What's Happening in CoSE

Brandy Smith poses for a photo holding a green sucker near the Snake River

Mistaken Identity: Researchers Develop New Methods to Identify Suckers in the Intermountain West

To most anglers, a ‘sucker’ is the last fish they want to see on the end of their line. But to the scientists who study these bottom-dwelling fish for their research, knowing exactly which species of sucker they’ve netted offers a window into the health of the ecosystem these animals occupy. Now, two Idaho State University professors and their students have developed a new process to precisely identify the species that call southeast Idaho and some of the surrounding areas home.

Meet Rowlf.

Rowlf is the latest bacteriophage to be discovered by students in the Bacteriophage Discovery and Genomics Lab, and their work was just published in Microbiology Resource Announcements, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

Click here for the full list of student and faculty authors on the publication

Proposals for 2026-27 Catalog Changes Sought

The Undergraduate Curriculum Council is currently accepting proposals for catalog changes for the 2026-27 academic year. All proposals are due by October 20. Those requiring State Board of Education approval must be submitted by September 5, 2025.

If you have any questions about the proposal process, email CoSE's UCC representatives, Randa Kress and Sherry Adams.

Only complete proposals, with all impact responses entered and concerns resolved, will be accepted and processed for UCC's consideration.

Human Resources to Host EPAF Training

Human Resources will be hosting a training on completing Electronic Personnel Action Forms (EPAFs) on Friday, August 8, at 10 a.m. via Zoom.

EPAFs are used to create or update employee records. EPAFs allow for quick processing to support HR actions such as creating positions, process terminations, changing labor distributions, updating TORGS (time approval queues), etc. for non-benefited positions, and currently some EPAFs can be used for benefited positions. If you are interested in attending the training, email epaf@isu.edu.

CMI Annual Meeting Scheduled for August 26-28 in Idaho Falls

The Critical Materials Innovation Hub will host the 2025 CMI Annual Meeting from Tuesday, August 26, to Thursday, August 28, at the INL Meeting Center in Idaho Falls. The meeting will include plenary talks, poster sessions, and technical discussions. The Office for Research will cover the registration fees for faculty. If you are interested in attending, please contact Mustafa Masha l.

Save the Date: INL Workshop Scheduled for October 27

Idaho National Laboratory will host a full-day workshop on Idaho State University's Pocatello campus on Monday, October 27.

INL representatives will discuss topics related to the recently signed ISU-INL SUPER Agreement, as well as other areas of collaboration and ongoing projects, including workforce development and training. Sessions will also highlight opportunities for students and faculty to engage with INL on research and academic initiatives.

This is an in-person event only and no remote attendance option will be available. Faculty and researchers based outside of Pocatello who are interested in attending may contact the Office for Research for potential travel assistance.

A detailed schedule will be released closer to the workshop. All faculty, students, staff, and managers are encouraged to attend.

If you have questions about the event, please contact Mustafa Mashal or Amy Wuest in the Office for Research.

Dean's Excellence Fund Accepting Requests from Students

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.

CoSE Chairs and Directors Meeting Minutes

From Around ISU

Save the Date: First Bengal Street Party Sept 19

Mark your calendars for Friday, September 19, and join us for a brand-new campus tradition — the Bengal Street Party! This high-energy event is the grand finale of ISU Celebration Week and we’re going out in style with an unforgettable community-wide celebration from 4 to 7 p.m. Campus units are encouraged to join the celebration by hosting a booth. Please begin thinking about how you can get involved through interactive experiences, engaging displays, entertainment, or fun giveaways This is a great opportunity to showcase what your department has to offer in an engaging way. An official registration form will be available in early August.

2025-2026 Parking Permits Now Available

Parking permits are now available for purchase for the upcoming school year. Faculty and staff permits purchased online in Pocatello will be sent to campus boxes until September 1. After that time, permits will be available for pick up at your parking office. For questions please call (208) 282-2625 or email parking@isu.edu.

School of Performing Arts Announces Inspiring 2025–26 Season

The Idaho State University School of Performing Arts proudly announces its 2025–26 season, a dynamic year of music and theatre that reflects the vibrancy and creativity of our students, faculty, and regional community. Featuring a mix of beloved classics, bold new works, and milestone festivals, the season offers something for every arts lover.

“The School of Performing Arts continues to be a cornerstone of cultural vitality at Idaho State University and in our region,” said Kandi Turley-Ames, Dean of the College of Arts and Letters. “The 2025–26 season reflects the depth, diversity, and talent of our students and faculty, and we are proud to support programming that both challenges and inspires.”

Dates to Remember

August 8	Summer 2025 classes end
August 12	Full term, Late-8, Late-6 and Late-4 final grading closes at 4:00pm
August 25	Fall classes begin
September 1	Labor Day Holiday (no classes)
October 6	Early 8-week course grading opens
October 13	Mid-term week
October 20	Late 8-week courses begin
October 21	Early 8-week course grading closes at 5:00 pm

Upcoming Events in the College of Science and Engineering

For a complete list of CoSE events, check out the College Event Calendar. Updates can also be found on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Bluesky, and Instagram. To add events to the calendar, please contact the Administrative Assistants in your department. The university-wide calendar of events is available here.

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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