................................................... COLLEGE NEWS ................................................... DIET-HEALTH SYMPOSIUM TO HONOR EMERITUS PROFESSOR Eight university and industry experts will address diet and human health issues at a symposium to honor the 90th birthday of Norman Jacobson, emeritus animal science professor. Michael Spurlock, food science and human nutrition and of animal science, will kick off the symposium at 1:10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11. It will conclude at noon Friday, Sept. 12. The symposium is free and open to the public. It will be held in the Ensminger Room (Room 1204), Kildee Hall. More: http://www.ans.iastate.edu/events/index.php?id=315&year=2008 TWO FROM ISU PRESENT AT INTERNATIONAL MEAT CONGRESS Two from ISU were invited speakers at the International Congress on Meat Science and Technology held in Cape Town, South Africa, in August. The conference had the theme, “The Role of Science in the Growing Demand for Red Meat.” Elisabeth Huff-Lonergan, animal science, discussed new discoveries in protein biochemistry that help explain variation in activity of muscle enzymes (calpains) involved in muscle growth in living muscle and in tenderization of meat. David Meisinger, director of the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence, gave a presentation that compared and contrasted different international research systems including large-scale agro-industrial complexes, private contract research services and university research. More about the conference: http://www.icomst2008.co.za/ ISU'S UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF; CALS PIZZA SALE SEPT. 18 The United Way of Story County's 2008 campaign kicked off on Sept. 5. Dean Wintersteen is the campus leader for the campaign. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will sell pizza on Sept. 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of Curtiss Hall. A pizza slice and beverage will be $3, with proceeds going to the United Way of Story County. For more information on the ISU campaign: http://uw.public.iastate.edu/08/ GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDED PIONEER FELLOWSHIP Kevin Johnson, doctoral candidate in entomology, was awarded the Pioneer Hi-Bred International Graduate Student Fellowship through the Entomological Society of America. This is a four-year fellowship awarded to students conducting “innovative research and graduate education in the area of entomology with a focus on key insects or complexes of insects that effect corn, soybeans, canola, alfalfa, or other significant commodity crops.” This award will be presented to Johnson at the society's national meeting in November. IOWA STATE HELP SPONSORS CORN BREEDING FIELD DAY Breeding corn for sustainable agriculture is the topic of Thursday's, Sept. 11, Practical Farmers of Iowa field day at the ISU Agronomy Farm. It will begin at 9 a.m. and will include a corn breeding update and results from a poultry feeding trial. Sponsors include Iowa State On-farm Research and Demonstration. ISU RESEARCHERS HELP MAP NEMATODE GENOME SEQUENCE There are numerous plant-parasitic nematodes in the world, but only a few are responsible for the largest part of an estimated $157 billion in agricultural damage every year. Iowa State researchers have contributed to the release of the annotated genome of one of the most destructive nematodes. More: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/news/2008/sep/nematode.shtml $18.5 MILLION GRANT FOR BIORENEWABLE CHEMICALS RESEARCH CENTER Several College researchers will be involved in the National Science Foundation award to Iowa State and its research partners of a five-year, $18.5 million grant to establish the NSF Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals based at Iowa State. Basil Nikolau, the Frances M. Craig Professor in the departments of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology and food science and human nutrition, will be the deputy director. Details: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/news/2008/sep/CBiRC.shtml TOXICOLOGY GRADUATE STUDENTS SELLING SHIRTS TO RAISE FUNDS The Toxicology Graduate Student Organization is selling T-shirts imprinted with "Toxicologists do it Interdepartmentally," to raise funds for the group's activities. The shirts cost $13 each. Contact: Ashley Jessick, 4-9823 or jessicka@iastate.edu. More: http://www.toxicology.iastate.edu/tshirts.html GIFT TO COLLEGE AND EXTENSION ANNOUNCED AT TAILGATE CF Industries Inc. donated $25,000 each to the College and ISU Extension to help cope with the damage from flooding in the state. The donation to extension will provide free financial planning to Iowa farm families dealing with the aftermath of this year's flooding. The College support will go to restoring flood-damaged areas at research farms across Iowa. The gift was announced at the College's tailgate Sept. 6 before the Iowa State-Kent State football game. More than 350 alumni, faculty, staff and friends attended the event at the Reiman Gardens. (See “Internal Voices.”) DEADLINES AND REMINDERS Sept. 9: “Feeding the World: Are We Making Progress?” seminar, “Uganda - ISU Student Service Learning,” noon to 1 p.m. in the Ensminger Room, 1204 Kildee Hall, http://www.ag.iastate.edu/global/Fall2008Uganda.htm Sept. 11: John Pesek Colloquium on Sustainable Agriculture, 7 p.m. in the Great Hall, Memorial Union, http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/news_detail.php?var1=671 Sept. 15: College convocation, 4:15 p.m., front steps of Curtiss Hall, reception to follow in the Curtiss rotunda Sept. 16: Allee Research and Demonstration Farm 50th anniversary celebration, 9:30 a.m., near Newell Sept. 19: deadline for graduate and undergraduate students to submit posters for the Seventh Annual Norman Borlaug Lectureship Poster Competition, http://www.fshn.hs.iastate.edu/grad/borlaug.php Sept. 20: Horticulture Club's Fall Festival, 1-5 p.m., Horticulture Research Station, 55519 170th St., Ames ................................................... INFOGRAZING ................................................... EXTENSION CONFERENCE REGISTRATION OPEN The annual ISU Extension conference is scheduled for Oct. 22 and 23 at the Scheman Building. The theme is “Taste of ISU Extension.” The deadline for early registration is Oct. 3. More: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/eac08/home.html SEPT. 19 DEADLINE FOR OFFICE DECORATING CONTEST “Iowa State Around The World” is the theme for the Family Weekend office-decorating contest this year. Sept. 19 is the deadline to enter with judging set for Oct. 3. Contact: Heather Pray, hpray@iastate.edu. More: http://www.familyweekend.iastate.edu/friday_office_decorating.shtml ................................................... INTERNAL VOICES ................................................... GIFT TO HELP IOWANS “Because of CF Industries' generosity, extension could offer up to 100 consultations at no cost to Iowa farmers. The other half of CF Industries' gift will help us restore flood and storm damage at our research farms. The funds will help repair tile drains; reseed waterways; provide support to repeat field experiments that were “drowned' this year; and more. Part of the gift also will support long-term soil fertility, water quality and crop rotation studies at six locations. We are grateful to CF Industries. This gift will help our extension programs serve Iowans and help our research programs recover and grow stronger.” -Dean Wendy Wintersteen thanking Brian Spencer, of CF Industries, for the company's gift. ................................................... MARGINALIA ................................................... PROFESSORS OFFER STUDENT WRITING EXAMPLES British students who don't double-check their writing risk seeing their slip-ups circulated online, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported in a blog. The Times Higher Education recently revived its annual “exam howlers” competition, in which professors submit their students' writing flubs. At least the submissions are anonymous. An example: An economics student who bemoaned a regulator's “laxative enforcement policies.” In at least one instance, however, the student got the last laugh. “Apparently, the student wrote, 'Control of infectious diseases is very important in case an academic breaks out.' ” said blogger Allie Grasgreen. (Chronicle Of Higher Education, Aug. 28) ........................................................ 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.