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COLLEGE NEWS <br>
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CALS AND LAS TO HOLD BUDGET OPEN FORUMS BEGINNING DEC. 15<br>
CALS and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will jointly hold three forums to discuss the budget situation and how to move forward. Joint gatherings were decided on not only because the two colleges co-administer several departments, but also because so much of what takes place in one college is likely to have considerable impact in the other. The first public forum will be Tuesday, Dec. 15, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Gallery, Memorial Union. Two other forums will be scheduled immediately after the semester break in January.<br>
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ASSOCIATE DEAN/ANR EXTENSION DIRECTOR SEMINAR DEC. 8<br>
Robert Burns, one of two finalists selected for the position of CALS associate dean and Extension to Agriculture and Natural Resources director, will present a 30-minute public seminar followed by a 30-minute question and answer session on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 11 a.m., 13 Curtiss Hall. John Lawrence, also a finalist, presented his seminar on Dec. 2. The seminars are available online through Adobe Connect.
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SCIENCE WITH PRACTICE OPEN HOUSE DEC. 9<br>
An open house and reception for Science With Practice participants will be held Wednesday, Dec. 9, 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Kildee Hall Atrium. Science With Practice provides opportunities for students in CALS to learn and work experientially with faculty and staff in laboratories, farms, greenhouses and other units. <br>
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RETIREMENT RECEPTION FOR RESEARCH FARM STAFF DEC. 16<br>
A retirement reception for Research Farm staff members will be held Dec. 16 from 3-5 p.m. (brief program at 3:30) in the Memorial Union Campanile Room. The following staff will be retiring effective Jan. 31, 2010: Don Hummel, Western Research Farm; Gary Jacobs, Dennis Maxwell and Jim Secor, McNay Research Farm; Dave Starrett and Paul Weigel, Ag Engineering/Agronomy Research Farm. <br>
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SEBRANEK STUDYING PROTECTION OF ORGANIC PROCESSED MEAT PRODUCTS<br>
Ready-to-eat, organic processed pork products look similar to conventionally cured meats, but they are not exactly alike. One key difference is that traditionally cured pork products contains a chemical preservative that's effective in inhibiting the growth of certain foodborne pathogens. Joseph Sebranek, animal science, is studying natural antimicrobial ingredients to determine their effectiveness against pathogens in organic processed meat products for the Food Safety Consortium.
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ON-LINE GRADUATE PROGRAM AVAILABLE IN SEED TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS<br>
The on-line graduate program in seed technology and business at ISU provides an opportunity for seed professionals to gain a better understanding of the science, technology and management that is key to the seed industry. The program, a partnership of the Seed Science Center and the College of Business, offers a master's of science degree and graduate certificates in seed science and technology and in seed business management. Applications for the July 2010 course sequence should be submitted by April 15.
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CALS RECEIVES DOW FOUNDATION AID-TO-EDUCATION FUNDING<br>
The Dow Foundation Aid-To-Education program has funded two CALS proposals: Science with Practice programming for $3,500 will be used for a poster presentation and reception, workshops, promotion and a follow-up survey; the Ag Business Club for $1,000 will be used to host a panel discussion at the Fall Ag Career Day. For more information: Mike Retallick, msr@iastate.edu, 4-4810.<br>
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ROTHSCHILD RECEIVE HONORS<br>
Max Rothschild, animal science, has been appointed a Rural Development Administration of Korea honorary scientist and scientific advisor on agricultural green technology. <br>
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HORTICULTURE CLUB HELPS KEEP CAMPUS BLOOMING<br>
The ISU Horticulture Club is involved in many projects both on and off campus, ranging from providing plants to the new Soults Visitor Center to maintaining the plants in the Gerdin Business Building, as well as their annual sales and a variety of service projects. This fall, they've taken on the flowerbed at the corner of Wallace and Osborn. More
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CULTURE OF CONSERVATION FORUM SCHEDULED FOR JAN. 13<br>
A forum titled “A Culture of Conservation: The Tools We Need to Grow,” will be held Jan. 13 at the Gateway Conference Center in Ames. It is geared for farmers, educators, agency personnel and others who want to do a better job of telling the story about conservation in Iowa. The forum is hosted by the Iowa Learning Farm, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and the Iowa Water Center.
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CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS FARM SUCCESSION PLANS<br>
The 13th Annual Ag Link conference, sponsored by the Beginning Farmer Center and ISU Extension, is offered in Ames in two two-day sessions on Jan. 15-16 and Feb. 12-13. The program is for families looking toward establishing a multiple generation farm or passing the family farm to the next generation.
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COMMERCIAL MANURE APPLICATOR TRAINING JAN. 6<br>
Commercial manure applicators can attend three hours of annual training to meet commercial manure applicator certification requirements on Jan. 6. ISU Extension and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources will conduct a Commercial Manure Applicator Satellite uplink from 9 a.m. to noon. There is no fee for the workshop, but applicators must register by Dec. 31 with the ISU Extension county office where they plan to attend.
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CONFINEMENT SITE MANURE APPLICATOR WORKSHOPS SCHEDULED FOR 2010<br>
Confinement site manure applicators and anyone interested in learning about applying manure should plan to attend one of the 2010 two-hour workshops being offered in January and February by ISU Extension. There is no fee to attend the workshops, but certified applicators will need to pay certification fees to complete certification requirements.
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IOWA AG REVIEW-END OF A LONG RUN<br>
The Fall 2009 issue of Iowa Ag Review, published by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, is the final issue of this quarterly publication. For 15 years CARD has presented their research and economic analysis of important issues that impact Iowa and U.S. agriculture through this publication. Beginning in 2010, CARD will begin a new, web-based publication series titled CARD Policy Briefs. More: http://www.card.iastate.edu/iowa_ag_review/fall_09/article3.aspx
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DEADLINES AND REMINDERS<br>
Dec. 11-13: Forestry Club Christmas Tree Sales, Reiman Gardens parking area. Hours are Friday, 3 to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 12 to 6 p.m. Tom Isenhart, 4-8056 <br>
Dec. 12: Applications due for Borlaug Scholar Award and Internship, David Acker, dacker@iastate.edu, 4-6614<br>
Dec. 15: Nominations due for Live Green Excellence Awards
Dec. 16: Proposals due for On-Farm Research and Demonstration Grant Program, <a href="http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2009/103009_onfarm.html">http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2009/103009_onfarm.htm…;
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EXTERNAL FUNDING<br>
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DEC. 8 FACULTY DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP RESCHEDULED<br>
Due to weather, the faculty development workshop scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 8, 12 p.m. in the Gold Room, Memorial Union, will be postponed to mid-January.<br>
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UPDATED NSF GRANT PROPOSAL GUIDE <br>
An updated version of the NSF Grant Proposal Guide will take effect Jan. 4, 2010. The update is posted online.
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CALL FOR ETHICS EDUCATION IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PROGRAM CONCEPTS<br>
The Ethics Education in Science and Engineering program accepts proposals for research and educational projects to improve ethics education in the fields of science and engineering that NSF supports, especially in interdisciplinary or inter-institutional contexts. Proposals must focus on improving ethics education for graduate students. ISU may submit only one proposal as the lead organization. To be considered for the proposal submission, submit a proposal concept (no more than one page) and list of potential collaborators via email to Dorothy Pimlott (dpimlott@iastate.edu) by Dec. 18.
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CALS LISTS PROPOSAL DUE DATES AND OSPA OFFICE HOURS DURING WINTER BREAK <br>
Because many campus units will be operating with reduced hours and/or staff during the winter break, PIs may need to plan for additional lead time to help ensure timely preparation of budgets, routing of gold sheets, and proposal submission. To help in the planning process, CALS has compiled a list of due dates for competitive funding opportunities from several federal funding agencies. The list and winter break schedule for the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration can be downloaded online.
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FUNDING INFORMATION, OPPORTUNITIES AND DEADLINE REMINDERS<br>
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu<br>
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Jan. 14: USDA/NIFA Specialty Crops Research Initiative; minimum $250,000 for standard research and extension projects, $2 million per year for Coordinated Agricultural Projects, $2 million per project for Regional Partnerships for Innovation, $500,000 for eXtension projects, $47.3 million total anticipated funding.
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Feb. 5: National Network for Environmental Management Studies Fellowship Program; associate, undergraduate or advanced students, 30 to 40 fellowships, $400,000 total anticipated funding.
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March 3: NSF Biomedical Engineering; $300,000 to $600,000, one to three years, 19 awards, $8.7 million total anticipated funding, small equipment proposals of less than $100,000 will also be considered.
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INFOGRAZING<br>
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ISU JOINS RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES TO LAUNCH FUTURITY.ORG<br>
Iowa State University is among 35 research universities that have launched futurity.org, an online news source featuring the latest discoveries in science, engineering, the environment, health and more.
SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS ARE PLENTIFUL; THE PROBLEM LIES WITH THEIR JOBS<br>
The number of talented college graduates in the sciences is “quite in excess of the demand,” says Harold Salzman, a professor of public policy at Rutgers University. In a new paper, he and a colleague argue that the real problem is at the employment end of the pipeline. Fewer than half of all college graduates in science and engineering actually take jobs in those fields. According to Salzman, the United States could largely resolve any industry shortfalls by simply persuading more of those elite graduates to stay in their field. Read the full article in the Nov. 6 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education, <a href="http://chronicle.com/article/ScientistsEngineers-Ar/48948/">http://chronicle.com/article/ScientistsEngineers-Ar/48948/</a> <br>
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MARGINALIA<br>
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WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH COLLEGE<br>
The Nov. 6 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education published student pay for select jobs at select institutions. A student office assistant at the University of Notre Dame earns $7.25 an hour; a beef-barn farmhand at North Dakota State University earns $8 an hour; a piano accompanist for dance classes at the University of Kansas earns $10 an hour; a computer assistant at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign earns $17 an hour; and Mario the Dragon mascot at Drexel University earns partial tuition. More: <a href="http://chronicle.com/article/Student-Pay-for-Selected-Jobs/48995/">http://chronicle.com/article/Student-Pay-for-Selected-Jobs/48995/</a> <br>
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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE<br>
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EDITOR<br>
Julie Stewart, jstewart@iastate.edu<br>
Phone: (515) 294-5616
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