AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter
Iowa State University
March 28, 2011 No. 644
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COLLEGE NEWS
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STUDENT COUNCIL SPONSORS NATIONAL AG DAY BARBECUE, MARCH 29
The CALS Student Council is sponsoring a free barbecue on Tuesday, March 29, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Kildee Hall Farm Bureau Pavilion to celebrate National Agriculture Day. Announcement of the CALS AgMan and AgWoman award recipients will be at noon. CALS "Tradition of Excellence" t-shirts will be sold for $10.
JAMES BOREL TO PRESENT HERTZ LECTURE, APRIL 6
James Borel, executive vice president of DuPont, will present the 2011 Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture on April 6 at 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Borel will present "How Agricultural Innovation and Collaboration Will Shape the Future of the World." Faculty are encouraged to offer extra credit to students attending the lecture. If you plan to do so for your courses please notify Melea Reicks Licht at mreicks@iastate.edu so arrangements may be made for additional seating. Borel is an ISU agricultural business alum. More: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/922/
OPEN FORUM ON CALS STRATEGIC PLAN SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 8
The committee working on the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 2010-2015 Strategic Plan will hold an open forum on April 8 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the Memorial Union Pioneer Room. The committee will send out a URL address this week to access the draft plan.
SOYBEAN DISEASE PUBLICATION AVAILABLE AS E-BOOK
"Soybean Diseases," a publication released in print last December by ISU Extension and the Iowa Soybean Association, is now available as an e-book. The online reference guide features full-screen, high-resolution images of 25 diseases that infect soybeans grown in Iowa. More: http://www.iasoybeans.com/whatnew/release.php?id=88
SAVE TRACTOR FUEL WITH "SHIFT UP, THROTTLE BACK"
Tractor operations represent a significant portion of annual on-farm fuel costs. Rising fuel prices present a challenge for Iowa's farmers as they prepare for spring fieldwork. Mark Hanna and Stuart Birrell, ag and biosystems engineering, and Dana Petersen, Farm Energy Conservation and Efficiency Initiative, have prepared a new publication from ISU Extension that illustrates the "shift up, throttle back" technique to reduce tractor fuel consumption and related expenses. More: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/CropNews/2011/0323hanna.htm
YOUNG RESEARCHERS PRESENT AT SCIENCE + TECHNOLOGY FAIR
The State Science + Technology Fair of Iowa is Friday and Saturday, April 1-2, at Hilton Coliseum and Scheman Building. The fair will bring 555 junior and high school students and their 424 research projects to campus. Public viewing hours for all projects are 12 to 5 p.m. on Friday. Junior high projects will also be on display from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free. Sponsors include CALS. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2011/mar/sciencefair11
CHEF SPEAKS ON THE ART AND SCIENCE OF COOKING, APRIL 4
Chef Chris Young will be speaking on "Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking" on April 4 at 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Young has earned a reputation for applying science and technology in the kitchen. Sponsored by the Culinary Science Club and the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. More: http://www.lectures.iastate.edu/lecture/24234
GARRICK TO PRESENT ASAS WEBCHAT
Dorian Garrick, animal science, will present the "Next Generation of Genetic Prediction Tools" on April 6, 12 to 1 p.m., as part of the new American Society of Animal Science monthly webchat series. Registration is free, but limited to the first 100 participants. Maynard Hogberg, animal science, spoke on "The Future of Animal Facilities at Land Grant Universities" on March 2, which can be accessed as a recorded session. More: http://www.asas.org/2011webchat.asp
CULINARY SCIENCE CLUB SELLING GOURMET POPCORN
The Culinary Science Club is preparing gourmet flavored popcorn for its Veishea fundraiser. The flavors are caramel, cinnamon and Cylcone (raspberry and lemon). A box of popcorn sells for $3. Preorders can be sent to ecgrinde@iastate.edu. Flavored popcorn along with freshly popped popcorn and soda made with help from Olde Main Brewery will be on sale April 16 in 200 MacKay.
CHARLES STEWART LECTURE AVAILABLE AS PODCAST
A podcast is available of the March 7 lecture by Charles Stewart Jr., research associate at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, titled "Fighting Hunger: A DNA Engineer's Path to Science and Success." Stewart, an agricultural biochemistry alumnus, was the first graduate of Science Bound, ISU's program to increase the number of ethnically diverse Iowa youth pursuing science, technology, engineering and math careers. More: http://www.lectures.iastate.edu/podcasts/
BARRED OWL TAKES UP RESIDENCE OUTSIDE CURTISS HALL
Several weeks ago a barred owl took up residence in a grove of Canadian hemlock trees on the east side of Curtiss Hall. Employees who are lucky enough to have east-facing windows are enjoying close-ups of the big bird, which often perches just 15 feet away. More: http://www.inside.iastate.edu/2011/0324/owl.php
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
March 30: Farewell reception for Rich Pirog, 2 to 3:30 p.m., Hunziker House, Reiman Gardens.
April 6-7: Egg Industry Issues Forum, http://www.ans.iastate.edu/EIC/?pg=2011forum
April 19-20: BIGMAP Symposium, http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/bigmap/home.html
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EXTERNAL FUNDING
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SP@ISU NSF MOCK PANEL REVIEW, APRIL 13
An SP@ISU workshop will engage participants in a mock panel review for an actual proposal submitted to the NSF Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement or Transforming Undergraduate Education in STEM program. Participants will be required to read the proposal in advance and prepare an individual review identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal in accordance with NSF review criteria. The workshop will be held April 13, 11:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., N147 Lagomarcino. Contact: spisu@iastate.edu
NEW CALS FUNDING RESOURCES WEBSITE
A new website provides announcements, workshop information, and tips and tools to assist CALS researchers in proposal preparation and submission. More: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/research/fundingResources/
FUNDING INFORMATION, OPPORTUNITIES AND DEADLINE REMINDERS
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu
April 8 (letter of intent): ROSES 2011: Opportunities in Education and Public Outreach for Earth and Space Science Grant. More: http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=81153
April 21 (abstract): Chronicle of Lineage Indicative of Origins. More: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=79253
May 2 (letter of intent): i6Green Challenge: Proof of Concept Centers; six awards up to $1 million each. More: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=77934
May 23: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education; 28 awards, $500,000 to $750,000 for three years. More: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/fipsecomp/applicant.html
June 5: Research on Ethical Issues in Biomedical, Social and Behavioral Research (R01). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-11-180.html
July 5: High-Throughput-Enabled Structural Biology Partnerships (U01). More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-11-176.html
Feb. 17, 2012: Millennium Challenge Corporation "“ Annual Partnership Solicitation; $50,000 to $2 million, 12 to 60 months. More: http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=72814
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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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HARVESTING THE POWER OF FARM BROADCASTING
The National Association of Farm Broadcasting has created a web-based classroom curriculum with brief descriptions of how to evaluate and use the broadcast media, the unique demographics of the farm audience, types of farm audience research available and advice from several leaders in the agri-marketing industry. More: http://www.depts.ttu.edu/aged/nafb_website/
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INFOGRAZING
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KRESS NAMED VICE PRESIDENT FOR EXTENSION AND OUTREACH
Cathann Kress, senior policy analyst and program lead for Military Community and Family Policy at the U.S. Department of Defense in Washington, D.C., will become ISU's next vice president for extension and outreach. Kress will begin her new role on July 1. Kress has a bachelor's and master's degree from ISU, and served as a youth development specialist and a youth and family violence specialist for ISU Extension from 1992 to 2000. More: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/article/kress-named-vice-president-exte...
PHILLIPS NAMED MANAGER OF INSTRUMENTATION FACILITY
James Phillips has been named an associate scientist and manager of ISU's Macromolecular X-Ray Crystallography facility. One of the university's core instrumentation facilities administered by the Office of Biotechnology, the facility provides instruments and expertise for studies in x-ray diffraction and crystallization. Phillips arrived on campus March 14 from North Carolina, where he has managed x-ray facilities at Duke University in Durham since 2003. More: http://www.biotech.iastate.edu/publications/news_releases/031711.html
NEW IPM EXTENSION JOURNAL NOW AVAILABLE
The Entomological Society of America started an open access journal focused on extension education in 2010, called the Journal of Integrated Pest Management. Editors-in-chief include Marlin Rice of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, formerly with ISU. More: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/CropNews/2011/0321hodgson.htm
ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Secretary of Agriculture Orville Freeman established the USDA's Economic Research Service on April 3, 1961, and 2011 marks its 50th anniversary. There are special events taking place throughout the year, but a two-day celebration will take place on May 4-5. More: http://www.ers.usda.gov/AboutERS/ERSHistory/50thAnniversary/
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INTERNAL VOICES
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WHITE ON THE INTERSECTION OF CULINARY ARTS AND FOOD SCIENCE
"We were hearing from the food industry that they wanted a new category of employee," said Pamela White, dean of the College of Human Sciences, on the culinary science major introduced in the summer of 2008. This employee, she continues, needs to have the skills to help bridge the gap that companies sometimes find exists between the food scientists and culinary arts professionals on their product development teams. More: http://www.ift.org/food-technology/past-issues/2011/march/features/food-...
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EXTERNAL VOICES
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FOOD SCIENCE FLOURISHING ON CAMPUSES
"I can't help but think that some of the increased numbers are because of the increased interest that people are showing in food. Television shows, books, movies, the local movement, the organic movement"¦there are a lot of different things happening about food"”some of it negative. Nevertheless, there's an interest, and a lot of that interest has pushed kids our way." John Floros, professor and head of the department of food science at Penn State, on enrollment increases in undergraduate food science programs. More: http://www.ift.org/food-technology/past-issues/2011/march/features/food-...
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MARGINALIA
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TEN THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SCIENCE
Can you distinguish molecules from atoms? Genes from genomes? Do you know what makes an experiment statistically significant? In the March 28 science issue of Financial Times Magazine, 10 key scientific concepts are explained that everyone needs to understand to have a handle on important developments reported in the news. More: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/2299fd16-9701-11dc-b2da-0000779fd2ac.html?ftca...
CELEBRITY PROFESSORS TAKE THEIR TEACHING OFF THE RECORD
In a seminar on leadership at Yale University, retired four-star General Stanley McChrystal shared lessons from his own experience and brought in high-profile guests to share stories from their careers as well. There was a catch: Students were told not to reveal what General McChrystal or anyone else said in class. More: http://chronicle.com/article/Celebrity-Visiting-Professors/126680/?sid=a...
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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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EDITOR
Julie Stewart, jstewart@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616 Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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