Message from the Dean - March 2, 2026

March 2, 2026

Hello, CALS,

This week’s CALS Online newsletter features your colleagues who will be honored next Monday, March 9, at 4:10 p.m. at the annual CALS Faculty and Staff Awards ceremony in 127 Curtiss Hall! Please turn out for that, help applaud your colleagues, and enjoy some very excellent CALS spirit.

Later today (March 2) in Beardshear Hall is a welcome reception for Iowa State's new President David Cook. Stop by the come-and-go event on the ground floor of Beardshear from 3-5 p.m., and welcome him back to his alma mater!

Very best for a great week. - Dan

Scenes from CALS

Group of people gathered inside an office in front of storage cabinets.
CALS representatives who traveled to Washington, D.C., last week for the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET) meetings met with Senator Grassley, center, in his office in the Hart Senate Office Building to discuss federal support through USDA REE NIFA for Land-Grant Universities, especially Hatch, Smith-Lever and McIntire-Stennis funding. Pictured, left to right: Danny Singh, CALS associate dean for research and discovery; Dean Robison; Kevin Ross, CARET rep; Senator Grassley; Chris Cornelius, CARET rep; Katie Stutsman, CARET rep; Jason Henderson, vice president for extension and outreach; Lucas Heitkamp, Iowa State government relations specialist.
Group of people gathered inside a building.
At the college/Extension D.C. reception last week, we were thrilled to have a leadership team from the ISU Student Government visit, including left to right: back row - Will Vlasek, vice president of the student body, senior in agricultural systems technology; Colby Brandt, president of the student body, senior in agricultural and rural policy studies; front row - Emily Meyer, director of governmental affairs, senior in agricultural and rural policy studies; Molly Freese, co-director of events, junior in agricultural communication and event management; Lainey Brandt, co-director of events, senior in agricultural communication. The students were in D.C. to attend, and this year as the lead university organizer, for the Big 12 on the Hill Conference.