News Archive
Monday, April 7 2008
News
Superdelegate founder returns to ISU this week, discusses role with political scientists
U.S. Ambassador and former chair of the Democratic National Committee Charles Manatt founded the party's current superdelegate system back in 1983. A 1958 ISU graduate, Manatt will be back on campus Thursday through Saturday, April 10-12, as one of the five recipients of an ISU Distinguished Alumni Award.
Iowa Lakes Community College and ISU announce partnership
Iowa State and Iowa Lakes Community College are making it more convenient for Iowa Lakes students who want to earn an associate degree and transfer to Iowa State to earn their four-year degree. Iowa Lakes Community College President Harold Prior and ISU President Gregory Geoffroy announced the joint admission program at a news conference today at the Estherville campus of Iowa Lakes.
Relationship of plants and climate change is subject of upcoming ISU conference
ISU's Plant Sciences Institute is hosting a mini-conference "Plants and Climate Change." The conference will provide information from a panel of experts to help Iowans plan ways to contribute effectively to climate change solutions.
Tornadoes on TV
The History Channel's "The Universe" show will feature footage of Iowa State University's Tornado/Microburst Simulator during its "Wildest Weather in the Cosmos" episode this week.
Should real profits in virtual worlds be taxed? ISU professors say there's a way to do it
Four professors from ISU's College of Business have recommended some tax methods for income accumulated in the 3D virtual world Second Life in a pair of recent research papers.
ISU endowed chair named for George Washington Carver
With support from the state of Iowa and a private donor, Iowa State University has established an endowed faculty chair in the name of its first African-American student and faculty member, world-renowned scientist George Washington Carver
Astronaut Clayton Anderson will headline Iowa State University's Veishea celebration
Iowa State University's first astronaut, Clayton Anderson, is coming back to Ames to help students, faculty, staff and alumni celebrate Veishea 2008.
ISU fashion student Jennifer Flack works for designer during Market Week in Paris
ISU senior Jennifer Flack recently returned from Market Week in Paris, where she worked for Marchesa -- a rising New York City fashion design company that focuses on high-end eveningwear and cocktail dresses. Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lopez and Natasha Richardson are some of the celebrities who have recently worn Marchesa designs.
Thomas J. Barton named interim director of Iowa Energy Center
Thomas J. Barton will be interim director of the Iowa Energy Center effective April 1. He'll lead the center until a permanent director is named. The search for a permanent director is under way.
ISU, ConocoPhillips and National Renewable Energy Lab to cooperate on biofuels research
Iowa State University, ConocoPhillips and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have agreed to cooperate on research projects designed to advance the conversion of cellulosic biomass into biofuels. The collaboration is expected to produce an initial report by next January.
ISU's graduate program in engineering jumps in U.S. News rankings
ISU's College of Engineering jumped four spots in national rankings of graduate and professional schools published by U.S. News and World Report magazine. The engineering college ranked 41st among all American universities and 24th among public schools.
ISU psychologist offers tips to remember more in today's high-tech world
If you're having a hard time remembering important things in today's information age, Rob West has some memory fitness tips for you. West is director of the Cognitive Psychology Program at ISU, where he is also an associate professor of psychology.
Iowa State part of consortium developing world's first petascale computing system
Iowa State University is one of 28 charter members of the Great Lakes Consortium for Petascale Computation. Researchers from the institutions will apply petascale computing power -- capable of more than a quadrillion calculations per second -- to advance research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
ISU grad Hamilton provides lessons from two of nation's largest disasters in April 10 talk
ISU graduate Scott Hamilton will draw on past employment experiences during a talk titled "From Bad to Worse: WorldCom to Hurricane Katrina. Lessons from Two of the Nation's Largest Disasters from Someone Who Was Involved in Both," which he'll present on Thursday, April 10, starting at 4 p.m. in Room 2117 of Iowa State's Gerdin Business Building.
See student demos, hear from an innovation leader and play PowerPoint Karaoke
Iowa State University's annual Emerging Technologies Conference will be Thursday and Friday, April 3-4. Thursday's IgniteIT event will feature short talks, networking and PowerPoint Karaoke. Friday's activities include student technology and poster presentations, a keynote address and student talks. The events are free and open to the public, but registration is required for IgniteIT. For more information, see www.vrac.iastate.edu/etc2008 .
Geoffroy seeks Regents' go-ahead on recreation facilities project
Iowa State President Gregory Geoffroy has accepted the recommendation of the Special Student Fee and Tuition Committee to proceed with planning of the proposed recreation facilities project.
Symposium will address biotechnology and law at Iowa State April 23.
The fifth annual symposium of ISU's Biosafety Institute for Genetically Modified Agricultural Products will be held April 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The symposium will feature discussion of biotechnology regulations that are responsive to scientific innovation.
The Fashion Show 2008 set for Friday, April 25; J.Crew VP is guest alumni designer
The 26th Annual Textiles and Clothing Fashion Show will be held on Friday, April 25, in ISU's Stephens Auditorium. This year's show will also feature work by guest designer Todd Snyder, a 1992 ISU graduate who is vice president of menswear design for J. Crew.
Sesquicentennial celebration at the statehouse
ISU exhibits dotted the rotunda of the statehouse April 3 as part of ISU Sesquicentennial Day at the Legislature. Gov. Chet Culver and Iowa lawmakers helped mark the occasion by signing a reproduction of the 1858 law that created Iowa State.
Biorenewables research
VISIONS magazine looks at biorenewables research, a hot topic on the ISU campus. The spring 2008 issue also celebrates the magazine's 20th anniversary with a look at memorable stories.
In the news
Jill Pruetz, ISU anthropologist, on PBS' Nova.
Almost Human
National Geographic
In 2007 Jill Pruetz, an anthropologist at Iowa State University, reported that a Fongoli female chimp named Tumbo was seen two years earlier, less than a mile from where we are right now, sharpening a branch with her teeth and wielding it like a spear. She used it to stab at a bush baby, a pocket-size, tree-dwelling nocturnal primate that springs from branch to branch like a grasshopper. Until that report, the regular making of tools for hunting and killing mammals had been considered uniquely human behavior.
For carbon emissions, a goal of less than zero
The New York Times
Iowa State's Robert C. Brown talks about collecting the "agrichar" left by the thermochemical conversion of biomass to fuel and plowing that into farm fields. That would not only store carbon but fertilize crops.
Smart Science: What is a food mile?
The Weather Channel
Forecast Earth, a weekly program produced by The Weather Channel, explains the science behind food miles (weighted average source distance) in a segment that aired beginning March 17, 2008. Heidi Cullen, the program's climate expert, quotes work done by the Leopold Center about the number of food miles for a carton of strawberry yogurt.
