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Thursday, July 8 2004

News

ISU athletics director appointment extended

Athletics Director Bruce Van De Velde's employment agreement has been extended. After his contract expires in June 2005, he'll become an "exempt Professional and Scientific" employee, which is consistent with that of other senior administrators who report to President Gregory Geoffroy.

Go to news release.


ISU political pundits offer insight on presidential race

Iowa State University offers several political experts who study the candidates, political advertising, voter polling and turnout, campaign finance, the impact of technology on elections, and other relevant topics.

Go to experts list.


Tollefson named to entomology chair

Jon Tollefson, a professor in the department of entomology, began a five-year appointment as department chairperson on July 1.

Tollefson has been on the ISU faculty since 1975. He succeeds Joel Coats, who completed a five-year appointment as department chair June 30. Coats remains on the faculty.


Charles Glatz

Glatz named interim Engineering dean at Iowa State

Iowa State University Provost Benjamin Allen has appointed Charles Glatz, professor and chair of chemical engineering, as interim dean of the College of Engineering through Dec. 31, 2004.

He replaces James Melsa, who retired June 30. Mark Kushner, Founder Professor of Engineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, will become permanent dean of ISU's College of Engineering on Jan. 1, 2005.

Go to news release.


Ruth MacDonald

New chair named for ISU Food Sciences and Human Nutrition Department

A University of Missouri department chair has been named chair of Iowa State's Department of Food Sciences and Human Nutrition. Ruth MacDonald's appointment begins Aug. 1. MacDonald's research focuses on identifying factors in foods that reduce or slow certain types of cancer.

Go to news release.


Iowa State experts can comment on mad cow disease

A veterinarian and a livestock market economist are among the Iowa State University experts who can provide perspective on the latest developments in mad cow disease. On June 25, USDA reported that a cattle carcass had tested as "inconclusive" for mad cow disease. A follow-up test at a USDA laboratory in Ames found no sign of the disease, USDA said June 30. Test results on a second carcass, singled out on June 29 as possibly being infected, will not be available for several days.

Go to news release.


New Plant Sciences Institute research targets Iowa ag issues

Iowa State University's Plant Sciences Institute will redirect more than $3 million to fast track research that will enhance the value of Iowa crops and target specific challenges facing Iowa agriculture. Over the next three years, researchers will work on five initiatives-- plant genomes, plant biofactories, nutrition, biorenewables and crop protection.

Go to news release.


Iowa State University researchers hit the pavement for an academic road show

A new mobile concrete laboratory will allow ISU scientists to travel to highway construction sites to test road materials. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the laboratory will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 6, in the ISU Research Park parking lot, 2901 South Loop Drive, Ames.

Go to news release.


Iowa State initiates entrepreneurship grant awards

Seven new entrepreneurship courses will be created by a grant managed by the ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship. The courses will be in the Colleges of Agriculture, Business, Design, Engineering, and Family and Consumer Sciences.

Go to news release.


Student team third in international contest

Three Iowa State students placed third overall in the IEEE Computer Society's international design competition on Monday, making them among the few U.S. teams ever to place in this event.

The team of Melanie Davis, a senior from Minneapolis; Douglas Houghton, a graduate student from Ames; and Shahzaib Younis, a senior from Pakistan, also received the Microsoft Software Engineering Award for their project, a computer program that utilizes global positioning system technologies to trigger messages. Applications for this technology range from assisting search parties to reminding patrons what to buy at the grocery store.

The students received a total of $9,000 in prize money, and hope to patent their technology (see USA Today story at right). Their project was among 250 entries in the annual competition, with the top 10 teams participating in the World Finals in Washington, D.C.