Everyone is concerned with protecting their drinking water. Small farm and acreage owners can find tips on how to maintain safe drinking water in the Summer 2015 Acreage Living e-newsletter from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “Maintaining safe drinking water is critical for human health,” said Jamie Benning, water quality program manager with ISU …Continue reading “Ways to make sure drinking water is safe”
Iowa State University attracted a record $424.9 million in external funding during the fiscal year that ended June 30. The jump in external funding includes a $44 million increase over the previous year from the Iowa State University Foundation and a $14 million increase from federal agencies. The previous record was $388.2 million in fiscal year 2010.
Dr. Graeme Quick, a retired professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State and an accomplished expert in the field of farm machinery, passed away this past May at his home in Queensland, Australia. Quick was born in Australia, but did work in around 30 countries before returning to his home country after retirement. …Continue reading “Prominent agricultural engineering expert passes away”
Iris Rivero, associate professor and director of graduate education of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, was recognized for her service in manufacturing and design at the 2015 Institute of Industrial Engineers Annual Conference and Expo. Rivero received the Manufacturing and Design Division Outstanding Service Award, which recognizes contributions to and leadership in public and community matters, the …Continue reading “Rivero honored for her contributions to manufacturing and design”
To be honest, we need help answering this question. Our Marston renovation art committee has retained famed artist Norie Sato to create an artistic piece representative of engineering from various perspectives. This project is of special interest to me, and I thought it was important to get input from our alums, faculty, staff and friends. …Continue reading “How do you create a hanging sculpture that represents the field of engineering to hang in the new Marston Hall atrium?”
Students in Chemical and Biological Engineering’s home of Sweeney Hall will have a new convenience ready and waiting for them when classes resume in August: electronic device charging stations in two parts of the building. The Mike & Jean Steffenson Student Services Center has received one of the Charge-Tec “Cyclone Power” stations purchased by the …Continue reading “New charging stations in Sweeney will keep devices, and students, functioning”
Though he doesn’t think it was a cyber-attack, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson admits U.S. cybersecurity is in need of vast improvements. Experts at the home of the first computer agree. Technical glitches caused The Wall Street Journal’s website to shut down, trading to stop at the New York Stock Exchange, and United Airlines to ground flights. The outages came one after the other, all on the same day.
A team of extension specialists from several universities in the Upper Midwest are developing a series of webinars on agricultural drainage water management and drainage water quality. Each of the webinars—to be presented monthly from July through December—will provide best management practices for improving drainage water quality and information from multiple states across the Midwest. The …Continue reading “Webinar series on ag drainage water management announced”
Last year also saw another record harvest in Iowa. And while the number of deaths on Iowa’s farms has declined in the past decade, it’s still the deadliest job sector in our state. Iowa State University Professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering and extension safety specialist Charles Schwab told IowaWatch that improving the situation is …Continue reading “Farm safety, Chuck Schwab on IowaWatch”
Participants in the Greenhorn Grazing program last month learned about identifying plant species, watering systems and managed grazing techniques at the John Schupbach farm near Elgin, Iowa. The next session, offer by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, will be Tuesday, July 21, at Country Junction Restaurant in Dyersville, Iowa. The workshops will begin promptly …Continue reading “Greenhorn grazing to optimize production”
The last time Team PrISUm raced around the Formula 1 track in Austin, Texas, the team turned the fastest lap of the 2014 Formula Sun Grand Prix. Iowa State’s solar racing car negotiated the 20-turn, 3.41-mile racetrack – including the 133-foot climb to turn 1 – in a quick 4 minutes and 35.285 seconds during last July’s grand prix.
Aaron Still had a great freshman year at Iowa State University. It was a busy one, too. The week before the fall semester began, Still auditioned for the Iowa State University Cyclone Marching Band. He demonstrated his marching skills for the directors; played a short, difficult composition on his trombone; and finished by performing the “ISU Fight Song” from memory.
Kevin Harvick may be leading the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup standings, but did he build his entire car from scratch? Cyclone Racing did. Cyclone Racing is a student run organization that is focused on Formula SAE racing. The 45 horsepower car is designed, manufactured and assembled by its members. The vehicle tops out around 85 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds.
Today’s guest blogger is Iowa Learning Farms/Water Rocks! student intern Pacifique Mugwaneza Simon, or Pac for short! Pac is a fourth year student at Iowa State University studying Industrial Technology and Agriculture System Technology. His family is originally from Burundi, a small country in East Africa, but Pac spent most of his childhood in refugee …Continue reading “Iowa Learning Farms guest blog post: Making a difference”
