College News
WINTERSTEEN NAMED IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT
The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, named Wendy Wintersteen (’88 PhD entomology) the 16th president of Iowa State University on Monday, October 23.
“Thank you to everyone who encouraged and supported me during the search process. Your kind words and best wishes were meaningful in more ways than I can express. I officially begin my new duties on November 20. As I make this transition, I want to assure you that the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences remains in good hands,” wrote Wintersteen in a letter to alumni, partners, stakeholders and friends.
Wintersteen, endowed dean of Iowa State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, will succeed Benjamin Allen, who has served as interim president since May 8. Steven Leath, Iowa State’s 15th president, assumed the presidency at Auburn University last spring. Wintersteen, has led the college since 2006. “I will work with the Senior Vice President and Provost on the process to name an interim dean of CALS. The university has several high-level positions to fill, and another high priority will be to form a search committee to select the 11th dean to lead our world-renowned and respected College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. More
PRAIRIES PROVE POSITIVE FOR EROSION CONTROL, WILDLIFE
The prairie STRIPS research team has found the strategic use of native prairie plants among agricultural fields yields a wide range of environmental benefits, including erosion and runoff reduction and increased wildlife habitat. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, draw on 10 years of data and cover dozens of environmental metrics. Lisa Schulte Moore, natural resource ecology and management, is lead author of the paper. More
The STRIPS team also found prairies, known for an abundance of deep roots, don’t interfere with tile systems buried underground. Matt Helmers, agricultural and biosystems engineering and a member of the STRIPS team, explains why in this video. More
Excess nitrogen can change the composition of tallgrass prairies, granting an advantage to plants that flower earlier in the growing season, according to new research by Lori Biederman, ecology, evolution and organismal biology. The findings have implications for wildlife and pollinating insects that use prairie plants for habitat. More
CALS CAREER DAY BY THE NUMBERS
Last week after the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Day, employers conducted more than 1,000 interviews with students on campus. The job fair attracted 265 organizations, making it the third largest in college history. Of the more than 2,500 students attending, 106 were visitors from 16 institutions outside of Iowa State University.
EXPANDING GRAPE AND HOP PRODUCTION IN IOWA
Learn more about grape and hop production in Iowa in this recent video from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach featuring Diana Cochran (above), assistant professor of horticulture, and Mike White ('78 forest management, MS '89 agronomy), viticulture specialist. These two specialty crops represent growing industries in the state. The wine industry makes a $420 million impact on the Iowa economy, and there are 60 acres of hops in production in the state. More
FATS, OILS HELP UNLOCK NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF VEGGIES
Some dressing with your greens may help you absorb more nutrients, according to a study by Wendy White, food science and human nutrition. The research found enhanced absorption of multiple fat-soluble vitamins in addition to beta-carotene and three other carotenoids. More
WOTEKI INDUCTED INTO NIFA HALL OF FAME
Catherine Woteki, professor of food science and human nutrition, is a 2017 inductee to the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Hall of Fame. She served six years as undersecretary for research, education and economics and chief scientist for USDA and served as dean of the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of the Agriculture Experiment Station from 2002 to 2005. Woteki, a member of the National Academy of Medicine, returned to ISU in July as a faculty member. More
GROWING PRODUCE BY THE BOOK IN HIGH TUNNELS
ISU Extension and Outreach has released a manual to help producers understand how to use a high tunnel. “Iowa High Tunnel Fruit and Vegetable Production Manual” contains 17 chapters and discusses in-depth which crops should be grown in a high tunnel and what levels of production are needed for the crop to be profitable. More
NEW HIRE TO ADDRESS GROWTH IN AG COMMUNICATIONS Shuyang Qu has joined the department of agricultural education and studies as an assistant professor. She will teach agricultural communication courses and conduct research on media literacy and public opinions in agricultural communications. Mike Retallick, chair of the agricultural education and studies department, said the addition of Qu is part of a move to increase the commitment and expertise in the area of agricultural communication and addresses the industry’s increased demand for agricultural communication graduates. More
HELP BUG GUIDE, AG COMM GROW
Two Go Fund Me opportunities are currently underway in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
- The BugGuide is an online community of naturalists who enjoy learning about and sharing observations of insects and related creatures. The Department of Entomology is raising funds for a new mobile-friendly website, identification recommendations based on artificial intelligence and integration with projects with similar goals. More
- Enrollment in the agricultural communications program in the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies has increased 43 percent over the past five years. College alumni are raising support to provide undergraduates in this major with professional development opportunities such as Ag Media Summit, industry tours, meetings and conferences. More
MORE COLLEGE NEWS
Alumni News
CALS ALUMNI HONORED BY IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
The Iowa State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and the Iowa State Alumni Association will honor several college alumni at the annual Honors and Awards Ceremony this Friday, Oct. 27. CALS awardees include (from left to right, top to bottom): Todd Hall (’82 animal science), Floyd Andre Award; Catherine Woteki, Henry A. Wallace Award; Gerald Klonglan (’58 rural sociology, MS ’62, PhD ’63), George Washington Carver Distinguished Service Award; and Dawn Refsell (’01 agronomy, MS ’03 crop production and physiology), Outstanding Young Professional Award. ISU Alumni Association awardees include (center bottom, right bottom): Kyle Flander (’03 industrial technology) and Claire Masker (’05 ag education and studies, MS ‘08) who will each be receiving the James A. Hopson Alumni Volunteer Award.
BAAS, RASMUSSEN RECEIVE NATIONAL HONORS
Tom Baas (’72 animal science, ’89 MS, ’90 PhD), professor of animal science, was inducted in to the National Barrow Show Hall of Fame and Stan Rasmussen (’68 animal science), of Austin, Minnesota, received the National Barrow Show’s 2017 Distinguished Service Award. Baas also was recently honored with the Iowa State University Regents Award for Faculty Excellence.
BEAR HONORED WITH GOVERNOR’S VOLUNTEER AWARD
Doug Bear (’07 animal science, ’11 MS), director of industry relations for the Iowa Beef Industry Council, received the Iowa Governor’s Volunteer Award presented by Governor Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Adam Gregg. Bear was nominated by the Ronald McDonald House of Des Moines for his work through the council’s Governor's Charity Steer Show. More
GREIMANS NAMED CY’S FAVORITE ALUM
Don Greiman (’52 animal science) and his wife Yvonne of Garner, Iowa, have been honored with the 2017 Cy’s Favorite Alum Award by Iowa State Athletics. For more than 60 years, the Greimans have taken their place in the stands in Iowa State's athletics venues. Whether it was Clyde Williams Field or Jack Trice Stadium, the couple has only vacated their seats for 15 home football games. In recognition of the couple's loyalty and accomplishments, the Iowa State Athletics Department honored the Greimans on October 14. Don has been a leader in the beef industry, Iowa State Fair Board and the Iowa State University Alumni Association. More
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