IMNH, ISU Researchers Upend Understanding of Turtle Origins | | Thanks to researchers at the Idaho Museum of Natural History, Idaho State University, and their colleagues around the globe, we’ve got the answer to a question perplexing paleontologists for years: What exactly is a turtle? | | |
Geosciences faculty Ryan Anderson, Kendra Murray, Kurt Sundell, Shannon Nawotniak, and grad student Caden Anderson spent a couple of days near Salmon looking for rare-earth elements in a critical minerals deposit with Rob Morgan and Becky Goddard from Idaho Strategic Resources.
Samples collected during the visit will be analyzed by students in the brand-new Critical Minerals Exploration course this fall, and the class will also visit the same field site to do some mapping.
See more photos >>
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Congrats, Logan McDougall, senior communications lead, on earning three Idaho Press Club Awards!
Logan earned first place in the news release category and a pair of second place finishes in the feature writing and newsletter categories. Idaho State University students, faculty, and staff took home a total of 18 honors at the group’s annual banquet in Boise.
Click here for the full list of winners from ISU >>
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Held in Idaho Falls, the event brings together stakeholders from the U.S. Department of Energy, industry, and others for presentations by project teams on their work and future plans. Dan LaBrier, associate professor of nuclear engineering and ISU’s project lead for the ART Facility, and Lorin Young, vice president of operations for NuCube Energy, presented on how the ART Facility will provide opportunities for students and workforce development as well as demonstrate new technologies related to advanced reactors.
Also in May, Chad Pope, professor and chair of the nuclear engineering department, was one of the featured speakers at the NRIC’s Industry Day. Held online via Teams, his session highlighted reactor development and industry opportunities available at ISU for companies looking to engage with the Nuclear Energy Launch Pad.
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Kudos, Minhaz Zibran!
Minhaz, a professor in the computer science department, was a runner-up for the Spring 2026 CPI Supervisor of the Semester award.
Operating in its 15th year, the CPI program provides approximately 800 paid internship opportunities annually to ISU students and has provided 12,000+ individual internships in that time. CPI internships provide career-related experiences to help students confirm their academic pursuits, gain valuable work experience, and prepare them for life after graduation.
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Great work, Mikel!
Mikel, manager of information technology and innovation, was one of May's Be a Bengal Nominees for exemplifying Integrity and Community. This is the second Be a Bengal nomination for Mikel in 2026.
Since 2019, the 'Be a Bengal' program has celebrated employees who embody ISU's six core values: Teamwork, Integrity, Inclusivity, Community, Learning, and Shared Responsibility. In 2025, the program expanded to recognize contributions in any or all of these values, reinforcing their importance in our Strategic Plan.
Click here for the full list of May Be A Bengal nominees >>
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Faculty Invited to Take Biomedical Research Survey
The Office for Research invites faculty conducting biomedical/health research or interested in conducting such research to participate in a brief online survey to assess the biomedical research environment at ISU.
This project is led by Kristin Van De Griend and Michele Brumley. The objective of Biomedical Research Investing in Growth and ISU Talent (BRING-IT) is to develop an institution-wide, data-informed action plan that will guide improvements in biomedical research capacity at ISU.
This survey will take approximately 20 minutes or less.
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RSVP for the CoSE Back to School BBQ
Please let us know if you can join us for a fun summer barbecue on Thursday, Aug 20, at 4:30 p.m. at Centennial Park, South Grant Avenue and Idaho Street.
This is a family-friendly event with kids' activities, outdoor games and great food!
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Faculty Drop-in Hours with Dean Widmann
Dean Widmann invites faculty to a drop-in hour on the third Thursday of each month, from 1 to 2 p.m., in Room 121 of the Physical Science Complex. The next will be held on Thursday, June 18.
This optional opportunity gives faculty a chance to chat with the Dean about projects, ask questions, share successes, and provide input regarding the future of the College.
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The College of Science and Engineering Dean's Excellence Fund is intended to support students in their journey through ISU. The Dean's Office is particularly interested in providing financial assistance to students who might not be able to enroll in or complete the semester because of short-term financial hardships. Students seeking such support should be in good academic standing.
If you know of a student who is in need of short-term support, please have them complete this form.
| | Finance and University Planning Leadership Update | |
Jen Steele will conclude her service as Vice President for Finance and University Planning on July 1 as she moves on to Oregon State University to serve as Deputy Chief Financial Officer. We are extremely grateful for Jen’s leadership, commitment, and the many contributions she has made to ISU during her tenure. Her work has helped position the university for continued progress and long-term success.
Fred Parrish, who is currently serving as the Chief Budget and Planning Officer, will serve as Interim Vice President for Finance and University Planning to include all finance functions and Institutional Research.
Read More >>
| | Jody Finnegan Retires After 31 Years at ISU | |
After more than three decades of dedicated service to Idaho State University, Jody Finnegan is retiring with a legacy of leadership, student advocacy, and contributing to institutional excellence. A proud graduate of ISU, Jody earned her Bachelor of Arts in History in 1995 and immediately began a career devoted to supporting student success. Throughout her 30+ year tenure at ISU, she held a variety of increasingly responsible positions across campus.
Read More >>
| | Idaho State Women's Basketball Individual Skills Camp Set for June 22-25 | |
Idaho State Women's Basketball is hosting its annual Individual Skills Camp from June 22 to 25 at Reed Gym.
This camp is designed for boys and girls entering grades 2 through 11 who are looking to improve their basketball fundamentals in a positive, energetic, and competitive environment. Participants will receive instruction from Idaho State Women's Basketball coaches and student-athletes while developing essential skills including ball handling, shooting, passing, footwork, defense, and overall basketball IQ.
Read More >>
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Help Us Share Your Accomplishments!
Our College’s outstanding faculty, staff, and students achieve many notable research and professional accomplishments. In addition, our departments regularly have newsworthy advancements. We want to make sure those stories are shared publicly. Here are a few ways you can provide a news tip to help get the word out:
Use this Story Submission Form to send your news tip to the Office of Marketing and Communications.
Send an email to Logan McDougall (loganmcdougall@isu.edu) with a brief description of the news to be shared.
You are always welcome to create a draft story, submit it via the Story Submission Form, or send it to Logan. The Office of Marketing and Communications and Logan will coordinate to get the story finalized and distributed to the media outlets/platforms that best tell the story.
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