PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

...Congratulations to Cleo D’Arcy, who was selected to receive the “Excellence in Teaching Award” from the American Phytopathological Society.  The award will be presented next week at APS in Canada.

...Congratulations to Eunsoo Choe, Bradley Engel and Virginia McHugh-Kurtz on the completion of their masters degrees.  Eunsoo worked with Torbert Rocheford and is continuing her studies toward a Ph.D. degree.  Brad was advised by Martin Bohn and is working as a Research Associate at Pioneer Hi-Bred International.  Virginia was advised by Fred Below.

...Congratulations to Ines Daverede, Emily Heaton and Nicolas Martin on the completion of their doctoral degrees.  Ines was advised by Bob Hoeft and has returned to Argentina to work as a private consultant.  Emily worked with Stephen Long and is now in California employed as a manager of energy crop product development with Ceres.  Nick was advised by Don Bullock and is now a GIS Scientist with Syngenta in Minnesota.

FUNDING RECEIVED

...CFAR has awarded $22,500 each to Gustavo Caetano-Anolles, Matt Hudson and Steve Moose for The Sentinel Crop Gene Identification Project.

...The Critical Research Initiative Grant awarded Lila Vodkin $200,000 for the project “The Role of Small RNAs in Shaping Diversity and Evolution of Crop Plants.”

...The Illinois Department of Agriculture granted $22,393 to Mohammad Babadoost for the project “Determining Occurrence and Distribution of Viruses Causing Cucurbit Diseases in Illinois”;   $23,500 to Germán Bollero for “Transition to Organic Systems:  How to Improve the Use of Winter Cover Crops to Enhance Nitrogen Cycling and Reduce Nitrate Leaching”; $9,800 to Dawn Refsell for “Ornamental Herbicide Injury Guide and Field Project”; and $68,092 to Bruce Paulsrud for the Pesticide Safety Education Program Training.

...Pat Tranel received $5,000 for each of two projects from the Illinois Soybean Association.  They are “Investigations of Glyphosate-Resistant Common Water Hemp” and the “Molecular Analysis of Glyphosate-Selected Water Hemp Populations.”

...Mohammad Babadoost received $54,000 from  USDA/ARS for the project “Monitoring Soybean Cyst Nematode Infecting Bacteria,”  Matt Hudson received $81,781 and Terry Niblack received $37,719 from USDA/NRI for the project “Whole Genome Analysis of the Soybean Cyst Nematode,”  Susan Ratcliffe received $10,305 from USDA for “A Transition from Integrated Pest Management Facilitator to Co-Director for the North Central Region.”

...Michael Plewa received $130,000 from the Illinois Waste Management and Research Center for the project “Greening Metalworking Fluids Purchasing Using Multicriteria Methodologies.”

GRANTS/FELLOWSHIPS

...The Humboldt Research Fellowship Program supports highly qualified scientists and scholars of all nationalities and discipline so they may carry out long-term research projects in Germany.  Applicants must have a doctoral degree and be less than 40 years of age.  For applications and information.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Aug. 1, 4:00 p.m., DeKalb Field Day

Aug. 3, 8:00 a.m., Dixon Springs Field Day

Aug. 17, 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Agronomy Day 2006 “50 Years of Progress” at the Crop Sciences Research and Education Center (South Farm), Urbana, IL

Aug. 21, 4:00 p.m., Orr Center Field Day

Aug. 22, 8:00 a.m., Monmouth Field Day

Sept. 7, 9:00 a.m., Ewing Field Day

PERSONALS

...Congratulations to Ian Renne and Laura Martin on the birth of their daughter, Leah Eileen, on July 13.

...Knowing people nice as you gives life a brighter touch, and so, to each and all of you, thanks very, very much.  Thanks to each of you for attending my farewell reception or the many kind words and phone calls.  You are all very special to me.  Your contributions were way too generous.  I will find something very special for my garden to remember you.  I miss you all, but am meeting so many wonderful people here as well.  It was my pleasure to be a part of the Crop Sciences “family”.  Mary Martin

...To members of the Crop Sciences Department, We so appreciate the lovely flower arrangement which you sent to honor Don at his memorial service.  And we thank you also for the card & kind words of sympathy.  Don so enjoyed his contact with his university colleagues across the country.  Sincerely, Selma Duvick & family

...Crop Sciences Department friends,  Thank you so much for the lovely green plants you sent to my mother’s funeral.  They were quite nice and I brought them home with me and turned their care over to Susie and her green thumb.  I appreciate the kind expressions of sympathy and the many cards sent to me and my family, and the understanding of my co-workers during my lengthy absence.  Linda Ingram & family

...Crop Sciences,  Thank you for the lovely yellow mums and orange lilies arrangement for Tom.  It was beautiful and Tom would have loved it.  We appreciate your kindness and sympathy at a difficult time like this.  Tom was sick for eight months but not in pain.  He had a lot of transfusions and got weaker.  He fought hard--had 5 different chemos--but couldn’t do it.  The pain came the last 3 days and that is nothing we can stand.  God bless each of you.  Sincerely, Fran Hinesly

UPCOMING CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIA & WORKSHOPS

...The 1st International Conference on Desert Cultivation “Future of Desert Cultivation, Problems & Solutions” to be held March 27-29, 2007 in Suzan Mubarek Conferences Center, Minia Univeristy, Egypt.

...The Convergence of Genomics and the Land Grant Mission:  Emerging Trends in the Application of Genomics in Agricultural Research Conference will be held September 10-12, 2007 at Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.