News Archive
Wednesday, August 21 2013
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Iowa State turns on ‘Cyence,’ the most powerful computer ever on campus
The most powerful computer ever on campus is now ticking off calculations and producing data. The $2.6 million computer, dubbed "Cyence," will advance 17 research projects from eight campus departments. Researchers from across campus are also pooling their funds to build a second high performance computing system.
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Industrial design students produce outdoor benches for new university building
It's difficult to imagine college students working on a project for weeks after their class has ended. But the students in Will Prindle's summer industrial design studio wouldn't have it any other way. They not only designed the outdoor benches for Iowa State University's new Troxel Hall, which opens Aug. 26, they managed the entire production process from idea to product. It may not sound like much on the surface. Seven outdoor benches in a couple of months. How hard could it be, right?
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New ISU study shows pregnant women need to move more
It may not be enough for women to spend just 30 minutes a day on a treadmill or elliptical if they want to manage their weight during pregnancy. Regular exercise is still recommended, but a new Iowa State University study found staying active throughout the day is more beneficial to limit excess weight gain.
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Iowa State biologist: human menopause unique among primates
A new study from an Iowa State University biologist shows that menopause in mid-life is a uniquely human phenomenon among primates. The study found that female representatives of other primate species remain fertile throughout their lifespan, while human women typically experience declining fertility and reproductive cessation during their 40s or 50s.
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Gift for ISU's Curtiss Hall renovation will name auditorium
A $2 million gift commitment from a retired Linn County farmer will support the renovation of Curtiss Hall at Iowa State University.
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Students design and build therapeutic landscape to help rehabilitate offenders at correctional facility
They're told when to wake up, when to eat, when to stand, when to sleep, where to sit, what to wear, what to do and when to do it. They've broken the law. They live behind razor wire. And they're not coming home for dinner. Eventually, however, 95 percent of the offenders at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville will come home. And a partnership between the prison and Iowa State's Department of Landscape Architecture is helping ensure they return with improved attitudes and life skills. They're creating an outdoor environment that transcends confinement to generate therapeutic and rehabilitative effects.
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James Patchett, pioneer in sustainable design, to receive Christian Petersen Design Award at ISU
ISU alumnus James Patchett, founder and president of one of the nation’s first sustainable design firms, is the recipient of the 2013 Christian Petersen Design Award presented by the ISU College of Design. Patchett and his team renovate landscapes with emphasis in sustainable site planning and development, the advancement of innovative water resource-management techniques, the integration of native landscape systems and the promotion of ecological restoration strategies.
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Iowa State engineers develop new tests to cool turbine blades, improve engines
Manufacturers of gas turbine engines for aircraft and power plants are experimenting with higher operating temperatures to improve engine efficiency. Because combustion is already hotter than the melting point of engine materials, engineers need to find even better ways to cool engine parts. Working with the support of GE, Iowa State's Hui Hu and Blake Johnson are developing new tests and technologies to find cooling solutions.
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Experienced firefighters are more analytical under stress than novices, according to ISU study
Experienced firefighters take longer to make decisions under stress than novice firefighters, according to research conducted at Iowa State University. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The ISU research suggests seasoned firefighters took a more analytical approach than their less experienced colleagues when making decisions.
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Leath joins AAU, APLU colleagues in asking President and Congress to 'close innovation deficit'
Iowa State University President Steven Leath is among 165 university presidents who have signed an open letter to President Obama and Congress, appearing in an advertisement in Politico today. The university leaders are asking elected officials to "reject unsound budget cuts and recommit to strong and sustained investments in research and education."
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ISU Immersion in Wellness Camp promotes nutritious diet and exercise
It was a mystery campers at the 4-H Center near Madrid had to solve with their taste buds. Everyone was given a sample of a fruit and vegetable smoothie to try and detect what was in it. After the first taste, most of the campers shook their heads and agreed it wasn’t too bad. Of course, once they were told broccoli was one of the ingredients, several noses started to wrinkle.
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Iowa State data miners top all American teams, finish fifth in international competition
Iowa State's entry in the international Data-Mining Cup placed fifth among 99 teams and first among all American teams. The team's six doctoral students in statistics had to sort through 50,000 online shopping sessions from a German retailer and then develop an algorithm to predict whether customers would make a purchase or not. The team's solution correctly predicted purchases 97 percent of the time.
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Companies spin off from Center for Biorenewable Chemicals, ‘de-risk’ their technologies
Two companies based on research discoveries at the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals have won grants to develop their technologies for potential commercialization. Center leaders say the technology transfer grants will allow the companies to "de-risk" the technologies for business and industry.