CALS Online and Dean’s Message
April 14, 2025
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS – This week, please join us for the annual Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture given by Mark Stutsman of Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc., a 91-year-old family company in Iowa serving the agriculture industry in a wide variety of ways. It's a great story of leadership, perseverance and looking around the corner… Last week, we held a CALS Chat in the Snedecor Building where the statistics department has its home. We had terrific attendance, a visit by LAS Dean Ben Withers and the most excellent cookies from the kitchen of Dan and Karen Nettleton! First time ever we had home-baked goods for a CALS Chat! Sounds like a challenge…
Top Stories
Professor Developing Learning Companion for Students with Disabilities
Imagine a world where students with learning disabilities could better understand and process what is being taught in their classroom. Thanks to an innovative idea conceptualized by educator and mom Karri Haen Whitmer, genetics, development and cell biology, that world is becoming closer to reality. Haen Whitmer’s participation in the CALS Innovation and Entrepreneurship Faculty Fellows program two years ago instilled in her an “innovative mindset,” she said. She took what she learned in the program and co-founded NarrateAR alongside her husband, Christopher Whitmer. The company is building Ama AI, a software program that provides AI learning companions to school-aged children with learning disabilities. (Photo by Dan Wu)
Research
Agronomists Call for New Approach to Estimate Crop Yields and Gaps
A team of agronomists is calling for a new approach to estimate crop yield potential and gaps – information that is critical to plan how to meet growing food demand. In a paper published in the current edition of the journal Nature Food, the researchers, including Sotirios Archontoulis, agronomy, call into question current statistical methods essential in making investments in agricultural research and development.
Teaching and Students
Agronomy Faculty Receive Quality Matters Certification
Elnaz Ebrahimi and David Kwaw-Mensah, agronomy, have received Quality Matters certification for their classes, AGRON 5010 and AGRON 5120, respectively, two classes in the Master of Science in Agronomy Program. Courses are evaluated by a team of experts and must meet rigorous standards of quality.
Young Entrepreneurs in Action
Cam Reiman, owner of Spock's Sanctuary in Des Moines, talks about her journey to help exotic animals, their owners and her fellow Iowa State students through her business. Reiman is in her sixth year at Iowa State pursuing an undergraduate degree in animal ecology with minors in nutrition, culinary food science and entrepreneurship.
Student Club Spotlight: Forestry Club
The Forestry Club’s main mission is to inspire and guide forestry majors, and any other major, into future career opportunities. They strive to provide members with real-life forestry experience and opportunities to build friendships.
Extension and Outreach
Urban Agriculture Field Days Connect Farms to Communities
The Urban Agriculture team with ISU Extension and Outreach is offering four Urban Agriculture Field Days in 2025, partnering with area urban farms. According to Iowa State’s urban agriculture outreach specialist, Graham Sandersfeld, urban farms are essential to providing food security, sustainability, access to nutritious food and economic strength to urban communities.
Video: Using Blocks to Check Planter Depth Settings
ISU digital ag specialist Austin Miller explains a simple process for checking planter depth in the shop to increase accuracy before you head to the field.
Iowa Learning Farms Releases 2024 Evaluation Report
Iowa Learning Farms has published its 2024 Evaluation Report, detailing the organization’s impact on conservation practice adoption and its continued efforts to provide science- and research-based information and advice to farmers and landowners. Throughout 2024, ILF’s team delivered conservation and water quality information at 174 outreach events, reaching 21,617 people.
Around the College
CALS Opens Search for Associate Dean Position
CALS has opened an internal search for the Associate Dean for Personnel and Finance. This position works to provide the dean, department chairs and other unit directors with strategic guidance and counsel on initiatives, resources, opportunities and challenges. This position ensures that daily operations directly advance the mission of the college and its units, and that resources are deployed wisely and efficiently. The search committee is led by Kendall Lamkey, with committee members being Jordan Gillespie, Mary Wiedenhoeft, Jamie Benning, Darwin Campbell, Theressa Cooper and Kevin Roe. Applications received by April 30 will receive guaranteed consideration.
25 Year Club Honors Faculty and Staff
Faculty and staff in CALS departments and units will be honored by Iowa State’s 25 Year Club at its annual banquet tonight, April 14. Those being recognized for 25 years of service are:
- Brian Steward – agricultural and biosystems engineering
- Nancy Grudens-Schuck – agricultural education and studies
- Mary Wiedenhoeft – agronomy
- Terri Boylston and Kevin Schalinske – food science and human nutrition
- Shelley Taylor – CALS Office for Global Engagement
- Kevin Scholbrock – Committee for Agricultural Development/Iowa State Research Farms
- Clarke McGrath – Iowa Soybean Research Center
- Camille Schroeder – Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex, agricultural and biosystems engineering
The following are being honored for 35 years at the university:
- Peggy Auwerda and Curtis Youngs – animal science
- David Brenner – North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station
- Kim Vo – CALS Budget and Finance
- Julie Stewart – CALS Communications Service
The following are being honored for 45 years at the university:
- Richard Cruse – agronomy
- Steven Niebuhr – animal science
- Jeff Braland – Horticulture Research Station
- Richard Schultz – natural resource ecology and management
CALS Staff Council to Host Meat Lab Tour April 25
The CALS Staff Council is hosting a tour of the ISU Meat Lab on April 25 from 10-11 a.m. in 133 Kildee Hall. The Meat Lab is used for animal science classes, research projects and extension programs. The tour will include seeing how different meat is processed, smoked, cured and packaged. An opportunity to purchase meat will be available at the end of the tour. Register online to attend by April 22. Participation is limited to 50 people.
Join Colleagues for End of Year Gathering
CALS faculty and staff are invited to celebrate the end of the spring semester at a gathering on May 13 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Harl Commons patio on the east side of Curtiss Hall. Food will be provided, along with ISU wine and beer, and ice cream from the ISU Creamery. The evening will feature music by the Indigo Monks. RSVP by May 1. Plus ones are welcome.
STORIES Magazine Coming in August 2025
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is bringing back STORIES, the college-wide alum magazine, set to hit mailboxes in August. While readers will notice much of the same content they’ve come to love, some fun, new additions will be incorporated. Follow #CALSstories on social media for the latest updates and opt-in to receive the print or digital version of the magazine.
In Memoriam: Larry Trede
Larry Trede, professor emeritus in agricultural education and studies, passed away April 11. He was 81. Trede (’65 ag business, ‘68 MS ag economics, ’80 PhD ag and life sciences education) began his 36-year career with Iowa State as an extension specialist in farm management. After returning to Ames, he managed the ISU Agricultural Foundation Farms and served as agricultural administrator for campus area farming services. He ended his career as Professor in Charge of the Ag 450 Farm. Visitation will take place at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care on Friday, April 18, from 4-6 p.m. A memorial service will be held at Ames United Church of Christ on Saturday, April 19, at 11 a.m.
Calendar
April 15: Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture
The Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture is Tuesday, April 15 at 4:30 p.m. in Dolezal Auditorium, 127 Curtiss Hall. Mark Stutsman, chief operating officer and third-generation family member of Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc., will present “The Stutsman Journey: What We’ve Learned Over 90 Years in Ag Business.” CALS students attending the lecture will be eligible to receive one of five $500 Hertz Lecture scholarship awards by swiping their student ID at the lecture’s conclusion.
April 17: Rossmann-Manatt Lecture
The Rossmann-Manatt Lecture is Thursday, April 17, at 10:30 a.m. in 2630 Memorial Union. Katherine Richardson Bruna, School of Education, will present “Behind the Scenes of Captain and Blue: A Science Comic About a Species in Decline.”
More Events Listed on CALS Website
Find more events on the CALS Events webpage. Submit events for inclusion on this list to madelyno@iastate.edu or jstewart@iastate.edu.
Communications Kiosk
Persuade vs. Convince
Persuade is associated with actions (persuade him to buy a suit). Convince is associated with beliefs or understanding (she convinced the auditor of her honesty). Either verb will take a that-clause – the committee was persuaded that an all-night session was necessary, my three-year-old is convinced that Santa Claus exists. (The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, pg. 347)
Infograzing
Garden Q&A with Horticulture Experts
University Museums is holding a Garden Q&A with horticulture experts Aaron Steil, Cindy Haynes and Jeff Iles on Thursday, April 17, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Anderson Sculpture Garden between Morrill Hall and the Hub. Included is a tour of the New Perennial Movement Sample Garden, planted last fall with thousands of bulbs and perennial plants.
Reiman Gardens is Helping Feed Story County
A presentation on “Feeding Story County: Reiman Gardens’ Grow and Give Program” is April 21 from 6-8 p.m. in the Reiman Gardens Garden Room. This food donation program for Story County has been fighting hunger in Ames and surrounding communities for two decades. Staff will share an inside view of how Reiman Gardens, volunteers and local food pantries work together to address the needs of Story County.
Marginalia
Scrapbook Highlights Forestry Camp
A scrapbook from the 1920s and 1930s belonging to alum Andy Brands is featured in the April 8 issue of Cardinal Tales, a blog published by Special Collections and University Archives. Brands was a forestry student and a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. Parts of the scrapbook that author Jessica Green, accessioning archivist and stacks manager, liked the most are the pictures of forestry camp. “It was not a part of the forestry program I had the chance to learn much about before; as many of the records I have accessioned are from later after forestry joined with animal ecology to make the natural resource ecology and management department. The photos show part of Brands’ journey with other Iowa State professors and students to California, where the camp is located, as well as parts of life in the camp.”
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.