College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Nov. 2, 2015 – No. 874
Top Stories
Science With Practice Mentoring Program Celebrates 10 Years
Learning, earning credits and getting paid are what make the CALS Science With Practice program a success. The program started 10 years ago as an idea to help students with college costs. Now almost 500 students have gone through the experiential learning and work program. Each semester students present what they've learned in a poster presentation and this fall's event will be held Dec. 9 in Kildee Hall. Sponsors of the program include the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the ISU Agricultural Endowment and Van Wert Family Endowment. More
CALS Students Honored at National FFA Convention
Abrah Meyer and Eric Coddington were honored at the National FFA Convention and Expo held Oct. 28-31 in Louisville, Ky. Meyer, sophomore in agricultural business, was elected central region vice president. As one of six National FFA officers, she will travel more than 100,000 national and international miles to interact with business and industry leaders, thousands of FFA members and teachers, corporate sponsors, government and education officials, state FFA leaders and the general public. Coddington, junior in agronomy and agribusiness, was named the 2015 American Star in Agricultural Placement. He has completed a supervised agricultural experience program; demonstrated top management skills; completed key agricultural education, scholastic and leadership requirements; and earned an American FFA Degree, the organization’s highest level of student accomplishment.
Research
Syngenta Operations Research Seminar Scheduled Nov. 13
Faculty, staff and students are invited to a seminar to learn more about transformative operations research in plant sciences by a scientific team from Syngenta. The events celebrate national recognition of the accomplishments of the team, which includes Iowa State alumni and students. The seminar begins at 1 p.m. in Room 004 of the Scheman Building and will include moderated discussions involving Iowa State University faculty and Syngenta scientists. Key presenters from ISU will include Bill Beavis, George F. Sprague Chair and Professor of Agronomy, and Baskar Ganapathysubramanian, associate professor of mechanical engineering. There also will be a discussion of graduate student career development.
Cruse on the Cost of Soil Erosion
Rick Cruse, agronomy professor and director of the Iowa Water Center, says the state’s farmers are losing more than $1 billion a year in revenue due to soil erosion. Cruse is part of a team of scientists working on the Iowa Daily Erosion Project. More
Teaching and Students
Animal Science Internship Poster Fair, Nov. 4
The second annual Internship Poster Fair will be held Wednesday, Nov. 4, 4 to 6 p.m. in the Kildee Hall atrium. The fair is hosted by students enrolled in the animal science internship experience course. There will be 39 posters on display.
Animal Science Students Reflect on Equine Courses and Horse Sale
Fourteen foals owned by ISU were born and raised on campus in 2014-2015 during animal science equine courses. In October, students attended the All American Quarter Horse Congress Sale and/or the Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association Fall Sale. In 2015, 13 of the yearlings were sold for a gross of $38,650. The money is used to run and maintain the farm.
Extension and Outreach
Farm Poll Shows Farmers Use of Professional Advisers for Decision Making
According to the latest Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll, as farmers gather information and advice to make decisions, they rely on professional advisers to varying degrees. The poll results led to some surprises, said J. Gordon Arbuckle Jr., sociology and author of the latest Farm Poll report.
Pirog to Speak at Local Foods Group Meeting, Nov. 4
A pioneer in the statewide local foods movement returns to Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 4, to speak at the quarterly meeting of the Regional Food Systems Working Group at the Story County Extension office in Nevada. Rich Pirog, senior associate director for Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, will explore how his 20 years with the Leopold Center prepared him for his work in the Michigan local foods movement.
Integrated Crop Management Conference, Dec. 2-3
The annual Integrated Crop Management Conference will be held Dec. 2-3 at the Scheman Building. The conference will include 41 workshops providing research updates and information on crop management, pest management, nutrient management, soil and water management and pesticide applicator training.
Around the College
CALS Seeks Applicants for Assistant Dean of Student Services
CALS seeks applicants for the Assistant Dean of Student Services. This position is responsible for leading the overall operation of the CALS Student Services team which supports the areas of student marketing, recruitment, retention, advising and mentoring. This position reports to the Associate Dean for Academic and Global Programs. Required qualification: tenured faculty member in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. Applications are due Nov. 13 for guaranteed consideration.
Wintersteen Receives CAST President’s Award
Dean Wendy Wintersteen received the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology President’s Award on Oct. 28 at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. The award is a CAST honor that recognizes those individuals who have personally contributed to the advancement of CAST and who have furthered the cause of agriculture, science and technology in a world so dependent on all three disciplines. Wintersteen has served as chair of CAST’s board of trustees and a member of CAST’s board of directors. More
Harl Receives Honors from ISU and UofI
Neil Harl, retired distinguished professor in economics at ISU, was elected to the Board of Governors of the Iowa State University Foundation (a lifetime appointment) on Oct. 2. Harl was honored as an outstanding alumnus at the 150th anniversary of the founding of the University of Iowa College of Law on Oct. 11. More
ISU Research Farms Part of Award-Winning Tourism Event
The Iowa Tourism Office and the Travel Federation of Iowa have awarded the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau the People’s Choice Award for its collaboration on the tourism event Dig In! Iowa’s Ag Innovation Tour. The tour focused on the technical side of agriculture, and in Ames, the group made stops at the BioCentury Research Farm, the Engineering and Agronomy Research Farms and the Horticulture Research Station.
Wintersteen Visits with FFA Students in Mitchell County
Dean Wendy Wintersteen and Osage graduate Tom Brumm, agricultural and biosystems engineering, spoke to approximately 20 FFA students from Osage, Riceville and St. Ansgar school districts on Oct. 21. The student visit was part of a day-long trip to Mitchell County where Wintersteen and Brumm met with representatives of Valent BioSciences, Absolute Energy, LLC and Grain Millers, Inc. More
Farm Superintendent Retires After 40 Years with ISU
Bernie Havlovic, farm superintendent at the Armstrong Research and Demonstration Farm, retired last month after 40 years with ISU. He originally worked at the Southeast Iowa Research Farm and came to the Armstrong Farm when it started in 1993. In an article in the Oct. 26 issue of the Atlantic News Telegraph, Havlovic said his favorite part was meeting people. He estimated that in his time at the research farm they had approximately 67,000 visitors from half the states in the U.S. and several countries around the world.
Calendar
Nov. 11: Celebrate 20 Years of Distance Education with the Brenton Center
The Brenton Center for Agricultural Instruction and Technology Transfer will have an open house on Nov. 11, 9 to 11 a.m. in 4 Curtiss Hall, to celebrate 20 years of distance education. Refreshments will be provided.
Nov. 17: AGEDS Seminar to Focus on Writing and Media Center
An Agricultural Education and Studies Seminar will be held Nov. 17, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Crawford Instructional Complex, 224 Curtiss Hall. Christa Tiernan, director of the Writing and Media Center, will discuss the present and future of the center with a focus on communications skill development across the curriculum at ISU.
Funding Opportunities
Internal Competition: NIH Outstanding New Environmental Scientist Award
CALS is accepting expressions of interest for the NIH Outstanding New Environmental Scientist (R01) program. Submissions are limited to one per college. Applicants must have a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent graduate degree, have faculty appointments that are tenure track or equivalent, and be NIH-defined as Early Stage Investigators. Individuals whose primary appointment is in CALS should email Joe Colletti (colletti@iastate.edu) by noon on Fri., Nov. 6, to express interest. More
Fellowship Programs: U.S.-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund
The U.S.-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund is accepting applications for the Vaadia-BARD Postdoctoral Fellowship, Senior Research Fellowship and Graduate Student Fellowship programs. BARD is a competitive funding program for mutually beneficial, mission-oriented, strategic and applied research of agricultural problems, jointly conducted by American and Israeli scientists. The application deadline for all three fellowships is Jan. 18.
Webcast: NSF Grants Conference, Nov. 2-3
The National Science Foundation is providing a webcast for the NSF Grants Conference being held on Nov. 2-3. Conference plenary sessions will also be recorded for on-demand viewing at the conclusion of the conference. The conference will give new faculty, researchers and administrators key insight into the state of current funding, new and current policies and procedures, and pertinent administrative issues. NSF program officers representing each NSF directorate will provide up-to-date information about specific funding opportunities. Registration is required. More
Workshop: Finding Funding - Using Campus Resources, Nov. 5
The ISU library and the Office of the VPR are presenting the workshop, “Finding Funding: Using Campus Resources,” on Nov. 5, 3 to 4:30 p.m. in 134 Parks Library. The workshop will help identify resources available to faculty, graduate students and post-docs to find research funding, including non-governmental organizations that fund education and research projects. Registration is requested. More
Panel Discussion: Navigating Congress and Federal Agencies, Nov. 12
The Office of the VPR is offering a panel discussion, “Navigating Congress and Federal Agencies,” on Nov. 12, 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Campanile Room. The panelists will include representatives from ISU’s Washington, D.C.-based consultants - Van Scoyoc Associates and The Implementation Group - and Sophia Magill, ISU Federal Relations. Space is limited and registration is requested. More
Funding Information, Opportunities and Deadline Reminders
Dates listed are application deadlines. Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu. Additional information is posted at CALS Pre-Award Resources.
Nov. 25: USAID Feed the Future Developing Local Extension Capacity; $35 million over five years. More
Dec. 2 (pre-application): USDA NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative; $50,000 to $7 million per award. More
Dec. 14: EPA FY 2015 Support for Water Quality Framework Training Workshop, Nonpoint Source Agriculture Training and Technical Assistance, and Hypoxia and Agricultural Nutrient Outreach and Technical Assistance; $100,000 to $600,000.
Dec. 14 (letter of intent): NIH Novel Genomic Technology Development (R01) and (R21); R01 - up to $2.8 million direct costs, R21 up to $400,000 direct costs. More R01. More R21.
Dec. 24 (letter of intent): NIH National Cancer Institute Program Project Grants (P01). More
Dec. 27 (letter of intent): NIH Genomic Data Analysis Network: Processing Genomic Data Center (U24); $660,000 direct cost per year up to five years. More
Jan. 10 (letter of intent): NIH Discovery/Development of Novel Therapeutics for Eukaryotic Pathogens (R21/R33); R21 Phase - $275,000 direct cost over two years, R33 Phase - $900,000 direct cost over three years. More
Jan. 15: U.S. Forest Service Community Forest Program; $400,000, 50 percent match.
Jan. 21: USDA NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program; $150,000 to $600,000, 25 percent match. More
Feb. 1 (pre-proposal): NSF Long-Term Ecological Research New Site Competition; new areas of interest are arid/semi-arid and ocean/coastal (including Great Lakes). More
Feb. 12 (letter of intent): USDA NIFA Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program; $25,000 to $1million. More
Feb. 16: NSF Nanomanufacturing. More
Communications Kiosk
Use Figures for Temperature
Use figures for temperatures, except zero. For example: “It was 8 degrees below zero. The temperature dropped from 38 to 8 in two hours.” Use a word, not a minus sign, to indicate temperatures below zero. For example: “The day’s low was minus 10. The day’s low was 10 below zero.” Also, temperatures get higher or lower; they do not get warmer or cooler. For example: “Temperatures are expected to rise in the area Friday.” (Associated Press Stylebook, 2014 edition, pgs. 186 and 251)
Marginalia
Speaking of Pumpkins
Pumpkins are grown in virtually every state of the union, although nearly half of U.S. production takes place in six states: Illinois, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and New York. U.S. production of pumpkins rose by more than 30 percent from 2000 to 2014, reflecting rising demand for pumpkins as both ornamental and food use. The USDA Economic Research Service has created a web page on pumpkin background information and statistics. More
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Julie Stewart, Editor
jstewart@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5616
https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/agonline
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online, the newsletter for faculty and staff in Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is published by email every Monday. The deadline for submitting content is 12 p.m. on Friday.