News Archive
Wednesday, September 11 2019
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Chasing storm data: machine learning looks for useful data in U.S. thunderstorm reports
Iowa State researchers are using machine-learning tools to clean up thunderstorm reports compiled by the National Weather Service. The goal is to determine which reports accurately describe storms that had winds greater than 58 mph. Accurate wind data could lead to new tools that predict the likelihood a thunderstorm will produce severe winds.
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Cyclone basketball legend returning to Iowa State to talk mental health
Jake Sullivan is one of the most prolific Iowa State University basketball players of all time. While he was a star on the court, Sullivan also battled depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. He’s returning to campus Sept. 16 to deliver a lecture about how he navigated his mental health.
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Iowa State moves up a spot in U.S. News rankings of public universities
Iowa State University is tied for 55th among public universities and tied for 121st overall in the 2020 U.S. News and World Report’s “Best College” undergraduate rankings. Iowa State was ranked second overall, and second among publics, for best undergraduate agricultural and biosystems engineering program.
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Maturity becomes a concern as harvest approaches
Iowans may notice combines harvesting corn deep into November due to the late start to planting last spring, according to Iowa State University agronomists. Much of the Iowa corn crop remains weeks behind schedule, and farmers will be paying close attention to temperature as their crop nears maturity and dries down.
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New study suggests U.S. land carbon sink may have been overestimated
A new study could help scientists better understand how changes in land use affect carbon, a critical element in some greenhouse gases. Previous models may have overestimated cropland abandonment and reforestation in the United States, according to the study, which used higher resolution land-use data to drive carbon budget models.
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Midwest schools join forces to promote faculty success for women in STEM fields
Researchers from four Midwestern research universities -- including Iowa State -- are joining forces to promote faculty success in science, technology, engineering and math fields for women of color and women with family responsibilities. Their project is supported by a three-year, $996,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.
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In search of the perfect muskmelon
Iowa State University researchers are trying to grow muskmelons of the perfect size. Smaller muskmelons that retain desirable flavor characteristics could result in less waste.
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What’s driving more women to drink?
More women are drinking alcohol and an Iowa State University research team is working to understand why. Not only is the gap shrinking between men and women who drink, but ISU researchers found variations in the amount and frequency women drink based on age, race, education, marital status and other factors.
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Comparing your house to your neighbors’ can lead to dissatisfaction
Satisfaction with your home can depend on its size compared to your neighbors’ homes, according to new Iowa State University research. Daniel Kuhlmann, assistant professor of community and regional planning, found that people are more likely to be dissatisfied with their house if it is smaller than their neighbors’.
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Physicists use light flashes to discover, control new quantum states of matter
Jigang Wang and the members of his research group are developing new tools and techniques to access new states of matter hidden within superconducting and other complex materials. Harnessing these exotic states and their unique properties could lead to better computing, communicating and data storing technologies. Wang's research is supported by the U.S. Army Research Office.
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New link between endocannabinoids and exercise may help in treatment of depression
Researchers know exercise improves mood for people with depression, but there are still questions about exactly how it makes people feel better. The answers may be found in the endocannabinoid system. A new study found a significant boost in endocannabinoids and improvements in mood following prescribed moderate-intensity exercise.
Postcard from Campus: A Fresh Start
Iowa State students new and old were welcomed back to campus for a new semester.
Change Agent: Steven Herrnstadt
Steven Herrnstadt, University Professor of industrial design, begins his 39th year teaching in Iowa State’s College of Design this fall. But nearly four decades in, he feels he is “just now ready to begin.”