The College of Agriculture Newsletter
Iowa State University
August 18, 1995 No. 25

C O N T E N T S

COLLEGE NEWS
- 140 attend college retreat
- What's next for professional development?
- Interim chair for FSHN
- Firsts for the Brenton Center
- Revised policy on Experiment Station projects
- Ag Council barbecue
- College convocation
- Deadlines & Reminders

COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK

- What reporters want in a story
- Top five uses of the Web

INFOGRAZING

- Work time

EXTERNAL VOICES

- Where are the heroes of science?

MARGINALIA

- Two nominations for science heroes


C O L L E G E N E W S

140 ATTEND RETREAT
About 140 faculty and staff members attended Thursday's "Breaking Communications Barriers" college retreat. The professional development committee will publish a proceedings that includes ideas generated at the retreat on improving internal and external communications. Ag Information will have videotapes of the retreat's main sessions for check-out. If you want a copy of "Media Guide for Academics," a booklet passed out at the retreat, contact Robert Martin, 294-0896. "When a Reporter Calls," a brochure of tips on working with reporters, is available from Ag Information.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT?
The professional development committee is planning a hands-on workshop this fall to demonstrate technology in the Brenton Center. Next spring, a forum with a teaching emphasis is planned. Ag Online will have more details as plans progress.

INTERIM CHAIR FOR FSHN
Pamela White has been named interim chair of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. Wayne Bidlack, the chair since 1992, will start a new job in September as dean of the College of Agriculture at California State Polytechnic University. White has been an ISU faculty member since 1975.

FIRSTS FOR THE BRENTON CENTER
At 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 21, Chris Minion will teach MIPM 502, a bacterial genetics course, in the Brenton Center for Agricultural Instruction and Technology Transfer -- the first instructor to use the center's state-of-the-art teaching facilities. At 7 p.m. Monday, Jan Flora and Cornelia Flora will teach Sociology 533, on models of community -- the first class to be sent out on the Iowa Communications Network from the center. So far 11 courses and one ISU Extension workshop have been scheduled in the center.

REVISED POLICY ON EXPERIMENT STATION PROJECTS
Policies regarding Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station projects have been revised and distributed to DEOs. They take effect Sept. 1. It is hoped that these revisions will reduce paperwork, provide for greater flexibility and not impede the development of research teams. For more information: Susan Lamont, 294-3629.

AG COUNCIL BARBECUE
Faculty are urged to meet and greet new and returning students at the Freshmen/Transfer Barbecue, 5 p.m., Monday, Aug. 21, between Kildee Hall and the Judging Pavilion. There will be a meal fee. The barbecue is sponsored by the Ag Council and the College of Agriculture.

COLLEGE CONVOCATION
The college convocation, 4 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 24, will include introduction of new administrators and faculty members. It will be held in Lush Auditorium, Kildee Hall.

DEADLINES & REMINDERS
Aug. 21 -- Classes begin / Ag Council barbecue, 5 p.m.
Aug. 24 -- College convocation, Lush Auditorium, 4 p.m.
Sept. 5 -- Foreign travel grant applications due, 122 Curtiss
Sept. 6 -- Leopold Center preproposals due, 126 Soil Tilth
Sept. 8 -- Faculty improvement leave applications due, 122 Curtiss

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S K I O S K

WHAT REPORTERS WANT IN A STORY
What do journalists look for in a story? At Thursday's college retreat, communications consultant Ian Pearson said they look for: surprise (the gee-whiz factor); newness (Christopher Columbus, yes; second explorer to America, ho-hum); hot buttons (subjects that hit home for many, like food, health, money); action (not process); visuals; the human angle; conflict; the 5 W's (who, what, when, where, why); great bites (memorable quotes); the local angle; simplicity; impact; urgency; emotion; and certainty (is this really going to happen?).

TOP FIVE USES OF THE WEB
Georgia Tech's Graphics, Visualization and Usability Center has done its third World Wide Web user survey. The mean age of Web browsers is 35 years, 80 percent are male and the top five uses of the Web are browsing, entertainment, work, educational research and business research. For more survey details, the WWW address is: http://www.cc.gatech.edu/gvu/user_surveys

I N F O G R A Z I N G

WORK TIME
A study, based on minute-by-minute time diaries kept over a two-day period, says that the number of hours people recall working is much higher than the number they actually worked. The authors of the study suggest that the gap is explained partly by "the increase in service jobs with no fixed hourly schedule, the rise in flexible work schedules in general . . . and the increased blending of work and nonwork time." Because of this blending, people are never sure whether they're working or not-working, and therefore feel under constant pressure. (American Demographics, March)

E X T E R N A L V O I C E S

WHERE ARE THE HEROES OF SCIENCE?
"In academic research, today's wizards are just as likely to be urging their Congressmen to keep the money coming as they are to be probing the secrets of nature -- except when they're pondering initial public offerings of the stock of their biotechnology sidelines. The bubbling masses of money, politics, teams and litigation are not conducive to the creation of the old-style heroes of science. Important findings keep pouring out of the laboratories. But the best-known doctor today is Jack Kevorkian." Daniel S. Greenberg, publisher of the Science & Government Report newsletter. (New York Times, July 4)

M A R G I N A L I A

TWO NOMINATIONS FOR SCIENCE HEROES
Researchers in Australia and Canada have applied for a patent on a synthetic version of a plant hormone that can slow the growth of grass without affecting its color or texture. Which means you could end up mowing your yard only once every 30 days or so with regular use, plus the treated grass requires much less water and fertilizer. And in Arthur D. Little Inc.'s food-development labs, scientists are trying to make broccoli more palatable. They are experimenting with broccoli "leather" (sort of like fruit roll-ups), mint-and-lemon-flavored and chocolate-flavored powdered broccoli juice mixes, and broccoli-flavored salsa. One nixed idea -- broccoli cereal. (Business Week, July 17, and Wall Street Journal, July 17)

AG ONLINE

Ag Online is a biweekly newsletter for ISU College of Agriculture faculty and staff. To subscribe, send your name, e-mail address and the message "Ag Online subscribe" to bmeyer@iastate.edu. To unsubscribe: Send "Ag Online unsubscribe" to same address. Comments? Contact editors Brian Meyer (bmeyer@iastate.edu) and Ed Adcock (edadcock@iastate.edu), Agriculture Information Services, 304 Curtiss Hall, Ames, IA 50011. Phone: 515-294-5616. Fax: 515-294-8662.

Next issue: Sept. 1. Deadline: Aug. 28.
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