CALS Online and Dean’s Message
March 30, 2026
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS – As we are officially in spring and welcome April later this week, we’re surely in the homestretch toward graduation and summer… I’ve continued my spring visits to each department, most recently the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice and the Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, and always appreciate the time and opportunity to share and learn…
Top Stories
Recycling Plants’ Plastic-Cleaning Process May Pose Water Contamination Risks
Greg Curtzwiler and Keith Vorst, food science and human nutrition and Iowa State’s Polymer and Food Protection Consortium, found some methods industrial recycling plants use to wash plastic may lead to high levels of toxic chemicals in the wash water. The study, funded in part by the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences, suggests that while further research is needed, recycling companies may need to change how plastic is cleaned and water involved is managed.
Research
INRC Accepting Proposals for Research Projects
The Iowa Nutrient Research Center is accepting new proposals for research projects designed to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in Iowa’s water. Proposals are due by May 1 for projects that will begin in August. Award decisions will be made in July.
Teaching and Students
Building Career Skills with High-Impact Practices to get Boost from Gamification
Faculty and students from Iowa State’s game design program, which launched last fall, will partner with CALS and the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching to expand on the college’s Pathways to Innovation and Leadership program planner by developing Build Your Pathway – a modular interactive online platform with game-like feedback such as dashboards, milestones and quests. Game designers will also update a board game CALS uses with students to simulate the importance of high-impact practices, creating a new board game called Pathfinder that integrates realistic job searches in its final stage.
Janssen Moves from Classroom to Career
In the fall of 2024, senior graphic design student Ella Janssen enrolled in the graphic design practicum taught by Patrick Finley, Professor in Charge of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for the College of Design. With a focus on bringing industry into the classroom, Finley’s theme for the semester was beverage and consumer products. One project in particular grabbed Janssen's attention – branding and design for the Iowa State brewery’s beer can labels.
Extension and Outreach
Farmers Need a Written Estate and Succession Plan
Kristine Tidgren, Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation, and a team of 14 interdisciplinary specialists developed the Estate and Succession Planning for the Farm Portal, an interactive online resource designed to guide farm families through the planning process. The portal includes educational videos, case studies and practical resources covering the legal, financial and communication aspects of estate and succession planning.
Get Ready for Summer Grilling with Barbecue Class
The Iowa Pork Industry Center and Meats Laboratory are partnering to offer a pork barbecue class for participants to learn the basics of barbecuing and grilling pork. The hands-on course will be April 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kildee Hall. To attend, online pre-registration is required by April 17. The registration fee is $20 per person and includes all supplies for the course. Registration is limited to 30 participants.
BugGuide Connects Curiosity to Science
BugGuide, hosted by Iowa State University, has quietly become an influential tool in modern entomology, bridging the gap between professional scientists and curious observers. For John VanDyk, plant pathology, entomology and microbiology, maintaining BugGuide isn’t just part of the job, it’s a two-decade commitment to making insect science accessible to everyone.
Around the College
DeLisi Named AAAS Fellow
The American Association for the Advancement of Science, one of the world’s largest scientific societies and publisher of the journal Science, has announced its class of 2025 fellows. Matt DeLisi, sociology and criminal justice, is being honored for his “Distinguished contributions to the field of criminology and criminal justice…”
P&S CYtation Recipients Recognized for Exemplary Service
At a March 24 ceremony, 25 professional and scientific employees received the P&S Council's CYtation Award for their outstanding work and contributions during calendar year 2025. Recipients included: Danielle Christofferson, ISU Creamery, food science and human nutrition; and Mitch Harting, agricultural and biosystems engineering.
Leadership and Learning Celebrated in PPEM
Claudia Lemper-Manahl, plant pathology, entomology and microbiology, was named Iowa State’s Student Employee Supervisor of the Year. And one of her students, Elizabeth Makovec, a first-year student in microbiology, was nominated for Student Employee of the Year.
Licht Receives Baker Agronomic Excellence Award
Mark Licht, agronomy, extension cropping systems specialist and co-director of the Iowa Soybean Research Center, received the Raymond and Mary Baker Agronomic Excellence Award from Iowa State’s Department of Agronomy.
Support CALS on Forever True Day
Join the Iowa State community on April 1-2 for Forever True Day, a 24-hour online giving event. Beginning at noon on Wednesday, April 1, help support the CALS community, from emergency completion grants to service-learning opportunities to study abroad scholarships. Check out the featured funds and join in on matches and challenges.
Iowa Agricultural Innovation Takes Center Stage
Matt Darr, agricultural and biosystems engineering, was the keynote speaker at the 2026 Ag Breakfast hosted by the Ames Regional Economic Alliance on March 27. The Iowa State Daily reported on Darr’s insights on the rapidly evolving landscape of digital agriculture, precision farming and how advanced technologies are transforming the future of farming.
Digital Accessibility Reporting Portal Now Available
With the April 24 digital accessibility compliance deadline approaching, Iowa State’s Digital Accessibility Reporting Portal is available to flag any accessibility barriers faculty, staff or students may encounter. All reports are reviewed by the ISU Digital Accessibility team and follow up is available upon request from the submitter. If your content is flagged by one of these reports, a member of the Digital Accessibility team will reach out to get the issue fixed. The reporting form can be found on the Information Technology Services website.
Calendar
April 1: Honey Bees Webinar
Amy Toth, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, will present “Honey Bees: Friends for Agriculture, Foes for Conservation?” for the Iowa Learning Farms conservation webinar on Wednesday, April 1, at noon.
April 2: Before the Semester Melts Away…
The CALS Staff Council is hosting an ice cream social on Thursday, April 2, from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Kildee Hall atrium.
April 8: From Fish to Humans
Neil Shubin, a paleontologist and evolutionary biologist, will present "From Fish to Humans: The Evolution of Vertebrates" on April 8 at 6 p.m. in 2630 Memorial Union. Co-sponsors include the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology.
April 9-10: Stupka Symposium
The 20th Annual Stupka Symposium, organized and run by undergraduate students in biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, is April 9-10 at the Molecular Biology Building. The symposium is free and open to the public.
April 14: Hertz Lecture
Three Corteva Agriscience senior leaders will reflect on the historic role Pioneer has played in shaping the seed industry during the 2026 Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture. The lecture will take place April 14 at 4:30 p.m. in 127 Curtiss Hall. The event is free and open to the public. CALS students attending the lecture will be eligible to receive one of five $500 Hertz Lecture scholarship awards by swiping their student ID at the lecture’s conclusion.
April 16: Egg Industry Issues Forum
Registration is open for the 2026 Egg Industry Issues Forum on April 16 in Minneapolis. This year’s forum is co-located at PEAK, the Midwest Poultry Federation’s annual convention emphasizing on-farm poultry production.
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
Architect of Global Food Safety Standards Named 2026 World Food Prize Laureate
Huub Lelieveld, a humanitarian and food safety expert from the Netherlands, has been named the 2026 World Food Prize Laureate. He is a scientist who led a global food safety movement that prevented millions of cases of foodborne illness, dismantled barriers to trade and humanitarian aid, and reduced food loss and waste. Through six decades of research, institution-building and tireless advocacy, he has united scientists, industry leaders and policymakers around a commitment to safe and nutritious food for all.
Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market Expands for 2026 Season
The Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market will expand its footprint for the 2026 season, growing into the 200 block of Main Street in Downtown Ames. The expansion reflects the continued momentum and popularity of the market, which has become a weekly destination for local food, artisan goods, and community connection. The 2026 season will open on May 2 and run weekly through October.
Marginalia
Busy Days in the Pammel Drive Barns
So far this winter, 36 foals have been born in the horse barns on the north side of campus. An anticipated 80 foals will be born on campus by June. Student employees are bestowing names on the newborns inspired by country musicians.
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.