College News
Special Veishea Ag Online Thursday
Agriculture Day was held today on central campus as Veishea events kicked off. A barbecue, exhibits and tractor display took place in front of Curtiss Hall. Ag Online will have a special Veishea issue Thursday that will include Kliebenstein Veishea's Faculty Member of the Year for the College Jim Kliebenstein, economics, has been chosen for the Faculty of the Year Award in the College of Agriculture by Veishea 2007. A Faculty Recognition ceremony will honor Kliebenstein Wednesday, April 18. The ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Campanile Room, Memorial Union.
Name Change Proposal Clears Faculty Senate
The Faculty Senate unanimously supported the College's name change at its April 10 meeting. The proposal to change the name to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences goes to the Council of Provosts that will consider it next month and, if approved, would go before the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, in June.
Wintersteen to Share United Way Campaign Leadership
Dean Wendy Wintersteen and Jamie Pollard, director of athletics at Iowa State, have been named campus leaders for the 2007 ISU United Way of Story County Campaign. Pollard will serve as chairperson and campaign spokesperson throughout the university. He will assist with campaign planning, goal setting and volunteer recruitment and orientation. Wintersteen will serve as leadership chairperson for the second year in a row, working to increase the number of campaign leadership gifts at ISU.
Beitz Given Award by Women in Science and Engineering
Don Beitz, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture in animal science and biochemistry, biophysics and molec biology, received the Champion Award at the 20th Anniversary Celebration for the Women in Science and Engineering program on April 10. The award is for supporting the mission of the program that encourages young women in the sciences.
Coats Acting Entomology Chair While Tollefson Ill
Jon Tollefson, chair of the entomology department, has returned to Ames after falling ill in Serbia while on a business trip. Joel Coats will serve as acting department chair with assistance from Donald Lewis, as Tollefson undergoes additional medical tests.
Former Research Farm Superintendent and Alum Dies
A long-time Iowa State research farm superintendent, Kenneth Ross of Nashua, died April 10. Ross joined Iowa State in 1954 as superintendent of the former Carrington-Clyde Experimental Farm at Independence; was superintendent at the Northwest Research Farm, Sutherland; and the first superintendent at the Northeast Research Farm, Nashua. He retired in 1994. He earned a bachelor's degree in farm operations in 1953.
Next Think Tank on Animal Ag at Cattle Industry Building
Representatives from several Iowa animal commodity groups will prepare new animal-derived foods for attendees at the next Think Tank On Animal Agriculture April 23. Locally produced wine and soft drinks also will be available. The program will focus on the promotion of animal foods. Cost for the evening will be $5. The program is from 6:30 to 7 p.m. followed by dinner at the Iowa Cattle Industry Headquarters, 2055 Ironwood Court. Parking is on the west side of the building. Email Julie Roberts at jrober@iastate.edu as soon as possible to register.
Science with Practice Poster Session April 25
This semester's Science with Practice participants will tell about their projects during a poster presentation April 25. The poster presentation and reception will be 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Kildee Hall Atrium.
Anaerobic Treatment of Agricultural Wastes Course
The agricultural and biosystems engineering department will offer a national Anaerobic Treatment of Agricultural Wastes course May 21-22 at the Hotel Fort Des Moines. A reduced course fee is available for ISU Extension personnel by contacting Lara Moody at lmoody@iastate.edu. More: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/anaerobiccourse/home.html.
Research to Promote Biorenewable Fuels Technologies
ConocoPhillips will establish an eight-year, $22.5 million research program at Iowa State dedicated to developing technologies that produce biorenewable fuels. The company will make an initial $1.5 million grant in 2007 to support Iowa State researchers, with additional grants of $3 million per year for seven years.
New Display at Reiman Gardens Highlights Role of Bees
At a time when entire colonies of bees are dying without explanation, Reiman Gardens is opening an exhibit called "Bee-Aware" that explains the role of bees and pollinators in plant-life cycles. The show will run through July 1.
Researchers Design Shelterbelts to Protect Against Tsunamis
Iowa State researchers are applying their knowledge of agricultural shelterbelts to protect coastal areas from tsunamis at the request of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization.
Biodiesel Byproduct Effective in Swine and Poultry Feed
With the rapid expansion of ethanol and biodiesel production in Iowa, there are questions about possible uses for what remains after these alternative fuels leave the plant. Researchers at Iowa State and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Services (ARS) are studying a biodiesel by-product in swine and poultry feed.
Land Institute Speaker to Present Seminar on Perennials
An agro-ecologist with The Land Institute will present a seminar on the qualities of perennial plant communities April 24 on campus.
Deadlines & Reminders
April 16-17: Iowa FFA Leadership Conference
April 16: Deadline for College of Agriculture computer-based instructional proposals
April 17: Beginning Farmer discussion, featuring U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, noon, Fisher Theater
April 19: College reception for Max Rothschild, C.F. Curtiss distinguished professor of animal science, prior to receiving the Order of the Knoll Faculty/Staff Award, 4 p.m., 142 Curtiss
April 23: The 7th Think Tank on Animal Agriculture will at the Iowa Cattle Industry Headquarters beginning 6 p.m., cost is $5, for reservations email Julie Roberts at jrober@iastate.edu
April 24: Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative entrepreneurial roundtable, 6 p.m., contact: 4-4945, more: http://www.entrepreneurship.ag.iastate.edu
April 27: Nominations are due for the Leopold Center's 2007 Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture
May 21-23: Spring Research Conference on Statistics in Industry and Technology, Scheman Building, more: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/src/home.html
Communications Kiosk
An Organized Approach to Creativity
Increasing your creativity may be as simple as planning and organizing your creative time. Lise Stahl Brown of the consulting group Artful Productivity suggests preparing for inspiration with a focused, organized work plan. Brown in the April 1 Boston Herald suggests beginning with Mind Mapping, a visual and nonlinear way to capture the flood of ideas that often overwhelm creative minds. She also suggests adopting a regular creativity routine that gets you into a practice of creative thinking.
Infograzing
Commercialization Grants Program Applications Due May 14
The third round of the grants program designed to expand the commercialization of Iowa State technology has been announced by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development. The grants program is supported by Iowa economic development appropriations to the Board of Regents, State of Iowa. All tenured or tenure-tack faculty and staff at P17 or above are eligible to apply. Proposals should be submitted by email to industry@iastate.edu no later than May 14. Colleges will rank the proposals from their colleges and submit them to the Office of the Vice President for Research & Economic Development by no later than May 28. Guidelines, review criteria, cover page and budget format are available online.
External Voices
Virginia Tech Campus Mourns
"The university is shocked and horrified that this would befall us, and I want to extend my deepest and most sincere and profound sympathies to the families of these victims, which include our students." --Charles Steger, president of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, on the campus shootings today
Marginalia
College Development Officer Finishes Boston Marathon
Rich Bundy, Iowa State University Foundation assistant vice president for development for the College of Agriculture, was among the nearly 24,000 runners in today's 111th Boston Marathon. He started the race ranked 3,751 and finished in 3,015th place with a time of 3:18:23. Bundy's brother, Jeff, finished in 493th place with a time of 2:53:47. (Defending champion Robert Cheruiyot won the marathon's men's division with a time of 2:14:13. Lidiya Grigoryeva was the women's division winner with a time of 2:29:18.) Next issue: April 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."
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