College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Feb. 5, 2018
Top Stories
New CSRL Impact Report Now Online
The Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods 2017 Annual Donor Impact Report is available online. The impacts are organized by ensuring a healthy start, empowering emerging leaders, improving livelihoods and building a sustainable future. More
Research
CALS Researchers Feature Latest Science on Damaging Nematodes
A tiny worm that causes billions of dollars in damage to crops like soybeans will be in the scientific spotlight this month thanks to an article written by Thomas Baum and Parijat Juvale, plant pathology and microbiology. The latest knowledge on how cyst nematodes attack plants was the lead article in PLOS Pathogens Pearls, a journal of the nonprofit open access science, technology and medicine publisher. More
Egg Industry Center 2017 Research Report Now Available
The Egg Industry Center has released its first year-in-review research report featuring 22 new, ongoing or completed research projects. The report provides brief takeaway messages for egg farmers and others on the research, and points readers to online resources that feature additional research details and media coverage of the projects. More
Study Shows Vet Diagnostic Lab Provides Robust Return on Investment
A study by ISU researchers including Lee Schulz and Dave Swenson, economics, found the ISU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory delivers a robust return on investment for taxpayers and a sense of stability for Iowa’s animal agriculture industry. The study was commissioned by the College of Veterinary Medicine and published in the peer-reviewed journal Preventive Veterinary Medicine. More
Teaching and Students
Graduate Student Selected for Internship with NIH
Graham Redweik, a graduate student in food science and human nutrition working with Melha Mellata, has been selected to participate in the 2018 Graduate Summer Opportunity to Advance Research program at the National Institutes of Health. Redweik will travel to Maryland this summer to work alongside scientists conducting biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health.
CALS Alumni Help Prepare Super Bowl Turf
This weekend’s Super Bowl had a super team of turf professionals making sure the field was in top shape. Helping with the big event were horticulture alums and former Toro Super Bowl Sports Turfgrass Training Program winners Josh Lenz, Arizona State University; Georgeanna Heitshusen, Michigan State University; Kevin Hansen, Houston Texans; and Lee Kuiters, Atlanta Falcons. More
Article Details Long-Term Student Benefit of Study Abroad Courses
An article published in the Natural Sciences Education journal details the long-term student benefit of international agricultural study abroad courses. CALS has offered international agricultural travel courses since 1963. Robert Butcher, Mary Wiedenhoeft and Thomas Loynachan, authors of the article, surveyed 335 students from the agronomy department who participated in CALS-led international agricultural study courses between 1964 and 1990.
Extension and Outreach
Workshop Scheduled to Inform Smaller Farmers about Big Data Resources
Big Data for (Sm)all Farmers workshop is scheduled for Feb. 26-27 at the Scheman Center in Ames. The workshop will inform farmers of small- and medium-sized operations about current and future big data research, resources and technologies. Sponsors include CALS, ISU Extension and Outreach and the Leopold Center. More
Director Named for Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation
Kristin Tidgren has been named director of the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation. Tidgren joined the center as a staff attorney in 2013 and has been serving as its assistant director for the past two years. Her work focuses on studying and interpreting laws that impact the agricultural industry, specifically agricultural taxation. More
Weed Control Results Report Available Online
The ISU Weed Science Program 2017 Weed Control Results report is available and can be downloaded at the ISU Extension and Outreach Extension Store. The free report provides unbiased comparisons for herbicides used in corn and soybean production. Research was conducted at a number of Iowa sites. Authors are Mike Owen, Robert Hartzler, Damian Franzenburg, James Lee and Iththiphonh Macvilay, agronomy. More
Around the College
Patience Named Honorary Master Pork Producer
John Patience, animal science, was recognized by the Iowa Pork Producers Association as an Honorary Master Pork Producer for 2017 at the Iowa Pork Congress on Jan. 24. The award recognizes outstanding and distinguished service to the betterment and success of the industry. More
Nominations for Gamma Sigma Delta due March 23
The Iowa Beta Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the honor society of agriculture, will hold its annual initiation and awards ceremony on April 13 at 5 p.m. in the Dolezal Auditorium, 127 Curtiss Hall. Nomination forms for membership and awards are available online and are due March 23. More
CALS Human Resources Staff Restructured
The CALS Human Resources staff, Kathey Schuckert and Tasha Barton, will now report to Ruth MacDonald, interim senior associate dean, who leads the college’s efforts in Human Resources. The restructure is designed to improve service and communication.
Calendar
Feb. 13: Farewell Reception for Darren Jarboe
An farewell reception for Darren Jarboe, program manager at the Center for Crops Utilization Research, will be held Feb. 13, 2 to 4 p.m. in 1041 Food Sciences Building atrium. Jarboe will be joining the faculty at the University of Maryland.
Feb. 16: Mike Owen Retirement Reception
A retirement reception for Mike Owen, agronomy, will be held Feb. 16, 3 to 5 p.m. in the Memorial Union Pioneer Room. Owen has been a professor at ISU for 35 years. His research covered weed seedbank population dynamics, the genetic and physiological control of weed seed dormancy, the genetics and physiology of herbicide resistance in weeds, and the herbicide research/demonstration project.
March 8: CALS Spring Awards Program
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Spring Awards Program, honoring faculty and staff achievements, is scheduled for March 8 at 4:10 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room.
Research Development Announcements and Funding Opportunities
FFAR Graduate Student Fellows Program and Research Grants
The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research will fund 48 graduate students over three years using an interdisciplinary approach to career readiness. In addition to academic advisors, students will be matched with industry mentors who will provide additional career guidance. Students selected under the Research & Professional Development category will receive full support ($50,000/year for three years). Students receiving support from their home institution can apply for the Professional Development category (approx. $10,000/year) and will be matched with an industry sponsor. Students from consortium member universities (including ISU) can also apply for project funding on a food or agriculture-related topic. FFAR has not announced deadlines for applications. 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.
Continuous: Global Innovation Fund Water Data Challenge.
March 5: General Mills Scholars Program Feeding Better Futures; $50,000 grand prize, applicants must be 13 to 21 years of age.
March 22: 2018 North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program’s Professional Development Program. More
March 28: USDA NIFA Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Fields Program; $100,000. More
March 30: Department of State U.S. Mission to Costa Rica - Funding for English Language, STEAM and Entrepreneurship Programs; $20,000.
April 4: USDA NIFA Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program. More
April 30: 2019 National Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program.
May 31: NIH Shared Instrumentation for Animal Research Grant Program (S10).
May 31: NIH Shared Instrumentation Grant Program (S10) $50,000 to $600,000.
Jan. 31: DOD 2018 Engineer Research and Development Center ERDC Broad Agency Announcement; initial submissions are considered pre-proposals. More
Communications Kiosk
Capitalization of Plant Names
In general, lowercase the names of plants, but capitalize proper nouns or adjectives that occur in a name. Some examples: tree, fir, white fir, Douglas fir, Scotch pine, clover, white clover, white Dutch clover. If a botanical name is used, capitalize the first word and lowercase others: pine tree (Pinus), red cedar (Juniperus virginiana). (Associated Press Stylebook, 2016 edition, pg. 215)
Infograzing
New USDA Website a One-Stop for Agricultural Producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed a new interactive one-stop website for producers, Farmers.gov. The website gathers together the three agencies that comprise USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation mission area: the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Risk Management Agency. Additional features will be added over the coming months to allow agricultural producers to make appointments with USDA offices, file forms and apply for USDA programs. More
Marginalia
Remembering Khrushchev’s Visit to Iowa and ISU Campus
In 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev visited Iowa. He toured the Coon Rapids, Iowa, farm of Roswell Garst, as well as the Swine Nutrition Research Center on the ISU campus. The Jan. 30 Cardinal Tales blog, published by ISU Library’s Special Collections and University Archives, features information on the visit as well as visuals included in the collection. 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.
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