................................................... COLLEGE NEWS ................................................... REGENTS APPROVE PLANS FOR ISU'S NEW DAIRY FARM When completed, Iowa State’s new dairy farm is expected to be one of the premier dairy education and research facilities in the nation. Iowa State officials presented final plans for the first phase of the project at last Thursday's meeting of the Board of Regents, State of Iowa. Construction is expected to begin in September with an anticipated completion in the fall of 2006. FACULTY ENTREPRENEURSHIP SURVEY ONLINE The ISU Entrepreneurial Supervisory Committee is examining the degree to which faculty are involved in entrepreneurial activities. It seeks feedback from faculty through an on-line survey, which is located online. The survey should take no more than five minutes to complete and is anonymous. The answers will be combined and a report of the results will be shared with each College. SIGMA ALPHA’S BASKET AUCTION END WEDNESDAY Sigma Alpha’s annual basket auction will end at noon Wednesday, May 11. Baskets are donated by students, faculty and clubs in the College of Agriculture. This annual fundraiser helps the chapter provide activities such as: Senior Prom, Ag in the Classroom, Inspiration Week and the Ag Etiquette Dinner. Items in the basket auction include a basketball signed by the ISU women's basketball team, items for tailgating, snack items, a Longaberger basket with supplies and other items. Sigma Alpha is a professional sorority organized to foster the study of agriculture among women by promoting scholarship, leadership, service, and fellowship. PROGRAM PROVIDES HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE, CREDITS AND PAY This semester 15 students in the College of Agriculture participated in a pilot program called Science with Practice. The program is similar to an internship with defined learning objectives. Students work and learn while they earn college credits and receive a paycheck. COLLEGE STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT IOWA FARMS ON WEEKEND VISITS On two weekends in April, eight students in the College of Agriculture experienced Iowa agriculture first hand as participants in a pilot program called Agriculture Weekend Experience (AWE). AWE gives students in the College with minimal prior farm experience a chance to learn more about Iowa agriculture by staying the weekend with Iowa farm families. ISU RESEARCHER RECEIVES GRANT TO STUDY SOIL BACTERIA An Iowa State researcher has been awarded a three-year, $435,000 National Science Foundation grant to study soil bacteria. Larry Halverson, a senior lecturer in Iowa State's Department of Plant Pathology, is studying how extracellular polysaccharides shape soil microbial communities. LEARNING COMMUNITY AWARDS GO TO FACULTY AND STAFF College faculty and staff were among those cited at the Learning Communities Institute awards ceremony last week. Steve Mickelson, agricultural and biosystems engineering, received the 2005 Learning Community Champion Award, which honors an individual who has significantly contributed to the advancement of learning communities at Iowa State. Barb Osborn and Gail Nonnecke, horticulture, received the 2005 Outstanding Innovation Award for their work on a service-learning project to improve citizenship and learning of students in agriculture. Jenny Aune, English, and Anne Oldham, food science and human nutrition, also were involved in the project and received awards. CYTATION AWARD WINNERS INCLUDE THREE FROM COLLEGE Three staff members in the College were P&S Council CYtation award winners for the spring semester. They are: Mark Hawley, animal science; Susan Ziegenbusch, agricultural and biosystems engineering; and Brian Meyer, communications service. ITALIAN PROFESSOR TO TALK ABOUT CROPPING SYSTEMS Paolo Sambo, professor of vegetable crop production at University of Padova, Italy, will visit the College on Thursday, May 19. He will give a seminar on "Agriculture of Northern Italy: Cropping Systems and Collaboration," at 10:30 a.m. in 8 Curtiss Hall. Contact: Shelley Taylor, 4-5393 or sztaylor@iastate.edu. ALUM WHO HELPED PURIFY BOTULINUM TOXIN DIES Animal science alum Ed Schantz died April 27 in Madison, Wis., the Los Angeles Times reported. The biochemist was a pioneer in purifying the toxin that causes botulism. In 1946, Schantz and colleagues purified botulinum toxin type A -- the poison that causes botulism -- in a crystalline form, which allowed researchers to study it in greater detail. As a result of his work, the drug known as Botox is now used to treat various forms of facial paralysis and spasmodic afflictions, although it is best known for its cosmetic use in the treatment of wrinkles and "crow's feet." A native of Hartford, Wis., Schantz earned a master's degree in animal science at Iowa State in 1933, and bachelor’s and doctorate degrees in biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin. He began his career as an Army officer in World War II and was the first to purify and grow "red tide" shellfish toxin, another deadly substance. He was 96. (SEE EXTERNAL VOICE BELOW) DEADLINES AND REMINDERS 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. May 11-13: Nutritional Science Council Summer Lectureship on nutrigenomics, 1352 Gilman, contact: Don Beitz, 4-5626 or dcbeitz@iastate.edu May 15: Application deadline for Hooked on Science workshop on June 16-17, contact: Lani McKinney, 4-4432 or mckinney@iastate.edu May 16: Tailoring Lignocellulosic Feedstocks for Bioenergy and Biobased Products Conference May 18: 78th Annual Conference on Soil Management and Land Valuation June 23: Research and Demonstration Farm Field Days begin, Southeast farm, 1:30 p.m., https://farms.cals.iastate.edu/research-farms-field-days-and-meetings ................................................... COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK ................................................... WRITING WITH FLAIR PRODUCES FLARE-LIKE REACTION A flare is an unsteady and glaring light "an emergency flare" or sudden outburst, "a flare-up of fighting." A flair is an outstanding talent "a flair for mathematics" or originality and stylishness, "performed with flair." (The Chicago Manual of Style, 2003, 15th edition) ........................................................ INFOGRAZING ........................................................ USDA ASKS FOR COMMENTS ON ANIMAL ID SYSTEM The U.S. Department of Agriculture seeks input on the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) after releasing a draft plan and timeline last week. The national program is intended to identify specific animals in the United States and record their movement over their lifespans. Both documents are available NAIS website. Comments are due on or before June 6. You can submit a comment through the NAIS web site. ........................................................ EXTERNAL VOICES ........................................................ SCHANTZ’ DISCOVERY HELPS EASE MANY DISORDERS “Although the image of Botox has been somewhat sullied by its association with the vanities of Hollywood stars, its value as a medical treatment far outweighs its cosmetic use. Recently, neurologists have reported some success treating patients with severe stutters, and Schantz was hopeful that the toxin could be used in the treatment of cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. Modest and unassuming, Schantz received little financial reward for his work.” --News Telegraph (England) obituary of alumnus Ed Schantz (see College News) ........................................................ MARGINALIA ........................................................ BIODIESEL BUS TO PROMOTE SOY FUEL The Soy Biodiesel Bus, sponsored by the Iowa Soybean Promotion Board, will make its second annual "Soy Biodiesel Trek Across Iowa” beginning May 16. The focus this year is to educate school children and community leaders about the benefits of using a renewable, homegrown fuel like soy biodiesel. Children will listen to fun lessons about soy biodiesel, receive free soy nuts from Sunny the Soybean and have the opportunity to win T-shirts. The biodiesel-fueled bus, which will be covered in a plastic wrap promoting soy biodiesel, will travel to elementary schools in Perry, Boone and Carroll. The tour will end on May 17 in Wall Lake and Manson. Next issue: May 16 ........................................................ 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.