College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Aug. 28, 2017
Top Stories
Next Leopold Listening Sessions Set in September
The Leopold Center Visioning Task Force is hosting listening sessions across the state to hear ideas for future goals and direction for the center. Two listening sessions remain: Sept. 19, 6 to 8 p.m. at Dordt College in Sioux Center; and Sept. 26 at the Johnson County extension office in Iowa City. For those unable to attend a listening session, comments can be providing through an online feedback form.
Research
Researchers Receive NIFA Grant to Study Impacts of Diversified Cropping Systems
Leonor Leandro, Larry Halverson and Gwyn Beattie, plant pathology and microbiology, and Matt Liebman, agronomy, received a three-year grant from USDA-NIFA’S Agriculture and Food Research Initiative on “Unraveling the Mechanisms Underlying Beneficial Impacts of Diversified Cropping Systems on Pest Management, Soil Heath and Plant Productivity.” The goal of the project is to generate a comprehensive, systems-level understanding of how specific agricultural practices can yield environmentally and economically sustainable agricultural benefits. More
Teaching and Students
Boury Receives Grants to Develop Educational Assessment and Teaching Tools
Nancy Boury, plant pathology and microbiology, received a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Undergraduate Education program to develop educational assessment tools needed to accurately measure student understanding of key concepts in genetics. Also, Boury received a Miller Faculty Fellowship Grant from the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching to use a game-based teaching method where students work through solving complex problems and develop a cure for a fictional civilization-ending plague. More
Science With Practice Fall Program Open until Sept. 1
Participation in the Science With Practice program for the fall 2017 semester is open until Sept. 1. Science With Practice is a CALS experiential learning and work program for undergraduate students in agriculture. Registration forms are available online, or contact the SWP director, Misty Lambert, lambert4@iastate.edu.
Agricultural Business Club Earns Outstanding Club Award
The Agricultural Business Club earned the Outstanding Club Award from the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association at the organization’s annual meeting in Chicago in July. This award marks the 13th time in 15 years the club has received the Outstanding Club or Creative Club Award. More
Extension and Outreach
NIFA Features ISU Ag Decision Maker Program
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture featured ANR Extension’s Ag Decision Maker Program in its Aug. 24 weekly highlights. The Ag Decision Maker’s website offers fact sheets, spreadsheets, publications and other resources that provide guidance on how to make informed decisions on the farm. More
Around the College
Wintersteen and Lawrence Sign APLU Letter of Support for Agricultural Exports
Dean Wendy Wintersteen and interim Vice President for Extension and Outreach John Lawrence were part of a group of 55 agriculture deans from public universities across the country that sent a letter outlining the vital importance of robust export of U.S. agricultural products to Mexico and Canada facilitated by NAFTA. The letter was sent to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Assistant U.S. Trade Negotiator for the Western Hemisphere and Chief NAFTA Negotiator John Nille. More
Salas Fernandez Selected for Biotechnology Council
Maria Salas Fernandez, agronomy, is one of three new members selected to serve a three-year term on ISU’s Biotechnology Council. The council makes recommendations to the Office of Biotechnology onprogram activities supporting biotechnology research, education and outreach.
WHO-TV Highlights Fruit and Vegetable Field Day
WHO-TV’s Aug. 10 issue of Agribusiness Report featured ISU’s annual Fruit and Vegetable Field Day, held Aug. 7 at the Horticulture Research Station. The field day showcased specialty crop research. More
Calendar
Aug. 31: Feeding the World Seminar Series
This year’s Feeding the World seminar series will begin on Thursday, Aug. 31, 3:40 to 5 p.m. in 1204 Kildee Hall, Ensminger Room. Alan Tank, co-founder of Revolution Energy Solutions, on the board of managers for Masienda and an advisor for Arable, will present “Consumer Directed Agriculture: Promise or Peril.”
Sept. 2: Annual CALS Alumni BBQ
The annual CALS alumni barbecue will be held Saturday, Sept. 2, 3 to 6 p.m. at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center prior to the ISU vs. UNI football game at 7 p.m. BBQ attendees will enjoy complimentary Hickory Park BBQ and Dairy Science Club ice cream, networking with CALS alumni and friends, and hands-on activities from CALS student organizations. Shuttle service will be provided to and from the stadium. More
Sept. 12: CALS Fall Convocation
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Fall Convocation is Sept. 12 at 4:10 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. The program will include brief comments from Dean Wendy Wintersteen; a medallion ceremony for Mike Weber, Harmon Family Professorship in Forestry; the awarding of the Dean Lee R. Kolmer Award for Excellence in Applied Research; and recognition of the College’s new faculty and staff since last fall. A reception will follow, featuring Dairy Science Club ice cream.
Oct. 7: Honoring Hoiberg: Celebrating a Distinguished Career
Public Service and Administration in Agriculture alumni are hosting an event to honor former associate dean Eric Hoiberg prior to the ISU Bacon Expo at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. More
Oct. 7: Bacon Expo
Save the date for this year’s Bacon Expo, to be held Oct. 7, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. Organized by CALS students, Bacon Expo is a family friendly event where participants can sample creative bacon treats and enjoy live entertainment and education displays about the pork industry. More
Oct. 17: CALS Career Day
The college’s Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Day is scheduled for Oct 17, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lied Recreation Athletic Center.
Research Development Announcements and Funding Opportunities
Digital Agriculture Data Carpentry Workshop, Sept. 12-13
ISU and CALS will host a hands-on Data Carpentry Workshop covering basic research computing concepts and tools, including program design, version control, data management and task automation. Data Carpentry aims to help researchers get their work done in less time and with less pain using these concepts. Mark Laufersweiler, research data specialist at University of Oklahoma Libraries will lead the workshop. Participants will be encouraged to apply what they have learned to their own research problems. Participants from any discipline are welcome to attend and do not need any previous knowledge of the tools that will be presented at the workshop. The workshop will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 12 and 13 in 368A Heady Hall. The fee for the workshop is $25, which covers a light breakfast, lunch and breaks on both days. Space is limited to 40 participants. More
Digital Agriculture UASPSE All-Hands Meeting, Sept. 14
As part of the Midwest Big Data Innovation Hub, ISU and CALS will host an Unmanned Aerial Systems, Plant Sciences and Education All-Hands Meeting. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the UASPSE Digital Agriculture Spoke project is devoted to building partnerships and resources that will address emerging big data issues including direct data collection of plant features by unmanned aerial systems, biological feature extraction through image analysis, big data processing pipelines, and techniques for data management and sharing. Stakeholders from academia (including early career researchers, post-docs, graduate students and undergraduate students), industry, government, nonprofits and other organizations are invited to attend this one-day event. Participants are invited to display posters relevant to UASPSE big data topics. The meeting will be help on Sept. 14 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Scheman Building. The registration fee for the meeting is $25. More
USDA FAS: Post-Project Sustainability Proposals Due Sept. 13
The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity for original research in post-project sustainability in the Food for Progress program. This award will determine to what extent activities and results of the selected projects in several regions have been sustained after USDA’s involvement ended, providing valuable understanding of the impacts these projects have, which can guide ongoing and future endeavors. The estimated award will be $721,526 over approximately two years. A conference call will be held on Aug. 30 and proposals are due Sept. 13. Contact Roxanne Clemens (rclemens@iastate.edu) to receive the funding opportunity file.
CALS Travel Support for NSF Grants Conference, Requests Due ASAP
CALS will provide up to $1,000 each for up to six faculty members to help cover travel costs to attend the National Science Foundation Regional Grants Conference on Nov. 13-14 in Phoenix. This two-day conference is a must, especially for new faculty, researchers and administrators who want to gain key insight into a wide range of current issues at NSF including the state of current funding. NSF program officers representing each directorate will be on hand to provide information about funding opportunities and answer questions. Travel support will be provided to faculty whose primary appointment is in CALS on a first-come-first-served basis, with preference given to individuals who have not recently received CALS travel assistance for a grantsmanship conference. Registration opens on Sept. 7. Interested CALS faculty should contact Joe Colletti (colletti@iastate.edu) as soon as possible to request support.
Internal Competition: Bailey Research Career Development Award Proposals Due Oct. 21
The Bailey Research Career Development Awards allow faculty members to devote time toward high-risk, high-impact research addressing emerging scientific, technical and/or societal problems resulting in practical applications and extramural funding. All full-time tenured associate professors and professors may apply. One or two awards of $50,000 per year for two or three years will be made. Each college will select one proposal to submit to the Office of the VPR. Applicants whose primary appointment is in CALS should submit their proposal electronically to Joe Colletti (colletti@iastate.edu) by Oct. 23.
Contact: Roxanne Clemens, rclemens@iastate.edu. Additional information is posted at CALS Pre-Award Resources.
Infograzing
Nominations Open for Women Impacting ISU Calendar
Nominations for the Catt Center’s 2018 Women Impacting ISU calendar are due Sept. 29. Any woman who currently is a student or an employee at Iowa State may be nominated. Twelve will be selected by a committee and announced at a public reception in January. More
Disability Awareness Summit Scheduled for Oct. 19
ISU is hosting the state’s annual Disability Awareness Summit at Reiman Gardens on Oct. 19. The summit brings together disability resource providers in Iowa higher education for a day of discussion, education and collaboration related to working with people that have differing abilities. Additional information and event registration instructions will be forthcoming.
Sukup Manufacturing Announces Ames Office
Sukup Manufacturing Co. announced it will open an office in the ISU Research Park. “We view opening this new office in Ames as an opportunity to capitalize on the engineering and technical expertise of both students at Iowa State University and professionals at the Iowa State University Research Park,” said Charles Sukup, company president. More
Recognition of Link between Civil Conflict and Famine
The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization welcomed the UN Security Council’s acknowledgement of the link between conflict and famine. An Aug. 17 news release states that civil conflict is the driving factor in nine of the 10 worst humanitarian crises, and that post-conflict countries with high food insecurity are 40 percent more likely to relapse into conflict within a 10-year timespan. More
Marginalia
Cyclone Football Team Building…On the Farm
In July, members of the ISU Cyclone football team visited the CALS Swine Teaching Farm, Sheep Teaching Farm and Beef Teaching Farm for some team-building exercises. Student athletes toted hay bales, drove fence posts and other activities to gear up for the upcoming season. View Photos
Northeast Research Farm Receives 41st Anniversary Greeting
The Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Nashua received a 41st anniversary greeting from the ISU Research Foundation. To honor Warren Madden’s 41 years on the ISURF Board, staff had shirts made with “ISURF 41.” The research farm’s anniversary was another reason to celebrate. Ken Pecinovsky, farm superintendent, received a photo of 18 ISURF staff on a staircase, all wearing red “41” shirts.
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.
Facebook
Twitter
University Nondiscrimination Statement