CALS Online and Dean’s Message
Aug. 12, 2024
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS Colleagues – The Iowa State Fair and students returning to campus! That pretty much says it all. As our academic summer draws to a close, it's worth thinking about all the excellent work that happens over the summer, from Study Abroad and Study USA trips, to long hours in the lab, greenhouse or field studying the intricacies of life, nature, technology and people, to lots of Extension, outreach and field day programming all around the state. I hope your summer has been excellent and included time to unwind and rewind. The agriculture situation and markets are pretty unsettled these days, with lots of trepidation and opportunity… More
Top Stories
Iowa State Wines Receive International, Regional and State Awards
The 2023 wines from the Iowa State University Winery have recently been honored with awards from international, regional and state wine competitions. The 2023 wines — La Crescent, Rosé, and Marquette — were bottled in March 2024 at Iowa State's winery, located in the Food Sciences Building on campus. These wines embody the resilient spirit of the Midwest, crafted from two acres of cold-hardy grapes grown at Iowa State’s Horticulture Research Station and various off-campus locations across the state. This was the third vintage of wine produced in the Iowa State winery and second by Erin Norton, director of the Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute, with the assistance of undergraduate student workers and MGWII staff. More
Research
New USDA Grant for Forestry on Tap
Michelle Soupir, agricultural and biosystems engineering, is the principal investigator for a new $750,000 grant from USDA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative as part of its Water Quality and Quantity program area. Soupir’s project is Forestry on Tap: Using Local Woodland Resources to Unlock the Microbiome of Bioreactors to Improve Water Quality. More
INRC Supports Study of Saturated Grass Waterways
Iowa Nutrient Research Center-funded research on an innovative new conservation practice, saturated grass waterways, could have significant benefits for Iowa water quality. Antonio Arenas and Eustice Batret, civil and environmental engineering, are part of the research team, working with others at the Iowa Geological Survey and University of Iowa. More
Teaching and Students
Campus Resources Available for Teachers
Ann Marie VanDerZanden, associate provost for academic programs, has provided a list of resources to support instructors’ work in preparing for the start of the fall 2024 semester, as well as information regarding medical excuses for class absences. Faculty, staff and graduate students with teaching responsibilities are encouraged to review this information, which can be found in an Aug. 7 email from Carmen Bain, CALS associate dean for academic innovation.
Alumni: Grant and Spencer Hilbert – YouTube to Yields
Grant (’20 agricultural business, economics) and Spencer Hilbert (’21 finance, business economics) are described as farmers, gamers, risk-takers, builders, entrepreneurs and dreamers in a feature article from the summer 2024 issue of the Iowa Stater. They have burgeoning farm operations made possible with revenue generated from their successful YouTube video channels, which focus on farming. More
Extension and Outreach
Statistics and Perspectives on Rented Farmland
J. Arbuckle, rural sociologist with ISU Extension and Outreach and lead author of the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll, states Iowa’s farmland owners are more local than many think. Survey data show, “A pretty substantial majority of tenants categorize their landlord as either a relative or a friend of the family.” More
Aug. 20: Neely-Kinyon Farm Field Day
An Organic Field Day at Iowa State’s Neely-Kinyon Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm in Greenfield is Aug. 20 from 4-6 p.m. The Long-Term Agroecological Research site is celebrating 25 years of research. More
Aug. 23: Beef Cow Research Field Day
A Beef Cow Research Field Day at Iowa State’s McNay Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm in Chariton is Aug. 23 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The Iowa Beef Center and ISU Extension and Outreach will present recent beef cattle research related to nutrition and heifer development. More
Aug. 23: Northeast Farm Field Day
The annual fall field day at Iowa State’s Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Nashua is Aug. 23 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ISU Extension and Outreach specialists will provide updates on drone technology and trends for the upcoming harvest. More
ANR Extension Spotlight: Sam Mindes
Sam Mindes is a rural sociologist with ISU Extension and Outreach and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice. He joined extension in fall 2021 and has already led numerous projects aimed at helping make rural communities more resilient. His research focuses on issues such as self-employment, underserved communities, rural infrastructure and water justice. Currently, Mindes is pursuing projects to help improve broadband usage among small businesses, as well as issues related to water justice. More
Around the College
Cruse Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Rick Cruse, agronomy and director of the Iowa Water Center, received the World Mollisols Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association of National and International Science Organizations – World Mollisols Association, at the International Workshop on Mollisols Erosion and Degradation in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China from July 20-25. Cruse, along with Mindy Devries, agronomy, and Brian Gelder, agricultural and biosystems engineering, were invited to attend the workshop and presented research and information on soil degradation and conservation in the U.S. Midwest. More
ABE Faculty Honored by ASABE
Tom Brumm and Michelle Soupir, agricultural and biosystems engineering, were named Fellows by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in late July at its annual conference in Anaheim, California. Brumm also received the organization’s Massey-Ferguson Educational Gold Medal Award. Matt Helmers, ABE and Iowa Nutrient Research Center, received the ADS/Hancor Soil & Water Award. More
Vorst has Another Opportunity to Educate Iowans on PFAS
Keith Vorst, director of the Polymer and Food Protection Consortium at Iowa State, was interviewed for an Aug. 6 River to River episode discussing PFAS and other “forever chemicals” and the consortium’s research on these chemicals and possible substitutes. More
Soybean Month in Iowa Kicks Off with Meals from the Heartland
The Iowa Soybean Research Center held its annual Meals from the Heartland meal-packing event on Aug. 1 to kick off Soybean Month in Iowa. Cargill provided financial sponsorship for the ingredients, which includes soy protein. More than 50 Iowa State volunteers packaged 38,000 meals in 2.5 hours at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. Most of the meals will stay right here in Iowa with some going to the SHOP and Food at First. More
Volunteers Needed for CALS Alumni BBQ, Aug. 31
Faculty and staff volunteers are still needed for the annual CALS barbecue, to be held Aug. 31 at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. Approximately 400 CALS alumni and friends are expected to attend this year’s event, which will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., prior to the Iowa State vs. North Dakota football game (kick-off is 2:30 p.m.). Volunteers who register will receive a CALS barbecue T-shirt in appreciation of their service. Register to volunteer online by Wednesday, Aug. 14. For questions, contact Angie Weeks (amweeks@iastate.edu). Volunteer opportunities include:
- Registration/Greeter (11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
- Beverage service (10:30-11:45 a.m. or 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Calendar
Aug. 24: Bug Village ‘24
Iowa State’s Insect Zoo is presenting Bug Village ’24 on Aug. 24 from noon to 3 p.m. at ATRB, 2213 Pammel Dr. There will be edible insects at 1 p.m. and a bug costume contest at 2 p.m. New this year is a sensory hour from 11 a.m. to noon for those with special sensory needs only and their parents/guardians. The Entomology Graduate Student Organization will present Insect Collecting 101 at 3:30 p.m. following Bug Village. Also, the Insect Zoo is looking for volunteers to help with the event, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pizza and Insect Zoo T-shirts will be available for all volunteers. Contact Ginny Mitchell (gmitchel@iastate.edu, 4-4537) for more information. More
Aug. 30: CALS Ice Cream Social
CALS faculty and staff are invited to an ice cream social on Aug. 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the patio behind Curtiss Hall. In the case of inclement weather, the event will be held in Harl Commons.
Communications Kiosk
Adequate vs. Sufficient vs. Enough
Adequate refers to the suitability of something in a particular circumstance (an adequate explanation, adequate provisions). Sufficient refers to an amount that is enough to meet a particular need, always with an abstract concept, a mass noun or a plural (sufficient water, sufficient information, sufficient cause, sufficient resources). Enough, the best word for everyday purposes, meaning “as much or as many as are needed or wanted,” modifies both count nouns (enough people) and mass nouns (enough oil). (The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, pg. 308)
Infograzing
CIRAS Director to Speak at August Innovation Lunch Club
The ISU Research Park’s August Innovation Lunch Club is Aug. 23, 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the ISU Economic Development Core Facility Executive Board Room. The speaker this month is Michael O’Donnell, director of the Center for Industrial Research and Service. More
Volunteers Needed for Cyclone Welcome Weekend
About 120 volunteers are needed for the annual Cyclone Welcome Weekend, Aug. 23-24. The events are for all Iowa State students – both new and returning – to engage in healthy, community-building activities and reduce high-risk behaviors. Volunteers will receive a free T-shirt along with food and beverages during their shift(s). Sign up is available online. More
Marginalia
CALS Alum to Compete in New Netflix Baking Show
CALS alum Eileen Gannon (’86 ag journalism, ’91 MS business administration) represented the Iowa State Fair in Netflix’s Blue Ribbon Baking Championship, which aired Aug. 9. She grew up attending the State Fair and first entered a food contest with her mother when she was 12. Since then, Gannon has won more than 600 blue ribbons. More
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Online
Julie Stewart, Editor
jstewart@iastate.edu, (515) 294-5616
https://www.cals.iastate.edu/cals-online
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.