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College News
LEATH: INVESTMENT IN AG RESEARCH MUST INCREASE
ISU President Steven Leath shared the following message on the national stage last week: Congress must increase spending on U.S. agricultural research now to have a fighting chance to feed the projected 9.5 billion people in 2050. Leath presented the 2015 Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lecture in Washington, D.C. June 16 for the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Foundation (RMF) released a new report summarizing a discussion among leaders of universities, university associations and others on the need for reversing an alarming lack of federal investment in food, agricultural and natural resources research. CALS Dean Wendy Wintersteen serves as RMF president.
UNCOVERING SURPRISING GENETIC DIVERSITY
A new ISU study focusing on insulin signaling uncovered surprising genetic diversity across reptiles, birds and mammals. The research sets the stage for an improved understanding of metabolism, growth and aging and may have implications for medicine and human health, said Anne Bronikowski, ecology, evolution and organismal biology.
TOUGHENING UP SPORTS TURF
A four-acre stretch of land at the Horticulture Research Station north of Ames will allow ISU researchers, including Dan Strey, horticulture, to experiment with soil content and management practices to improve sports turf across the Midwest. Strey said they will study conditions identical to virtually any sport played on natural grass in the area and are especially interested in measuring how grasses hold up to Midwest weather combined with the wear and tear of athletic competition.
NEW LEADERS IN SOCIOLOGY AND ECONOMICS
Joshua Rosenbloom, professor of economics at the University of Kansas, has been named the chair of the Department of Economics. Rosenbloom will begin his duties Aug. 1. He succeeds John Schroeter, who served as interim chair since 2011 and will return to the faculty. Chester Britt, dean of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northeastern University, has been named chair of the Department of Sociology also effective Aug. 1. He will succeed Paul Lasley, who is returning to the faculty after leading the department since 2002.
RIDE ALONG TO LEARN DAIRY’S STORY
The ISU Dairy Farm held an open house on June 5 to celebrate dairy month. Learn how many cows they milk daily and how many gallons of milk are produced in this video with Amanda Robinson, graduate student in dairy science; Celina Young, junior in agricultural business, public administration and international agriculture; and Christen Jackson, lecturer in animal science.
CARVER PROGRAM
DRAWS INTERNS FROM ACROSS U.S.
This summer, nine high school students and 21 undergrads are participating in the college’s George Washington Carver Sumer Research Internship Program, which provides mentoring from renowned ISU faculty and hands-on experience with modern scientific research. The students come from Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, New Mexico, New York and Puerto Rico. When they’re not in the lab or field, the interns participate in seminars, agricultural tours and cultural activities.
SERVING IOWANS IN CRISIS FOR 30 YEARS
Iowa Concern, administered by ISU Extension and Outreach, originated during a farm crisis 30 years ago. Iowans can call counselors 24 hours a day, seven days a week to discuss tough issues facing their communities, their families or themselves. It has served citizens through crises including the Great Floods of 1993, the Missouri River floods of 2008, drought, the H1N1 crisis and the current avian flu crisis. It has grown to include stress counselors, a website and live chat.
MORE COLLEGE NEWS
Alumni News
LONERGAN NAMED OUTSTANDING ANIMAL SCIENCE PROF
 Elisabeth Huff Lonergan (’91 MS animal science, ’95 PhD) Iowa State University professor of animal science, was named one of 20 outstanding animal science professors by VetTechColleges.com. Longergan is a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Animal Science. She also is the acting Director-at-Large of the ASAS for the 2016 year. In her academic work she is known for provocative research regarding post-mortem conversion of meat and muscle.
DUNPHY INSPIRES FUTURE ENTOMOLOGISTS IN BUGOPEDIA
 Brendan Dunphy ('07 animal ecology, entomology, zoology), entomology research associate at Iowa State, was featured as an expert in "Bugopedia," an educational book about insects released by the Discovery Channel in April. “It’s stocked with a bunch of striking photos that showcase the beauty of these creatures, which is important in cultivating an appreciation for them at a young age,” he said.
BARDOLE HONORED FOR EXPANDING WORLD MARKET OF SOY
Roy Bardole (’65 farm operation), of Rippey, Iowa, was recognized with the 2015 Bell Tower of Fame Award for his leadership in international market development for U.S. soy. Bardole served as director and president of the Iowa Soybean Association, on the board of directors of the American Soybean Association and the United States Soybean Export Council, the industry organization responsible for the expansion of US soybean exports.
CALS ALUMNI RELATIONS HONORED WITH NATIONAL AWARDS
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences alumni communication efforts and initiatives were honored with top national awards this month during the Association for Communications Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Life and Human Sciences (ACE) annual conference in Charleston, South Carolina, and the National Agriculture Alumni and Development Association (NAADA) annual conference in College Station, Texas. CALS was presented with:
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First place print media division for magazine produced by college or outside agency from NAADA and the Silver Award for publishing magazines and periodicals from ACE – STORIES in Agriculture and Life Sciences, Melea Reicks Licht (’00 public service and admin. in ag, MS ’05 ag education and studies), director of alumni relations.
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First place in the society programming division and first place in the multimedia and promotional materials division for specialty items from NAADA and the Bronze Award for promotional writing from ACE – Curtiss League young alumni initiative, Haley Cook, alumni relations and event coordinator, Licht and Andy Zehr, director of marketing and recruiting.
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