Crop Sciences Newsletter #114, February 1, 2006

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

...Congratulations to Howard Brown (alumni and Adjunct Assistant Professor), presented the 2005 International Certified Crop Advisor of the Year Award at the ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings. He is a trainer for crop specialists with Growmark He was nominated by the Illinois Certified Crop Advisor Board of Directors.

...Congratulations to Robert Dunker, who received the Vance "Pat" Wiram Award for Innovation in Reclamation and Mining Technology from the Indiana Society of Mining and Reclamation. It is presented to an individual for contributions made to the development or implementation of new technologies or concepts in mining and reclamation.

...Congratulations to those who finished their M.S. degrees: Jamison W. Herring was advised by Fred Below; Amy D. Wilson advised by Fred Kolb; and Elizabeth Wrage by Steve Moose.

...Congratulations to Craig Kleinschmidt, who completed his Ph.D. degree working with Don White. Craig is now working for AgReliant in Esmond, IL.

...At the meeting on Dec 6, 2005, the following people were elected as officers for the Field and Furrow Club for 2006:

• President - Nathan Karplus
• Vice President - Sean Breen
• Secretary - Sydney Jarrett
• Treasurer - Jared Walter
• Reporter - Allison Luzader
• ACES Council Representatives - Krista Ubbenga and Kate Legge
• Public Relations/Membership Chair - Caitlin Allen
• Social Chair - Daniel Lundeen
• Philanthropy Chair - Mike Meyer
• Fundraising Chair - Andrew Bowman
• Conventions Chair - Regan Joehl

FUNDING RECEIVED

Brian Diers received $56,749 from the United Soybean Board for the project “Coordination of Regional Soybean Cyst Nematode SCN Tests”.

Stephen Ebelhar received $11,900 from the Foundation of Agronomic Research (PPI) for “Nutrient Management Effects on Soybean Rust”.

BASF awarded Dean Riechers $216,482 for a Technical Testing Agreement.

The Midwest Food Processors awarded Jerald Pataky $10,000 for “Cross Sensitivity of Sweet Corn to Postemergence Herbicides” and, $24,000 for “Reaction of Sweet Corn Hybrids to Prevent Diseases and Integration of Other Control Tactics.

The Campus Research Board awarded $7,500 to Yun Lin for “The Role of ATP-Phosphoribosyl Transferase in Carbon Metabolism and Seed Oil Deposition”, and, $5,500 to Terry Niblack for “Development of a Whole Genome Microarrays for Soybean Cyst Nematode”.

Kris Lambert received $100,000 for “Development of a Soybean Cyst Nematode Genetic Intrastructure” and, Lila Vodkin, Gustavo Caetano-Anolles, Matt Hudson and Steve Moose received $90,000 for “The Sentinel Crop Gene Identification Project” from C-FAR.

The Illinois Missouri Biotechnology Program gave Martin Bohn $76,033 for the project “Genomic Evaluation of the Response of Maize (Zea mays L.) Against Herbivory by the Western Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica Virgifera virgifera LeConte) and, to Kris Lambert $199,649 for “Metabolic Analysis of Soybean-Namatode Interactions: A Prelude to Metabolic Engineering for Nematode Resistance”.

The North Central Soybean Research Program awarded Brian Diers $4,000 for the “Integrated Control of White Mold in Soybean in the North Central Region”; Glen Hartman $9,876 for “Limiting Losses to Phytophthora sojae in the North Central Region”; Susan Li $8,000 for “The Application of New Technologies to the Control of Sudden Death Syndrome”; Vera Lozovaya and Jack Widholm $8,000 each for “Biotechnology Approaches to the Control of SDS”.

FROM OUR OFFICE TO YOURS

...The Department of Crop Sciences Awards for Excellence are designed to recognize demonstrated excellence by faculty, academic professionals, staff, graduate teaching assistants and undergraduate students. 2006 marks the 10th anniversary for these awards. The "Wyffels Hybrids Award for Faculty Excellence" was established in 2003 by the family of William Wyffels, Sr. and Alma Wyffels, to honor their legacy to the Illinois seed industry.

Descriptions of all awards, eligibility requirements, and the make-up of the selection committees are described in the attachments to this message. If you have any questions please address them to Dr. Mike Gray, Chair of the Honors and Awards Committee.

Nominations must be submitted to Kris Ritter, Department of Crop Sciences, N-305 Turner Hall, by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15, 2006. Selection committees will meet in late March to review nominations. Awards will be presented at the 2006 Spring Social.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Mar. 10, ACES Faculty Meeting, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., 240 National Soybean Research Center (NSRC) (Change from LIAC Monsanto), Program: Chancellor Herman and Interim Provost Delia, Awards and Recognitions Reception, 4:00 p.m., 240 NSRC.

Mar. 10-11, ExplorACES

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

...“Tillage & Nutrient Management Economics & Environmental Stewardship” the East-Central Illinois Tillage Seminar will be held February 8 at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center, Urbana.

...The Bi-State Forage Institute: Focus on Hay will be held February 25th at The Stratford, Harvard, IL.

...The 21 Annual Career Fair & Training Conference “MANRRS: The Signature of Success” will be held March 30 -April 1, 2006 at the Adam’s Mark Hotel, St. Louis, MO.

...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 International Conference on Hydrology and Management of Forested Wetlands will be held April 8-12, 2006 at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center, New Bern, NC.

...The International Plant Breeding Symposium will be held August 20-25, 2006 at the Sheraton Centro Historica Hotel in Mexico City, Mexico. Dr. JohnW. Dudley will be the special honoree and speaker. Dr. Martin Bohn and former graduate students: Rex Bernardo, Sam Eathington, and Rita Mum have also been invited to speak.

GRAD STUDENT BULLETIN BOARD

...In Spring 2006, the Graduate College will once again provide awards for graduate students to travel to professional conferences. These conference travel awards are intended to support students who will be presenting papers, posters, or creative work at the conferences they attend. The department in which the student is enrolled must endorse and approve the student’s participation in the conference and provide some financial support for the student’s travel to the conference. The deadline for materials to be submitted to departments is Monday, February 20, 2006. For more information.

...Last year, a study by graduate researchers and staff at the University of California-Berkeley revealed that depression and other forms of mental distress are a serious problem for students in graduate school and professional programs (i.e. medical, law, and business schools). Nearly half of the 3100 survey respondents (45%) reported an emotional or stress-related problem that significantly impacted their academic performance or well-being, 67% reported that they have felt hopeless at times, 95% have felt overwhelmed, and 54% have felt so depressed that it was difficult to function. Ten per cent reported that they had seriously considered suicide, and approximately 1 in 200 respondents reported that they had attempted suicide at least once in the last 12 months. The full report is available.

Students at Illinois experiencing problems with depression have a number of counseling services available to them, including the Counseling Center and the McKinley Health Center's Mental Health Unit. More information on counseling services is available.

PERSONALS

...Bob & I want to say a special “Thank You” for the lovely greenery arrangement sent by the Department. We’re both enjoying it. Bob is doing quite well with recuperating. He can have visitors and I know he’s looking forward to getting back to Turner Hall. Sincerely, Bob & Dee Lambert

...Thank you all for the lovely plant & warm thoughts. We are truly grateful for your kindness. Warmly, Cindy, Ann and Win Hoard

...Dear Crop Sciences Department, Thank you so much for the beautiful plant. We were blessed to have Mom with us as long as she was. She is at peace now. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Dianne & Wayne Pedersen

PUBLICATIONS

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

SEMINARS

Feb. 7, noon, Jim Nowlan, Director, Civic Leadership Program, “Civic Leadership Program”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Feb. 10, noon, Marco Popovich, Midwest Field Coordinator, U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute, “Renewal of the Voting Rights Act and Its Implications for Minority Voters”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Feb. 14, noon, Dr. Barrington Coleman, Associate Professor of Voice/Director, UI Varsity Men’s Glee Club, “Sounds of Valentine’s Day”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Feb. 16, noon, Professors Ann Abbott and Darcy Lear, “What does ‘entrepreneurship’ have to do with a foreign language? How we answered that question”, Chapel Room, YMCA.

Feb. 17, noon, Jonathan Allen, Assistant Professor of Political Science, “Democracy, Human Rights and Torture”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Feb. 21, noon, B. Joseph White, President, UIUC, “The University of Illinois: A Bright Future”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Feb. 24, noon, Kent Ono, Director, Center of Democracy for a Multiracial Society, “Crafting Democracy, Thinking about Race”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Feb 28, noon, Loren Taylor, President and CEO, UI Alumni Assocation, “Keeping in Touch”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

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. 10, noon, Bob McChesney, Professor, I nst it ut e o f 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.