CALS Online and Dean’s Message
April 27, 2026
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS – This is always a very busy time of year as we rush toward the end of the semester and graduation exercises, and all the excellent activities in the run-up to those happy events… Iowa State hosted the annual Iowa FFA Leadership Conference, including a CALS-hosted BBQ for attendees at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. Surely you saw the thousands (literally – more than 6,000) of blue corduroy jackets all over campus…
Top Stories
Graduate Student Explores Opportunities for Backyard Conservation
Fanny Riand, graduate student in wildlife ecology, sees the potential that everyday homeowners and renters have in the grand scheme of conservation. Her thesis, focused on how urban environments can help support birds and pollinators, examines how the smallest yards can make the biggest difference.
Research
Additional Roundtable Offered on Combatting Antimicrobial Resistance
The Office of the Vice President for Research is hosting an additional Research and Innovation Roundtable on “One Step Forward…Combatting AMR Through Collaborative Research” on May 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Gateway Hotel. This is a partnered event with the National Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education. Registration deadline is May 4.
How Information Shapes Public Attitudes Toward Utility-Scale Solar
“How Information Shapes Public Attitudes Toward Utility-Scale Solar—Why Stakeholders Differ and the Implications for Policy and Outreach” by Jian Chen and Hongli Feng, economics, and Luke Seaberg, Extension to Communities, is discussed in the winter 2026 issue of Agricultural Policy Review, published by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development.
Teaching and Students
Celebrate Post-Graduation or Summer Plans at CYning Day
The annual CYning Day is Wednesday, April 29, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Curtiss Hall ground floor rotunda. Students are encouraged to stop by for snacks and a photo promoting their post-graduation and summer plans to share via LinkedIn. Those who participate will be entered into a raffle for four $50 Amazon gift cards. Contact Eric Anderson in CALS Career Services (ericand@iastate.edu) with questions.
Science with Practice Poster Session Set for May 6
This semester’s Science with Practice poster session is May 6 from 2-4 p.m. in the Kildee Hall atrium. Science with Practice is a CALS experiential learning and work program for undergraduate students.
Faculty, Advisors Invited to Pathways Luncheon
CALS faculty and advisors are invited to a luncheon on May 6 from noon to 1 p.m. in 0013 Curtiss Hall to hear from advisors and students engaged in the Pathways to Innovation and Leadership Program and discover how this program can benefit students. RSVP by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29.
Horticulture Club Holding Spring Flower Basket Sale
The Horticulture Club is holding its annual spring flower basket sale at Reiman Gardens on May 9 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and May 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Extension and Outreach
Registration Open for Iowa Swine Day
The Iowa Pork Industry Center has opened registration for Iowa Swine Day on June 25 at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center. A pre-conference networking social will be June 24 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center.
Around the College
Faculty Promotions Announced
Following final approval of faculty promotion and tenure by the Iowa Board of Regents, the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost posted the list for 46 faculty members for the 2026-27 academic year, including the following from CALS. Also announced was the advancement for 30 term faculty, including the following from CALS.
- Promotion to Professor (already tenured): Daniel Andersen and Nir Keren, agricultural and biosystems engineering; Andrew VanLoocke, agronomy; Scott Nelson, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology; Keith Vorst, food science and human nutrition; Marna Yandeau-Nelson and Hua Bai, genetics, development and cell biology; and Julie Blanchong, natural resource ecology and management.
- Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure: Yang Yang, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology; Donghyuk Kim, economics; Elizabeth McNeill, food science and human nutrition; Raquel Espin Palazon, genetics, development and cell biology; Miranda Curzon, natural resource ecology and management; and Katie Dentzman, sociology and criminal justice.
- Advanced to Teaching Professor: Jon Fleming, agricultural and biosystems engineering; Alan Drury, sociology and criminal justice; and Kevin Kasper, statistics.
- Advanced to Associate Teaching Professor: Elnaz Ebrahimi, agronomy.
- Advanced to Adjunct Professor: Walter Suza, agronomy.
- Advanced to Clinical Professor: Dawn Bowker, food science and human nutrition.
Wang Receives Maize Genetics Cooperator Award
Kan Wang, agronomy, received the 2026 Maize Genetics Cooperator Award at its annual meeting in Cologne, Germany, in February. The award recognizes Wang’s significant contributions to advancing maize research and supporting the maize genetics community through service and collaboration.
Two CALS Faculty Named to Highly Cited Researchers List
Sotirios Archontoulis, agronomy, and Yanhai Yin, genetics, development and cell biology, were named to the 2025 Highly Cited Researchers list by Clarivate. This distinction recognizes researchers who demonstrate significant and broad influence in their fields through highly impactful publications. Highly Cited Researchers represent roughly 1 in 1,000 scientists and social scientists worldwide.
Innovation at Work - What the Cattle are Wearing
Technology-loaded collars on cattle are examples of agricultural innovations that livestock producers and ag industry professionals are exploring with help from ISU Extension and Outreach. The Iowa Beef Center demonstrated several of these technologies at a fall 2025 field day held in partnership with South Dakota State University Beef Extension.
Celebrating the Legacy of the Ada Hayden Herbarium
The Ada Hayden Herbarium at Iowa State is a nationally significant botanical collection, preserving more than 700,000 specimens of plants, fungi and lichens from Iowa and beyond. Named for Dr. Ada Hayden—the first woman to earn a Ph.D. from Iowa State—the herbarium reflects her lasting impact on botanical research, prairie conservation and scientific leadership.
Henning Honored as 2026 LeggACY Maker
The Egg Industry Center has recognized Jeff Henning, industry leader and founding EIC board member, with the 2026 LeggACY Maker Award for his sustained leadership and measurable contributions to the advancement of the U.S. egg industry and the Egg Industry Center.
Hertz Lecture Available Online
The recording of the Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture presented by three Corteva Agriscience senior leaders on April 14, is now available online.
Calendar
April 28: From Local Roots to Global Impact
Pam Johnson, a sixth-generation northern Iowa farmer and longtime advocate for agriculture and rural communities, will present “From Local Roots to Global Impact: Women in Agriculture” on Tuesday, April 28, at 5:30 p.m. in 1148 Gerdin Business Building. The International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences is a co-sponsor.
April 29: Retirement Celebration for Lisa McEnaney
A retirement celebration for Lisa McEnaney, business administrator for agronomy, is Wednesday, April 29, at 10 a.m. in Agronomy Hall.
April 29: Discover the Wellness Benefits of Birding
Students are invited to learn the basics of birding on a guided walk on Wednesday, April 29, from 10-11 a.m. After a brief presentation in Cyclone Support Central in Parks Library, students will explore campus with natural resource ecology and management faculty to learn how to spot birds and enjoy nature on campus.
May 5: CALS Faculty and Staff Picnic
CALS faculty and staff are invited to celebrate the end of the year at a picnic on May 5 from 4-6 p.m. at the Harl Commons patio, Curtiss Hall. Dinner, ISU wine and beer, ISU Creamery ice cream and live music by The Crunch Brothers will be provided. Plus ones are welcome to attend. RSVP by Tuesday, April 28.
May 6: Virtual Seminar on AI Tools and Uses
Mike Retallick, associate dean for personnel and finance, and Danny Singh, associate dean for research and discovery, are hosting a virtual seminar on AI Tools and Uses on May 6, time to be announced. Mike Lohrbach, chief technology officer with Information Technology Services, will discuss AI tools at Iowa State, guidelines and best practices, challenges and opportunities, and AI to support your work. The program will be recorded and made available following the seminar.
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
The Use of Commas – With Equal Adjectives
Use commas to separate a series of adjectives equal in rank. If the commas could be replaced by the word and without changing the sense, the adjectives are equal: a thoughtful, precise manner; a dark, dangerous street. Use no comma when the last adjective before a noun outranks its predecessors because it is an integral element of a noun phrase, which is the equivalent of a single noun: a cheap fur coat, the noun phrase is fur coat. (Associated Press Stylebook, 2024-2026 edition, pg. 396-397)
Infograzing
Campus Food Drive Runs April 27-May 7
The annual United Way of Story County food drive is today, April 27, through May 7. Faculty, staff and students can participate by donating food and non-food items or making a financial contribution. There are 10 drop off locations around campus.
Marginalia
The MoonPie’s Lunar Legacy
To celebrate Artemis II’s return to the moon, an April 13 post on Fishwrap, the Newspapers.com blog, saluted the celestial snack MoonPie. According to company lore, the story of the MoonPie began in 1917 when Earl Mitchell, a traveling salesman, visited a general store frequented by Appalachian coal miners. When Mitchell asked what they looked for in a snack, the miners responded that it needed to fill them up, be portable enough to fit in a lunch pail, and be a treat that would get them through a long shift. One man then purportedly pointed to the moon, saying he hoped the snack would be as big as the moon. Mitchell headed back to Tennessee and reported to the folks at Chattanooga Bakery. They responded with a new creation – a chocolate-dipped treat featuring fluffy marshmallows sandwiched between two large graham crackers. The MoonPie was born.
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.