Announcements
Nominations due March 1 for 2025-26 leadership academy
The office of the senior vice president and provost seeks nominations by March 1 for the 2025-26 cohort of the Emerging Leaders Academy. ELA fosters the leadership development of faculty and professional and scientific staff currently serving in leadership roles or those who aspire to such positions. During the academic year (August-May), the cohort participates in monthly leadership activities led by content experts and facilitators. Cohort members also work in teams to complete a leadership development project. More information regarding eligibility and the nomination process is online. ELA participants are selected based on the quality of their nominator's one-page letter and the nominee's one-page essay. Next fall's cohort will be announced by April 15. Questions may be directed to Katharine Hensley in the provost's office.
Reiman Gardens announces year-round hours
Reiman Gardens has announced new year-round hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, with the butterfly wing closing 30 minutes earlier each day. From April 1 through Sept. 30, the gardens will be open Tuesday and Thursday evenings until 8 p.m.
Nominate your supplier for procurement awards
Procurement services has opened nominations for its 2025 Supplier Awards and asks for the university community's help to recognize outstanding suppliers. The six awards are open to all suppliers that provided goods or services to Iowa State in 2024 and meet an award's eligibility criteria (follow the links below). Nominations are due Feb. 28 and must describe why the supplier should be recognized in the award category, including examples that demonstrate how the supplier meets the specific criteria. Don't assume that procurement services knows what the supplier does for you. The award categories are:
Chemistry Stores offers pipette calibration service Feb. 24-March 5
Chemistry Stores is hosting its annual pipette calibration service Feb. 24-March 5. Kiwi Calibration will be on campus to calibrate and repair pipettes. Prices for the service are: single channel $44, 8-channel $110, 12-channel $115; a valid Worktag is required at drop-off. Customers may drop off their pipettes to the Chemistry Stores office, 1359 Gilman, starting Wednesday, Feb. 19. The service is first come, first served.
Proposals due March 26 for spring youth programs symposium
Risk management is accepting proposals for presentations for its 2025 Youth Programs Symposium, to be held virtually on Tuesday, April 15 (8:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.). Proposals are due March 26. The symposium is for youth program leaders and other interested faculty, staff and stakeholders who support youth programming at Iowa State. More information and the proposal submission form are online.
Registration due Feb. 21 for March research roundtable
Registration is due Feb. 21 for the office of the vice president's next Research and Innovation Roundtable on Wednesday, March 5 (9 a.m.-4 p.m., Memorial Union, lunch provided). The theme is "From Risk to Resilience: Combatting Endemic and Zoonotic Microbial Threats." Researchers working in applied sciences, humanities, engineering, design and the social sciences are invited to this unique opportunity to collaborate with campus colleagues as well as researchers from the USDA National Animal Disease Center and Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. The roundtable includes time to:
- Learn more during facilitated breakout discussions
- Pitch project ideas
- Identify and self-assemble project teams
- Receive instructions about requests for proposals and funding
Spring water research seminars announced
The Iowa Nutrient Research Center has posted topics and graduate student presenters for its spring water research seminars. The hybrid presentations take place the second Wednesday of each month, Feb. 12, March 12, April 9 and May 14 (3:10-4 p.m., 1306 Elings and via Zoom; register to receive the links); each session features two presentations. Sessions are open to the public.
Submit online help ticket for Workday questions
Faculty and staff seeking help with Workday for Student tasks can use the Workday Get Help form, available on the WorkCyte website. The form connects you with the campus specialists who support your specific issue. Currently, about a dozen common topic areas populate the form -- or you can fill in your own. You'll receive notifications about changes in your ticket status as team works to resolve your issue. Changes to the form, including topics supported by various teams, are added as Workday for Student users' post-implementation needs change. Remember, Workday for Student training resources, organized by role and by topic, are organized on single website.
New VPR site will provide updates on federal funding changes
The office of the vice president for research (VPR) will provide guidance, updates and links to relevant resources to help Iowa State's research community navigate the evolving landscape for federal funding. The VPR team created a new federal funding page on the VPR website, which it will update and date-stamp as agencies share more direction and guidance with their research partners. Researchers are encouraged to check this page frequently in the weeks ahead. Changes potentially could impact both awarded projects and those awaiting funding from federal agencies or sponsors.
Judges needed for high school state science fair in March
ISU Extension and Outreach seeks judges for the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa, Thursday and Friday, March 27-28, at Hilton Coliseum. An anticipated 650 students in grades 6-12 will present an estimated 500 projects in 17 categories during the exhibition. Judges will evaluate the projects and provide constructive feedback to the students. Lunch and refreshments are provided. Individuals can sign up to judge in the junior high or senior high divisions. No special training is required, but an advanced degree or industry experience is preferred for judging senior high projects. Fair organizers will determine judges' assignments based on their category preference(s), level of education, field of study and professional experience. The first step is to sign up online.
Gymnastics tickets $3 for faculty, staff
Iowa State faculty and staff can purchase $3 tickets for the gymnastics team’s Big 12 Conference opener against Arizona State on Friday, Jan. 31 (6:30 p.m., Hilton Coliseum). All tickets are general admission.
Hort Club's Valentine bouquet sale is Feb. 13-14
The Horticulture Club's floral bouquet Valentine's Day sale returns Feb. 13-14 (9 a.m.-3 p.m. daily while supplies last, Union Drive Community Center lobby). Preorders can be made through Feb. 7. Select from roses, carnations and spider mums ($3-$4.50 per stem) and various fillers and greens ($5). Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted payment.
Mushroom certification class offered this spring
ISU Extension and Outreach's Wild-harvested Mushroom Certification Class will return this spring. The class, led by plant disease diagnostician Chelsea Harbach, includes an online lecture (via Zoom) and a mandatory in-person workshop (where the certification exam occurs) offered three times: March 15, March 29 and April 12, all in Ames. Participants receive the link for the Zoom lecture when they register for a workshop. The class costs $60 and is particularly relevant for those hoping to sell wild-harvested mushrooms, since sellers in Iowa are required to complete a certification workshop to sell eight varieties of wild-harvested mushrooms.
P&S research project managers will gather Feb. 11
The Research Project Management Council, supported by the office of the vice president for research, will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 11 (2 p.m., 1116 Sweeney, light refreshments provided). Registration is requested. The council is open to all P&S staff who manage sponsored research projects or programs. Connect with fellow research project management professionals and learn more about how the council can support you.
The council is a collaborative forum to recognize and enhance the role of research project management at the university. It brings together project management professionals to share best practices, address common challenges and foster a supportive network that advances the success of research initiatives. The group's direction is guided by the needs and priorities of its members, ensuring that the council remains responsive to emerging challenges and opportunities. Contact Nicole Scott or Stacy Renfro with questions.
Fall Honors seminar proposals due Feb. 21
The University Honors Program invites proposals for Honors seminars in Fall 2025. These one- or two-credit courses, offered for a half or full term on a pass/fail basis, allow Honors students to examine topics of current or special interest. Enrollment is usually limited to 17 students. Honors allocates $500 per seminar for the professional development (e.g. professional subscriptions, membership fees, travel) of the instructor(s). Proposals are due Friday, Feb. 21. Details and guidelines are on the Honors website; the proposal form also is online. Questions may be directed to Laurie Smith Law.
Feb. 4 fair emphasizes consent in relationships
ISU's Green Zone team invites students, staff and faculty to stop by the Green Zone Fun Fair on Tuesday, Feb. 4 (10 a.m.-2 p.m., Great Hall, Memorial Union). Grab a snack, play a game and win some prizes. Most importantly, learn how consent in relationships is connected to well being, how to practice consent across different kinds of relationships, and how to build communities into green zones where consent is normalized.
Nominate an individual or team for a sustainability excellence award
Nominations are due by 5 p.m. Feb. 12 for the 2025 Live Green! Excellence Awards in sustainability. Recognize an individual, team, organization, initiative, department or college that impacts campus sustainability through initiatives that focus on teaching, research, outreach or operations. A nomination must include a letter of support from project partners, collaborators or beneficiaries. Selection criteria (PDF) are online; download and complete the nomination form and email it to mrankin@iastate.edu.
VPN update coming soon
Get help for your ISU Sites faculty website
ISU faculty members in all colleges can get support for their free ISU Sites faculty website at two walk-in workshops in 206 Durham Center:
- Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2-3 p.m.
- Thursday, Feb. 6, 10-11 a.m.
Whether you're establishing your website from scratch or enhancing your existing one, staff can guide you through creating an accessible and effective digital showcase of your research, teaching and achievements. Drop in at your convenience and leave with a polished, professional website hosted on the ISU Sites platform. These workshops offer:
- Personalized support to build your site, whether it be simple, advanced or full-scale.
- Guidance on accessibility standards so your site reaches all audiences.
- Strategic content planning to improve your potential reach.
- Professional templates optimized for academic profiles.
For more information contact websupport@iastate.edu.
Nominations due Feb. 15 for annual alumni awards
The ISU Alumni Association is seeking nominations by Feb. 15 for four awards to be presented during Homecoming 2025 that honor alumni. Award descriptions and nomination forms are online. Questions may be directed to Katie Lickteig. The awards are:
- Alumni Medal, recognizes long, loyal service to the university through alumni-related activities
- Alumni Humanitarian Award, recognizes humanitarian efforts that transcend professional accomplishments and bring honor to the university
- Outstanding Young Alumni Award, recognizes alumni age 40 years and younger who excel in their profession and provide service to their community
- James A. Hopson Alumni Service Award (2023 merger of the former Hopson and Alumni Service awards), recognizes alumni and friends whose volunteer activities and service support the work of the ISU Alumni Association in connecting alumni, students and friends to each other and the university
Smile and Write dates are set for spring semester
Smile and Write is an online program open to faculty and staff, designed to leverage peer accountability and help participants carve out space in their schedules to work on curriculum, manuscripts and other writing projects. Smile and Write connects peers across disciplines as they work together toward their writing goals to aid in career progression. During spring semester, the fixed time is Tuesday (11 a.m.-1 p.m., Jan. 21-May 6); 17 sessions on the other four days of the week also are scheduled. The Smile and Write format is:
- Register ahead of time for as many sessions as you want. Upon registration, you'll be sent a Zoom link for each session.
- Once logged in, keep your video turned on. Doing this helps assure accountability and prevent distraction.
- At the start of each session participants state their goals, and at the end of each session they briefly share the progress they made.
