................................................... COLLEGE NEWS ................................................... FACULTY/STAFF FORUM ON EXPERIMENT STATION ON DEC. 10 College of Agriculture faculty and staff are invited to an open forum with Dean Woteki on Dec. 10 to share their thoughts on future Experiment Station research priorities. The forum begins at 4:10 p.m. in the Gallery, Memorial Union. A report providing a snapshot of current Experiment Station research areas, "Identifying Priorities for Iowa's Future" is on the Web, including with a link for submitting comments. CAREER DAY STORY ON TODAY'S AG SHOW The College’s Agriculture Career Day will be featured on this week’s Today's Ag program. The ag news show is produced at South Dakota State University in Brookings. The show is the only television program in the nation backed by major land-grant universities, including Iowa State, North Dakota State University, South Dakota State University and the University of Nebraska. The show is aired in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Sioux City, Ottumwa, Omaha, Mankato, Fargo and on RFD-TV. To view the video, go to the Career Services page at: https://www.career.cals.iastate.edu/cals-career-day. For scheduling information: http://www.todaysag.com/. HORT CLUB TO SELL POINSETTIAS THIS WEEK The Horticulture Club will sell poinsettia plants this week at various campus locations: Wednesday, Dec. 3, 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., University Book Store Thursday, Dec. 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Curtiss Hall rotunda Friday, Dec. 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Beardshear Hall ground floor Saturday, Dec. 6, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Reiman Gardens. TREE, PLAQUE IN MEMORY OF AN ANIMAL SCIENCE STUDENT A tree will be dedicated Friday, Dec. 5, in remembrance of Alison Ciancio, an animal science sophomore who was killed last year in a car accident. The tree has been planted, and a plaque will be placed on Kildee Hall marking the occasion. The dedication will be held at 3 p.m. at the south entrance of Kildee Hall. ISU TEAM AT INTERNATIONAL MEAT JUDGING CONTEST The 2003 Iowa State University Meat Judging team competed Nov. 16 at the International Intercollegiate Meat Judging contest held at Tyson Foods in Dakota City, Neb. Thirteen teams and 52 participants competed. Team honors included fourth in specifications, fifth in pork judging and sixth in both beef judging and reasons. Individually, Pete Burmeister tied for second in placings, eighth in pork judging and 14th in beef judging. Mike Hosch tied for fourth in specifications and was 15th in reasons. Chelsea Peelen tied for ninth in beef judging and 14th in placings, was 11th in pork and 12th in reasons. Other team members were Ben Dresher, Ryan Husak, Dawn Clingan and Chelcee Hindman. The team is coached by Jeff Sindelar, meat science graduate student. ISU MEAT LAB CO-SPONSORS COOKING EVENT FOR KIDS Fifty Des Moines inner-city children participated in the second annual “RIBS for Kids” held at Cookies’ BBQ Sauce plant in Wall Lake Nov. 8. RIBS is an acronym for “Refining Individual BBQ Skills.” The event was co-sponsored by the Iowa Barbeque Society, Urban Dreams and the Des Moines Public School System, Cookies BBQ Sauce Co., the Iowa State University Meat Laboratory and others. Steve Bryant, Meat Laboratory processing specialist, and Jeff Sindelar and Sherry Olson, meat science graduate students, participated. There were presentations on meat selection, meat cookery and food safety and each child had the opportunity to season and cook some chicken, pork or beef. RAMESH KANWAR NAMED HONORARY PROFESSOR Ramesh Kanwar, chair of the agricultural & biosystems engineering department, recently was awarded an honorary professorship by Ningxia University located in Yinchuan, China. For several years Kanwar. Former ABE faculty member Ruihong Zhang, from the University of California, also was named an honorary professor. They have been working in Ningxia on the United Nations Development Program’s Yellow River Management Project. ISU PROFESSOR NAMED PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL CROPS SOCIETY Iowa State University agronomy professor Ken Moore has been named president of the Crop Science Society of America for 2003-04. IOWA STATE PROFESSOR HONORED BY NATIONAL AGRONOMY SOCIETY The American Society of Agronomy named Iowa State University agronomy professor Antonio Mallarino recipient of the Werner L. Nelson Award for Diagnosis of Yield-Limiting Factors. The award recognizes outstanding performance and leadership in the development, acceptance and implementation of diagnostic techniques and approaches in the field, with emphasis on identification and correction of yield-limiting factors in crop production. IOWA STATE AGRONOMY PROFESSOR NAMED FELLOW OF CROPS SOCIETY Iowa State University agronomy professor Russ Mullen has been named a fellow of the Crops Science Society of America. Mullen was one of 11 crop scientists selected for the honor, which is based on professional achievements and meritorious service. ARE YOU A FRESH PORK CONSUMER? LET FSHN KNOW Do you eat fresh pork products once or twice a week? If so, let researchers in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition know. They are determining the feasibility of conducting a consumer test of fresh pork in the Center for Designing Foods to Improve Nutrition. Researchers Ken Prusa and Cynthia Shriver are looking for people who typically eat fresh pork (chops, roasts, ribs, ground, etc.) once or twice per week. Processed products -- ham, bacon, sausage, hot dogs -- don't count. If you fit the criteria and are interested in becoming a participant, please check the box below and e-mail your response to Shriver, shriverc@iastate.edu. ____ I typically eat fresh pork one time per week ____ I typically eat fresh pork two times or more per week If a sufficient number of potential participants are identified, the researchers will begin recruiting later this month. Participants would be asked demographic/product usage questions and then would evaluate two pork products. The 15-minute test would likely be conducted the second week in January. Participants would receive $10 in cash. NEW BOOK HIGHLIGHTS RENEWAL OF RURAL IOWA A new book tells the stories of Iowans who have found a way to make a living in rural areas while supporting their communities and protecting the environment. Renewing the Countryside--Iowa is a collection of 38 stories and eight essays that highlight rural revitalization. Learn more in "Agriculture in Action." ISU MEAT SCIENCE PROGRAM RATED SECOND BEST IN THE NATION For the third straight year, Meat & Poultry magazine has ranked Iowa State’s meat science program second in the nation. FUNDRAISING FOR ENDOWED AG LAW FACULTY POSITION BEGINS A gift from Leonard Dolezal, a retired farmer in Linn County, will set the stage for a fundraising effort to establish an endowed faculty position in agricultural law at Iowa State. 4-H CONFERENCE SEEKS WORKSHOP PRESENTERS College faculty and staff are invited to present educational workshops at the 2004 Iowa 4-H Youth Conference, which is set for June 29 to July 1, 2004. One of the goals for the conference, to be held on the ISU campus, is to showcase the university and help in recruitment. Workshops are to last about an hour and will be offered on the afternoons of June 29 and 30. Workshop proposals are due by Jan. 7. Contact Brenda Allen, bsallen@iastate.edu or 4-1567. 2003 HYBRID CORN PERFORMANCE DATA AVAILABLE Results of the 2003 Iowa Crop Performance Test for hybrid corn now are available on-line. The reports include performance information on yield, moisture, root lodging, stalk lodging, dropped ears, stand and percent of protein, oil and starch. During 2003, researchers evaluated 480 hybrids from 50 seed companies and Iowa State. Learn more: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/newsrel/2003/nov03/nov0324.html DEADLINES AND REMINDERS Dec. 1: Seminar on the scientific advances in understanding the human health effects of GM foods, 3:30 p.m., Gallery, Memorial Union Dec. 3: Spanish study-abroad summer program informational meeting, noon to 1 p.m., 9 Curtiss, contact: Eduarda Becerra, 4- 3972 or ebecerra@iastate.edu Dec. 4: Promotion and Tenure Workshop Series, 3:10 to 5 p.m. in 1204 Kildee Hall Dec. 5: Christmas tree and firewood sale, 3 to 6 p.m., Reiman Gardens Dec. 6: Christmas tree and firewood sale, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Reiman Gardens Dec. 7: Christmas tree and firewood sale, noon to 6 p.m., Reiman Gardens Dec. 10: Faculty/staff forum to share thoughts on College of Agriculture research priorities, 4:10 p.m., Gallery, Memorial Union Dec. 12: Christmas tree and firewood sale, 3 to 6 p.m., Reiman Gardens Dec. 13: Christmas tree and firewood sale, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Reiman Gardens Dec. 14: Christmas tree and firewood sale, noon to 6 p.m., Reiman Gardens Dec. 20: College convocation for graduates, 9:30 a.m., C.Y. Stephens Auditorium ................................................... COMMUNICATION KIOSK ................................................... MAPPING PRIORITIES HELPS ACCOMPLISH TASKS Unexpected interruptions, like phone calls and e-mails, can sidetrack to-do lists. Lynda Cardwell, a marketing writer and publicist, suggests using a simple two-by-two matrix to identify high-priority tasks in the Nov. 24 Harvard Management Update. 1. Urgent and important tasks (Quadrant I), such as responding to crisis situations. 2. Not urgent but important tasks (Quadrant II), such as developing business relationships or planning ahead. 3. Urgent but not important tasks (Quadrant III), for example returning phone calls. 4. Not urgent and not important tasks (Quadrant IV), such as surfing the internet. This helps make a to-do list doable and allows you to accomplish high-priority items first, Cardwell says. ................................................... INFOGRAZING ................................................... UN REPORT FINDS RISE IN WORLD HUNGER Hunger is on the rise again after falling steadily during the first half of the 1990s, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) annual hunger report. "Bluntly stated, the problem is not so much a lack of food as a lack of political will," stated the report, titled “The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2003” (SOFI 2003). The agency called on rich countries to invest in improving agricultural productivity, conserving natural resources and expanding access to global markets for farmers in the developing world. More: http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/j0083e/j0083e00.htm ........................................................ EXTERNAL VOICES ........................................................ DROWNING IN TECHNOLOGY “Technology is so much fun but we can drown in our technology. The fog of information can drive out knowledge.” --Daniel J. Boorstin, historian and former librarian of Congress Next issue: Dec. 8 ........................................................ AG ONLINE ........................................................ 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.