Announcements

March 30

Veishea buttons for sale online, at bookstore

Veishea buttons -- your ticket to lunch on central campus April 12-15, among other perks -- are on sale now, both in the University Book Store and online via AccessPlus (click on employee tab, then "campus org events" in the left column, then "browse open events" to Veishea buttons). An online purchase can be added to your U-Bill or taken directly out of your bank account. Cost is $5, whether buying online or at the store.

March 30

Nominations sought for Veishea student, faculty awards

Each year, Veishea recognizes Iowa State's top student leaders and faculty/staff at the Leadership and Faculty Recognition Ceremony (7 p.m. April 7, MU Sun Room). Applications/nominations still are being accepted in both categories. The forms are available online.

March 30

Autism awareness is focus of April 5 talk

The Human Development and Family Studies club is co-host of a lecture April 5 (7 p.m., MU Gold Room) with Sue Baker, autism services consultant, Iowa Department of Education/Child Health Specialty Clinics. She will discuss "Improving Access to Social Skills Training for Students with ASD."

March 30

Get your walking shoes on

ISU students will lead walks for faculty and staff April 6 to mark the American Heart Association's Start! Walking Day. Walkers will leave the steps of Beardshear at noon, 12:20 p.m. and 12:40 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

March 30

P&S Council nominations due April 15

Nomination papers for staff interested in serving on the Professional and Scientific Council are due April 15. Online elections will be held April 25-May 6. Seats are open in academic and research (8), business and finance (1), Extension (2), president's office (1), IPRT/Ames Lab (2) and student affairs (2). Most are three-year terms, which begin in June. Nomination forms are available online.

March 30

P&S staff appreciation event is April 7

The Professional and Scientific Council is playing host to a staff appreciation open house April 7 at Reiman Gardens (4-6 p.m.). All P&S staff are invited; RSVP to Sara Wilson. Door prizes will be awarded and refreshments will be provided by Coldstone Creamery.

March 29

Nolan to speak at April 25 reception

Dr. Lisa Nolan, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, is the keynote speaker at the April 25 Margaret Sloss Gender Equity Award and Scholarship reception (3:30-5 p.m., MU Campanile Room, program at 4:15 p.m.). The reception is free; please RSVP to mswc@iastate.edu or 4-4154. Refreshments will be served.

March 28

Submit requests for Course Reserve at library

Instructors who want to place required materials on reserve at Parks Library for summer or fall semesters should submit requests now. Please submit requests early as library technology projects over the summer may cause delays. The request form is online.

March 28

Last Osborn Club lecture of the semester is April 11

Engineering's associate dean of research Balaji Narasimhan will present the final Osborn Research Club Lecture of this academic year April 11 (7 p.m., Gold Room, Hilton Garden Inn, 1325 Dickenson Ave., Ames). The lecture portion of the club's monthly gathering is free and open to the public. Narasimhan will describe the molecular design of a safe, nontoxic and effective nanoparticle-based platform that addresses the challenges of designing vaccines and therapeutics for respiratory infectious diseases.

March 22

Highway 30 reconstruction begins March 28

An Iowa DOT project will reconstruct U.S. Highway 30 between University Boulevard south of campus and the highway's junction with 230th Street in eastern Boone County, beginning March 28. Phase 1 (through mid-summer) covers the eastern portion of the project; phase 2 (until late in the construction season) covers the western end. Motorists will face head-to-head traffic during both phases and are asked to drive with caution and obey posted speed limits in the work zone.

March 22

Survey seeks your input on Ames community

If you live in or around Ames or if you have connections to the community, the Ames City Council seeks your input in developing a community vision. The survey, which takes 15-20 minutes complete, seeks your comments about Ames' strong points and its challenges. Officials say the vision statement will be used in future planning. The survey can be completed through 5 p.m. March 31.

March 22

Register now for storm spotter training on March 29

Environmental Health and Safety will host a 90-minute severe storm spotter training session presented by staff from the National Weather Service March 29 (1:30-3 p.m., MU Campanile Room). This free training is open to all faculty, staff and students; it's especially encouraged for university employees who work outdoors. Learn the warning process, thunderstorm basics, elements of a spotter report and storm spotter safety. Call 4-2193 or email ksgodfr@iastate.edu to register.

March 21

P&S CYtation Award nominations due March 31

Nominations are sought for the spring 2011 CYtation award, which recognizes a P&S staff member who does something above the call of duty or does something extraordinarily well. Recipients receive a one-year family pass to Reiman Gardens. Nominations are due March 31. Additional details and nominating instructions are online.

March 21

Bookstore closed for inventory March 27

The Iowa State University Book Store will be closed for inventory on Sunday, March 27. The store will resume normal hours on Monday, March 28.

March 21

Feed the Need food drive starts March 28

Student Volunteer Services will be collecting canned and nonperishable food for local people in need. The food drive, Feed the Need, will be held from Monday, March 28, to Friday, April 8. Food will be donated to Mid-Iowa Community Action (MICA) and The SHOP for distribution through their food pantries. There will be various drop boxes across campus including academic buildings (Beardshear, Carver, Curtiss, LeBaron, Kildee, library), the Memorial Union and residence halls. Contact Jennifer Nissen (garrett1@iastate.edu, 4-4354) with questions.

March 16

ISU ADVANCE invites all to April 29 workshop

Faculty, staff and administrators are invited to an interactive workshop April 29 (11 a.m.-1 p.m., MU Gallery) featuring highlights from the five-year National Science Foundation-funded ISU ADVANCE Institutional Transformation project. "On the Path to Transformation: Looking Back and Looking Forward with ISU ADVANCE" will include project accomplishments, a reader's theater and discussion on future initiatives. Lunch will be provided. Registration is requested by April 20.

March 16

Faculty news from ISU Library

ISU Library has produced a new guide, Promotion and Tenure: In-Depth Resources, to assist tenure-track faculty who are seeking ways to present information in their promotion or tenure review portfolios. The guide includes information on how to find journal acceptance rates, citation analysis, impact factors and journal rankings. Contact Lorrie Pellack (for science and technology), 4-5569, or Rebecca Jackson (for social sciences and humanities), 4-9030, with questions.

ISU Library has purchased institutional memberships with publishers Biomed Central (BMC) and Public Library of Science (PLoS), which allows ISU faculty to receive discounts on article processing charges. The BMC discount is 15 percent; the PLoS discount is 10 percent. Contact Andrea Dinkelman, 4-6943, or Lorrie Pellack, 4-5569, with questions.

March 15

Earthquake lessons for the Midwest

An engineering professor who went to New Zealand to study building damage in the Feb. 22 earthquake will discuss lessons learned for the Midwest and United States in a March 24 talk. Sri Sritharan, professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering, spent more than a week in Christchurch, New Zealand, as part of a team trying to learn more about earthquakes and how to design buildings that resist damage. He will talk about his findings from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Howe Hall auditorium.

March 14

Mass spectrometry services available

The Stable Isotope Paleo Environments Research Group (SIPERG) is offering mass spectrometry and stable isotope measurement services, utilizing its new Picarro Isotopic Liquid Water Analyzer and a Thermo Electron DeltaPlus XL isotope ratio mass spectrometer. For more information, contact Suzanne Ankerstjerne, or visit the SIPERG website.

March 10

Opening in Des Moines-ISU car pool

University employees living in the Des Moines area have an opening in their car pool. The employees take turns driving (using their own cars), depart the Merle Hay Mall parking lot at 7 a.m. and leave campus at 5 p.m. (earlier departures during summer hours). For more information, contact sorrel@iastate.edu, 4-8802.

March 9

Next Osborn Club lecture: How pathogenic viruses evade host immunity

Gaya Amarasinghe, assistant professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, will present the next Osborn Club lecture March 21 (7 p.m., Gold Room, Hilton Garden Inn, 1325 Dickenson Ave., Ames). He will talk about his research, in which his team has identified some mechanisms by which pathogenic viruses, such as Ebola, evade host immunity. The lecture portion of the monthly Osborn Research Club meeting is free and open to the public.

March 8

Reiman entrepreneurial series features Rebecca Taylor

ISU alum Rebecca Taylor, senior adviser for innovation and entrepreneurship,Office of Science and Technology in the U.S. Department of State, is the keynote speaker of the 2011 Reiman Entrepreneurial Speaker Series March 29 (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., MU Sun Room). She will present "The Tao of Entrepreneurship: Leadership, Public Service and Innovation." This luncheon event is free and open to the public, though registration is required.

March 8

MBA informational lunch is March 23

The College of Business will host a free informational lunch about its MBA program March 23 (noon-1 p.m., 1360 Gerdin). Lunch is provided. RSVP to Jenny Reitano, 4-7819, if you will attend.

March 8

Officials: Heed travel warnings over break

Iowa State University officials remind students, faculty and staff to travel safely over spring break. More than 30 countries, including popular spring break destinations such as Mexico, are under a U.S. State Department travel warning. The State Department advises against travel to these countries, where conditions are considered dangerous or unstable. Iowa State suspends enrollment in study abroad programs in countries under a U.S. State Department travel warning, and the university advises that students not undertake personal travel to these countries. For more information, visit travel.state.gov.

March 8

Memorial service for R. Bruce Thompson is March 11

R. Bruce Thompson, Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in the departments of materials science and engineering and aerospace engineering, lost his battle against cancer on March 7. A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, March 11 (11 a.m., Collegiate Presbyterian Church, Ames). A gathering of family members and friends will be held Thursday, March 10 (5-7 p.m., Garden Room, Reiman Gardens). Memorials may be made to the R. Bruce Thompson Engineering Scholarship in non-destructive evaluation through the ISU Foundation. More.

March 8

Judges needed for science and technology fairs

Approximately 350 to 400 judges are needed for the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa and the FFA Agriscience Fair planned for April 1-2 at the Iowa State Center. Faculty, staff, students and other professionals with backgrounds in science, engineering or technology are encouraged to volunteer. Judges will work with Iowa middle and high school students to evaluate their projects and help them become better researchers. Register online. Contact Vicki Speake, 4-5738, with questions.

March 7

It's almost time for lawnmower tune-ups

The Agriculture Systems Technology Club again is sponsoring spring lawnmower service days on Friday, March 25 (1-6 p.m.) and Saturday, March 26 (8 a.m.-3 p.m.) at Industrial Education II, west of the horse barns. Cost is $35 for push mowers and $40 for riding mowers. Pickup and delivery are available in Ames for $15 (push mowers) and $20 (riding mowers). To arrange for pickup and delivery (or for questions), e-mail astservicedays@gmail.com or call (515) 708-5476 by 2 p.m. March 24. Otherwise, drop off your mower during the times indicated.

March 4

ISU has new FedEx accounts

Campus FedEx users: New accounts have been put in place for the university, and an online system is available for users who wish to ship their own packages. For more information, contact ISU Postal and Parcel, 4-9362. Any packages being shipped under old university accounts will be charged at FedEx's full retail rate. Use the new accounts and processes to receive university discounts.

March 3

'Ames Reads Leopold' March 6

A documentary film about Aldo Leopold and a reading of some of the conservationist's works are part of a March 6 event (1-4:30 p.m.) at the Ames Public Library. Among sponsors of the event are the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State and ISU's fisheries, forestry and wildlife extension programs.

March 2

Register now: Inaugural ISU Student Success Summit coming up on March 24-25

A day-long summit to address student academic success, learning, retention and graduation will be held March 25 in the Memorial Union. Presenters were selected and added to the summit website this week. They'll look at national trends in the context of the ISU experience. The evening of March 24 includes a keynote address by Missouri University of Science and Technology vice provost for undergraduate studies Harvest Collier.

March 2

Learn more about ISU's Laboratory Animal Resources services

The Office for Responsible Research will host an informational session, "What Can LAR Do for You?" March 9 (3:10 p.m., 1105 Pearson). Ron Morgan, director of Laboratory Animal Resources, will present an overview of services and tips on scheduling housing needs. Those interested in attending should register by sending an e-mail to Connie Regenold, Office for Responsible Research.

March 2

Change expert will start the discussion on preparing for higher ed's next era

A one-hour presentation on March 9 is intended to kick off a university-wide effort to prepare for dramatic technology-inspired changes coming in higher education. Donald Norris, a national expert on navigating change in universities, will help start the discussion with a presentation "The Future of Learning, Research and Collaboration – Implications for Facilities" from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in 1148 Gerdin Business Building. More.

March 2

Extension VP open forums may be viewed online

Videotaped open forums with the five candidates who interviewed for the position of vice president for extension and outreach can be viewed online. Evaluations of the candidates are due by 5 p.m. March 4 to Penni Bryant in the provost's office; the form is available on the search website.

March 2

Registration open for ISCORE conference on Friday

Online registration is still open for the 12th annual Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity (ISCORE) March 4 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) in the Memorial Union. There is no fee to attend. Students, staff and faculty will present concurrent sessions throughout the day. The keynote talk (noon) will be given by John Carlos, Olympic track medalist perhaps most remembered, with Tommie Smith, for the "black power" salute on the medal stand in 1968. Executive assistant to the president Tahira Hira will give the opening address (9 a.m.).