News Archive
Monday, April 1 2019
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New grant will allow ISU scientists to study how prairie strips on farms affect soil health over time
A new grant will help Iowa State University researchers find answers to how quickly environmental benefits emerge after the installation of prairie strips among row crops and how long those benefits last after the strips are removed. The project also will involve computer modeling of topsoil depth and an economic analysis.
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Designing senior living facilities a challenging task due to unique needs
Designing a senior living space is unlike designing any other health care facility due to the unique needs of aging populations. This spring, students in an Iowa State University wellness design studio are working on innovative solutions to design issues in senior living facilities.
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Data flows from NASA’s TESS Mission, leads to discovery of Saturn-sized planet
Iowa State's Steve Kawaler, a professor, and Miles Lucas, an undergraduate, contributed to the analysis of a planet discovered by NASA's new TESS Mission. It's the first planet identified by TESS for which the oscillations -- "starquakes" -- of the planet's host star could be measured. A scientific paper by an international team of astronomers will report the discovery in The Astronomical Journal.
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Powell selected for 2019-20 Fulbright Award
Collin Powell, a graduate student from Walford majoring in interior design, has been selected for a 2019-20 Fulbright Award. He will conduct research, study public housing and teach English in Vienna.
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A simple strategy to improve your mood in 12 minutes
We all have a remedy – a glass of wine or a piece of chocolate – for lifting our spirits when we’re in a bad mood. Rather than focusing on ways to make ourselves feel better, a team of Iowa State University researchers suggests wishing others well.
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Undergraduates will showcase research April 1 at Iowa State Capitol
Iowa State University undergraduate researchers are taking their findings to the Statehouse. The 14th annual Research in the Capitol event will be held Monday, April 1, in the State Capitol rotunda in Des Moines. Sixty projects (20 from each Regent university) were selected for this event.
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#MeToo and the ongoing push for equality focus of Mary Louise Smith Chair lecture
Florence George Graves’ investigative reporting on sexual misconduct and abuse of power in Washington led to several “firsts” during the 1990s. Nearly three decades later, she is still writing about equal rights and will share her experiences in a lecture at Iowa State University.
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Film capturing the science and beauty of seeds set for festival debut
A new film about seeds that takes viewers across the globe and onto Iowa farms will make its debut this weekend. The film, helmed by the director of the ISU Seed Science Center, is meant for a wide audience and captures the science and beauty of seeds.
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SPIT lab leading the effort to analyze hair, expand research on puberty
Puberty is something we all go through and yet there is limited science to explain what is happening inside our bodies, and how it affects our physical and mental health. The answers to these questions may be found in our hair. An Iowa State University researcher is using hair samples to study how hormones and environmental factors influence the process of puberty.
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Iowa State engineers work with Iowa DOT to scale up tests of heated pavement
Iowa State engineers are working with the Iowa Department of Transportation to test heated-pavement technology developed on campus. The test slabs at the Iowa DOT are smarter and more complex than the research group's previous tests at the Des Moines International Airport. And so far, preliminary tests indicate the system works well -- even in this winter's subzero temperatures.
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Graduate program in agricultural and biosystems engineering back to No. 1
The latest rankings of graduate programs by U.S. News and World Report magazine has Iowa State's program in agricultural and biosystems engineering back at the top of the list. Iowa State also has 10 engineering programs ranked among the top 25 of public schools and the business program has made a jump into the top 50 overall.
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Researchers explore link between metal exposure and Parkinson’s symptoms
A new study from an ISU biomedical researcher describes the biological process that causes Parkinson’s-like symptoms to develop following exposure to the metal manganese. The new research, published in the journal Science Signaling, could lead to earlier detection of Parkinson’s disease and better outcomes for patients.
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Climate change could devastate painted turtles, according to new study
Climate change could contribute to the demographic collapse of the painted turtle, a species that has temperature-dependent sex determination. An Iowa State University scientist is sounding the alarm about the painted turtle’s future in a new study.
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Moderate muscle strength may lower risk for type 2 diabetes
Of the 30 million Americans with diabetes, 90 to 95 percent have type 2, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New research shows building muscle strength may be one way to lower risk for the disease. The study of more than 4,500 adults found moderate muscle mass reduced the risk for type 2 diabetes by 32 percent.
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Study: requiring landlords to disclose bedbugs cuts infestations, creates long-term savings
Iowa State's Chris Rehmann was part of a research team that developed a mathematical model to evaluate policies requiring landlords to disclose bedbug infestations. The model found that disclosing the pests is an effective way to reduce the prevalence of infestations. It also found disclosure policies can lead to modest, short-term costs to landlords, but ultimately result in savings to landlords and tenants. The study's findings have just been published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
In the news
NASA mission finds new planet, most promising stars to support life
Iowa State's Steve Kawaler is part of a CNN summary of the early findings by NASA's new TESS Mission.
These four design ideas turned ‘The Hancock Center’ into an iconic skyscraper
WBEZ Chicago's podcast "Curious City" interviewed Thomas Leslie, Morrill Professor in Architecture and Pickard Chilton Professor in Architecture at Iowa State, about the history and architectural importance of Chicago's famous skyscraper, the John Hancock Center.
Amazing university and college buildings
USA Today selected Stephens Auditorium as the most amazing university or college building in Iowa. The newspaper created the list of "iconic structures on campuses across the nation that are worthy of adding to your next road trip."
Moderate muscle strength linked to lower T2D risk
New research shows building muscle strength may be one way to lower risk for type 2 diabetes. Iowa State researchers collaborated on a study of more than 4,500 adults, which found moderate muscle mass reduced the risk for type 2 diabetes by 32 percent.
Bed bug history
Researchers at Iowa State use math to explore the benefits of landlords disclosing a property's bed bug history to renters. To hear the interview on Iowa Public Radio's "River to River" show, go to 29:00.
Farmer sentiment takes hit amid growing worries over trade war
Mack Shelley, University Professor and chair of political science, said a number of factors -- including uncertainty over a trade war with China -- seem to be battering the rural economy. "It's just a lot of angst in farm country and small towns that depend on agriculture," Shelley said.