College News

VIRTUAL REALITY COULD BOOST POULTRY HEALTH

Virtual reality applications may be useful to boost poultry health, according to Iowa State researchers led by Melha Mellata, food science and human nutrition, and Graham Redweik ('21 PhD microbiology). Using VR technology, the scientists simulated a free-range environment in laying hen housing, which appeared to reduce indicators of stress in the hens’ blood and gut microbiota and induce biochemical changes related to increased resistance to E. coli bacteria. More

AGRONOMISTS, ENGINEERING STUDENTS CREATE INNOVATIVE IN-FIELD RESEARCH CHAMBER

Asheesh “Danny” Singh, agronomy, worked with seniors in Mechanical Engineering 415 Capstone Design classes to invent an innovative research chamber to study soybeans’ responses in the field to current and future climate conditions. Essentially a mini greenhouse, the chamber is meant to offer new options to control conditions for plant testing in the field. More

SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER SEEKS NEW LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AT IOWA STATE

To fry bacon in water, or not to fry bacon in water? That is the question Jess Pryles, current student in Iowa State’s meat science graduate certificate program, sought to answer for her final project while she was on campus earlier this month. The idea for her project stemmed from TikTok videos of people claiming that frying bacon in water resulted in crispier bacon and a more even cook of the muscle and fat. More

RESEARCHERS STUDYING LEAF ANGLE AIM TO IMPROVE YIELDS

To better understand the underlying structure of corn leaf angle, an interdisciplinary research team including Jianming Yu, agronomy, and Lie Tang, agricultural and biosystems engineering, is working to identify the genes using a robot developed at Iowa State to capture 3D images of corn in the field. The research, supported by a $2.5 million National Science Foundation grant, has the potential to aid in the engineering of new hybrids and boost yields. More

ASSESSING TRENDS IN WATER QUALITY IMPACTED BY WEATHER VARIABILITY

New research shows how complicated it is to accurately predict when positive changes on the landscape can be expected to show up as reduced levels of nutrients in Iowa’s water. The research, conducted by Gerasimos Danalatos, PhD student, Michael Castellano and Sotirios Archontoulis, agronomy, and Calvin Wolter, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, was featured recently in the Journal of Environmental Quality. More

MERGER CELEBRATION PLANNED FOR TWO IOWA STATE DEPARTMENTS

Alumni and friends are invited to celebrate the merging of Iowa State’s Department of Entomology and Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology. The celebration will take place Sept. 9, from 1-7 p.m. at the Advanced Teaching and Research Building. Tours of ATRB will be offered, and several alumni representing the two departments will speak. The evening will conclude with a barbecue meal, ISU Creamery ice cream and music by the ISU Jazz Band. More

THE POET BEHIND THE MUSTACHE

When searching for information about pests and plant diseases, poetry might not be the format that first comes to mind. The Phytopoetry Project is a multimedia venture by Iowa State’s Integrated Pest Management program aimed at educating people about pest management. It features the mustached character of Sebastian Eugene Bartholomew, a savant in both poetry and pest management, played by Adam Sisson ('06 environmental studies, agronomy, '09 sustainable ag), industry extension specialist. More

LAWRENCE-DILL JOINS FFAR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research has announced that Carolyn Lawrence-Dill has joined its board of directors. FFAR is a national organization focused on building public-private partnerships to fund research initiatives addressing challenges in food and agriculture. Lawrence-Dill is associate dean for research and discovery in CALS and associate director of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station. More

ISU EXTENSION AND OUTREACH RESOURCES, EVENTS

• Crop margin protection is another insurance tool for farmers
• Fall forestry field days planned across Iowa
• Yard and Garden: Common diseases of perennials
• Improve monarch habitat with helpful resources
• Hay and straw directory provides useful listing of what's available

These are just a few of the many new and updated resources and upcoming events from ISU Extension and Outreach - Agriculture and Natural Resources. See more.

Alumni News

COW-CALF SCULPTURES HONOR FAMOUS ALUMNA

A decade-long project has succeeded in honoring a well-known Iowa State alumna and the dairy industry she supported. Earlier this summer, three bronze cow-calf sculptures were installed at Iowa State's College of Veterinary Medicine, the Iowa State Fair and in Toledo, Iowa. The sculptures are replicas of the original one, created by Norma “Duffy” Lyon ('51 animal science). Lyon and her husband, Joe, were well-known in the dairy industry, especially for their Jersey cows. Many also know Lyon as the “butter cow lady,” a name she gained after years of sculpting life-sized cows out of butter to display each year at the Iowa State Fair. More

HEILLER INDUCTED INTO NATIONAL AGR HALL OF FAME

Tim Heiller ('90 animal science) was inducted into the National Alpha Gamma Rho Hall of Fame during the 2022 AGR National Convention. Heiller was initiated into the Eta Chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho in 1987 while he was a student at Iowa State. He served as Eta Chapter Adviser from 1992-2014, during which he implemented an educational program to prepare students for life after college. More

MORTIMER HANGS UP HIS TONGS AT CATTLEMEN'S BEEF QUARTERS AT IOWA STATE FAIR

John Mortimer ('64 farm operation) opened Cattlemen's Beef Quarters on a gravel lot at the Iowa State Fair in 1985. Over the years, it has grown and served more than two million customers and become home of one of the most iconic dishes at the state fair - the hot beef sundae. This was Mortimer's last year at Cattlemen's, having made the decision to retire after 38 years. More

ALUMNI HONORED WITH IOWA FARM ENVIRONMENTAL LEADER AWARDS

Several CALS alumni were among 40 Iowa farm families who were presented Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Awards at the Iowa State Fair. The award acknowledges farmers who take voluntary actions to improve and protect Iowa's natural resources while serving as leaders in their farming communities. CALS alumni honored were:

• Caleb Akin ('03 agronomy)
• Merle Appelgate ('79 farm operation)
• Joel Brown ('00 ag studies)
• Mark Brown ('69 farm operation)
• Rowly Burton ('80 farm operation)
• Aaron Dahlstrom ('14 ag studies)
• Jerry Dove ('82 farm operation)
• Roger Harrington ('71 ag and life sciences education)
• Julie Kassel ('80 animal science, ag business)
• Paul Kassel ('78 horticulture, agronomy, '81 MS crop production and physiology)
• Clint Luellen ('11 ag systems technology)
• Verle Manson ('68 technical agriculture)
• Scott McLaughlin ('92 ag studies)
• Noah Wendt ('00 ag business)

More than 690 Iowa farm families have been recognized since the creation of the award in 2012. More

Young Alum of the Month

Jamie Pudenz ('17 ag studies, '19 MS ag education) strives to prepare the next generation of agriculturalists who will find answers to the fuel, fiber and food demands of our planet. “I journeyed through Iowa State never being totally certain where I would land. In agriculture, we know the possibilities are endless, especially when you graduate from a prestigious agricultural institution like Iowa State. I landed on agricultural education because I honestly wanted to do it all,” Pudenz says. More

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