News Service

2008 could be the year of presidential history say ISU experts

Three Iowa State faculty experts say 2008 may be historically significant as the year that the country breaks down racial, gender or religious barriers in electing its president.

News release.

Iowa State engineers on The History Channel

The History Channel's "Monsterquest" series will feature an Iowa State engineering team on Wednesday, Jan. 9, at 9 p.m. Central. Cameras follow aerospace engineering students Hirofumi Igarashi, Jack Lin and Adam Roland as they test models of "flying rods" in an Iowa State wind tunnel. Hui Hu, an assistant professor of aerospace engineering, led the students' work in the lab. Tom Shih, professor and chair of aerospace engineering, was also interviewed for the show.

News release.

Iowa State University researchers collaborate in identification of new influenza subtype not previously found in pigs

Iowa State University researchers have helped identify and characterize a subtype of influenza in swine that hadn't been found in the species. The subtype, H2N3, is frequently found in birds. The finding was recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

News release.

Fraudsters beware: Iowa State engineer is developing cyber technology to find you

Yong Guan, Iowa State's Litton Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has filed a patent on a technology that protects Internet advertisers from "click fraud" -- falsely driving up hits to ads on Web pages. The extra clicks drive up costs for pay-per-click advertising. Guan is also developing other technologies to improve computer security.

News release.

University holiday

University offices will be closed for the holiday Tuesday, Jan. 1. Some university offices may be closed or have shortened hours through Jan. 1. Check individual office web sites for more information on holiday hours.

ISU psychologists explore public policy and effects of media violence on children

Three ISU psychologists have authored a new study that reviews the literature on children's exposure to media violence and assesses the lack of effective public policy response to curb the risks. They also recommend more effective public policy strategies in the future.

News release.

Hoovers pledge $1.5 million for new endowed chair

Gary and Donna Hoover of Scottsdale, Ariz., have pledged more than $1.5 million to create the first endowed chair in the department of mechanical engineering at Iowa State University.

News release.

An Iowa Stater talks about his life in space

Iowa State University President Gregory Geoffroy recently invited Clayton Anderson, an Iowa State graduate and NASA astronaut, to appear on the president's monthly radio show. Anderson told host Rob Dillard and "Talk of Iowa" listeners about his boyhood dreams to be an astronaut, his days studying engineering at Iowa State and the 16 times he applied to be an astronaut before making the corps. Hear the show by visiting the WOI Radio Group's audio archives and clicking on "Talk of Iowa - President Geoffroy and Astronaut Clayton Anderson - 12/12/07."

News release. | WOI archives.

War veteran graduates Saturday

Doug Greving is part of a new class of 21st century college graduates--war veterans. Greving served with the National Guard light infantry in Afghanistan for more than a year. He graduates Saturday from Iowa State with a bachelor's degree in agricultural studies.

News release.

Weather-related announcements

Iowa State is open today, Dec. 11. Officials will monitor conditions. Watch this space for weather-related announcements.

Astronaut on 'Talk of Iowa'

Clayton Anderson, who recently spent nearly five months aboard the International Space Station, will be the guest of Iowa State President Gregory Geoffroy during the "Talk of Iowa" call-in show on Iowa Public Radio from 11 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Dec. 12. The show will be broadcast statewide on WOI AM 640 and other IPR news stations.

News release.

Commencement ceremonies set for Dec. 14-15

Gov. Chet Culver will deliver the address at the undergraduate commencement ceremony, Saturday, Dec. 15, in Hilton Coliseum. Des Moines businessman John Pappajohn will receive an honorary degree. Graduate commencement is Friday, Dec. 14 in Stephens Auditorium.

News release.

Open forums for EOD candidates

The campus community is invited to meet two candidates for ISU's position of assistant director for equal opportunity and diversity during open forums next week. Forums will be held Dec. 10 for Inta Bingham, human resources director/risk manager for the city of Page, Ariz., and Dec. 14 for Francesca Galarraga, diversity program manager for Rockwell-Collins, Cedar Rapids. Both forums are 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in Catt Hall.

Weather-related announcements

• "Albert Paley and Christian Petersen" lecture, scheduled for Dec. 6 at the Petersen Art Museum, has been canceled.

Iowa State-ConocoPhillips alternative fuel project selected for $2 million award

The U.S. Department of Energy has selected an Iowa State University-ConocoPhillips research project for an award up to $2 million. The award will result in the design and construction of a biomass gasifier and gas cleanup system at Iowa State. The equipment will be used to analyze and improve a process for converting biomass into synthetic diesel fuel.

News release.

Iowa State engineer develops laser technologies to analyze combustion, biofuels

Terry Meyer, an Iowa State University assistant professor of mechanical engineering, is using laser technology to develop advanced sensors capable of analyzing the combustion inside engines, power generators and heating systems. He'll use the sensors to study -- and potentially improve -- the combustion of alternative fuels.

News release.

Clinton, Romney top choices among likely Iowa caucus goers in new ISU poll

A new Iowa State University Poll of 1,416 registered Iowa voters finds Hillary Clinton leading among likely Democratic caucus attendees, while Mitt Romney has a slim lead over Mike Huckabee among Republican caucus-goers.

News release.

Weather-related announcements

• Iowa State's football banquet scheduled for Saturday (Dec. 1) afternoon at the Gateway Hotel has been postponed due to inclement weather. The event will be rescheduled soon.
• The Des Moines airport was shut down Saturday morning for removal of a jet that slid off the runway. Officials hope to reopen the airport between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.