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COLLEGE NEWS
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AWARD WINNERS TO BE NAMED AT FALL CONVOCATION
College of Agriculture faculty and staff will be honored at today’s fall convocation. President Gregory Geoffroy also will discuss the coming academic year during fall convocation that starts at 3 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Susan Lamont, animal science, will be named Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture; Diane Birt, food science and human nutrition, will be named Mary B. Welch Distinguished Professor in Family and Consumer Sciences; Dean Isaacson, statistics, will be presented the Presidential Service Award; Rameshwar Kanwar, agricultural and biosystems engineering, will be presented the International Service Award; John Lawrence, economics, will be presented the Iowa State University Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement in Extension or Professional Practice; Nick Christians, horticulture, will be presented the Iowa State University Foundation Award for Excellence in Academic Advising; Lee Burras, agronomy, will be presented the Pioneer Agronomy Professorship; Jay-Lin Jane, food science and human nutrition, and Richard Schultz, natural resource ecology and management, will be honored for receiving the Regents Award for Faculty Excellence; Darren Jarboe, Iowa Grain Quality Initiative, will be presented the Professional and Scientific Excellence Award; Anna Loan Wilsey, natural resource ecology and management, will be honored for receiving the Regents Award for Staff Excellence; and Beth Doran and Kelvin Leibold, extension field specialists, will each receive the Iowa State University Extension R.K. Bliss Award.
PRESIDENT GEOFFROY TO PRESENT CYTATION AWARDS TO P&S STAFF
On Tuesday, Sept. 28, President Geoffroy will recognize CYtation award winners from both July and April. The CYtation award is presented quarterly to professional and scientific staff for their contributions to the university. Randy Beckett, plant pathology, will be one of the July winners honored. Winners receive certificates and a one-year membership to Reiman Gardens.
PRESENTATION TOOLS COVERED AT NEXT AG COMM WORKSHOP
Presentation delivery systems will be the topic of the Oct. 5 Ag Comm Workshop. Tools for improving student presentations will be covered. The session will begin at noon in 8 Curtiss Hall and includes a light lunch. RSVP to Cheryl Abrams at 4-5872 or cabrams@iastate.edu. Contact: Robert Martin, 4-0896 or drmartin@iastate.edu.
ISU WELL-REPRESENTED IN RURAL SOCIOLOGY JOURNAL
The stature of the Department of Sociology is reflected in the fall issue of Rural Sociology, the premier journal of the discipline, published by the Rural Sociological Society. Seven of the issue's 17 authors are ISU faculty or recent alumni of the ISU sociology program. Contributing articles or reviews were faculty members Stephen Sapp and Peter Korsching (who wrote on the adoption of food irradiation) and Willis Goudy. Alumni Peggy Petrzelka (M.S., '91; PhD, '99), Don Albrecht (PhD, '82) and Brent Hales (PhD, '00) authored other articles and Jeff Sharp (M.S., '94; PhD, '98), another alumnus, edits the book review section. Also, faculty members Terry Besser and Fred Lorenz are associate editors of the journal.
SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT RECOGNIZED FOR GENDER EQUITY, SCHOLARSHIP
In August, the Sociologists for Women in Society (SWS) recognized ISU's Department of Sociology for its accomplishments as a "gender-friendly" and "women-friendly" department. To promote gender equity within sociology, the society established "SWS Seals of Approval." ISU's Department of Sociology received an SWS Seal of Approval for Gender Equity for having 40 percent of more female faculty members (53 percent are women). ISU also received an SWS Seal of Approval for Gender Scholarship for having more than 25 percent of faculty specializing in gender or inequality areas (27 percent indicated these areas). For excelling in both categories, the ISU department was one of 12 that received the SWS Seal of Excellence in recognition of the "best" departments in the country. "Such departments are likely to be the most gender- and women-friendly departments in the country," the report said.
HISTORY OF DRAINAGE IN IOWA SHOWS HOW TIMES CHANGE
The first Iowa settlers found a landscape that looked very different from what we know today. Where we see acres of corn, soybeans and pasture, our ancestors saw prairie and wetlands. Read about the history of drainage in "Agriculture in Action."
ISU LAB TARGETS LINK BETWEEN LIVESTOCK DIET AND AIR EMISSIONS
The first residents of a new laboratory at Iowa State University arrived Sept. 14. And while the 44-pound pigs get used to their new digs, they're also getting used to a new, low-protein diet. The goal of the research at the new Animal Emission Laboratory is to discover whether changes in diet can effectively reduce gas emissions from animals in livestock facilities.
IOWA BY THE NUMBERS’ CD PROVIDES DATA ABOUT STATE
The Office of Social and Economic Trend Analysis (SETA) at Iowa State University has released a set of data on CD called “Iowa by the Numbers, 2004.” The CD contains Iowa economic, population and social information broken down by state, county and incorporated places. The information is based on U.S. Census data. It is available as PDF and/or Microsoft Excel files. The price is $20 or $30, depending on the file format. More information and online ordering are available on the SETA website.
RESEARCHERS FIND GLOBAL WARMING NOT AS SEVERE IN CENTRAL U.S.
Scientists at the Regional Climate Modeling Laboratory at Iowa State University have discovered global warming might not be as severe in the central United States as in other parts of the country. Using a detailed regional climate model, they estimate summertime daily maximum temperatures will warm less in a region centered on eastern Kansas than anywhere else in the United States.
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
Sept. 27: Deadline for entering Third Annual Norman Borlaug Lectureship Poster Competition in conjunction with the 2004 Norman Borlaug Lecture on Oct. 13, submit the poster title and a short abstract or summary to Patricia Murphy, pmurphy@iastate.edu
Sept. 29: USDA/Iowa State Talent Search presentation, “Navigating the Federal Employment Process,” 4:30, 13 Curtiss Hall
Sept. 30: USDA/Iowa State Talent Search career fair, 8:30 a.m., Kildee Hall atrium
Oct. 5: Sue Lamont portrait unveiling, 3 p.m., Kildee Hall
Oct. 12: Food and crop biosecurity seminar, John Niederhauser, World Food Prize Laureate, titled, “International Agricultural Development: A Personal History,” 4:10 p.m., 210 Bessey
Oct. 13: 2004 Borlaug Lecture, Catherine Bertini, 2003 World Food Prize Laureate and United Nations under-secretary-general for management, 8 p.m., Sun Room, Memorial Union
Oct. 15: Deadline, Dean of Agriculture's International Research Grants Program and 2004-05 International Funding for Graduate Students and Postdocs. Contact Shelley Taylor, 4-5393 or sztaylor@iastate.edu
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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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WHY STATIONERY IS NOT STATIONARY
Stationary describes a state of immobility or of staying in one place: “If it's stationary, paint it.” Stationery denotes writing materials: “love letters written on perfumed stationery.” To remember the two, try associating the “er” in stationery with the “er” in paper, or remember that a stationer is someone who sells it. (The Chicago Manual of Style, 2003, 15th edition)
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INFOGRAZING
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NSF REPRESENTATIVES TO VISIT CAMPUS
The National Science Foundation is visiting Iowa State Oct. 15. Representatives from four of the NSF directorates and from the Office of International Science and Engineering will make presentations on their programs and will also be available for more specific discussions of potential research proposals. The Biological Sciences; Mathematical and Physical Sciences; Computer and Information Science and Engineering; and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences directorates will have representatives. There is no registration fee for Iowa State personnel, but pre-registration by Oct. 8 is required. The agenda can be viewed online.
TRAVEL FELLOWSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR SCIENTISTS
The Organization for Economic and Cooperation Development (OECD) is sponsoring travel fellowships between member countries through the "Biological Resource Management for Sustainable Agricultural Systems" program. OECD sponsors travel fellowships for Ph.D. scientists (or equivalent) between 26 member countries. The program is intended for younger scientists. Details of the program are available on its website by clicking on "About" to learn more about the program and the three new themes. The application form can be opened directly from the OECD homepage and contains a list of OECD member countries. Contact: Jim Schepers, jschepers1@unl.edu or 402-472-1513.
RURAL HEALTH CONFERENCE IN IOWA CITY NOV. 29 AND 30
The Environmental Health Sciences Research Center at the University of Iowa and the Institute of Medicine at The National Academies of Science are hosting a conference Nov. 29 and 30 titled, "Rebuilding the Unity of Health and the Environment in Rural America." The conference is free, and will cover topics about agricultural and rural living, such as rural mental health, future of family farms, diminishing vitality of rural communities, migrant workers, erosion and pesticides, water and air quality and energy technology. The agenda has not yet been finalized, but will be available online.
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INTERNAL VOICES
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NEW COLLEGE FACULTY ‘CONNECT WITH IOWA’
The third “Connect with Iowa” community visit took place Sept. 17 with Dean Catherine Woteki leading a group of eight new members of the College of Agriculture faculty on the trip to Warren County. Stops included a farm and agribusinesses. Three of the participants comment on the experience:
A RICHER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LANDSCAPE
"Having only lived in Iowa for one year, the 'Connect with Iowa' experience provided me with a richer understanding of the people and the landscape. I will use this experience to benefit both my teaching and my research."
--Lisa Schulte, natural resources ecology management
A BETTER IDEA OF THE STRUGGLES THAT IOWA FARMERS FACE
"The visit has given me a better idea of the struggles that Iowa farmers face. ... It will remind me to keep my disease management research recommendations cost-effective and practical. It was exciting to see just how entrepreneurial Iowa farmers can be. It was also good to get away from the 'ivory tower' and spend time in the field with extension personnel."
--Alison Robertson, plant pathology
CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF GOALS AND PERSPECTIVES
"I learned about the growing diversification of agriculture in Iowa and gained some perspective on the concerns of citizens in Warren County. I will use this as background information as we attempt to develop a bioeconomy. It is critical in such an undertaking to understand the goals and perspectives of the producers, consumers, investors and other citizens."
--Rob Anex, agricultural and biosystems engineering
Next issue: Oct. 4
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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/
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