CALS Online and Dean’s Message
Jan. 21, 2025
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS – Welcome to the semester and the deep cold! Please, everyone, keep warm and safe in this weather… Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Farm Foundation Round Table. It was exciting to learn about many innovations developing in the agriculture and life sciences arena all across the country. For example…
Top Stories
Researchers Lead Breakthrough to Understand Contents of Plant Cells
Justin Walley (standing) and Christian Montes, plant pathology, entomology and microbiology, have made a significant breakthrough in scientists’ ability to identify specific proteins within individual plant cells. Their findings were reported recently in the New Phytologist. An associated commentary on their study published in the same journal acknowledges the researchers' important role in initiating the era of single-cell proteomics "with many exciting discoveries waiting in this rapidly growing and developing field."
Research
Carbon Sequestion Studied in Diversified Cropping Systems
Longer, more diverse rotations of crops fertilized with livestock manure have many environmental benefits, but carbon sequestration isn’t one of them, according to a new study led by Iowa State researchers, including lead co-author Wenjuan Huang, ecology, evolution and organismal biology.
Tuteja Receives Bailey Research Award
Geetu Tuteja, genetics, development and cell biology, has been awarded the 2025 Bailey Research Career Development Award. The award provides $50,000 annually for three years to support high-risk, high-reward research. Tuteja’s project explores how long non-coding RNAs regulate gene expression in trophoblasts—specialized cells that form the placenta, a vital but poorly understood organ in pregnancy.
Food Insecurity Predictors Differ for College Students in the U.S.
Higher education institutions and public health agencies in the United States have recognized that food insecurity is pervasive and interferes with student learning on multiple levels. Research published by Abigail Glick and Donna Winham, food science and human nutrition, and Mack Shelley, political science, has looked at predictors of food insecurity for U.S.-born white, U.S.-born multicultural and international students aged 18–34.
Teaching and Students
Move What Matters: Expanding Access to Education
Reagan Suubi’s connection to Iowa State began in Uganda’s Kamuli District, where he saw first-hand how access to education and developing entrepreneurship skills can change lives. While studying agribusiness at Makerere University, he began collaborating on service-learning projects with Iowa State’s Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods. Suubi is now a graduate student in agricultural education here at Iowa State.
Two CALS Students Named Rising Stars by Seed World
Derrick Mayfield and Sarah Jones have been named Rising Seed Stars by Seed World Magazine. Mayfield is a doctoral student in plant pathology. Jones is a doctoral candidate in plant breeding.
CALS Student Wins Three Minute Thesis Competition
David Hall, a doctoral student in genetics and genomics, won the ninth annual Three Minute Thesis Competition for graduate student researchers. His presentation was on “Unraveling virus infection in the world’s deadliest animal.”
Extension and Outreach
Extension Offering Organic Agriculture Course
ISU Extension and Outreach is offering an Organic Agricultural – Theory and Practice professional development course running Jan. 21 through May 16. Online and in-person options are available. The course will be taught by Kathleen Delate, agronomy and horticulture, with organic farmers and agency professionals.
Monarch and Pollinator Habitat Workshops Scheduled
Iowa Learning Farms will host a series of monarch and pollinator habitat workshops in February and March. The events are free and open to farmers, landowners and urban residents, though a reservation is required to ensure adequate space and food.
Around the College
College Announces Three Candidates for Chair of Agronomy
Three candidates for chair of the Department of Agronomy will provide a public seminar on their “Vision for the Future of Agronomy at ISU as a Land-Grant University.” All seminars will take place from 9-9:50 a.m. in 3022 Agronomy Hall. A faculty forum will follow from 10-10:50 a.m. in the same room. The seminars will be recorded and posted in CyBox. Candidate information will be released a week before their interview.
- Candidate #1 Seminar – Thursday, Jan. 30
- Candidate #2 Seminar – Wednesday, Feb. 5
- Candidate #3 Seminar – Thursday, Feb. 20
Submit Story Ideas for STORIES Magazine
STORIES magazine is being revived! Targeted at alums, friends and partners of the college, this first edition of the magazine will be all about stories of connections. Send your story ideas to Whitney Baxter, wjsager@iastate.edu, by Jan. 31. See Dean Robison’s Jan. 13 email for additional details about the magazine and the type of stories being sought.
White House Honor’s Sashital’s Work in Genome Editing
The White House is honoring Dipali Sashital, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. Sashital’s lab studies bacterial defense systems that have been adapted for genome editing.
Wendel Receives National Cotton Council Award
Jonathan Wendel, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, received the 2024 Cotton Genetics Research Award at the 2025 Beltwide Cotton Improvement Conference in New Orleans on Jan. 16.
Kaleita Named to ABE Endowed Chair Position
Amy Kaleita, professor and chair in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, was presented the inaugural Larry and Bunita Buss Department Chair in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering position during a medallion ceremony Jan. 8 in the Sukup Atrium of the Biorenewables Complex. Medallion Ceremony Recording
CSRL Extends Deadline on FundISU Campaign
The deadline for the FundISU campaign benefiting Iowa State’s Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods has been extended to Jan. 26. The CSRL and its Uganda Program are focusing this campaign on its educational program and keeping children in school.
Calendar
Jan. 23: The History of Dairying
The History of Dairying is an online program that will be released Thursday, Jan. 23, at 10 a.m. Sarah Canova, ISU Creamery director, will highlight the historic practices depicted in Christian Petersen’s History of Dairying mural.
Jan. 30: Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Lecture
The Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Lecture is Jan. 30 at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Jane Elliott will present, “A Conversation about Brown Eyes/Blue Eyes, Prejudice and a Lifetime of Education.”
Feb. 3: Free Popcorn at Seed Science Center
Faculty, staff and students are invited to enjoy a free bag of popcorn from the Seed Science Center in celebration of George Washington Carver Day in Iowa on Feb. 3.
Feb. 3: George Washington Carver Day in Iowa
CALS and the College of Veterinary Medicine will celebrate the annual George Washington Carver Day at Iowa State on Feb. 3 at 5 p.m. in the Memorial Union Durham Great Hall. Jewel Bronaugh, president and CEO of the 1890 Universities Foundation, is the keynote speaker. Please RSVP by Jan. 27.
Communications Kiosk
Purposely vs. Purposefully
What is done purposely is done deliberately or intentionally – “on purpose.” What is done purposefully is done with a certain goal or a clear aim in mind. An action may be done purposely without any particular interest in a specific result – that is, not purposefully. (The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, pg. 349)
Infograzing
Clothing Closet Seeks Business Attire in Advance of Career Fairs
Iowa State's free Business Attire Pop-Up Shop, which has a permanent space in the east Memorial Union, is accepting new or gently used business attire to share with students in preparation for the spring career fairs (Feb. 11-March 10).
Marginalia
National Squirrel Appreciation Day
Today is National Squirrel Appreciation Day, and there are many resources available to help observe this special occasion. The Smithsonian offers six squirrely facts for Squirrel Appreciation Day, along with images of squirrels in the Smithsonian’s collections. The National Wildlife Federation offers 10 nutty facts to help readers appreciate squirrels. Even the American Public Power Association published An Open Letter to Squirrels. Although they have their disagreements with squirrels because they cause thousands of power outages each year, they have been willing to try a more conciliatory approach of direct dialog. In a special squirrel episode of APPA’s Public Power Now podcast, news director Paul Ciampoli spoke with a squirrel representative.
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.