Crop Sciences Newsletter #115, March 1, 2006

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

...Congratulations to Germán Bollero, who has been selected as a Scholar and Mohammad Babadoost, who has been selected as a distinguished Fellow of the 2006-2007 ACES Global Academy. Over the coming year, Mohammad will serve as one of six experienced faculty who will assist the seven ACES Global Academy Scholars in a program designed to broaden their understanding of on-campus, state, national, and international resources that will enhance international scholarship in research, teaching and/or outreach.

...Congratulations to Heather Clodfelter, who was chosen as the outstanding senior from the Department of Crop Sciences to receive the 2006 National Agronomy Student Recognition Award. This award program is sponsored by the American Society of Agronomy to recognize an outstanding senior student at each 4-year institution that has an active club affiliated with the Student Activities Subdivision of the ASA-SAS. Heather is now a masters candidate working with Emerson Nafziger.

FUNDING RECEIVED

...Steve Long received $50,000 from Dudley/Smith for the project “Biomass Heat and Power in Illinois”; and, $24,870 from BASF for TTA with Bayer CropScience. Vera Lozovaya received $67,520 from the Illinois Missouri Biotechnology Alliance for “Metabolic Analysis of Soybean-Nematode Interactions: A Prelude to Metabolic Engineering for Nematode Resistance”. Emerson Nafziger received $41,684 from the Varietal Information Program for Soybeans (VIPS) for 2005-2006. The United Soybean Board granted Randy Nelson $155,000 and Glenn Hartman $55,000 for “Identification and Utilization of Resistance to Soybean Rust”. Michael Plewa received $53,000 from the EPA for “Emerging Health Concerns Related to Water Treatment”. Dudley-Smith awarded Ben Tracy $50,000 for “Integrating Beef Cattle Production”.

...The following faculty received grants from the Illinois Soybean Association for the project Germplasm and Breeding Initiative: Brian Diers, $211,546, Glen Hartman, $70,410 and Randy Nelson, $60,000. The ISA also awarded the Soybean Cyst Nematode Managed Research Area faculty with funding for the following amounts: Brian Diers, $20,000, Kris Lambert, $26,000, Greg Noel, $31,000, and Terry Niblack, $173,000.

...The Illinois Soybean Association granted the project Soybean Disease and Pests awards to Les Domier, $16,756; Darin Eastburn, $14,500; Glen Hartman, $106,349; Susan Li, $14,500; Vera Lozovaya $21,000; Wayne Pedersen $66,729; and Kevin Steffey, $87,801. Aaron Hager received $9,333 and Glen Hartman, $42,000 for Plan for Management of Soybean Rust-Sentinel Plots Diagnostics Outreach and Research 2006. The Weeds Managed Research Area received $14,004 for Adam Davis, $42,500 for Aaron Hager, $24,478 for Emerson Nafziger, $14,000 for Dawn Refsell, $91,018 for Bill Simmons, and $64,000 for Pat Tranel.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Mar. 10-11, ExplorACES

Apr. 7, ACES Faculty Meeting, 11:00 a.m., Heritage Room, LIAC. Program: Chancellor Herman and the new Interim Provost Katehi. Awards and Recognitions Reception immediately following at noon.

Apr. 18, Crop Sciences Donor Appreciation Dessert Reception, 3:00 p.m., Heritage Room, LIAC.

Apr. 23, noon, Undergraduate Awards Banquet at the Hawthorn Suites

Apr. 25, ACES and Paul A. Funk Recognition Awards Program; Illini Union

Apr. 26, Field & Furrow Banquet, Heritage Room, LIAC (more details forthcoming)

Apr. 28, ACES Faculty Meeting, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., LIAC Heritage Room

May 14, UI Commencement. ACES Student Convocation – Undergraduate, 9:30 a.m., KCPA Great Hall – Graduate, 10:00 a.m. Smith Music Hall

UPCOMING CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIA & WORKSHOPS

...The Seventh Annual Graduate Symposium on Women’s and Gender History will be held March 9-11, 2006 at the Illini Union, UIUC. The keynote address to be delivered by Jennifer L. Morgan, Rutgers University, will be “Accounting for the Women in Slavery: Demography and Epistemology in Early African American History”.

...The National Academy of Sciences is featuring an Arthur M. Sackler Colloquium “From Functional Genomics of Model Organisms to Crop Plants for Global Health” at the National Academies Building in Washington, D.C. on April 3-5, 2006. The Colloquium will present fundamental breakthroughs that will impact the future of food and agriculture, and the technical and non-technical challenges of bringing discoveries to the consumer.

...The 18th World Congress of Soil Science “Frontiers of Soil Science: Technology & the Information Age” will be held July 9-15, 2006 in Philadelphia, PA.

GRAD STUDENT BULLETIN BOARD

There are dozens of workshops sponsored by the Graduate College and other units on campus to help support graduate students. For more information.

GRANTS/FELLOWSHIPS

...The Office of International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) wishes to announce the Maria Pia Gratton International Award for the 2006-07 academic year. This award has been established by family and friends of Maria Pia Gratton, who passed away on October 31, 1995. The award includes a $5,000.00 academic year ($2,500 for one semester) stipend and a tuition waiver and is intended to enable an international female graduate student from outside the United States to have an academic and cultural experience at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Please note that the deadline for receipt of the application is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 31, 2006. Application forms are available at the Office of International Student & Scholar Services (Turner) and on the ISSS web page (follow the "Scholarships and Financial Aid" link). Eligibility extends to all international female graduate students currently enrolled as well as those who have been admitted to a graduate program beginning in the Summer or Fall 2006 semester.

PERSONALS

...Crop Sciences Department, Thanks for the cards, notes, calls and flowers. They were all uplifting during my period of recuperation. Hope to see you all back in the Department soon. Bob & Nancy Hoeft

...Department of Crop Sciences, Thank you for the lovely floral arrangement sent in honor of our father, Joe Kelly. He was very proud to have been a member of your department at the U. of I. He had many fond memories of his years in Turner Hall and cherished the “Squanto Group”. Thanks again for your tribute at his funeral. Sincerely, The Family of Joe Kelly--David, Linda, Art & Bonnie.

...Dear Friends, The kindness you extended to our family when we lost dad was a great comfort to us all. Thank you for the lovely plant arrangement. Dad is at peace & for that we are thankful. Sincerely yours, Carol Phillippe & Family (The family of William L. Reifsteck, Jr.)

PUBLICATIONS

..Singh, R. J., and Jauhar, P. P. (editors & contributors). 2006. Genetic Resources, Chromosome Engineering, and Crop Improvement: Cereals, Volume 2. CRC Press.

SEMINARS

Mar. 3, noon, Erica Meiners, Associate Professor of Education/Women’s Studies, Northeastern Illinois University, “Right to be Hostile: Schools, Jails, and the Production of Public Enemies”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Mar. 7, noon, Leon Dash, Professor, Center for Advanced Study and Chris Prom, Assistant University Archivist, “Adding to History”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Mar. 8, noon, Burks Oakley II, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, “The What, Why and How of Podcasting”, 23 Illini Hall.

Mar. 10, noon, Bob McChesney, Professor, Institute of Communications Research, “Transparency of the Media”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Mar. 14, noon, Professors Richard Layton, Robert McKim and Brian Ruppert, UIUC Program for the Study of Religion, “The Place of Religion in Higher Education”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Mar. 28, noon, David Harrington, Violinist, Kronos Quartet, “Sounds from the Violin”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Mar. 29, noon, Joe Grohens, Lecturer English Department, “Using Wikis to Improve Student Writing”, 23 Illini Hall.

Mar. 31, noon, Larry Greenfield, Executive Minister of the American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago and Editor/Theologian-in-Residence of Protestants for the Common Good, “Starting at the End: The Challenge the Religious Right Poses to Democracy”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Apr. 4, noon, Bruce Knight, Campus Area Transportation Study Committee, “Keeping Our Campus Safe”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Apr. 7, noon, Leah Bartelt, Reproductive Rights Fellow ACLU of Illinois, “Legal Threats to Accessing Reproductive Health Care”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Apr. 11, noon, Vis-a-vis, University YMCA Tutoring Progam, “University and Urbana-Champaign, Partners in Education”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Apr. 12, noon, Lori Mestre, Associate Professor Graduate School of Library and Informational Science and Digital Learning Librarian, “Unveiling the Learning Commons”, 23 Illini Hall.

Apr. 14, noon, Stephen Hartnett, Associate Professor, Department of Speech, UIUC, “Democracy in an Age of Empire”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Apr. 26, noon, Gary A. Cziko, Professor of Educational Psychology & English as an International Language, “Autonomous Technology-Assisted Language Learning: Principles, Resources, Needs & Possibilities”, 23 Illini Hall.