What's Happening in CoSE

Students in the Volcanic History of Idaho and Artistic Interpretation class pose for a photo.

Eruptive Art: IMNH to Display ISU Student Works Highlighting Idaho’s Volcanic History

The story of the Gem State’s rich volcanic past told through the art of Idaho State University students is on display at the Idaho Museum of Natural History.

Idaho State University Hosts 2026 Eastern Idaho Science Olympiad

Local students tested their STEM mettle on the campus of Idaho State University.

The ISU Department of Physics recently hosted the Eastern Idaho Science Olympiad in Pocatello. Teams from five middle schools in Pocatello and Chubbuck competed in the day-long competition that tested their knowledge and experimental skills in events featuring Rube Goldberg machines, hovercrafts, crime scene analysis, and more.

A team from Franklin Middle School poses for a photo after winning the 2026 Eastern Idaho Science Olympiad.

Reminder: Summer Hours to Start May 11

Idaho State University will continue our longstanding tradition of summer hours for employees. The University’s administrative office hours will shift to Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a 30-minute lunch break, beginning on Monday, May 11. Summer hours apply to telework and on-campus working arrangements. Standard office hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break, will resume on Monday, August 11.

REMINDERS:

Benefits Open Enrollment Underway

The benefits open enrollment period for benefit-eligible faculty and staff began Monday, April 27, and will go through 3 p.m., Friday, May 15. Benefits changes made during this open enrollment period are effective for the Fiscal Year 2027 benefits plan year (July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027).

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.

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, May 21.

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.

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!

Bengal Bio Open House Planned for May 23

Now’s your chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the research happening in Idaho State University’s Department of Biological Sciences.

On Saturday, May 23, from noon to 4 p.m. in the Gale Life Science Building, 660 Memorial Drive, ISU faculty and students will host the Bengal Bio Open House. Open to the public and all ages, the event will showcase the labs and work being done by faculty and students. There will also be hands-on activities, presentations by student clubs, financial aid information, and more.

While registration is not required, attendees who register by May 18 will receive a welcome gift.

If you have any questions about the Bengal Bio Open House, contact Kasey Wozniak at woznkase@isu.edu.

CLIE Seeks Proposals for Fall 2026 Workshops

The Center for Learning and Instructional Excellence is seeking proposals from all faculty, clinical faculty, and adjunct faculty interested in sharing their interests, expertise, and teaching insights through our upcoming programs.

Faculty Lecture Series ($200 stipend) - “One Thing Everyone Should Know About…” Share a big idea, theory, book, or finding from your discipline or research that everyone should know. Target audience: faculty, staff, students, and community members.
Master Teacher Series ($200 stipend) - Present an innovative or effective teaching strategy others can adapt for their own courses. Target audience: faculty and graduate teaching assistants.
Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs, $600 stipend) - Lead a semester-long discussion group focused on a shared teaching and learning theme - such as student engagement, technology, or a book club.

All Faculty Lecture Series and Master Teacher Series presentations are scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. and will be hosted in Rendezvous 129. Faculty Learning Communities schedule meetings based on the group’s availability.

The deadline for submissions is June 1.

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

ISU Launches the New Illumina MiSeq i100 Sequencer

Idaho State University is thrilled to announce the arrival of the Illumina MiSeq i100 Plus DNA sequencer, bringing unprecedented speed and simplicity to ISU’s Molecular Research Core Facility. This new benchtop sequencing platform represents a major leap forward for genomics, allowing researchers to accelerate their discoveries and perform deeper sequencing faster than ever before.

Tuition Rates to Increase in Fall 2026

The Idaho State Board of Education has approved a $425 tuition increase for resident undergraduate students at Idaho State University, University of Idaho and Boise State University beginning in Fall 2026.

The Board adopted a set dollar increase, rather than a percentage-based adjustment, to provide greater predictability for students and families.

ISU Featured In New Book, Jolted, By Anthony Klotz

Anthony Klotz had put forth a seemingly simple question to his audience on Idaho State University’s Pocatello campus.

The question was: If you won enough money that you could live comfortably without ever having to work again, would you keep working?

Dates to Remember

May 8	Spring 2026 classes end
May 9	Commencement - Pocatello (May & August 2026 graduates)
May 11	Commencement - Meridian (May & August 2026 graduates)
May 12	Late 8-week and full semester course grading closes at 4:00 pm
May 18	Classes begin for Early-4, Early-6, Early-8 and Full term
May 25	Memorial Day holiday (Monday - no classes)
June 1	Early-4 final grading opens
June 15	Early-6 final grading opens
June 15	Middle-4 and Late-8 courses start
June 16	Early-4 final grading closes at 4:00 pm
June 19	Juneteenth Holiday (Friday – no classes)
June 29	Early-8 and Middle-4 final grading opens
June 29	Late-6 courses start
June 30	Early-6 final grading closes at 4:00pm

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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