................................................... COLLEGE NEWS ................................................... CONVOCATION TO HONOR GRADUATES SATURDAY Faculty and staff are invited to join the recognition of spring and summer graduates at the College Convocation this Saturday, May 10. There are about 360 students expected to earn degrees. The doors will open at C.Y. Stephens auditorium at 8 a.m. as the convocation's reception provides refreshments. The program begins at 9 a.m. and includes individual recognition of graduates. Allyson Chwee, agricultural business and economics senior, will give the address to graduates and guests and receive the outstanding senior award from the Ag and Life Sciences Student Council. The council also will honor these students: Julie Collins, animal science and international agriculture, for academic achievement; Sherry Johnson, spanish and animal science distinguished service; and Tyler Strom, agricultural business and economics, leadership excellence. A new award, Outstanding Ambassador of Agriculture, will be presented to Klaire O'Rourke, agricultural business senior for her efforts to promote agriculture through participation in College clubs and internships. ANIMAL SCIENCE SENIOR WILL BE COLLEGE'S STUDENT MARSHAL Lucas Carlstrom of Eldridge will be the College's student marshal at commencement this Saturday, May 10. He is graduating with a bachelor's of science degree in animal science and a minor in microbiology. He will enter the Medical Scientist Training Program at Mayo Clinic this fall after completing a laboratory rotation, which begins later this month also at Mayo. Carlstrom will be accompanied by his research mentor Matthew Ellinwood, animal science. CARD DIRECTOR TO TESTIFY AT SENATE COMMITTEE HEARING Bruce Babcock, economics professor and director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, will appear before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs Wednesday, May 7, in a hearing on fuel subsidies and their impacts on food prices. More: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/news_detail.php?var1=640 SCIENCE WITH PRACTICE POSTER WINNERS ANNOUNCED The Science with Practice program awarded the top three poster presenters out of the 19 at last week's open house. The poster of Jared McGovern, senior in animal ecology, was judged first for his work project in entomology designing environmental education curriculum. Cindy Walter, public service and administration in agriculture junior, was second for her experience assisting communications in the Iowa Pork Industry Center. Michelle Rutz, animal science senior, was third for her project working with feline genetics. FACULTY AND STAFF PRESENTED DISTANCE EDUCATION HONORS The Brenton Center for Agricultural Instruction and Technology Transfer presented plaques to faculty and staff who have taught distance education courses for 10 or more semesters and certificates to those teaching more than five semesters. The presentations were made at the Brenton Center's distance education reception Apri. 23. Plaques were awarded for teaching more than 20 semesters to: Robert Martin, agricultural education and studies, 27 semesters; Elwynn Taylor, agronomy, 26; Tom Ingebritsen, genetics development and cell biology, 25; and Wade Miller, agricultural education and studies, 21. Plaques for teaching more than 10 semesters were presented to: Donald Beitz, animal science and biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, 19; Greg Miller, agricultural education and studies, 16; John VanDyk, entomology, 14; Sunday Tim, agricultural and biosystems engineering, 13; Terry Alexander, economics, 13; Jon Tollefson, entomology, 13; Al Hasselman, agronomy, 10. IOWA STATE-CONOCOPHILLIPS COLLABORATION ADVANCES 26 RESEARCH PROJECTS IN FIRST YEAR The first year of ConocoPhillips' eight-year, $22.5 million research program at Iowa State has supported 26 research projects and helped establish new research collaborations to further diversify America's sources of energy and help meet growing energy demand. Learn more: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/news/2008/apr/firstyear.shtml SURVEY SHOWS INCREASE IN ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE INDUSTRY Ornamental horticulture is the fastest growing segment of the Iowa's agriculture industry, according to a newly released ISU Extension survey. The estimated value of sales and services directly related to Iowa's green industry in 2004 was $311.5 million. Add the allied sectors associated with the industry, and the economic impact climbs to $538.2 million. Details: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2008/apr/123002.htm DEADLINES AND REMINDERS May 15: Deadline for 2008 Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture nominations, http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2008/042308_spencer.html ................................................... COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK ................................................... BEING CONFIDENT IN YOUR CONFIDANT A “confidant” is a close companion, someone you confide in. “Confident” is the adjective meaning "having faith, being certain." (The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed., 2003) ................................................... INFOGRAZING ................................................... CAST RELEASES PAPER ON VACCINES The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) is releasing a new issue paper, “Vaccine Development Using Recombinant DNA Technology.” It is the seventh in CAST's nine-part series, Animal Agriculture's Future through Biotechnology. The full text of the paper is available on the CAST Web site: http://www.cast-science.org/. ................................................... EXTERNAL VOICES ................................................... EHRLICH'S TEST OF COLLEGE GRADUATES "A college education should equip one to entertain three things: a friend, an idea and oneself." --Thomas Ehrlich, president emeritus of Indiana University, serving from 1987 to 1994 ................................................... MARGINALIA ................................................... ISU DAILY COLUMNIST WRITES ABOUT FARM KIDS On April 23, ISU Daily columnist Ryan Frederick, a senior in management from Orient wrote about "farm kids" on campus and what makes them special. "It is this culture -- the culture of hard long work against what seem to be a formidable array of obstacles, from weather, to markets, to government -- that sets this group apart." Read Frederick's full column: http://www.iowastatedaily.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&uStory... ........................................................ AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE ........................................................ EDITOR Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu Phone: (515) 294-5616 Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/ SUBSCRIBE Ag and Life Sciences Online, the newsletter for faculty and staff in Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is e-mailed every Monday. To subscribe, send your name, e-mail address and the message "Ag and Life Sciences Online subscribe" to edadcock@iastate.edu. To unsubscribe, send "Ag and Life Sciences Online unsubscribe." Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries can be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, 3210 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.