College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
March 28, 2016 – No. 893
Top Stories
Dean Addresses College Faculty and Staff on Sustainability Dialogue
In a letter to CALS faculty and staff on March 25, Dean Wendy Wintersteen provided an update on the college-wide dialogue on sustainability. A CALS Sustainability Task Force, led by Paul Lasley in sociology, has been meeting since last fall. Initial efforts have focused on establishing a sustainability lecture series to hear from experts on their experiences with sustainability at other campuses or with other organizations; compiling an inventory of existing CALS efforts in research, teaching and extension with links to sustainability; conducting an environmental scan to explore what other universities, agricultural colleges and institutions are doing to move sustainability forward in their programs; and developing a sustainability website. More
CALS Sustainability Lecture Series Begins April 4: Elena Irwin, Ohio State
CALS is beginning a lecture series focused on sustainability topics that will continue into the next academic year. Elena Irwin, faculty director of the Sustainable and Resilient Economy program at The Ohio State University and a professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, will present the first lecture on April 4 at 4 p.m. in the Dolezal Auditorium in Curtiss Hall. A reception will follow at 5:30 in the Harl Commons. More
ISU’s Agriculture and Forestry Programs Ranked Among Top in the World
ISU’s agricultural programs have been ranked among the world’s best by QS World University Rankings, a British organization. QS ranked Iowa State among the top 10 for the fourth straight year. More
Research
Government Use of Technology has Potential to Increase Food Security
Acceptance of information technology can play a vital role in meeting the demand for food in developing countries, according to a new study by ISU researchers Shweta Chopra, agricultural and biosystems engineering, and Prashant Rajan, English. More
Teaching and Students
CALS Undergraduates Showcase Research at Annual Capitol Event
ISU undergraduates will present their research to legislators and others during the annual Research in the Capitol event, Tuesday, March 29, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the rotunda of the State Capitol building in Des Moines. Below are the CALS students that will be presenting and their mentors. More
- Rebecca Clay, agronomy and global resource systems – “Cover Crops as a Gateway to Greater Conservation in Iowa? Integrating Crop Models, Field Trials, Economics and Farmer Perspectives,” J. Gordon Arbuckle, sociology.
- Anna Fisher, nutritional science and global resource systems – “Aflatoxin Contamination in Groundnuts: Determining Awareness of its Effects on Human Health,” Donna Winham, food science and human nutrition.
- Timothy King, biology and environmental science – “Greenhouse Gas Emission and Water Quality Quantification along Saturated Buffer Strip of Bear Creek,” Dick Schultz, natural resource ecology and management.
- Emily Martin, environmental science – “Drying Behavior and Analysis of Moisture Content in Waste Food,” Kurt Rosentrater, agricultural and Biosystems engineering.
- Paul Strickler, biology – “Do Different Desaturase Enzymes in Corn Silks Cause Variation in Fatty Acid Accumulation?” Marna Yandeau-Nelson, genetics, development and cell biology.
AST Club Offers Lawnmower Service Days, April 1-2
The Agriculture Systems Technology Club will hold its annual Lawnmower Service Days on Friday, April 1, from 1 to 6 p.m. and Saturday, April 2, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sukup Hall on the west side of campus. Cost for routine maintenance is $35 for a push mower, $50 for a riding mower and $15 for a weed eater. Pick-up and delivery are available for Ames only; $15 for push mowers and $20 for riding mowers. More: astservicedays@gmail.com, (515) 708-8672.
Registration Deadline for Stupka Symposium, April 4
The 11th annual Stupka Symposium will be held April 7. The event is organized and run by undergraduate students in biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, and designed to encourage the interaction between students and faculty over research topics in biological and chemical sciences. Registration deadline is April 4. More
Block and Bridle Club to Host Animal Learning Day
The ISU Block and Bridle Club will host an animal learning day on April 9, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. The event is free and provides an opportunity for the public to learn about animals in agriculture. There will be activities for all ages, including a Taste of Iowa segment. More
Extension and Outreach
New Iowa Beef Center Publication Addresses Baleage
ISU Extension and Outreach cow-calf specialist Patrick Gunn, animal science, said cattle producers might benefit from using different forage harvest practices such as baleage. A new Iowa Beef Center publication, “Making the Switch to Baleage,” looks at the advantages and disadvantages of baleage and how it differs from traditional haylage. More
Around the College
Nominations for Gamma Sigma Delta due March 30
The Iowa Beta Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the honor society of agriculture, will hold its annual initiation and awards ceremony on April 21, 5 p.m. in the Dolezal Auditorium, 127 Curtiss Hall. Nominations are due March 30 by 5 p.m. For more information contact Ryan Anderson, GSD president (randrsn@iastate.edu), Don Beitz, awards committee chair (dcbeitz@iastate.edu); or Barb Clawson, membership committee chair (bclawson@iastate.edu).
Calendar
April 6: Rural Sociologist to Present Beal Lecture
Linda Labao, professor of rural sociology at The Ohio State University, will present the Beal Lecture in Rural Sociology on April 6, 7 p.m. in the Dolezal Auditorium, 127 Curtiss Hall. More
April 7: Entrepreneur to Present Hertz Lecture
Roger Underwood, entrepreneur and co-founder of crop-technology company Becker Underwood Inc., will present the 2016 Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture on April 7, 7:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. More
April 20-22: Egg Industry Issues Forum
ISU’s Egg Industry Center will hold its 2016 Egg Industry Issues Forum on April 20-21 in Chicago. More
Funding Opportunities
Limited Submission: NIH Science Education Partnership Award
The Office of the VPR is accepting expressions of interest for the National Institutes of Health Science Education Partnership Program. The program will invest in educational activities that enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs. Awards are limited to $250,000 direct costs per year for up to five years. One application per institution will be accepted. Express interest to fundingopps@iastate.edu by Apr. 14 so the Office of the VPR can determine whether an internal competition will be needed. More
NIH Changeover to FORMS-D for Grant Applications, Effective May 25
The National Institutes of Health will require FORMS-D application packages and guides for grant applications with due dates on or after May 25. Both FORMS-D and FORMS-C packages will be available simultaneously so the correct set can be chosen based on the due date. PIs should note that some applications are special cases and require extra attention to determine the correct package to use. In addition, several minor policy changes accompany the FORMS-D changeover. More
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Change in Eligibility
The National Science Foundation has provided advance notice of a change in the eligibility of prospective applicants to the Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Beginning with the fall 2016 deadlines, NSF will limit graduate students to one application, submitted either in the first year or the second year of graduate school. No change is being made to the eligibility of undergraduates, bachelor's degree holders without any graduate study, or individuals who have had an interruption in graduate study of at least two consecutive years. More
DOE Understanding Scale-up for Integrated Biorefinery Optimization
The U.S. Department of Energy has issued a Request for Information concerning issues related to challenges encountered with the successful scale-up of integrated biorefinery plants. The goal of this RFI is to further DOE’s understanding of additional areas of research, capabilities and yet to be addressed barriers and opportunities pertaining to technology development and engineering solutions. Responses are due Apr. 6. More
NIH Launches Redesigned Grants and Funding Website
On March 25, the National Institutes of Health launched a new grants and funding website to provide more context for funding opportunities and simplify the search for information. Links to the previous site will be redirected, and work on additional pages will continue for several months. 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.
Apr. 11 (letter of intent): FDA Vet-LIRN Cooperative Agreement Program to Develop and Validate Testing Methods for Food Irradiation Specific Markers in Animal Feeds and Treats (U18); $495,000. More
Apr. 15 (letter of intent): Whitehall Foundation Research Grants and Grant-in-Aid; basic research in neurobiology, $225,000 for research grants, $30,000 for grants- in-aid. More
Apr. 25 (expression of interest): NIH Director’s Early Independence Awards (DP5); $250,000 direct costs per year for five years, two applications per institution, contact fundingopps@iastate.edu with interest. More
May 10 (pre-proposal): USDA NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program. More
May 11, Aug. 3 (concept paper): Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - Healthy Eating Research: Building Evidence to Prevent Childhood Obesity Round 10; $100,000 to $190,000. More
May 20: USFWS Webless Migratory Game Bird; $100,000, matching funds required. More
June 1: USDA NRCS Iowa Conservation Collaboration Grants FY 2016. More
June 1: USDA NIFA Rural Health and Safety Education; $350,000. More
June 5: NIH Advancing Translational and Clinical Probiotic/Prebiotic and Human Microbiome Research (R01). More
June 5: NIH Advancing Mechanistic Probiotic/Prebiotic and Human Microbiome Research (R01). More
June 16: NIH Development of Animal Models and Related Biological Materials for Research (R21); $275,000 direct costs. More
Aug. 12: FDA Minor Use Minor Species Development of Drugs; Research Project Grant (R01); $450,000. More
Infograzing
Workshop on Writing NSF CAREER Grant Applications, March 29
Recent National Science Foundation CAREER grant awardees will talk about their experiences in developing their proposals in a workshop scheduled for March 29, 9:30 a.m. in the Kildee Hall Ensminger Room. Speakers, including Yehua Li, statistics, and Maria Salas-Fernandez, agronomy, will discuss their plans for broader impacts, evaluation and other requirements of the CAREER program. Registration
Exploring Agriculture through Performance Art
Cherie Sampson, a visual artist and dancer, will discuss her current project at a lecture on Tuesday, March 29, at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Campanile Room. “Hands to Earth” explores Midwestern small-scale agriculture through filmed dance performances in fields and orchards. More
Marginalia
National Potato Promotion Board Approves New Name
Board members of the National Potato Promotion Board approved a new name for its agricultural promotion group – Potatoes USA. The organization’s newly created mission and strategic plan were also approved at their 44th annual board meeting. 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.