K-State Current - February 14, 2019

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

Community invited to Distinguished Young Alumni presentations Feb. 26 The K-State Student Alumni Board, a program of the K-State Alumni Association, will honor the 2019 Distinguished Young Alumni Award recipients, Dr. Charley Cull and Kale Monk, Ph.D., on Feb. 26.

Established in 2012, the award recognizes two Kansas State University graduates who are younger than 35 and are using the scholarship, leadership and service experience they acquired at K-State to excel in their professions and contribute to their communities.

Cull and Monk will return to campus Feb. 25-27 to visit with student groups and university classes. The K-State community is invited to attend their keynote presentations Feb. 26 in Town Hall in the Leadership Studies Building. Monk's presentation will begin at 3:30 p.m. A casual reception will take place from 4-4:30 p.m. in the lobby of the building, followed by Cull's presentation at 4:30 p.m.

"Charley and Kale have accomplished so much very early in their careers," said Marcus Kidd, assistant director of student programs for the Alumni Association and Student Alumni Board adviser. "They are great examples of K-Staters who learned how to be leaders through their college experiences. Those experiences molded who they are today and contribute to their successes both personally and professionally. We encourage everyone to join us for the keynote presentations, which are sure to be inspiring not only to current students but also to alumni, faculty and staff."

Cull, a native of Oakland, Nebraska, is a veterinarian and clinical research associate and director of stocker and grazing cattle operations for Midwest Veterinary Services Inc. and Central States Research Centre Inc. of Oakland, Nebraska, and the satellite facility, Veterinary Biomedical Research Center Inc. of Manhattan, Kansas.

Monk, a native of Bennington, Kansas, is an assistant professor, state Extension specialist and Center for Policy and Family Research Fellow at the University of Missouri. While at K-State, Monk was a member of Mortar Board Honor Society, HandsOn K-State, K-State Cru and the Staley School of Leadership Studies.

Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus Scholarship Patrol travels around Kansas

Kansas State University's Polytechnic Campus implemented a new initiative to engage and welcome students to the Polytechnic family: the Kansas State Polytechnic Scholarship Patrol.

Inspired by the Publisher's Clearinghouse model, a crew of enrollment management and marketing team members traveled across the state of Kansas, surprising scholarship winners at their home and work. The patrol awarded more than $228,000 in scholarships to 22 students in 13 cities.

"Having the ability to provide scholarships to deserving students, knowing we are changing lives for the better, this is why we do what we do," said Christopher Smith, Kansas State Polytechnic executive director of enrollment management, marketing and financial aid. "I could not be more proud of these students and am looking forward to having them on the Polytechnic Campus this fall."

Family members and colleagues worked with Kansas State Polytechnic to schedule the stops and ensure the visits remained a surprise for scholarship winners. Stops were made in Andover, Delphos, Kansas City, Leawood, Leonardville, Manhattan, Newton, Overland Park, Salina, Shawnee, Topeka and Wichita, as well as in Kansas City, Missouri. The Kansas State Polytechnic Scholarship Patrol made its rounds on Jan. 26 and Feb. 2.

In all, the 11-member patrol traveled 1,005 miles in 18.5 hours.

"Charlie was truly surprised," said Roxanna Rusco, mother of Charlie Rusco, a 2019 scholarship recipient and future Kansas State Polytechnic professional pilot student from Topeka. "So thoughtful that you all take the time to recognize these future students."

K-State Faculty Highlights

K-Stater to serve as officer for national writers organization

A K-State faculty member will serve as an officer of a national organization of western writers.

Ron Wilson, director of K-State's Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development, has been elected secretary of the national chapter of Western Wordsmiths. Western Wordsmiths is an organization for writers of prose and poetry about the American West.

"The organization is for authors, cowboy poets, lyricists, or others with an interest in writing about western history and contemporary life," Wilson said.

Western Wordsmiths is affiliated with the International Western Music Association.

"I'm pleased to work with others in seeking to improve our craft," Wilson said.

Kurt Gartner receives Award for Excellence in Latin Music and Jazz Education at national festival

Kurt Gartner, K-State associate director of music and professor of percussion, has been recognized by the Johnny Pacheco Latin Music and Jazz Festival, Lehman College/City University of New York, for Excellence in Latin Music and Jazz Education.

The award was presented by Allan Molnar, festival executive producer and artistic director, on Nov. 15, 2018, during the performance of the K-State Latin Jazz Ensemble, which was a featured group of that evening's concert.

This is Gartner's third time at the festival as a clinician and performer. Last year marked the 10th year of the festival and the 50th anniversary of Lehman College. The Johnny Pacheco Latin Music and Jazz Festival at Lehman College is an annual event which provides performance and learning opportunities for talented young musicians who are studying music in New York City schools. The Pacheco Festival is committed to developing a worldwide audience via live internet streaming and other forms of broadcast media. More than 250 student musicians perform at this festival each year.

Faculty in the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance have received Grammy awards and nominations, and Emmy awards; produced recordings on international and national CD labels; published books and journal articles with international and national publishing houses and professional organizations; and performed and presented research in every continent in the world, except Antarctica. The School of Music, Theatre, and Dance is a part of the College of Arts and Sciences. Visit k-state.edu/mtd to learn more about music, theatre and dance at K-State.

K-State Student News

K-State Engineering Extension enters into partnership with Enel Green Power North America

The Kansas Energy Program, administered through the Office of Engineering Extension at Kansas State University, recently entered into a partnership with Enel Green Power North America, or Enel, to provide wind energy education through KidWind Challenges and other educational activities for K-12 teachers in the state of Kansas.

For 2019, the Kansas Energy Program has planned four regional KidWind Challenges throughout the state — Burlington, Dodge City, Manhattan and Oakley — and one statewide event in Topeka. The KidWind Challenge is the ultimate wind energy learning experience for fourth- through 12th-grade students. The goal is for students to have fun building a device that converts moving wind into electricity while learning physics, engineering, environmental science and policy throughout the process. Participating students:

• Design, build and test a functional, creative wind turbine
• Compete with their peers in a supportive environment.
• Discover the promise and limitations of wind energy technology.

Enel, a leading owner and operator of renewable energy projects, currently has the largest installed wind capacity in the state of Kansas. For the Kansas Energy Program partnership, Enel has contributed $10,000 for the KidWind Challenges and other wind energy educational activities. Additionally, Enel will provide technical resources through its wind industry experts and can assist in wind energy education through tours and presentations at schools and other events.

"We are excited to receive this financial support from Enel," said David Carter, director of the Kansas Energy Program. "The funds will be used to help schools defray the cost to attend KidWind Challenges, which will allow more students to take part, and ultimately, bring interactive, hands-on wind energy education to a wider audience."

For more information about the KidWind Challenge, visit kansasenergyprogram.org/kidwindchallenge. Interested persons can also contact Carter at dcarter@k-state.edu or 785-532-4998.

Kansas State University collaborates with the American Soybean Association to launch $17M aqua-feed program in Cambodia His Excellency Veng Sakhon, Cambodian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Michael E. Newbill, chargé d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia (both seated), announced with other U.S. and Cambodian dignitaries the launch of the Commercialization of Aquaculture for Sustainable Trade project on January 31 in Phnom Penh. Kansas State University’s Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research and Sustainable Intensification worked with American Soybean Association’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health to initiate CAST. (photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh)

Scientists and leaders from Kansas State University announced last week the creation of a unique project that brings together soybean growers in the United States and fish farms in Cambodia to build sustainable food and trade networks.

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research and Sustainable Intensification (SIIL) at Kansas State University, in partnership with the American Soybean Association’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health, officially launched the Commercialization of Aquaculture for Sustainable Trade Cambodia project, which is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture Food for Progress program.

CAST was awarded $17.1 million for five years in six key regions, making it possible for Cambodia’s private sector and universities to work closely with U.S. soybean growers and businesses, as well as academic and non-governmental organizations.

CAST will connect trade and development by accelerating the production of high-demand fish species for the Cambodian market and developing a lasting aquaculture industry that recognizes the value of soybean protein in feed.

The partnership will work to increase the productivity of aquaculture farms in six provinces around the country by providing training to increase the quality of and access to resources and markets, as well as promoting policies that will better support aquaculture farmers and their needs.

CAST-Cambodia held its official launch in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on January 31 and featured remarks from His Excellency Veng Sakhon, Cambodian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Michael E. Newbill, chargé d’affaires, at the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh. Also in attendance for the launch were Megan Francic of the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, and Jim Hershey, chief of party for CAST-Cambodia, as well as a delegation from the American Soybean Association.

Sakhon expressed his appreciation for this collaborative partnership with U.S. institutions, the USDA, and the United States Agency for International Development, which funds SIIL. He said these types of projects promote economic stability and help to improve the livelihoods of Cambodians, while building people’s confidence and trust by promoting agricultural health.

The CAST project will benefit from the expertise of SIIL and its linkages with the Royal University of Agriculture’s Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition (CE SAIN) in Cambodia, according to the center’s director Lyda Hok.

“This is a great opportunity to continue to build capacity within the Royal University of Agriculture and strengthen our partnership with Kansas State University and other U.S. institutions,” he said.

CAST will be managed through SIIL by associate director Jan Middendorf and research professor Manny Reyes.

“Connecting the CAST partners with SIIL and CE SAIN provides an effective knowledge-sharing platform designed to extend Cambodia’s private-sector network, especially related to feed mills and hatcheries,” said Vara Prasad, University Distinguished Professor and SIIL director.

Promoting food and nutrition security both at home and abroad is important to Kansas State University, said Ernie Minton, interim dean of the College of Agriculture and interim director of K-State Research and Extension. “Anytime the university can participate in improving the lives of farmers and increasing the capacity of the agricultural sector, we are fulfilling our role as a world-class university and research institution.”

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