Young Chinese scholars to visit Iowa County Economic Development

In an earlier post I wrote about elite young Chinese scholars visiting our Iowa County Area Economic Development work and the Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen this summer. I am very excited to meet these new Chinese friends and welcome them to our work in creating safe, effective regional food systems.

The Environment and Public Health Network for Chinese Students and Scholars (ENCSS) began in 2006 and now connects friends in over 20 top American Universities with members in more than 60 disciplines, connecting 23 states in the U.S. with 27 Provinces in China.

The future President of China, Mr. Xi Jinping, first visited our area in 1985 on a visit to study agriculture in the Upper Midwest. He stayed in beautiful Muscatine, Iowa, just south of us on the Mississippi River. Our region was very honored to welcome Mr. Xi back earlier this year, in February, 2012.

Being able to celebrate Mr. Xi's understanding of our region, with the enthusiasm of these young Chinese scholars - likely visiting our area for the first time - seems like a great opportunity to build collaborative projects in the future. I am hoping we can inspire and enable sustainable agricultural enterprises in both countries through the economic development work we have pioneered in Iowa County at the Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen.

The full schedule for this summer's visit will be completed and posted in the near future, but here is the growing list of friends - and those I want to get to know - who will host our visitors to make this a success. They include:


Northwestern University and the Northwestern University Center for Talent Development, Jack Palmer
The Field Museum, Kristin Willcutt
The Chicago Metropolitan Water District, John Robinson
Blackhawk College, Mary Shuda
Augustana College, Dane Rowley and Norm Moline
University of Iowa and the U of Iowa Mississippi River Station at Muscatine, Douglas Schnoebelen
Muscatine High School, Douglas Schnoebelen and Carol Kula
City of Muscatine, Mayor DeWayne Hopkins and Sarah Lande
Corps of Engineers, Angela Freyermuth
River Action, Kathy Wine
Quad Cities Chinese Association, Mary Shuda
Western Illinois University and the W. Illinois University Institute for Environmental Studies, Roger Viadero
Iowa Department of Natural Resources and its water program, Dave Bierman and Tammie Krausman
US Geological Survey and the Mississippi River lab, Yao Yin
Mississippi River National Museum and Aquarium, Ginger Sakas and Missie Wersinger
Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen, Rick Terrien
University of Wisconsin-Platteville and the Confucius Institute at the UW-Platteville, Marian Maciej-Hiner
University of Wisconsin-Madison Research Park, Mark Bugher
Aqua Most Technology, Todd Asmuth
Devils Lake State Park and Sauk Prairie School District, Mike Mossman
Ho Chunk Nation, Fremina Funmaker and Mark Thiel
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Norm Monson
Crave Farm, Norm Monson and Karl Gutknecht
Ripon College, Jack Christ
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Jeff Smoller
Horicon Marsh International Education Center, Elizabeth Herzmann
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Air Management Program, Bart Sponseller
International Crane Foundation, Cullie Shelton
Edgewood College, Ed Taylor and Melissa Hamer
Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Deborah Mahaffey
Youth Shakespeare Theater, Wendy Vardaman
Tesomas Boy Scout Camp, Scott Domino
Trees for Tomorrow, Jack Palmer
Fishing for the Future, Jack Palmer
Lawrence University, Marty Finkler
Milwaukee School of Engineering, Caleb Black

What a fun summer this will be for these young Chinese scholars. What an honor for those of us who have the opportunity to visit with them.

We look forward to welcoming our Chinese friends!


Rivers As Bridges. Intro brochure. 2 pages. 1.3 MB

Rivers As Bridges. Full brochure. 8 pages. 5.9 MB.

What a day!’ Savvy, friendly, powerful ... Xi Jinping made quite an impression on his ‘old friends’ in Muscatine. The Muscatine Journal. February 15, 2012.

Mr. Xi Jinping. Wikipedia.

Environment and Public Health Network for Chinese Students and Scholars (ENCSS).

Download the ENCSS brochure. PDF

Iowa County (WI) Economic Development. Come Grow With Us.

Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen

My family ties to great friends in China.