September 21, 2012
College of Agriculture, Sept. 2012
Submitted by Debra Webb
- K-State’s Weed Science Team -- Kim Kerschen, Jake Wyrill, and Jessie Zimmerman from Kansas State University and David Brachtenbach, student at Colorado State University -- won the overall undergraduate team category at the North Central Weed Science Society Collegiate Weed Contest. Andrew Esser, Amar Godar, Zane Raudenbush, Kindsey Myers, and Josh Putman competed in the graduate student division in which Godar won second place overall and first in weed identification. Agronomy professors Dallas Peterson and Anita Dille coach the teams.
- Jordan Pieschl, sophomore in agricultural communications and journalism and animal sciences and industry, and Andrew Strasburg, senior in international agribusiness, were part of the student team that accepted a national award for a new member training program at the Affiliated Student Advancement Programs Conference sponsored by the National Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Pieschl and Andrew Waldman, senior in industrial engineering, also gave a presentation on the K-State Alumni Association’s Wildcats Forever program.
- David Lambert, head of the department of agricultural economics, is the president-elect of the National Association of Agricultural Economics Administrators. He will be responsible for sessions at the association's 2013 annual meetings, as well as the biannual national meeting.
- Grain science students Becky Benoit, Heather Gibson, Brad Hermreck and Sabrina Reynolds participated in the summer intern public policy experience hosted by the North American Millers’ Association in Washington, D.C. They learned about connections between legislation and the mills where they interned.
- Kimberly Williams, professor of greenhouse management, and Cathie Lavis, associate professor of landscape management, are serving as co-chairs of the Faculty Exchange for Teaching Excellence.
- Agricultural communications and journalism student results from the Agricultural Media Summit: Robin Kleine, Forrest Bassford Award finalist; Wyatt Bechtel, Overall Award for Excellence in Writing and first place in both News Writing and Research-Related Writing; Amanda Spoo, first place in the Publication Division for Newspaper, Tabloid and Newsletter; and Megan Brouk, third place in Written Report. Greg Peterson, who produced the “I’m Farming and I Grow It” video, sang the national anthem at a luncheon. The Kansas Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow chapter will host the 2014 Professional Development Conference in Manhattan.
- Yanjie Bai, grain science doctoral student from China, earned one of five Kansas State University Research Foundation doctoral research scholarships. Bai is looking at an improved method to develop octenylsuccinic anhydride modified starch, which is used as an emulsifier in the food and beverage industry. A patent application has been filed for the technology. Yong-Cheng Shi, professor of grain science, is his mentor.
- Jared Crain and Sarah Battenfield, doctoral candidates in genetics, are two of the fellows in the prestigious Monsanto Beachell-Borlaug International Scholars program for 2013. They, along with Sandra Dunckel, a 2012 fellow, and their professors, Jesse Poland and Allan Fritz, were honored at the Sept. 15 football game.
