CALS Online and Dean’s Message
February 16, 2026
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS Colleagues – Last Friday evening was the annual 4-H Foundation Gala, and I was so happy to be there and be a guest at the table of Vice President for Extension and Outreach Jason Henderson… It is truly an amazing, transformative movement and the largest youth organization in the U.S. with more than six million members… The first half of this week, I'm in Arizona to visit college alums and donors, and to host a CALS reception…
Top Stories
Smalley to Serve as Next Department Chair for AGEDS
Scott Smalley will become the next chair of the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies, effective April 1. Currently a professor in AGEDS, Smalley has been with Iowa State since 2016. “As an alum and faculty member of the department and a former educator in Iowa, it makes this opportunity to serve Iowa State and the state of Iowa tremendously meaningful,” Smalley said. Jeff Iles has been serving as the department’s interim chair since August 2025, following former chair Mike Retallick’s appointment as CALS associate dean of personnel and finance.
Research
Do Prairie Strips Really Help Pollinators?
As farms grow more efficient and landscapes become increasingly simplified, bees, butterflies and other pollinators are losing the diverse habitats they depend on. One widely promoted solution is planting native vegetation, but an important question remains. Can pollinator habitat embedded within conventional farming systems truly help if pesticides remain in the surrounding landscape? A new synthesis led by Amy Toth, plant pathology, entomology and microbiology and ecology, evolution and organismal biology, suggests the answer is yes.
Vitamin B Supplementation Shown to Benefit Stressed Cattle
Shoki Hirano, a graduate student in animal science, has been working on a research project to gain insight into the role B vitamin supplements play in preventing illness in cattle. Hirano discussed his research during the 2025 3MT finale competition last fall. The research was done under the guidance of Stephanie Hansen, animal science, and in collaboration with Jodi McGill, College of Veterinary Medicine.
Teaching and Students
Zebrafish Research Ignites Students’ Scientific Curiosity
“A lot of buzz” was generated for the Biology 4230L lab when the gene-editing technology, CRISPR, was introduced in 2013. The increase in course enrollment – from 10 students to now more than 60 students – can be attributed not only to the introduction of CRISPR, but to the hands-on, student-driven learning structure of the lab. Instructors are Jeff Essner and Renu Srivastava, genetics, development and cell biology.
Student Entrepreneurs Sought for College Pitch Off Competition
The Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship, in conjunction with Iowa State’s seven colleges, is hosting its annual College-by-College Pitch Off. Students deliver a 90-second pitch about an idea or business they are working on to a panel of judges for cash prizes. Registration is open to 25 students in each college. CALS students will present on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
CALS Research Day a Success
CALS Research Day featured 63 poster presentations from undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. 3 Minute Thesis finalists Shoki Hirano, Haimantika Dey, Simran Kaur and Fanny Riand presented their slides at the event as well. Award recipients are listed online.
Extension and Outreach
Webinar Series for Iowa Food Businesses Begins in March
ISU Extension and Outreach’s Food Innovation and Business Hub, a resource that helps Iowa entrepreneurs develop successful food businesses, will host a monthly “Lunch and Learn” webinar series in 2026 to support current and aspiring Iowa food entrepreneurs. The webinars are offered at no cost and open to all. The first webinar is March 3.
Grain Conditioning School to Provide Hands-on Training
A one-day school aimed at improving the quality of stored grain is scheduled for March 11 at the Iowa State University Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex. The registration fee is $100 and limited to 48 participants.
Workshop to Help Aspiring Entrepreneurs Launch Compliant, Profitable Food Businesses
Food business and food safety experts with ISU Extension and Outreach’s Food Innovation and Business Hub are hosting a workshop on March 13 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Digital Ag Innovation Lab. “Plan, Prep, Profit: Starting a Food Business,” will provide practical guidance for turning food ideas or hobbies into viable, compliant businesses. Registration fee is $120.
Iowa Water Center Updates Websites
The Iowa Water Center coordinates the work of the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework National Hub. As part of this work, the ACPF website was recently updated and is now hosted by Iowa State University. The site offers direct access to data downloads, detailed training videos, vetted publications, case studies and technical support. The Daily Erosion Project is another initiative of the Iowa Water Center. It is a near real-time monitoring and modeling system that estimates precipitation, runoff, soil erosion and sediment movement across watersheds within its coverage area. The DEP website has also been revised.
Around the College
Pathways Program Releases 2025 Impact Report
The CALS Pathways to Innovation and Leadership Impact Report 2025 is now available, showcasing how the program helps students explore careers and build professional skills through hands-on learning, workshops, mock interviews and micro-credentials.
Paxton Inducted into Pinto Horse Hall of Fame
Jill Paxton, animal science, was inducted into the Pinto Horse Judges Hall of Fame for her contributions to the equine industry.
Search Underway for Assistant Director for Career Services
Applications are being accepted for an assistant director for CALS Career Services to lead an office that connects students and alums with employers in agriculture, natural resources and life sciences. They will manage the Career Services team and Pathways to Innovation and Leadership staff, guide the planning and execution of recruiting and networking events, and develop initiatives that prepare students to be competitive in the workforce. Application deadline is Feb. 22.
Donate to ‘pRICE Is Right’ Food Drive through Feb. 27
The CALS Staff Council is holding a “pRICE Is Right” food drive through Feb. 27 to support students experiencing food insecurity at Iowa State. Faculty and staff are invited to donate bags of long-grain white rice to the SHOP Food Pantry, helping provide a reliable and nutritious staple for students in need. There are seven collection locations around campus.
Calendar
Feb. 17: Bitcoin Will Demonetize Agriculture
Start Something CALS is co-sponsoring a lecture on Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union Sun Room. “Bitcoin Will Demonetize Agriculture: How Young People Could Own Farmland in the Future,” will be presented by Vance Crowe, founder of Legacy Interviews and host of “The Vance Crowe Podcast.”
Feb. 18: Inaugural “Beyond the Basics” Webinar
Iowa Learning Farms has launched a “Beyond the Basics: Advanced Cover Crop Series.” The new program offers deeper exploration of advanced cover crop topics through a variety of resources and a new dialogue-focused webinar series that will promote candid conversations. The first webinar is Wednesday, Feb. 18, and will feature Mark Licht, agronomy.
March 9: Faculty and Staff Awards Ceremony
The CALS Faculty and Staff Awards ceremony, honoring employee achievements, is March 9 at 4:10 p.m. in Dolezal Auditorium, 127 Curtiss Hall. The program will include brief comments from Dean Robison and recognition of the 2026 award recipients. A reception in Harl Commons will follow the program.
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
Vet Med Addresses a Service Need Early On
Large animal veterinarians are difficult to find in Iowa and across the nation. The College of Veterinary Medicine is trying to change that with a new mandatory course for all first-year students. In its first semester, "Large Animal Clinical Skills" introduced 140 first-year vet students to sheep, cattle, hogs and horses. This addition complements the small animal course already in place.
Soybeans Help Create Longer Lasting Roads in Iowa
Soy pavement technology developed by Iowa State engineers helped fix 24 miles of rural roads in northeast Iowa's Clayton and Fayette counties and the town of Volga. The "soy roads" used 12,000 to 15,000 bushels of soybeans and eliminated the need for 40,000 barrels of crude oil.
Marginalia
Beating the Winter Blues
“As I sit here typing on this Saturday morning it is snowing heavily, and I am wondering if whoever invented Iowa simply forgot to include spring,” wrote Giles Fowler in a letter to his mother in April 1983. In a Jan. 30 blog post for Cardinal Tales, published by Special Collections and University Archives, Rachael Hargrove said this is surely a sentiment familiar to anyone who has experienced the highs and lows of Iowa’s many false springs. Hargrove, a processing archivist, found these letters while going through the papers of Giles Fowler, a journalist, writer and professor in the Greenlee School of Journalism.
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.