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COLLEGE NEWS
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HORTICULTURE CLUB SELLS PLANTS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
The Horticulture Club's annual Valentine sale continues today (Monday) and Tuesday, Feb. 13 and 14. Plants ranging from $3 to $10 will be on sale from until 5 p.m. today in Beardshear Hall and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday in the atrium of the Horticulture Building. Plants include tulips, hyacinth, muscari, daffodils, crocus, iris, primrose, African violet, cyclamen and azalea.
AGCOMM WORKSHOP ON SAFETY TUESDAY
Bill Diesslin, assistant director of environmental health and safety, will take a behavioral approach to safety in the AgComm workshop on Tuesday, Feb. 14. The workshop will focus on the notion that when the benefit of risky behavior is certain and the potential for harm is uncertain, people tend to take risks. It will begin at noon in Room 8, Brenton Center. The workshop includes a light lunch. RSVP to Cheryl Abrams, 4-5872 or cabrams@iastate.edu. Contact: Robert Martin, 4-0896 or drmartin@iastate.edu.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTED IN THE CAPITOL
The Research in the Capitol program created by Iowa State, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa highlights the importance of undergraduate research to state legislators and other officials. Ten students from each university will display posters at an event Feb. 28 in the State Capitol rotunda. Jen Scaccianoce, a senior in animal science/pre-veterinary medicine, is one of the students selected to participate. Donald Beitz, animal science and biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, and Fredric Janzen, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, are research mentors for other students. Contact: Ricki Shine, 4-4292 or rshine@iastate.edu.
ISU AIR QUALITY RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTED IN NRI REPORT
Air quality research led by Wendy Powers, animal science, is highlighted in the National Research Initiative (NRI) 2004 Annual Report. The USDA-CSREES' NRI Competitive Grants Program funds high-priority research of national or regional importance. Powers' work on modeling the source of gaseous emissions from animal feeding operations is summarized in a section on the NRI's strategic goal of protecting and enhancing the nation's natural resource base and environment. Powers leads the project that measures emissions of gases from swine, broiler chickens, turkeys and dairy cattle fed typical diets in a controlled atmospheric environment. The report states: "The investigators at Iowa State have been successful in identifying promising feed strategies that have resulted in emission reductions in ammonia." A PDF of the annual report is available on the USDA-CSREES Web site, with the summary of Powers' research on page 26: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/nri/pdfs/2004_ann_report.pdf. In FY04, the NRI funded 524 projects out of nearly 3,400 submitted proposals. In FY04, Iowa State received 14 NRI grants. For more on Powers' project: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/news/2005releases/airgrant.html.
$1 MILLION GOAL REACHED FOR ISU SEED SCIENCE FELLOWSHIPS
Three recent gifts to support seed-science graduate students at Iowa State have put a fundraising initiative over the top of its $1 million goal. The gifts are part of "Investing in People and the Future of the Seed Industry," an effort led by the Iowa Seed Association to raise support for Iowa State graduate students. Funds raised through the initiative have established seven fellowships at the university. More: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/news/2006releases/sscgoal.html
ANIMAL INDUSTRY REPORT AVAILABLE ON CD-ROM, ONLINE
The third annual Iowa State Animal Industry Report is available online and on CD-ROM. This report features summaries on all animal research done at Iowa State, and funded by the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station. Details: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/news/2006releases/aireport.html
MEATS JUDGING TEAM EIGHTH AT CONTEST
The ISU Meats Judging Team competed at the Southwestern Intercollegiate Meats Judging Contest in Ft.Worth on Feb. 4 finishing third in beef judging, fifth in beef grading, first in lamb judging, second in placing and eighth overall. Team members were Ben Olson, sophomore in animal science; Jana Matthiesen, senior in agricultural studies; Dan Determan, sophomore in hotel, restaurant and institutional management; and Brandon Goehring, junior in animal science. Olson was fourth in beef judging, Determan was fifth in beef grading, and Goehring and Matthiesen were second and third in lamb judging, respectively. Goehring also was the high individual in total placings. The team is coached by Roxanne Knock, assisted by Matt Thome.
COLLEGE GROUP TO ATTEND WAR ON HUNGER SUMMIT
The College of Agriculture is sending a team to the War on Hunger Summit hosted by Auburn University this weekend, Feb. 17 to 19. The theme is “Creating a New Paradigm for an Academic War on Hunger.” Auburn has partnered with the UN World Food Programme, to coordinate universities across the nation and around the globe to create a grassroots student campaign to conquer world hunger and malnutrition. More: http://www.auburn.edu/event/hunger/publish.php?doc_id=21
GAMMA SIGMA DELTA SEEKS AWARD AND MEMBERSHIP NOMINEES
Gamma Sigma Delta, the Honor Society of Agriculture, seeks applications for its awards to outstanding faculty, staff and alumni. Five awards are presented at the annual Initiation and Awards Ceremony held in the spring. Mission awards are presented for excellence in teaching, research and extension. There is an Alumni Award of Merit Award and a Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award of Merit. Information on each award and nomination forms can be found at: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/gsd/awards_forms.html. A list of previous award winners also can be found at this web site. Award nominations are due to Robert Martin, 201 Curtiss Hall by 5 p.m. March 1. Iowa State faculty, staff and alumni may be nominated for membership. Membership nomination forms can be found at web site. Membership nomination forms are due by 5 p.m. March 1 to Barb Osborn, 107 Horticulture.
SHADE TREE SHORT COURSE SET FOR MARCH
The Shade Tree Short Course will be March 14 and 15 geared for landscape and horticulture professionals as well as consumers. The 50th annual course, Shade Trees: A Golden Past, Present and Future, includes keynote speakers addressing a variety of topics including shade tree disease, history, urban forests and future industry breakthroughs. More: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/shadetree/home.html
BIGMAP SYMPOSIUM ON AG BIOTECH COMMUNICATION
The Biosafety Institute for Genetically Modified Agricultural Products (BIGMAP) Symposium will be April 18 at the Gateway Center. This year's symposium addresses "Understanding and Communicating Issues in Agricultural Biotechnology" and will feature two half-day sessions with presentations from experts addressing science, regulation and communication. More: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/bigmap/home.html.
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
Feb. 15: College curriculum forum, 4:10 to 6:15 p.m., in 142 Curtiss Hall
Feb. 17: Application deadline, On-farm Research and Demonstration Grant Program, contact: Rick Exner, 4-5486 or dnexner@iastate.edu
March 20: Application deadline, Center for Integrated Animal Genomics Competitive Research Grants Program, more: http://www.ciag.iastate.edu/SpringGrantsProgram.html
April 6: John Pesek Colloquium on Sustainable Agriculture, 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. seminar, Benton Center, Scheman Building
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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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BE CAREFUL WHEN USING AFFECT AN EFFECT
For the past 500 years "affect" and "effect" are two words that have even confused editors. Mary Ann Reese, editor at the University of Idaho, writes in her grammar hint for the Association for Communication Excellence that the two words are difficult because they can be used as both verbs or nouns and the definitions are often confusing. (Her favorite annoying definition -- Affect: to produce an effect upon.) Her grammar hint lists the one definition she keeps on a Post-it note for easy reference from William Strunk Jr., and E. B. White's The Elements of Style -- Effect n. Result; v. To bring about; to accomplish. Affect v. To influence. Reese also offers online reference sites such as The American Heritage Dictionary, Fourth Edition, 2000 (http://dictionary.reference.com) and Merriam-Webster Online (http://www.m-w.com) Once you've read through the definitions you can test your knowledge at:
http://www.writingenglish.com/test17/
http://webster.commnet.edu/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/affect_except_quiz.htm
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/interact/g_affecteffect.html
(Association for Communications Excellence, http://www.aceweb.org/sigs/writing/grammar07-15-2005.php)
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INFOGRAZING
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CELT PROGRAMMING IS ONLINE
The Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching's spring 2006 programming is available at http://www.celt.iastate.edu/events/homepage.html.
CONFERENCE ON RACE AND ETHNICITY MARCH 3
The seventh annual Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 3 in the Memorial Union. The comprehensive forum on issues of race and ethnicity is free and open to Iowa State University and the Ames community. More: http://www.admissions.iastate.edu/iscore/
TECHNOLOGY EXPANDS BIOTERROR THREATS
Scientists at the National Academies, an advisory group for science, engineering and medicine, are urging security experts to address a much broader spectrum of potential bioterrorism threats. Up until now, most bioweapons research has focused on conventional biological agents like anthrax, but new developments in biotechnology, such as drug delivery methods that target specific human systems, must also be addressed. A recent report raised concerns about the potential for misuse of bioregulators -- biologically active organic compounds that could be used to control human immune or neuroendocrine systems -- as well as synthetic biology, used to create organisms that can detect or produce specific chemicals, and RNA inference, a technique that allows scientists to control gene expression. (Technology Review, Feb. 1, http://www.technologyreview.com/BioTech-Devices/wtr_16221,306,p1.html)
PLANT SCIENCES INSTITUTE SEEKS INNOVATIVE IDEAS
The Plant Sciences Institute’s Innovative Grants Program seeks to fund research relating to its research initiatives or to explore new areas of research. Proposals are due March 8. Contact: Deanne Brill, 4-5255. More: http://www.plantsciences.iastate.edu.
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INTERNAL VOICES
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SCIENCE WITH PRACTICE: IN THE IOWA PORK INDUSTRY CENTER
“My name is Cass Keninger and I am the new Science with Practice employee under Sherry Hoyer. For those of you not familiar with Science with Practice, it is a program with the College of Agriculture where students can work at a job where they learn real-life experiences and also earn college credit. I will be working on writing press releases for the Iowa Pork Industry Center and also learning what a communications specialist’s job entails. Since starting in January, I have already gotten a lot of experience in the swine industry. I am currently a junior in Agriculture Communication [in the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies] and am originally from Ackley, Iowa, where I grew up on an acreage and have show pigs. I am a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority where I serve as the Public Relations Vice President and am also involved with VEISHEA as one of the Parades Dignitaries Co-Chairs. In my free time, I enjoy going to Iowa State football and basketball games. I also like to run, be outdoors, and watch the Chicago Cubs.” (From the Feb. 13 edition of the “News Now from IPIC” newsletter; nearly 30 students in the college are involved in Science with Practice Program this semester)
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EXTERNAL VOICES
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EXTENSION MEAT SPECIALIST: THE VALUE OF AN ISU EDUCATION
“Looking back, the best thing I learned was people skills through teaching and hands-on experience … ISU’s extension program is so diverse that they need lots of help from students. They gave us the ball and allowed us to run with it.”
Terry Houser, University of Florida extension meat specialist and assistant professor, who earned a master’s in animal science and a doctorate degree in meat science and food science and technology at Iowa State, in 2001 and 2004. (Meat and Poultry magazine, December 2005)
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MARGINALIA
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PIGEONS TO MONITOR AIR QUALITY IN CALIFORNIA
University of California at Irvine researchers will release a flock of 20 pigeons this summer in San Jose, Calif., to monitor air quality. Each pigeon will be outfitted with cellphone backpacks, a GPS satellite tracking receiver and air pollution sensors. Miniature cameras slung around the birds' necks will snap aerial photos and air quality reports will be beamed back via text messaging to a pigeon "blog" on the Web where it will be displayed in the form of an interactive map. (Reuters/New York Times, Feb. 1, http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technology/tech-science-pigeons.html)
Next issue: Feb. 20
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AG ONLINE
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EDITOR
Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616 Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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