CALS Online and Dean’s Message
September 8, 2025
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS – What a great Cyclone weekend we just had! The weather was perfect, and so was the outcome of the CyHawk game… Last week, we had the kick-off for the Pathways to Innovation and Leadership program in Harl Commons, led by Carmen Bain and Amy Mendee… We also had President Wintersteen's new Iowa State faculty reception last week…
Top Stories
Soilscape Represents Century of Effort to Provide Practical Soils Information to Iowans
From the old paper soil maps to the new, high-tech, interactive environment of Soilscape.org, Iowa State scientists have led efforts to characterize a largely hidden landscape -- the ground under our feet, farms, homes and businesses. The new public resource integrates data from the long-time soil survey data with advanced landscape analytics to enhance public access to comprehensive soil information. Agronomy professors Lee Burras (second to left) and Bradley Miller (far left) recently took students to various locations throughout the state to sample and discuss soils from different landscape positions as part of a weeklong field immersion class. (Photo by Whitney Baxter/CALS Communications Service)
Research
Slack Helps Farmers Adapt to New Apple Production Systems
Fruit specialist Suzanne Slack, horticulture, was drawn to Iowa State by the opportunity to revive the university’s orchard. Since she arrived in 2021, she’s increased apple production to 15 acres at the Horticulture Research Station, where she studies the potential of historical and new apple cultivars to adapt to today’s growing conditions and industry preferences.
New USDA Grant Supports Farmers' Transition to Organic Practices
Kathleen Delate, agronomy and horticulture, is leading a new USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program grant to provide technical assistance and support for transitioning and existing organic farmers, like Shaffer Ridgeway of Waterloo.
INRC Water Quality Research Seminar Series Begins Sept. 10
The Iowa Nutrient Research Center’s fall water quality research series will focus on Working Towards Better Water Quality through Regional Collaborative Research. Each session will include an INRC-supported scientist, along with a research partner who has been instrumental in a recent project. The presentations take place the second Wednesday of each month, beginning this Wednesday, Sept. 10, from 3:10-4 p.m. Participants can attend in-person at 3306 Elings Hall or online September through November. The December seminar will be held online only.
Applications for Equipment Seed Grants due Sept. 22
Applications for CALS/AES Strategic Seed Grants for Facilities and Equipment for Faculty with Existing Hatch and Multistate Projects will be accepted until Sept. 22. Information about the awards, eligibility and the application is available online.
Iowa State Hosts International Spraytec Conference
More than 100 researchers, growers and industry leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Paraguay and the United States gathered at Iowa State on Aug. 26 for the annual Spraytec Conference, hosted in partnership with the Seed Science Center and the Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology. The event spotlighted cutting-edge discussions on corn and soybean pathology as well as the growing role of digital record keeping in modern agriculture.
Teaching and Students
Economics Team Receives Teaching-Based Research Grant
Amani Elobeid, Angelos Lagoudakis and doctoral candidate Beomyun Kim, economics, received one of five university Miller Faculty Fellowship program grants for the 2025-26 academic year. The project, “Transforming Economics Examinations: A Token-Based System for Enhanced Learning and Student Success,” introduces a token-based exam support system designed to transform traditional assessment practices in higher education.
Students Encouraged to Submit Abstracts for Borlaug Poster Competition
Poster abstracts are now being accepted for the 22nd Annual Norman Borlaug Lecture Poster Competition for Graduate and Undergraduate Students. The competition and display of posters will take place Oct. 21 on the ground floor of Curtiss Hall, prior to the Norman Borlaug Lecture featuring 2025 World Food Prize Laureate Mariangela Hungria. Poster abstracts are due Sept. 30, at 11:59 p.m.
Culinary Science Club to Present Cinnamon Roll Workshop
The Culinary Science Club is offering to campus and community members a “Cinnamon Roll Workshop” on Nov. 7 at 6 p.m. in 200 MacKay Hall. Participants will learn how to make fresh cinnamon rolls and other sweet rolls, and take home sweet rolls, yeast dough and recipes. The workshop fee is $40 and space is limited.
Extension and Outreach
Celebrate Apple Season at Horticulture Research Station
Taste the first fruits of Iowa State's new apple crop at an open house on Saturday, Sept. 13, from noon to 2 p.m., at the Horticulture Research Station. The open house will highlight many different cultivars available for purchase at local orchards, along with upcoming and heritage cultivars not yet released to the public. The event will feature informal orchard tours, a chance to ask questions and doughnuts and Iowa-grown cider. The event is available at no cost, but organizers ask that participants register online to adequately prepare apples.
Subscribe Early and Save on CropsTV Season 6
CropsTV, powered by ISU Extension and Outreach, will return for its sixth season in January 2026, continuing its mission to deliver timely and relevant crop production information directly to farmers and agricultural service providers. Season 6 will feature expert-led discussions on emerging topics, including corn stunt and Curvularia leaf spot, two new corn diseases to monitor and spray drone technology.
2025 Iowa State Fair Skillathon Contest Results Announced
This year, 196 youth from 41 Iowa counties participated in ISU Extension and Outreach skillathons for goats, sheep and swine at the Iowa State Fair. Participants identified feed samples, breeds and meat cuts while answering questions about genetics, nutrients, quality assurance, handling and welfare. Amy Powell, animal science, agriculture and natural resources specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, developed the events with the help of Sarah Smith, evaluation specialist.
ANR Extension Spotlight: Alicia Herzog
The fall Iowa Master Gardener Volunteer training season is gearing up, and program coordinator Alicia Herzog is looking forward to it. She helps educate others on a wide range of gardening topics throughout the year so they can invest in their communities and home gardens.
Around the College
CALS Award Nominations Due Nov. 18
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences recognizes the excellence and dedication of its faculty and staff through the conferring of college awards. Award recipients are selected from nominations made by their colleagues and peers in recognition of their commitment to the college’s missions of student learning, research discovery and innovation, service, and extension and outreach. Award descriptions and nomination guidelines are found on the college website. Nominations are due to the college by Nov. 18 through the online submission portal. Nominations will be reviewed in December and award recipients will be notified in January. Awardees will be honored during the annual CALS Awards Program in the spring. Contact your departmental awards committee, or Julie Stewart (jstewart@iastate.edu), for additional information.
Interviews Set for Egg Industry Center Director
Four candidates have been identified for the position of director of the Egg Industry Center. As part of the interview process, each candidate will present a public seminar on “My vision and strategy for the Egg Industry Center to fulfill its missions,” followed by an open forum. Candidates’ names will be released one day before their interview. Seminars will be recorded and posted after all candidates have presented. All seminars will take place in the Ensminger Room, 1204 Kildee Hall, from 9-9:50 a.m., followed by the open forum from 10-10:50 a.m. in the same room.
- Monday, Sept. 29
- Monday, Oct. 6
- Thursday, Oct. 9
- Thursday, Oct. 16
Swanson Presented 2025 Emerging Iowa Leader Award
Jake Swanson (’14 global resource systems), founder and principal of High Yield Strategies, received the 2025 Emerging Iowa Leader Award at the annual CALS Alumni BBQ on Aug. 30 at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. The award honors CALS alums who have taken on leadership roles early in their careers to improve agriculture and life sciences through communication, education, relationship-building and engagement.
MOU Signed to Advance Agricultural Innovation in Africa
The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA AfriCenter) and Iowa State University have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote collaboration in teaching, research and outreach. The agreement aims to deepen mutual understanding of economic, cultural and social issues while strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem for science, technology and innovation.
Essay Contest Helps Combat Local Food Insecurity
Ames High School students are finding creative ways to combat food insecurity and have received funding to bring their ideas to life, thanks to the inaugural George Washington Carver Future Hunger Fighters Program essay contest. Last spring, Students Helping to Eliminate Poverty and Hunger Club members worked in teams to identify a hunger-related issue in the Ames community and propose a solution. The program is led by Walter Suza, agronomy and George Washington Carver Endowed Chair.
Farm Progress Show 2026 Call for Proposals
Potential content ideas are being sought for the Iowa State exhibit space at the 2026 Farm Progress Show. Together, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension and the Department of Agronomy would like to showcase innovative technologies and demonstrate the latest research to show attendees. They are looking for the best ideas to occupy the tent and the outdoor exhibit space. To submit a proposal for consideration, fill out this form by Sept. 12 at 11:59 p.m. Co-leaders Jay Harmon and Kendall Lamkey will review all submissions and make final content area decisions in October.
Calendar
Sept. 9: John Pesek Colloquium on Sustainable Agriculture
The John Pesek Colloquium on Sustainable Agriculture will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 9, from 3:10-4 p.m. in 1330 ATRB. David Crowder, Washington State University, will present “Pest Management in the Digital Age: Lessons Learned from the First 50 Years.”
Sept. 10: Honeybees 101 and Beekeeping Basics
Zachary Koopman, ISU Research and Demonstration Farms, will present “Honeybees 101 and Beekeeping Basics” on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m. in the Garden Room at Reiman Gardens. In 2023, Koopman installed a group of honeybees near Sycamore Falls at Reiman Gardens.
Sept. 10: Agronomy Hall Art Walk
Iowa State has long been at the forefront of agronomy – advancing agriculture through science, innovation and technology. This legacy is brought to life through the public art in and around Agronomy Hall. Join University Museums on Wednesday, Sept. 10, from 3:10-4 p.m. at the Agronomy Hall exterior courtyard for a guided tour exploring how these works of art reflect the evolution of modern agriculture and Iowa State’s role in shaping its future.
Sept. 12: Retirement Reception for Nancy Grudens-Schuck
A retirement reception for Nancy Grudens-Schuck, associate professor in agricultural education and studies, is Friday, Sept. 12, from 2:30-4 p.m. in Harl Commons. She has served the department for 25 years and has taught and mentored hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students. Her teaching portfolio included foundational and advanced courses in agricultural education, evaluation, qualitative methods and agricultural extension education.
Grudens-Schuck served as director of graduate education and director of graduate certificates from 2022–2025.
Sept. 12: The Art of Risking Everything
The Department of Statistics and the Department of Economics are co-sponsors of “On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything,” which will take place Friday, Sept. 12, at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Hall. In this presentation, Nate Silver, statistician and professional poker player, shares his analytical framework for assessing risk and making data-driven decisions that can give your business a competitive edge in an increasingly uncertain marketplace.
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
Study Looks at Filling Abandoned Wells with Bio-Oil
Filling abandoned oil and gas wells with bio-oil made from plant-based leftovers like corn stalks and forest debris could help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, returning carbon underground in deep shafts once used to extract it. This is the focus of a recent study by an Iowa State research team led by Mark Mba-Wright, mechanical engineering.
Iowa State Ideas, Technology Behind Slow-Release Fertilizer Startup
An Iowa State scientist and an Ames entrepreneur, Santanu Bakshi and Kyle Anderson, are launching a startup company to develop and sell slow-release fertilizers. The advantages for farmers are less runoff, better nutrient retention, matching fertilizer release with crop demands, higher yields and lower environmental impacts.
Volunteers Sought for Safe T Home Build on Central Campus
Sukup Manufacturing is building a Safe T Home on central campus in front of Curtiss Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 9. Volunteers are sought to participate in the build. All Safe T Homes will be shipped overseas. Sukup representatives will also be on site to talk about summer internships.
Business Attire Pop-Up Shop Open for Fall 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 fall career fairs?Sept.17-Oct.14. Volunteers also are sought during the pop-up shop student shopping hours on Sept. 10-11 and set-up on Sept. 9.
ClubFest Provides Students an Opportunity to Get Involved
ClubFest is Wednesday, Sept. 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Memorial Union. Each semester, students can browse through many clubs and organizations at Iowa State and discover how to get involved on campus.
Reiman Gardens Celebrates 30th Anniversary
Reiman Gardens is holding a Botanical Bash on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 5-9 p.m. in celebration of its 30th anniversary. The event will feature live outdoor music, inflatable slides, food trucks and a drone show. There will also be a scavenger hunt, challenging participants to locate throughout the gardens 20 sculptural elements representing past themes and exhibits from 2004-24.
Marginalia
Stink Floyd Returns to Conservatory
Following a rare bloom at Reiman Gardens, Stink Floyd—the Amorphophallus titanum otherwise known as the “corpse flower”—has retired to his home in the Richard W. Pohl Conservatory, located atop Bessey Hall. While Stink Floyd enjoys a well-earned rest, sincere thanks are extended to Kenny McCabe, greenhouse manager, whose expert care ensures the health and longevity of this extraordinary plant and many others in the collection.
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.