College News
Research Farms Continue Digging Out
The Research and Demonstration Farms are slowly returning to normal after the second winter storm in as many weeks. The Northeast Farm near Nashua regained power Saturday night, March 3, after eight days without electricity. The farms in western Iowa were hit hard by the latest storm. Snowfall estimates are from 12 to 20 inches at the Armstrong, Western and Allee farms, all of which have livestock. The previous storm caused an estimated $10,000 or less in damages at the farms.
Scofield Named Brenton Center Director
Gaylan Scofield has been named the director of the Brenton Center for Agricultural Instruction and Technology Transfer. Scofield was appointed in 2004. Scofield is an Iowa State alumnus who earned his bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees in agricultural education. More:
Biorenewables Survey Results in Report
A report reviewing responses to the survey distributed at the College's Biorenewables Resources town meeting in November 2006 is available on line. The survey asked respondents to match their interests with a biorenewables research area or add new categories that better reflected the respondents' areas of interests. The respondents were asked to provide information about their current projects and identify areas of personal future interests. The report is a PDF linked to the top left link on the town meeting site home page. Links below the report will open forms to register areas of interest for those who haven't responded and those who wish to become affiliated with the Office of Biorenewables Programs.
Dean Wintersteen Named Kansas State Alumni Fellow
Dean Wendy Wintersteen was honored by Kansas State University as one of its 2007 Alumni Fellows. Fellows are chosen based on their professional accomplishments and distinguished service in their respective careers. Wintersteen delivered guest lectures as part of the honor. She earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture in 1978 from Kansas State.
Animal Science Professor Dead at 57
Funeral services were Sunday, March 4, for Timothy Stahly, animal science, who died Feb. 27, at University Hospitals and Clinic in Iowa City. Stahly, 57, of Ames, joined the faculty at Iowa State in 1991. He was a researcher and consultant in swine nutrition. Memorials may be made to the ALS Society, http://www.alsa.org/, and Collegiate Presbyterian Church.
Dairy Science Club Awards Alumni
The Dairy Science Club presented Craig Lang of Brooklyn and Dave and Pam Bolin of Clarksville awards for alumni. Lang received the 2007 Distinguished Graduate award during the club's annual awards banquet on March 4. He earned a bachelor's degree in dairy science in 1973. The annual award honors ISU graduates who have had a major impact on the dairy industry through their off-farm career activities. Dave and Pam Bolin of Clarksville received the 2007 Honorary Member Award. The award was first given in 1925 to honor an active dairy producer for service to the Iowa dairy industry. Dave Bolin earned a bachelor's degree in dairy science in 1979.
Ag Business Club Names Outstanding Alum
Paul Maass is the 2006 Agricultural Business Outstanding Alumni Award recipient. The Agricultural Business Club made the award March 3. Maass graduated from ISU with his bachelor's degree in agricultural business in 1988. Maass is vice president of ConAgra Mills.
Hoff Named to Rural Builders Hall of Fame
Steve Hoff, agricultural and biosystems engineering, has been inducted into the Rural Builders Hall of Fame. Hoff was recognized for making "a tremendous impact in the building industry in two main efforts: educating students and assisting builders with siting for new construction." The honor was presented last week at the National Frame Builders Association meeting in Indianapolis.
Swine Genome Special Issue Celebrates Year of the Pig
The International Journal of Biological Sciences has launched a special issue on Swine Genome Science to celebrate the year of the pig, which began Feb. 18. It is edited by Max Rothschild, animal science, and Zhihua Jiang, Washington State University and will cover topics including swine genome sequencing, mapping and evolution; swine whole genome linkage disequilibrium; swine biomedical model genomics; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's efforts in agricultural animal genomics. More: http://biolsci.org/
Caret Representatives Visit Congress
The 2007 Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching (CARET) annual meeting was held Feb. 26-27 in Washington, D.C. Iowa's CARET representatives are Donald Latham of Alexander, who is serving his second year as the group's secretary, and Terri Carstensen of Odebolt, who joined the group this year. Dean Wendy Wintersteen, Vice President for Extension and Outreach Jack Payne and Mark Settle, director of extension's communications and external relations, joined Latham and Carstensen visiting Iowa's elected Congressional representatives and staff members Feb. 28 to build support for research, extension and teaching programs at Iowa State and the land-grant system across the country. Each office received a publication on recent ISU highlights in agriculture. A PDF of the publication is available online.
Dairy Science Alum Working for Deere
Dan Bernick has joined Deere & Co. corporate communications as a senior writer based at the company's Moline world headquarters. Bernick provides research and editorial support for John Deere's internal and external communications. Previously, Bernick was a senior writer at Charleston|Orwig, working with agricultural and business-to-business clients. He earned a bachelor's degree in dairy science in 1983 graduate.
Deadlines & Reminders
April 1: Last day of Reiman Gardens Conservatory display "Stream of Passion: Plant Lovers of ISU," College of Agriculture faculty and staff and their children under age 17 receive free admission to the display by identifying themselves as College employees at the front desk of Reiman Gardens, spouses and friends are $5 each.
April 5: College promotion and tenure workshop, 3:30 p.m., CCUR Theater, 1951 Food Science
April 10: College promotion and tenure workshop, 3:10 p.m., CCUR Theater, 1951 Food Science
Communications Kiosk
Using 'About' Instead of 'Approximately'
When idiomatically possible, use the adverb "about" instead of "approximately." In the sciences, however, "approximately" is preferred, as in, "approximately thirty coding-sequence differences were identified." Avoid coupling either word with another word of approximation, such as guess or estimate. (The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed., 2003)
Infograzing
Iowa Soybean Association Requests Research Proposals
The Iowa Soybean Association seeks research proposals for initiatives that would begin Oct. 1 and end Sept. 30, 2008. The board will select proposals that positively impact soybean yield. Proposals can be submitted for research initiatives that last up to three years. However, funding is approved annually based upon progress of the research and availability of funds. The board will invest in research programs that will help achieve the association's goal of, "stabilizing and increasing soybean yield while improving production efficiency and the environment." Proposals are due, in electronic form, in the ISA office before 5 p.m., May 15. Contact: David Wright, dwright@iasoybeans.com or (515) 251-8640.
Financial Security Information on New Website
Americans struggling to make good money management decisions in a complex marketplace have a new tool at their disposal. eXtension's Financial Security for All brings the wealth of research-based university information on all aspects of attaining personal financial security. More: http://www.extension.org and choose Personal Finance.
Marginalia
Collaboration to Develop Foods to Prevent Parasitic Infection
TyraTech LLC and Kraft Foods Inc. will develop compounds used in functional foods and beverages intended to help prevent human parasitic infection in the developing world. The agreement gives Kraft rights to TyraTech's technology, allowing the rapid development of new formulations initially targeted at human parasites, which afflict more than 2 billion people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. TryaTech's screening platform has the potential to identify combinations of natural ingredients that are highly effective and safe such that they can be used on an on-going basis to stop the cycle of re-infection. (Institute of Food Technologists newsletter, Feb. 28) Next issue: March 12
Ag Online
Editor: Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616
Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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