News & Featured Stories Archive

New artwork aims to inspire viewers to think about agriculture, life sciences

At its best, art can inspire, entertain and inform. The new mural and suspended bee mobile on the fourth floor of the Student Innovation Center at Iowa State University succeeds at all the above.

Kvidera selected as 2024 Emerging Iowa Leader

Sara Kvidera (’17 PhD nutritional sciences), a dairy technical consultant with Elanco Animal Health, is the recipient of the 2024 Emerging Iowa Leader Award. The honor is presented annually to College of Agriculture and Life Sciences alums in leadership positions, working to strengthen agriculture and life sciences and providing outstanding service as CALS graduates.

Iowa program tracks mosquito trends over 50 years: 2024 a big year

Despite a slow start following several dry years, mosquito populations in Iowa have ramped up this season due to regular rains and flooding in some areas of the state, according to Ryan Smith, associate professor of plant pathology, entomology and microbiology at Iowa State University. 

Smith leads the Iowa Mosquito Surveillance Program, which has been running since the 1960s. It is one of the country’s most active, long-running programs, and one of the few led by an academic institution.

BioConnect Iowa Joins Iowa Soybean Research Center at Iowa State University

AMES, Iowa — The Iowa Soybean Research Center at Iowa State University welcomes BioConnect Iowa as its newest partner. BioConnect Iowa will serve as a representative on the center’s industry advisory council, which provides guidance on research needs and funding priorities for the center.

AI tutor being developed to help Iowa State students find success

Coming soon: the AI tutor – a computerized personal assistant that can go over lessons, tailor study sessions based on students’ needs and quiz students on what they have learned in class.

Bug-themed everything at upcoming Iowa State Bug Village ’24 event

Get your best bug costume or bug-themed outfit ready for the Iowa State University Insect Zoo’s annual Bug Village ’24. The free event is open to the public and will take place on Saturday, Aug. 24, from noon to 3 p.m., in the Advanced Teaching and Research Building, 2213 Pammel Dr., on the north side of campus.

Grapes grown at Iowa State result in award-winning wines

The 2023 wines - La Crescent, Rosé, and Marquette - from the Iowa State University Winery have recently been honored with prestigious awards from international, regional and state wine competitions. The wines were bottled in March 2024 at the winery, located in the Food Sciences Building on campus.

Iowa Soybean Research Center welcomes Indigo Ag as industry partner

Economics graduate student selected as Outstanding Student Leader of the Year

Albulena Basha's efforts to advocate for and build community among fellow students earned her the Outstanding Student Leader of the Year Award for 2024.

Aspiring general practitioner sees need to focus on diabetes management

In the middle of her residency program at Genesis Health System in Davenport, Iowa, Anna Wilcox (’17 nutritional science, global resource systems) recently reflected on her pathway to becoming a family medicine general practitioner. As she shared her story, she realized that diabetes has been a common theme in many of her experiences.

Jamie Beyer, an advocate for bees and conservation, has been selected as the 2024 winner of the Spencer Award, presented by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. This year’s award will be presented at the annual meeting of the Conservation Districts of Iowa, Aug. 19, in Ames.

Research suggests zinc supplementation prior to transport can benefit cattle welfare, performance

AMES, IA – Beef cattle are likely to be transported at least once during their lives and are often moved several times at different stages of production. During each transition, they may travel for hours, standing in moving, vibrating trailers. Not surprisingly, during the hours and days post-transit, fatigued, stressed animals tend to eat and drink less and are more susceptible to disease.  

Research led by Stephanie Hansen, professor of animal science at Iowa State University, is investigating the potential of boosting zinc levels before transport as a low-cost, easy way to ease animals’ muscle fatigue during transit, improve their health and increase their long-term growth. 

On the hunt for cleaner energy sources for drying, handling grain

Younus Bhuiyan Sabbir is on a mission to find a cleaner energy source for drying, handling and storing grain. Drawing upon research he did for his master’s degree in Bangladesh, Sabbir will study the environmental impacts of energy usage at grain elevators and determine if alternative energy sources would not only prove as effective but decrease greenhouse gas emissions. 

Horticulture Research Station to host inaugural prairie field day

The Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station is hosting a Prairie Field Day on July 16, featuring several guest speakers and tours of the onsite prairie projects, including the newly discovered remnant prairie. 

Burgin selected as chair of Iowa State’s Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology

Returning to her home state, Amy Burgin will become the next chair for Iowa State University’s Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Burgin will succeed Lynn Clark, who has served as the EEOB department’s interim chair since June 2021.

Young entrepreneur addressing demand for goat meat

A leaner protein option than beef, chicken or pork, goat meat is a product Gavin Tindle wants to make more people aware of through his new business. Just two months after launching, he is already seeing high demand.

Feed the Future Innovation Lab reports progress to improve poultry health in Africa

Iowa State University researchers have been part of an international effort to improve the health of small poultry flocks of indigenous types of chickens that provide meat, eggs and income-producing opportunities important for food security in Africa. Project leaders include Susan Lamont and Jack Dekkers, both distinguished professors in the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State.

Scientists identify gene that could lead to resilient ‘pixie’ corn

AMES, IA – A widely found gene in plants has been newly identified as a key transporter of a hormone that influences the size of corn. The discovery offers plant breeders a new tool to develop desirable dwarf varieties that could enhance the crop’s resilience and profitability. 

Valent joins Iowa Soybean Research Center at Iowa State University

AMES, Iowa — The Iowa Soybean Research Center at Iowa State University welcomes Valent as its newest industry partner. 

CALS faculty Huff-Lonergan named AAAS Fellow

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) recently named Elisabeth Huff-Lonergan, University Professor of Animal Science, as a AAAS Fellow for her “distinguished contributions to the field of meat science, particularly in early postmortem muscle biochemistry."