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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Newsletter
Iowa State University
July 1, 2013 No. 756
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COLLEGE NEWS
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CALS SEEKS COMMENTS ON GUIDELINES FOR WORK IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
CALS is seeking comments and input on a draft set of guidelines for the work of faculty, staff and students in agricultural development activities in developing countries. The draft is posted at a link highlighted on the CALS homepage, https://www.cals.iastate.edu/. Deadline for submitting comments is Sept. 1. All comments should be emailed to cals@iastate.edu.
PRODUCTION FACILITY DELIVERS MADE-TO-ORDER ALGAE
A new algae production facility at ISU makes use of an innovative design that's attracting interest from other universities and private industry. The facility contains a novel biofilm-based cultivation system designed by Martin Gross, a graduate assistant in agricultural and biosystems engineering, and Zhiyou Wen, an associate professor of food science and human nutrition. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2013/06/28/algaeproduction
AG BUSINESS STUDENT TRAVELS TO KOSOVO
Steven Blackford, a junior in agricultural business, is one of eight cadets from the ISU Cyclone Battalion heading to Kosovo on a summer cultural missions trip as part of the U.S. Army Cadet Command’s Cultural Understanding and Language Program. The Kosovo mission is sponsored by the Iowa National Guard. More: http://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2013/06/24/rotc-summer
ABE STUDENT AWARDED SCHOLARSHIP
Brad Kruse, a senior majoring in agricultural systems technology, was awarded a $2,000 scholarship from the Fluid Power Educational Foundation. Brian Steward, agricultural and biosystems engineering and faculty coordinator of the ISU Fluid Power Laboratory, wrote the letter recommending Kruse for the award.
LIEBMAN APPOINTED TO NATIONAL COMMITTEE
Matt Liebman, agronomy, has been appointed to the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council’s Committee on a Framework for Assessing Health, Environmental and Social Effects of the Food System. The ad hoc expert committee will develop a systematic approach to determine the positive and negative effects associated with the ways in which food is grown, processed, distributed and marketed in the U.S. More: http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/projectview.aspx?key=49544
SWENSON PERFORMED ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY ON RED ROCK PROJECT
President Obama’s administration released a climate action plan that cites a hydroelectricity project planned for the Red Rock Reservoir in south-central Iowa as a model for accelerating the federal permit process for clean energy. Dave Swenson, economics, performed the economic impact study on the Red Rock hydroelectric project.
“WASTE TO WORTH” CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS AVAILABLE ONLINE
Proceedings from the “Waste to Worth: Spreading Science and Solutions” conference in Denver is now available online. The conference was designed to bring together science and outreach on animal agriculture and the environment. Presenters from ISU included: Dave Stender, Extension to Agriculture; Matt Helmers, agricultural and biosystems engineering; Angela Rieck-Hinz agronomy; and Shawn Shouse, Extension to Agriculture.
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
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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/
July 15 (Request for Information) DOE Waste Applications for Sustainable Technologies for Energy. More: http://goo.gl/RKafu
July 18 (concept paper): USAID Ethiopia Enhancing Resilience to Climate Change Impacts through Community-Managed Disaster Risk Reduction; $12 million.
July 19: USAID Democratic Rep. of Congo – Central Africa Forest Ecosystems Conservation; 25 percent cost share.
July 19: USAID Democratic Rep. of Congo – Strengthening Central Africa Environmental Management and Policy Support; $10 million over five years, 25 percent cost share.
July 21: USAID U.S.-Afghan University Partnership with Herat University, Department of Agriculture; one award, $500,000 to $750,000.
July 31: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – Gates Vaccine Innovation Award; one award, $250,000.
July 31: USDA NIFA Integrated Forest Products Research Grants Program; four awards, $300,000 over three years.
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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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OUR CULTURE OF EXAGGERATED LANGUAGE
Mark Rasmussen, director of the Leopold Center, begins his article in the summer 2013 newsletter, by asking readers if they have noticed how coarse and exaggerated our language has become. Having studied the matter, Rasmussen states that facts tend to get in the way when the primary goal is to provoke an emotional response from the reader. “Detailed factual writing may not make for a spell-binding novel, but it reflects our sincere commitment to the scientific method and truthful communication.”
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INFOGRAZING
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WORKSHOPS TO ADDRESS GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
ISU Extension and Outreach will hold "Good Agricultural Practices" workshops this fall for farmers who sell directly to consumers and those considering sales to retail foodservices. Two levels of the one-day workshops will be offered in four locations throughout the state. CALS faculty involved in the workshops include Angela Shaw, food science and human nutrition; Paul Domoto, horticulture; and Linda Naeve, Value Added Agriculture.
ORAL HISTORY OF AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATOR
Three oral history podcasts featuring the life and career of Robert Kern have been posted on the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Kern served 30 years as a journalism faculty member at ISU, the 1965-66 president of what is now the Association for Communication Excellence, and the 1984 recipient of the ACE Professional Award, the highest recognition given by the organization to one of its members.
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INTERNAL VOICES
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HARL: FARM CRISIS OF THE ‘80s HIGHLIGHTED IN DOCUMENTARY
A documentary titled “The Farm Crisis” will make its broadcast premier tonight, July 1, at 8 p.m. on Iowa Public Television. The 90-minute film documents the tragedy farmers faced during the 1980s, as thousands were forced into bankruptcy by sky-high interest rates. Neil Harl, emeritus distinguished professor in economics, has been involved in the project from the start. “Every time I pick up the book I wrote about it, it makes me unhappy and angry that we couldn’t do more,” said Harl. “There were a lot of people who were financially stressed and lost their farms that, in many cases, had been in the family for a very long time.” More: http://www.radioiowa.com/2013/06/27/farm-crisis-of-the-80s-highlighted-in-documentary/
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EXTERNAL VOICES
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CALS ALUM FEATURED ON NORTHERN WISCONSIN TV STATION
Jessica Hepker (‘11 forestry) works at Trees for Tomorrow in Eagle River, Wisc., and taught kids about different types of soil at the Three Lakes Library on June 26. In a feature for WJFW News in northern Wisconsin, Hepker said, “A lot of kids growing up these days may not get those hands-on outdoor experiences and this is one of those opportunities where they get to actually dig into the dirt and get a little bit dirty and experience and learn a little bit more about natural resources.”
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MARGINALIA
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CALS ALUM PARTICIPATES IN “CUPCAKE WARS”
Katherine (Kleinwort) Hickman (’10 Food Science) joined with Ames Cupcake Emporium’s Tawnya Zehr to participate in the June 30 episode of the Food Network Channel's show Cupcake Wars. Hickman, who currently works as the quality assurance manager for Advanced Analytical Technologies in Ames, noted the skills she learned at ISU, including ingredient interaction and quality control, proved helpful during the competition. She was chosen by Zehr, owner of Ames Cupcake Emporium, due to her knowledge in the kitchen, decision making ability and willingness to be inventive. The team from the Ames Cupcake Emporium were eliminated in the first round of the show, but said the experience was exciting and rewarding.
CALS ALUM OPENS SPECIALITY GROCERY STORE IN McGREGOR
Katie Ruff (’11 culinary science) is putting her ISU degree to work at her new specialty grocery store, By the Spoonful, in downtown McGregor, Iowa. Ruff was with the Hy-Vee supermarket chain as a retail chef working to introduce new ingredients to customers prior to opening her own store. More: http://lacrossetribune.com/business/steve-cahalan-gourmet-food-store-opens-in-mcgregor/article_60bf299a-e03e-11e2-998f-0019bb2963f4.html
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AG AND LIFE SCIENCES ONLINE
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EDITOR
Julie Stewart
jstewart@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5616
https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/agonline
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