...................................................
COLLEGE NEWS
...................................................
GAMMA SIGMA DELTA AWARDS GO TO FACULTY, ALUM
The Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society presented awards to three faculty members. Its Mission Awards were presented to M. Douglas Kenealy, animal science, for teaching; Joel Coats, entomology, for research; and William Edwards, economics, for extension. The award is given to three faculty in the college who have made exceptional contributions in helping Iowa State University achieve its mission in the areas of extension, research and teaching. Harold Hodson received the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award of Merit for contributions to agriculture. He earned bachelor’s and doctorate degrees in animal science in 1961 and 1965. Hodson is primary owner and president of Swine Genetics International of Cambridge, Iowa.
ANIMAL SCIENTISTS HONORED AT REGIONAL MEETING
Elisabeth Lonergan and Ken Stalder, animal science, were recently honored at the Midwest Sections of the American Society of Animal Science and American Dairy Science Association. Lonergan received the Outstanding Young Scientist Award for Research and Stalder received the Outstanding Young Scientist Award for Extension.
SUSTAINABLE AG GRAD STUDENTS RECEIVE RESEARCH FUNDING
Three students in Iowa State’s Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture (GPSA) received grants from the USDA-CSREES Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. This year, 38 proposals were submitted and 15 were funded. The three awards to ISU students was the maximum number allowed for each university. Ryan Atwell, major professor Lisa Schulte, submitted the project "Agricultural Landscape Design through Participatory Modeling: Collaboration among Diverse Stakeholder Groups.” Hannah Lewis, major professor Jan Flora, submitted "Assesing Feasibility of Entry into Entrepreneurial Agriculture for Mexican Immigrants in Marshalltown." Valentin Picasso, major professor Charles Brummer, submitted "Illinois Bundleflower: A Perennial Multiple-purpose Third Crop for Iowa."
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SOUGHT TO GET HOOKED ON SCIENCE
Hooked on Science is a summer workshop to make high school students and their mentors aware of career opportunities available in food science and human nutrition. A mentor is an individual, such as a high school science teacher who contributes to the education of the participating student and other students. The workshop will include interactive activities and hands-on laboratory experiences in food science and human nutrition. It is scheduled for June 16-17 on campus. Applications are due May 15 and are available online. Contact: Lani McKinney, 4-4432 or mckinney@iastate.edu.
BEITZ HONORED FOR MENTORING
Donald Beitz, animal science, received the Dannon Institute Mentorship Award April 3 from the American Society of Nutritional Sciences at it awards meeting in San Diego. The award is based on Beitz’s nearly four decades of mentoring students, postdoctoral associates and colleagues in nutritional science research.
SCIENCE WITH PRACTICE INFO SESSION APRIL 20
An informational meeting on the new Science with Practice program will be held at 1 p.m. April 20 in Room 8 Curtiss Hall. RSVP to Karen Burdick, 4-6123 or kburdick@iastate.edu. Science with Practice is a pilot project supported by the College of Agriculture and the ISU Agricultural Endowment. The purpose of the project is to link student learning opportunities and College employment experiences. Students are given learning opportunities within research laboratories, farms, greenhouses and other units while meeting the employment needs of the faculty and staff. This pilot project is being conducted during spring 2005 and also will be offered fall 2005. Contacts: Chuck Steiner, 4-0447 or csteiner@iastate.edu; or Mike Retallick, 4-4810 or msr@iastate.edu.
BUCHELE NAMED DISTINGUISHED ALUM BY UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
Emeritus professor Wes Buchele, agricultural and biosystems engineering department, was one of 11 people to receive the first-ever Distinguished Alumni Engineering award from the University of Arkansas College of Engineering. He and the others were honored at a banquet in Fayetteville April 9. The award honors the exceptional professional and personal achievement of graduates who have achieved distinction in their fields of endeavor and have provided outstanding leadership and service to the college, their organization and communities.
TWO HONORED BY AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AG ENGINEERS
Honors were given April 7 to two faculty members of the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at the Iowa Section Meeting of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. Amy Kaleita, assistant professor, was named the Newcomer of the Year. Brian Steward, assistant professor, was presented the Young Engineer of the Year award.
ALUM RECOGNIZED BY ENGINEERING SOCIETY
Alumnus Damon Franklin recently received the New Faces of Manufacturing Award from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. The award recognizes the achievements of young manufacturing engineers who have contributed positively to team projects and overcome manufacturing challenges. He earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology in 1998 and is a senior engineer for Rockwell-Collins in Cedar Rapids.
ISU BEEF RESEARCH CONTINUES TRADITION, BREAKS NEW GROUND
At Iowa State University, a long-term project designed to improve the meat quality of beef cattle continues to produce results. At the same time, a new project studies ways to protect water quality in pastures where beef cattle graze.
ANIMAL AGRICULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT SYMPOSIUM
The next John M. Airy Beef Cattle Symposium will be held Jan. 5-6, 2006, in Kansas City, Mo. The symposium is the second in a series and will focus on animal agriculture and its effects on the environment. Daryl Strohbehn, ISU professor of animal science is co-chair of the symposium.
GRADUATE STUDENTS RECEIVE DISTANCE EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS
Seven Iowa State University graduate students have been awarded Virgil K. Webster Scholarships to pursue master’s degrees using distance education. The award is presented annually to selected students interested in agronomy who demonstrate extension experience, desire to work as extension specialists or plan to pursue degrees using distance education.
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
April 12: Science in Ag Day workshop, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., http://www.agstudent.iastate.edu/biorenewables/biorenewables.htm
April 13: 2005 Staniforth Lecture, 4:10 p.m., Room 164 Lagomarcino Hall
April 16: Transitioning to Organic workshop, Kalona Family Cupboard Restaurant, Kalona
April 18: Ag Ambassadors barbecue at State FFA Convention, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Kildee Hall Farm Bureau Pavilion
April 19: Biosafety Institute for Genetically Modified Agricultural Products second annual symposium
April 22: Deadline to enroll in Introduction to Learning-Centered College Classrooms workshop on May 9-12, contact: Sherri Larson at 4-0598 or selarson@iastate.edu
May 9-12: Introduction to Learning-Centered College Classrooms workshop, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 233 Science II, contact: Steve Jungst at 4-1587 or sejungst@iastate.edu.
...................................................
COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
...................................................
YOU ARE UNIQUE
Reserve “unique” as a word that indicates "one of a kind." Avoid using it to mean "special” or “unusual." Phrases such as “very unique,” “more unique” and “somewhat unique,” indicate poor usage as there are no degrees attributed to unique. (The Chicago Manual of Style, 2003, 15th edition)
........................................................
INFOGRAZING
........................................................
FACULTY CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SEEKS PROPOSALS
The National Science Foundation has updated its Faculty Early Career Development Program and is open for proposals for Fiscal Years 2006, 2007 and 2008. The deadline for FY2005 proposals are: July 19 for biological sciences, computer and information science and engineering, education and human resources; July 20 for engineering; and July 21 for geosciences, mathematical and physical sciences, social, behavioral and economic sciences. More: http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?nsf05579
........................................................
EXTERNAL VOICES
........................................................
FINDING THE KEYS TO HEAVEN AND HELL
"And so it is with science. In a way it is a key to the gates of heaven, and the same key opens the gates of hell, and we do not have any instructions as to which is which gate. Shall we throw away the key and never have a way to enter the gates of heaven? Or shall we struggle with the problem of which is the best way to use the key? That is, of course, a very serious question, but I think that we cannot deny the value of the key to the gates of heaven. All the major problems of the relations between society and science lie in this same area. When the scientist is told that he must be more responsible for his effects on society, it is the applications of science that are referred to. If you work to develop nuclear energy you must realize also that it can be used harmfully. Therefore, you would expect that, in a discussion of this kind by a scientist, this would be the most important topic. But I will not talk about it further. I think that to say these are scientific problems is an exaggeration. They are far more humanitarian problems. The fact that how to work the power is clear, but how to control it is not, is something not so scientific and is not something that the scientist knows so much about."
-- Richard Feynman (1918-1988) physicist and Nobel Laureate
........................................................
MARGINALIA
........................................................
VIENNA SMELLING LIKE A BARNYARD
Iowa communities aren’t the only ones coping with agricultural odors. The picturesque city of Vienna, Austria didn’t smell so good last week, the Associated Press reported, after unusual weather patterns and the spread of fertilizer in nearby vineyards combined to make the city smell like a barnyard. Although cow manure is used on nearby fields every year, a lack of wind this spring has prompted the smell to hang over the city, said Peter Riess, an air quality management official. City officials say they've had dozens of complaints. "It's not dangerous - no more than being anywhere out in the countryside," Riess said. "When the wind changes ... (the situation) will change immediately."
Next issue: April 18
........................................................
AG ONLINE
........................................................
EDITOR
Ed Adcock, edadcock@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 Equal Opportunity and Diversity, 3680 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.