|
CALS ENROLLMENT REFLECTS POSITIVE MOMENTUM |
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences enrollment for fall 2021 is 4,401 students – 3,844 undergraduates and 557 graduate students. While this represents a decline in total enrollment from fall 2020, there is some very encouraging momentum on priority outcomes such as recruitment and graduation rates. CALS contributes significantly to the nearly 60% of students on campus enrolled in STEM majors, helping to solidify Iowa State’s leadership as a university of science and technology. More
- CALS leads first-year student retention numbers on campus at 90.6%.
- CALS increased the number of newly recruited students by 3.2% compared to last fall.
- Multicultural representation in CALS increased, with a record 12% of undergraduate students identifying as ethnicities other than white.
- The largest undergraduate majors are animal science, animal ecology, agricultural business, biology, agricultural studies, industrial technology and agronomy, making up 68% of CALS enrollment.
- More than 57% of CALS undergraduate students are women. University-wide, female students make up just over 43% of the student population.
- More than 30% of CALS undergraduate students are from states other than Iowa, reflecting a university effort to expand recruitment markets. University-wide non-residents make up more than 35% of the student population.
|
|
|
|
|
|
SCHULTE MOORE NAMED 2021 MACARTHUR FELLOW |
Lisa Schulte Moore, natural resource ecology and management, has been named a 2021 MacArthur Fellow. The prestigious awards, sometimes called “genius grants,” identify scientists, artists, entrepreneurs and others who have demonstrated exceptional creativity and who show promise for important future advances. She is the first Iowa State faculty member to receive a MacArthur Fellowship. More |
|
|
|
WOTEKI APPOINTED TO PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL |
Catherine Woteki, food science and human nutrition, has been appointed to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. PCAST is the sole body of advisors from outside the federal government charged with making science, technology and innovation policy recommendations to the President and the White House. Woteki is known internationally for her expertise in agriculture, food, nutrition, health and science policy. More |
|
|
|
|
|
NSF AWARD SUPPORTS PLANT RESEARCH, LEARNING OPPS |
A new three-year, $985,450 award from the National Science Foundation is supporting research by Dior Kelley, genetics, development and cell biology, and Olga Zabotina, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, exploring fundamental questions about how hormones regulate cell wall properties during plant development. In the process, they will engage college students and Iowa’s youngest learners. More |
|
|
|
FOOD TOLERANT CROPS A BETTER CHOICE FOR FARMED POTHOLES |
Increases in weather variability, especially more intense, frequent spring rainfall, are likely to adversely impact crop yields in areas susceptible to flooding and ponding. Recent research by a team led by Andy VanLoocke and Patrick Edmonds, agronomy, shows miscanthus, a grass species known for its high biomass production, is likely to have better survival and yields and could be more profitable in those water-logged areas. More |
|
|
|
SOCIOLOGIST RECEIVES GRANT TO ADDRESS DISASTER RESPONSE |
David Peters, sociology and criminal justice, is part of a team of five Iowa State researchers selected to receive the 2021 Bridging the Divide seed grant. The $25,000 award will be used to investigate methods of expediting post-disaster safety assessments of structures. The team hopes to address disaster recovery challenges by having community members assist in observing the damage inflicted on communities. More |
|
|
|
|
|
U.S. FARM REPORT FEATURES ECONOMISTS AND ABE RESEARCHERS |
U.S. Farm Report kicked off their 2021 college roadshow season at Iowa State. Broadcast on Sept. 11, the show features Tyne Morgan along with: panelists Dermot Hayes and Lee Schulz, economics, and AgriTalk host Chip Flory ('87 ag journalism); Chad Hart, economics; Cyclone Power Pullers; Peiyang Li, Jacek Koziel, Baitong Chen and Adina Howe and Jared Flater, showcasing research projects in agricultural and biosystems engineering; and Gannon Cook, senior in agricultural business. More |
|
|
|
ROSS TO SERVE IN NEW ASSOCIATE CHAIR POSITION |
Jason Ross ('00 animal science), animal science and director of the Iowa Pork Industry Center, will serve a four-year appointment as the department’s associate chair for industry engagement. This new role will help promote Iowa State’s animal science department programming both locally and globally. He'll also collaborate with the animal agriculture industry to gain insights on needs for curricular offerings and to engage the industry in departmental internship programs for students. More |
|
|
|
|
|
GARDEN PROJECT GROWS ACROSS THE STATE |
The Growing Together Iowa project helps counties combat food insecurity by donating produce grown in community gardens to food pantries. Gardens vary in size and produce based on community needs and volunteer availability. The program is co-funded by ISU Extension and Outreach and has donated 441,000 pounds of fresh produce since its inception. More |
|
|
|
FARM TO TABLE TASK FORCE ANNOUNCED IN IOWA |
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and ISU Extension and Outreach Vice President John Lawrence ('84 animal science, '86 MS economics) have announced members appointed to the Farm to Table Task Force. The purpose is to identify strategies that will improve the farm to table supply chain, making it easier for farmers to access markets and sell their products. More |
|
|
|
IOWA FARMERS RESPONDING TO CHANGING WEATHER |
A new study examines how farmers are responding to the increasing threats brought on by weather extremes, pests and disease. Changes in five major adaptive management practices were examined. Lead author is Suraj Upadhaya, post-doc research associate in natural resource ecology and management. Co-author is J. Arbuckle, sociology and criminal justice. More |
|
|
|
|
|
IOWA DAIRY INDUSTRY SURVEY RESULTS NOW AVAILABLE |
A group of dairy producers in Iowa were surveyed in 2020 as part of a research effort coordinated by ISU Extension and Outreach dairy specialists. Results provide insight on the current state of the dairy industry in Iowa and will be summarized through reports for educators, industry collaborators, elected officials and the general public. More |
|
|
|
DAIRY TEAM LAUNCHES SPANISH NEWSLETTER IN IOWA |
The ISU Extension and Outreach dairy team has launched a bi-monthly newsletter in Spanish to bring relevant information to Spanish-speaking employees in the agricultural industry. The Latinos Trabajando en Siouxland/Celebración de Vida newsletter has been distributed to employers in northwest Iowa. More |
|
|
|
|
|
ISU EXTENSION AND OUTREACH RESOURCES, EVENTS |
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
CALS BBQ DRAWS MORE THAN 400 ALUMNI, FRIENDS |
The annual CALS BBQ made a big comeback this year after the 2020 gathering was canceled due to COVID-19 regulations. This year's event, held Sept. 4 at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center in Ames, welcomed more than 400 alumni and friends of the college. See more photos |
|
|
|
|
|
CALS ALUMNI STEP UP TO HELP MAKE FIELD OF DREAMS COME TO LIFE |
Casey Scheidel ('04 horticulture), president of Iowa Sports Turf Management, and his team of fellow CALS alumni, Eric Van Ginkel ('11 horticulture) and Mitch Countryman ('17 horticulture), spent three days at the Major League Baseball field at the Field of Dreams finishing grading and laying the sod in preparation for the big game. "When an opportunity comes up like that, you kind of throw conventional wisdom out the window," Scheidel said of his quick decision to assist. More |
|
|
|
SWANSON HOSTS KOSOVO'S TOP AGRICULTURE OFFICIAL |
Stuart Swanson (’90 agricultural business) hosted Kosovo’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, Feton Peci, and other delegates from Kosovo on Swanson’s row crop farm near Galt, Iowa. Peci’s visit in Iowa was focused on learning more about American agriculture and developing partnerships that could be beneficial to improving Kosovo’s own agriculture industry. One of those partnerships was signed with Iowa State. More |
|
|
|
|
|
BUILDING INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES WEBINAR SERIES FEATURES CALS ALUMNI |
Theressa Cooper, CALS assistant dean for diversity, has launched a webinar series titled "CALS Alumni Conversations: Building Inclusive Communities." The one-hour webinars provide an opportunity to hear, engage and ask questions of diverse CALS alumni scholars and professionals within the food and agricultural systems industry as the college seeks to build a more inclusive and welcoming CALS community. Each webinar takes place from noon - 1 p.m. CST.
Speaker lineup:
For more information on how you can participate, contact Theressa Cooper, tncooper@iastate.edu.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Have feedback to share about STORIES Online?
Want to share career news or accomplishments with fellow alumni and friends?
Email calscomm@iastate.edu.
|
|
|
|
|
|