College News
Sesquicentennial Series to Highlight Iowa State's History
A three-part ISU Sesquicentennial series will air Tuesday through Thursday, March 25 to 27, on Mediacom's access channel 22. The Mediacom production, "Iowa State University: the 150 Year Adventure," is hosted by Kevin Cooney, a news anchor at KCCI and an Iowa State alum. The show will air from 7 to 8 p.m. each night on channel 22 in Ames and Des Moines. Viewers outside those areas should check the cable directory for channel listings. The final show on March 27 will feature the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as well as the College of Design and College of Business and end with a segment on campus beauty. The first show, March 25, will include an overview with President Geoffroy, followed by segments on the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Human Sciences. The second night's show will include College of Engineering, Iowa State traditions, the College of Veterinary Medicine and student life.
College, ISU Extension Open House for Morrill Act on April 15
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and ISU Extension will host an open house April 15 to view the Morrill Act at the Christian Petersen Museum in Morrill Hall. Faculty, staff, students, friends and supporters are invited to attend the open house, which will be held from 11 am to noon. Brief remarks will be made at 11:30 a.m. The Morrill Act was signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862 establishing the land-grant universities. This is the first time the document has been outside of Washington, D.C.
Former Chair to Cover Horticultural History at Iowa State
Charles Hall, professor emeritus and former horticulture department chair, will talk about 150 years of horticulture at Iowa State at the department's seminar March 31. The seminar begins at 4:10 p.m. in Room 118 Horticulture Hall. Light refreshments will be served before the seminar.
Schnable to Deliver Presidential University Lecture March 31
Patrick Schnable, agronomy and genetics, development and cell biology, will deliver the Presidential University Lecture March 31. The title of the speech is "Exploring Crop Genomes, Advancing Crop Improvement." It will begin at 8 p.m. in the Sun Room, Memorial Union. Schnable is associate director of the Plant Sciences Institute, director of the Center for Plant Genomics, director of the newly formed Center for Carbon Capturing Crops and Baker Professor of Agronomy.
College Senior Elexted GSB President
Daniel Fischer, agricultural business senior, was elected president of the Government of the Student Body (GSB) March 14. He and vice president candidate Maggie Luttrell, senior in history and women's studies, received 66 percent of the vote.
Plant Pathology Grad Student Wins National Research Paper Competition
Emmanuel Byamukama, graduate student in plant pathology, received first place for a paper in a national competition sponsored by the American Phytopathological Society (APS) Foundation and the APS Epidemiology Committee. Byamukama, a native of Uganda, received the highest scores from APS judges based on the research and the impact it will have on the science of plant pathology. As part of the award, Emmanuel was one of four graduate students selected to receive $500 in travel expenses to participate in the 8th I. E. Melhus Symposium. The award is named for Irving Melhus, a pioneer in plant disease epidemiology who was the first full-time plant pathologist hired at Iowa State. Byamukama works with Forrest Nutter and Alison Robertson, plant pathology.
Animal Scientists Honored at Regional Meeting
The Midwest American Society of Animal Science/American Dairy Science Association meetings held last week in Des Moines presented awards to students and faculty. Graduate students Dawn Elkins earned third place in the master's division paper competition and Sender Lkhagvador was second in the doctorate research poster competition. Post-doc Sara Cutler won the National Pork Board Research Award. Associate Professor Jim Reecy was presented the Young Animal Science/Dairy Science Leader Award for Research.
Livestock Judging Team Fourth at Houston Event
The livestock judging team finished fourth at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Contest March 19. Team member Matt Mensing was 13th overall. Team members include Cole Burrack of Arlington; Morgan Core of Pleasantville, Troy Kane of Fairbank, Matt Mensing of Orient, Andy Platner of Lisbon, and Dustin Smith of Storm Lake. The team is coached by Jeff Thayne.
Meat Judging Team 10th at First Contest
The Meat Judging Team ranked 10th in beef grading at its inaugural judging contest at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest on March 8. Team members include: Tonina Desimone, Bonsall, Calif.; Laura Rosenbohm, Peoria, Ill.; Garrett Skaar, Story City; Isaiah Spath, Hampton; Jordan Steen, Garner; and Crystal Wagner, Le Mars.
Presentation on CSREES Funding Opportunities April 4
Chavonda Jacobs-Young, national program leader for Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) competitive programs, will give an overview of CSREES-USDA funding opportunities at 8 a.m. April 4 in Room 13 Curtiss. Her presentation will emphasize the National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program; Integrated Research, Education and Extension Programs; and the Small Business Innovation Research Programs.
Applications Sought for CIAG Grant Programs
The Center for Integrated Animal Genomics (CIAG) invites grant applications through its spring grant program. Applications are sought for three programs: Competitive Research Grants Program, Genomics Scholar/Fellows Program and Genomics Symposia and Workshops Program. These grants further CIAG's goals of encouraging collaboration among researchers, enhancing research competitiveness and promoting cutting-edge research in genomics areas. The application deadline is April 14 at 4 p.m.
Proposals Requested for Use of Student Computer Fees
April 11 is the deadline for proposals for instructional information technology projects funded with student computer fees. This year $60,000 is available to support projects that are innovative and can demonstrate student support. Projects funded under this proposal process should be projects that cut across departmental boundaries within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and/or require more resources than can be reasonably expected from direct allocations to individual departments within the college.
Faculty, Staff Invited to Distance Education Reception
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in conjunction with the Brenton Center for Agricultural Instruction and Technology Transfer will host a reception April 23 acknowledging faculty teaching courses at a distance. Dean Wendy Wintersteen and Associate Dean David Acker are scheduled to speak about how important distance education is to the Iowa State and the College. The program will be held in the Curtiss Hall Auditorium from 4:10-5 p.m. with a social gathering following in the Curtiss Hall rotunda. Contact Carrie Brus, cbrus@iastate.edu, to RSVP to this event, no later than April 16.
BIGMAP Symposium to Discuss Biotech Regulations
The fifth annual symposium of the Biosafety Institute for Genetically Modified Agricultural Products (BIGMAP) will include a discussion of developing biotechnology regulations to be responsive to scientific innovation. The symposium's theme is "Biotechnology Policy and Law." It will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. April 23 at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center. BIGMAP distinguished fellow Tom Vilsack will moderate the morning session, "Biotechnology and Intellectual Property," in which participants will offer their perspectives on intellectual property considerations for agricultural biotechnology and policy implications.
Special Seminar to Experience Belgian Beer
"The Belgian Beer Story: An Ultimate Experience" will be presented Thursday, March 27, by Roland Verheacute; of the Department of Organic Chemistry of Ghent University, Belgium. The seminar begins at 3:10 p.m. in 1951 Food Sciences Building. A reception will follow the seminar, which is sponsored by the Center for Crops Utilization Research.
Deadlines and Reminders
April 4: Promotion and tenure workshop on the definition of scholarship, 3:10 to 5 p.m., CCUR auditorium, 1951 Food Sciences building
April 10: 44th Annual Paul L. Errington Memorial Lecture, 7:30 p.m., 1414 Molecular Biology
April 18: Promotion and tenure workshop on portfolio development, 3:10 to 5 p.m., CCUR auditorium, 1951 Food Sciences building
April 30: Promotion and tenure workshop for associate professors, 3:10 to 5 p.m., CCUR auditorium, 1951 Food Sciences building
Communications Kiosk
Google Docs Allows Groups to Collaborate Online
Google Docs is a suite of browser-based office applications, requiring no software to install, that lets groups of peers, students, faculty or anyone create and share work online. The documents are accessible online from any computer with Internet access. You can control who can see your work or even invite others to collaborate on editing documents together in real time. You can create new documents, spreadsheets and presentations, or upload those previously created in other office applications. The work is stored on Google Docs, which is free to use. More at: http://docs.google.com
Infograzing
Publication Grants Applications Due April 15
The Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development has issued a request for proposals through the Publication Subvention Grants Program. The deadline for applications is April 15. These grants are made possible by an endowment that was formed from the proceeds of the sale of the ISU Press.
Cast Releases Turfgrass Workshop Proceedings
The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) has released a special publication titled, “Water Quality and Quantity Issues for Turfgrasses in Urban Landscapes” (Special Publication No. 27). It is the culmination of discussions and presentations from a three-day, CAST-sponsored workshop. The newly published proceedings comprises 16 presentations from 25 water, turf and landscape specialists. More: http://www.cast-science.org/displayProductDetails.asp?idProduct=150
External Voices
Season Puts a Spring in Your Step
"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." --Doug Larson, 1902-1981, English middle-distance runner who won gold medals at the 1924 Olympic Games
Marginalia
How Many Spring Breakers Hit the Beach?
A survey found that only 33 percent of college students spend spring break at the beach, while 70 percent stay at home with their parents, according to a Chronicle of Higher Education article. (It assumed there are 3 percent who go to the beach with their parents.) The survey was sponsored in part by Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc. It was conducted online in February. The survey also stated that 68 percent of students who did party during their vacation set limits on how much alcohol they consumed. (Chronicle of Higher Education, March 21)
Ag and Life Sciences Online
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Phone: (515) 294-5616
Website: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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