College News
Second Spring Ag Career Day to be Held Feb. 4
The second spring Ag Career Day will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 4 in the Great Hall, Memorial Union. As many as 90 employers are expected to recruit students for jobs and internships. And many will conduct on-campus interviews the following day. A list of the employers participating is available on the Career Services website.
Beginning Farmer Network to Hold Annual Conference
The Beginning Farmer Network, an ISU student organization supporting beginning farmers, will hold its fourth annual conference on Feb. 7 at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center. The student-organized conference will feature speakers on topics ranging from livestock marketing, tax management and expanding or maintaining the farm operation. Speakers include Loren Kruse, editor-in-chief of Successful Farming magazine, and Brian Gossling, a U.S. Department of Agriculture farm loan program director. More: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/beginningfarmer/home.html
New Student Featured on CALS Home Page
Josie Rodulphi, a senior in agricultural and life sciences education from Marengo, has been added to the student profiles on the college's home page. Rodulphi spent her semester break learning about the soils of Ghana. She's also on the marketing team for the National Agri-Marketing Association club, which last spring won National Outstanding Chapter and John Deere Signature Student awards. The student profiles offer an opportunity for prospective students to see what students are doing in our college. To view the student profiles go to http://www.ag.iastate.edu and refresh the page to see different stories. If you have ideas for outstanding students you think should be featured, contact Barb McBreen at barbmc@istate.edu or 4-0707.
Brenton Center Brochure Promotes Distance Education
Bringing the classroom to the world is the focus of a new brochure promoting graduate courses available through the Brenton Center. The online classes and programs allow professionals to pursue advanced degrees without disrupting their professional career. If you would like brochures for prospective students, contact Lori Youngberg at lyoung@iastate.edu or 4-7656.
Think Tank on Animal Agriculture Jan. 26
Matt Sutton-Vermeulen of CMA Consulting will share results of a Center for Food Integrity 2008 Consumer Research study at the next Think Tank on Animal Agriculture meeting. The Jan. 26 meeting begins with social time at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the presentation at 7 p.m. in the Cardinal Room of the Memorial Union. To register to attend, contact Ardella Krull at amkrull@iastate.edu by noon Wednesday, Jan. 21. Cost of the buffet will be $20, which is payable at the door.
Staniforth 20th Anniversary Memorial Lecture Set for Feb. 25
The Staniforth Lecture will be presented by Ohio State University professor Allison Snow Feb. 25 at 4:15 p.m. in 2050 Agronomy. The lecture is titled: "Effects of gene flow from transgenic crops to related weeds," and will be followed by a reception in the Agronomy Commons. Snow is a professor in the Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology at Ohio State and director of the OSU Undergraduate Research Office. She studies the ecological impacts of genetically engineered crops on natural and agricultural systems. The Staniforth Lecture series is presented in honor of former professor David Staniforth and is sponsored by the Staniforth Fund in the agronomy department. Staniforth was a pioneer in the field of weed science.
Sociologist Develops Ethanol Profitability Calculator
David Peters, sociology, developed a tool to determine what market conditions are needed for ethanol producers to make a profit. He had been getting questions about the profitability of ethanol plants under current market conditions and decided to create a spreadsheet that would allow anyone to figure it out for themselves.
Researcher Modifies Corn Kernel's Starch Content
Martha James, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, has developed technology that allows corn plants to produce more starch and also modified starch. One starch modification would allow each corn kernel to produce more starch. Another modification would allow corn starch to be used commercially and industrially more easily and less expensively.
Deadlines and Reminders
Feb. 2: "A Dream Fulfilled: The Saga of George Washington Carver," 8 p.m., Great Hall, Memorial Union
Feb. 16: College's Spring convocation, 4 p.m., 127 Curtiss Hall (Curtiss auditorium)
Feb. 19: Agriculture and Life Sciences Distinguished Lecture, Michael Boehlje, distinguished professor at Purdue University, 7:30 p.m., Sun Room, Memorial Union
Communications Kiosk
Dollars and Cents Style
Spell out the word cents and lowercase, using numerals for amounts less than a dollar: 5 cents, 12 cents. Use the "$" sign and decimal system for larger amounts, $1.01. Always spell out dollar as a lowercase word. Use figures and the $ sign in all except causal references or amounts without a figure, as in "The book cost $4. Please give me a dollar." For specified amounts the word takes a singular verb, "He said $500,000 is what they need." For amounts of more than $1 million, use the $ and numerals up to two decimal places. Do not link the numerals and the word using a hyphen, "It is worth $4.35 million. It is worth exactly $4,351,242. He proposed a $300 billion budget." (The Associated Press Stylebook, 42nd ed., 2007)
Infograzing
Faculty Invited to Sessions on Wimba Educational Products
ISU's Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching will host a workshop on a suite of products developed by Wimba that can allow faculty to create an interactive teaching and learning environment within WebCT. Pizza lunch and drinks will be provided at the workshop, titled, "Adding Virtual Collaboration to Your Courses Using Wimba Classroom and Wimba Voice Tools," from 12:10 to 2 p.m. Jan. 29 in Room 1230 in the Communications Building. You can register through AccessPlus by e-mail at celt@iastate.edu or by calling 4-5357. For those unable to attend the CELT session, there will be a free online session at 2 p.m. Jan. 28, that requires registration. Contact: Carrie Brus, 4-1862 or cbrus@iastate.edu.
External Voices
Sukup Calls Ugandan Experience "Transforming"
"Water is the gift of life, and Ugandans walk miles for it. During our travels, we learned that a school was to be the recipient of a borehole (well), and children were thrilled to witness the drilling. One of the most moving moments of my life was the commissioning of a borehole that our family had donated. A crowd of villagers dressed in their finest, greeted us with dancing, songs, cheering and speeches that are forever etched in our memories. ... A visit to the Pearl of Africa is transforming. The spirit of her people in the midst of extreme poverty reminds us that material wealth is not a requirement for inner joy. And, as Ghandi said, there is opportunity to 'Be the change you want to see in the world.'"
--Charles Sukup, president of Sukup Manufacturing Co. and ISU agricultural engineering graduate, who wrote about a trip to Uganda with Iowa State's Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods. Sukup's daughter Elizabeth, who graduated in December with a bachelor's degree in public service and administration in agriculture, has been active in the center's efforts. (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers "Resource" magazine, January/February 2009)
Marginalia
Biodiesel Mobile Museum Part of Obama Inauguration
A traveling museum powered by soybean checkoff-funded biodiesel made the historic 800-mile journey that Abraham Lincoln took from Illinois to Washington, D.C., and that President Barack Obama retraced before taking the oath of office. The "Abraham Lincoln: Self-Made in America Tour" mobile museum has been touring the United States since spring 2008 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth in 2009 and will continue through 2010. The presidential inaugural committee invited it to be a part of "The Presidential Experience" exhibit near the Washington, D.C. convention center. This mobile Lincoln museum provides the opportunity to learn the story of Lincoln as well as view some items from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. The United Soybean Board and Illinois Soybean Association are investing checkoff funds to provide this traveling museum with biodiesel.
Ag and Life Sciences Online
Editor
Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616
Website: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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