November 20, 2025
The AES funded requests for equipment to advance research and research capacity for existing Hatch/Multistate Projects.
Selected For Support (CALS funding unless noted otherwise)
| Title | Depts. | Award Amount | PI and Team | Associated Hatch/ Multistate Project(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upgrading incubator lights for aquatic research | EEOB | $21,900 | Charlie Loewen | IOW05684 |
| AI-Driven EmbryoScope+ for Livestock IVF Research | ANSCI | $138,950 | Karl Kerns, Aileen Keating, Curtis Youngs | IOW05670, IOW05715, IOW05749 |
| In-line Moisture Sensor for AI-enabled Thermal Process Control of Pathogen-free Feed | ABE | $16,300 | Dirk Maier | IOW05720 |
| Digital Droplet PCR to Bolster Genetic Research in the Biological Sciences | EEOB, ANSCI, PPEM, ISU DNA Facility | $73,461 | Amy Toth, Aileen Keating, James Koltes, Alejandro Olmedo-Velarde, David Wright | IOW04308, IOW05715, IOW05754, IOW05761 |
| Smokehouse control panel upgrades for ISU Meat Lab | ANSCI | $105,500 | Terry Houser, Dong Ahn, Elisabeth Huff-Lonergan, Steven Lonergan, Rodrigo Tarte, Daniel Unruh | IOW04121, IOW05779 |
| Moo-ving forward dairy efficiency research at ISU | ANSCI | $145,000 | James Koltes, Ranga Appuhamy, Lance Baumgard, Gail Carpenter, Juan Steibel | IOW03921, IOW05666, IOW05731, IOW05754 |
| A Microplate Reader for Soil and Water Research | EEOB, NREM | $14,273 | Wenjuan Huang, Thomas Isenhart | IOW03750 |
| New autoclaves for the ATRB microbiology labs | PPEM | $59,994 | Steven Harris, Gwyn Beattie, Larry Halverson | IOW04108, IOW04308, IOW05751 |
| Precision Spray Chamber for AI-Driven Herbicide Efficacy Research | ABE, PPEM | $135,000 | Wes Everman, Matthew Darr, Daren Mueller | IOW04108, IOW05735, IOW05771 |
| Advancing Smart Rhizobox method to model soil-water-root interactions in analog and confined systems | AGRON, ABE | $13,900 | Elnaz Ebrahimi, Richard Cruse, Robert Horton, Thomas Lübberstedt, Glen Ritchie, Mehari Tekeste | IOW05698, IOW05735, IOW05765 |
| Total | $724,278 | |||
Request for Proposals & Selection Process
RFP
| Number of applications | 23 |
|---|---|
| Total funds requested | $ 2,144,813 |
| Lead PI unique departments | 10 |
| Average (mean) request amount | $ 93,252.70 |
| Number of proposals with matching funds | 14 |
| Average matching funds (Where Included) | $ 24,596 |
Primary Reviewer Selection
- Proposals were randomly assigned to reviewers with no COI (per the COI list submitted by the PI and the reviewer's agreement of no COI).
Review Process
- Proposals were classified into sets, with two to four proposals in each set. Each proposal received at least two reviews.
- A primary reviewer reviewed each set. Proposals were ranked individually, then relative to each other based on
- their potential to expand the scope of existing projects,
- alignment with strategic initiatives,
- potential to facilitate team-based initiatives, and
- potential use in developing or enabling future funding requests. - Secondary reviewers (from ISU Administration) met to discuss the primary reviews and to align requests with available funds.
- Highly ranked proposals were selected for funding.
| Primary reviewers | 12 |
|---|---|
| Primary reviewer departments | 6 |
| Secondary reviewers | 4 |
| Secondary reviewer units | VPR, CALS Administration |