College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Dec. 7, 2015 – No. 879
Top Stories
STORIES: Protecting Soil and Water
The latest issue of the college’s alumni magazine, STORIES in Agriculture and Life Sciences, is now available. This issue features the college’s efforts to protect our land and water resources.
Agricultural Business Club Receives Endowment
A $100,000 gift to ISU from Farm Credit Services of America will establish the Ron Deiter ISU Agricultural Business Club Endowment. FCSAmerica named the endowment in honor of Ron Deiter, professor of economics, who has been advising the club for 38 years and providing leadership to its student members. More
Research
Hofmockel on How Fertilizer Alters Soil Microbes
World Soil Day on Dec. 5 marked the end of the United Nation’s International Year of Soils. Futurity Today, which highlights research news from top universities, published six examples of why soil matters so much and how humans are changing it. In the lead story, Kirsten Hofmockel, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, said many soil microbes perform helpful functions to their native ecosystems, and altering those microbial communities may have negative environmental consequences. More
New Research Summaries Available from the Leopold Center
Summaries of nine recently completed research projects are now available from the Leopold Center. Topics include how cropping systems reduce nitrate leaching into municipal well aquifers, patch-burning to manage tall fescue in beef grazing land, municipal zoning for local foods, and the potential for community gardens linking with urban agriculture. More
Teaching and Students
CALS Student Council Officers Elected for 2016
CALS Student Council officers for 2016 were elected Dec. 2. President is Trey Forsyth, junior in agricultural business; vice president is Mitchell Hora, junior in agricultural systems technology; secretary is Katie Schrodt, junior in agricultural and life sciences education; and treasurer is Patrick White, sophomore in agricultural business.
Graduating CALS Ambassadors Recognized by Cabinet
Graduating seniors of the CALS Ambassadors were recognized for their efforts in recruitment and other support for the college on Dec. 4 at the college cabinet meeting. They were: Macy Heetland, agronomy – campus visits committee; and Bailey Miller, agricultural and life sciences education with a communications option – youth organizations committee.
Science With Practice Poster Presentation, Dec. 9
This semester’s Science With Practice poster presentation open house will be Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the Kildee Hall Atrium. More than 25 students are active in the program this fall. Science With Practice is a CALS experiential learning and work program for undergraduate students in agriculture. The program was featured in the Nov. 25 message from the Alliance for Iowa State. More
Block and Bridle Club Selling Summer Sausage and Cheese
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 Dec. 10 to reserve products for Christmas. Money raised will be used for club trips, and shows and sales hosted by the club. More
Forestry Club Selling Christmas Trees
The Forestry Club is holding their annual Christmas tree fundraiser at the Reiman Gardens Parking Lot. Trees will be for sale Friday, Dec. 11, 3 to 6 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 12, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 13, 12 to 6 p.m. The club will have Fraser fir, balsam fir, and white and Scotch pine, as well as balsam fir wreaths. Proceeds go towards club activities and student development.
Around the College
Seed Science Center Hosts Cochran Fellows
This fall, the Seed Science Center hosted five Cochran fellows from Costa Rica and the Caribbean islands of Saint Lucia and Grenada. Dirk Maier, professor and post-harvest engineer in agricultural and biosystems engineering and associate director of the Global Food Security Consortium, wrote the proposal that brought the fellows to ISU with the goal of furthering their country’s familiarity with U.S. biosafety policies and encouraging preference for U.S. grain and oilseed purchases. More
Calendar
Dec. 16: Biorenewables Poster Symposium in Sukup Atrium
The Biorenewables Poster Symposium will be held Dec. 16 at 2:15 to 4:15 p.m. in the Sukup Atrium of the Biorenewables Complex. The symposium will feature graduate and undergraduate student posters on research related to biorenewables. Refreshments will be available. More
Funding Opportunities
USDA FAS Accepting Additional Applications for Export Assistance Programs
The USDA has announced that the Foreign Agricultural Service will continue to accept applications for the Emerging Markets Program, the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program and the Quality Samples Program until FY 2016 funds have been exhausted. More
Internal Competition: Brain Research Foundation, Due Dec. 14
The Office of the VPR has issued an internal competition for the Brain Research Foundation Fay/Frank Seed Grant Program. The program provides start-up monies for new research projects in the field of neuroscience that will likely lead to funding from NIH. Awards are limited to $80,000 total direct costs for a two-year period. Pre-proposals are due to fundingopps@iastate.edu by Dec. 14. Contact Sue Shipitalo (sueship@iastate.edu) for pre-proposal guidelines. More
Brown Graduate Fellowship Applications, Due Jan. 15
The Brown Graduate Fellowship Program provides assistance for current graduate students or for recruitment of new graduate students to strategically advance ISU research in the areas of study that are governed by the Trust—science, agriculture and space science. Ph.D. students will be given preference, although exceptional M.S. students will be considered. The award is limited to one application per department or interdisciplinary program. Awards up to $10,000 are available. Applications must be submitted by Jan. 15 to Sue Shipitalo (sueship@iastate.edu). More
NSF Dear Colleague Letter: GERMINATION Applications, Due Jan. 19
The National Science Foundation is soliciting EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research proposals for the Germination of Research Ideas for Large Opportunities and Critical Societal Needs. Proposals should address exploratory ideas to design learning frameworks, platforms and/or environments to enable participants to conceive research ideas and questions with potentially transformative outcomes. NSF anticipates making approximately 10 to 12 awards of $100,000 each for one year. More
Vodafone Americas Foundation Wireless Innovation Project, Due Feb. 2
The Vodafone Americas Foundation designed the Wireless Innovation Project as a competition to promote innovation and increase implementation of wireless related technology for a better world. Awards range from $100,000 to $300,000. Submissions are due Feb. 2. More
Revised NIH Grants Policy Statement for FY 2016
NIH announced the publication of the revised NIH Grants Policy Statement. The NIHGPS provides both up-to-date policy guidance that serves as NIH standard terms and conditions of awards for grants and cooperative agreements, and extensive guidance to those who are interested in pursuing NIH grants. While this revision does not introduce any new material for the first time, it incorporates new and modified requirements, clarifies certain policies and implements changes in statutes, regulations and policies that have been implemented since the previous version. The new policies are effective for budget periods beginning on or after Oct. 1, 2015. 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.
Jan. 13: USAID Indonesia Sustainable Higher Education Research Alliances; $20 million over five years. More
Jan. 20: American Educational Research Association Research Grants; education policy and practice, $20,000 one-year projects, $35,000 two-year projects. More
Jan. 28: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation - Gulf Coast Conservation Grants Program 2016; $50,000 to $250,000, 1:1 match. More
June 30: Iowa Energy Center Special Project Grant Program; $15,000, 1:1 match. More
Sept. 30: USFWS Fisheries and Aquatic Conservation National Fish Passage Program; $500 to $1 million, 1:1 match per region. More
Nov. 21 (rolling basis): DARPA Biological Technologies EZ; up to $750,000, cost share may be required. More
Communications Kiosk
AP Update: Using Climate Change and Global Warming Terms
The terms climate change and global warming can be used interchangeably. But climate change is more accurate scientifically to describe the various effects of greenhouse gases on the world because it includes extreme weather, storms and changes in rainfall patterns, ocean acidifrication and sea level. Identify the source for specific climate change data and for any detailed predictions of how climate change will affect the earth. (Associated Press Stylebook Updates, Dec. 2, 2015)
Infograzing
Project LEA/RN Workshop Scheduled for January
A Project LEA/RN workshop will be held Jan. 5-6, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in 680 Lagomarcino Hall. Jan Wiersema, natural resource ecology and management and associate director of Project LEA/RN, will provide an introduction to learning-centered classes and meetings. Enrollment is limited to the first 20 educators to register. More
Youth Conference Workshop Proposals Due Jan. 14
The 2016 Iowa 4-H Youth Conference will be held June 28-30 on the ISU campus. Faculty and staff are encouraged to submit workshop proposals for the event. Proposals are due to Brenda Allen by Jan. 14. More
Marginalia
Planting Tulips in December
The warmer weather helped Agronomy Club members get ready for spring. The students planted 1,800 tulip bulbs on the corner of Osborn Drive and Wallace Road in front of Agronomy Hall. The design will feature ISU in capital white letters surrounded by red tulips. 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.