2019 Year in Review
December 17, 2019
As 2019 comes to an end, the Iowa State University News Service staff is looking back and sharing some of its favorite and more popular stories of the year. Click on each headline to read the full release.
Precision radiation therapy now a treatment option for pets
The Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital at Iowa State University opened a new radiation treatment facility for pets with tumors. The facility delivers stereotactic radiation therapy, a high-dose and precise option that can reduce greatly the number of treatments necessary to get the desired results. The treatment causes less disruption to a pet’s life and has fewer side effects.
Artist wants to find 'what's good' in divided world
Jennifer Drinkwater is scouring Iowa and Mississippi for stories about “what’s good” in the world to document people’s perspectives on the positives in their communities. The goal of the “What’s Good Project” is to shine a light on overlooked communities and community assets.
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.
Engineers use heat-free tech for flexible electronics
ISU researchers are using liquid-metal particles to print electronic lines and traces on rose petals, leaves, paper, gelatin -- on all kinds of materials. The technology creates flexible electronics that could have many applications such as monitoring crops, tracking a building's structural integrity or collecting biological data.
Students design proposals for Iowa Judicial Building educational center
As the Iowa Judicial Branch Building shifts from physical to digital files, Iowa State University students have designed proposals to turn the soon-to-be-vacant space into an experiential learning center for the public. Student designs range from low-tech tactile interactions to high-tech explorations, including a virtual reality courtroom, touch-screen learning opportunities, trivia, interactive exhibits and other digital experiences.
Improving protective gloves for firefighters, first responders
The heat-protective gloves firefighters and first responders wear are thick, bulky and limit dexterity. That's why a team of Iowa State University researchers is working to improve the safety and function of the gloves as part of the personal protective equipment system.
Helping researchers turn ideas into companies
Iowa State University's Innovation Corps site is helping scientists and engineers prepare to move their discoveries toward commercialization. A key part of the preparation: talking to prospective customers about their actual needs.
15 years of data implicates mosquitoes most likely to transmit West Nile
A study analyzing 15 years of mosquito surveillance data shows Iowa’s western counties experience a higher abundance of the species thought to most commonly carry West Nile virus. Culex tarsalis, the mosquito species most often implicated in West Nile transmission, usually becomes most active in early September. The data support similar findings in Nebraska and South Dakota.
Agronomists detail benefits of updating agricultural drainage infrastructure
The massive underground infrastructure that allows farmers to cultivate crops on much of the world’s most productive land has outlived its design life and should be updated, according to a new study. Installing higher-capacity pipes and conservation practices would yield a wide range of production and environmental benefits.
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.
ISU engineers work with DOT to scale up tests of heated pavement
Heated pavement test slabs at the Iowa DOT are smarter and more complex than the ISU research group's previous tests at the Des Moines International Airport. So far, preliminary tests indicate the system works well -- even in winter's subzero temperatures.
Standing Innovation
Video by Dave Olson
More than 150 Iowa State entrepreneurs pitched their ideas to visitors at the ISU exhibit during the Iowa State Fair. The exhibit highlighted Iowa State's legacy of innovation.
2019 notable achievements
In April, Patricia Thiel was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The Distinguished Professor in Liberal Arts and Sciences and scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Lab was recognized for her work in surface chemistry.
AAAS recognized six researchers for distinguished work advancing science in biological sciences, chemistry, engineering and agriculture.
The National Academy of Inventors added Balaji Narasimhan and Guru Rao to its academy of fellows for “creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on the quality of life, economic development, and welfare of society.”
Four Iowa State students were named Goldwater Scholars in May. This is the third time in the last decade that all four ISU Goldwater candidates have been selected as scholars.
An interior design graduate student earned a Fulbright Award for the 2019-20 academic year.
Two Iowa State students were among the 55 students from across the U.S. who were named Udall Scholars for 2019.
Iowa State’s graduate program in agricultural and biosystems engineering reclaimed the top spot in U.S. News and World Report magazine’s latest rankings of graduate programs.
2019 set a record with $260.9 million in external support for Iowa State research, a 6.2 percent jump over the previous fiscal year’s $245.8 million.
Land-grant impact
Shelter animals receive care at ISU College of Veterinary Medicine on their way to adoption
ISU engineers use big data tools to assist Iowa DOT, improve highway safety
Geotechnical engineer studied failed levees, researches potential solutions
Helping Marshalltown recover from tornado through research, outreach
Regional trends in overdose deaths reveal multiple opioid epidemics