College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Nov. 16, 2015 – No. 876
Top Stories
Students Showcase Value of Internships
The second annual animal science Internship Poster Fair took place in Kildee Hall on Nov. 4. Thirty-nine students shared their experiences, including Mary Szynalski, who interned last summer with Peterson and Smith Equine Reproduction Center. More
Student Clubs: Block and Bridle Summer Sausage and Cheese Sale
An online form is available for the Block and Bridle Club’s annual holiday summer sausage and cheese sale. The summer sausage is made on campus in the Meat Lab and the cheese (cheddar, Colby and pepper jack) is from Minnesota. Place orders by Nov. 19 and Dec. 10 to reserve products for Thanksgiving and Christmas, respectively. Money raised will be used for club trips, and shows and sales hosted by the club.
Student Clubs: Horticulture Club’s Poinsettia Sale
The Horticulture Club’s annual poinsettia sale is underway. Preorders for specialty varieties are due Nov. 27. Sales will take place: Dec. 2, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Harl Commons in Curtiss Hall; Dec. 3, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Memorial Union Bookstore; Dec. 4, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., ground level of Beardshear Hall; and Dec. 5, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Reiman Gardens. The poinsettias are grown and sold by students in the club. More
Student Clubs: NAMA Popcorn Fundraiser
The National Agri-Marketing Association’s ISU chapter is accepting orders for its annual gourmet popcorn fundraiser. Six ounce bags are available in seven different flavors for $4 a bag, or $11 for a three-bag combo pack. Orders are due Dec. 1. Funds raised will support travel to the national NAMA competition. Garrett Ley, an agricultural business student, makes and sells the popcorn around central Iowa through his business, G Pop’s Popcorn.
Research
GDCB Research: Increasing Protein in Staple Crops
A study recently published by Eve Syrkin Wurtele and Ling Li, genetics, development and cell biology, shows that a gene found in a single plant species can increase protein content when introduced into staple crops. More
Teaching and Students
Paulsen Offers New Conservation Curriculum to Teachers
Tom Paulsen, agricultural education and studies, is offering a new conservation curriculum to agricultural education teachers in Iowa. “With this curriculum, students will have access to tools that use LIDAR elevation information to estimate soil erosion much more precisely than in the past,” Paulsen said.
CALS Students Receive Scholarships from NAMI
Three CALS students received awards from the North American Meat Institute Scholarship Foundation during the NAMI annual meeting, Nov. 2-5 in Washington, D.C. Breanna Branderhorst, agricultural education, received the NAMI Undergraduate Scholarship; Ashley Moyna, culinary science and dietetics, received the Robert Hatoff Center of the Plate Memorial Scholarship; and Brian Patterson, animal science, received the Al Piccetti Scholarship.
Hayes Invites Economics 101 Class to Dinner
For the past three years, Dermot Hayes, professor of economics and Pioneer Chair in Agribusiness, has invited his economics 101 class to his home for dinner. This year that consisted of 120 students. On Nov. 9, 40 students and 10 faculty members attended one of three dinners during which students had the opportunity to connect with professors, peers and alums. More
Food Blogger Cristen Clark Visits with Culinary Science Club
Cristen Clark, a sixth-generation Iowa farm girl and blogger for Food & Swine, conducted a baking demonstration of prize-winning dinner rolls for the Culinary Science Club on Nov. 10. Clark contributes to the Iowa Food and Family Project. More
CALS Students Represented on Homecoming Cardinal Court, Including the Queen
Last month, several CALS students were selected as finalists on Cardinal Court. This year’s queen, Zoe Hildreth, is a CALS biology major from Humboldt. Other queen candidates include: Adelai Swanson, majoring in agricultural business, international agriculture and public relations from Clarion; Hannah Darr, global resource systems from Indianola; and Rebecca Clay, agronomy and global resource systems from Le Mars.
Extension and Outreach
Online Equine Educational Course Celebrates 10 Years
The Iowa Master Equine Manager Program was developed in 2005 and is offered through ISU Extension and Outreach. In the last 10 years, 194 people from 21 states have completed the online equine educational course, that provides professional certification and a comprehensive knowledge of horses to those involved in their care. Dale Miller, extension director for Marion County, is the program’s equine educator.
Publications Provide Instruction on Starting a Local Food Organization
ISU Extension and Outreach has released a set of publications with step-by-step instruction on how to start a local food organization in Iowa. “Iowa Local Food Organizational Toolkit: Structure, Management and Finance” is divided into three publications with resources, templates, tables and tools to help take each idea from concept to action.
Around the College
Wang Receives Innovation Award
Kan Wang, agronomy and director of ISU’s Plant Transformation Facility, was recognized by the Technology Association of Iowa for her role as an innovator and STEM leader in Iowa. Wang’s work includes technology that enables faster and more cost-effective development of commercial soybean lines. More
AgEI Celebrates 10 Years of Student Success, Nov. 17
The Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative is celebrating 10 years of student success with a cake reception on Nov. 17, 5:30 p.m. in the Curtiss Hall Harl Commons. A short program will take place at 6 p.m. followed by a social hour.
Open Forum for Assistant Dean Candidate Available Online
An open forum for a candidate to fill the assistant dean for graduate programs position in CALS was held Nov. 11. The open forum, consisting of a short presentation followed by a question-and-answer period, can be viewed online. The candidate is Ruth MacDonald, chair of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, who has been serving in the position on an interim basis since 2012.
CALS Online: Next Issue Set For Nov. 30
Ag and Life Sciences Online will break next week for Thanksgiving. It will resume Monday, Nov. 30.
Calendar
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.
Nov. 18: Iowa Learning Farms Webinar
Brian Gelder, agricultural and biosystems engineering, will discuss updates to the Iowa Daily Erosion Project as it expands to cover Minnesota and Kansas, during the Iowa Learning Farms webinar, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m.
Funding Opportunities
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research Funding Opportunities
The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research has announced two inaugural programs: the New Innovator Program and the Rapid Response Program. The New Innovator Program will fund up to 10 outstanding early-career individuals with up to $600,000 over three years to pursue innovative research in FFAR topic areas. The Rapid Response Program will fund crisis response efforts that complement existing USDA efforts. FFAR expects to release an RFA for the New Innovator Program and have the Rapid Response application process more fully formed by the end of the year. In addition, FFAR is currently accepting ad hoc submissions of two-page project descriptions for possible funding. One-to-one cost share is required for all FFAR awards.
Workshop: Fulbright Scholar Program for Faculty and Professionals, Nov. 19
Caitlin McNamara, recruitment and marketing officer for the Fulbright Scholar Program, will offer a workshop on the Fulbright Scholar Program for administrators, faculty members and professionals. The workshop will be Nov. 19, 9 to 10:15 a.m. and 1 to 2:15 p.m. in the Memorial Union Pioneer Room. Faculty members can reserve a time for an individual meeting with McNamara between 10.15 a.m. and noon by contacting Megan Peterson (meganmp@iastate.edu) by Nov. 17. More
CALS Workshop: Working with Industry 101 Presentations Available Online
The PowerPoint presentations from the Nov. 10 workshop, “Working with Industry 101,” are available online. The workshop presenters were Mike Crum, ISU vice president for economic development and business engagement; Lisa Lorenzen, executive director, ISU Research Foundation and OIPTT; and David Freeman, ISU-Cedar Rapids bio-based industry liaison. 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.
Rolling basis through Dec. 31, 2016 (white paper): Office of Naval Research Navy and Marine Corps Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education, Outreach and Workforce Program; $250,000 per year up to three years. More
Dec. 10: NSF Smart and Connected Health; up to $370,000 direct costs per year for four years. More
Dec. 10 (brief proposal): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - Evaluating High-Value Innovations from Low-Resource Communities.
Dec. 15: Marine Biological Laboratory Whitman Center Fellowship Program; supports four to 10 weeks of independent research at MBL.
Jan. 8 (letter of intent): NIH NHLBI Progenitor Cell Translational Consortium (U01); $5.2 million direct costs over seven years. More
Jan. 8 (letter of intent): NIH NHLBI Progenitor Cell Translational Consortium Coordinating Center (U24); $5.2 million direct costs over seven years. More
Jan. 12 (letter of inquiry): V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation Environmental Projects. More
Jan. 15: Kresge Foundation Fresh, Local and Equitable: Food as a Creative Platform for Neighborhood Revitalization; $75,000. More
Jan. 15: Smithsonian - James Smithson Fellowship Program; early career, $53,000 stipend plus allowances, grand challenges include understanding and sustaining a biodiverse planet. More
Feb. 1: American Association for Laboratory Animal Science Grants for Laboratory Animal Science; must be AALAS member to apply, $7,500 small grant, $50,000 standard grant. More
Feb. 9: NSF Critical Techniques, Technologies and Methodologies for Advancing Foundations and Applications of Big Data Sciences and Engineering; $400,000 to $2 million. More
Marginalia
Pencil Stubs Used to Sprout Plants
What happens to a wooden pencil after you wear it down to a stub? Denmark-based Sprout World has a new idea. The company makes plantable pencils that grow into vegetables, herbs or flowering plants once you’re done using them. The pencils are made from cedar in Pine City, Minn. Where a typical eraser would be, these wooden pencils have a capsule made from biodegradable material that contains a small mixture of seeds and peat. You plant the capsule in a pot of soil and use the stub end of the pencil as a marker. 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.