Perfect Poster Presentation

Chuck Zimmerman

NCWSSNow it’s time to talk about “Crafting the Perfect Poster: Catchy, Clear, and Concise.”

Christy Sprague, Michigan State University, is doing this presentation and we’re clicking with TurningPoint again. I think she’s really just trying to keep us awake. Not really. Our presenters are doing a great job. I think Vince (right) sat in the first row so he could get in all my pictures.

I’ve always wondered about posters. Christy says that if you aren’t comfortable doing public speaking then do a poster. That makes sense. I know the NCWSS has a student poster contest.

Just like with a talk, making a good poster presentation contains distinct elements and they’re very similar but slightly different. Like Karen in the last presentation you can find Christy’s talk on their website later on.

Ag Groups

Make That Scientific Presentation

Chuck Zimmerman

NCWSSHere at the NCWSS Convention Communications Symposium we’re onto the next topic which is on “Presenting Research to a Scientific Audience.” She says we’ve got about 12 minutes to make the presentation so she’s going over how we structure our short presentation including a short introduction, describe our methodology and the results or findings.

Our presenter is Karen Renner, Michigan State University (left).

NCWSSKaren is using a very cool technology called TurningPoint.

Basically we all get “clickers” and we can answer questions she poses and our responses are instantly tabulated and shown graphically and wirelessly.

We can see if we get the right answer and if not, what percentage got it wrong. I have got to get me one of these gadgets for my presentations! I can think of some very interesting questions to pose during my talks.

BTW. You can find Karen’s talk and our next one by Christy Sprague on their website.

Ag Groups

Scientific Writing Advice

Chuck Zimmerman

NCWSSThe communications symposium is still going on here at the NWCSS Convention. Here’s the next presenter after me.

He’s Kent Harrison, The Ohio State University. He just finished talking on the subject of Scientific Writing: Meeting the Reader’s Needs.

Ken says you can find information on his website.

This is a dark room so I apologize for the picture quality.

Ag Groups

New Media Demonstration

Chuck Zimmerman

Vince DavisHere we are in our new media session at the NCWSS convention.

This is a demonstration post to show how easy it is to use blogging software to manage your website.

Look at all the shiny happy faces behind Vince. They are glad to be here.

I’ve only got time for an overview of blogging and podcasting but during my presentation I’ll be not only showing how to post onto your blog but how to subscribe to a podcast and get it on your iPod.

Ag Groups

Talking New Media With Weed Agronomists

Chuck Zimmerman

NCWSSHello from St. Louis Union Station and the North Central Weed Science Society convention.

We’re currently setting up for the symposium session on communications in which we’ll be talking about new media tools to communicate with. Here’s some of the happy crew up bright and early getting breakfast. I hope they had plenty of coffee.

The man who invited me to participate is Purdue University PhD student, Vince Davis. I spoke to Vince a couple minutes ago to find out more about NCWSS and our session.

You can listen to my interview with Vince here: ncwss-07-davis.mp3

Ag Groups, Audio

‘Top Chef’ Goes Mobile

Laura McNamara

Top Chef ChallengeThe culinary arts have taken over T.V. They’ve become one of the latests fads for video game consoles. And now, you can even “cook” from your mobile phones. LimeLife and Bravo are launching their new mobile game ‘Top Chef Challenge,’ which is available to download on most major U.S. carries for $6.99. And if you find you can’t tear yourself away from the new game based on the hit reality series, you can also subscribe for a monthly fee of $2.99.

Bravo partnered with LimeLife to develop the TV network’s first downloadable mobile game because of LimeLife’s history of creating successful mobile experiences for big brand media and innovations in the mobile industry. “Top Chef Challenge” further solidifies Bravo’s leading presence among progressive broadcast media companies, by combining its popular series such as “Project Runway,” “Shear Genius,” and “Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style” with expanded digital tie-ins.

“Top Chef Challenge” is set behind-the-scenes of Tom Collichio’s fictional new restaurant. Players customize their character and enter the game’s virtual kitchen as an entry-level dishwasher. With commentary and advice from show host, Padma Lakshmi, players can rise from dishwasher to “Top Chef” and gain 5-star status and fame along the way. A series of mini-games and kitchen drama test reflexes, memory and patience to prove you have what it takes to be the next “Top Chef.” As an added bonus, the Trivia Challenge mini-game lets players demonstrate their culinary knowledge to earn extra points.

Food, Technology

Zimfo Bites

Melissa Sandfort

  • The Agricultural Leadership alumni of Kings and Tulare counties are pleased to host the 14th annual fundraiser breakfast to benefit the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation. This year’s speaker is Keni Thomas. Sgt. Thomas was deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia, during the summer of 1993 as part of Task Force Ranger, a special operation package to find and capture Mohammad Farrah Aideed, a criminal warlord. His experiences were later retold in the popular book and movie “Blackhawk Down.” Using the motto “Train as you fight. Fight as you train,” Thomas shows how an emphasis on training and continuous improvement plays a vital role in survival and success both in battle and in life. The fundraiser breakfast will take place at the Heritage Complex on Thursday, Feb. 14 during World Ag Expo. Table sponsorships are $500, individual tickets are also available for $50 with proceeds benefitting the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation. Tickets are available by calling April at (559) 735-9700 or by email at april@lagomarsino.com.
  • As a result of the combined vision and partnership between SOYGENETICS and Bayer CropScience, U.S. growers can anticipate planting LibertyLink® soybean varieties in 2009. LibertyLink soybeans also will offer growers the opportunity to use the in-crop, weed-control option available with Liberty herbicide. The Liberty/LibertyLink system will enable growers to enjoy similar benefits of Roundup Ready, such as less tillage, labor, and equipment, as well as the ease, convenience and efficacy of over-the-top, non-selective, weed control.
Zimfo Bytes

Negotiating Skills Moe Russell Style

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s the latest episode of “Managerial Insight with Moe Russell.” It’s part of the Business Skills Series from Asgrow which you’ll find on Farm Industry News.

<a href="http://www.yourfarm.com/slideshow/r/?00213">Agriculture presentation provided by YourFarm.com</a>. You may need to install or update the <a href="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" target="_blank">Adobe Flash Player</a> plugin to view this content.

This is part one of a two parter on this subject. Look for a post on part two soon.

Agribusiness, Publication, Video

Kellogg Institute Expands

Chuck Zimmerman

Kellogg Insitute for Food and Nutrition ResearchThis is the kind of stuff you need in a news release today.

Give me some pictures and some embeddable video too. This clip starts with b-roll-like footage of the facility, followed by some sound. I’m happy to see that they not only sent it out in a multi-media news release but they’ve made it available on their own website so their customers can view it themselves.



Kellogg Company (NYSE: K) today announced that it is expanding its W.K. Kellogg Institute for Food and Nutrition Research (WKKI) located in Battle Creek, Mich., to continue to meet business needs and to achieve continued growth. The 157,000-square-foot pilot plant and office space addition will expand Kellogg Company’s existing global center for research and innovation activities. The $40 million expansion and $14 million investment in pilot plant equipment (over the next 10 years) falls within Kellogg Company’s previously reported capital expenditure guidance.

Since the WKKI facility opened in 1997, Kellogg Company’s net sales have doubled from $6 billion to almost $12 billion, and net sales from innovation have also almost doubled. In addition, numerous process capabilities have been added to WKKI as the company extended its business into new categories, and the number of employees in the facility almost doubled to support these new technologies and the company’s growth.

Agribusiness, Food, Video

New Media For Weed Scientists

Chuck Zimmerman

NCWSSTomorrow morning I’ll be making a presentation to the North Central Weed Science Society annual meeting in St. Louis. I’m really glad the weather has settled down although I wouldn’t call it balmy by any stretch. Here’s what the session I’m participating in looks like:

Communication Development: Message Delivery to Weed Science Colleagues and Clientele Symposium
Room: Grand Ballroom C Moderator: Vince Davis

8:55 Introduction and Purpose of Symposium. Vince Davis, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
9:00 Blogging and Podcasting in a World of “New Media.” Chuck Zimmerman*, ZimmComm New Media, LLC, Holts Summit, MO. (210)
9:20 Scientific Writing: Meeting the Reader’s Needs. Kent Harrison*, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. (211)
9:40 Presenting Research to a Scientific Audience. Karen Renner*, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. (212)
10:00 Crafting the Perfect Poster: Catchy, Clear, and Concise. Christy Sprague*, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. (213)
10:20 Targeting a Certified Crop Advisor Audience: Is this Some Middle Ground? Bryan G. Young*, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL. (214)
10:40 Delivering a Message to the Producer: Present the Facts, You are the Authority! Fred Whitford*, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. (215)
11:00 Interviewing with the Media: Be Careful Little Mouth What You Say. Steve Leer*, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. (216)
11:20 Open discussion with presenters
11:40 Adjourn

Ag Groups