Hideo “Tachi” Tachibana, former plant pathology faculty member, died Sept. 5. He was 89. Tachibana moved to Ames in 1963 to work for Iowa State University and ARS-USDA. He dedicated his career to researching soybean diseases, particularly brown stem rot, until he retired in 1990.

DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
Sept. 22: Deadline for Pesek-Pierre Student Filmmaking Challenge.
Sept. 30: Deal Lecture, 7 p.m., Dolezal Auditorium 127 Curtiss Hall, https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/releases/secretary-agriculture-bill-n….
Sept. 30: Pesek-Pierre Colloquium, 8 p.m., Memorial Union Great Hall.

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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JEFFERSON SCIENCE FELLOW PROGRAM
Jefferson Science Fellows spend one year at the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Agency for International Development for an on-site assignment in Washington, D.C. Fellows provide up-to-date expertise in the rapidly advancing science, technology, engineering and medical arenas that impact policy decisions. Each fellow is paid a per diem of up to $50,000 to cover local living expenses and up to $10,000 for assignment-related travel. Applications are due Jan. 13. Max Rothschild, Iowa State’s first Jefferson Science Fellow (2011-12), is available to mentor faculty members interested in applying. Contact: Max Rothschild (mfrothsc@iastate.edu, 294-6202). More: http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/Jefferson/PGA_046612.htm

JOINT GENOME INSTITUTE CALL FOR PROPOSALS
The Joint Genome Institute division of the DOE is accepting proposals for their Community Science Program for Small-Scale Microbial/Metagenome Proposals.  Proposals may include microbial isolates, RNA, resequencing and epigenomics projects, metagenome and metatranscriptome projects, and single cells. The deadline for submission is Nov. 20. More: http://jgi.doe.gov/collaborate-with-jgi/community-science-program/csp-p…

NSF CAREER WEBINAR
The NSF Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems will host a two-day CAREER Proposal webinar to discuss best practices regarding the development and submission of CAREER proposals. The webinar will be held Oct. 21-22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Registration is due by Oct. 17.  More:
http://www.nsf.gov/events/event_summ.jsp?cntn_id=132552&WT.mc_ev=click

FUNDING INFORMATION, OPPORTUNITIES AND DEADLINE REMINDERS
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu
Additional information is posted at CALS Funding Resources, http://www.ag.iastate.edu/research/fundingResources/

Oct. 15: ALS Therapy Alliance; $100,000 to $1 million. More: http://alstherapyalliance.org/index.php/research/grant-submission-proce…

Oct. 26: NIH Development and Characterization of Animal Models for Aging Research (R21). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-13-156.html

Nov 1: The Glaucoma Foundation 2015 Research Projects; $40,000.

Jan. 16: NIH Minor Use Minor Species Development of Drugs Research Project Grant (R01); $125,000 per year, up to three years. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-FD-12-003.html

Feb. 5: NIH Translational Research to Improve Diabetes and Obesity Outcomes (R01). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-13-352.html

Mar. 20: NIH Opportunities for Collaborative Research at the NIH Clinical Center (U01); $500,000 per year up to three years. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-13-358.html

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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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THE 5 DO’S AND DON’TS OF MEDIA RELATIONS
The following information from PR Newswire’s Small Business Toolkit ran in the Aug. 20 issue of The Wall Street Journal:

  1. Don’t be generic by offering stories or advice that is widely available or common. Do tell a unique story that is memorable and difficult for competing brands to duplicate.
  2. Don’t ramble on and risk losing the journalist’s interest in what you are saying. Do offer short sound bites that tell your story or helpful tips in easily digestible pieces.
  3. Don’t waste time by neglecting to prepare a press kit. Do provide everything the journalist needs to cover your story including headshots, photos and video clips of other interview or speaking engagements that prove your credibility.
  4. Don’t be too self-serving by blatantly pitching your products. Do be a thought-leader and incorporate your offerings into a story or lesson that the audience will gain value from.
  5. Don’t provide expertise outside of your professional interests that doesn’t make sense for your brand. Do be genuine to who you are and your beliefs.

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INFOGRAZING
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NEWSLETTER TO ADDRESS SMALL FARM LIVING
Christa Hartsook, coordinator of the small farm sustainability program with ISU Extension and Outreach, is re-introducing the Acreage Living newsletter in an online format. Publications, people and agencies that serve as resources will be highlighted on the program’s website, in the e-newsletter and through online learning opportunities that will be available early in 2015.

ADVANCING ONE COMMUNITY AWARD NOMINATIONS DUE NOV. 15
Nominations are being accepted through Nov. 15 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Advancing One Community Award. Eligible applicants include students, faculty or staff and any campus group or organization. Awards are presented annual in January as part of the university’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.

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INTERNAL VOICES
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POLITO: JOBS A SAFE BET FOR AG COLLEGE GRADS
An article in the Sept./Oct. issue of “The Furrow” talks about how agriculture colleges are looking different these days. Intriguing technology, science and an altruistic idea of feeding the world’s growing population inspire today’s agriculture students as much as the thought of going back home to work on the family farm or ranch. Plus, it’s a safe bet that they will land jobs. Tom Polito, director of CALS student services, said ISU now places 97% of its agriculture students within six month of graduation. More: http://www.deere.com/en_US/docs/html/brochures/publication.html?id=f880…

RESEARCH FARMS: HARVEST SEASON IS APPROACHING
Bernie Havlovic, superintendent at the Armstrong Research and Demonstration Farm near Lewis, reports that slowly but surely, harvest season is approaching. “The earliest planted corn is now black layered and most soybean fields have turned color and are dropping their leaves. I did see a few combines out in the fields harvesting some high moisture corn and corn damaged by the summer hail storms,” Havlovic added. “A few airplanes have also been out this week aerial seeding cover crops into standing corn and soybean fields. We have also hand or machine seeded several of the farm’s cover crop studies this past week.” Micah Smidt, superintendent at the Northern Research and Demonstration Farm near Kanawha, said, “With fall right around the corner it is time to get all the equipment in order and make sure it will work properly in the field. Our earliest corn finally hit black layer, but most of the corn is still at the R5 (dent) stage. We have soybeans at the R8 (full maturity), but those are in plots that were planted ahead of the soybeans on the farm. We are using our Hagie sprayer to apply cover crop seed in standing corn or soybeans.”

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MARGINALIA
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WHY PRETTY APPLES LOSE WHEN IT COMES TO TASTE
In the Sept. 15 issue of TakePart, a digital news and lifestyle magazine, food editor Willy Blackmore traces the roots of the Red Delicious apple to a time when it was actually…delicious. Originating in an Iowa apple orchard in the late 1800s, it was first known as the Hawkeye. “Thanks to Seed Savers Exchange and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, Hawkeye apple trees are growing across Iowa and around the country,” Blackmore writes. The Leopold Center wrote about the history of the Hawkeye apple in a 2004 white paper titled, “A Geography of Taste: Iowa’s Potential for Place-Based and Traditional Foods,” which renewed interest in all sorts of Iowa products, including the Hawkeye apple (pg. 20).

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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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EDITOR
Julie Stewart
jstewart@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5616
https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/agonline

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