Transportation Services has a new on-line system for reserving university vehicles. A signed intramural purchase order form is no longer required. To make a reservation, use the on-line form at the following link: http://www.transportation.iastate.edu/reservations.html. If you need help with the reservation process, please contact me. If you make your own reservation, please make sure I receive a copy of the confirmation for the department file.

Luisa Menapace (left), a recent ISU Department of Economics PhD graduate, is this year’s winner of the prestigious Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award from the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA).

Menapace’s dissertation is entitled "Geographical Indications and Quality Promotion in Food and Agricultural Markets: Domestic and International Issues." While she says that she thought her dissertation was well-written, she was also “genuinely surprised” to receive the award.

The elements which helped her dissertation stand out, she says, was the choice of a topic with policy implications of broad interest, the development of a set of models that paid close attention to the work of real-world institutions, communicating in a way that reached a broad audience, and a balance between theory and applied economic analysis.

Menapace graduated from the department in the spring of 2010 with a PhD in economics. Her thesis advisor was Professor GianCarlo Moschini, Pioneer Chair in Science and Technology Policy and an AAEA Fellow. She is currently working in a postdoctoral position at the University of Trento in her native city of Trento, Italy.

Professor Moschini has first-hand knowledge of the value of this professional recognition, having himself received the AAEA Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award many years ago. “Luisa fully deserves this award,” he says. “She was creative and worked very hard in her dissertation. Her intellectual ambition and determination really paid off.”

The AAEA, formerly the American Agricultural Economics Association, is the main professional association serving the interests of members working in agricultural and broadly related fields of applied economics.

On the behalf of the Organizing and Scientific Committees, the United Nations Working Group announces the UN summit (MDGs WE CAN END POVERTY 2015) to be held at the International Conference Centre London on 6th - 9th October 2011. We also would like to extend this special invitation to you and all your colleagues to participate in the UN Millennium Development Goals International Conference & Exposition.

This unprecedented and historic event is dedicated to the exchange of scientific data, governmental assessments, and public policies concerning community development, including poverty reduction and gender equality. Attendees of the MDGs International Conference would be delegates from around the world, representing academic institutions, corporate sectors, nongovernmental organizations, community associations, Leaders of religious organizations. Private and Public participation are highly encouraged.

Participants who wish to learn of recent developments in United Nations MDGs will be exposed to invited plenary lectures and concurrent sessions followed by open workshop discussions with outstanding speakers and multi-disciplinary researchers and scientists. Open discussions are planned to consider the broad challenges of UN MDGs upon, community development, human health, and economic infrastructures at local, national, regional and global scales.

Along with conference lectures and workshops, the UN MDG Exposition at the International Conference Centre London will include over 175 booths at which representatives from the health, educational and agricultural sector will present their programs to address the challenges of MDGs. Other corporate bodies and environmental organizations will present projects and training opportunities to participants.

For registration, visa and flight ticket details contact Mr. Evans Southgate, [Organizing Secretary] United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Summit. (Conference Organizing Secretary) e-mail: evsouthgat@aol.co.uk we call on individuals and organizations who may wish to submit papers for presentation at the summit plenary sessions to do so on the following Theme---

• MDGs Access to Freedom from Poverty and Hunger
• Gender Equity and Women Empowerment Sustainability
• Sustainable Development and Environmental Concerns
• Education and Health for All: Challenges and Perspectives

Important Dates: Registration/paper Abstract submission 23rd September 2011; Notification of acceptance of paper Abstract 30th September, 2011; Conference Dates 6th - 9th October 2011

The College of Natural Resources at the University of California at Berkeley has one available position for a Research Specialist. This position will provide research support for a Committee on Research Bridging Grant to study the impact of migrant workers in Central America & Mexico, specifically how migrants impact wages and agricultural production systems. In addition, the incumbent will coordinate the analysis of and contribute to seek funding for ecosystem services & climate change issues in Latin America. Responsibilities include data collection efforts from several sources such as personal interviews, existing immigration reports, household surveys, censuses and the Internet. This position requires travel and working closely with faculty members to design a work plan for successful completion of this project, and the capacity to coordinate research between UC Berkeley faculty and higher education and research institutions in Latin America such as the CATIE, IICA, major research universities, as well as non-profits and non-governmental institutions throughout Latin America. The incumbent will convey project results via presentations at seminars, in writing via partial and final reports, and publications in scholarly journals. Position has a base full-time salary of $51,720 per year, commensurate with experience.

Required Qualifications: Ph.D. preferred in natural resources, environmental economics, or a similar field. Possess a general knowledge of the immigration literature and the ability to manipulate potentially large data sets. Must be fully bilingual in English and Spanish. Additionally, the applicant must have substantial experience carrying out research in multicultural settings in the Latin American context.

Interested applicants should send a cover letter, CV, and contact information for at least three references to CNR Specialist Search, 101 Giannini Hall #3100, Berkeley, CA 94720-3100, or e-mail application material to specialistcnr@gmail.com. Application deadline is September 16, 2011.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Applicants should ask referees to review the UC Berkeley Statement of Confidentiality found at http://apo.chance.berkeley.edu/evalltr.html

Chen, Y. and W.E. Huffman. “Reading Food Labels, Food Prices and Adult Lifestyle Choices: Regular Physical Activity and Healthy Weight.” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 93(2011):370-377.

Colson, G. and W.E. Huffman. "Consumers' Willingness to Pay for GM Foods and Product-Enhances Consumer Attributes." American Journal of Agricultural Economics 93(2011):358-363.

Schuring, J., W.E. Huffman and X. Fan. "Genetically Modified Crops and Midwestern Farm Production: Evidence at the State Level." Presented at the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA), Pittsburgh, PA, July 24-26, 2011.