Good morning, CALS,
Welcome to the fall semester. That pretty much says it all! Recall and take on the energy, the anticipation, the opportunity, the trepidation, the wonder, and the worry to the start of the school year, as you each experienced time and time again over the years when you were a student. It is, of course, the same now for our students, and forever more. They are primed and ready to go, and we surely have the best students anywhere – motivated by purpose and intent.
I like to say that those of us - students, staff and faculty engaged in the work of a college of agriculture and life sciences (or the other versions of the same at peer land grant universities) – are here because we are people of purpose. We are determined to work in areas that are bigger than ourselves, that will make a difference on the land, in the lab and in our communities – from the local to the global level. It is what sets us apart – we are not here and invested in our disciplines by accident or happenstance - it is for purpose.
Last week, I had the tremendous opportunity to attend an agricultural think-tank in Colorado, and the presentations and discussions were fascinating and important. They ranged from new approaches of ranch-to-table in the beef industry, to the geopolitics of food-based global trade, to new thinking and applications for AI, and more. On the drive to/from Colorado, staying off the four-lane highways, I saw feed lots; all manner of irrigation; tall and happy versus stunted and wilted corn; vast acres of range; profound historical places (Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, Cherry Creek Encampment Historical Marker, and the Battle of Julesburg and Massacre Canyon sites), incredible mountains pock-marked with mines and covered in tall timbers; some of the best pie ever from Haigler Country Cafe; and much more. What a privilege to drive across large sections of a continent and take it all in.
Last week, we also had an incredible visit by the King of Busoga (see pic below and this story about his visit to Iowa State) and his delegation (including our own Gideon Nadiope, national director of the ISU-Uganda Programs). The Kingdom of Busoga includes the Kamuli District, where our Uganda campus is located and is the home of our Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods. It is very important that we honor the people and institutions that host us there so we can do our work with the fullest impact.
We also had our first CALS Chat of the year with an ISU Creamery ice cream social behind Curtiss Hall last Friday afternoon. After that, a group of us visited the Iowa State Fair to see our many partners and collaborators, and to help celebrate Iowa, and especially its agricultural heritage and future!
This week will be filled with not only the start of classes, but also with meetings and discussions with and/or about our work with Bayer Corporation, John Deere, Collegiate Edu-Nation, Riley Memorial Foundation, Iowa Corn, America’s Cultivation Corridor, the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology faculty, and please don’t forget to visit and enjoy SoyFest from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 23, near Marston Hall and Parks Library.
My best for a great week. - Dan
Scenes from CALS
His Majesty William Wilberforce Gabula Nadiope IV, King of Busoga, Uganda, and Iowa State President Wendy Wintersteen signed a memorandum of cooperation and understanding last Thursday afternoon. They are pictured with CALS Associate Dean David Acker, Tim Kolschowsky of the Kolschowsky Foundation, Gideon Nadiope of the ISU-Uganda Programs, members of His Majesty's administration and myself.
CALS Associate Dean Kendall Lamkey and I visited the Iowa State Fair last Friday. We had good luck fishing with Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon. I also chatted with Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Secretary Mike Naig and Iowa Corn CEO Craig Floss.
