CALS Online and Dean’s Message
April 21, 2025
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS – Last week, we had the annual Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture with the largest attendance yet! The presentation was given by Mark Stutsman, chief operating officer and third-generation family member of Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc. It was a terrific presentation on… From these kinds of presentations, we learn about the thinking and outlook of decision-makers and thought-leaders in Iowa and beyond. Their comments and insights can help us frame our own personal and professional ideas…
Top Stories
Senior Aims to Make Biomedical Industry More Affordable
Arianna Hyczko, senior in industrial technology, developed her love for science through exploring technology and computer-aided design. She wants to help contribute to a future where aging and disability are more manageable and more affordable. The biological and biomanufacturing systems technology option paved the way for her to do so. A research-based class focused on engineering solutions for life sciences using bionics honed her desire to work in the biomedical engineering field, helping create and improve medical prostheses.
Research
Disrupting ‘Communication’ with Plants could Limit Soybean Cyst Nematode Infections
Targeting a newly discovered vulnerability in the signals that cyst nematodes use to infect plant roots could be a powerful method for reducing the damage the parasitic worms cause in crops such as soybeans, according to a study co-authored by Thomas Baum, plant pathology, entomology and microbiology.
Hornbuckle Harnessing NASA Satellite Data
For decades, NASA satellites have helped researchers monitor Earth’s surface, capturing images and data to track and anticipate weather patterns, determine availability of moisture in soil, and predicting severity and impacts of flooding. But for much of that time, one critical piece of information was overlooked: moisture in vegetation that grows from the soil. Once considered noise—an inconvenient byproduct in satellite readings—adding this data back to the discussion may become invaluable for understanding agriculture on a more comprehensive level. Brian Hornbuckle, agronomy, is harnessing this data to explore how moisture levels in plant tissue respond to changing weather conditions.
Teaching and Students
AST Junior Spurred by a Curious Mindset
Combining her curiosity and passion for agriculture, Caelan Engelbrecht found her true calling in the agricultural systems technology major at Iowa State. Engelbrecht is a junior in the agricultural and biosystems management option within the AST major. This option focuses on management, improving systems and using technical skills to problem-solve and enhance production.
Ugandan Baskets for Sale in the Workspace April 14-26
The Workspace in the Memorial Union and the Uganda Alliance Club are hosting a pop-up basket sale through Saturday, April 26, from 2-9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Purchase a handmade basket created by members of the Tusubila ("hope") Crafts Group, and directly support women artists and their families in Kamuli, Uganda. Baskets are made with dried raffia and banana leaves and sell for $10-$25.
Antique Tractor Club Holding Tractor Show April 26
The Antique Tractor Club at Iowa State University is holding its third annual Spring Tractor Show on Saturday, April 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Lot 10 behind the Town Engineering Building.
Adventures in Bird Watching
The fourth annual Spring Birding Campus Challenge, hosted by the Iowa State University Birding Club, is in full swing as students race to spot different species of birds. The birding challenge began on March 22 and goes through May 2. There are 14 teams of three participating, with one faculty member, undergraduate and graduate student per team.
Extension and Outreach
Webinar Features Business Planning for Urban Farms
In the newest installment of the Urban Agriculture Webinar Series, on May 1 from 1-2 p.m., Alex Van Alstyne, food business education specialist with Iowa State, will share knowledge and resources for understanding and developing a business plan. Attendees will learn about scaling up their urban farm and exploring value-added products.
Registration Open for Food Labeling Event in Altoona
ISU Extension and Outreach’s Farm, Food and Enterprise Development program is offering a hands-on workshop, “What’s on Your Label? A Bite-Sized Food Labeling Course,” to help Iowa food entrepreneurs better understand and meet food labeling regulations. The workshop is June 4 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Polk County extension office in Altoona. The cost to attend is $50.
Around the College
Burgin Receives Leadership Award
Amy Burgin, chair of the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, is the recipient of the 2025 Leadership Award from the Society for Freshwater Science. The SFS Leadership Award recognizes early or mid-career members for extraordinary work on behalf of the Society. It is not awarded every year and only granted to exceptional nominees.
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.
Science with Practice Information Session Scheduled for May 1
An information session for Science with Practice is May 1 from 3-4 p.m. in 13 Curtiss Hall. This is an opportunity for faculty and staff to learn how to become mentors and host students in their programs or labs. Science With Practice is a program that connects undergraduate students in CALS with real-world learning experiences in research and professional settings. Through placements in labs, farms, greenhouses and other units, students gain knowledge and skills while earning academic credit and a paycheck.
Nominations Open for 2025 Cohort of CALS Staff Champions
Nominations are open for the 2025 cohort of CALS Staff Champions program. Staff (P&S or merit) will be selected to participate in a professional development program focusing on the college’s operations. Sessions will take place the second Friday of each month from June to December from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with lunch provided. Applications are due May 16.
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.
Calendar
April 24: Life Sciences Day Luncheon
The CALS Student Council invites college faculty, staff and students to its Life Sciences Day Luncheon on Thursday, April 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the ATRB Atrium. Attendees can enjoy ciabatta deli sandwiches, mixed fruit and vegetables, chocolate covered strawberries and kombucha. Vegan and gluten free options will also be available.
April 25-26: Campustown Showdown
The Department of Animal Science and the Iowa State University Rodeo Club are sponsors of the Campustown Showdown on April 25-26. A cattle show will take place Friday, April 25, at 6 p.m. and Saturday, April 26, at 9:30 a.m. at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. The grand drive at the campustown business district will take place Saturday, April 26, at 6:30 p.m.
April 28: Retirement Reception for Gail Nonnecke
A retirement reception for Gail Nonnecke is April 28 from 2:30-4:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Cardinal Room, with remarks at 3:15 p.m. Nonnecke has served as a faculty member in the Department of Horticulture for more than 40 years. She is a University Professor, Morrill Professor and Global Professor at Iowa State. She is faculty coordinator of global resource systems, an interdisciplinary major in CALS, and associate director for education programs for the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods.
April 29: Fobes Ronald Lecture
The Fobes Ronald Lecture in Environmental Conservation is April 29 at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union South Ballroom. Jill Baron, senior research scientist with the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory at Colorado State University, will present “The Good and the Bad of Altering the Global Nitrogen Cycle.”
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.
Infograzing
April Innovation Lunch Club Features Bioscience Platform Leaders
The April edition of the Innovation Impact Lunch Club will feature the three chief technology officers assigned to Iowa State's three state-funded bioscience platforms: biobased products (Kevin Moore), digital and precision agriculture (Nadilia Gomez), and vaccines, diagnostics and immunotherapeutics (Mike Roof). The Lunch Club will meet on Friday, April 25, from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the training room at the ISU Economic Development Core Facility, ISU Research Park.
Iowa State Community Encouraged to Prepare for Severe Weather
Spring brings the potential for severe weather in Iowa. Thunderstorms and tornadoes are often unpredictable and can develop quickly, which is why preparation is important. In an email sent April 14 from ISU Alerts, the Iowa State community was encouraged to take time to review the emergency procedures for tornadoes as well as the severe weather shelter areas for campus buildings.
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.