Achievement That's Pandemic-Proof
Last week Iowa State University’s spring semester came to a close with a first — a virtual commencement celebrating nearly 5,100 graduates.
Despite the incredible set of challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic, the spring-semester achievements of our faculty, staff and students demonstrate Iowa State’s commitment to serve through innovation and excellence.
Here are selected outstanding achievements from the first five months of 2020:
Power Rankings.
Iowa State’s graduate program in agricultural and biosystems engineering has the nation’s
No. 1 ranking
. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is ranked in the
top 4 percent worldwide
for agricultural programs, and No. 6 in the U.S. The College of Veterinary Medicine is ranked in
the top 10
in the U.S. and No. 24 in the world. The MBA program in the Ivy College of Business is ranked in the
top 11%
in the nation.
Great Minds.
For 240 years, election to the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
has been a prestigious moment for bright minds like Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Margaret Mead and Martin Luther King, Jr. Add to that list Paul Canfield, distinguished professor of physics and astronomy and Ames Laboratory senior scientist, who designs and discovers new materials and properties. That's Canfield at work in the photo above.
Toward a More Diverse Workforce.
The National Academy of Engineering named Iowa State
a top institution
for diversifying engineering education. The Ivy College of Business MBA program
is making history
with gender balance.
Our Truman Scholar.
An Iowa State senior was one of 62 students nationwide named a 2020
Truman Scholar
, the premier graduate fellowship for those pursuing careers in public service.
Our Udall Scholar.
A biology and environmental studies student was one of 55 in the nation selected as a
Udall Scholar
, recognizing leadership, public service and commitment to issues impacting the environment or Native American nations.
Our Goldwater Scholars.
Three Iowa State students were named 2020
Goldwater Scholars
, the premier undergraduate scholarship in math, natural sciences and engineering.
Our First-Ever Boren Fellow.
Our first-ever
Boren Fellow
is a student who’ll combine cybersecurity, machine learning and the Russian language into his studies in Estonia.
Iowa’s First Stanford Knight-Hennessy Scholar.
An ISU student is the state of Iowa’s first-ever
Stanford Knight-Hennessy Scholar
— one of 76 selected from more than 6,000 applicants. These scholars represent future global leaders ready to address the world’s complex challenges.
Our First-Ever Carnegie Fellow
. A political science professor was named a
2020 Andrew Carnegie Fellow
, one of only 27 selected nationwide and the first at Iowa State. The honor recognizes high-caliber research in humanities and social sciences that addresses important societal issues.
STEM Stars.
Four engineering students demonstrated their potential for significant research contributions to STEM fields as recipients of the National Science Foundation’s prestigious
Graduate Research Fellowship
.
Faculty Stars Shine.
Two physics professors are members of the first class of Fellows named by the
American Astronomical Society
, recognizing innovative research and outreach.
On the Case 5 More Years.
Iowa State’s Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence earned a
5-year renewal
by the National Institute of Standards and Technology to continue its work applying statistics to develop new tools to validate forensic evidence and techniques.
National Advisers.
A veterinary medicine professor was appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, the second ISU faculty member named to the council.
Layers of Excellence.
ISU’s new Robert T. Hamilton Poultry Teaching and Research Farm is up and running after its
dedication
in March.
Sunshine Power.
Iowa State developed a
next-generation solar cell
using materials that could be an important step toward commercial production of low-cost, efficient, lightweight and flexible solar cells.
Art in the Parks.
A
traveling art exhibition
commemorating this year’s centennial of Iowa’s state parks features the work of 20 ISU faculty, graduate students and extension specialists.
The list continues to grow as Iowa State continues to serve — working to make our state and our world a better place.
