News From Campus – Spring 2018
99.2%RECORD HIGH CALS PLACEMENT RATE
CALS Career Services is reporting the highest undergraduate placement rate ever recorded—99.2 percent for 2016-2017. Placement includes students who are employed, furthering their education or fulfilling military obligations.
CYCLONE STATE
65% of CALS grads stay in the state to begin their careers in Iowa.
#1
ISU’s undergraduate program in agricultural and biosystems engineering is tied for top honors with Purdue and Texas A&M University according to the latest rankings by U.S. News and World Report. The department’s graduate program is ranked number two in the country. Rankings are measured by expert opinions about program quality and statistical measures of a program’s faculty, research and students.
FUNG-CY
Three new fungus species have been named for Iowa State scientists and alumni. Thomas Harrington, professor of plant pathology and microbiology and Doug McNew, mycologist and lab technician, have identified three new species of fungi and named them in honor of former Iowa State University colleagues.
- Tubakia hallii, named for forest geneticist Richard Hall (’69 forestry management)
- Tubakia tiffanyae, named for mycologist Lois Tiffany (‘45 botany, MS ’46, PhD ‘50)
- Tubakia macnabbii, named for forest pathologist H. Sande McNabb
ASMUS ON ADVANCING AGRICULTURE
Amy Asmus, vice president of Asmus Farm Supply, presented the 2018 Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture on April 4 at Iowa State. Asmus’ presentation, “What Is Possible: Advancing Agriculture Through AGvocacy, Partnerships and Collaboration,” is available online at www.stories.cals.iastate.edu.
TRAILBLAZER
Daniela Flores, a graduate student in genetics, is the first Iowa State student elected to the Society for the Advancement of Chicano/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) board of directors. The organization makes up the largest multidisciplinary and multiethnic organization in the United States. Flores started the Iowa State SACNAS chapter in 2014.
CELEBRATING FACULTY EXCELLENCE
From Catherine Woteki’s induction into the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hall of Fame, to Fulbright Scholars Amy Toth and Jonathan Wendel, to Allen Miller’s fellowship in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, CALS faculty and staff have earned numerous accolades and global and national recognition. Check out STORIES Online for a list of faculty and staff earning top awards: www.stories.cals.iastate.edu.
STUDENT SUCCESS
- Kelli Roush, junior in agronomy, frst place individual, National Soils Judging Contest
- Livestock Judging Team, first place, 2018 Iowa Beef Expo
- Dairy Judging Team, second place, Southwest Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest
- Crops Team, first place, Students of Agronomy, Soils and Environmental Sciences Crops Contest; second place, Regional Crops Judging Contest; second place, Kansas City American Royal Crops Competition; second place Chicago Collegiate Crops Contest
- Industrial Technology Club, People’s Choice Award, third place overall, Association of Technology Management and Applied Engineering Robotics Team Competition
- Turf Club, first place, Annual Sports Turf Managers Association Student Challenge Competition
HEARTY HELLOS
• Randall Cass, extension program specialist, Department of Entomology
• Miguel Rangel, manager, Dairy Teaching Farm
• Kristin Tidgren, director, Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation
FOND FAREWELLS
• Clark Ford, associate professor of food science and human nutrition, retired in April
• Mike Owen, professor of agronomy, retired in March
• Gene Takle, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of agronomy, retired in May