Faculty and Staff News

Salin 247 aspires to grow in new BioCentury Research Farm space

Needing more space to house and build their autonomous farm equipment, Salin 247 has moved into innovation incubator space at the BioCentury Research Farm west of Ames.

Ritchie selected as Iowa State’s next agronomy department chair

After 14 years working in Texas, Glen Ritchie is heading north to Iowa, where he’ll assume the professor and chair role for Iowa State University’s Department of Agronomy, effective July 15.

Senior set to make biomedical industry more affordable

Arianna Hyczko, senior in industrial technology, has always wanted to help people. When she was young, she thought she would be a doctor or a pharmacist. As she started her journey at Iowa State University, she was able to develop her love for science through exploring technology and computer-aided design, or CAD.

Adventures in bird watching

The fourth annual Spring Birding Campus Challenge, hosted by the Iowa State University Birding Club, is in full swing as students race to spot different species of birds. 

Professor developing learning companion for students with disabilities

Imagine a world where students with learning disabilities could better understand and process what is being taught in their classroom. Thanks to an innovative idea conceptualized by educator and mom Karri Haen Whitmer, that world is becoming closer to reality.

Vollbrecht named Pioneer Hi-Bred Chair in Molecular Biology of Maize

Erik Vollbrecht aims to improve the yield and crop resilience of maize for peak performance during less-than-ideal growing conditions. In recognition of his work and to support its continuation, Vollbrecht, professor of genetics, development and cell biology, has been named the Pioneer Hi-Bred Chair in Molecular Biology of Maize.

Stutsman to present Hertz Lecture at Iowa State April 15

Mark Stutsman will share the major lessons learned from his family's 91-year-old agriculture business and how these experiences can help navigate the evolving ag industry during the 2025 Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture on April 15.

Training the next generation of rural development workers

The Next Generation Institute program gathers Iowa State students and early-career nongovernmental organization practitioners from Europe and Africa at the ISU-Uganda Program facility in Uganda’s Kamuli District. There, participants attend lectures, visit high-impact field programs and work on team projects.

Building bridges to connect genetics classroom, lab lessons

What role does gene expression play in predicting whether someone prefers salty over sweet snacks or tends to be more of a night owl than an early riser? That is just one of the topics students explore in Jelena Kraft’s Biology 3130(L): Principles of Genetics class and lab.

Iowa high schools encouraged to participate in new GWC Future Hunger Fighters Program

Walter Suza is leading the George Washington Carver Future Hunger Fighters Program, in collaboration with writing specialist Erin Todey, to engage Iowa high school students in developing innovative solutions to food insecurity challenges.

CALS faculty, staff and students recognized as impactful

Each year, the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics selects 12 women for the calendar in recognition of the positive differences they make at Iowa State University. This year, four of those women came from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. 

When art meets science

What happens when you challenge people to find the intersection of art and science? An exhibition of “Crosspollinating Art and Science,” Dior Kelley's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Faculty Fellows project.

Owusu to lead global engagement programs at Iowa State

Francis Owusu, former department chair and now professor of community and regional planning at Iowa State’s College of Design, will become the next CALS associate dean for global engagement and director of the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods, effective March 17.

Kaleita named to new endowed chair position established for Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Amy Kaleita, professor and chair in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, was presented the inaugural Larry and Bunita Buss Department Chair in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering during a medallion ceremony Jan. 8 in the Sukup Atrium of the Biorenewables Complex on Iowa State’s campus.

Iowa State University faculty and staff support leadership for sustainability

Iowa State University faculty and staff have a strong commitment to on-campus sustainability efforts, according to a survey conducted by Iowa State researchers.

Graduating senior takes a chance on major change

Two years into his college career, Caleb Spry, graduating senior in horticulture, realized that while his passion for science was still there, the major of biomedical illustration was no longer the route he wanted to take. He took the chance on horticulture and found his place on campus.

Culinary Boot Camp equips students for a healthier future

Iowa State University students of all majors had the opportunity to enroll in Culinary Boot Camp, gaining valuable food safety, meal prepping and grocery shopping tips and tricks. The class was made possible by Erica Beirman’s involvement in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Innovation and Entrepreneurship Faculty Fellows (IEFF) program. 

New study finds conservation and farmers' job satisfaction are related

An innovative study has shed light on the factors that influence job satisfaction among farmers. The study, “What’s Good for the Land is Good for the Farmer: Investigating Conservation-Related Variables as Predictors of Farmers’ Job Satisfaction,” explores how economic dynamics, farm financial health, soil and water conservation, and climate change concerns impact farmers’ job satisfaction and dissatisfaction.