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COLLEGE NEWS
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HARASSMENT PREVENTION TRAINING URGED FOR REVIEW
Wendy Wintersteen, senior associate dean, encourages all college faculty and staff to complete workplace harassment prevention training in advance of the USDA-CSREES Civil Rights Compliance Review, scheduled for Aug. 25. The two, web-based training modules, Racial/Ethnic Harassment Prevention and Sexual Harassment Prevention, are available through Access+. It should take no more than about 20 minutes to complete both modules. If in the past five years you have completed this training either on the web or attended a training session it would not be necessary to complete this web-based training. To access the training modules: Login to Access+, go to the "Employee " tab, click on the web-based training link, and then select the training module. As you complete each module, your name will be submitted to Human Resource Services, so they can keep track of who has completed each session.
NSF WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS AVAILABLE
Presentations are available from the recent National Science Foundation Workshop titled Environmental Research Frontiers 2003 - 2012: Shaping the ISU Agenda, A Workshop on Complexity in the Environment. The workshop was held at the Scheman Building July 16.
LEOPOLD CENTER TO PRESENT AWARD TO HARDIN COUNTY FARM FAMILY
The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture will present one of the state’s largest awards in sustainable agriculture to a Hardin County farm family during the 2003 Iowa State Fair. David, Diane and Dresden Petty of Eldora will receive the 2003 Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture at 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 9, at the beginning of the Governor’s Charity Steer Show in the Pioneer Livestock Pavilion on the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. The Spencer Award recognizes farmers, researchers and educators who have made a significant contribution toward the stability of mainstream family farms in Iowa.
STUDENTS ATTEND ISU'S SUMMER INSTITUTE IN BIOINFORMATICS
This summer, 10 students from universities throughout the United States are at Iowa State, learning the skills they need to tackle the burgeoning field of bioinformatics. The students are attending the 10-week National Science Foundation-National Institutes of Health Summer Institute in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, held through Aug. 8.
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SAFETY ACTION PLAN UNVEILED
Agricultural production is a dangerous business. About 740 people die and another 130,000 workers are temporarily or permanently disabled each year on U.S. farms and ranches. Iowa State has had an agricultural safety specialist since 1947. Charles Schwab has filled the position since 1990. He recently led an effort to develop a national plan for research and extension on agricultural safety and health. Learn more in "Agriculture in Action."
STALDER LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH PORK PRODUCERS
Ken Stalder has been on the job less than a month, yet already he has represented Iowa State's animal science department at a regional swine conference, answered media inquiries, begun some pork research and helped plan a series of National Pork Board certification meetings for educators. And he doesn't plan on slowing down anytime soon. Details: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/newsrel/2003/jul03/jul0329.html
MANURE DIGESTERS CAN CREATE ELECTRICITY AND POTENTIAL INCOME Livestock producers interested in learning how manure digesters can add value to their operations are invited to a conference Aug. 20 in Oelwein. Adding manure to an anaerobic digester allows the manure to decompose, creating methane gas. The gas is then used with a generator to create electricity. ISU Extension agricultural engineer field specialist Dan Meyer is coordinating the conference that will provide information on using digesters, including location, cost, operation and potential income. Details: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/newsrel/2003/jul03/jul0331.html
EMERGENCY CATTLE COMPOSTING RESEARCH TO EXPAND AT ISU
Preliminary studies at Iowa State have opened the door for a second year of research on the environmental impacts and biosecurity of composting to dispose of animal carcasses in the event of a cattle disease outbreak. The project got underway last fall at the request of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
ISU PROFESSOR TO BE HONORED AT INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM
Plant breeding scientists from around the world will gather to discuss plant breeding and to honor one of the foremost experts in the field at the Arnel R. Hallauer International Symposium on Plant Breeding Aug. 17-22 in Mexico City, Mexico. The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and Iowa State are hosting the symposium.
AGRONOMY PROF RECEIVES AWARD FOR NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT WORK
Iowa State agronomy professor Antonio Mallarino has been recognized by the USDA as a 2003 Secretary's Honor Award recipient for his collaborative work on phosphorus environmental issues. Mallarino contributed to the development and implementation of phosphorus indexing procedures that help maintain productivity and protect water quality by identifying corrective measures for nutrient management. He worked with 14 other scientists from universities and governmental agencies spanning 10 states who also received this award. The Secretary's Honor Awards are the most prestigious awards presented by the USDA.
CUNNICK TO MANAGE MICROBIOLOGY UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
Joan Cunnick, microbiology professor, has been appointed to a three-year term as professor-in-charge of the microbiology undergraduate program. She will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the program and will report to the animal science and plant pathology chairs, the two departments began joint administration of the major on July 1.
RURAL COMMUNITIES: LEGACY AND CHANGE
How do you define rural America? Some imagine that rural means farming communities that are close-knit, homogeneous communities. In the book Rural Communities: Legacy and Change, authors Cornelia Butler Flora, North Central Regional Center for rural Development director, and Jan Flora, sociology, look at how rural communities have changed over time and how rural communities have more differences than similarities. In the book the Floras outline four structural circumstances dominating rural areas. Those include urban sprawl, rapid growth near natural amenities, persistent poverty and remoteness.
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
Aug. 5: Northern Research and Demonstration Farm home garden field day, 6:30 p.m., Kanawha
Aug. 6: Northwest Research and Demonstration Farm home garden field day, 6:30 p.m., near Sutherland
Aug. 7-17: Iowa State Fair, Des Moines
Aug. 7: Armstrong Research and Demonstration Farm home garden field day, 6:30 p.m., near Lewis
Aug. 8: Muscatine Island Research and Demonstration Farm home garden field day, 6:30 p.m., near Fruitland
Aug. 9: Summer commencement, 9:30 a.m., Hilton Coliseum
Aug. 14: Agriculture Drainage Well field day near West Bend, 9 a.m.
Aug. 15: University summer hours end
Aug. 16: Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm specialty field day on grapes, 8:30 a.m., near Nashua
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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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COMPLEMENT VS. COMPLIMENT
Complement is a noun and a verb denoting completeness or the process of supplementing something: The ship has a complement of 200 sailors and 20 officers. The tie complements his suit. Compliment is a noun or a verb that denotes praise or the expression of courtesy: The captain complimented the sailors.
(The Associated Press Stylebook, June 2002)
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INFOGRAZING
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NSF GRANTS CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION SUPPORT OFFERED
The University of Minnesota is hosting a National Science Foundation Regional Grants Conference Nov.10-11. The Vice Provost for Research office encourages participation and will provide selected participants with financial support. To apply submit a letter of interest to Sreeparna Mitra by Aug. 18. Letters must be hand-delivered to 15 Pearson Hall or faxed to 4-8000; e-mail communications will not be accepted. Letters must address how the planned proposal relates to NSF programs and areas of interest. Applicants must be eligible principal investigators. For additional information regarding program content, contact the Policy Office, Division of Grants and Agreements at (703) 292-8243 or e-mail at policy@nsf.gov.
GOLDSHEET SIGNATURE CHANGES
Plant Sciences Institute (PSI) is no longer a required signature in the routing process as a distribution unit for the electronic GoldSheet. Even if PSI is paying the salary for principal investigators or co-investigators no signature from PSI is required. This is a change from last fiscal year. If you have any questions, please contact Thane Peterson at 294-5225 or at grants@iastate.edu.
FOOD SECURITY CONFERENCE SEPT. 15 AND 16 IN WEST DES MOINES
The Iowa Food Security Conference will be Sept. 15 and 16 at the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation in West Des Moines. Topics on the agenda include agroterrorism, facility and site security, vulnerability assessments and new security technology. Jim Dickson, microbiology, will be one of several speakers addressing food safety issues. For program content information, contact Ann Peters at ann.peters@hlsem.state.ia.us. For registration information, contact University Conference Services at confreg@iastate.edu.
ANIMAL WELFARE TRAINING COURSE IN OCTOBER
The National Institutes of Health Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, Office of Animal Care and Use and the Scientists Center for Animal Welfare will sponsor an advanced training course Oct. 28. It will be held at the Natcher Conference Center on the National Institutes of Health campus in Bethesda, Md. The meeting will focus on complex topics arising about the welfare of animals in research. The program will include small discussion groups and sharing of information among the participants concerning issues and controversies involving compliance with federal laws and regulations in research activities involving animals. The program and registration information are posted online.
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EXTERNAL VOICES
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EDUCATION TAKES TIME
"It takes at least a couple of decades to realize that you were well taught. All true education is a delayed-action bomb assembled in the classroom for explosion at a later date. An educational fuse of 50 years long is by no means unusual."
--Kenneth Gangel, educator
Next issue: August 11
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AG ONLINE
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EDITORS
Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu, and Brian Meyer, bmeyer@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616 Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
SUBSCRIBE
Ag Online, the newsletter for faculty and staff in Iowa State University's College of Agriculture, is e-mailed every Monday. To subscribe, send your name, e-mail address and the message "Ag Online subscribe" to edadcock@iastate.edu. To unsubscribe, send "Ag Online unsubscribe."
Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, disability or status as a U.S. Vietnam Era Veteran. Any persons having inquiries concerning this may contact the Director of Affirmative Action, 1031 Wallace Road Office Building, Room 101, (515) 294-7612.