News Archive
Friday, September 19 2008
News
Regents give green light on new center, more Vet Med renovation
University leaders received state Board of Regents approval to establish a center for biorenewable chemicals and proceed with planning on a second phase of renovation and construction at the College of Veterinary Medicine during the board's Sept. 18 meeting in Coralville.
Lied Foundation Trust commits additional $7 million to Iowa State scholarships and program
The Hixson Opportunity Awards Program received an additional $7 million gift from the Lied Foundation Trust of Las Vegas, Nev., through its trustee, native Iowan Christina Hixson. Of the commitment, $5 million is designated to the scholarship endowment, and $2 million will be used to endow the Hixson Opportunity Awards Program.
Cyclone Stampede Rodeo set for Oct. 2-3
Iowa State students will host college rodeo teams from 13 schools for the 46th annual Cyclone Stampede Rodeo on Oct. 2 and 3 at 7 p.m. at the Iowa State Rodeo Arena, south of campus. More than 200 contestants will compete in 10 events, including bareback bronc riding, bull riding, tie-down calf roping, steer wrestling and team roping.
Iowa State researchers part of $208 million supercomputer project
Iowa State University researchers will be part of a large consortium working to develop and use the world's most powerful supercomputer. The new machine will be capable of sustained performance of a quadrillion calculations per second. It will be based at the University of Illinois' National Center for Supercomputing Applications and is expected to go online in 2011.
Cargill endows Iowa State faculty chair to accelerate biorenewables
Cargill has pledged $1.5 million to Iowa State University to establish the Cargill Endowed Chair in Energy Economics. The endowment will help Iowa State recruit a nationally recognized energy economist to accelerate work in biorenewables and bring crucial leadership to the biobased industry center in its early development.
Growing marketplace seeks Iowa State University agricultural business majors
Almost 100 percent of Iowa State University agricultural business graduates land jobs right out of school, according to ISU officials.
21st Century Entrepreneurial Business Strategies Conference set for Oct. 9
The 21st Century Entrepreneurial Business Strategies Conference, hosted by ISU's College of Business, will take place on Thursday, Oct. 9., in the Scheman Building of the Iowa State Center.
Iowa State engineer works to clean and improve engine performance
Iowa State University's Song-Charng Kong and his students are working to reduce emissions in diesel engines, develop a computer model of a gasoline engine and optimize new engine technologies. The results could be cleaner, more efficient engines in our cars and trucks.
National Science Foundation funds $2.1 million soybean disease project at ISU
Identifying genes essential for the soybean plant's defense against three major diseases will be the aim of a new $2.1 million research project led by Iowa State University.
'MythBusters' host to take audience behind the scenes of popular science show
Grant Imahara of the Discovery Channel's "MythBusters" show will speak at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at Stephens Auditorium at the Iowa State Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. The presentation is free and open to the public.
Iowa State study finds mom's beliefs may impact their kids' alcohol use
An ISU research team found when mothers helped their kids develop a self-view that doesn't include alcohol, those adolescents drank less. Their study was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, a professional journal of the American Psychological Association.
New beef irradiation process improves appearance, odor of irradiated beef
An ISU researcher has found that adding certain natural products to beef before irradiating it allows the meat to maintain a healthy, red appearance and inhibits off-odors.
Iowa State economists' report puts face on state's immigrant population
Economists Dave Swenson and Liesl Eathington of ISU's Regional Capacity Analysis Program examined a representative sample of more than 16,000 Iowans from the 2006 U.S. Census to make projections on Iowa's foreign and native-born populations. They found that the state's immigrant population is much different than what many people believe.
Iowa State University fall enrollment is 26,856; fourth-highest on record
Student enrollment at Iowa State University is 26,856, an increase of nearly 2.7 percent (or 696 more students) compared to fall 2007.
Author and reporter Sonia Nazario to speak Sept. 23
Author and Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Sonia Nazario will speak on "Enrique's Journey and America's Immigration Dilemma," at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, in the Memorial Union Sun Room. The event is free and open to the public.
Author Adrienne Rich to speak, Sept. 22
Adrienne Rich, writer, award-winning author, poet and feminist icon, will speak at 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, in the Memorial Union Great Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
Bronze Star
David Asjes, assistant professor of naval science and executive officer of ISU's Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC), received the Bronze Star in a Sept. 9 ceremony on campus. The Bronze Star is among the highest military awards. Asjes received the medal for exceptional achievement during his service in Iraq from October 2007 to April 2008.
Vote for Cy
Cy is currently competing in the Capital One National mascot of the Year competition. The competition features a head-to-head weekly battle between 12 different mascots. Fan votes will determine the winner. Fans can vote online once a day.
In the news
Top scholars stay in Iowa
The Des Moines Register
A Des Moines Register survey finds that a majority of top Iowa high school graduates choose to stay here for college, and the largest number of them come to Iowa State.
Bonobos may have greater linguistic skills than previously thought
ScienceDaily
What happens when linguistic tools used to analyze human language are applied to a conversation between a language-competent bonobo and a human? The findings, published this month by Iowa State Ph.D. student Janni Pedersen in the Journal of Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, indicate that bonobos may exhibit larger linguistic competency in ordinary conversation than in controlled experimental settings.