News Archive
Sunday, February 24 2013
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Iowa State industrial design class tackles tractor rollover safety products and outreach
David Ringholz was searching for a project idea for the graduate students in an industrial design studio class he teaches at Iowa State when he heard a startling story on the radio: Tractor fatalities had reached epidemic rates. Less than two years later, Ringholz's team is ready to unveil the prototype of a device that addresses one aspect of tractor rollover fatalities: response time. It’s an amazingly simple product design that could save hundreds of lives in Iowa alone.
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Changes to Pell Grant limit access for community college students
The Pell Grant makes it possible for countless students to achieve their goal of earning a college degree. However, changes to the eligibility requirements for the Pell Grant may be limiting, instead of expanding, access to higher education – especially for rural community college students.
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U.S. egg industry improves efficiency, environmental impact, according to Iowa State researcher
The U.S. egg industry is operating at much greater efficiency while leaving a smaller environmental footprint than it did 50 years ago, according to a first-of-its-kind study conducted by researchers at Iowa State University. Improved genetics, disease prevention, nutrition and production methods allow the egg industry to feed more people while producing less waste and requiring fewer resources.
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Kepler spacecraft helps astronomers find tiny planet beyond our solar system
Astronomers have discovered a planet beyond our solar system that's about the size of the Earth's moon -- the first time they've found a planet smaller than any of the planets orbiting our sun. Iowa State University's Steve Kawaler was part of the research team that determined the size of the tiny planet's host star. The findings were published online on Feb. 20 by the journal Nature.
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It may be educational, but what is that TV show really teaching your preschooler?
Most parents carefully select what television programs and movies their children can watch. But Douglas Gentile, a professor of psychology at Iowa State University, says educational shows could come with an added lesson that influences a child’s behavior.
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Iowa State’s MIRAGE lab mixes real and virtual to create new research opportunities
Iowa State University researchers have mixed the real and virtual worlds to create a unique research lab called MIRAGE. The lab's props, technology and stagecraft provide full-body immersion in virtual environments. That is helping researchers study new ideas in military training and better software for 3-D viewing.
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Positive employment outlook for Iowa State MBA graduates
It is a busy time on campus with career fairs and employment recruiters meeting with students preparing to graduate this spring from Iowa State University. And with graduation still months away, the majority of students in the MBA program have already received their first job offer.
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One-woman play will be presented Feb. 28 to help reduce stigma of eating disorders
Iowa State will host "The Thin Line: Breaking the Silence on Eating Disorders" to begin the conversation about eating disorders, the mental illness with the highest fatality rate in the country. The one-woman play will be performed at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Following the 30-minute play, members of Iowa State's Student Counseling Service's eating disorder treatment team will lead a question-and-answer discussion and also discuss how to access services. It is free and open to the public.
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"The Big Thirst" author will speak about the end of easy water Feb. 25
As concerns about drought continue, the author of one of Amazon's Best Books of 2011 will speak at Iowa State about our strange and complex relationship with water and explain why we've reached the end of the era of easy water. Charles Fishman will present "The Big Thirst" at 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, in the Memorial Union Great Hall. His talk is the keynote address for the University Symposium on Sustainability and part of the university's Symposium on Wildness, Wilderness and the Environmental Imagination, and the World Affairs Series. It is free and open to the public.
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Iowa State professor defines connection between narcissism and envy
Understanding the relationship between narcissism and envy may provide some insight into sudden outbursts of aggressive behavior. Narcissism has long been associated with envy in the field of psychology, but an Iowa State study provides new evidence about that connection.
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Activities set for Body Image and Eating Disorders Awareness Week, Feb. 25-28
An estimated 25 percent of college students suffer from eating disorders, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. But only a fraction seek help. That's why Iowa State University's Student Counseling Service has sponsored on-campus activities during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week for more than 15 years. This year's events include a Sundance Festival documentary, a one-woman play, a student art gallery and group fitness sessions.
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ISU livestock experts react to Russian ban on U.S. meat imports
Russia has announced that it will ban U.S. beef and pork imports because of concerns surrounding the use of a feed additive that helps animals add lean mass rather than fat. But Russia’s decision won’t have an immediate sweeping impact on Iowa livestock producers, a livestock market expert at Iowa State University said this week.
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Iowa State nutritionist says new rules for school vending machines are long overdue
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing new federal rules for foods and beverages sold in school vending machines, stores or as ala carte items in the cafeteria. The rules aim to cut down on the amount of calories, sodium and sugar in products sold to students during school hours.
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ISU researchers receive grant to enhance soybean resistance to sudden death syndrome
Researchers at Iowa State University will use a grant totaling more than $5 million to strengthen the genetic resistance of soybeans to sudden death syndrome, a disease that has cost Iowa soybean producers millions in crop losses.
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ISU experts: Keep retirement savings on track despite financial setbacks
In tough economic times it may be tempting to dip into or cut back on retirement savings. Financial counselors, however, say that’s a bad idea.
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Economic study finds mortality and fertility factors in educational achievement
Access to public schools is one explanation for the educational gap between students in rich and poor countries, but a new study shows other factors are more significant. An associate professor of economics at Iowa State University said students are more likely to drop out of school in countries with higher fertility and mortality rates.
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Agronomist at Iowa State contributes to development of experimental teaching method
An agronomist at Iowa State University is contributing to the development of groundbreaking new techniques to teach undergraduate students complex scientific concepts related to genetics. A paper published Friday in the journal Science details the use of complex data sets in the classroom to help students understand how genetic structures work.
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Iowa State researchers work to identify early warning signs in juvenile offenders
Red flags are easy to recognize in the days following a tragic event like a mass shooting. That’s why a group of Iowa State researchers is working to identify those early warning signs in juvenile offenders before they turn into a pattern of criminal behavior.
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Iowa EPSCoR builds state’s research capacity in renewable energy and energy use
Iowa EPSCoR is building the state's research capacity in renewable energy and energy use by hiring faculty, launching studies and building partnerships with schools and industry. The project is driven by a $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation and a $2 million grant from the Iowa Power Fund. The project is led by Iowa's three Regent universities, Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa.
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Iowa State's Tom Hill appointed to NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions
Senior Vice President for Student Affairs Tom Hill has been appointed as a member of the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions. His term of service will begin Aug. 1. Hill is one of eight new members named to the committee, which is expanding to create a more representative group and review cases more quickly.
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Iowa State veterinary researchers receive grant to study improved strategies to contain food-borne pathogen
A team of researchers led by veterinary medicine faculty at Iowa State University has received a $2.5 million grant to study Campylobacter, a food-borne bacteria responsible for thousands of hospitalizations in the United States every year.
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New museum exhibit features treasures of textile and clothing collection
Walking into the Textiles and Clothing Museum at Iowa State University is like traveling through history and visiting another culture all at the same time. In celebration of its fifth anniversary, the museum is featuring historical and ethnographical treasures from its collection of more than 10,000 pieces.
Sisters speak at White House tech summit
The text message on Cassidy Williams' phone read: “Can you and your sister, Camryn, come to Washington, D.C., and speak at a national White House meeting on technology?” Of course, the Williams sisters -- both Iowa State computer science majors -- said yes. And 10 days later they represented the National Center for Women and Information Technology at the White House Tech Inclusion Summit.
Frequently asked questions about winter weather
Iowa State has policies and procedures to deal with cancellations, closings and parking. Click on the headline to read the basics you'll need to know when winter weather strikes. Always check the Iowa State homepage for information about class cancellations, closings and the latest updates.