Greetings, CALS,
Last week we hosted a BBQ for Iowa FFA members who were in Ames for the 94th Iowa FFA Leadership Conference. It was great seeing so many blue corduroy jackets pack the arena of the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center to enjoy good food and fellowship (see images below). Great job to all who made the BBQ a success!
The events of last week also included visits with the science advisor for the British consulate in Chicago, Smithfield Foods executives, an innovation leader from CNH Industrial, and America's Cultivation Corridor board (including a great presentation on sustainable land use by Lisa Schulte-Moore). I also visited the USDA Plant Introduction Center on State Avenue with Carolyn Lawrence-Dill and Dave Peters, and attended reviews with the visiting review team for the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, the Center for Crop Bioengineering (Steve Whitham and Kan Wang), and Center for Molecular Biology (Basil Nikolau). Additionally, we had an excellent visit with faculty by President Wintersteen and Provost Wickert.
So much great work and potential for new connections and efforts in all these regards. Taking stock of the many facets of our college is humbling and inspiring. You all do so much!
This week will begin the interviews for the next chair for the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Student Innovation Center IGNITE Innovation Showcase activities around food security, and discussions to prep for next week's ISU Foundation Governor's Week with major donors and partners to the college.
I hope you each had a great weekend celebrating a holiday or watching the beautiful snow come down in wonderment and dismay (or both)! Spring will not be denied, but is sure taking its time to settle in!
Have a great week. My best, Dan
Scenes from CALS
CALS students played a huge role in the success of the BBQ meal attended by Iowa FFA members at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center April 11. Several students clubs were in attendance, sharing with FFA members information about club activities and benefits of becoming a club member.
