Hello, CALS,
Pretty crazy weather these past few weeks, I think we’ll all agree. When we had that minus 20 degree blast from the far north in January, Steve Dinsmore and Julie Blanchong from NREM were with a group of students studying wildlife in Antarctica where they had temperatures into the 30s. Later this week, we’ll reach perhaps 60, and thus within a few weeks’ time we’ll have had an 80-degree swing in temperatures. Pretty wild. Certainly this is potentially good for soil moisture if we get some more snow on top of thawed ground, so when it melts it goes in, rather than running off.
Behind Curtiss Hall over toward the Gerdin Business Building side, there is a good-sized specimen of the flowering woody shrub, witchhazel, which bloomed last week following a few warm days. I confirmed the identity of this spring flowering plant with Jeff Iles to be Vernal witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis) or maybe Hamamelis intermedia (other witchhazels flower in the fall). I thought this poor plant was going to be in for a rough ride when temperatures go down again before spring really arrives, but Jeff assures me that they are not only “lovely plants,” but that “these witchhazels flower in early spring and are very resilient. The petals will curl up on very cold days and unfurl when temperatures moderate. They are not easily fooled. But all bets are off if we dip into single digits.”
Last week included the second annual George Washington Carver Day in Iowa on Feb. 1 – the newest annual day of recognition in Iowa. Our very own Carver joins Norman Borlaug and Herbert Hoover as only the third person to be so honored. There were celebrations of this here, at Simpson College (where Carver began his college studies before transferring here to Ames), and at the World Food Prize Foundation. There is no doubt that the life, accomplishments and legacy of Carver deserve great and ongoing yearly celebration. He is very much a guiding spirit for our college, especially. In Curtiss Hall, there are multiple images of Carver that I see and feel inspired by every day. If your building doesn’t have such an image – maybe it's time to get one!
We had a terrific evening event last Thursday at the Memorial Union to celebrate Carver Day, with more than 200 people attending in-person. Add to that various group watches underway around the state, and we think there could have been that many online, as well. You can watch the recorded ceremony, and while it has some terrific speeches/remarks throughout, the performance by Paxton Williams, in costume as Carver himself, is absolutely extraordinary. I encourage you to at least watch that part. You’ll learn more about Carver than you ever knew, and the “true-to-life yarn” that Williams tells as Carver is completely entertaining! The recording of the entire event begins at minute 17:00, and Williams' performance begins at minute 32:30.
And for anyone interested in seeing a silent, live video of Carver himself from 1937, check out this remarkable footage.
Also check out University Museums' George Washington Carver exhibits on display now through the end of July.
Have a great week as we continue to do Carver’s work in CALS, as educators, scientists, extension professionals and facilitators of the access and service that Carver dedicated himself to. My best - Dan
Scenes from CALS
More than 200 people attended the George Washington Carver Day ceremony in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union on Feb. 1. Watch the recording of the ceremony, which starts at the 17:00 mark.
A view from the second floor looking down into the rotunda of the Hall of Laureates of the World Food Prize Foundation during the luncheon celebrating George Washington Carver Day in Iowa on Feb. 1. If you've never been to the Hall and toured the building and it's fantastic displays, you should! Find tour information here.
Last week, I met with alum Roger Stutsman. We reviewed his company's website together.
The opening of the new Pivot Bio facility in the ISU Research Park was celebrated last week with Governor Reynolds, Iowa State President Wintersteen, ISU Research Park President Rick Sanders, and Pivot Bio CEO Chris Abbott (pictured right to left). Pivot Bio's board chair is CALS alum and great supporter Roger Underwood.
Also last week, I visited the ISU CIRAS Digital Manufacturing Lab in the ISU Research Park along with Mike O'Donnell, CIRAS director (not pictured), ABE's Chad Dolphin, Saxon Ryan and Amy Kaleita, Chris Hill, CIRAS technology program director, and Associate Dean Jay Harmon. Amy is holding a wildland fire fighting tool digitally made in the lab for an Iowa company, and Chad is holding a 3D printed asparagus spear that looks absolutely edible!
