College News
Faculty Senate to Consider Name Change Tuesday
The ISU Faculty Senate will take up the proposal to change the name of the College of Agriculture to "College of Agriculture and Life Sciences" at its next meeting on Tuesday, March 27. The first reading of the name-change motion will take place at the meeting, which begins at 3:30 p.m. in the Great Hall. Dean Wintersteen plans to attend the meeting to answer any questions. A second reading of the proposal, and the Faculty Senate's vote on the measure, is expected to take place at the Senate's April 10 meeting. Earlier this month, College of Agriculture faculty voted on the name change, with 166 supporting the proposal and 28 against it, out of 284 faculty eligible to vote.
New Marketing and Recruitment Director Starts Today
Andy Zehr is the new marketing and recruitment director for the College of Agriculture. Zehr is an Iowa State graduate who received his master's degree in journalism and mass communications in 2003 and his bachelor of arts degree in advertising in 2001. Since graduation, Zehr has worked with Flynn Wright Advertising in Des Moines developing strategic communications campaigns. During the summer of 2003, Zehr held a technical communications fellowship at NASA in Houston as part of his graduate research assistantship with Iowa State's food science and human nutrition department. The new position is part of the College's continuing effort to recruit students. Zehr will be housed in the Student Services Office in 26 Curtiss, 4-9123 or azehr@iastate.edu.
World Association of Agricultural Councils Conference Held at ISU
The College of Agriculture's Agricultural Student Council sponsored the World Association of Agricultural Councils (WAAC) conference from March 21 to 24. The event also was hosted by Iowa State in 2001. WAAC consists of student leaders from agricultural student governments and councils at universities in Canada and the United States. The event attracted 75 students, including 35 from Canada and one from France. They heard presentations from Cindy Cunningham of the National Pork Board, representatives from Trans Ova, alum Roger Underwood from Becker-Underwood and Dennis Olson, animal science.
Ugandan Agriculture Modernization Topic of Seminar
The Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods will host a Ugandan university lecturer at a seminar Thursday, March 29. Willy Ngaka, lecturer at Makerere University, will discuss "Literacy and Uganda's Plan for Modernization of Agriculture: the Experiences of Subsistence Farmers." It will begin at 9 a.m. in 3164 Gerdin Business Building.
Agronomy Professor Honored by Alma Mater
Washington State University will honor alumna Mary Hageman Wiedenhoeft, agronomy, with its 2007 College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences Women's History Recognition Award in professional and academic leadership. Wiedenhoeft earned master's and doctorate degrees from WSU in crop science in 1982 and 1986. She will receive the award Wednesday, March 28, at an all-university luncheon and college ceremony.
Agricultural Entrepreneur Roundtable April 24
Students in the colleges of Agriculture and Business are invited to an April 24 Entrepreneurs Roundtable showcasing eight successful agricultural entrepreneurs from across Iowa. The event is sponsored by the College of Agriculture's Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative, with cooperation from the ISU PappaJohn Center for Entrepreneurship and the colleges of Agriculture and Business. The event will be at the Scheman Center, with a buffet dinner. Registration is free to students; however, limited registration is available. More: www.entrepreneurship.ag.iastate.edu.
Statistical Research Conference Set for May
The Statistical Laboratory and statistics department will host the Spring Research Conference on Statistics in Industry and Technology. It will be May 21 to 23 in the Scheman Building. Student scholarships are available. Its goal is to promote cross-disciplinary research in statistical methods for engineering, science and technology. More: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/src/home.html
Spring is Here: Planting Begins on ISU Research Farms
The 2007 planting season on the Research and Demonstration Farms started last week at the Southeast Research Farm near Crawfordsville. Soil conditions and temperatures allowed superintendent Kevin Van Dee to plant oats and field peas. Studies planted included the oat variety trial, spring field peas in a rotation study, an oat/spring field pea companion planting trial and an oat/clover rotation component of a sustainable corn breeding trial. The next day the farm received 0.9 inches of rain to get the new seeds off to a uniform start.
Spring is Here: AST Club Offers Lawn Mower Service
The Agricultural Systems Technology Club is holding its 29th annual Lawn Mower Service Days Friday and Saturday. The service will be 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, March 30, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 31. Lawn mowers can be dropped off in the Davidson Hall courtyard (south of Molecular Biology). Pick up and delivery is available at a cost of $10 for push mowers and $15 for riding mowers by calling 4-0462 or (515) 450-0011. Service includes oil change, new spark plug, air filter cleaning, blade-sharpening and washing. The cost is $25 for push mowers and $30 for riding mowers. The club does not do repairs and requests that only mowers that were in running order last fall be serviced.
New Century Farm Concept Clears First Hurdle
Iowa State's proposed New Century Farm will head into the project-planning phase, following the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, initial evaluation of the concept. The New Century Farm, an anticipated $14 million project, would be the first demonstration farm in the country that focuses on feedstocks for biofuels.
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 3: Gamma Sigma Delta initiation and awards ceremony, 5 p.m., Sun Room, Memorial Union
April 5: Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture research symposium, 2 to 5 p.m., 1204 Kildee Hall, those wishing to attend should contact Charles Sauer, GPSA program coordinator, 4-6518 or csauer@iastate.edu, no later than 5 p.m. on April 2
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
April 15: Wendell Berry delivers the Shivvers Memorial Lecture, 7 p.m., Memorial Union
April 12-13: National air quality workshop, hosted by the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence and National Pork Board, Des Moines, contact: David Meisinger, 4-7556 or drdave@iastate.edu April 12: Institute for Food Safety and Security symposium, "Food Safety and Public Health: Production, Distribution and Policy," Gateway Hotel and Conference Center, contact: Gail Stecker, 4-4781, more: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/ifss/home.html
April 16: Deadline for College of Agriculture computer-based instructional proposals
Communications Kiosk
Great Content Should Contain a Call to Action
While Time magazine has reinforced the adage that content is king, that content must be relevant to earn its crown, writes P.J. Fusco, an Internet pioneer and expert on search engine marketing. In a recent ClickZ article, "Resolve to Produce Great Content," Fusco reminds us of the first commandment of effective writing -- know your audience. Writers don't have to be of the same ilk as the target audience but must know the language that appeals to that group. Fusco also said great content should always contain a call to action and encourages end users to sign up for a newsletter, join a group, add a comment or just keep reading. (TargetX: An Email Minute, January 2007)
Infograzing
ISU Extension Plans Statewide Service Projects
County extension groups are joining together to celebrate Iowa State's 150th birthday with a variety of community service projects across the state. The projects are designed to celebrate the spirit of ISU's extension and outreach efforts across the state that has been a great place to live for more than 150 years. More: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/150th
Impact of Bioeconomy on Iowa's Small Towns
Gov. Chet Culver will present the keynote address at an Iowa State conference on the implications of the emerging bioeconomy for Iowa's rural communities. The conference will be April 10 at the Scheman Building.
Biotech Company to Open Office at Research Park
Novozymes, a Denmark-based biotechnology company that supplies enzymes for ethanol production and other applications, will open a new office at the Iowa State Research Park.
Instruction Leadership Workshop in May
"Student Learning ... Strategies for Assessment, Outcomes and Program Improvement" is the theme of a workshop set for May 16 to 18 by the Academic Programs Section of the NASULGC Board on Agriculture. It will be at the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR), University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
IPRT and Ames Lab Director Applications Sought
Iowa State seeks nominations and applications for the director of Institute for Physical Research and Technology and the Ames Lab. This is an internal search. Contact: Chitra Rajan, rajanc@iastate.edu or 4-9096.
Second STEM Session Set for April 24
A second Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education (STEM Education) forum is scheduled for April 24 for those unable to attend the March 27 forum. It will be in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union from noon to 2 p.m. with lunch provided. RSVP to Denise Wright, dmwright@iastate.edu, by April 10 to register.
New Publication Focuses on Community and Economic Development
ISU Extension professionals in community and economic development have a new publication called Community Matters. The quarterly publication highlights extension's programming, staff and faculty accomplishments, partnerships with other groups and organizations and the accomplishments of community partners. The first issue describes a variety of community and economic development programs and strategies.
Marginalia
Odor Rerearch Works on Ladybug Taint
Jacek Koziel, agricultural and biosystems engineering, is helping learn more about the problem of "ladybug taint," an abnormal aroma and flavor that may affect wine when the insects are picked and processed with the grapes. Koziel studied the Asian ladybird beetle's characteristic odor using a highly-sensitive multidimensional gas chromatograph and a panel of human 'sniffers' to characterize and identify the odors. Four chemicals were found to cause 28 different odors. All of the chemicals belong to a class of compounds called methoxypyrazines, which are potent odor-producing compounds also found in other animals and plants. The compounds are not considered harmful to humans, but are easily detected by the human nose. Although he and his associates did not conduct any actual wine studies, recent studies by others have shown that an increase in ladybug toxins can significantly decrease the natural fruit and floral intensities in wine. (American Chemical Society, March 25) Next issue: April 2
Ag Online
Editor: Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616
Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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