Ag and Life Sciences ONLINE

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COLLEGE NEWS
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ISU PART OF NEW NATIONAL FOOD SAFETY RESEARCH EFFORT
Iowa State University and five other institutions have joined forces in a national effort to develop new, science-driven strategies to improve food safety. The new Food Safety Research Consortium was announced last week in Washington, D.C. Learn more: http://www.iastate.edu/%7enscentral/releases/2003/feb/foodsafety.shtml

SPRING-SEMESTER ENROLLMENT AT 3,070
Total spring-semester enrollment in the College of Agriculture is 3,070, a decline of 192 students from last spring. The number of undergraduate students dropped from 2,624 last spring to 2,403 this semester. Graduate enrollment increased compared to a year ago, from 638 to 667 this semester. Of the 2,403 undergraduate students, 58 percent are men and 42 percent women.

FFA PROCLAMATION SIGNING TO BE FRIDAY
The FFA Proclamation recognizing National FFA Week, Feb. 15-22, will be signed at 7:30 a.m., Friday, Feb. 14, in the Gold Room, Memorial Union. The Collegiate FFA and the College of Agriculture invite you to attend and share a light breakfast with students, faculty and staff. RSVP to Amanda Dight, ajdight@iastate.edu.

HORT CLUB TO SELL BULBS THIS WEEK
The Horticulture Club is holding its annual spring bulb sale Wednesday, Feb. 12, through Friday, Feb. 14. Look for club displays from 10 a.m. to 5 pm on the ground floors of both Curtiss and Beardshear halls. Blooming tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, crocus, cyclamen, primula and azaleas will be on sale. Prices range from $5 to $12.

SUMMER SAUSAGE AND CHEESE ON SALE
The Block & Bridle Club summer sausage and cheese sale continues. Club members will be selling both items from the club office, 120 Kildee. Sausage will be $4 per stick and cheese will be $3 per block for colby or cheddar. Call the office at 4-1865 for more information.

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR TWO SEATS ON FACULTY SENATE
Nominations for the Faculty Senate are due Wednesday, Feb. 12. The College of Agriculture has two at-large vacancies. Forms for nominations are available from department offices or at the Faculty Senate Office, 103 Lab of Mechanics. Contact Sherri Angstrom, 4-9717 or sangstro@iastate.edu

NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR GRANT WRITERS’ WORKSHOP
Departments have been asked for nominations of faculty to participate in a six-part grant writers’ workshop the College of Agriculture is sponsoring with the Vice Provost for Research. The series will begin with an orientation on May 20. Participants will devote six to seven weeks to the effort. An application/contract agreement form and the Vice Provost for Research Grantsmanship Support application form are available from Elena Polush, 4-8493 or elenap@iastate.edu. The Vice Provost’s Grantsmanship Support form also is available at: http://grants-svr.admin.iastate.edu/vpr/internalgrants.html. Completed forms are due Feb. 28 to Polush.

AG COMM TO COVER ELECTRONIC PORTFOLIOS
A discussion of electronic portfolios and their use in communications-across-the curriculum programs will be held at the Feb. 18 Ag Comm workshop. The session will be held from noon to 1:15 p.m. in 8 Curtiss. A light lunch will be available. RSVP to Cheryl Abrams, 4-5872 or cabrams@iastate.edu.

DO FILTER STRIPS BENEFIT BIRDS AS WELL AS WATER?
The use of vegetative filter strips along rivers and streams to protect water quality has received plenty of attention in recent years. The question of whether these filter strips also might benefit grassland birds was the topic for a recent Iowa State research project. Details in “Agriculture in Action”: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/agaction/agaction.php?date=2003-02-06&function=view

HENDRICH WINS ONE OF FIRST BAILEY RESEARCH AWARDS
Suzanne Hendrich is one of three Iowa State researchers who are the first to receive Bailey research awards from the university. Hendrich, professor of food science and human nutrition and associate dean of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, received $150,000 to continue her study of isoflavones, naturally occurring compounds found in soybeans that appear to have health benefits. The research award was established by the estate of Carl A. and Grace A. Bailey to foster innovative research in high-risk areas addressing emerging scientific, technical and/or societal problems. More at: http://www.iastate.edu/~nscentral/releases/2003/feb/baileys.shtml

DEADLINES AND REMINDERS
Feb. 13: "Learning Communities: What's at Stake," 11 a.m. to noon, 2432 Food Science
Feb. 17: Application deadline, Center for Integrated Animal Genomics Genomics Symposia and Workshops Program, http://www.ciag.iastate.edu/programs.html
Feb. 17: Intellectual property session, pizza and drinks provided, noon to 1 p.m., 142 Curtiss Hall, RSVPs to Vicki Gray, vgray@iastate.edu, by Feb. 12
Feb. 17-19: Seed Science Center’s 25th Annual Seed Technology Conference, http://www.lifelearner.iastate.edu/203/seed.htm
Feb. 18: Beginning Spanish short course for faculty and staff, 4:30-6 p.m. through April 10, contact: Eduarda Becerra at 294-3972, ebecerra@iastate.edu
Feb. 25: Visual Thinking Process in Design: From the Viewpoint of a Person with Autism, Temple Grandin, associate professor of animal science at Colorado State University, 8 p.m., Sun Room, Memorial Union
Feb. 28: Deadline for Gamma Sigma Delta awards, http://www.ag.iastate.edu/gsd/awards_forms.html
March 1: Deadline for proposals to college Computation Advisory Committee, more info: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~cac_info/proposals/Call%20for%20proposals%202003-2004.html
March 7: Agriculture and the Environment: Research and Technology Update for Water and Air Quality, 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Scheman Building, http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/aged/water_quality/MainWQ/wqm.htm
March 21: National Ag Day
March 25: Application deadline Center for Integrated Animal Genomics Competitive Grants Program, http://www.ciag.iastate.edu/programs.html
March 31: Deadline for 2003 Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture nominations, http://www.leopold.iastate.edu
April 22: Science in Agriculture Day

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COMMUNICATIONS KIOSK
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PUBLISHED A BOOK RECENTLY? SHOWCASE IT
A display case on the ground floor of Curtiss Hall features books written, edited or with contributions from College of Agriculture faculty and staff. Recent additions include “People Sustaining the Land” with photography by Jerry DeWitt, entomology; “The Conscience of Capitalism” by Terry Besser, sociology; and “Intellectual Property Rights in Animal Breeding and Genetics,” edited by Max Rothschild, animal science. New publications are welcome and returned after six months in the exhibit. Send publications for display to Susan Thompson, Agriculture Communications, 304 Curtiss Hall, or call 4-0705.

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INFOGRAZING
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IOWA SOYBEAN PROMOTION BOARD SEEKS PROPOSALS
The Iowa Soybean Promotion Board has issued a request for research proposals to improve the profitability of soybean producers. Priority research areas include increasing yields, eliminating influences that reduce yields and explaining the hidden biotic or abiotic factors that slow yield improvement. Deadline for proposals is May 1. For more information: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/iaexp/rfp/index.html.

NEW GOLDSHEET GUIDELINES HELP WITH FORMS
A new version of guidelines for completing the university GoldSheet has been developed to help faculty and staff who prepare and process the forms. It can be viewed at the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration website: http://ospa.iastate.edu/Documents/Goldsheet-explain%201-2-03.doc.

G-NOME ARTIST TO DISCUSS HIS WORK
The artist who created the art for the Molecular Biology Building will discuss the work and how it relates to genetic advances. Andrew Leicester will make his presentation at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 13, in the Molecular Biology auditorium.

NEW REPORTS TO THE PRESIDENT DEAL WITH SCIENCE
The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology recently released two reports: "Maximizing the Contribution of Science and Technology within the Department of Homeland Security,” http://www.ostp.gov/PCAST/FINAL%20DHS%20REPORT%20WITH%20APPENDICES.pdf and "Assessing U.S. R&D Investment," http://www.ostp.gov/PCAST/FINAL%20R&D%20REPORT%20WITH%20LETTERS.pdf

NSF-USDA GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS ONLINE
Presentations are available online from a National Science Foundation-USDA grant-writing workshop sponsored by the American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society of America and Crop Science Society of America. More at: http://www.asa-cssa-sssa.org/policy/grants.html

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EXTERNAL VOICES
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IRRADIATED BEEF PREDICTED TO BE ‘GOLD STANDARD’
"Irradiated ground beef will become the gold standard at food service in the next two to three years. Food irradiation will take its rightful place as the fourth pillar of public health alongside pasteurization of milk, immunization against disease and chlorination of our water supply -- and that will take place in the next decade." Ron Eustice, executive director, Minnesota Beef Council. (Reuters, Feb. 5)

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MARGINALIA
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I’LL TAKE TASTY TREATS FOR $100, ALEX
“Entomology undergraduates at Iowa State University eat these," hinted Alex Trebeck last Thursday on the “Jeopardy” game show. The correct answer (in the form of a question) was, of course: “What are insects?” The clue was part of a “Tasty Treats” category. Gretchen Schultz, a member of the Entomology Undergraduate Club, said she spoke to a representative from the show last semester, who had asked about the club and the insect treats it prepares every year for the Insect Horror Film Festival.

Next issue: Feb. 17 Deadline: Feb. 14

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AG ONLINE
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EDITORS
Ed Adcock, edadcock@iastate.edu, and Brian Meyer, bmeyer@iastate.edu
Phone: (515) 294-5616 Web site: http://www.ag.iastate.edu/aginfo/

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