News Archive
Monday, March 4 2013
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ISU sociologists find treatment works, but only for urban parolees
There are several risk factors that influence whether an offender walks out of prison for good or one day returns to the correctional system. States make a significant investment in treatment programs with the goal of reducing the rate of recidivism, and researchers at Iowa State University say that investment is paying off.
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Leading climatologist will share his climate war stories in talk at ISU March 7
A climate scientist at the center of global warming research and subsequent political backlash will speak at Iowa State. Michael E. Mann's talk, "The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars," will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 7, in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Mann is a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. The lecture is free and open to the public.
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New emphasis on interactivity at Iowa State Insect Zoo
Less than a year into her position as the program assistant in charge of the traveling Insect Zoo at Iowa State, Ginny Morgal is putting her stamp on the program by bringing a new level of interactivity and encouraging students to take ownership of what they’re learning.
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EPA regional administrator to talk about water quality issues at Iowa State March 5
Karl Brooks, regional administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 7, will speak at Iowa State University about one of the nation's biggest water quality challenges: nonpoint source pollution. Brooks will discuss collaborative efforts of the EPA, Iowa farmers, state agencies and Iowa State University to seize a new opportunity to address water quality concerns related to agriculture. His talk, "Private Lands and Public Priorities: EPA, Iowa Agriculture, and the Quest for Land Health," will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, in the Memorial Union Great Hall. It is free and open to the public.
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'Totally Biased' host W. Kamau Bell will speak at Iowa State March 4
W. Kamau Bell, who hosts the FX hit series "Totally Biased," will present a comedic, topical exploration of the current state of America's racism in a talk at Iowa State University. Bell's one-man show, "Ending Racism in About an Hour," will be at 8 p.m. Monday, March 4, in the Memorial Union Great Hall. It is free and open to the public.
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Federal spending cuts would be a blow to Iowa’s economy
Federal spending cuts will have a direct impact on Iowa’s economy if Congress does not act by the March 1 sequestration deadline. Dave Swenson, associate scientist in the Department of Economics at Iowa State University, says if there are across-the-board cuts Iowa stands to lose around $292 million in direct federal funding, and such a large cut could harm the state's slow recovery.
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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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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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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.