News Archive
Thursday, February 20 2014
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Global pandemic of physical inactivity subject of Feb. 27 lecture
One of the nation's leading kinesiologists will present "The Global Pandemic of Physical Inactivity: An Urgent Priority for Public Health" at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Harold (Bill) Kohl helped create the first U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines and chairs the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition Science Board. Kohl is the ISU's 2013-14 Pease Family Scholar. His talk is free and open to the public.
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Weather updates for Thursday, Feb. 20
Iowa State University is canceling all classes and closing offices, beginning at 12:40 p.m. today (Feb. 20) due to a blizzard warning. Only employees who are considered "essential" need to report to or remain at work. "Essential" employees are in such operations as food service, police, security, power plant, animal care, critical maintenance and snow and ice removal. Employees should contact their supervisors regarding their individual schedules. Watch this space for more weather-related announcements.
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Officials monitoring weather, class decision early Thursday
University officials are monitoring weather conditions throughout the night to assess whether classes will be held Thursday. A decision should be made by 5:30 a.m. Thursday and will be conveyed on this website and via media and social media. University offices likely will remain open Thursday. However employees should put safety first when determining whether they should travel to campus. Those who are unable to get safely to work should call their supervisors or department offices. Watch this space for other weather-related announcements.
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Writer Alan Weisman will discuss the challenges overpopulation poses for Earth in Feb. 24 lecture
In his latest book, writer and journalist Alan Weisman tackles population growth and the challenges it poses for a sustainable human future. He will discuss "Countdown: Our Last, Best Hope for a Future on Earth?" at 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, in the Memorial Union Great Hall at Iowa State University. His talk is free and open to the public. It is part of the university's Wildness, Wilderness and the Environmental Imagination series and the University Symposium on Sustainability.
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Iowa State students will check water quality on campus this semester
Iowa State University students enrolled in new environmental science courses will monitor the health of several streams that pass through campus this semester. The effort is being implemented as a two-semester sequence of courses for the Science of the Environment and Sustainable Systems Learning Community.
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C-SPAN Bus to make stop at Iowa State as part of Big 12 tour
C-SPAN is bringing its interactive, multimedia bus to Iowa State University on Thursday, Feb. 20, as part of its Big 12 campus tour. Students, faculty and staff are invited to tour the bus from 10:30 a.m. to noon. It will be parked on Union Drive, north of the Memorial Union.
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Tax questions? Iowa State resources are here to help students
No one really enjoys doing taxes and if you’re a college student, making less than the required $10,000, you may wonder if it’s even worth your time to file. If you are asking that question, Jonathan Fox says the answer is – absolutely.
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Iowa State University’s Wintersteen talks partnerships for research innovation at national science meeting
The dean of Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences spoke of the importance of public-private partnerships in strengthening global food security during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Chicago.
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Minimum wage increase will do little for those who need it most, says Iowa State professor
An executive order increasing the minimum wage federal contractors must pay employees to $10.10 an hour will have little impact on most government contracts, said Peter Orazem, a University Professor of economics at Iowa State University. That’s because contractors are already required to pay a prevailing wage under the Davis Bacon Act, which is often more than the minimum wage.
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Iowa State’s icing wind tunnel blows cold and hard to study ice on wings, turbine blades
Iowa State engineers have refurbished an icing wind tunnel and are using it to study ice buildup on aircraft wings and wind turbine blades. Ice on the wings and blades can be dangerous and costly. A better understanding of the icing problems could lead to better solutions.
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Iowa State University faculty look to chicken genetics to fight hunger and poverty in Africa
Research into the genetics of African chickens by Iowa State University animal science faculty members could improve nutrition, alleviate poverty and empower women across the continent.
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Iowa State professor expanding access with counseling clinic
Access to affordable mental health services is often a roadblock that prevents people from getting the help they need. In fact, of the 8.9 million adults with a mental illness or substance abuse disorder, nearly 40 percent do not receive treatment, according to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Nathaniel Wade, an associate professor of psychology at Iowa State University and licensed psychologist, wants to eliminate that barrier through Network Community Counseling Services.
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Activities set for National Eating Disorders Awareness Week at ISU, Feb. 20-28
An author and national expert on obesity, addictions and eating disorders is the headline speaker for Iowa State's National Eating Disorders Awareness Week activities, Feb. 20-28. Ralph Carson will present "Brain Fix: Using Neuroscience and Nutrition as a Metaphor for Recovery" at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Additional activities during the week include a documentary about four families impacted by eating disorders and a brown bag lunch talk on mindful eating. All activities are free and open to the public.
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National Cyber Defense Competition at Iowa State challenges, prepares students
Ten teams of students will defend their computer systems during Saturday's day-long National Cyber Defense Competition at Iowa State. The competition will give students real-world experience fighting hackers and protecting information. The competition is free and open to the public.
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Iowa State partnership helps address needs of an aging population
Safe and affordable housing is a critical issue as people live longer and decide to “age in place” or move to a senior community. Older adults want options to maintain their lifestyle, which is why a team of Iowa State University researchers is collaborating with Northcrest Community in Ames to address these needs and issues.
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ISU professor says privacy concerns with new facial recognition apps like a war on terror
Brian Mennecke is not surprised to see developers using facial recognition technology to create new apps for smart phones and tablets. In fact, Mennecke and his colleagues at Iowa State University predicted this would happen through their research on ‘mavatars,’ or marketing avatars.
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Iowa State researchers are piecing together causes of decline in honey bees
Researchers at Iowa State University are identifying the factors that have led to steep declines in the populations of pollinating insects such as honey bees in Iowa and across the globe.
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Efforts to get healthy fuel demand for Iowa State program
Anyone struggling to shed a few pounds knows they need to watch what they eat, but it’s not always easy to change those habits without help from a registered dietitian nutritionist. The demand for help has led to growth in the dietetics field, said Jean Anderson, director of the dietetics internship program for the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University.
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Iowa State engineers upgrade pilot plant for better studies of advanced biofuels
Iowa State University engineers have upgraded a biofuels pilot plant to improve its efficiency, instrumentation, data collection, reliability and maintenance. The upgrades have already bumped the pilot plant's processing rate from 7 kilograms of biomass per hour to 10 kilograms per hour. The university's state-supported Leading the Bioeconomy Initiative provided $75,000 for the upgrades.
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Iowa State College of Business launches new CyBIZ Lab
An initiative to expand experiential learning for Iowa State University students will also provide businesses with access to market research and consulting services. ISU’s College of Business created CyBIZ Lab as a way for students to gain real work experience.
Charles Dobbs' lecture broadcast to national audience
Iowa State history professor Charles Dobbs talks about the factors that influenced JFK's approach to foreign policy in a class lecture featured on C-SPAN's American History TV. Follow the link in the headline above to watch his lecture, then click on the video playlist on the right side of the C-SPAN page.