College News

 

SEEING DOUBLE AT GRADUATION, LEADING OFF WITH HERTZ

Adam and Austin Fichter, identical twins recently featured in STORIES magazine, graduated magna cum laude this month with identical majors and nearly identical student experiences. Each served terms as president of FarmHouse fraternity, and both are beginning their careers with Hertz Farm Management. 

 

LAMONT: WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE 10 YEARS FROM NOW?

Susan Lamont, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences, presented Iowa State University’s graduate commencement speech on Friday, May 8 and talked with graduates about setting priorities and considering what will make a difference 10 years from now. “When you follow your own internal compass, guided by your own personal set of wisely chosen and deeply held values, then you will have a life of satisfaction and a life that will make significant contributions to society and the world,” said Lamont. “Ten years from now, it will make a difference in your life that you are a graduate of Iowa State University.”

 

CALS GRADUATION CONVOCATION ONLINE

A video of the spring and summer 2015 CALS graduation convocation, held May 9 at C.Y. Stephens Auditorium, is available online. Chancelor Wiese, agricultural studies, was the convocation speaker.  

 

BOOSTING THE HEALTH OF LAKE LAVERNE

New vegetated floating islands designed by a team of faculty and graduate students, including John Downing, ecology, evolution and organismal biology are designed to improve water quality in Iowa State’s Lake LaVerne.

 

PIGS DEVELOPED TO BENEFIT HUMAN HEALTH

A $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will fund ISU research to develop a line of pigs with an immune system uniquely suited to testing medical therapies for people. Christopher Tuggle, animal science, will lead the research project.

 

STRONG CAREER OUTLOOK FOR AG, LIFE SCIENCES 

Mike Gaul ('86 horticulture), director of CALS career services, served as contributor and consultant on a national report on employment outlook released May 11 by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Purdue University. Gaul says the outlook is bright for jobs related to food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and the environment.

 

POWER PULLERS CREATE TRACTOR EASIER FOR OPERATORS 

A team of 10 ISU students designed and built a quarter-scale tractor over the course of the last academic year to enter in a national competition this month. The team included some innovations that should make operating the tractor more convenient for the person in the driver’s seat: an adjustable console with a joystick and cup holder; a computerized system to monitor engine speed; a radar system to track ground speed; and more.

 

GIFT OF KINZE PLANTER EXPANDS CROP RESEARCH

The Northwest Research and Demonstration Farm near Sutherland will begin new crop row spacing trials thanks to a recent gift from local partners. ISU Extension and Outreach agronomist Mark Licht ('00 agronomy, ag education and studies, MS '03 soil science) and farm superintendent Josh Sievers ('02 ag systems technology) agree the research will provide farmers important data for use in determining if narrower rows offer economic or managerial benefits.

 

LAB RENOVATION PROVIDES MODERN TECH IN FOOD SCIENCE

A gift from The Nelson Foundation will make possible the renovation of the Food Science teaching laboratory at ISU. The Nelson Foundation’s support will transform a 1,950-square-foot teaching laboratory into a modern facility with up-to-date equipment and space to enhance the student learning experience in food chemistry and food microbiology courses. 

 

College Events

June 5, 6 – 11 a.m. – ISU Dairy Farm Open House, The public is invited to tour the milking parlor, milk house, take a trolley tour and sample milk, cheese, ice cream and yogurt.

 

June 20, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. – Pollinator Fest, Visit Reiman Gardens and celebrate National Pollinator Week with fun activities hosted by the ISU Pollinator Working Group, Insect Zoo and students in entomology and evolutionary biology and ecology. Click here for a coupon for $2.00 off admission to attend the program. 

 

June 25, 9 a.m. – 4:35 p.m. – Fourth Annual Iowa Swine Day,

Regional, national and international leaders in swine research, economics, production and the marketplace will address key challenges facing the pork industry. Registration required.

 

Alumni News

 

RENO APPOINTED TO AG FUTURE OF AMERICA BOARD 

Steve Reno (’92 ag business), vice-president and regional business director for DuPont Pioneer, has been appointed to the board of directors for Agriculture Future of America (AFA). AFA creates partnerships that identify, encourage and support collegiate and young professional individuals pursuing careers in the agriculture and food industries.

 

GAISER LEADS SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT, ARTS AND SOCIETY

Evelyn Gaiser (MS '91 animal ecology) has been appointed associate dean in Florida International University’s College of Arts and Sciences, and executive director of the School of Environment, Arts and Society. Gaiser has served as the interim executive director. She helped advance key initiatives including the launch of the International Center for Tropical Botany and a new partnership with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. An internationally recognized scholar in wetland and aquatic ecology, Gaiser specializes in algal community structure in lakes and wetlands.

 

STEWART FEATURED FOR WORK IN BIOTECH AT IOWA STATE

Charles Stewart (’00 ag biochemistry) came home to Iowa from San Diego to work as an associate scientist in the Office of Biotechnology at Iowa State University. Stewart was recently featured by the Alliance for Iowa State for his work at the Macromolecular X-ray Crystallography Facility and positively impacting the bioscience industry in Iowa.

 

SWINE FARMS MANAGER BRINGS UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE

Jeff Hartwig (’09 forestry), ISU’s swine farms manager since October, has a bachelor’s degree in forestry from CALS and a work history that includes wildland firefighting with the U.S. Forest Service.

 

CALS ALUMNI CELEBRATE AT TAILGATE TOUR IN OMAHA

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences provided a reception for alumni prior to ISU Athletics’ Cyclone Tailgate Tour stop at the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha on May 19. Emeritus Associate Dean Eric Hoiberg offered a college update to attending alumni and friends including Jill Hazen ('02 ag business, international ag, economics) and her family pictured above. Hoiberg was introduced by Stephanie Vinton-Pollock ('03 public service and administration in ag, international ag). The college also recognized research and teaching partnerships with the zoo. See photos.

 

 

About STORIES Online

STORIES Online is a supplement to STORIES magazine. The e-newsletter delivers college and alumni news, class notes and relevant links each month. If you have news or story suggestions or would like to subscribe please contact editor Melea Reicks Licht at mreicks@iastate.edu.

 

Young Alum of the Month

Rachel Bratek

 

Title: Clinical Dietitian, Regions Hospital

Hometown: Apple Valley, Minnesota

Degree: ‘13 dietetics

Major Responsibilities:

Nutrition assessments for intensive care, post-surgical and behaviorial health patients. More

 

Mike Gaul

Faculty-Staff Inspiration Award Winner

Mike Gaul ('86 horticulture), director of CALS Career Services is the recipient of a 2015 Faculty-Staff Inspiration Award from the Iowa State University Alumni Association. The award was established for alumni to recognize current or former faculty or staff members who had a significant influence during their student experience. Was your student experience positively impacted by Mike? If so, share a tweet using #CALSThanksMike. Photos or well-wishes also may be sent to stories@iastate.edu.

 

 

Class Notes

 

Did you land a new job? Receive an honor or award? Reach a milestone? We’d like to know! Submit your class note via e-mail stories@iastate.edu.

 

2010s

Tyler Mitchell (’15 ag and life sciences education) is the new ag specialist at the ISU Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm in Nashua. 

 

Rebecca Ahlers (’14 agronomy) is the new field agronomist for ISU Extension and Outreach in southeast Iowa. 

 

Nick Davenport (’14 ag business) is the new yield specialist  for AgVenture GroMor in Ames. 

 

Zachary Boss (’13 ag business) has been promoted to ag loan officer at Security State Bank in Independence. 

 

Meaghan Anderson (’12 agronomy, ’14 MS crop production and physiology) is the new field agronomist for ISU Extension and Outreach in eastern Iowa. 

 

Sonia Kendrick (’12 agronomy), executive director of Feed Iowa First in Cedar Rapids, was featured in the spring 2015 edition of the ISU Alumni Association’s Visions magazine.  

 

Torey Looft (’12 PhD microbiology), of Ames, was featured in the spring 2015 edition of the ISU Alumni Association’s Visions magazine. 

 

Neo Mazur (’12 global resource systems), manager of Cultivate Hope Farm in Cedar Rapids, was featured in the spring 2015 edition of the ISU Alumni Association’s Visions magazine. 

 

Tia Sandoval (’12 animal science, international ag), a former peace corps volunteer in Nepal, provided an account of her experience during the Nepal earthquake to the Des Moines Register. 

 

2000s

Devin Mogler (’08 ag business) is the new legislative assistant to U.S. Senator, Joni Ernst.

 

1990s

Ben Chamberlain (’99 ag studies), has been promoted to academic adviser III in agricultural education and studies at ISU. Chamberlain also accepted a position as a licensed realtor with Century 21 Signature Real Estate in Ames. 

 

Ed Moran (’99 horticulture), glasshouse coordinator for Reiman Gardens in Ames, was featured in the spring 2015 edition of the ISU Alumni Association’s Visions magazine. 

 

William Hendrix (’90 PhD entomology), biology team leader for Dow AgroSciences in Indianapolis, Indiana, received the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award from the department of entomology at the University of Arkansas Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

 

David Pfarr (’90 MS agronomy), of LeSueur, Minnesota, received the 2015 Alumni Advocate Award from the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Alumni Society.  

 

1980s

Alejandro Ramirez (’89 animal science), associate professor of vet diagnostics and production animal medicine, was elected vice-president of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians. 

 

1970s

Andrew Peters (’79 fisheries and wildlife biology), a wildlife artist from Council Bluffs, was recently featured for his work. 

 

Alan Albright (’77 ag business) of Lytton was recently featured for his induction in to the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association Hall of Fame. 

 

Dennis Johnson (’76 ag and life sciences education, ’86 MS) of Northwood received the 2015 Distinguished Service Award from the Iowa Alpha Mu Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi, the ISU Extension and Outreach honor society. 

 

In Memoriam: Clifford “Randy” Dawes (’71 animal science), 65, of Bonita Springs, Florida, died May 2.

 

1960s

Maynard Hogberg (’66 ag and life sciences education, ’72 MS animal science, ’76 PhD), emeritus professor of animal science, received the 2015 Distinguished Achievement in Agriculture Award from Gamma Sigma Delta, the Iowa Chapter of the Honor Society of Agriculture. 

 

William Dobson (’61 MS agricultural economics), emeritus professor of agriculture and applied economics at University of Wisconsin-Madison, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Alumni Association. 

 

1950s

In Memoriam: Robert Groene (’59 ag business, ’62 MS ag economics), 89, of Annandale, Virginia, died April 3. 

 

In Memoriam: John Voris (’56 MS animal ecology), 81, of Clovis, California, died March 19. 

 

In Memoriam: James Beckett (’50 animal science), 88, of Blue Mound, Illinois, died May 16. 

 

1940s

In Memoriam: George Steig (’42 forestry), 94, of Longview, Washington, died April 25. 

 

In Memoriam: Norman Jacobson (’41 MS dairy science, ’47 PhD animal science), 96, of Eugene, Oregon, died May 14. 

 

1930s

In Memoriam: C.J. Gauger (’39 ag and life sciences education, ’55 MS), 101, of Ames, died April 26. 

 

 

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Iowa State University 

303 Curtiss Hall

Ames, Iowa 50011

(515) 294-5616

stories@iastate.edu

http://www.cals.iastate.edu