College News
CALS Advisory Council Discusses Emerging Issues
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Advisory Council met on Friday, July 10, at in the ISU Foundation's Lepke Room. Twenty-nine council members attended and shared their thoughts on emerging issues, opportunities and challenges and how the College may be impacted. The feedback will be used in the upcoming strategic planning process. The council heard from Darrin Rahn, a sophomore in agricultural business, who outlined his experiences as a freshman in CALS. Kevin Kimle, the Rastetter Endowed Chair in Agricultural Entrepreneurship in the Department of Economics, spoke to the council on entrepreneurial goals for the College. Vice President for Research and Economic Development Sharron Quisenberry spoke to the group during lunch. Updates on the College and Campaign Iowa State were provided. To end the day, the council watched an audio slideshow of Cliff Dolbeare, the student who spoke at the College's convocation for graduating seniors in May.
22 States, 7 Countries Represented at Meat Short Course
The Sausage and Processed Meats short course, being held this week, focuses on the technology of sausage production and other types of meat processing. The course includes lectures on basic meat science and demonstrations on processing techniques. Iowa State's modern meat laboratory allows participants to observe demonstrations and gain hands-on experience using the latest technology.
Sustainable Agriculture Education Conference This Week
"Facilitating Sustainable Agriculture Education" is the theme of the Sustainable Agriculture Education Association conference Wednesday to Friday, July 15 to 17, at the Scheman Building. The agronomy department is helping support the conference. (See item below about a performance of the play "Farmscape," that is open to a limited number of the general public not attending the conference.) More: http://www.sustainableaged.org/
"Farmscape" to be Performed July 15
As part of the Sustainable Agriculture Education Association's conference this week (see item above), the readers' theater piece, "Farmscape" will be performed at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 15, in the Memorial Union's Maintenance Shop. "Farmscape" was written by a group of Iowa State students under the instruction of Iowa poet laureate and ISU distinguished professor Mary Swander. The play drew praise from Farm Journal Magazine for presenting "something that approaches the real diversity found in rural America, with impact far beyond the student playwrights' wildest dreams." There will be about 60 seats available for nonconference goers. Tickets can be purchased for $3 at the door, but to reserve seats, email Phil Damery, pcdamery@iastate.edu.
Takle to Discuss Climate Change July 28 in Calmar
Gene Takle, agronomy, will address a seminar titled "Being Prepared for the Changing World of Agriculture" on July 28. His presentation will be the "Effect of Climate Change on Midwest Agriculture." The event will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Dairy Center at Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar. This event is sponsored by the Iowa Soybean Association.
Swine Transition Seminar Set in Sheldon
The Iowa Pork Industry Center and ISU Extension swine field specialists are planning sessions to help pork producers cope with continuing poor economic conditions. A Swine Transition Seminar will provide information, assistance and resources to producers Aug. 5 at Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon. It starts with a keynote by John Lawrence, extension livestock economist.
Upper Midwest Manure-Handling Expo July 22
Iowa State and the Iowa Commercial Nutrient Applicators Association will present the 2009 Upper Midwest Manure Handling Expo in Iowa on July 22 at the Central Iowa Expo center near Boone.
Deadlines and Reminders
July 21: Lauren Christian Pork Chop Open, Veenker Memorial Golf Course
July 30-31: "Enhance Your Iowa Plate Conference"
External Funding
Funding Information, Opportunities and Deadline Reminders
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu
Aug. 7: Doctoral Dissertation Research Grant Program (housing and urban development policy issues); $25,000 per award; $200,000 total funding.
Sept. 5 (Letter of Intent): Improving Diet and Physical Activity Assessment (R01) Grant; $200,000 to 650,000 (direct costs) per award.
Sept. 15: Competitive Grant Awards to Establish RIDGE (Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics) Centers for Food and Nutrition Research Assistance; $250,000 per center in first year, two awards, five-year grant period.
Oct. 9 (Letter of Intent): Consortium of Food Allergy Research (CoFAR) and CoFAR Statistical and Clinical Coordinating Center (CoFAR SACCC) (U19 and U01); $3.65 million total for one to three CoFAR U19 and/or U01 awards and $1.6 million total for one CoFAR SACCC U01 award. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AI-09-039.html
NSF Stem Scholarship Pre-Proposals Due July 31
Pre-proposals for College submissions to the National Science Foundation's Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program are due July 31 to Senior Associate Dean Joe Colletti (colletti@iastate.edu). This program makes grants to institutions of higher education to support scholarships for academically talented, financially needy students, enabling them to enter the workforce following completion of an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate level degree in science and engineering disciplines. Faculty split between colleges may only submit to one college. The College pre-proposal chosen will be notified by 5 p.m. on Aug. 7. The letter of intent is due to NSF on Aug. 11 and the full proposal is due to NSF by Sept. 14. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5257
Tips for Preparing NSF Grants
The following tips for preparing competitive grant proposals are based on suggestions from the National Science Foundation.
- Be concise. Don't fill 25 pages if you can explain the project in 15 pages. Obtain input from an experienced grant-writer.
- Write as much to a nonexpert audience as to an expert audience. Ask someone from a different field to read the proposal; sharpen anything that isn't clear to that reader.
- Arrange the proposal using the same order outlined in the solicitation. Create the table of contents as a roadmap for reviewers.
- Follow the rules. Compliance is key, and a proposal may be returned without review if, for example, a vita includes 15 publications and the solicitation specifies only 10.
- Do not "boilerplate" the broader impacts section. Give intellectual merit and broader impacts equal attention (see http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/broaderimpacts.pdf).
- Describe how the research is transformative and exciting. Demonstrate how your project might generate new theories or processes to address scientific challenges in your field.
- Sources: Based on "Shaking the Money Tree at the National Science Foundation," presented by Cerry Klein, NSF program director, July 8, and the NSF Internet site.
Communications Kiosk
Planning a Staycation or Looking for a Green-Collar Job?
Hardworking word-lovers everywhere can learn the meaning of the word staycation ("a vacation spent at home or nearby") along with nearly 100 other new words added to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition. The dictionary offers its new 2009 entries in its updated print edition and online at Merriam-Webster.com. Many of the new words address: concerns about the environment (carbon footprint, green collar), government activities (earmark, waterboarding), health and medicine (cardioprotective, locavore, naproxen, neuroprotective), pop culture (docusoap, fan fiction, flash mob, reggaeton), online activities (sock puppet, vlog, webisode), as well as several miscellaneous terms such as haram, memory foam, missalette and zip line. http://www.merriam-webster.com/info/newwords09.htm
Infograzing
ISU Extension Regional Rirector Office Locations Announced
Iowa State University Extension has selected office locations for the 20 regional extension education directors. Regional directors will officially begin serving the multi-county regions on Aug. 1.
Biorenewables Program Subject of Engineering Video
The first Intensive Program in Biorenewables at Iowa State University is the subject of a video by the College of Engineering. The program attracted 46 students in June from across the country and the world, included those from Europe, Asia and South America. It was hosted by ISU's Bioeconomy Institute and the Center for Crops Utilization Research.
Survey Finds Public Praise for Scientists
A majority of Americans believe science has a positive effect on society, but they have a less-positive view of the global standing of the United States in scientific achievements, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. A decade ago, 49 percent of the public believed scientific advancements were the biggest achievements being made in the United States. But today that number has dropped to 27 percent, with only 17 percent of the public rating the country's achievements as the best in the world, compared with almost half of scientists who believe that to be true. More: http://people-press.org/report/528/ (Chronicle of Higher Education, July 9)
External Voices
COMMUNICATIONS GAP PERSISTS DESPITE HIGH REGARD FOR SCIENTISTS
“Americans by and large admire scientists -- only slightly less than members of the military or teachers, in fact. The U.S. public recognizes research and development, perhaps especially to drive medical advances, as an investment in the future. Yet, researchers and the public too often are separated by a communications gap. This disconnection results partly from the increasing intersection of science with issues that involve personal values and beliefs such as human embryonic stem cell research and evolution.”
-- Alan I. Leshner, chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in a commentary to the survey of Americans about science conducted by the AAAS and the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press (see item in Infograzing)
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MARGINALIA
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FOOD SCIENCE COURSE LETS STUDENTS EAT AND LEARN ABOUT PASTA
“Pasta Pasta” is the title of an ISU Food Science and Human Nutrition continuing eduction course offered July 20 to 24 from 9 a.m. to noon in 210 MacKay Hall. Participants will be exposed to various aspects of pasta, including its history, culinary uses in different cultures, as well as various methods of preparation. Preparing pasta dishes will allow students to learn about new flavors and ingredient combinations. The class will be a combination of scientific instruction, demonstration and hands-on participation. There are no prerequisites for the one-credit course, FSHN 493X. General public cost is $285, including continuing education and professional development service fees. More: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/fpwpasta/home.html
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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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EDITOR
Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616 Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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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."
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