News Archive
Monday, January 26 2009
News
Iowa State economists assess the state of the Iowa economy and its 2009 future
Iowa State economists Peter Orazem and Liesl Eathington agree that the country's economic crisis hasn't hit bottom yet, but they say that Iowa continues to weather the economic storm better than the rest of the nation.
Iowa State student receives $25,000 Geoffrey Beene fashion scholarship
ISU student Danielle Sponder was awarded a $25,000 YMA Geoffrey Beene National Scholarship at a dinner this month honoring the scholarship recipients in New York's Marriott Marquis. Four other Iowa State students also were awarded $5,000 YMA scholarships.
Greenlee School professor sees consumer drawbacks to digital TV conversion
Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication assistant professor Jeff Blevins questions the benefit to consumers of the mandated digital television conversion on Feb. 17, and the government's involvement in the process.
Manning Marable to speak on diversity and democracy on Jan. 27
Manning Marable, a Columbia University professor, black history scholar and human rights activist, will present the keynote speech for Iowa State's Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. His speech, "Diversity and Democracy in America," will be at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Marable is the author and/or editor of 21 books and scholarly anthologies on black politics, and the role of race and class in history.
ISU report to United Nations conference says drug prevention programs help the economy
Iowa State researchers Richard Spoth and Max Guyll have authored a report showing that substance abuse prevention programs return nearly $10 for every dollar invested. The report was presented at an international conference, co-sponsored by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Health Organization.
King events through Jan. 29
Iowa State will pay tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. with a series of events through Jan. 29.
Researcher works to modify, increase corn starch
An Iowa State University researcher has developed technology that allows corn plants to produce more starch and also modified starch.
Iowa State professors studying more effective method to monitor physical activity
Kinesiology professor Gregory Welk is leading a team of Iowa State researchers on a four-year project to provide a more precise way for people to determine their physical activity level. The project is funded by a $616,430 grant from the National Institutes of Health and conducted in partnership with Iowa State's Center for Survey Science and Methodology.
Ethanol profitability calculator developed by Iowa State University researcher
David Peters, an assistant professor of sociology in Iowa State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has developed a tool to determine what market conditions are needed for ethanol producers to make a profit.
Iowa State earns National Model Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program Award
Iowa State University was honored with the National Model Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program Award at the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif. on Saturday, Jan. 10. ISU management professor Howard Van Auken was also named a USASBE Fellow at the conference.
Iowa State University researchers discover structure of key Ebola protein
An ISU research team led by Gaya Amarasinghe, ISU biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, is a step closer to finding a way to counter the Ebola virus after recently solving the structure from a key part of the Ebola protein known as VP35.
Iowa Small Business Development Centers aiding businesses indirectly damaged by disasters
Businesses that were indirectly damaged economically by last summer's weather disasters across the state are encouraged to contact the Iowa Small Business Development Centers to receive free counseling assistance.
Quisenberry named ISU vice president for research and economic development
Sharron Quisenberry, professor of entomology and dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, is Iowa State University's new vice president for research and economic development. Quisenberry will join ISU on April 1, 2009.
The Reiman way
Meet Roy Reiman, former farm boy turned magazine giant, who likes to say he started in "manure" and graduated to "entrepreneur."
In the news
Shaky economy shakes up retailers in Perry, Iowa
USA Today
As in many small Iowa towns, Perry's population of 7,600 is aging, and competition from nearby big cities draws customers, said Liesl Eathington, an assistant economics researcher at Iowa State University.
Postcard from San Francisco
Time magazine
It's Saturday night at the American Economics Association's conference, and Iowa State University economics professor Peter Orazem has just taken the podium in an overcrowded ballroom at the San Francisco Hilton for The Economics Humor Session.
The Milky Way: bigger, faster, better understood
Time.com
A flurry of recent findings have provided a clearer understanding of the Milky Way than ever before. Martin Pohl, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at Iowa State University, has revealed the most detailed map to date of the galaxy's spiral arms.
Economic humor: no longer an oxymoron
The New York Times
On Saturday night, the American Economic Association held its very first humor session. One of the presenters was Peter Orazem from Iowa State University, who presented a more standard stand-up routine, though one loosely based on economic humor (and airline jokes, etc.).
Depression may underlie "transmission" of poverty
Reuters
Children from poor families are more likely than their peers to be depressed as teenagers, with effects that can ultimately make it harder to climb out from poverty, a new Iowa State University study suggests.
Some protect the ego by working on their excuses early
The New York Times
Every ugly exam score, blown deadline and failed project provides the opportunity to try out new excuses. But the tactic doesnt fool many people. In a recent study, James C. McElroy of Iowa State University and J. Michael Crant of Notre Dame had 246 adults evaluate the behavior of characters in several workplace anecdotes. The participants' impressions of a character began to sour after the second time the person cited a handicap.