COLLEGE NEWS
- Yang speaks on climate change on Capitol Hill
- Sign up early to be an Iowa State Fair volunteer
- Careers in the crust: Discovering ag through pizza
- Introductory workshop on learning-centered teaching
- Brenton Center to enhance several courses for distance ed
- Schedule fall classes now in the Brenton Center
- Time to plan off-campus courses for Spring 2001
- Globalization theme for North Central Teaching meeting
- Three meetings on balancing natural resources, economics
- Biobased products/bioenergy conference in June
- Seed professionals to meet on campus in June
- First Science Bound student graduates from ISU
- Golf event and dinner will benefit Lauren Christian fund
- The Engaged College: Masters of their natural resources
- The Engaged College: ISU farms are public farms
- The Engaged College: Practical farms, profitable farms
- Deadlines & Reminders
COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
- Two different reading styles for newspapers and Web sites
INFOGRAZING
- Farms, Food and the Future Conference in Des Moines
- More freshmen entering ISU with college credits
INTERNAL VOICES
- Nothing enlightened about shrinking from ambition
EXTERNAL VOICES
- Greenpeace official: Technology not always the best answer
MARGINALIA
- It’s dog-eat-dog to drive the wiener on wheels
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C O L L E G E N E W S
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YANG SPEAKS ON CLIMATE CHANGE ON CAPITOL HILL
On Thursday, plant pathologist X.B. Yang reported on the effects of global warming on plant diseases and pests at a Congressional briefing in Washington, D.C. The briefing also included scientists from Harvard University, Columbia University and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. The briefing coincided with the release of a report by the researchers, "Climate Change and U.S. Agriculture: The Impacts of Warming and Extreme Weather Events on Productivity, Plant Diseases and Pests." It examines how future climate change may affect yields, the incidence of weeds, plant diseases and pests, and economic costs of production.
SIGN UP EARLY TO BE AN IOWA STATE FAIR VOLUNTEER
Iowa State Fair planning is underway and it's time to plan when you would like to volunteer to help staff the College of Agriculture exhibit. The fair starts on Thursday, Aug. 10 and ends Sunday, Aug. 20. Volunteers have a choice of three shifts: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Don't miss your chance to participate in the 2000 State Fair. Volunteers will receive free admission and parking passes. To sign up, contact Marty Behrens: 4-5616 or behrens@iastate.edu.
CAREERS IN THE CRUST: DISCOVERING AG THROUGH PIZZA
A dessert pizza developed by a team from Smithfield, N.C., was judged the best at last week's Pizz-A-Thon on campus. Five teams of sixth and seventh graders participated in the final event. Pizz-A-Thon uses a favorite food to excite children about agriculture and about pursuing more information on where food comes from and careers in the food systems industry. Eldon Weber, affiliate instructor in ag education and studies, is coordinator of the program. Students and teachers from Callanan Middle School, Des Moines; Lamoni Middle School, Lamoni; Northeast Hamilton Community Schools, Blairsburg; and Walcott Intermediate School, Walcott, competed with Smithfield Middle School, Smithfield, N.C., after winning local contests. Event sponsors were Pioneer Hi-Bred International, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and Happy Joe's.
INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP ON LEARNING-CENTERED TEACHING
Project LEA/RN and the Department of Forestry will offer an "Introduction to Learning-centered College Classrooms" workshop June 12-15. The free workshop is aimed at teaching faculty and staff who want to explore alternative approaches to teaching, including using learning-centered techniques in the classroom; investigating new ways to assess student learning; building effective and efficient learning teams; and discovering and practicing ways of teaching interactive skills. Enrollment is limited to 30. To enroll, contact Justin Benna, 4-1279 or jvb@iastate.edu, by Monday, June 5. For more information: Steve Jungst, 4-1587 or sejungst@iastate.edu.
BRENTON CENTER TO ENHANCE SEVERAL COURSES FOR DISTANCE ED
This summer the Brenton Center’s Instructor Assistance Program will help instructors in plant pathology, horticulture, animal ecology and animal science prepare instructional materials for distance-education courses. The program provides support for enhancing courses to be delivered via the ICN, the Web or other distance technology. The courses that will receive support are in plant health biology, plant pathology, organic crop production, introduction to renewable resources, and computer techniques for biological research.
SCHEDULE FALL CLASSES NOW IN THE BRENTON CENTER
The Brenton Center is accepting requests for scheduling regular on-campus classes and events for the fall semester. Courses planned for ICN and/or videotape delivery have already been scheduled. If you would like to teach in the Brenton Center, make your request through your DEO or departmental representative who handles scheduling. To qualify for priority scheduling, requests must be received by June 2. Assignments will be made by June 9. For more information on the classrooms, check the Web: http://www.brenton.iastate.edu/. For more information: Ann Bugler, 4-9732 or bugler@iastate.edu.
TIME TO PLAN OFF-CAMPUS COURSES FOR SPRING 2001
It is time to identify credit and non-credit courses that will be offered off-campus next spring semester. Notify your DEO, departmental coordinator or Richard Carter in the Brenton Center (4-6950 or ricarter@iastate.edu) by July 14. Carter will work with instructors to prepare the course initiation form (formerly called the marketing and concurrence form) and to establish preliminary budgets.
GLOBALIZATION THEME FOR NORTH CENTRAL TEACHING MEETING
Five College of Agriculture faculty and staff members will attend the North Central Teaching Symposium, June 4-6, at Southern Illinois University. The meeting’s theme is "Globalization of an Agricultural Curriculum." Two ISU faculty, Russ Mullen and Deb Muenchrath, will give a presentation on learning about world agriculture systems through campus and ag travel courses. The other ISU participants will be Stan Henning, agronomy; Shelly Taylor, international programs; and Bill Messina, ag development.
THREE MEETINGS ON BALANCING NATURAL RESOURCES, ECONOMICS
One of the greatest challenges facing Iowa is how to preserve and protect the state’s rich natural resources, while allowing the state’s largest industry -- agriculture -- to thrive. Other concerns include the encroachment of urban populations on rural areas and the quality of Iowa’s lakes, rivers and streams. ISU will hold three meetings where these concerns will be discussed. Each meeting will feature different speakers talking about local issues. On June 13 one will be held at the Hitchcock Nature Area Lodge near Honey Creek. On June 15 one will be at the Holiday Inn in Davenport. The last will be held June 16 at the West Des Moines Marriott. A new ISU publication, "Iowa’s Land and Environment – Serving Competing Needs," will be distributed. It includes a historical perspective of Iowa land use and conservation and results of public surveys on wetlands use and recreational opportunities. Sponsors are the Department of Economics, ISU Extension and the College of Agriculture.
BIOBASED PRODUCTS/BIOENERGY CONFERENCE IN JUNE
ISU will host a conference June 15-16 to identify new opportunities for converting crops, trees and other biomass into a vast array of fuels and products. "National Biobased Products and Bioenergy Development: The Role and Capacities of the State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges" will be held at the Scheman Center. The conference is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Vice Provost for Extension Stan Johnson chairs a committee that is coordinating the meeting. The conference will assess economic, regulatory and environmental issues of increased bio-energy production. Government officials will share the national vision for bioenergy. Speakers will include DOE, USDA and ISU officials and private-industry representatives. Breakout sessions will showcase current biobased research and extension programs at universities. For more information, check online.
SEED PROFESSIONALS TO MEET ON CAMPUS IN JUNE
In June the Seed Science Center will host the 90th annual meeting of the Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) and the 77th annual meeting of the Society of Commercial Seed Technologists (SCST). More than 200 are expected to attend. AOSA members work in public seed testing laboratories in the United States and Canada. SCST members work in private labs. The June 7-16 meeting includes technical workshops, symposia and certification examinations. There also will be tours of campus and Pioneer Hi-Bred International’s seed facilities in Johnston, and an open house at the Seed Science Center.
FIRST SCIENCE BOUND STUDENT GRADUATES FROM ISU
Charles Stewart, who earlier this month earned his bachelor's degree in agricultural biochemistry, was the first Science Bound student to receive his college degree. The Science Bound program works with Des Moines students in grades 8-12 to enrich their science and math skills and interest them in pursuing careers in science. Students who complete the program and enroll at ISU in a technical field receive a full-tuition scholarship. Science Bound was developed by ISU and IPRT, and IPRT administers the program. Stewart also was the national president of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences. (See "Internal Voices" below.)
GOLF EVENT AND DINNER WILL BENEFIT LAUREN CHRISTIAN FUND
Registration has begun for a golf tournament, dinner and auction on July 22 that will benefit the Lauren L. Christian Endowment. The event begins at 1 p.m. with 18 holes of golf followed by a reception. The dinner will be held at 6 p.m. in the Farm Bureau Pavilion in Kildee Hall, with awards and an auction to follow. The cost for all activities is $60 a person. For those who don’t golf, the mixer and dinner cost $30. Registration is due July 20. A registration form is available from Ag Development, 4-7677, or online. If you want to sponsor a hole during the tournament or contribute auction items, contact Mike Telford, 4-7677.
THE ENGAGED COLLEGE: MASTERS OF THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES
(--The following three items are part of a series of examples of engagement
activities in the College of Agriculture.--) Participants in ISU’s Iowa Master Conservationist program get 32 hours of training and then give back 32 (and sometimes many more) hours in service projects to their communities. The program helps Iowans become better stewards of natural resources and increases community awareness of sustainability of natural resources. Service projects have included planting trees, harvesting prairie seeds, testing water quality, surveying wildlife and conducting programs for youth and adults. The program is a partnership of the Leopold Center, ISU Extension, Department of Animal Ecology and local county conservation boards. For more information: Jim Pease, 4-7429 or jlpease@iastate.edu.
THE ENGAGED COLLEGE: ISU FARMS ARE PUBLIC FARMS
Because many of the ISU Research and Demonstration Farms are locally owned, engagement with local farmers and citizens is a necessity. ISU personnel partner with local community clubs, schools and student groups on projects. Advisory groups help steer farm activities. Field days and tours are opportunities to interact with visitors. In 1999 more than 11,000 people visited the farms. The farms are located in areas that could be described as the "middle of everywhere," and researchers and staff are on-site citizens in those regions. Food is a common denominator of engagement, whether it’s a pork-burger meal during field days or grade-school students who make their own salsa from the farms’ gardens. For more information: Mark Honeyman, 4-4621 or honeyman@iastate.edu.
THE ENGAGED COLLEGE: PRACTICAL FARMS, PROFITABLE FARMS
Since 1985 Iowa State has partnered with Practical Farmers of Iowa to help producers conduct on-farm research to find out what is sustainable and profitable in their operations. In return, ISU scientists gain hands-on experience in grassroots sustainable systems. More than 400 replicated trials have been completed, and more than 16,000 people have attended 330 field days. Some projects have generated new information and new hypotheses. About two dozen ISU scientists and several non-ISU collaborators have been involved with PFI research. For more information: Rick Exner, 4-5486 or dnexner@iastate.edu.
DEADLINES & REMINDERS
June 7-16: Association of Official Seed Analysts and Society of Commercial Seed Technologists annual meetings, Scheman Building, 4-6821.
June 8-10: ISU Alumni Days
June 10: College of Agriculture Alumni Society golf tournament, 4-3303.
June 12-15: Introduction to Learning-centered College Classrooms workshop, 4-1587.
June 15-16: National Biobased Products and Bioenergy Development: The Role and Capacities of the State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges Conference, Scheman Building.
June 29-July 2: Plant Sciences Institute Symposium on Biosynthesis of Glucose Polysaccharides, Scheman Building, 4-7978.
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C O M M U N I C A T I O N S K I O S K
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TWO DIFFERENT READING STYLES FOR NEWSPAPERS AND WEB SITES
People seem to read Web news pages much differently than newspapers, according to the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. The institute's Eyetrack study, which was developed to show how a newspaper page is read, was adapted to Web sites. It shows reading patterns on the Web are opposite for printed material. Web site readers tend to "gloss over" graphics to read text, whereas images attract the eyes of newspaper readers who afterwards begin reading the text. To read more about the study, look for the text online.
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I N F O G R A Z I N G
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MORE FRESHMEN ENTERING ISU WITH COLLEGE CREDITS
More freshmen are coming to campus with college credits already under their belts. Last fall, 29 percent of the freshmen who entered the College of Agriculture brought with them transfer credits from other colleges or universities. That’s the highest percentage among ISU colleges, according to the admissions office. The university average is about 23 percent. For the agriculture freshmen, the grade point-average based on those transfer credits was 3.3.
FARMS, FOOD AND THE FUTURE CONFERENCE IN DES MOINES
The Farms, Food and the Future Conference will be held June 27 at the Polk County Convention Complex, Des Moines. The meeting, which will include a trade show and food festival, will examine adding value to Iowa’s agricultural commodities. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is the lead sponsor. ISU Extension also is a sponsor. For more information: Barb Cline, Iowa Institute for Cooperatives, 292-2667 or iacoops@netins.net.
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I N T E R N A L V O I C E S
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NOTHING ENLIGHTENED ABOUT SHRINKING FROM AMBITION
"Excellence is the only acceptable standard. Each of us must possess that internal drive to do our best in every endeavor. It is this idea of working to become the best that sends forth a challenge to each of us to never accept mediocrity, but to push on toward a higher mark . . . We must be daring and ambitious. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you." Charles Stewart, a graduating senior in agricultural biochemistry who spoke at the May 6 College of Agriculture convocation prior to commencement.
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E X T E R N A L V O I C E S
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GREENPEACE OFFICIAL: TECHNOLOGY NOW ALWAYS THE BEST ANSWER
"We believe that technical fixes aren't always the best solutions to problems but technology is used because it’s easier than summoning up the political will for better solutions. We want to change that trajectory. Of course we make extreme demands. That's what we're in business to do." A synopsis of an observation made by Charles Cronick, head of the Greenpeace, UK, campaign on genetic engineering, during a visit with a College of Agriculture delegation earlier this month. The college group visited the United Kingdom and Belgium to gather information on Europeans’ opinions on food-related issues.
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M A R G I N A L I A
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IT’S DOG-EAT-DOG TO DRIVE THE WIENER ON WHEELS
It’s the dream of 800 college graduates each year: 12 months behind the wheel of a giant, vehicular hot dog. This June, 18 chosen ones will crisscross the country in the new line of Oscar Mayer’s famous promotional roadster, the Wienermobile 2000 (V8 engine, GMC chassis). Newsweek staff writers took a test drive and reported: "The thing corners like a cheetah." (Newsweek, May 29)
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AG ONLINE
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NEXT ISSUE: June 9 DEADLINE: June 7
EDITORS
Brian Meyer, bmeyer@iastate.edu, and Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616 Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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Ag Online, the newsletter for faculty and staff in Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture, is e-mailed every other Friday. To subscribe, send your name, e-mail address and the message "Ag Online subscribe" to bmeyer@iastate.edu. To unsubscribe, send "Ag Online unsubscribe."
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