CFANS e-newsletter

Many chronic diseases are associated with lifestyle issues, particularly those related to our diet. Almost every day, we hear a news story about food and how it relates to our health. As new technologies emerge, and as societal needs change, CFANS students, staff and faculty are deeply involved in these issues. You could even say that all of our divisions are a part of our college’s food and health focus.

The new Plant Science and Food, Animal and Nutritional Sciences divisions position the University for “top 3” status in future food and agricultural systems. The college already focuses on healthy foods and plants, energy-crop production systems and organic production. As we go forward, research in integrative biology or “omics” -- such as plant metabolomics and nutritional metabolomics -- will provide the foundation for viable and healthy food production. Animal and nutritional science research will emphasize enhancing healthy attributes of animal products.

There’s more. In at least two of our divisions, investigations are taking place related to bioactive components in foods that may prevent cancer. We’re also working on issues related to food safety and security, as well as over- and under-nutrition. And with a great interest in fuels obtained from food crops, the CFANS divisions that work on energy issues also become part of our focus on food and health.

Healthy, safe food may be the key issue of the future, and we are well positioned to help find solutions through science. CFANS will play a lead role as challenges and discoveries abound in genomics; plant and animal biology; the relationship of food to health; the inter-relatedness of eco-systems; renewable energy; the promise of biocatalysis and bioinformatics; and the economic, communication, and policy issues associated with these discoveries.

'Solutions' magazine debuts

Solutions, the new CFANS magazine, has just published its first issue. This issue includes stories about each of the college's three areas of interest -- food and health, climate change and environment, and renewable fuels and energy -- as well as profiles of college faculty, students and alumni and updates on college news. The magazine will be published three times a year and is mailed to alumni, faculty, staff and friends. The magazine also is published online.

A new "Speaking of Science"

The latest installment of "Speaking of Science" is now online. This series of interviews between CFANS dean Allen Levine and key faculty and staff showcases the variety and depth of the research and outreach work happening throughout the college. The latest interviewee is Vince Fritz, a professor in the Department of Horticultural Science and at the Southern Research and Outreach Center.

Read the Q and A with Vince Fritz

Listen to raw MP3 audio of the interview:

CFANS holds first college commencement
graduation

CFANS held its first commencement ceremonies at Northrop Memorial Auditorium on May 6. Guest speakers at the ceremony were the four college faculty members who have been named Founding Fellows of the University's new Institute on the Environment: Susan Galatowitsch, David Mulla, Anne Kapuscinski and Stephen Polasky. (Click on each person's name to hear his or her portion of the address.)

Ann Hill Duin moves to OIT leadership

Senior Associate Dean Ann Hill Duin will leave CFANS on July 1 to join the Office of Information Technology (OIT) as the Associate Vice President and Deputy CIO responsible for Academic and Distributed Computing Services (ADCS) and Network and Telecommunications Services (NTS). In her new role, Hill Duin will provide academic leadership for establishing a long-term vision and innovative strategic plan that is consistent with the mission, vision, and action strategies for the University.

Dan Erkkila named permanent head of NCROC

After three years as interim head, Dan Erkkila has been named as the permanent head of the North Central Research and Outreach Center at Grand Rapids. He's been the interim head for the past three years. Erkkila has been at the University for more than 15 years. He is a professor of tourism and also has been interim director of the Tourism Center. He’s also worked in the private sector as a natural resource consultant, as well as in the public sector. In his new role he’ll continue to conduct research related to transportation issues, regional tourism development and visitor profiling and economic impacts. He also serves on the Grand Rapids city council.

Three researchers win international study grants

Three CFANS researchers have been awarded grants for international scholarly activities under a new program sponsored by the university's Office of International Programs. CFANS grant awards are to David Smith in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, who will study regional conservation centers in Thailand and Nepal; to Chih-Ming Hung, a conservation biology student, who will study bear populations in Taiwan; and to Haddas Kushnir, a conservation biology student who will study patterns of lion attacks in Tanzania.

Hayes lecture features world-renowned NGO leader

Fazle Hasan Abed, founder of BRAC, one of the world's largest non-governmental organizations, will be the keynote speaker at the annual H.K. Hayes Memorial Lecture on May 31. The organization, which leads economic and social development in nearly 70,000 villages throughout Bangladesh, has 4.2 million borrowers through its micro-loan program, and supports 31,000 one-room, one-teacher schools.

Susan Weller to be interim head of Entomology

Susan Weller, a professor in the Department of Entomology, will become acting head of the department beginning July 1. Mark Ascerno, head of the department, is taking a six-month leave from his administrative duties to work on developing distance-delivery training on integrated pest management. He'll return on January 1.

Forestry Club named one of U's top organizations

The Forestry Club and its advisor, Carl Vogt, recently received the Outstanding Organization of the Year Award at the University's Tony Diggs Excellence Awards. This event recognizes student groups for their contributions to the campus and community throughout the past academic year. The competition included 48 other nominees (student organizations) from across the University. The plaque presented to the club is on display in Room 115 Green Hall.

Events

Here are a few of the upcoming events of interest to the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences community. Visit www.cfans.umn.edu to see more events.

A Discussion on the RFID Privacy Debate and its Implications for the Food Industry

Wednesday, May 16, 1 to 5 p.m.
Coffman Union, U of M East Bank
Speakers at the Food, Technology and Individual Privacy Colloquium, sponsored by the Food Industry Center, will elaborate on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, the benefits of RFID for the food industry and for consumers, and ways RFID privacy concerns can be managed from both ethical and legal perspectives. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

“Crafting Environmental Policy in the Teeth of Possessive Individualism: Whose Land Is It?”

Thursday, May 17 , 3 p.m.
Cargill Building of Microbial and Plant Genetics
The second Philip M. Raup Lecture on Land and Environmental Policy, presented by the Minnesota Lectures on Applied Economics and Policy, originally scheduled for March 1, has been rescheduled. The speaker will be Daniel W. Bromley, Anderson-Bascom Professor of Applied Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The lecture is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is requested.

Bioblitz 2007

Friday, June 8 - Saturday, June 9
Warner Nature Center, Marine On St. Croix
Part contest, part festival, part educational event, and part scientific endeavor, BioBlitz brings together scientists and volunteers from across the state in a race against time. The goal is to count as many species of plants and animals as can be found and identified in a 24-hour survey of a Minnesota natural area. Volunteers can visit with scientists to find out what they do, how they do it, and what their work means to the health of our environment. BioBlitz will take place from 5 p.m. June 8 to 5 p.m. June 9 at Warner Nature Center in Washington County. Guided walks and demonstrations will be held throughout the event. For a schedule, visit bellmuseum.org/bioblitz. To volunteer, call 612-626-2299 or e-mail volunteer@bellmuseum.org. For directions to Warner Nature Center, go to: www.smm.org/warnernaturecenter.

Rat Fest

Thursday, June 14
Bell Museum
“Rat Fest,” an all day expo celebrates one of the most maligned and misunderstood creatures — the rat. Rat breeders, scientists, rat enthusiasts and prize winning rats will come together to celebrate the rodent’s agility and intelligence, as well as its history and place in our ecosystem. The event is part of the Bell Museum’s summer of celebrating “Animals Behaving Badly” —a series of events that playfully explores the quirks and calamities that can happen when wildlife and humans share each other’s back yards.

Art to A-Maze Exhibition

Saturday, June 16-Sunday, Sept. 30
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska
Explore the relationship between people and the natural world on the Art to A-Maze Walk, featuring a juried collection of 15 installations of environmental art, sculpture and interactive exhibits. The walk leads visitors from the Oswald Visitor Center to the Arboretum's new Maze Garden.

St. Paul Campus Reunion

Thursday, June 21
St. Paul campus, U of M
Alumni from the colleges of Design; Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences; , Biological Sciences; Education and Human Development and Veterinary Medicine, as well as the the School of Agriculture will reunite on campus for a day of fun and reminiscing.

National Compost Dairy Barn Conference

Thursday, June 21-Friday, June 22
Holiday Inn, Burnsville
Topics at the conference include composting dynamics, bedding material options, layout and design of compost barns, pack management, cow comfort and performance, economics, use of finished compost, and more. The program also will include a producer panel with three compost barn producers and a tour of compost dairy barns. Cost is $90; contact the Department of Animal Science for details and registration.

Agriculture Open House

Thursday, July 19
St. Paul Campus
Displays of field trials and other ag-related projects will be open to the public, with presentations from faculty and researchers. The event is sponsored by CFANS, Extension and the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station.

Send to a Friend

Do you have any College alumni friends who might want to subscribe to this e-newsletter? Send their names and e-mail addresses to Martin Moen (mmoen@umn.edu), the College's Director of Communications.

Issue 8 - May 16, 2007

CFANS People in the News

In This Issue

From Allen Levine: Future food and ag systems