CALS Online and Dean’s Message
May 11, 2026
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS Colleagues – I hope you had a great weekend and are enjoying this beautiful spring! This week is the run-up to graduation exercises in Hilton Coliseum… Last week, I was in Washington, D.C. for a couple of days with a very interesting group assembled by the leadership of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology. The group was tasked with considering the formation of a National Academy of Agriculture, or an organization like it…
Top Stories
CALS Convocation to Honor Graduating Seniors, May 15
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will hold its spring convocation Friday, May 15, at 9 a.m. in Hilton Coliseum. Doors open at 8 a.m. The event will also be livestreamed. The CALS Student Council will present its senior awards (see award recipients below). Ryan Wolf, animal science, is the convocation speaker and Ruth MacDonald, interim chair of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, is the guest speaker. Jolcey Santana, microbiology, will serve as the CALS student marshal at the university undergraduate commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 16, at 9 a.m. in Hilton Coliseum. The graduate commencement ceremony will take place Thursday, May 14, at 7 p.m. in Hilton Coliseum.
CALS Student Council Honors Senior Award Recipients
Each semester, the CALS Student Council recognizes graduating seniors who have gone above and beyond while attending Iowa State. This semester, the following five seniors will be honored at the May 15 CALS Convocation:
- Olly Dungan, wildlife and fisheries conservation and ecology – Outstanding Ambassador of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Lindsey Hospodarsky, agricultural communication – Leadership and Innovation
- Carly Lawler, agricultural systems technology and international agriculture – Distinguished Service
- Emily Meyer, agricultural and rural policy studies – Outstanding Senior
- Zachary Utley, agronomy and seed science – Academic Achievement
CALS Student Speaker: Ryan Wolf
Ryan Wolf, animal science, is the CALS Convocation speaker for the spring 2026 semester. He is honored to speak in front of the graduating class, and said even with such a large student body, CALS is deeply connected. He said the lessons that have stuck with him the most didn’t come from a classroom; they came from the people around him. He has learned the value of taking a step back and intentionally getting to know people at a deeper level.
CALS Student Marshal: Jolcey Santana
Jolcey Santana, microbiology, will represent CALS as the student marshal at the university's spring 2026 undergraduate commencement ceremony. She came to Iowa State with the intention of earning her bachelor’s degree and entering the workforce. Through her experiences here, she discovered opportunities that expanded her vision for the future. She realized her passion for continued learning and making discoveries to help those in need.
Class of 2026: Tristan Weers
Tristan Weers, biochemistry and genetics, will graduate this weekend as a third-generation Cyclone. His experiences at Iowa State included working in the research lab of Reuben Peters, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, where he performed research that led to two published research articles. He was involved with the Stupka Symposium and the President’s Leadership Class. One summer he worked at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany. Following graduation he will be attending the Michigan State University doctoral program for biochemistry and molecular biology, and molecular plant sciences.
Class of 2026: Emma Davidson
Emma Davidson, a senior in agronomy and seed science, said her experiences at Iowa State helped her gain new skills to bring back to the family farm after graduation. She’s been involved in the Agronomy Club and has attended multiple Students of Agronomy, Soil and Environmental Sciences conferences while competing in the crops judging contest. During her summers, Davidson worked at Nexus Cooperative as a crop scout and at the Iowa State Seed Lab as a seed conditioning technician.
Posthumous Degree to be Awarded to Former Animal Science Student
A former animal science student will posthumously be awarded her degree in recognition of her academic dedication, service to others and lasting impact on the Iowa State community. Alison Ciancio enrolled at Iowa State in the fall of 2000. The Pennsylvania native was drawn to the university’s animal science program and dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. Those dreams were cut short due to a car accident in January 2002. Friends of Ciancio will accept the posthumous degree on behalf of Ciancio’s family at the May 15 CALS Convocation.
Research
‘Atomic Snapshots’ of Proofreading Enzyme Could Lead to Better COVID-19 Drugs
A research team led by Yang Yang, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, used images from a cryogenic electron microscope to better understand why a common type of antiviral drug struggles to fight off the virus that causes COVID-19, findings that will guide designs for more effective treatment.
Hired Employment and Wage Trends in Iowa’s Livestock Sector, 1975-2025
Iowa’s livestock sector has grown and changed over the past four decades. In the 1970s, most livestock was raised on smaller family farms with few hired laborers. By the late 1990s, production shifted to one reliant on many hired wage workers in larger facilities. A bulletin published through the Iowa Small Towns Project answers a few key questions: How fast has wage-labor livestock production grown? Have certain commodities grown faster or slower? What is the average firm size? Have wages been growing or declining? What are the trends in meatpacking? To answer these questions, David Peters, sociology and criminal justice, compiled data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on wage-labor (hired workers who are paid a wage) back to 1975.
New Research Shows Finding the 'Sweet Spot' is Key to Successful Groundcover Systems
Amina Moro, a doctoral student in crop production and physiology, is advancing research that could reshape how farmers balance productivity with environmental sustainability. Her work focuses on how corn responds to nearby perennial groundcover, a system gaining attention for its ability to protect soil year-round.
Extension and Outreach
Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference Scheduled for May 20
Iowa State will hold the 2026 Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference on May 20 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Scheman Building. This year’s conference examines several current issues in rural property management, appraisal, sale and purchase of land and agricultural policy to better understand land markets.
Upcoming Webinar Helps Food Businesses Price Products with Confidence
The Food Innovation and Business Hub with ISU Extension and Outreach will host a new webinar, “Know Your Costs, Keep Your Profit,” on May 28 from 11 a.m. to noon. Designed to help food entrepreneurs take the guesswork out of pricing, the webinar will walk participants through calculating the real cost of their products and using that information to make better pricing decisions.
Iowa Learning Farms Releases 2025 Evaluation Report
Iowa Learning Farms has published its 2025 Evaluation Report, detailing the impact on conservation practice adoption and continued efforts to provide science- and research-based information and recommendations to farmers and landowners.
Around the College
Ukraine Seed Industry Delegation Visits U.S., Signs MOU with Iowa State
A 16-member delegation of Ukrainian seed sector leaders is in the United States for a two-week business-to-business networking tour. Organized and led by the Seed Science Center at Iowa State, the tour is designed to allow participants to experience U.S. seed production, testing and certification systems through hands-on site visits, laboratory tours and workshops. A key component is a Memorandum of Cooperation and Understanding between Iowa State University and the Ukrainian Agri Council, a non-governmental association of more than 1,300 agricultural enterprises across Ukraine. The agreement formalizes collaboration and establishes a foundation for ongoing cooperation in research, training and seed systems development.
Isenhart and Team Recognized by Environmental Health and Safety
Tom Isenhart, natural resource ecology and management, and his team were recognized by Environmental Health and Safety for their outstanding organization and excellent chemical storage practices. “Their consistent attention to detail not only supports a more efficient and organized workspace, but also significantly enhances the overall safety of the research environment. Their commitment to maintaining these high standards is truly appreciated,” said Paul Richmond, assistant vice president of EHS.
Spread Some #CyThx
At Iowa State, the spirit of appreciation and gratitude is alive and well, and the yearly #CyThx campaign is designed to shine a spotlight on those who make a difference in others’ lives. This year, more than 1,900 #CyThx submissions were collected representing 112 units at Iowa State. #CyThx will be available again in November to celebrate colleagues.
Calendar
May 12: PPEM Spring Seminar
The Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology is hosting a seminar on Tuesday, May 12, at 3:10 p.m. in 1330 ATRB. Sebastian Eves-Van Den Akker, University of Cambridge, will present “3D printing and AI enable large scale genetic screens in plant-parasitic nematodes.”
May 13: INRC Water Quality Research Seminar
The Iowa Nutrient Research Center’s final seminar for spring 2026 is Wednesday, May 13, from 3:10-4 p.m. online. Julie Harrold, Indiana State Department of Agriculture and Division of Soil Conservation, will discuss “Indiana's State Nutrient Reduction Strategy: Programs, Practices and Priorities.”
May 20: Debra Hop Retirement Reception
A retirement reception for Debra Hop, budget and finance specialist in the agronomy department, will be held May 20 from 2:30-4 p.m. (program at 3 p.m.) in the Agronomy Hall commons. Hop is retiring after 30 years of service to the university.
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 – Introducing Direct Quotations
Use a comma to introduce a complete one-sentence quotation within a paragraph: Wallace said, “She spent six months in Argentina and came back speaking English with a Spanish accent.” Do not use a comma at the start of an indirect or partial quotation: He said the victory put him “firmly on the road to a first-ballot nomination.” (Associated Press Stylebook, 2024-2026 edition, pg. 397)
Infograzing
Vets in Training at Iowa State
While working for Iowa State’s Veterinary Field Services, textbook knowledge becomes clinical judgment for Ben McClain, a fourth-year veterinary medicine student, and others like him. Covering a radius of roughly 50 miles around Ames, the program provides on-site veterinary care for individual animals and herds. For farmers, Veterinary Field Services saves time and makes care more accessible; for students, it provides hands-on experience and valuable knowledge for future careers.
Innovation at Work: By the Numbers
Research done on campus and across the state helps Iowa State researchers improve the lives of Iowans. This overview is the final entry in the 2026 Innovation at Work series about how the entrepreneurial spirit has spread across campus and the state.
Marginalia
Main Streets Program Visits Iowa State, Ames
PBS visited Ames and Iowa State last September to shoot “John McGivern’s Main Streets.” The episode is now available on YouTube.
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.