News Archive
Friday, September 8 2017
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$14 million committed by Kent Corporation, Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Sukup Manufacturing Co. for Iowa State feed mill, grain science project
Kent Corporation is committing $8 million, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board $4 million and Sukup Manufacturing Co. $2 million in support of a new Iowa State educational and research facility for feed milling and grain science. The $14 million in gifts are the first to be announced for the $21.2 million feed mill and grain science complex, which will be funded entirely through private giving.
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Comedian and author Sara Benincasa will headline Mental Health Expo at ISU Sept. 19
Comedian, mental health advocate and author Sara Benincasa will share her experience with mental illness, panic attacks and college life during a talk at Iowa State. Benincasa will present "Help! You Need Somebody!" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Her talk is free and open to the public. It is part of the Mental Health Expo, a resource fair with local mental health and substance abuse professionals that will be held in the adjoining South Ballroom beginning at 6 p.m.
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Fall enrollment is second highest on record
Iowa State's fall 2017 enrollment is 36,321, the second-largest in school history. Overall enrollment is down about one percent from last year's record 36,660 students. The new student body number reflects a "leveling off" university leaders have predicted over the past year, following a decade of growth and eight consecutive years of record enrollment. Iowa State's student body is the most diverse ever, and ISU continues to enroll more Iowans than any other university in the world.
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Iowa State physicists contribute to Higgs boson analysis, understanding
Iowa State University physicists have been part of an international search for evidence that the Higgs boson, as predicted, most often decays into two bottom quarks. That search has been a challenge -- billions of bottom quarks are produced inside the Large Hadron Collider and most have nothing to do with the Higgs boson. But physicists believe they finally have evidence of the hard-to-find decay.
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Author will discuss history of medical experiments on black Americans Sept. 18 at ISU
Twenty years ago, then-President Bill Clinton issued a formal apology for the U.S. Public Health Service's 40-year Tuskegee Syphilis Study. During the study, 600 poor African-American men — many with latent syphilis — were unknowingly treated with a placebo so researchers could monitor the disease's progression for decades, long after a treatment was widely available. Harriet Washington will discuss the Tuskegee study and others in "Medical Apartheid: The History of Experimentation on Black Americans" at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept 18, in the Memorial Union Great Hall.
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Network to prepare students of color for math degrees receives NSF grant
The National Science Foundation has announced a grant for an Iowa State University-led initiative designed to provide a network of support for students of color interested in mathematics. The network will include mathematicians of color from U.S. colleges, universities and industry who want to invest time in, share their expertise with, and learn from students of color and their teachers.
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ISU professor helping lead effort to expand digital literacy in Iowa
Access to digital technology has far outpaced the availability of educational resources to promote responsible use. Douglas Gentile, a professor of psychology at Iowa State University, fears what the consequences might be if that trend is not reversed. That is why Gentile is working to expand digital literacy programming in schools.
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"White Like Me" author Tim Wise will speak at ISU Sept. 13
Only five people were interviewed for the video exhibition on race relations at the new National Museum of African American History and Culture. Tim Wise was one of them. A renowned antiracist writer and educator, Wise will present "Understanding and Defeating Racism and Discrimination in America" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13, in Stephens Auditorium at Iowa State University. His talk is free and open to the public.
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Time to expand foreign language opportunities, says Iowa State professor
Language immersion programs not only improve fluency and vocabulary, but also build confidence in speaking the language. It is difficult to replicate that experience in a foreign language class, which may only meet for an hour a day. That is why an Iowa State University professor is a strong advocate for dual-language immersion programs at the elementary and secondary level.
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NASA scientist will discuss the 'restless hunt for life' in the solar system Sept. 12 at ISU
It's been nearly two years since NASA provided strong evidence confirming what had long been suspected — liquid water flows on present-day Mars. Planetary scientist and NASA researcher Essam Heggy will discuss current and future quests for water in the solar system in a talk at Iowa State. "Water Exploration in the Solar System: The Restless Hunt for Life" at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, in the Memorial Union Great Hall. His public talk is free.
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New grant will help Iowa State University scientists search zebrafish genome to promote human health
A research team at Iowa State hopes advanced gene editing techniques will help them locate genes in zebrafish that may allow for the development of new treatments for disease in humans. The research is supported by a nearly $3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.
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Center for Biorenewable Chemicals introduces idea for new molecules, innovation, value
Leaders of the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals based at Iowa State University are proposing a new model for creating, applying and commercializing chemicals made from corn stalks, wood chips and other sources of biomass. The model calls for identifying “bioprivileged molecules” that offer unique properties that could lead to new products.
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Iowa State University biomedical researcher conducts promising trial of potential therapy for spinal muscular atrophy
A study led by a biomedical researcher at Iowa State University found that a potential treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, a leading genetic cause of infant mortality, shows promise in animal models.
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Viruses and aphids that help crops? ISU scientists think it may be possible
Iowa State University scientists are contributing to a multi-institutional effort to help corn stand up to stress brought on by drought and disease by using viruses and aphids to activate desirable traits. It’s speculative research that could yield new insight into how viruses, insects and plants interact.
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Detecting a concealed weapon or threat is not easy, even for experienced police officers
Terrorist attacks and bombings at concerts, sporting events and airports underscore the need for accurate and reliable threat detection. However, the likelihood of a police officer identifying someone concealing a gun or bomb is only slightly better than chance, according to new research from Iowa State University.
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Engineer looks to owl wings for bio-inspired ideas for quieter aircraft, wind turbines
Iowa State's Anupam Sharma is running high-powered computer simulations to learn exactly how owl wings manipulate air flow, pressure and turbulence to create silent flight. He and his research partners hope their studies will produce practical ideas for making ultraquiet aircraft and wind turbines.
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New study from Iowa State University biologist tracks nonnative plant species in timing of grassland green-up
The introduction of exotic, nonnative plant species to U.S. grasslands has led to changes in prairie phenology, or the timing of season changes. A new study from an ISU scientist details the magnitude of those changes.
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Fourth Spaceflight Ops Workshop launches students on path to operational thinking
Iowa State's fourth Spaceflight Operations Workshop is challenging 12 students physically and mentally -- all with the goal of helping them to learn to think like an operator. Clayton Anderson, a retired astronaut and Iowa State graduate, says that's a valuable perspective for astronauts, engineers and even classroom teachers.
Postcard from Campus: Back to School
Students returning to Iowa State were treated to a show as the ISU Drumline practiced all over campus.