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IN THIS NEWSLINE ISSUED March 19, 2008:
- BIOINFORMATICS AT BIO5
- NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF 4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
- NORTON SCHOOL WINS KRESGE FOUNDATION CHALLENGE GRANT
- UNIQUELY AGRISCIENCE: SPECIALIZED FOCUS FOR NEW TEACHERS
- THE 2007-2008 TURFGRASS, LANDSCAPE AND URBAN IPM RESEARCH SUMMARY
- OSTEO DAY APRIL 1
- ARIZONA DAIRY DAY APRIL 3
- CLIMATE AND DESERTS WORKSHOP APRIL 9-11
- GLOBAL RETAILING CONFERENCE APRIL 10-11
- PURPLE PIPES: PROMISES AND PRECAUTIONS FOR WATER REUSE APRIL 16
- CALS IN THE NEWS
After working nearly eight years in the corporate world, Tara Paulsen returned to school to pursue a Professional Science Master's (PSM) in Applied Biosciences at the University of Arizona. She wanted a program with academic coursework in bioinformatics or computational biology, which the UA currently doesn't offer, but she may have found something better.
She's getting direct, practical experience in bioinformatics through an internship at ChromDB, run by Carolyn Napoli, an assistant research professor of plant sciences. ChromDB stands for "chromatin database," a vast archive of genes, mostly from plants, that are associated with the cell's ability to package DNA in the nucleus of the cell. Scientists study gene expression to find out more about the fundamental ways plants grow and produce.
"ChromDB is a database that specializes in highly curated chromatin genes," Paulsen says. By "highly curated" she means the lab is paying special attention to the plant genes to make sure the proteins are as accurate as possible. "It's supposed to be a one-stop shop for looking at and researching chromatin. It's currently accessed by people all over the world."
Carolyn Napoli, Department of Plant Sciences, cnapoli@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/landandpeople/fall2007/article3.pdf
2 NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF 4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Kirk Astroth has joined Arizona Cooperative Extension's state administrative team as assistant director of 4-H Youth Development. He had worked with 4-H in Montana for the past 18 years as both curriculum specialist and state 4-H program leader. Astroth is well-known throughout the 4-H network and has published extensively on a variety of subjects related to positive youth development. He has been president of the Journal of Extension, served on the Journal of Youth Development editorial committee, and was president of JCEP in 2003.Kirk plans to convene a 4-H Strategic Planning Retreat to collaboratively chart out future directions, priorities and action steps for the Arizona 4-H program. He is excited to be a part of Arizona Cooperative Extension and looks forward to traveling the state and meeting as many people as possible in his first few months on the job.
Kirk Astroth, Arizona 4-H Youth Development, 520-621-3390, astroth@cals.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/4-h/
3 NORTON SCHOOL WINS KRESGE FOUNDATION CHALLENGE GRANT
The University of Arizona's John and Doris Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences has won an $800,000 challenge grant from The Kresge Foundation by raising more than $2.8 million in 12 months for the school's new building.It is the University's first Kresge grant since 1991. The fundraising effort is the final leg of the privately funded, $24 million capital campaign for the 72,000-square-foot McClelland Park, which is scheduled for completion in June.
"This capital campaign has been an extraordinary public-private partnership that demonstrates the widespread enthusiasm for the great things happening at the Norton School and the UA," said UA President Robert N. Shelton. "Earning the support of The Kresge Foundation is a prestigious honor."
In March 2007, the Norton School received the Kresge challenge, which required that the capital campaign reach its fundraising goal by February. From March 2007 to February 2008, donors contributed more than 1,200 gifts--ranging from $10 to $500,000--generating more than $2.8 million for the project.
For a view of the progress on the new building, see webcam at www.fdc.arizona.edu/webcam/fcs.cfm
Soyeon Shim, Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences, shim@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://uanews.org/node/187
4 UNIQUELY AGRISCIENCE: SPECIALIZED FOCUS FOR NEW TEACHERS
Using a time-tested formula to evaluate the needs of teachers and students is the key to success for teacher training in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). In 2007 the Arizona State Board of Education and Department of Education awarded a five-year approval to the Department of Agricultural Education--the only one granted out of 21 teacher education programs at the University of Arizona.According to CALS associate professor Billye Foster, a great deal of the credit for the approval rating is due to the program's continual assessment of teacher and student needs.
"We focus on the elements identified by teachers in the field," she says. "We have utilized this process for over 35 years." Following consultation with professional agricultural sciences teachers, coursework was designed to include 85 different competencies identified as elements necessary for success.
Billye Foster, Department of Agricultural Education, billye@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/landandpeople/fall2007/article10.pdf
5 THE 2007-2008 TURFGRASS, LANDSCAPE AND URBAN IPM RESEARCH SUMMARY
The recently released 2007-2008 Turfgrass, Landscape and Urban IPM Research Summary includes research findings on pest and weed control, frost damage and other studies related to desert horticulture in Arizona.Sixteen contributors to the volume include entomologists, plant scientists, plant pathologists, soil scientists, turf specialists and others. In addition to evaluations on pesticides, fungicides and herbicides, the report includes a section on the response of various turf varieties to salt stress and drought, the salinity tolerance of cacti and succulents, and an assessment of the damage noted on ornamental landscape plants resulting from the January 2007 freeze.
Individual articles from the 78-page publication can be downloaded from the link below.
Dave Kopec, Department of Plant Sciences, dkopec@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/crops/az1446/
Plan to attend part or all of Osteo Day at the Arizona Capital on Tuesday, April 1. Kathryn K. Brewer, PT, with Mayo Clinic Hospital will present a session on Falls, Fractures & Osteoporosis: Preventing Disaster at 9:00 a.m. in Rm 35 of the AZ House of Representatives. There will be free ultrasound bone density screening, bone health information and DXA scans for high risk individuals from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the Senate Lawn.
Osteoporosis fractures will affect 1 in 2 women over the age of 50. Men also get osteoporosis fractures, although at a lower rate of one of five over the age of 50.
"Osteoporosis is sometimes called a pediatric disease with geriatric outcomes, because calcium consumption, health foods and exercise in the teen and young adults years can influence your bone health later in life," says Sharon Hoeslcher Day, president of the Arizona Osteoporosis Coalition (AZOC) and faculty member with the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension in Maricopa County.
Osteo Day is sponsored by the Arizona Osteoporosis Coalition and its many partners, including the Arizona Department of Health Services, Well Woman, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and College of Medicine, Bone Builders, Scottsdale Healthcare and many others.
The winter edition of the AZOC "Fitbones" newsletter (link below) features details about Osteo Day, the Generations of Women fundraising luncheon, AZOC Updates, Well Woman project and more.
Sharon Hoelscher Day, Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County, shday@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://fitbones.org
Bring your family and enjoy the day with food and fun at the 2008 Arizona Dairy Day, to be held Thursday, April 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Caballero Dairy Farms at 2943 W. Harmon Road in Eloy, Arizona. The event is sponsored by The event is sponsored by Arizona Dairy Cooperative Extension and the UA Department of Animal Sciences, both part of the UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
The day-long expo attracts 750-1000 people and will feature booths representing about 75 vendors from the surrounding rural communities, Tucson and Phoenix metro areas. Farm Credit Services Southwest will host a barbeque lunch and the United Dairymen of Arizona will provide milk and ice cream, plus a jumping castle for the children. A DJ will be on site for music and announcements. There will be no formal tours of the dairy, but Mr. Caballero will allow visitors to walk around the dairy on their own.
Julie Stefanic, Arizona Dairy Extension - Animal Sciences, stefanic@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/extension/dairy/dariyday/info_08.pdf
8 CLIMATE AND DESERTS WORKSHOP APRIL 9-11
Join leading scientists and educators to learn more about emerging climate and desert ecology research. Attend the Climate and Deserts Workshop: Adaptive Management of Desert Ecosystems in a Changing Climate on April 9-11 at the Aquarius Casino Resort in Laughlin, Nevada.The event offers the opportunity to interact with scientists to discuss and create practical tools for natural resource managers, decision-makers and practitioners, and serves as a forum for training, education and discussion regarding climate variation and its impacts on Southwestern desert areas.
The agenda covers a wide range of topics affecting the Sonoran, Mojave, Colorado and Chihuahuan deserts: ecosystem response, modeling, human uses, water, invasive plants, fire regimes and wildlife. Registration information and the agenda are at the link below.
Lisa Graumlich, School of Natural Resources, lisag@cals.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://www.dmg.gov/climate
9 GLOBAL RETAILING CONFERENCE APRIL 10-11
The Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing at The University of Arizona will host the 13th Annual Global Retailing Conference, April 10-11, at Loew's Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson. The conference attracts retail executives and academicians from around the world, as well as students who are preparing for jobs when they graduate.The UA has 350 students studying at the Lundgren Center, regarded as one of the top retail business programs in the country. The center is part of the UA John and Doris Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Lundgren, CEO of Macy's Inc. and a UA graduate, will give the keynote address. Carl E. Steidtmann, the nationally recognized chief economist for Deloitte Research, will discuss "The Consumer-Driven Recession." Christophe Heurtevent and Jan de Jong from Microsoft will examine the impact of emerging technologies on customers. Tech whiz and CEO of online clothier Zapppos.com Tony Hsieh will give his "Top 10 Lessons Learned in E-Commerce."
Mark Ecko, chairman of the clothing and multimedia conglomerate that bears his name (and whose rhino logo can be found at retailers worldwide), will be the closing speaker. Other speakers include Roger Farah, president and chief operating officer of Polo Ralph Lauren ("Development of a Global Brand in Europe"); David Ginsberg, vice president, SAP Industry Solutions ("Balancing Financial Performance with Shopper Needs") and Daria Myers, president of Origins Natural Resources ("Sustainable Innovation: Doing Well by Doing Good").
The conference focuses on offering practical information: specific techniques and strategies to improve how organizations operate in an intensely competitive and changing marketplace.
To read the rest of the article that appeared in uanews.org on March 17, go to http://uanews.org/node/18831
. To register for the conference, visit the link below. Melinda Burke, Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing, mburke@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://globalretailingconference.org/
10 PURPLE PIPES: PROMISES AND PRECAUTIONS FOR WATER REUSE APRIL 16
Come learn about water reuse in Arizona. The University of Arizona Water Sustainability Program in collaboration with UA Cooperative Extension is offering a one-day water reuse workshop to inform participants and community members about water reuse and recycling in Arizona. The workshop will take place on April 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Maricopa Agricultural Center in Maricopa, Arizona.Leading Arizona experts in water quality, municipal irrigation, turfgrass management, and public health will discuss benefits of and precautions for using reclaimed water in the semi-arid Southwest. Additionally, representatives from government agencies and local water utilities will provide perspectives on what is being done to increase water conservation through water recycling while protecting human health.
Following the sessions, an optional field trip to visit the state-of-the-art Global Water Center and a tour of the USDA water research facilities will be offered. To register, contact Channah Rock, or see the link below.
Channah Rock, Maricopa Agricultural Center, channah@cals.arizona.edu
, (520) 381-2258.
To learn more:
http://www.uawater.arizona.edu/eduout/workshops.html
UA SCIENTISTS CRACK CORN GENOME
UA's BIO5 Institute laid some of the groundwork for the sequencing of the maize genome when it sequenced the rice genome a few years ago, says Rod Wing, a UA plant scientist and director of the UA's Plant Genomics Institute. ...
Now, scientists at the University of Arizona's BIO5 Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York and Iowa State University have "looked under the hood" to decipher the genetic code that makes corn grow, adapt to conditions and resist or be susceptible to disease. The work was done under a $29.5 million National Science Foundation Grant over the last three years by more than 50 people, including 10 people working full time at the UA.
To read the rest of this story that appeared in the March 3 issue of the Arizona Daily Star, go to http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/227869.php
Rod Wing, BIO5 Institute, rwing@email.arizona.edu
UA ALUM IN TRADE DELEGATION TO SOUTH KOREA
Third-generation Arizona rancher Andy Groseta is in Seoul making the case for U.S. beef. Andy Groseta, the newly elected president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and a 1972 University of Arizona College of Agriculture graduate, was included in a U.S. delegation that attended the Feb. 25 inauguration of South Korean President-elect Lee Myung-bak.
To read the rest of the article that appeared in uanews.org, see http://uanews.org/node/18504
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