News

Opportunity to ‘positively impact youth’ is inspiration for future ag teacher

With memories of going to see her dad at the school where he taught agriculture classes, Olivia Lulich will soon be making memories in her role as an agriculture teacher. A graduating senior in agricultural and life sciences education, Lulich is wrapping up student teaching at Williamsburg High School, sharing with the next generation what she has been learning in her Iowa State classes.

‘Snowball effect’ of internships leads graduating senior to industry position

Prescott Jeckel is a fan of “going and doing” – trying new things, learning new skills – which has led to a wealth of experience and a full-time position following graduation this semester.

A study abroad trip like no other

In the first of what is hoped to be regular trips to the country, a group of 10 Iowa State University students got to experience agriculture in Nepal and how it is being impacted by climate change. Led by Assistant Teaching Professor Ramesh Balayar and Professor David Peters, both rural sociologists in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, the Exploring Ecosystem Services and Subsistence Farming Activities in Rural Nepal study abroad trip took place over spring break last month.

Gamma Sigma Delta presents 2024 awards, announces new initiates

The Iowa Beta Chapter of the Honor Society of Agriculture, Gamma Sigma Delta held its annual award ceremony on April 16, 2024, in Curtiss Hall’s Dolezal Auditorium. In addition to installing 39 new members, Iowa State students, faculty, staff and alumni were presented awards and scholarships.

CALS student employees celebrated for their hard work

Of the more than 10,000 undergraduate students annually employed in various positions across campus, three College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students recently were named among the top.  

New publication shares insights into AI for crop improvement from Iowa State researchers

For crop improvement, artificial intelligence provides a new lens to bridge science and practice, according to Jianming Yu, one of the world’s top-ranked scientists in the fields of quantitative genetics and plant breeding.

“People have a lot of questions about how to actively start using AI in crop improvement. However, it is not easy to know how its tools can best be used,” said Yu, the Pioneer Distinguished Chair in Maize Breeding and director of the Raymond F. Baker Center for Plant Breeding in Iowa State University’s Department of Agronomy. 

To help his peers, students and the public become more knowledgeable about the rapidly evolving field of AI, Yu and other co-authors, including Karlene Negus, a genetics doctoral student working with him, have published an overview on the role of AI in crop improvement in a scholarly compilation, Advances in Agronomy.

In the driver’s seat: Multidisciplinary option lets students customize their education

The new multidisciplinary option for agricultural studies majors puts students in the driver’s seat, offering a way to navigate those many topics. Within this option, students pick two areas of emphasis within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and another emphasis area that can also be within CALS or from another academic program at Iowa State University.

Christie talks importance of including women in agricultural research

In celebration of International Women in Agriculture Day, Maria Elisa Christie, director of Women and Gender in International Development at the Center for International Research, Education and Development at Virginia Tech, presented “Integrating gender equity in international agricultural research for development.”

Three CALS students named 2024 Barron Award recipients

Bettering the people and the world around them is something Ian Johnson, Caroline Lang and Emily Shatek have in common. As three of this year’s six Wallace E. Barron All-University Senior Award recipients, all have displayed outstanding achievements and leadership in and out of the classroom.

Hertz Farm Management leaders to present Hertz Lecture at Iowa State April 9

Leaders from Hertz Farm Management, Inc. will present “An Evening with Hertz Farm Management – Emerging Issues in Agriculture,” a Q&A-style discussion for the 2024 Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture. The lecture will take place on April 9, at 7 p.m. in 127 Curtiss Hall on Iowa State University’s campus.

AMES, Iowa- The Iowa Nutrient Research Center is accepting new proposals for research projects designed to reduce nitrate and phosphorus in Iowa’s water. The center invites proposals for water quality projects that will benefit farmers, landowners, agribusinesses, policy makers and communities. Potential applicants are encouraged to review the full 2024 request for proposals (PDF) for complete details about the priority topics and application instructions. Proposals are due by May 3, 2024, and ward decisions will be made in July.

Exploring the world of organic agriculture at Iowa State

Organic agriculture can provide many benefits to humans and the environment. Teaching Iowa State students and the community about those benefits is one of the Organic Agriculture program’s goals.

Semester abroad sparks interest in public health

A bit of courage and a passion for the French language led Eden Grimes to embark on a semester-long student exchange program in Canada.

Corn cobs may perform better than woodchips to reduce nitrates in water quality bioreactors -- and for a lower cost -- say Iowa State University researchers. The challenge is getting an adequate supply of corn cobs.

New organic farming study tackles questions of soil health, economics and more, with input from farmers

A new, two-year project led by Iowa State University builds on decades of work at two organic research sites in Iowa. It will also add a third on-farm research site that brings a new layer of engagement with interested stakeholders. The research is funded by the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and The Organic Center.

Macias ready to help Iowa State faculty, students organize research data

Elizabeth Macias, newly hired data analyst, will work with faculty and staff researchers, as well as students to collect, organize, analyze and share their data in standardized formats so it is easy to understand, replicate and reuse in future studies. Her primary focus will be collaborating with CALS researchers, but her services are available to any Iowa State faculty member.

Organic Pioneer John Reganold presents 2024 Shivvers Memorial Lecture, March 18

Award-winning researcher, educator and author John Reganold, Regents Professor of Soil Science and Agroecology at the Washington State University, will present the 2024 Shivvers Lecture on March 18, at 7:30 p.m., in Room 2226 Bessey Hall, 2200 Osborn Drive, on the Iowa State University campus. 

Into the woods: Ethics class immerses students in conservation

Shawn Dorius' Study USA course SOC 234: Conservation Ethics & Values lets students learn about the history of American conservation in the heart of the Mountain West. 

Study explores long-term crop, soil and water influences to help farmers adapt Corn Belt cropping systems

“Everything starts with an idea,” according to Sotirios Archontoulis, professor of agronomy at Iowa State University, who will co-lead a five-year, $16 million project to explore some big, interconnected questions impacting agriculture in the Corn Belt and Great Plains. 

Ramirez named interim director of Egg Industry Center at Iowa State

Brett Ramirez has been appointed interim director of the Egg Industry Center at Iowa State University. He has served as the center’s assistant director since April 2023, leading alongside former EIC director Richard Gates, who passed away in November 2023.