CALS Online and Dean’s Message
October 6, 2025
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS – I am happy to report that we’re on a roll with regard to fundraising and the positive impact it generates. Two examples follow. These past few weeks have yielded tremendous support for a dedicated Learning Lab at our Mpirigiti Rural Training Centre on the ISU-Uganda Program campus in Kamuli… The CALS Pathways to Innovation and Leadership program out of the Office of Academic Innovation is turning up the energy and level of engagement with its programs across the college, and so, too, has the support for it grown.
Top Stories
Byproduct of Making Fuel from Ag Waste Boosts Soil Organic Carbon on Iowa Farm
Digestate, the byproduct of using anaerobic digestion to turn biological matter such as corn stalks and cattle manure into fuel, can boost soil organic carbon levels when applied to fields, according to an analysis of 12 years of data collected on a farm in southeast Iowa where digestate has replaced nearly all of the synthetic nitrogen fertilizer on corn fields. Fernando Miguez, agronomy, and Lisa Schulte Moore, natural resource ecology and management, are co-authors of the study recently published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. (Photo courtesy of the Consortium for Cultivating Human And Naturally reGenerative Enterprises.)
Research
Report Highlights Student and Faculty Support for Sustainability in Curriculum
A new report from the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice reveals broad support among students and faculty for greater integration of sustainability themes across the university's curriculum. The study, "Sustainability in the Curriculum at Iowa State University: Comparing Student and Faculty Perspectives," was prepared by J. Arbuckle, SOCJ, and former Bioeconomy Institute researcher Suraj Upadhaya.
ISRC Funds Research Projects, Holds Research Day
The Iowa Soybean Research Center has funded two new soybean research projects and provided an additional year of funding for two continuing projects. The center also hosted an ISU Research Day, which featured select faculty who provided updates on ISRC-funded projects and a poster session featuring the research of Iowa State graduate students and research staff.
Youngs Represents Iowa State at Science Communications Conference
Curtis Youngs, animal science, represented Iowa State at the African Biennial Biosciences Communication symposium held in Lusaka, Zambia, on Aug. 26-28. The theme was Igniting Africa's Bold Fight against Misinformation and Disinformation in Science. A video featuring highlights of the conference has been released. The war on science is ongoing, Youngs said (2:13-2:41 and 4:41-5:54). “It’s up to scientists around the globe to work with people who specialize in science communications so we can translate the things we do into language which is understandable by members of the general public.” Youngs hopes that understanding will then translate into support for influencing greater investment in agricultural research to reduce hunger and malnutrition across the globe.
Building Skills through Undergraduate Research
Norah Warchola, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, is excited about mentoring undergraduate researchers. “I love helping students connect with faculty who match their interests,” Warchola said in an Oct. 1 article for the Iowa State Daily. “Hands-on research is one of the most impactful parts of the Iowa State experience.”
Teaching and Students
CALS Co-Hosts Annual Food Insecurity Challenge
In a challenge hosted by the Ivy College of Business, CALS and the Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship, students from across disciplines are invited to participate in a team-based challenge to generate new and innovative solutions to food insecurity. Event kickoff, including a hunger banquet, is Nov. 4 from 5-8 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. The pitch competition is Nov. 18 from 5-8 p.m. in the Memorial Union South Ballroom.
Graduate Student Takes Helm of APS Graduate Student Committee
Mayowa Aderoju has been named chair of the American Phytopathological Society Graduate Student Committee, a leadership role he describes as both a professional milestone and an opportunity to give back to the community that has shaped him. Aderoju is a graduate research assistant working with Gary Munkvold at the Seed Science Center and the Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology.
From Blue Jackets to Cardinal and Gold, Agronomy Freshman Honors FFA Legacy
Cameron Addington, freshman in agronomy, is the 2025-26 FFA State President for Minnesota. His mom, Leah Addington, served in this same role in 1997-98.
CALS Students to Hold Annual Bacon Expo Oct. 11
The annual Bacon Expo is Saturday, Oct. 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. The event includes sizzling bacon, hands-on agricultural education and activities for all ages. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
Landscape Club to Hold Design Session Oct. 18
The Landscape Club is holding a student design session on Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sessions include a basic site overview, plant recommendations and a landscape perspective drawing. Each one-hour session is $160. Slots are limited and are allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis. The event is a fundraiser to support their participation in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition.
Culinary Science Club to Present Cinnamon Roll Workshop
The Culinary Science Club is offering 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.
Student Entries Sought for CALS Art Science Exhibition
CALS seeks student work in any material or medium on Agricultural Icons (open interpretation) for a Dec. 8 group exhibition. Two $500 prizes will be awarded to Best in Show, Graduate Student and Best in Show, Undergraduate Student. Email applications to CALS Art Science Curator Dior Kelley (dkelley@iastate.edu). Submission deadline is Nov. 19.
Extension and Outreach
Webinar to Share Beekeeping Tips
The Urban Agriculture Program is holding a webinar on Thursday, Oct. 9, from 1-2 p.m. to address common questions for aspiring and experienced beekeepers. The webinar is available at no cost, but online registration is required.
Iowa Organic Conference Celebrates 25th Anniversary
“Nourishing Community through Organic Agriculture: The 25th Anniversary” is the theme for the Iowa Organic Conference on Nov. 17 in Iowa City. Bob Quinn, a Montana organic farmer and director of the Quinn Institute, will present the keynote address. More than 30 vendors, from organic seed and equipment dealers to certifiers and nonprofits, will fill the vendor hall.
Manage Fire Risks During Harvest
Early planting combined with warm spring and fall conditions has led to an earlier-than-usual corn harvest in Iowa. Crops are also drier than normal, creating a greater risk of field fires during harvest. “Any ignition source in combination with dry plant residue presents a potential hazard,” said Kris Kohl, field agricultural engineer with ISU Extension and Outreach.
Around the College
Interviews Continue for Egg Industry Center Director
Gregory Archer, the second finalist for director of the Egg Industry Center, presented a public seminar and an open forum this morning, Oct. 6, in the Ensminger Room, 1204 Kildee Hall. As part of the interview process, all four candidates will present a public seminar on “My vision and strategy for the Egg Industry Center to fulfill its missions,” followed by an open forum. Seminars will be recorded and posted after all candidates have presented. All seminars will take place in the Ensminger Room from 9-9:50 a.m., followed by the open forum from 10-10:50 a.m. in the same room. The remaining two candidates will present Thursday, Oct. 9, and Oct. 16.
RSVP by Oct. 8 for CSRL Lunch and Learn
The Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods is holding a lunch and learn session for faculty, staff and graduate students on Oct. 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in 368A Heady Hall. Francis Owusu, CALS associate dean for global engagement and CSRL director, and Gideon Nadiope, national director of the Iowa State University-Uganda Program, will share details about CSRL and the work of ISU-UP in rural Uganda. RSVP by Wednesday, Oct. 8.
Gaul Receives Educator of the Year Award
Mike Gaul, former director of CALS Career Services, received the Educator of the Year Award from the Mid America CropLife Association at its annual meeting in Kansas City on Sept. 2-4.
In Memoriam: Denis McGee
Denis McGee, professor emeritus in plant pathology, entomology and microbiology, died Sept. 27. He was 86. McGee was a member of the plant pathology faculty from 1978 to 2005. Housed in the Seed Science Center, he broadened the scope of the seed program of pathogen epidemiology, improved detection methods of seed-borne pathogens, and improved seed storability.
Calendar
Oct. 8: INRC Water Quality Research Seminar
The Iowa Nutrient Research Center’s next water quality research seminar is Wednesday, Oct. 8, from 3:10-4 p.m. Jacqueline Comito, Iowa Learning Farms and Water Rocks!, and Catherine Kling, Cornell University, will present “Navigating a Multistate, Multi-Institutional Collaboration for Saturated Buffer Adoption Research.” Participants can attend in-person in 3306 Elings Hall or online.
Oct. 9: Feeding the World Seminar Series
The Feeding the World seminar series continues Thursday, Oct. 9, from 3:40-4:55 p.m. in the Ensminger Room, 1204 Kildee Hall. Francis Owusu, CALS associate dean for global engagement, will present “Global Agriculture Programs and Opportunities in CALS.”
Oct. 14: CALS Career Day
CALS Career Day is Oct. 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lied Recreation Athletic Center. In addition to the opportunity to meet prospective employers, CALS is committed to helping students turn their academic experiences into meaningful careers.
Oct 15: CALS Town Hall
Join Dean Robison for a Town Hall meeting on Oct. 15 from noon to 1 p.m. in 1131 NSRIC (National Swine Research and Information Center) Building.
Oct. 16: Errington Memorial Lecture
The Paul L. Errington Memorial Lecture is Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Scott Loarie, executive director of iNaturalist, will present “How One App is Engaging the Public in Citizen Science and Conservation.” The Errington lecture is held annually by the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management.
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
Use a Dash to Set Off Series within a Phrase
When a phrase that otherwise would be set off by commas contains a series of words that must be separated by commas, use dashes to set off the full phrase: He listed the qualities — intelligence, humor, conservatism, independence — that he liked in an executive. (Associated Press Stylebook, 2024-2026 edition, pg. 398)
Infograzing
Virtual Workshop Discusses Preparing Effective Award Nominations
The Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost is holding a virtual workshop on Preparing Effective Award Nominations, on Oct. 14 from 2-3 p.m. Registration is available online. There is also a recording available from a previous year online.
Marginalia
Picking the Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin harvest is in full swing at the Horticulture Research Station, where more than 1,400 orange gourds will be plucked from the patch by the end of this week. About 1,200 pumpkins will go to Reiman Gardens to be carved for its Halloween event, Spirits in the Gardens (Oct. 10-12). The remaining 200-300 pumpkins will be sold on Friday, Oct. 10, at the produce sale in Kildee Hall.
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.