AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter
Iowa State University
Oct. 15, 2012 No. 722
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COLLEGE NEWS
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CALS JOB FAIR BREAKS RECRUITER RECORD, OCT. 16
CALS will hold its largest job fair Tuesday, Oct. 16, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lied Recreation Athletic Center. Mike Gaul, director of Career Services for the college, says 208 companies and organizations will be in attendance, compared to 175 last year. Known as Ag Career Day, it is the largest agricultural job recruitment event in the country. More: http://www.career.ag.iastate.edu/career-day
CALS UNITED WAY ONLINE AUCTION ENDS OCT 17
The CALS online auction ends at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 17, with proceeds going to the 2012 ISU United Way Campaign. See https://www.ag.iastate.edu/auction/viewAuction.php?auctionID=1 to view and bid on more than 50 auction items. Most items are on display in 138 Curtis Hall.
ISU/UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN UPDATE
As of Oct. 4, CALS has raised $37,954, which is 61 percent of the goal of $62,500. Go to http://www.uw.iastate.edu/ for details.
ASSISTANT DEAN FOR DIVERSITY INTERVIEWS BEGIN OCT. 22
Three candidates will be interviewing in October for the CALS Assistant Dean for Diversity position. Candidate information and open seminar dates are available online. The first open seminar for Theressa Cooper, director of Academic Success Programs and Outreach Initiatives for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at the University of Tennessee, will be Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. in 8 Curtiss Hall. More: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/features/2012/Diversity_Officer/
ECOLOGIST TO SPEAK AT PESEK COLLOQUIUM, OCT. 29
Agriculture's place in Earth's ecology will be the focus of the 2012 Pesek Colloquium on Sustainable Agriculture on Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Erle Ellis, an associate professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Systems at the University of Maryland, will present "Agriculture in the Anthropocene: Growing a Sustainable Human Ecology." More: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1052/
MACINTOSH STUDIES GENETIC DEFENSES IN SOYBEANS
Aphids, the tiny insects that have become a primary threat to Iowa soybeans in recent years, possess a unique ability to block the genetic defense response of soybeans and may open the door for other pests to do even more damage to crops, according to a recent study by ISU researchers. Published recently in the journal "Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions," the study was co-authored by Gustavo Macintosh, Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. The study was made possible through grants from the Iowa Soybean Association and the ISU Plant Sciences Institute. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2012/10/15/soybeanaphid
FARMERS ENCOURAGED TO WAIT UNTIL SOIL TEMPS DROP TO APPLY FERTILIZER
Farmers are encouraged to wait until soil temperatures remain below 50 degrees Fahrenheit before applying anhydrous ammonia fertilizer this fall. With the record early harvest this year, officials with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and ISU Extension and Outreach said that waiting can help reduce nitrogen loss an d better protects the environment. More: http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/press/2012press/press10152012.asp
CSRL MOVES TO AGRONOMY DURING CURTISS HALL CONSTRUCTION
The Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods has moved temporarily to 1575 and 1577 Agronomy to allow for renovation work in the north wing of first floor Curtiss Hall. Phone numbers and email addresses remain the same: susrl@iastate.edu, 4-9237.
HILLEL TO PRESENT NORMAN BORLAUG LECTURE, OCT. 15
Daniel Hillel, the 2012 World Food Prize Laureate, will present the Norman Borlaug Lecture today, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Hillel, a research scientist at Columbia University's Earth Institute, was named the World Food Prize Laureate for developing and implementing micro-irrigation systems to deliver water more efficiently to crops in dry lands. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2012/09/27/borlauglecture
WORLD AFFAIRS LECTURE FEATURES WEST AFRICAN FARMERS, OCT. 16
The next lecture in the World Affairs Series will feature a panel discussion on "From Aid to Resilience: West African Farmers Lead the Way," on Oct. 16, 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union Cardinal Room. Nigerian Farmer Susan Godwin and Herder Dienaba Diallo, working in cooperation with Oxfam's Strengthening the Livelihoods of Small-Scale Farmers in Nigeria, improved their livelihoods as well as those in their respective communities using an integrated approach. The lecture is co-sponsored in part by the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods, CALS Global Programs and the Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture. More: http://www.lectures.iastate.edu/lecture/28818
PERSPECTIVES ON CLIMATE CHANGE TOPIC OF WEBINAR, OCT. 17
Farmers' perspectives on climate change is the topic of this month's Iowa Learning Farms webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 11:30 a.m. J. Gordon Arbuckle Jr., sociology, will present selected results from the 2011 Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll. The webinar is part of a free monthly series held on the third Wednesday of each month, through Adobe Connect. More: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/article/webinar-covers-perspectives-iow...
LEADERS OF USAID AND PEACE CORPS TO SPEAK AT ISU, OCT. 18
The chief administrators of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Peace Corps will present ISU's World Affairs Series keynote address on Oct. 18, 4:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Hall. USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah and Acting Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet will present "Feed the Future: Food Security and Agriculture in Development." CALS is a co-sponsor of this lecture. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2012/10/05/lecturesusaid-pc
CALS TO FEATURE BUTTER CY AT ISU HOMECOMING
CALS has commissioned the Iowa State Fair's butter cow sculptor to create a life-size butter Cy to celebrate the university's 100th Homecoming "CYtennial," Oct. 22-27. Viewing will take place in Kildee Hall through a window into an ISU Meat Laboratory cooler. Sculpting hours are Oct. 22-26, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The ISU Dairy Science Club and CALS Ambassadors will be present from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day greeting guests, selling homemade ice cream and handing out "I saw Butter Cy" stickers. More: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/news/releases/1051/
NETWORKING LUNCHEON FOR ACALS WOMEN GRAD STUDENTS AND POSTDOCS, OCT. 24
A networking luncheon for women graduate students and postdocs in CALS will be held Oct. 24, 12 to 1 p.m. in 142 Curtiss Hall. Sue Lamont, the CALS Equity Advisor, will give a brief presentation on mentoring. The luncheon will also be a meet and greet to allow women postdocs and graduate students across the college to become better acquainted with each other, their work activities and their career plans. To attend, RSVP to Carla Persaud (cpersaud@iastate.edu) by Oct. 18.
DAN OTTO RETIREMENT RECEPTION, OCT. 25
The Department of Economics will host a retirement reception for Dan Otto, professor of economics and ISU Extension economist, on Oct. 25, 2 to 3:30 p.m. in 368A Heady Hall.
SNOW BLOWER SERVICE DAYS, NOV. 2-3
The Agriculture Systems Technology Club will hold its annual snow blower service days Nov. 2 (1 to 6 p.m.) and 3 (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at Industrial Education II (west of horse barns). The $25 cost includes oil, spark plug, grease and a half tank of gas. Pickup and delivery (Ames only) is available for $15; call (515) 708-8672 or send an email request to astservicedays@gmail.com by 2 p.m. Nov. 1 to request this service.
RADISHES USED AS COVER CROP ON ISU DAIRY FARM
After silage harvest in August, the compacted end rows in fields on the ISU Dairy Farm were seeded with "tillage" radishes, which have long tap roots that help break up compacted soil.
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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APPLICATIONS FOR BIOTECH EVENTS DUE NOV. 1
The Office of Biotechnology seeks applications for funding for biotechnology-related conferences, symposia and workshops. Events must be held on campus and organized by faculty members or jointly by a faculty sponsor and graduate students. Applications are due Nov. 1 for events that will occur before June 30. Contact: Glenda Webber, gwebber@iastate.edu, 4-4749. More: http://www.biotech.iastate.edu/news/121009.html
APPLICATIONS FOR WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GRANTS DUE DEC. 14
The Iowa Department of Agriculture's Watershed Improvement Review Board requests applications for watershed-based water quality improvement and flood prevention grants. University investigators cannot apply directly but can partner with eligible entities. Each application is limited to $100,000. More: http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/IWIRB/iwirbRFA.asp
SYMBI APPLICATIONS FOR PH.D. STUDENT FELLOWSHIPS DUE NOV. 15
Symbi, Iowa's GK-12 Program, is seeking applications from qualified Ph.D. students for nine $30,000 stipends. The major professor of the Ph.D. candidates (post-preliminary exam) must be associated with the Bioeconomy Institute, NSF Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals or Plant Sciences Institute. Each fellow works collaboratively with a middle school or high school science teacher and spends one full day each week performing the duties of a "resident scientist/engineer" in a science classroom. Applications are due Nov. 15. More: http://www.gk12.iastate.edu/apply/fellow_application.asp
APPLICATIONS FOR INSTITUTE RESEARCH GRANTS DUE NOV. 19
The Iowa Water Center is seeking water research proposals for its annual 104(B) research grants program sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey. This year's focus is understanding climate variability in relation to water management. Funding per award normally ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 per year for two years. Proposals are due by Nov. 19. Contact: Melissa Miller, millerms@iastate.edu, 4-7467. More: http://www.water.iastate.edu/node/73
SP@ISU BROADER IMPACTS EVALUATION WORKSHOP TO BE HELD ON NOV. 28
The ISU Strengthening the Professoriate program will offer a Broader Impacts Evaluation Workshop on Nov. 28 in the Memorial Union. The morning session, Effective Practices for Grants, will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. Two concurrent afternoon sessions, Assessing Undergraduate Research and Assessing K-12 Outreach, will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Participants need not attend both morning and afternoon sessions. Lunch will be provided. More details are forthcoming.
FY 2013 USDA AFRI FOUNDATIONAL PROGRAM RFA RELEASED
The Request for Proposals for the FY 2013 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Foundational Program has been released. The Foundational Program focuses on building a foundation of knowledge in fundamental and applied food and agricultural sciences critical for solving current and future societal challenges. Project types supported by AFRI within this area include single-function research projects, multi-function integrated projects, and food and agricultural science enhancement grants. More: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/afri.html
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/
Nov. 12 (white papers): Special Program Announcement for the Office of Naval Research; nanoscience and nanotechnology; five awards, up to $2 million over three years. More: http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=203853
Nov. 13: DOD Air Force Nano-Bio Manufacturing Institute; one award, $2.2 million over three years, 50 percent cost share desired. More:
http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=203973
Dec. 3: USAID Regional Climate Change Program, El Salvador, Central America and Mexico (E-CAM); one award, $15 million to $19 million over five years. More: http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=204013
Dec. 5 (letters of intent): NIH Early-Stage Pharmacological Validation of Novel Targets and Accompanying Pre-Therapeutic Leads for Diseases of Interest to the NIDDK (R01); topics include obesity, diabetes, liver, nutrition, etc. More: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-13-007.html
Sept. 30, 2013: U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command Broad Agency Announcement for Extramural Medical Research. More: http://goo.gl/LEc15
Continuous through Sept. 30, 2013: DOD Military Infectious Diseases Research Program. More: http://goo.gl/LEc15
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INFOGRAZING
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BORLAUG CAST COMMUNICATION AWARDEE SPEAKING ON CAMPUS, OCT. 17
Carl Winter, recipient of the 2012 Borlaug CAST Communication Award, will be speaking at ISU on Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 4:10 p.m. in 210 Bessey Hall. Winter, director of the FoodSafe Program and Extension Food Toxicologist in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of California-Davis, will speak on "Mythbusters: Pesticides in Food Edition." The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology and CropLife Foundation will present Winter with the award during the 2012 Borlaug Dialogue hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation in Des Moines the morning of Oct. 17.
APPLICATIONS FOR NEW FACULTY SCHOLARS PROGRAM DUE OCT. 22
Applications are due Oct. 22 for the 2013 New Faculty Scholars Program, which is designed for tenure-eligible faculty in their first two years of employment at ISU. The program supports departmental and college efforts to assist faculty in acclimating to new roles and responsibilities at ISU, and is a coordinated effort to build collegiality and individual capacity for academic success. This program is jointly sponsored by CELT, the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost, and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development. More: Ann Marie VanDerZanden, vanderza@iastate.edu, 4-7555.
VIEW "100 YEARS OF HOMECOMING HISTORY" EXHIBIT
The Special Collections Department at Parks Library has put together an exhibit to celebrate 100 years of Homecoming History at ISU. "Make Our Spirits Great: 100 Years of Homecoming History" can be seen in the Special Collections Department Reading Room, or online at http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/exhibits/homecoming/index.html. More: http://www.lib.iastate.edu/news-article/2025/100695
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INTERNAL VOICES
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BABCOCK TALKS FARM BILL ON "TALK OF IOWA"
Bruce Babcock, economics, spoke on Iowa Public Radio's "Talk of Iowa" about the Farm Bill on Oct. 9. The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 officially terminated at midnight on Sept. 30. Babcock said that the average person should be most concerned about the conservation, research and funding measures included in the next Farm Bill. Agriculture will face a lot of challenges over the next 20 years, and research will have a large impact on the price paid for food in the future. "I think that there would be a lot of pressure on Congress to get the bill passed in the next session," Babcock said. More: http://www.card.iastate.edu/about/news/show_brief.aspx?id=48
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EXTERNAL VOICES
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ISU ALUM "PAYING IT FORWARD" AS ADVISER TO ISU CORN SYSTEMS PROJECT
"I've always enjoyed the mental and physical challenges of farming, and I'm glad Dad gave me the opportunity," said Dick Sloan, an Iowa farmer and an ISU alum with a degree in biology. Sloan likes learning and "paying it forward." As a member of the advisory board for the Sustainable Corn Project (http://www.sustainablecorn.org/)"”a $20 million, USDA NIFA-funded research project led by Lois Wright Morton, sociology "”Sloan is helping to identify corn-cropping systems that have a lighter environmental footprint yet remain highly productive under a changing climate. He was recently featured in AgriNews. More: http://www.agrinews.com/cover/crops/are/new/tool/in/sloans/conservation/...
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MARGINALIA
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CALS DEAN'S GALLERY: A NEW KIND OF ART EXHIBITION
University Museums' newest campus gallery is "“ at first glance "“ in an unlikely location: the outer hall of the dean's suite in Curtiss Hall. The Dean's Art Gallery features seven Christian Petersen sculptures, a four-piece pastel drawing sequence by Iowa artist Ellen Wagener and judging trophies awarded to Iowa State student teams near the turn of the 20th century. They share an agricultural theme and many of them reflect agriculture's dependence on the seasons. More: http://www.inside.iastate.edu/article/2012/10/11/dean
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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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EDITOR
Julie Stewart
jstewart@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5616
http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/
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