07/11/18
K-State Current - July 11, 2018
K-State Current is a weekly news update for the Kansas Board of Regents to apprise the Regents on a few of the many successes and achievements made by K-State faculty, staff and students.
K-State News
Beef Cattle Institute podcast now available to download
Because veterinarians and beef producers are often on the road, the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University has launched "BCI Cattle Chat," a weekly podcast to provide current industry information to its on-the-go audience.
The university's Bob Larson, a veterinarian and professor of production medicine; Brad White, a veterinarian and director of the Beef Cattle Institute; Dustin Pendell, professor of agricultural economics; and Bob Weaber, professor and beef extension specialist, make up the podcast team.
"A lot of valuable research takes place at K-State and other land-grant universities, and busy producers need convenient ways to receive information about the latest developments in beef production and marketing," Larson said. "By having professors from animal science, agricultural economics and veterinary medicine addressing timely topics, and important management and marketing issues, producers receive more well-rounded answers that cross several disciplines."
Short, conversational updates are recorded weekly and distributed to iTunes, Google Play and Castbox on Friday for download. Topics range from production and management tips to updates on industry news and practice management.
"The goal is to allow us to share information in a new format that is accessible by those people who are busy and on the go," White said. "It benefits the industry by providing updates to producers who can transfer this information into actionable strategies to fit their operations and practices."
"BCI Cattle Chat" is also an interactive tool, and the team has received and addressed questions from listeners across the country. Listeners can submit questions and suggested topics to bci@k-state.edu.
Podcast episodes can be downloaded directly to your mobile device or accessed from a desktop for easy listening on iTunes, Google Play and Castbox. More information on downloading the podcast can be found at ksubci.org/media/podcast.
Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities awarded $1.2 million contract
The Kansas State University-founded program, Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities, or KCCTO, has been awarded a $1.2 million one-year contract that began July 1, with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods.
This contract is a continued extension of a September 2012 contract funded through the Kansas Department for Children and Families Child Care Development Block Grant Funds. The funds helped to establish the Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities trainer directory and training delivery system as well as the Child Development Associate resources center and scholarship program.
The new contract will be used to support early childhood education across Kansas by improving training and technical assistance opportunities that are made available to providers in person and through virtual assistance.
"In the new project, we will be able to enhance our content specific technical assistance to providers in addition to providing training," said Patty Peschel, Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities program director. "Different variations of technical assistance include providing coaching, mentoring and peer-to-peer support."
Founded in 1986 by K-State Human Ecology faculty in the School of Family Studies and Human Services, the Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities has a long-standing history of supplying training and resources for licensure and credentialing to early childhood facilities throughout the state, and currently reaches the majority of providers within the first 30 days of their employment. Since its founding, the program has continuously broadened the breadth of individuals they serve, in large part because of the implementation of online learning, logging more than 67,000 unique training enrollments last year.
According to Bronwyn Fees, a member at large of the Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities board of directors and an associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Human Ecology, the focus of the Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities has always been on providing professional development for those who work with young children in various capacities.
In addition, the grant will support the expansion of Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities training to include school-age providers, the formation of a statewide professional development advisory committee, and the creation of a statewide calendar of professional development events and training opportunities provided by Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities and their partners.
To learn more about Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities, visit kccto.org.
K-State Faculty Highlights
Veterinary researcher examines invasive squirrel species at Jerusalem zoo
An internationally found, five-striped palm squirrel has a Kansas State University veterinary researcher learning how to keep the rodent from driving people nuts.
David Eshar, assistant professor in companion exotic pets, wildlife and zoo animal medicine, is currently collaborating with the Tisch Family Zoological Gardens in Jerusalem, Israel, examining the northern palm squirrel, or Funambulus pennantii.
The five-striped palm squirrel is native to India, but can become a feral invasive species through illegal pet trade. In this research project, Eshar is testing an injectable anesthesia protocol for these squirrels supported by a department of clinical sciences research grant.
"This is part of the historical collaboration I have with the Jerusalem zoo," Eshar said. "This is a great opportunity for Israeli zoo vets and students to take part in zoo related research. I enjoy mentoring promising individuals."
"Research proposals submitted to the department of clinical sciences are intended to help facilitate clinical sciences faculty complete small-scale research projects," said Elizabeth Davis, professor and department head of clinical sciences. "These projects are intended to be pilot level — preliminary data — for larger projects or small projects that can help faculty obtain data that can contribute to their publication success.
"The current work being completed by Dr. Eshar and colleagues provides an example of a valuable study for a unique population of animals that would otherwise be challenging to successfully fund. He is likely to obtain data that can improve understanding about the physiology of this population that will be disseminated to other exotics clinicians that work in this field through publication in the peer reviewed veterinary literature."
The Jerusalem zoo is opening a new exhibit soon for the squirrel species. Eshar said this is an invasive species under strict control by the Israeli national wildlife authorities. The research will allow zoo officials to educate the public on the dangers of invasive species.
"This squirrel species is a huge problem in Australia," Eshar explained. "For me as a zoo medicine specialist, this is a great opportunity to perform research and generate novel clinical knowledge in an uncommon species."
Eshar will return to K-State to resume his regular teaching duties in the fall.
K-State Student News
Music composition graduate receives Phi Kappa Phi fellowship
Kansas State University student Alex Wakim, May 2018 Bachelor of Music graduate, Wichita, has earned a 2018 Phi Kappa Phi graduate fellowship.
Phi Kappa Phi awarded fellowships to 57 members entering their first year of graduate or professional school. Wakim is receiving a $5,000 fellowship from the national collegiate honor society to study film music with a concentration in music theatre at New York University.
"I am delighted to have been at K-State and am going to miss it, but am thrilled for future opportunities," Wakim said about receiving the Phi Kappa Phi fellowship.
"Each university can only nominate one individual for consideration nationally, so it is a very competitive process," said Jim Hohenbary, director of the university's Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships. "Our university nominating committee was really impressed with Alex's wide-ranging musical accomplishments. It's rewarding to see his dedication and hard work affirmed through his recognition as a fellow."
As an undergraduate, Wakim researched and wrote music in a variety of forms. During his sophomore year, he collaborated with Wildcat Watch, a student-run video production service, to produce music videos for voice and piano. His junior year, he collaborated with professional aerialists, ballerinas and a videographer to set his music to dance. His senior year, Wakim collaborated with the theater program to stage the production of his original musical, "An American In Beirut." He attended the Palomar Film Music Workshop to learn how to be a professional media composer, which culminated in preparing and producing a live, professional orchestral score. In addition, he was commissioned to write, perform and record a piece as part of the Alba Music Fest, also resulting in a professional performance and recording.
Before graduating from the university summa cum laude, Wakim led the Wakim Jazz Trio, participated in Los Yumas Latin jazz group, and was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. In addition to the Phi Kappa Phi fellowship, he received the Pi Kappa Lambda Society invitation, the Presser Foundation Award and first place in the Kansas Soundscapes blind submission composition competition in 2018, 2017 and 2016.