COLLEGE NEWS
...................................................
COLLEGE SEEKS CANDIDATES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE INTERNSHIP
The Office of the Provost will continue its Administrative Internship Program for 2006-2007. The College of Agriculture invites applications for a half-time administrative intern in the college’s academic programs area. The administrative intern will be involved in one or more of the following priority areas for academic programs: student recruitment, marketing, curriculum and student advising. Specific projects will be developed in consultation with the intern selected for the position. The Office of the Provost also seeks administrative interns for half-time positions for two semesters. The application deadline is March 31. Contact: Provost Office, 4-6410. More: http://www.provost.iastate.edu/faculty/internships.php
UNIVERSITY AWARDS CLARIFICATION
Gerald A. and Karen A. Kolschowsky will be presented the Order of the Knoll Campanile Award as a couple. The previous Ag Online identified Gerald as the award winner.
AG COUNCIL NAMES AG MAN AND WOMAN
Phil Anderson, senior in animal science from Osage, was named Ag Man of Year and Alicia Clancy, senior in journalism and public service and administration in agriculture from Halbur, was named Ag Woman of the Year during National Ag Week Celebrations Friday at Curtiss Hall. The award winners were chosen by members of the Ag Student Council.
COLLEGE STUDENT SELECTED FOR BORLAUG INTERNSHIP
Kyle Taylor, senior in agricultural biochemistry, and Michelle Jebsen, senior in nutritional science, have been chosen for the Plant Sciences Institute’s Borlaug Internship. They will be heading to the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines for an eight-week summer research experience in May.
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR NUTRITION HONORS FACULTY
The American Society for Nutrition recently recognized two College faculty members. It presented the E.L.Stokstad Award to Kevin Schalinske, food science and human nutrition. The award is given for outstanding fundamental research in nutrition, with preference to scientists at relatively early stages in their careers. The society also named Donald Beitz, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture in animal science and biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, as a Fellow, citing his research and teaching accomplishments.
GRUDENS-SCHUCK ELECTED FACULTY SENATE SECRETARY
Nancy Grudens-Schuck, agricultural education and studies, has been elected secretary of the Faculty Senate. She will maintain her position as the department’s representative on the Faculty Senate.
AG BIOCHEMISTRY STUDENT EMPLOYEE RECEIVES HONOR
Agricultural biochemistry senior Caleb Grote is one of three student employees selected as a Student of Distinction in the 2006 ISU Student Employee of the Year program. Since coming to ISU as a freshman, Grote has worked in the lab of Donald Beitz, animal science and biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology. The 2006 Student Employee of the Year also is a College of Agriculture student: Elizabeth Farrington, animal science.
COLLEGE STUDENT PARTICIPATES IN NEW VENTURE COMPETITION
Agronomy graduate student Colin Shepard was selected to compete in the Big 12 Venture Capital competition in Dallas last weekend. AimsBio is Shepard’s startup biotechnology company that proposed to market a technology that increases valuable protein production level in maize seeds. AimsBio’s technology can increase production of enzymes, nutraceuticals and biopharmaceuticals in maize kernels by 25 percent compared to current methods. Shepard competed through the first round of the event.
ALUM AND FORMER EXTENSION DIRECTOR DIES
Retired extension director and College of Agriculture alum Marvin Anderson died March 6 at Green Hills Health Care Center in Ames. Anderson was 93. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agronomy, in 1939 and 1949, and a doctorate in agricultural economics in 1955. Anderson joined Iowa State in 4-H and became director and dean of university extension, retiring in 1974. Funeral services were held March 10. Donations may be made to the Marvin A. Anderson Excellence in Extension Fund, c/o ISU Foundation or the Marvin A. Anderson Scholarship Fund, Waldorf College, 106 Fifth St., Forest City, Iowa 50436.
HARDY PATHOGENS MAY RESIST MINIMIZED IRRADIATION
Food processors sometimes don’t use the maximum level of irradiation because of quality reasons. Aubrey Mendonca, food science and human nutrition, has found a flaw in that approach because processors use studies of pathogens that are cultured under optimal growth conditions in a laboratory. However, pathogenic bacteria can develop resistance to food processing methods as they grow in a processing plant’s environment. They can adapt to the stressful conditions they encounter and become hardy enough to survive a dose of irradiation if the dose isn’t strong enough. More: http://www.fsconsortium.net/news-htm/news.winter06.htm
WOMEN TO DISCUSS AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD POLICY
Women farmers, landowners and those with an interest in nutrition or environmental issues are invited to participate in a series of Women's Farm Bill Listening sessions to be held across Iowa in March. The sessions are sponsored by Women, Food, and Agriculture Network with funding from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. More: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/events.htm
IOWA WATER CENTER TO STIMULATE NEW RESEARCH AND OUTREACH
With a new name and a new director, a 42-year-old program to stimulate water research, outreach and education in Iowa is experiencing revitalization. Learn more: http://www.iastate.edu/%7enscentral/news/2006/mar/watercenter.shtml
NATUREMAPPING WORKSHOP OFFERED IN POLK COUNTY
ISU Extension’s NatureMapping program teaches citizens how to collect information on common wildlife species. A workshop will be held March 25 at Jester Park on Saylorville Lake. Details: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2006/mar/071001.htm
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
March 20: Application deadline, Center for Integrated Animal Genomics Competitive Research Grants Program, more: http://www.ciag.iastate.edu/SpringGrantsProgram.html
March 21: College distance education forum, 4 to 5:30 p.m., 13 Curtiss Hall
April 6: John Pesek Colloquium on Sustainable Agriculture, 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. seminar, Benton Center, Scheman Building
March 22: “Embracing Sustainability: Local to Global Research Perspectives” research forum, 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Campanile Room, Memorial Union, registration: Mary Nyasimi, 4-7175 or nyasimi@iastate.edu
April 18: Biosafety Institute for Genetically Modified Agricultural Products (BIGMAP) Symposium, Gateway Center, more: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/bigmap/home.html
April 19: "Safe and Secure Food for Public Health and National Security" symposium, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Comfort Suites Hotel, 2609 Elwood Drive, contact: Gail Stecker, 4-4781
April 28: Spencer Award nominations due, more: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2006/spencer_022706.htm
...................................................
COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
...................................................
AVOIDING MISSPELLED WORDS
Dr. Language prescribes a cure for spelling ills. The web site (http://yourdictionary.com/library/misspelled.html) lists the 100 words most often misspelled with a mnemonic reminder to help you spell the word. More:
........................................................
INFOGRAZING
........................................................
CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM MEETINGS SCHEDULED
The Iowa Learning Farm, Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service, in collaboration with the Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District, have scheduled two meetings March 20 to discuss guidelines for re-enrollment and extension offers being made on existing contracts and production and management options for conversion of land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program. More: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2006/mar/071003.htm
BIOTECH DIRECTORY PUBLISHED FOR 2006
The Research in Biotechnology 2006 directory includes 330 Iowa State faculty who are conducting research in some aspect of biotechnology. It includes information on the 26 biotechnology service facilities on campus that support their research. It is kept up to date online at: http://www.biotech.iastate.edu/Current_Research/tablecontents.html
NEW DIRECTOR OF USDA-ARS MIDWEST REGION
Steven Shafer has been appointed director of the USDA Agriculture Research Service’s Midwest Area effective March 5. He has been acting in the position since Adrianna Hewing's retirement on Dec. 31. Prior to this assignment, Shafer served as the associate director since January 2005 and has held staff leadership positions within the Department of Agriculture including physical scientist, Office of Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis; and national program leader, ARS.
USAID STATUS REPORT ISSUED
The National Academies of Sciences recently published a report on the state of science and technology at the U.S. Agency for International Development. More: http://fermat.nap.edu/books/030910145X/html/
........................................................
MARGINALIA
........................................................
A SURE SIGN OF SPRING AT ISU’S MCNAY FARM
Lambing has ended at the McNay Research and Demonstration Farm near Chariton. Jim Secor, farm superintendent, reported 389 lambs were born this spring, including 84 sets of twins, 47 sets of triplets and 11 sets of quadruplets. The farm has a flock of 200 crossbred ewes that lamb in February. The animals are part of research and demonstration projects related to management, nutrition and health.
Next issue: March 20
........................................................
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.