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Photo of Curtiss Hall courtesy: Sarah Hays, senior in journalism and mass communication |
WELL-SUITED FOR VIRTUAL CONVOCATION |
Vishesh Bhatia had a suit tailor-made to wear to his graduation from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences this May. Modern, slim fit with a pop of color in the jacket lining – bright Kelly green. Like many in the Class of 2020, the senior in genetics had big plans for graduation. His parents and grandparents were flying in from New Delhi, India. The trip was part of his parents’ 25th and his grandparents’ 50th anniversary celebrations. Then, the world shut down. More
Tune in on May 8 at 9 a.m. to hear Bhatia’s remarks as part of the college’s virtual convocation ceremony. The video celebration will be released on the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Facebook page then made available at www.cals.iastate.edu/convocation.
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VIDEO: WIEDENHOEFT ON ‘WE'RE IN THIS EPIC ADVENTURE TOGETHER’ |
In this lighthearted video, Mary Wiedenhoeft (’80 agronomy), Morrill Professor of Agronomy, shares her process of establishing a routine while working from home. She advises others working or studying from home to eat healthy foods, exercise and maintain structure. More |
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CALS INNOVATES TO MOVE HANDS-ON COURSES ONLINE |
CALS faculty and staff have found innovative ways to move their hands-on courses online, including Brad Skaar ('83 MS animal science, '89 PhD), associate professor of animal science, shown above, Bob Hartzler (’87 PhD agronomy), professor of agronomy, and Ag450 Farm instructor Skyler Rinker ('13 ag studies). More |
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MAJOR COVID-RELATED LOSSES PREDICTED FOR AGRICULTURE |
A new policy analysis by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development predicts economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak will mean steep losses for Iowa agriculture, including over $2 billion each for the hog and ethanol sectors. More |
MANAGING PORK AND BEEF MARKET DISRUPTIONS |
Due to the disruption of the flow of market hogs to packing plants for harvest, the Iowa Pork Industry Center hosted a webinar to discuss nutritional strategies to alter market hog growth. The recording and related resources are available on the center’s website. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt cattle markets as well. The Iowa Beef Center, Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and Iowa Beef Industry Council have developed a two-part webinar series available at noon on April 28 and at 7 p.m. on April 29 “Feedlot Considerations Amid the Pandemic.” Both webinar recordings will be available for future viewing on the center’s website. The Iowa Beef Center, ISU Extension and Outreach beef specialists and the University of Wisconsin also teamed up to offer the publication "Considerations for Slowing Feedlot Cattle Growth due to the COVID-19 Pandemic." |
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NO EVIDENCE COVID-19 TRANSMITTED THROUGH FOOD, FOOD PACKAGING |
ISU Extension and Outreach food safety specialists Angela Shaw and Shannon Coleman, maintain there is no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted through food and food packaging. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, United States Department of Agriculture, and the European Food Safety Authority are in full agreement there is currently no evidence that COVID-19 has spread through food or food packaging. More |
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MEAT PRODUCTS SAFE, BUT FOLLOW FOOD SAFETY GUIDELINES |
Consumers who are purchasing meat products from grocery stores or directly from a meat processor can be confident in the safety of the product, according to Terry Houser, associate professor and Smithfield Foods Chair in Meat Science Extension at Iowa State University. Citing information from USDA and the Food and Drug Administration, Houser said there has been no data indicating that the current COVID-19 pandemic can be transferred from food or packaging. More |
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RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE FOOD CHAIN |
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FIVE STEPS TO CREATE LABOR CONTINGENCY PLANS |
ISU Extension and Outreach has created this guide, “Five Steps to Formulate Workforce Contingency Plans in the COVID-19 Setting,” to help agricultural and food workers of all kinds prevent and cope with possible labor disruptions due to the pandemic. More |
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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact markets and supply chains, a number of ISU Extension and Outreach resources can help. Topics range from economic information to integrated crop management, federal stimulus packages for farmers and ranchers, mental health support and beyond. More |
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MODELING THE TRACKING, FORECASTING OF COVID-19 |
A team of researchers in the Department of Statistics developed a mathematical model revealing critical characteristics about COVID-19—such as how contagious the virus is and how rapidly it spreads through populations. Applying the model, which calculates COVID-19’s effective reproduction number (R), reveals key insights into how Iowa cases have grown from a few to more than 1,700. More |
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PROTECTING $1.6 BILLION IN SEED EXPORTS |
During the COVID-19 pandemic, seed health experts at ISU’s Seed Science Center are working to provide stability to help protect $1.6 billion in annual seed exports by the U.S. seed industry. Seed Science Center faculty and staff test samples to support phytosanitary certification and the movement of seed while following social distancing guidelines, including offsetting staffing schedules. More |
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CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL LIVELIHOODS HELPS DELIVER FOOD TO RURAL UGANDANS DURING PANDEMIC |
The Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) is helping supply much-needed food to rural Ugandans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ugandan staff of the ISU-Uganda Program, who work every day to carry out CSRL’s programs in the Kamuli District, have pivoted from their normal job responsibilities to ensure hunger doesn’t get a stronger foothold because of the pandemic. More |
Iowa State University continues to monitor the outbreak of COVID-19. You can find updates and information related to the outbreak on the COVID-19 safety page. |
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NANOVACCINE INSTITUTE STRIVES TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH |
Researchers affiliated with the Nanovaccine Institute based at ISU, including Donald Sakaguchi, genetics, development and cell biology supported by the Agricultural Experiment Station, are studying nanovacines and nanotherapies for respiratory infections, neural disorders, tropical diseases, cancer and veterinary diseases. More |
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DEVELOPING PORTABLE VIRAL TESTS FOR FUTURE PANDEMICS |
Marit Nilsen-Hamilton, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, leads a research group developing a portable, inexpensive technology to allow people to test for the presence of a virus or antibodies without visiting a medical facility. The technology is still a year away, but it could be useful in future pandemics. More |
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REAL-TIME CROP FORECASTING VIA FACTS |
Weekly updates to FACTS (Forecast and Assessment of Cropping sysTemS) are now available. The modeling website combines site-specific weather, soil and crop data to provide timely answers to common questions farmers have about soil nitrogen, soil moisture and more. More |
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BOOSTING PLANTS’ FREEZE TOLERANCE |
Rajeev Arora, professor of horticulture, has found an inexpensive, natural way to improve spinach plants’ tolerance to freezing temperatures using salicylic acid, an active component of aspirin. Treatment may also increase the plants’ antioxidant levels. More |
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MACHINE LEARNING FOR CROP BREEDING |
Asheesh (Danny) Singh, associate professor of agronomy and recipient of the 2020 Raymond and Mary Baker Agronomic Excellence Award and at Iowa State, collaborates across disciplines to combine artificial intelligence and genetics to speed selection of crop varieties. More |
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BAIN NAMED ASSOCIATE DEAN OF ACADEMIC INNOVATION |
Carmen Bain, sociology, has been named the college's associate dean for academic innovation. The new position will oversee academic affairs, student services, career services, student recruitment and retention, and the Brenton Center. Her role partially replaces the position formerly held by David Acker who now serves as the associate dean for global engagement and director of the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods. More |
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SCHOLARSHIP FOR GRAD PROGRAM IN SUSTAINABLE AG ESTABLISHED |
Gary and Ann Holck of Spencer, Iowa, have established an endowed scholarship for students in the Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture (GPSA). The Gary and Ann Holck Graduate Scholarship in Sustainable Agriculture will support GPSA students studying or doing research in sustainable agriculture. The program, which began in 2001, was the first sustainable agriculture graduate program in the country. Currently, 28 students are enrolled in GPSA pursuing advanced degrees, and the program has graduated 190 students since its inception. More |
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THOMSON HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IN ANIMAL SCIENCE |
Daniel Thomson ('90 animal science, '00 DVM) was scheduled to begin his role as the new chair for animal science on April 6, but began two weeks earlier than anticipated to be on hand to help handle the COVID-19 crisis. Dr. Thomson arrives in time to celebrate the 30th anniversary of receiving his bachelor of science degree in animal science, and the 20th anniversary of receiving his doctor of veterinary medicine degree. More |
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POTATOES: A HOT COVID COMMODITY |
Steve (’04 ag business), above, and Beth (’04 ag and life sciences education) Rachut, co-operate Kittleson Brothers, a potato and onion packing facility, with co-owner John Kittleson. Due to increased consumer demand amid response to COVID-19, their sales exploded to more than eight times their typical demand. More |
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MARCH MADNESS WITH AN AGRONOMIC TWIST |
Following the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA basketball tournament amid the nation’s response to COVID-19, Matt Nelson (’15 agronomy, environmental studies) developed a Weed Science Madness bracket matching up weeds that plague producers across the U.S. The 12-day tournament scored 1,500 votes. The winner? More |
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CONNECTING MEDIA, CALS: SPECIAL THANKS TO CLARK |
Warren Clark (’80 ag business), president of CCI Marketing, helped connect CALS experts with nationwide media to provide science-based information during the current pandemic. Thanks in part to his efforts, CALS experts have reached +1.7 billion. The top three faculty cited in recent publications and their media reach (based on circulation calculated over the last 14 days) are: Dermot Hayes, economics – reach of 871.3 million, Chad Hart, economics – reach of 655.75 million, Lee Schulz, animal science – reach of 211 million. The following two stories grabbed the majority of the attention:
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#CYCLONESTRONG FUELS COVID-19 SUPPORT EFFORTS |
The ISU Foundation has established an emergency fund to support students and programs affected by the pandemic. To date, more than 225 donors have contributed nearly $51,000 to help the campus community. Thank you for your continued support and generosity! Interested in supporting the effort? Donate online.
The ISU Book Store and the ISU Foundation are teaming up to sell #CycloneStrong t-shirts. Proceeds will be donated to the Cyclone Strong Fund to help ISU students, faculty and staff facing additional and unexpected challenges at this time. If you’re looking for more ways to support the campus community and show your Cyclone spirit, you can purchase t-shirts online.
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Want to share career news or accomplishments with fellow alumni and friends? Email editor Melea Reicks Licht at mreicks@iastate.edu. |
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