AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter
Iowa State University
June 4, 2012 No. 703
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COLLEGE NEWS
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CARVER TRUST AWARDS $7.5 MILLION TO SUPPORT BBMB
Pending approval by the Board of Regents, ISU's Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology will be named in honor of the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, in recognition of gifts and commitments to the department totaling more than $12.3 million. This support includes a $7.5 million commitment announced May 31 to support strategic research initiatives in biomolecular structure. More: http://www.foundation.iastate.edu/s/1463/index_2col.aspx?sid=1463&gid=1&...
MARK RASMUSSEN BEGINS AS LEOPOLD CENTER DIRECTOR
Mark Rasmussen, who was appointed director of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture in January, began work June 1. He previously served in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine in Laurel, Md. A microbiologist, he worked nearly 20 years as a scientist and research leader at the USDA National Animal Disease Center in Ames.
ISU EXPERTS AT WORLD PORK EXPO IN DES MOINES, JUNE 6-8
The 2012 World Pork Expo will be held June 6-8 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. ISU's Iowa Pork Industry Center and other ISU units are well represented among the speakers and presenters. Elwynn Taylor, agronomy; James McKean, vet diagnostic and production animal medicine; Butch Baker, vet diagnostic and production animal medicine; Dermot Hayes, economics; and Jim Roth, vet microbiology and preventive medicine, will speak at various business seminars and PORK Academy sessions. ISU Extension and Outreach swine program specialists will teach a PQA Plus and a TQA certification session. More: https://www.worldpork.org/
ISU DAIRY FARM CELEBRATES DAIRY MONTH, JUNE 8
The ISU Dairy Farm will celebrate Dairy Month on June 8 from 6 to 11 a.m. The event is open to the public and will include tours of the barns from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. The discovery center for children will open at 7 a.m. Free samples of milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream will be available courtesy of Iowa's dairy processors. More: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1018/
RESEARCH FARM CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY, JUNE 21
The ISU Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Crawfordsville will be celebrating its 25th anniversary beginning at noon on June 21 with free lunch and a program. Dean Wendy Wintersteen, Associate Dean John Lawrence and Cathann Kress, vice president for Extension and Outreach, will present remarks. The Southeast Iowa Agricultural Research Association established the farm in 1987 with the purchase of a 198-acre tract of land. More: Jim Fawcett, (319) 337-2145, fawcett@iastate.edu.
RESEARCH FARM PROGRESS REPORTS AVAILABLE ONLINE
The 2011 progress reports from the Research and Demonstration Farms are available on the CALS website. More: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/farms/progress_report.php
PLANT BREEDING LECTURE SERIES JUNE 28-29
The Raymond F. Baker Center for Plant Breeding Lecture Series 2012 will be held June 28 at 1:30 p.m. and June 29 at 8:30 a.m., both in Room 4 at the Scheman Building. The June 28 lecture will address the evaluation of genetic resources. The June 29 lecture will address the utilization of genetic resources. More: http://www.plantbreeding.iastate.edu/lecture/pblsreg.aspx
LIVE UNITED FOOD DRIVE RESULTS
Story County's LIVE UNITED Food Drive, which ran from May 14-24, yielded nearly 7,000 pounds of donated items. ISU collected 850 pounds, and of that, CALS contribution was 58.4 pounds.
DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
June 26: Doug Kenealy retirement reception, 2 to 4 p.m., Kildee Hall Atrium (program at 2:30 p.m.)
June 28: Iowa Swine Day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., http://www.extension.iastate.edu/article/iowa-swine-day-returns-iowa-sta...
July 10: Deadline to register for the 2012 Lauren Christian Pork Chop Open, http://www.extension.iastate.edu/article/registration-now-open-2012-laur...
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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CONCEPT PAPERS SOLICITED FOR KECK FOUNDATION COMPETITION
The ISU Foundation and the Office of the VPR/ED are accepting concept papers for the W.M. Keck Foundation's November 2012 competition. Proposed concepts must demonstrate a "leap" in science and discovery. The maximum funding request is $1 million, and the Keck Foundation will not be the sole funder. Concept papers are due by noon on June 25. Contact Dorothy Pimlott, dpimlott@iastate.edu, for submission instructions. Other contacts: Donna Van Pelt, DVanpelt@foundation.iastate.edu, and Kent Studer, kstuder@foundation.iastate.edu, of the ISU Foundation. More: http://www.wmkeck.org/grant-programs/grant-programs.html
EXTENDED DEADLINE: TRAVEL SUPPORT FOR GRANTS WORKSHOP
CALS and ANR Extension are co-funding up to five multidisciplinary, integrated teams wishing to participate in a North Central Regional Winning Teams/Winning Grants Workshop. The deadline to apply for support for the July 17-18 session in Nebraska City, Neb., has been extended to June 15. Travel support per teams is $2,500. Individuals who are members of multistate teams attending the workshop are eligible for $500 support for registration, travel and expenses to participate. More: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/research/fundingResources/node/129
COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT:Â RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research will be offered during fall 2012 for up to 15 postdocs. Course topics will include research misconduct, conflicts of interest, data ownership and sharing, data management and security, mentor and trainee responsibilities, collaborative research, authorship practices and peer review, among others. The course is approved to meet NSF and NIH requirements for responsible conduct of research training for postdoctoral researchers supported on NSF and certain NIH funds. More: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/research/fundingResources/node/128
OSPA RELEASES UPDATED SUBRECIPIENT REQUEST FORM
The Office of Sponsored Programs Administration has released an updated Subrecipient Request Form for immediate use. The form is meant to be completed by the ISU PI and his/her grant coordinator, and the ISU PI's signature is required. Contact OSPA (4-5225, grants@iastate.edu) with questions or for assistance with the new form, which is available at http://www.ospa.iastate.edu/forms/#budget.
NIH NEW CONCEPTS: POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has released a new group of concepts that may become funding initiatives. Researchers do not have to wait for the concept to become an initiative before applying for funding. Researchers can discuss a potential investigator-initiated project with the program contact listed in the concept description. Investigator-initiated applications in high-priority areas may qualify for above-the-payline funding if NIAID does not publish an initiative. More: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/researchfunding/council/concepts/pages/default....
CAYUSE 424 TRAINING WEBINARS POSTED
The three Cayuse 424 training webinars aired in May have been posted for viewing. Topics of the webinars are Getting Started with Cayuse 424; Detailed Budgeting in Cayuse 424; and Developing, Importing, Exporting and Managing Subcontracts in Cayuse 424. More: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/research/fundingResources/node/126
CAYUSE 424 TIPS FOR NIH FORM PHS398 AND BUILDING BUDGETS
Cayuses 424 offers tips on the Research Plan Exploder for NIH form PHS398 and budget building tips. More: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/research/fundingResources/node/127
FUNDING INFORMATION, OPPORTUNITIES AND DEADLINE REMINDERS
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu
Additional information is posted at CALS Funding Resources, http://www.ag.iastate.edu/research/fundingResources/
June 29 (letter of intent): Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers Program. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5501&WT.mc_ev=click
July 6: USDA NIFA Integrated Forest Product Research; awards to $420,000. More: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/forestproductresearch.cfm
July 16: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Young Leader Awards: Recognizing Leadership for a Healthier America; 10 awards, leaders age 40 and under. More: http://www.altfutures.org/youngleaderawards
Aug. 28, Oct. 5, Oct. 19: Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation; some programs are limited submissions. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13646
Oct. 1: NSF Sensors and Sensing Systems. More: http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=173173
Feb. 19: NSF Energy for Sustainability. More: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=501026
Continuous through April 30, 2017: Army Research Laboratory Broad Agency Announcement for Basic and Applied Scientific Research. More: http://www.arl.army.mil/www/default.cfm?page=8
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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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IN THE SCIENCES "AREA" IS IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE RETAINED
Area is often a nearly meaningless filler word, as in "the area of partnering skills." Try deleting "the area of." In the sciences, however, its more literal meaning is often important and should be retained.
The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th ed., 2010
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INFOGRAZING
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UNIVERSITY MUSEUMS SEARCHING FOR UNUSUAL OBJECTS
If you have extraordinary objects or artifacts hiding in storage, consider lending or donating them to University Museums. The objects will be used in an exhibition titled "Cabinet of Curiosities" to be displayed in August at the Christian Petersen Art Museum in Morrill Hall. University Museums is looking to create an exhibit of curiosities using objects from ISU's collections to be displayed in numerous cabinets. The objects need to be collected in mid-July and will be on loan for at least six months. Contact Jennifer Munoz, curatorial intern at jcmunoz@iastate.edu or call (515) 520-1897.
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INTERNAL VOICES
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DEAN WINTERSTEEN ON EDUCATION AND AG ROBOTICS
In a recent article in "Slate" on use of robotics in agriculture, Dean Wendy Wintersteen states that ISU has "enhanced or added courses in the area of precision agriculture, machinery electronic control and artificial intelligence to ensure [its] students are prepared for the demands of agricultural technology systems." More: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2012/06/automated_...
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EXTERNAL VOICES
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PRESIDENT LEATH'S BACKGROUND KEY TO CORRIDOR CONCEPT
ISU President Steven Leath is co-chair of a project involving a multicounty commercial corridor stretching from Ames to Des Moines that could focus on research and manufacturing in agriculture, metals and other arenas. Mark Miller, director of corporate services at Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, says the area is well positioned and Leath has the credentials to help make it happen. "I think the fact that President Leath is a plant pathologist means he definitely understands the businesses at a level that you normally couldn't hope for. He understands biotech and all the advantages and the business side of it. He comes with some fantastic credentials to help pull all this together." More: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120529/NEWS/305290025/0/SPORT...|head&nclick_check=1
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MARGINALIA
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DAIRIES PAMPER COWS WITH CHIROPRACTORS
Dairy farmers have known for generations that contented cows give more milk. The traditional techniques for keeping cows happy aren't complicated "“ feed them well, keep the temperature comfortable and give them room to move around. But some dairy farmers are turning to a new array of creative options intended to keep cows as mellow, and productive, as possible. Some farmers have installed waterbeds for their cows to rest on, while others play classical music. And some hire animal chiropractors to give older cows a tune-up and correct minor issues in calves. More: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_FOOD_AND_FARM_COMFORTABLE_COWS...
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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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