CALS Online and Dean’s Message
June 29, 2026
Dean’s Message
Hello CALS – The past few weeks of June have been busy around Curtiss Hall and across the campus… The FSHN department sponsored a two-week Cyclone Kitchen experience for youth to engage them in healthy food preparation… Another afternoon, I joined Jason Ross as he showed President and Dr. Cook around our animal farms - and enjoyed watching them both hold a turkey and pet the cows…
Top Stories
Brewing and Winemaking Blend Research, Education and Community Impact
At Iowa State University, fermenting grapes and grains serves a broader purpose than just producing alcohol products. Faculty and staff with the Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute and the Brewing Science Program translate science into practice, supporting growers, winemakers and brewers while giving students hands-on exposure to the beverage industry.
Research
Cotton’s Roots Trace to Yucatan Peninsula, Where Wild Gene Pool Runs Deepest
A research team led by Iowa State botanists Jonathan Wendel and Corrinne Grover, ecology, evolution and organismal biology, confirmed cotton was domesticated from a diverse population native to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, a potentially fruitful target for finding genetic traits that could strengthen the world’s most important fiber crop.
One Acre, Two Paychecks: The Promise of Relay Cropping
Farmers, researchers, industry professionals and students gathered at Iowa State’s Sorenson Farm near Boone in early June to explore how relay cropping systems could help improve farm profitability, soil health and crop diversity. Hosted by Iowa State and the Iowa Soybean Research Center, the field day highlighted ongoing research led by Silvina Arias and Shrishail Navi, plant pathology, entomology and microbiology and the Seed Science Center.
Teaching and Students
Students Risk Mistaking Today's Labor Market for Tomorrow's
"Students are increasingly choosing majors the way investors choose stocks: by chasing the highest expected return," said Joydeep Bhattavharya, economics, in an opinion piece for the June 21 issue of the Des Moines Register. "But when artificial intelligence is reshaping the labor market, that strategy may be riskier than it appears."
Extension and Outreach
Webinar Series for Iowa Food Businesses Highlights Value-Added Products, Marketing
ISU Extension and Outreach’s Food Innovation and Business Hub will continue its monthly Lunch and Learn webinar series in 2026, beginning on July 7. The webinars are offered at no cost and open to all. The series is specifically designed for food business owners, farmers exploring value-added products and individuals in the early stages of developing a food-based enterprise.
New Resources Offer Pricing and Farmers Market Guidance for Food Businesses
ISU Extension and Outreach’s Food Innovation and Business Hub has released two resources to help food business owners prepare for farmers market days and better understand production costs, pricing strategies and profitability. “First Farmers Market Checklist” and “Food Product Cost and Pricing Calculator” are available on the Extension Store at no cost.
Around the College
New Feed Trailer Expands Feed Delivery Opportunities
Delivery of bulk feed produced at the Iowa State University Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex to Iowa State’s animal science farms is now possible, thanks to a new high-tech feed trailer on lease from KT Pacer.
Youngs Named a Top Agri-food Pioneer
Curt Youngs, animal science, was named one of the 2026 Top Agri-food Pioneers by the World Food Prize Foundation. He has combined scientific excellence, international leadership and practical impact to advance livestock systems, food security and agricultural capacity across multiple regions. He laid a foundation for better use of artificial insemination in livestock to drive dairy production in numerous African countries and has shown that the success rate of artificial insemination can be increased to 80%, a record in Africa.
Burgett Receives Hoard’s Dairyman Youth Development Award
Christen Burgett, animal science, received the Hoard’s Dairyman Youth Development Award at the American Dairy Science Association’s annual meeting June 21-24 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She teaches dairy cattle science and career preparation classes, coaches the Iowa State dairy judging team, serves as an advisor to the Dairy Science Club and was integral in developing the department’s Dairy Cattle Production Management Certificate.
Robinson Receives ACE Learning Community Award of Excellence
Ann Robinson, CALS Communications, received the Learning Community Award of Excellence in Media Relations and Writing at the Association for Communication Excellence’s annual conference June 15-17 in Billings, Montana. The award honors her contributions to scholarship and academic communications within ACE.
Vold Selected for Leadership Institute Cohort
Lesa Vold, Egg Industry Center, has been selected for the 2026-2027 Leadership Institute cohort with the Association for Communication Excellence. Over the next year, Vold and fellow participants will strengthen leadership competencies tailored to agricultural, natural resources and life sciences communication, expand their professional influence, and develop the skills needed to drive meaningful change within their organizations and across the communications profession.
Robinson’s News Article Receives Second Place NAADA Award
Ann Robinson, CALS Communications, was recognized in the publications and projects competition by the National Agricultural Alumni Development Association at its annual conference June 15-18 in Knoxville, Tennessee (see page 7). She received second place in the Print Media – Article category for her story on the Soil Machine Dynamics Lab.
Calendar
June 30: Retirement Reception for Don Sakaguchi
A retirement reception for Don Sakaguchi, Morrill Professor in genetics, development and cell biology and director of the Biology and Genetics Undergraduate Programs, is Tuesday, June 30, from 3-5 p.m. (program at 3:30 p.m.) in the Bessey Hall atrium.
July 6: Renea Miller Retirement
Renea Miller, staff specialist with the sociology and criminal justice department, is retiring on July 6 after more than 40 years of service to the department and sociology extension. There is no public event, but congratulations can be sent to Miller’s Kudoboard.
July 15: Art Walk in Curtiss Hall
Curtiss Hall is one of the oldest buildings on campus and a central home of CALS. This tour, on July 15 from 3:10-4 p.m., explores the art of Curtiss Hall, from the terrazzo floor to the tributes to notable alumnus, George Washington Carver.
July 17: Hort Station Customer Appreciation Day
The Horticulture Research Station is hosting a Customer Appreciation Day on July 17 from 4-6 p.m. This family-friendly event includes a guided tour of the Horticulture Station and the opportunity to meet the staff and students who grow, harvest and sell the produce.
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
Is it 'Used to' or 'Use to'?
The verb forms use to and used to both communicate that something that formerly existed or repeatedly happened in the past no longer exists or happens. The difference between the two rests entirely on the word did. Use to requires it: “I did use to like that song, but I don’t now”; “it didn’t use to be like that.” Used to does not: “I used to like that song, but I don’t now”; “it used to be different.” Used to also functions as an adjective describing someone who is so familiar with something that it seems normal or usual, as in “I’m used to eating at noon.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Infograzing
America 250 Series to Feature Iowa State
In celebration of America's 250th anniversary, Iowa State will be featured in a documentary series highlighting innovations and contributions that have shaped the country and continue to impact its future. The series of short films is produced by Acumen Media in partnership with USA Today. Iowa State is featured for its land-grant mission, innovation and commitment to making higher education accessible and affordable. The series is scheduled to launch on July 1.
Layer by Layer: A Practical Approach to Swine Health
Veterinary researcher Daniel Linhares focuses on making existing tools work better, helping pork producers improve animal health and efficiency through data and real-world insight. By layering strategies and tailoring solutions to each farm, his work delivers practical impact: one population at a time.
Writing with AI Demands More Thought from Students, Not Less
In a new study, Abram Anders, English, upends the idea that AI simplifies writing, showing instead that it raises the cognitive stakes for students. The study identifies three key thresholds that reveal why using AI well takes more judgment, experimentation and agency than many students expect.
Marginalia
APLU Recognizes ISU’s Contribution to Computing
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities released a timeline celebrating the contributions of public and land-grant universities to the development and advancement of the United States over its 250 years. Iowa State is recognized in the 1939 entry for building the first electronic digital computer.
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.