COLLEGE NEWS
- 140 attend college retreat
- What's next for professional development?
- Interim chair for FSHN
- Firsts for the Brenton Center
- Revised policy on Experiment Station projects
- Ag Council barbecue
- College convocation
- Deadlines & Reminders
COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
- What reporters want in a story
- Top five uses of the Web
INFOGRAZING
- Work time
EXTERNAL VOICES
- Where are the heroes of science?
MARGINALIA
- Two nominations for science heroes
C O L L E G E N E W S
140 ATTEND RETREAT
About 140 faculty and staff members attended Thursday's "Breaking
Communications Barriers" college retreat. The professional
development committee will publish a proceedings that includes
ideas generated at the retreat on improving internal and external
communications. Ag Information will have videotapes of the retreat's
main sessions for check-out. If you want a copy of "Media
Guide for Academics," a booklet passed out at the retreat,
contact Robert Martin, 294-0896. "When a Reporter Calls,"
a brochure of tips on working with reporters, is available from
Ag Information.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT?
The professional development committee is planning a hands-on
workshop this fall to demonstrate technology in the Brenton Center.
Next spring, a forum with a teaching emphasis is planned. Ag Online
will have more details as plans progress.
INTERIM CHAIR FOR FSHN
Pamela White has been named interim chair of the Department of
Food Science and Human Nutrition. Wayne Bidlack, the chair since
1992, will start a new job in September as dean of the College
of Agriculture at California State Polytechnic University. White
has been an ISU faculty member since 1975.
FIRSTS FOR THE BRENTON CENTER
At 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 21, Chris Minion will teach MIPM 502, a
bacterial genetics course, in the Brenton Center for Agricultural
Instruction and Technology Transfer -- the first instructor to
use the center's state-of-the-art teaching facilities. At 7 p.m.
Monday, Jan Flora and Cornelia Flora will teach Sociology 533,
on models of community -- the first class to be sent out on the
Iowa Communications Network from the center. So far 11 courses
and one ISU Extension workshop have been scheduled in the center.
REVISED POLICY ON EXPERIMENT STATION PROJECTS
Policies regarding Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment
Station projects have been revised and distributed to DEOs. They
take effect Sept. 1. It is hoped that these revisions will reduce
paperwork, provide for greater flexibility and not impede the
development of research teams. For more information: Susan Lamont,
294-3629.
AG COUNCIL BARBECUE
Faculty are urged to meet and greet new and returning students
at the Freshmen/Transfer Barbecue, 5 p.m., Monday, Aug. 21, between
Kildee Hall and the Judging Pavilion. There will be a meal fee.
The barbecue is sponsored by the Ag Council and the College of
Agriculture.
COLLEGE CONVOCATION
The college convocation, 4 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 24, will include
introduction of new administrators and faculty members. It will
be held in Lush Auditorium, Kildee Hall.
DEADLINES & REMINDERS
Aug. 21 -- Classes begin / Ag Council barbecue, 5 p.m.
Aug. 24 -- College convocation, Lush Auditorium, 4 p.m.
Sept. 5 -- Foreign travel grant applications due, 122 Curtiss
Sept. 6 -- Leopold Center preproposals due, 126 Soil Tilth
Sept. 8 -- Faculty improvement leave applications due, 122 Curtiss
C O M M U N I C A T I O N S K I O S K
WHAT REPORTERS WANT IN A STORY
What do journalists look for in a story? At Thursday's college
retreat, communications consultant Ian Pearson said they look
for: surprise (the gee-whiz factor); newness (Christopher Columbus,
yes; second explorer to America, ho-hum); hot buttons (subjects
that hit home for many, like food, health, money); action (not
process); visuals; the human angle; conflict; the 5 W's (who,
what, when, where, why); great bites (memorable quotes); the local
angle; simplicity; impact; urgency; emotion; and certainty (is
this really going to happen?).
TOP FIVE USES OF THE WEB
Georgia Tech's Graphics, Visualization and Usability Center has
done its third World Wide Web user survey. The mean age of Web
browsers is 35 years, 80 percent are male and the top five uses
of the Web are browsing, entertainment, work, educational research
and business research. For more survey details, the WWW address
is: http://www.cc.gatech.edu/gvu/user_surveys
I N F O G R A Z I N G
WORK TIME
A study, based on minute-by-minute time diaries kept over a two-day
period, says that the number of hours people recall working is
much higher than the number they actually worked. The authors
of the study suggest that the gap is explained partly by "the
increase in service jobs with no fixed hourly schedule, the rise
in flexible work schedules in general . . . and the increased
blending of work and nonwork time." Because of this blending,
people are never sure whether they're working or not-working,
and therefore feel under constant pressure. (American Demographics,
March)
E X T E R N A L V O I C E S
WHERE ARE THE HEROES OF SCIENCE?
"In academic research, today's wizards are just as likely
to be urging their Congressmen to keep the money coming as they
are to be probing the secrets of nature -- except when they're
pondering initial public offerings of the stock of their biotechnology
sidelines. The bubbling masses of money, politics, teams and litigation
are not conducive to the creation of the old-style heroes of science.
Important findings keep pouring out of the laboratories. But the
best-known doctor today is Jack Kevorkian." Daniel S. Greenberg,
publisher of the Science & Government Report newsletter. (New
York Times, July 4)
M A R G I N A L I A
TWO NOMINATIONS FOR SCIENCE HEROES
Researchers in Australia and Canada have applied for a patent
on a synthetic version of a plant hormone that can slow the growth
of grass without affecting its color or texture. Which means you
could end up mowing your yard only once every 30 days or so with
regular use, plus the treated grass requires much less water and
fertilizer. And in Arthur D. Little Inc.'s food-development labs,
scientists are trying to make broccoli more palatable. They are
experimenting with broccoli "leather" (sort of like
fruit roll-ups), mint-and-lemon-flavored and chocolate-flavored
powdered broccoli juice mixes, and broccoli-flavored salsa. One
nixed idea -- broccoli cereal. (Business Week, July 17, and Wall
Street Journal, July 17)