College News
College Held Open Forum on Budget Planning Earlier Today
Although several uncertainties remain on plans for budget reductions for the fiscal year that begins July 1, Dean Wendy Wintersteen said the College is looking to the future to emerge stronger with fewer state resources. About 60 people attended a CALS open forum on the budget today, April 13, in the Cardinal Room, Memorial Union. Dean Wintersteen provided an update on the FY2009 budget and the current status of the university and college budgeting process; what's ahead on FY2010 budget planning and schedule; background on budget planning under the first full year of the Resource Management Model; and a look ahead to the university strategic planning process. One way the College is looking to the future is the establishment of a Future of Academic Programs Task Force, which will develop recommendations to ensure a CALS education remains relevant in a changing world. A PDF document of the Dean's presentation is available on the CALS homepage.
Environmental Studies Professor to Give Bessey Lecture
Susan Harrison, professor at the University of California, Davis, will present the 30th annual Charles E. Bessey lecture this Wednesday, April 15 at 8 pm in 1414 Molecular Biology Building. The title of her presentation is "A North American biodiversity hotspot declines in response to 55 years of climate change."
Friday VEISHEA Activities to Showcase College on Central Campus
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the College of Engineering, will host the campus barbecue on Friday, April 17, with events scheduled between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on central campus. The Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council is hosting a variety of activities and displays. Food will be provided by the VEISHEA Committee.
Volunteers Needed for VEISHEA Tent on Saturday
Volunteers are needed to help record stories and welcome VEISHEA visitors in the College's tent on Saturday, April 18 between noon and 5 p.m. We need two or three volunteers each hour to help record audio in the VEISHEA Village, which coordinates with the "Memories in the Making" VEISHEA theme. It should be fun. To sign up contact Barb McBreen at 4-0707 or barmc@iastate.edu.
Stop By College Tent and Record Your Iowa State Memories for VEISHEA
On Saturday, April 18, the College will include an audio recording area for anyone wishing to record their Iowa State memories for the "Memories in the Making" VEISHEA theme. Stop by the College's tent between noon and 5 p.m. for a photo and a chance to record your memories. The photos and recordings may be used in the STORIES magazine print or online editions. To view STORIES go to www.ag.iastate.edu. Students from the Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council and the Student Ambassadors also will have displays in the tent. The College tent will be the second tent west of Curtiss Hall on the north side of the central sidewalk between Curtiss Hall and Beardshear.
Student Clubs Major Participants in VEISHEA
Of the 24 student clubs and student groups participating in this year's VEISHEA activities, more than one-third are related to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. On Saturday, April 18, VEISHEA attendees can milk a cow, purchase plants, eat homemade ice cream, play with insects and walk through a microbe.
Pick Up an Adventure Passport to Win Free Food and Stuff
On Saturday, April 18, several of the College's student clubs will be participating in a "VEISHEA Passport" event. Participants must visit several of the college's student displays to get their passport stamped. When the passport is full you can win a free prize or food item. Pick up a passport in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences tent, which will be the second tent west of Curtiss Hall on the north side of the central sidewalk between Curtiss Hall and Beardshear.
College Bowl Team Wins Regional Food Science Competition
The food science and human nutrition department College Bowl Team defeated the University of Minnesota to win the North Central Regional title, and get a bid to the national competition. Teams in the competition answered questions in the areas of food science and technology, the history of foods and processing, food laws, nutrition and general food-related trivia. Team members Jose Gerde, Stephanie Volk, Charlwit Kulchaiyawat, David Manu, Molly Mayers, Marne Parriott and Emily Griep next compete in Anaheim, Calif. at the national Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) meeting in June. Advisers of the team are faculty members Pat Murphy and Mark Love.
Hort Students Compete in National Skills Contest
Horticulture students competed last month in the national Professional Landcare (PLANET) Student Career Days at Cal-Poly Pomona in Pomona, Calif. last month. Iowa State's top finishers included: Shane Mairet, sixth in compact utility operation; Bryce Frost, Amanda Snodgrass and Austin Escheid, sixth in landscape plant installation; Samantha Wagner and David Dietz, ninth in wood construction; Winston Beck, 12th in leadership skills and David Dietz and Kevin Davis, 15th in irrigation assembly. Faculty members Ann Marie VanDerZanden and Mike Reinert accompanied the group as team coaches. This annual event is sponsored by national and regional companies within the landscape industry, and this year brought together nearly 1,000 students from 64 colleges and universities.
Poster Session for Science With Practice Students April 22
Poster presentations for the spring Science With Practice students will be April 22 from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Kildee Hall atrium. You can visit with the students and see the results of this Agricultural Endowment-funded program. A handout will be available at the session including information prepared by each student about their work experiences.
Think Tank Meeting to Hear From Pioneer Research Director
What are animal scientists doing at a plant genetics company, is the title of the program at the April 27 Think Tank on Animal Agriculture meeting. Tom Sauber, research director at Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., will lead the discussion. The program begins at 7 p.m. in the Cardinal Room, Memorial Union following social time at 6 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. Register attendance on or before noon April 23 by emailing Ardella Krull at amkrull@iastate.edu. Cost of the buffet will be $20, payable to Don Beitz at the door.
Faculty Honored by Iowa State Horticulture Society
Gail Nonnecke and Nick Christians, horticulture, and Donald Lewis, entomology, recently received honor awards from the Iowa State Horticulture Society. They were presented at the All Iowa Horticulture Exposition on April 3 in Ottumwa.
Johnson Named Fellow of AACC International
Larry Johnson, food science and human nutrition, was recently selected as a fellow of AACC International. The Fellows program was established in 1985 to honor association members who have made distinguished contributions to the field of cereal science. The organization was previously known as the American Association of Cereal Chemists.
USDA Grants to Iowa State for Genomic Research and Extension
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded competitive grants to Iowa State University for three projects in animal genomics research and extension. The grants totaled $1.7 million.
Iowa State and Monsanto Team Up to Help Ugandan Farmers
Iowa State and the Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, have teamed up to better the lives of subsistence farmers in Uganda.
High Tunnel Extends Growing Season With Tulips
Iowa State researchers showed high tunnels can be used to extend the growing season by cultivating tulips over the winter at the Armstrong Research and Demonstration Farm in southwest Iowa.
Awards Presented by ISU Agriculture Society
Awards were presented April 9 to College faculty, alumni and students by the Iowa Chapter of the Honor Society of Agriculture, known as Gamma Sigma Delta.
Iowa'S Tax Burden Below National Average
Iowans pay less in total state and local taxes than do residents of most other states, according to a report published by an Iowa State researcher. David Peters, assistant professor of sociology, found that Iowa ranks 36 out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia in how much tax revenue is paid to state and local governments.
Researcher Identifies Protein That Concentrates Carbon Dioxide in Algae
An Iowa State University researcher has identified one of the key proteins in microalgae that is responsible for concentrating and moving CO2 into cells. Martin Spalding, professor and chair of the department of genetics, development and cell biology, calls the discovery a "real breakthrough."
Alumni Association Honors College Students, Faculty and Staff
Several College students were honored April 5 at the Alumni Association's annual Student Scholars and Leaders Recognition Ceremony. They included: Daniel Fischer, ag business and economics senior, and Clark Richardson, senior majoring in political science, ag business and international agriculture, who were presented the Wallace E. Barron All-University Senior Award; Nicole Cortum, public service and administration in agriculture senior, and Katherine Tsamis, biology senior, who received the David W. and Ellen J. Raisbeck Leadership Award; and high scholarship award winners, recognizing the upper two percent of students by college. The students cited several College faculty and staff for providing exceptional support, including: Matt Helmers, agricultural and biosystems engineering; Mike Retallick, agricultural education and studies; Bradley Miller, agronomy; Allen Trenkle, Curtis Youngs, Steven Lonergan, Matthew Ellinwood and Nikki Ferwerda, animal science; Christopher Chandler, ecology, evolution and organismal biology; Terry Alexander, Ronald Deiter, John Lawrence, Ebby Luvaga, James Kliebenstein and Quinn Weninger, economics; Bryony Bonning and Ken Holscher, entomology; Jennifer Walker-Daniels, food science and human nutrition; Clark Coffman, genetics, development and cell biology; Barb Osborn, horticulture; and Mike Gaul, career services.
Deadlines and Reminders
April 20: Deadline for proposals for information technology projects to support instructional programs within the College
April 21-22: Biosafety Institute for Genetically Modified Agricultural Products (BIGMAP) symposium on "Food and Fuel Crops: Issues, Policies, and Regulation" 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. April 21 and from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 22, Gateway Hotel and Conference Center
April 29: Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture Symposium, 3 to 6 p.m., Sun Room, Memorial Union
April 29: Task Force on the Future of Academic Programs to consider the report, "Transforming Agricultural Education for a Changing World," 3:10 to 5 p.m., Room 13 Curtiss Hall
April 30: "Theirs and Ours; Implication of How Today's Students Process Information Into Knowledge and the Impacts on Classroom Dynamics" seminar on teaching in the digital age, 3 p.m., Ensminger Room, 1204 Kildee Hall
External Funding
Funding Information, Opportunities and Deadline Reminders
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu
- May 8: Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Program. $3.6 million; awards $4,500 to $258,000.
- May 11: Integrated Pest Management: Crops at Risk Program. $1.3 million available.
- May 11: Integrated Pest Management: Methyl Bromide Transitions Program. $2.95 million available.
- May 11: Integrated Pest Management: Risk Avoidance and Mitigation Program. $4.2 million available.
- June 15: Human Nutrition and Obesity. $1.5 million per award; $11 million available.
- July 8: Animal Growth and Nutrient Utilization. $350,000 per award; $4.5 million available.
- July 30: Rapid Response Food and Agricultural Science for Emergency Issues (Letter of Intent). $250,000 per award; $1 million available.
Communications Kiosk
Flaunt Your Flair and Use Flare to Caution
A "flare" is an unsteady glaring light, as in "emergency flare," or a sudden outburst, "a flare-up of fighting." A "flair" is an outstanding talent, "a flair for mathematics," or originality and stylishness, "performed with flair." (The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed., 2003)
Infograzing
Iowa Soybean Association and ISU Release Field Guide
Glyphosate-resistant weeds have likely arrived in Iowa. Globally, 14 weed species have evolved resistance to glyphosate, and it looks like the trend is increasing. The Iowa Soybean Association in partnership with Iowa State has published a guide, "Glyphosate Stewardship: Fix It Before It Breaks," to help soybean producers keep glyphosate-resistant weeds out of their fields and protect yields.
Internal Voices
Swenson: Strong Dollar Hurting Corn Exports
"The drop in volumes of corn exports will probably accelerate through the spring and summer months this year in comparison with 2008 because of a continued strong dollar and the weakened purchasing power of foreign currencies. Most corn farmers in the Midwest are looking at a break-even year compared to fabulous returns they received in '07 and '08."
--David Swenson, economics, (Exports Fall, and It's Felt on the Farm, New York Times, April 9, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/business/10agriculture.html?th&emc=th)
Marginalia
Bake Sale to Benefit ISU Anthropology Student Newsletter
An ISU anthropology student fundraiser bake sale Wednesday and Thursday, April 15 and 16, will help create a student-run newsletter called WAYS: Cultural Newsletter. They will be selling baked goods from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days in the ground floor rotunda in Curtiss Hall. Cookies and bars will sell for under $1 each. Coffee will also available for a limited time.
Ag and Life Sciences Online
Editor
Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616
Website: 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."