News Archive
Saturday, April 27 2019
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Iowa State names alumnus as next dean of engineering
W. Samuel Easterling from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has been named the next James L. and Katherine S. Melsa Dean of Engineering at Iowa State University. He will begin his new role July 15.
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Jack Trice statue to return to central campus
The Jack Trice Statue, which has been located at Jack Trice Stadium since 1997, will be returned to Iowa State's central campus. The statue of Trice, Iowa State's first African-American student-athlete, needs to be relocated due to construction of the new Sports Performance Center. A committee will help identify how to further enhance Trice's legacy in and around athletics facilities.
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ISU 4U Promise students busy wrapping up first year on campus
It's been a year of adjustment and new opportunities for the first cohort of ISU 4U Promise students. Lorena San Elias and Darrick Burrage talk about their first year on campus and how the promise program helped make college a reality.
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Research sheds light on genomic features that make plants good candidates for domestication
New research details how the process of domestication affected the genomes of corn and soybeans. The study looked at sections of crop genomes and compared them to the genomes of ancestor species. The results shed new light on what makes a species a good candidate for domestication.
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Two Iowa State students named Udall Scholars
Two Iowa State University students have been named Udall Scholars for 2019 — the first time since 2001 that more than one ISU student has been selected for the honor in the same academic year.
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Iowa State geotechnical engineer studied failed levees, researches potential solutions
Cassandra Rutherford, an Iowa State geotechnical engineer, has inspected failed levees along Midwestern rivers. And now she's working with other engineers to develop technologies that could improve levee performance. Those technologies include using electricity to inspect levees for internal defects and using "biocementation" to strengthen the soil surface of earthen levees.
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Rurality, social identity is driving polarization in Iowa
As the race for the 2020 presidential election ramps up, so too will questions about voter attitudes in states that switched from blue to red in 2016. Iowa had more counties flip from Democrat to Republican than any other state, and the reason why had little to do with economic anxiety, according to a new Iowa State University study. Instead, the research shows rurality, education and race significantly predicted the change from Democrat to Republican.
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Play your way through Reiman Gardens with larger-than-life toys and games
Reiman Gardens teamed up with an Iowa State University architecture lecturer and design and engineering students to create eight larger-than-life toys and games — each with an ecological twist — for its exhibit this year. Starting April 27, visitors will find some of their favorite games throughout the gardens, inspired by KerPlunk, Connect Four, chess and more.
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Iowa State artists selected for '20 Artists, 20 Parks' to commemorate state park centennial
Faculty and graduate student artists from three Iowa State University colleges are each being matched with a state park this summer, creating artwork that reflects their time as artists-in-residence. The "20 Artists, 20 Parks" program is a partnership between Iowa State University, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Arts Council in anticipation of the 100th anniversary of Iowa state parks in 2020.
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Patricia Thiel of Iowa State, Ames Laboratory elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Patricia Thiel of Iowa State University and the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The election recognizes Thiel's work in surface chemistry. The academy was established in 1780 and recognizes achievement in academia, business, government and public affairs. Its members have included Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Margaret Mead and Martin Luther King Jr.
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Lower approval rates, higher finance fees evidence of discrimination for same-sex borrowers
Applying for a mortgage is one of the first steps couples take when buying a home, but a new study suggests lenders are less likely to approve same-sex couples. Researchers in Iowa State University’s Ivy College of Business analyzed national mortgage data from 1990 to 2015 and found the approval rate for same-sex couples was 3 to 8 percent lower.
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New research from an Iowa State University scientist identifies microbes that may reduce allergy-like reactions to some ripened cheeses
A small percentage of humans suffers allergy-like reactions to certain varieties of ripened cheese due to histamine, a byproduct of the prolonged fermentation process. An ISU researcher is studying bacterial strains that could reduce histamine, allowing susceptible diners to enjoy the cheese without unpleasant side effects.
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Investing in sustainability pays off in many ways
A farmer using big data technology to manage pesticide application or a school cafeteria director conducting an audit to reduce food waste are both saving money by investing in sustainability. The two also are examples of how Iowa State faculty are working to dispel the misconception that sustainable initiatives do little to boost the bottom line.
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Astronomers take first, high-resolution look at huge star-forming region of Milky Way
A team of astronomers – including several with ties to Iowa State -- used a newly commissioned radio telescope in South Korea to make the first high-resolution observations of the molecular clouds within a star-forming region of the Milky Way. A paper describing the observations has been accepted by the Astrophysical Journal.
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Achieving health goals may depend on how you see yourself
Nearly everyone has struggled at some point to lose weight, eat better or exercise more. People often visualize themselves pursuing health goals, but how they see themselves could make a difference. New research shows imagining yourself in the third person – observing yourself from a distance or through someone else’s eyes – can derail your pursuit of health-related goals.
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Research center, Innocence Project, statistics magazine mark anniversary of ‘Strengthening Forensic Science’ report with special issue
The Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence based at Iowa State University and the Innocence Project, a nonprofit legal organization, are working with Significance Magazine to report on the latest in forensics science. The magazine's special issue marks the 10th anniversary of the landmark report that identified serious problems in the U.S. forensic science system.
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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.