College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Feb. 16, 2015 – No. 836
Top Stories
Lawrence Reappointed as Associate Dean and ANR Director
John Lawrence has been reappointed to a second five-year term as associate dean for extension in CALS and director for agriculture and natural resources for ISU Extension and Outreach. During his first term, Lawrence promoted university extension and outreach as the science-based authority on water quality issues and was a leader in the collaborative efforts to develop Iowa’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy. He also currently serves as director of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center. More
Research
ISU Part of Grant to Improve Ag Policy in Ghana
ISU has joined a partnership to improve agricultural policy making, policy analysis and implementation in Ghana. The work is funded by USAID through its Feed the Future Agriculture Policy Support Project. The ISU component of the project funded with $1.145 million is led by John Beghin, economics and a researcher in the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, and Manjit Misra, director of the Seed Science Center who leads the Global Food Security Consortium. More
Kaleita and Bowler Research Sensors to Monitor Nitrate Concentration
USDA recently awarded Amy Kaleita, agricultural and biosystems engineering, and Nicola Bowler, materials science and engineering and electrical engineering, a grant to study how to produce a low-cost sensor to monitor nitrate concentration in drainage tile lines. More
Teaching and Students
CALS Student Selected to Attend Agricultural Outlook Forum
Malcolm Smith, a junior in global resource systems and public service and administration in agriculture, was chosen to attend the 2015 USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum to be held Feb. 19-20 in Arlington, Va. Only 30 students were selected from more than 100 universities that participated nationwide. More
Livestock Judging Team Earns Honors at Two Competitions
The Livestock Judging Team finished third overall and second in the swine and cattle division at the Sioux Empire Farm Show, Jan. 27-31, in Sioux Falls. They brought home high team overall honors at the Iowa Beef Expo on Feb. 8-15, along with the high team in placings award. Elizabeth Heaton, junior in agricultural business, finished second overall and fourth in placings; Bailey Core, senior in animal science, fourth overall; and Jeremy Maass, senior in animal science, second in placings.
Video: If it’s February, It Must be Hort Club Roses
The Horticulture Club holds an annual rose sale in February. View the following video to see how the sale helps the Horticulture Club year-round. More
Extension and Outreach
Iowa Learning Farms Launches Podcast Series
Iowa Learning Farms launched a podcast series this month titled "Conservation Chat." Jacqueline Comito, director of Iowa Learning Farms and the Water Rocks! program, holds casual conversations with Iowans about various aspects of conservation. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey is the inaugural podcast guest followed by Mills County farmer Steve McGrew.
Current Issues in Nutrition Program Asks ‘Are Fats Back in Fashion?’
The spring Current Issues in Nutrition program presented by ISU Extension and Outreach will address “Are Fats Back in Fashion? – Fads versus Science.” Speakers will be Penny Kris-Etherton, Penn State University, and Jill Weisenberger, Health Communications, LLC. More
Calendar
Feb. 18: Retirement Reception for Will Emley
Will Emley, operations manager at the Ag Engineering/Agronomy Farm, is retiring after 31 years of service with ISU. An open house reception will be held at the AEA Farm on Highway 30 near Boone on Feb. 18, 2:30 to 4 p.m.
Feb. 19: Iowa Soybean Association Research Conference
The Iowa Soybean Association is hosting a research conference on Feb. 19 in Ames. The following CALS faculty will be presenting: Daren Mueller, Alison Robertson and Greg Tylka, plant pathology and microbiology; Matt Darr, Matt Helmers and Michelle Soupir, agricultural and biosystems engineering; and Lisa Schulte-Moore, natural resource ecology and management. More
April 7-8: Egg Industry Issues Forum
Registration is now open for the 7th annual Egg Industry Issues Forum, scheduled for April 7-8 in downtown Des Moines.
April 10-11: Registration Open for Stupka Symposium
Registration is now open for the 10th annual Stupka Symposium, to be held April 10-11, 2015. The event is organized and run by undergraduate students in biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, and designed to encourage the interaction between students and faculty over research topics in biological and chemical sciences. The event was the inspiration of Rob Stupka, an undergraduate student majoring in biochemistry at ISU. Stupka lost his life in the fall of 2005, before he was able to see the result of his work. The symposium was dedicated to Rob and the annual event now bears his name in tribute. More
Funding Opportunities
USDA-FAS FY 2015 Scientific Cooperation Research Program
The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service is seeking proposals for cost reimbursable agreements of up to $40,000 each for the Scientific Cooperation Research Program. The objective of SCRP is to reduce global poverty and hunger by supporting applied scientific research, extension or education projects that address challenges faced by small farmers in emerging economies. Proposals should focus on agricultural challenges to small farmers in Bangladesh, Ghana, Guatemala, Kenya, East African Community Region and Central America Region. Proposals are due April 3.
Millennium Challenge Corporation RFI for Off-Grid Clean Energy in Benin
The U.S. government, through the Millennium Challenge Corporation, is developing a $300 million compact with the Government of Benin focused on Benin’s electrical power sector. In anticipation of a signed compact in August, the MCC has issued a Request for Information: Off-Grid Clean Energy Solutions for Benin. The information will be used to determine whether to provide matching funding for a project toward the overall cost of clean energy in Benin. Technologies can include biomass/biogas, wind power and hybrid technologies. Grant awards could range from $100,000 to $5 million. Submissions are due Mar. 6.
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.
Mar. 4 (notice of intent): NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Education Cooperative Agreement Notice. More
Mar. 14 (letter of intent): NIH Exploratory Technologies to Understand the Control of Organ Function by the Peripheral Nervous System for SPARC (U18); $200,000 per year up to two years. More
Mar. 27 (expressions of interest): USAID/Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/Grand Challenges Canada/UKAID - Saving Lives at Birth: A Grand Challenge for Development; $250,000 to $2 million. More
Apr. 1 (online inquiry): The John Templeton Foundation Core Funding Areas. If interested, contact ISU Foundation. More
Apr. 15: USFWS Wildlife Without Borders – Latin America and the Caribbean Program, Central America.
Apr. 16 (letter of intent): DOE Joint Genome Institute – Community Science Program.
Apr. 30: National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan. More
May 21: DOE Joint Genome Institute – Small-scale Microbial/Metagenome Program.
May 22: NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates – Antarctica. More
May 29: NIH High-End Instrumentation Grant Program (S10); $600,000 to $2 million. More
July 16: DOE Joint Genome Institute – Synthetic Biology.
Aug. 25: USDA Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (2501 Program); $400,000, one proposal per organization. More
Communications Kiosk
What Makes a Good Science Story – Explaining Consensus, Even with Conflict
While it may be distressing to scientists who would rather avoid public dispute, it’s true that conflict and controversy sell. Unfortunately, the media’s appetite for discord is fertile ground for professional doubt-makers. This is why it is important for you to be able to explain how there can be overall scientific consensus while discrete areas of argument still exist. Be sure to say exactly where there is consensus – do not assume people know this. (Escape from the Ivory Tower: A Guide to Making Your Science Matter, 2010, pg. 47 – part 6 of 8.)
Marginalia
Father of Agronomy Faculty Member Speaks on Heritage Animal Breeds
John Caveny, owner of Caveny Farm in Monticello, Ill., presented a multifaceted approach to sustainable agriculture at the Feb. 11 Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture Colloquium. Caveny Farm raises poultry and lamb on pasture. Heritage breeds are their mainstay. Caveny’s daughter, Emily Heaton, is an assistant professor of agronomy. He roasted a Bourbon Red heritage turkey for colloquium participants to sample. An overview of his approach can be seen on this video.
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 Friday.
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