PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

...The Provost's Office announced that Cleo D'Arcy has been selected as a 2005-2006 University Distinguished Teacher/Scholar. Congratulations!

...Congratulations to Robert Dunker, who was elected President of the Research Center Administrators Society at their recent annual meeting in Little Rock, AR. RCAS is a national professional society established to advance the acquisition and dissemination of scientific knowledge concerning the nature, use, improvement, and interrelationships of research center administration, scientific research, and new technology.

...Congratulations to those who received research grants. Fred Below received $90,000 from BASF for the project “Physiological Basis for Strobilurin Induced Enhancement in Crop Productivity”; and, Matt Hudson, $25,000 from the USDA for “Soybean Disease Biotechnology Center III”. Illinois Soybean Program Operating Board awarded Aaron Hager, $13,430 for the project “Influence of Cropping System and Management Systems on Weed Communities”; and, Jack Widholm, $30,000 for “Proposal for ISPOB Program Area in Soybean Improvement Through Biotechnology and Functional Genomics”. Vera Lozovaya received $21,235 matching funds from the College as part of her Consortium for Plant Biotechology Research project “Enhancing Soybean Root Resistance to Soilborne Pathogens”.

...Congratulations to Jennifer Freeman, on the completion of her Ph.D. degree. She worked under the direction of Lane Rayburn and is now working with Dr. Charles Lee at Harvard Medical School and Brigham Women’s Hospital.

...Congratulations to Tamra Jackson who completed her Ph.D. degree working with Terry Niblack. Tamra will be an Assistant Professor/Extension Specialist in Corn & Grain Sorghum Pathology at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln in the Plant Pathology Department.

...B.J. (William) Patzoldt received the Weed Science Society of America Outstanding Graduate Student Award at their recent annual meeting in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii. B. J. is a Ph.D. student with Pat Tranel.

...Jared Schroeder has received the 2005 William H. Luckmann Award for Student Research in Insect Pest Management. This award is given in recognition of his excellent presentation of his research project and his commitment to research in insect pest management. Jared is an M.S. student with Mike Gray and Susan Ratcliffe.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Apr. 4, Crop Science Faculty “Dialogue With the Dean”, noon, 350B ERML.

Apr. 13, Gamma Sigma Delta Banquet, 6:00 p.m.; Levis Faculty Center Second Floor

Apr. 22, ACES Faculty Meeting, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.; LIAC Heritage Room

Apr. 24, ACES Student Awards Banquet, 11:00 a.m.; Hawthorn Suites

Apr. 26, ACES and Paul A. Funk Recognition Awards Program; Illini Union

May 4, ACES Retiree Reception, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.; LIAC Heritage Room

May 15, ACES Undergraduate Convocation, 9:30 a.m. ACES Graduate Convocation, 10:00 a.m. UI Commencement, 2:00 p.m.

Aug. 18, Agronomy Day

Sept. 19 & 20, Department of Crop Sciences Retreat at Allerton Conference Center

UPCOMING CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIA & WORKSHOPS

...The Coal Combustion By-Products Forum “Regulation, Risk, and Reclamation with CCBs at Mines: A Technical Interactive Forum” will be held April 13-14, 2005 at the Lexington Center’s Heritage Hall/Hyatt Regency in Lexington, KY.

...The Agricultural Genome Sciences and Public Policy Fellows forum, “Food for Thought: Biotechnology and the Consumer” will be held from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, April 2, at the University of Illinois Illini Union Illini rooms A, B, and C, 1401 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois. For more information on the forum as well as registration information, please visit our website, http://www.conferences.uiuc.edu/foodforthought.

...The Twenty-Fifth Annual ESRI International User Conference will be held July 25-29, 2005 in San Diego, CA.

GRANTS/FELLOWSHIPS

...The Maria Pia Gratton Award, which includes a tuition waiver and a stipend, is intended to enable a female graduate student from outside the United States to have an academic and cultural experience at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This award was established by the family and friends of Maria Pia Gratton after her death on October 31, 1995, at the age of 47.

GRAD STUDENT BULLETIN BOARD

...There are dozens of workshops sponsored by the Graduate College and other units on campus to help support graduate students. See the Graduate College Calendar for an up-to-date list.

...Important deadlines for graduate student registration, thesis deposit, and degree completion are available.

PERSONALS

...Thank you very much for the beautiful basket of plants and flowers that were sent to me during my stay in the hospital. It was very much appreciated and really brightened my day. Kris Ritter

...To the friends of Candice in Crop Sciences: Thank you so much to all of you for your expression of sympathy and for the beautiful plant. Candice loved her time at Turner Hall and all the wonderful people she met over the years. Sincerely, Joe Duchene & family

PUBLICATIONS

Gao, X., Jackson, T. A., Lambert, K. N., Li, S., Hartman, G. L., and Niblack, T. L. 2004. Detection and quantification of Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines in soybean roots with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Plant Dis. 88:1372-1380.

Hill, C.B., Y. Li, and G. L. Hartman. 2004. Resistance to the soybean aphid in soybean germplasm. Crop Sci. 44:98-106.

Kull, L.S., W.L. Pedersen, and G. L. Hartman. 2004. Mycelial compatibility and aggressiveness of Slcerotinia sclerotiorum. Plant Dis. 88:325-332.

Li, Y., Hill, C. B., and Hartman, G. L. 2004. The effect of three resistant soybean genotypes on the fecundity, mortality, and maturation of the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines (Homoptera: Aphididae). J. of Econ. Entomol. 97:1106-1111.

Lozovaya, V.V., A.V. Lygin, L. S., G. L. Hartman, and J.M. Widholm. 2004. Biochemical response of soybean roots to Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines infection. Crop Sci. 44:819-826.

Lozovaya, V. V., Lygin, A. V., Zernova, O. V., Li, S., Hartman, G. L., and Widholm, J. M. 2004. Isoflavonoid accumulation in soybean hairy roots upon treatment with Fusarium solani. Plant Phys. & Bioch. 42:671-679.

SEMINARS

Mar. 29, noon, Philippine Student Association, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Apr. 1, noon, Ann Varghese, Organizing Fellow, Bread for the World, “Eliminating Extreme Proverty and Hunger”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Apr. 5, noon, John Setterlund, Joel Schwitzer and students, “Interfaith Work at UIUC”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.

Apr. 8, noon, Lori Heninger, Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children, “Gender Equality and Empowering Women”, Latzer Hall, YMCA.