CALS Online and Dean’s Message
September 12, 2022
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS Colleagues – Fall is definitely in the air, and a great football season is underway for the Cyclones! There has been a lot going on all across campus, and I am sure in your specific labs and offices, too. For me, it’s been a series of great meetings and discussions, and of celebrations with partners internal and external, and far and wide. Here’s a list of some of those meetings and discussions from the past two weeks… More
Top Stories
CALS Grows First Year Enrollment for Second Consecutive Year
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences enrollment for fall 2022 is 4,310 students – 3,769 undergraduates and 541 graduate students. This continues the positive trends of maintaining strong graduation numbers while also increasing student recruitment. Increases in both recruitment and overall enrollment across a diverse set of majors reflects trends at the university level. (More on ISU’s enrollment.)
- CALS increased the number of new undergraduates by 3.1% compared to last fall – the second consecutive year of growth in new students.
- CALS has increased the number of newly recruited undergraduates by 8.5% since 2020.
- CALS has continued the tradition of excellence in student retention, with 88.1% of first-year students from last fall returning.
- CALS awarded 1,182 degrees in 2021-2022.
- Several undergraduate programs increased enrollment over 2021 levels, including agricultural business, agricultural and rural policy studies, agricultural studies, agricultural systems technology, agronomy, biochemistry and dairy science.
- The largest undergraduate majors are animal science, animal ecology, agricultural business, agricultural studies, biology, industrial technology and agronomy, making up 69% of CALS enrollment.
- More than 57% of CALS undergraduate students are women. University-wide, female students make up just over 44% of the student population.
- More than 30% of CALS undergraduate students are from states other than Iowa, reflecting a university effort to expand recruitment markets. University-wide, non-residents make up more than 35% of the student population.
Research
Researchers Find Endangered Bumble Bees in Iowa
Researchers at Iowa State, led by Amy Toth, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, are part of a multistate effort to map out where the federally endangered rusty patched bumble bee lives, identify what habitat it prefers and collect clues about the population’s genetic diversity and overall health. The findings, along with data about the threatened American bumble bee, could help wildlife managers and land stewards reverse their decline and support other pollinators more broadly. More
Dynamometer Technology Featured at Preview Days
Iowa State introduced its new state-of-the-art Off-Highway Vehicle Chassis Dynamometer Laboratory during a set of preview days, Aug. 30-Sept. 1 at the BioCentury Research Farm. The event was highlighted in the Sept. 2 issue of the Ames Tribune. More
Teaching and Students
Career Services Releases Salary Report
CALS Career Services has released the annual entry-level salary summary for December 2021 and May 2022 graduates across the nation who earned bachelor’s degrees. Nineteen schools participated with 3,289 data points. According to Mike Gaul, career services director, all nine sectors showed positive salary gains versus last year. “What is surprising, though, is the magnitude of these gains, averaging 8.4%,” Gaul said. The top five earning sectors were technology ($63,474), agricultural economics and business ($55,641), food science ($53,728), agronomy ($49,637) and agricultural education and studies ($49,433). The annual summary is coordinated and produced by the CALS Career Services office at Iowa State. More
Undergraduates Gain Unique Opportunities through Summer Research Program
Nine biochemistry students participated in the first Biochemistry Summer Research Program this summer, exploring their research interests and building professional skills. The program was sponsored by the Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. More
Exchange Program Provides Insight to Medical Field Outside the U.S.
Laura Millage, junior in microbiology and genetics with a minor in public health, spent eight weeks in Botswana as part of the Council on International Educational Exchange program, which is a partner to Iowa State’s study abroad program. With hopes of attending medical school, Millage said her summer in Botswana taking public health classes and gaining clinical experience has given her a greater passion and drive for her future education and career in the medical field. More
Encourage Students to Submit Abstracts for Borlaug Poster Competition
Poster abstracts are now being accepted for the 19th Annual Norman Borlaug Lectureship Poster Competition for Graduate and Undergraduate Students. Poster abstracts should describe work in the general area of world issues. The submission deadline is Sept. 26 at 11:59 p.m. The competition and display of posters will take place Oct. 17 in the Memorial Union prior to the Norman Borlaug Lecture featuring 2022 World Food Prize Laureate Cynthia Rosenzweig. More
Agricultural Business Club Brings Home Awards
Iowa State’s Agricultural Business Club was awarded the Outstanding Chapter Club and Creative Club awards by the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association at its annual meeting, July 31 to Aug. 2 in San Diego. More
CALS Student Named to Farm Strong Squad
Annie Hatch, senior in animal ecology, will represent the volleyball team on the 2022-23 Farm Strong Squad. Hard work, commitment and integrity are qualities displayed by Iowa farmers and Iowa State student athletes. Every year, the Iowa State Athletics Department partners with the Iowa Farm Bureau to honor 16 Cyclone student athletes (one from each sport) on the Farm Strong Squad. More
Culinary Science Club to Host Cookie Decorating Workshop
The Culinary Science Club is hosting a Cookie Decorating Workshop on Oct. 20 from 6-7:30 p.m. in 2379 Food Sciences Building. Participants will learn several royal icing decorating techniques and decorate six cookies to take home. Registration fee is $30. More
Extension and Outreach
Turfgrass Field and Demonstration Day is Sept. 14
Turfgrass managers and students will get an update on current issues and new technology during the Iowa Turfgrass Field and Demonstration Day on Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Horticulture Research Station. The annual event is a cooperative effort of ISU Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Turfgrass Institute. More
Student Learning and Outcomes Documented in New Report
Water Rocks! engaged nearly 10,000 elementary and middle school students during the 2021–22 school year. The ISU Extension and Outreach youth water education program recently published its 2021-22 Water Rocks! Evaluation Report, which details its activities and programs, summarizes encounters with youth across the state, and includes feedback from teachers and students who have participated in virtual and in-person visits from the Water Rocks! team. More
Iowa State’s Organic Program to be Featured in USDA Video
USDA’s National Organic Program has provided support for an Iowa State research farm to be featured in a video highlighting organic inspection. ISU Extension and Outreach staff will showcase the Long-Term Agroecological Research experiment at the Neely-Kinyon Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm, located in Greenfield. More
Awards Recognize Iowans’ Commitment to Water Quality
Fifteen Iowans have been named New Voices in Water Quality for their commitment to advancing conversations, taking action and advocating for water quality improvements that benefit all Iowans during the past 10 years. The New Voices in Water Quality awards are a collaboration of Iowa State’s Conservation Learning Group and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. More
Promote Biodiversity by Collecting Native Tree Seeds
While native trees growing locally may still be the same species as the saplings available commercially, many native trees are locally adapted, meaning they have acquired traits that make them highly likely to succeed in a very particular climate. Patrick O’Malley, commercial horticulture specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, explains how locally collected tree seeds can be replanted, donated or even sold. More
Around the College
CALS Town Hall Scheduled for Oct. 10
Dean Robison has scheduled a Town Hall meeting for Oct. 10 at 2:15 p.m. in 2050 Agronomy Hall.
ISRC Hosts Soybean Farmers from Brazil
The Iowa Soybean Research Center hosted a campus tour for a group of 20 soybean farmers affiliated with Aprosoja Mato Grosso from Brazil. The group was in Iowa late last month to visit the Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa State University and the Farm Progress Show near Boone. More
Calendar
Sept. 22: Economists as Engineers
The Economics Department is co-sponsoring a lecture on Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Alvin Roth, Stanford University, Harvard University and Nobel Memorial Prize Winner, will present, “Who Gets What and Why? Economists as Engineers.” More
Sept. 27: The Legacy of the New Farmers of America
CALS Diversity Programs is co-sponsoring a lecture on Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. in the Dolezal Auditorium, 127 Curtiss Hall. Antoine Alston (’00 PhD agricultural education and studies), College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at North Carolina A&T State University, will present a lecture based on his newly released book, “The Legacy of the New Farmers of America,” a historical narrative about a national organization meant for Black farm boys studying vocational agriculture in high school. More
Sept. 28: Deal Endowed Leadership Lecture
Ernie Shea, president of Solutions from the Land, a not-for-profit organization based in Lutherville, Maryland, will present the 2022 William K. Deal Endowed Leadership Lecture on Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Dolezal Auditorium, 127 Curtiss Hall. He will present “21st Century Agricultural Renaissance: Solutions from the Land.” More
Oct. 11: Fall Career Day
The Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Day is scheduled as an in-person event on Oct. 11 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lied Recreation Athletic Center. More
Infograzing
USDA Holds Food Loss and Waste Innovation Fair
USDA is hosting a free, virtual Food Loss and Waste Innovation Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will showcase some of the latest food loss and waste mitigation technologies, programs and innovations developed by USDA, academic institutions, local governments and businesses. More
Marginalia
Wild-Harvested Tree Nuts May Offer Unique Flavor
Several species of trees in Iowa produce edible nuts, including walnuts, chestnuts, pecans and hazelnuts. When harvested locally, they may offer a unique flavor distinct from their grocery store counterparts. Patrick O’Malley, commercial horticulture specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, explains the process of collecting tree nuts in Iowa. More
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Julie Stewart, Editor
jstewart@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5616
http://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/agonline
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online, the newsletter for faculty and staff in Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is published by email every Monday. The deadline for submitting content is 12 p.m. on Thursday.