News Archive
Thursday, October 4 2018
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Iowa State University researcher developing new industrial uses for wax made from soybean oil
Researchers at Iowa State University are exploring new uses for soybean oil, including as a coating for cardboard products that would be greener than widely used paraffin wax. The research could open new markets for soybeans at a time when grain prices remain stubbornly low.
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ISU experts available to comment on 2018 midterm elections
Voters will head to the polls on Nov. 6 to cast their ballots in the midterm elections. Iowa State University political experts are available to discuss expected turnout, the record number of women candidates and policy issues, such as health care and immigration.
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Norman Borlaug lecture will feature global child nutrition advocates
This year’s Norman Borlaug lecture will be presented by 2018 World Food Prize Laureates Lawrence Haddad and David Nabarro, recognized for their work to make child nutrition an urgent priority on the heels of the global food crisis 10 years ago.
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Asking questions, testing improves student learning of new material
Iowa State University researchers know memory retrieval is beneficial for new learning, but their new meta-analysis found there are limits. The research shows the frequency and difficulty of questions can reverse the effect and be detrimental to learning. It also is not enough to simply ask a question; students must respond to see a positive effect on learning.
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Engaging students in STEM by changing the classroom experience
Test scores, class attendance and participation have all improved since Elgin Johnston and Heather Bolles switched to a team-based learning approach for calculus courses. The instructors made the change as part of an initiative to retain students in STEM majors.
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Oscar-nominated costume designer coming to Iowa State
Ruth Carter, the “Black Panther” costume designer who has gained fame and multiple Oscar nominations for her work, is bringing her expertise and vision to Iowa State University’s Stephens Auditorium in an upcoming lecture.
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Three Iowa State design programs ranked among nation's best
Iowa State University’s programs in landscape architecture, interior design and architecture are ranked in the top 25 in the United States, according to the latest survey of practitioners by DesignIntelligence.
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Iowa State study reveals trade disruption impacts on Iowa’s economy
A new study by researchers at the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) at Iowa State University reveals the impacts that current trade disruptions are having on Iowa’s economy. Overall, the study shows losses to Iowa’s gross state product in the range of $1 billion to $2 billion.
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Sweet corn breeding set to make strides with USDA-funded project involving Iowa State University agronomist
An ISU agronomist will contribute to a multi-institutional effort to make advances in sweet corn breeding. Thomas Lubberstedt, a professor of agronomy, will work on applying doubled haploid technology to sweet corn, which will allow for faster production of purely inbred lines of corn.
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Elizabeth Smart speaking at Iowa State on Oct. 5
In 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her home and spent nine months in captivity. Her kidnapping became one of the most-followed child abduction cases in history. On Oct. 5, Smart is bringing her message of empowerment to Iowa State University.
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Iowa State student finds purpose in giving back to Latinx community
Vanessa Espinoza, a graduate student in Iowa State University’s School of Education, has dedicated her life to giving back to the Latinx community – from launching a literacy project as a high school student, to elevating the voices of underserved students on campus, to creating a nonprofit to help Latinx people in small-town Iowa. Now, she’s being recognized as a statewide leader.
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Iowa State physicists contribute to hard-to-find observation of Higgs boson decay
Iowa State physicists contributed to the international collaboration that found a way to sift and sort data from the Large Hadron Collider to observe the Higgs boson decaying into a pair of bottom quarks. The observation gives physicists a better understanding of the Higgs boson and could lead to clues for new physics discoveries.
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Service, leadership, excellence are Wintersteen's priorities as 16th university president
During her Sept. 21 installation as Iowa State University’s 16th president, Wendy Wintersteen pledged continued servant leadership to the institution to which she has dedicated her professional life. Video of the installation ceremony is available here.
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ADVISORY: Iowa State University experts available to comment on 2018 harvest
Harvest is underway in Iowa, and ISU agricultural experts are tracking the trends and field conditions that will influence the success of this year’s corn and soybean crops.
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Campus support resources are available for students, faculty, staff
Help is available for those who may be struggling with the incomprehensible loss of civil engineering senior and acclaimed student athlete Celia Barquin Arozamena.
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Iowa State mourns the loss of Celia Barquin Arozamena
Former Iowa State golfer Celia Barquin Arozamena, the 2018 Big 12 champion and Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year, was found dead Sept. 17 at Coldwater Golf Links in Ames. She was 22. A native of Puente San Miguel, Spain, Barquin Arozamena was a senior in civil engineering.
"This is a tragic and senseless loss of a talented young woman and an acclaimed student athlete," Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen said. "We mourn with her family and friends in Spain, her teammates here and all who knew her. On behalf of the entire Cyclone family, I extend our deep condolences to Celia's family and her many friends and teammates at Iowa State. We are deeply saddened."
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ISU researchers receive NSF grant to develop innovative mathematical models for agriculture
A team of Iowa State University scientists is bridging the gap between engineering and farming by applying machine learning and mathematical modeling to perennial problems in agriculture. The project recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation.
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Closing of department, big box stores ushers in new opportunities for retail
The demise of several big box and department stores was inevitable given the changing retail landscape, but a team of Iowa State University researchers says not all retailers are destined for a similar fate. Overexpansion and competition from online retailers forced the closure of many stores, but researchers say there is opportunity for retailers willing to embrace technology and create a different shopping experience for consumers.
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Iowa State part of $10 million effort to encourage a diverse faculty in STEM fields
Iowa State researchers are part of a national alliance that won a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The alliance will develop programs that increase the diversity and effectiveness of faculty teaching science, technology, engineering and math. Iowa State's part of the project focuses on working with community colleges to recruit and prepare a diverse group of graduate students for teaching careers at community colleges.
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Iowa State University fall enrollment: Nearly 35,000
Iowa State University’s fall 2018 enrollment is a robust 34,992, the fourth largest in school history. Of that number, 29,621 are undergraduates – the largest number enrolled at any Iowa college or university. The freshman class is up 103 students from fall 2017, and they have the highest-ever average high school GPA for an incoming Iowa State class: 3.64. More than a quarter of them (26.5 percent) ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school class, and their average ACT score was 25.1.
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More than diverse, class and work teams need to be inclusive
Joel Geske decided to make a change after reading survey responses from students who felt left out or not valued when working on team projects. His approach may seem simplistic, but Geske says you must be intentional to be inclusive, both in the classroom and workplace.
Wendy Wintersteen installed as Iowa State's 16th president
Wendy Wintersteen pledged to continue to serve and lead Iowa State University during her installation as the institution’s 16th president.
Postcard from Campus: A Year in the Life
As we get ready to start a new school year, let's look back at the last year on Iowa State's beautiful campus.