CALS Online and Dean’s Message
April 28, 2025
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS – A recording of our April 10 Town Hall meeting is available online. It includes my remarks, as well as presentations from Associate Dean for Academic Innovation Carmen Bain and from Senior Development Director Sarah Roelfs. This week is the ISU Foundation (Governors) Week, and we will have some great visitors to campus who support or enable our programs in many ways. These include Jeffrey Lansdale, president of the American Farm School in Greece, which is one of our top destinations for study abroad, and Tim Kolschowsky, president of the Kolschowsky Foundation, which has made possible our campus and Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods program in Uganda…
Top Stories
Ritchie Selected as Chair of Agronomy Department
After 14 years working in Texas, Glen Ritchie is heading north to Iowa, where he’ll assume the professor and chair role for Iowa State’s Department of Agronomy, effective July 15. He will take over for Mary Wiedenhoeft, who has been interim department chair since May 2023. Wiedenhoeft will remain with the department as a Morrill Professor of Agronomy. Ritchie is a professor of crop physiology and has served for five years as chair of the Department of Plant and Soil Science at Texas Tech University. During his career, he has focused on plant water relations, resource partitioning and plant sensing techniques in cotton and other crops. He currently serves as editor of Crop Science and is a member of the American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America and the Soil Science Society of America.
Teaching and Students
Open Source E-books on Plant Breeding Available from ISU Digital Press
Walter Suza, agronomy, and 25 additional Iowa State contributing authors, have created a series of open source, agronomy e-books in plant breeding and genetics. Thanks to ISU Digital Press, a unit of Parks Library, these resources are now available and free for anyone to use worldwide.
University CYning Day is April 30
Wednesday, April 30, is the first university wide CYning Day hosted by six college career services offices to recognize student success. The event celebrates students who have accepted an offer for a(n): co-op, internship, research experience, graduate school or post-graduation job. Students heading to one of these experiences this summer are invited to stop by any of five designated spots on campus to enjoy a snack and pose for a photo to share on social media, including Harl Commons in Curtiss Hall.
CALS Ignite Innovation Showcase Open House May 7
The CALS IGNITE Open House is May 7 from 1-4 p.m. in rooms 4227 and 4229 of the Student Innovation Center. Learn about the Pathways to Innovation and Leadership program, the Culinary Bootcamp, the Stupka Symposium and CALS Connections: Cross Pollinating Art and Science.
Horticulture Club Holding Spring Flower Basket Sale
The Horticulture Club is holding its annual spring flower basket sale on May 9-11. There will be more than 200 flower baskets (eight varieties) available for $30 each.
Student Club Spotlight: SHOP
The mission of the Students Helping Our Peers (SHOP) club is to engage with anti-hunger advocates and serve the student population by increasing hunger awareness and food security. There are two tiers of involvement at SHOP. Students may become volunteers by spending 1-3 hours per semester in the SHOP, or they may become club members by spending more than six hours per semester in the SHOP. To start volunteering, students must complete a short training that will appear on their Canvas page. Training content covers SHOP’s policies, food dignity and security, and volunteer responsibilities. Club members complete additional training and attend club meetings.
Extension and Outreach
Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference Scheduled for May 21
Iowa State will hold the 2025 Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference on May 21 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Scheman Building. The annual conference – now in its 97th year – is the longest running research and extension conference at Iowa State.
Drone Workshop Offers Education on Safety, Resources and Test Preparation
ISU Extension and Outreach’s Integrated Crop Management team, in partnership with High Tech Solutions for Agriculture, will host a two-day, intensive training designed to cover the essential components of the Federal Aviation Administration Part 107 Aeronautical Knowledge Test. The training is set for June 4 and 5 at the ISU - Alliant Energy Ag Innovation Lab. The cost to attend is $325 and participants must register online.
IPIC Releases New Resource on Feed Mixing Uniformity
Uniform feed ensures animals receive consistent nutrients, supporting their health and performance. A new publication from the Iowa Pork Industry Center helps producers evaluate feed uniformity and identify ingredients that may affect herd outcomes.
Around the College
Regents Approve Faculty Promotions
Following final approval of faculty tenure and promotions by the Iowa Board of Regents, the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost shared promotions for 110 faculty members for the 2025-26 academic year, including the following from CALS:
- Promotion to Professor (already tenured): Shawn Dorius, sociology and criminal justice; Adina Howe, agricultural and biosystems engineering; and Scott Smalley, agricultural education and studies.
- Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure: Kway Aung and Dior Kelley, genetics, development and cell biology; William Beck, natural resource ecology and management; Greg Curtzwiler, food science and human nutrition; and Shannon Harper, sociology and criminal justice.
- Advanced to Teaching Professor: Jeffrey Brinkley, sociology and criminal justice; and Darin Wohlgemuth, economics.
- Advanced to Associate Teaching Professor: Smaranda Andrews, food science and human nutrition; Ramesh Balayar, sociology and criminal justice; Kevin Duerfeldt, horticulture; and Renu Srivastava, genetics, development and cell biology.
- Advanced to Adjunct Professor: Lori Biederman, ecology, evolution and organismal biology.
Agriculture Honor Society Presents Awards
Gamma Sigma Delta, the Iowa Beta Chapter of the Honor Society of Agriculture, held its annual award ceremony on April 23. Thirty-seven undergraduate students, 38 graduate and veterinary medicine students, and three faculty members were initiated into the honor society. The following CALS faculty, staff, students and alums were presented awards at the ceremony.
- Research Mission Award – Juan Steibel, animal science
- Teaching Mission Award – Dawn Koltes, animal science
- International Agriculture Mission Award – Gail Nonnecke, horticulture
- Extension Mission Award – Laura Greiner, animal science
- Alumni Award of Merit – Gene Gourley, Gourley Research Group LLC
- Distinguished Achievement in Agriculture Award – James Dickson, animal science
- Senior Scholarship – Isaiah Bates, horticulture
- Sophomore Scholarship – Harriet Tuck, agronomy
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 Wednesday, April 30, will receive guaranteed consideration.
Science with Practice Information Session Scheduled for May 1
An information session for Science with Practice is Thursday, 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.
For On-Farm Business Founders, ISU Support Can Make All the Difference
For Iowans starting small businesses on their farms, Iowa State expertise can make all the difference for success as they adapt and grow. Their stories are the fifth in strategic relations and communication's 2025 Innovation at Work series, which illustrates Iowa State's role as a trusted partner to Iowa businesses and industries.
Salin 247 Moves into Innovation Incubator Space at BioCentury Research Farm
Needing more space to house and build their autonomous farm equipment, Salin 247 has moved into innovation incubator space at the BioCentury Research Farm west of Ames. Dave Krog, CEO and co-founder of Salin 247, was inspired to start the business by a desire to reduce soil compaction in fields and provide a less expensive farm equipment option.
Town Hall Recording Available Online
Dean Robison held a Town Hall meeting on April 10. A recording of the meeting is now available online (7:30-1:16).
Hertz Lecture Available Online
The recording of the Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture presented by Mark Stutsman, chief operating officer of Eldon C. Stutsman Inc., on April 15, is now available online.
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 Thursday, 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.
Calendar
April 28: Retirement Reception for Gail Nonnecke
A retirement reception for Gail Nonnecke is today, 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 Tuesday, 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.”
May 1: Retirement Reception for Philip Dixon
Philip Dixon, University Professor of statistics, is retiring on May 16. A reception is being held Thursday, May 1, from 4-5:30 p.m. (with a brief program at 4:30 p.m.) in the Garden Room at Reiman Gardens.
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
Food Drive to Benefit Local Pantries Runs April 28-May 8
Iowa State will participate in the United Way of Story County's annual "Live United" food drive April 28-May 8. Donations collected during these 11 days will go to participants in United Way's Story County Food Pantry Collaboration, which includes food pantries and food distribution programs. The SHOP student pantry, 1306 Beyer, is a member of the collaboration. A drive-up-and-drop-off option for donations will be available two days, May 5-6, during the morning commute (7-8:30 a.m.) in or near parking lots.
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.