News Archive
Wednesday, May 6 2009
News
ISU promotes sustainability via an all-university compost facility
Iowa State has opened an all-university composting facility that can handle more than 10,000 tons of organic wastes annually. The facility is designed to handle solid organic waste including yard waste, manure and bedding from ISU farms, organic greenhouse waste, biomass research waste and -- beginning this fall -- food waste from campus dining facilities.
Iowa State University researcher develops vaccine for H1N1 flu virus in swine
An Iowa State University researcher has developed an H1N1 flu vaccine for pigs.
College of Human Sciences researchers address needs of underserved populations
Iowa State College of Human Sciences faculty have recently completed research that assesses needs of three underserved populations -- Latino families in Iowa, the state's food pantry clients, and student military veterans.
Interior design students take top honors at national competition
Designs by three senior interior design students triumphed in the fifth annual Hospitality Design Awards competition sponsored by Hospitality Design magazine. The competition recognizes outstanding design projects in 13 categories related to the hospitality industry. Michael Goodsmith won first place in the student category with his conceptual designs for a sustainable nightclub. A concept for an upscale hotel and spa by Anna Anderson and Jennifer Irey was a finalist. They developed their projects in the interior design senior studio taught by assistant professor Jihyun Song.
ISU student has probable case of H1N1 virus
An ISU freshman from Marshalltown is being tested for Story County's first probable case of novel influenza A, or the H1N1 virus. Results back May 5 from the state hygienic laboratory confirmed that the virus is non-specified type A. The probable H1N1 case has been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for further testing.
Donation from Houston couple establishes departmental chair in Iowa State University's geology department
A new gift from Tom and Evonne Smith has the opportunity to transform the department of geological and atmospheric sciences in ISU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS). The Houston couple has established the Smith Family Foundation Departmental Chair in Geology to further enhance the mission of the department through a $2 million endowment.
Hobbs, 2005 Independence Bowl
NFL's Hobbs: Still 'proud to be a Cyclone' -- soon, with the degree to prove it
NFL star and Cyclone great Ellis Hobbs will be back in Ames May 9 to receive his B.A. in art and design. His family will all be there, waiting to hear "Ellis Hue Hobbs III" and watching their college graduate collect his diploma.
Iowa State Formula SAE racer takes shape, expected to be a fast competitor
Iowa State University's Formula SAE Team is starting to test the mini open-wheel race car it designed and built. The goal is a fast and reliable car for the Formula SAE Series competition May 13-16 at Michigan International Speedway. Team members think this year's car could be good enough to return the team to the competition's top 10.
ISU researcher identifies key function in protein, cell transcription
An Iowa State University researcher has figured out a mechanism involved in marking where assembly instructions are located in a cell's DNA.
Jackson
Jackson named ISU wrestling coach
Former Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Champion Kevin Jackson has been named Iowa State's head wrestling coach. Jackson captained the Cyclones' NCAA championship wrestling team in 1987.
Geoffroy outlines plans to handle cuts; Extension to restructure
ISU President Gregory Geoffroy outlined plans to handle a $38.3 million reduction in FY10 state appropriations to Iowa State during an April 30 Board of Regents meeting in Cedar Falls. An estimated $31.5 million in one-time federal stimulus dollars will help offset some of the budget reduction plans, temporarily. Cost-cutting measures will include eliminating some positions and leaving others vacant, increasing class sizes and closing some class sections, trimming journal and book budgets, reducing summer course offerings and restructuring ISU Extension. County Extension director positions and area director positions will be eliminated, and 20 regional positions will be created.
Geoffroy outlines budget plans | Budget presentation to the board (PowerPoint) | ISU Extension plans to restructure
Regents approve ISU faculty promotion, tenure list
Seventy one ISU faculty were on the list of promotion/tenure awards approved by the state Board of Regents April 30.
Summer commencement this August will be the last
Iowa State's last summer commencement ceremony will be held Aug. 8. Like many universities around the country, Iowa State will phase out the summer ceremony, which draws fewer graduates than the spring and fall ceremonies.
Nutrition and Wellness Research Center symposium to address vaccines, immunity
Research frontiers in vaccines and the immune system will be the focus of the third annual symposium by Iowa State University's Nutrition and Wellness Research Center (NWRC). Also sponsored by Iowa State's Office of Biotechnology, Plant Sciences Institute and Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., the symposium is Monday-Tuesday, May 18-19, at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center.
Pigs, people may soon eat their way to swine flu resistance, say ISU researchers
Iowa State University researchers are putting swine vaccines into the genetic makeup of corn, which may someday allow pigs and humans to get a swine flu vaccination simply by eating corn or corn products.
ISU study finds link between individual stress and teens being overweight or obese
A new Iowa State study of 1,011 adolescents (aged 10-15) and their mothers from low income families living in three cities found that increased levels of stress in adolescents are associated with a greater likelihood of them being overweight or obese. Led by Brenda Lohman, an assistant professor of human development and family studies, the study was posted online Monday by the Journal of Adolescent Health.
2008 graduate
Spring commencement is May 8-9
Spring commencement events are set for May 8-9. An anticipated 3,038 students will receive degrees from Iowa State at one of three ceremonies.
Relive Veishea 2009 through panoramas
Panoramas of the April 18 Veishea parade and activities on central campus allow viewers to zoom in close enough to see faces in the crowd.
Lovebirds
If you're a hopeless romantic, be sure to check out the spring 2009 issue of VISIONS magazine -- it's all about finding love at Iowa State. Also in this issue are features on golfer Tyler Swanson's amazing recovery following a near-fatal car accident and art professor Chuck Richards' latest literary adventure. VISIONS is published by the ISU Alumni Association.
In the news
Same-sex ruling belies the staid image of Iowa
The New York Times
"People may think of us some other way," said Paul Lasley, a sociologist at Iowa State University, "but in the main, it is tolerance -- not always support, but tolerance -- that has really been the weave and warp of Iowa culture."
Study finds some youths 'addicted' to video games
Washington Post
In what is described as the first nationally representative study in the United States on the subject, researcher Douglas Gentile of Iowa State University found that 8.5 percent of American youths ages 8 to 18 who play video games show multiple signs of behavioral addiction.