News Archive
Wednesday, May 4 2011
News
Iowa State University commencement events set for Friday and Saturday
An estimated 3,367 students -- the most in the last decade --
will receive degrees from Iowa State in three ceremonies this
weekend. About 2,703 students will receive bachelor's
degrees during the undergraduate ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Saturday
in Hilton Coliseum. Chemist and Cornell University Professor
Emeritus Harold Scheraga and physicist and University of
Arizona President Robert Shelton will receive honorary Doctor
of Science degrees. The graduate commencement will be at 7:30
p.m. Friday in Stephens Auditorium, also the site for the DVM
ceremony at noon on Saturday.
News
release.
ISUs graduate planning program ranks in top 13 nationally among non-Ph.D.-granting programs
Iowa State's graduate program in community and regional planning earned high marks in the latest survey by Planetizen, considered the leading online network for the urban planning, design and development community. The "Planetizen Guide to Graduate Urban Planning Programs" provides the only comprehensive rankings of graduate urban planning programs in the U.S. For 2012, Iowa State University is ranked 13th in the nation among 83 programs that do not grant a doctorate in planning.
MEDIA ADVISORY: ISU experts provide perspective following Osama bin Laden's death
Sustainable landscape design for your property can be easier than you may think
Ann Marie VanDerZanden, co-author of the recently published book "Sustainable Landscape Management: Design, Construction, and Maintenance," says small changes to your yard and garden can greatly improve sustainability and can be fairly simple to do.
RAGBRAI College Spirit Day set for July 29
RAGBRAI (The Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa™) has announced an inaugural College Spirit Day on this year's ride. RAGBRAI has joined with Iowa State, UNI, Iowa and Drake to encourage all riders, alumni and fans to celebrate and show their college spirit on Friday, July 29, from Grinnell to Coralville.
U.S. 'fast fashion' apparel trend is losing ground with consumers, according to ISU study
Iowa State chemist designs new polymer structures for use as plastic electronics
Malika Jeffries-EL, an Iowa State assistant professor of chemistry, is designing new organic polymer structures that conduct electricity and could be useful in solar cells, light-emitting diodes and thin-film transistors. She and her research group are doing fundamental studies of the relationship between the polymer structures and their electronic, physical and optical properties.
Iowa State University animal science professor named Jefferson Science Fellow
Max Rothschild, ISU distinguished professor in the Department of Animal Science, has been selected for a Jefferson Science Fellowship with the U.S. Department of State. He is one of 13 fellows selected nationally for 2011-12.
Senior will graduate after taking one class per semester for 19 years
In 1992, a gallon of gas cost $1.13, Bill Clinton won the
presidential election and Kathy Vitzthum took her first class
at Iowa State University. Vitzthum has taken about one class
each and every semester since. For 40 semesters. Since Miley
Cyrus was born. Since Charles and Diana split up. Since Ross
Perot pulled out his charts and pointer on TV. Since the World
Wide Web was in its infancy (and text only). On May 7, the
48-year-old Vitzthum, who lives in Slater, graduates summa cum
laude from Iowa State. She has achieved her goal -- a
bachelor's degree in accounting -- after juggling family
and career with finals and papers for 19 years.
News release.
ISU research leads to understanding of how crops deal with stress yields biggest enemy
ISU researchers have discovered a new arm of the pathway by which plants activate a response to environmental stress caused by adverse environmental conditions, such as drought, flood and heat. These stresses affect yield more than crop pests and diseases. Finding a way to maintain high yields for plants under stress is a goal of plant breeders and other agriculture stakeholders.
ISU team takes a top prize in Pappajohn New Venture Business Plan competition
NWRC May symposium to address origins of obesity
In the news
Economic studies of biofuels paint opposing pictures in gas price wars
The New York Times
A paper by Xiaodong Du and Dermot Hayes of ISU's Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) says ethanol production has reduced wholesale gasoline prices by 25 cents per gallon (on average) over the past 10 years. The study, funded by the Renewable Fuels Association, also warned that in the unlikely scenario that domestic ethanol production should be quickly and completely stopped, gas prices could skyrocket.
Kansas officials, others relate to twister
USA TODAY
Bill Gallus, an Iowa State professor of geological and atmospheric sciences, hopes that research conducted in the aftermath of devastating tornadoes in the South will identify the factors that led to so many fatalities.
"Were people ignoring the warnings or did they not hear them?" he asks. "Or did they do what they were supposed to and the tornadoes were so intense they didn't have a chance of survival?"
Iowa State grad is among CNN's 'most intriguing people'
CNN.com
Soon-to-be Iowa State graduate Kathy Vitzthum, who has persevered for two decades to receive her bachelor's degree in accounting, is among CNN's most intriguing people. She's in fine company, sharing honors with comedian Steve Carrell and Prince William's official photographer, among others.
See also: NPR, TIME Magazine.