Student Announcements
Gilbert selected as faculty director for University Honors Program
Stephen Gilbert, professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, has been appointed faculty director of the University Honors Program, a three-year, 75% appointment. Gilbert, who also serves as associate director of the VRAC Research Center and directs the Human Computer Interaction graduate program, will direct Iowa State's undergraduate research program, help develop the Honors curriculum, foster partnerships with colleges and departments, mentor students and chair the University Honors Committee.
New website launches for 2022-31 strategic plan
A new website has launched for Iowa State's 2022-2031 Strategic Plan. The site reflects a revision of the plan approved earlier this year by the Iowa Board of Regents. Visitors to the site can download a PDF of the plan, read progress stories and review summaries of university investments made to date to advance strategic initiatives.
Hyland Avenue closing Monday for city project
Hyland Avenue, from Ontario Street to just north of the Unitarian Universalist worship center (1015 Hyland Ave.), will close on Monday, May 19, for the first of a four-phase city of Ames street reconstruction project. Sidewalks and bike lanes also will be closed.
Phase I is anticipated to take five to seven weeks, weather permitting. For motorists, the recommended detour is Grand Avenue between13th Street and Lincoln Way. Bicycle and pedestrian traffic should detour to North Dakota Avenue or consider other streets to avoid the construction.
The full project, anticipated for completion by fall, will include pavement removal and replacement on Hyland from Ontario Street to Pammel Drive, and patching on select locations between Pammel Drive and Lincoln Way. Existing bike lanes in the Hyland roadway between Ontario and Oakland streets will be relocated to a new shared-use path along the west side of Hyland.
May innovation lunch club features bioscience platform leaders
Rescheduled from April, the May edition of the Innovation Impact Lunch Club will feature the three chief technology officers assigned to Iowa State's three state-funded bioscience platforms: biobased products (Kevin Moore), digital and precision agriculture (Nadilia Gomez), and vaccines, diagnostics and immunotherapeutics (Mike Roof). It will meet on Friday, May 23 (11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m., training room, ISU Economic Development Core Facility, ISU Research Park). Learn more about each platform and its impact, and how the officers work with researchers and industry. The free series is hosted by ISU's office of economic development and industry relations especially for its faculty and staff partners, but open to all. RSVP to mndooley@iastate.edu.
Ticket packages on sale now for next year's Stephens series
The Iowa State Center released the 2025-26 Performing Arts Season at Stephens Auditorium this week. The 13 performances include comedy musicals, acrobatics, several holiday shows and tribute concerts. Subscriptions (tickets to three or four performances with discounts of 15% to 20% on the package) are on sale now. 2024-25 subscribers who renew by June 13 keep their seating priority. Single-event tickets begin to go on sale to the public Aug. 5.
Cyclone 'Tailgate Tour' is May 19-23
The athletics department's annual Tailgate Tour will stop at 10 Iowa cities in five days, May 19-23. These family-friendly events give fans the unique opportunity to meet and hear updates from Iowa State head coaches and director of athletics Jamie Pollard. While tour event lineups may vary, in addition to Pollard, this spring's tour will feature football coach Matt Campbell, men's basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger, women's basketball coach Bill Fennelly, volleyball coach Christy Johnson-Lynch, wrestling coach Kevin Dresser and "Voice of the Cyclones" John Walters. Cy and members of the spirit squad also will attend.
Traffic changes at University Boulevard/Sixth Street begin May 19
A university project to reconstruct the intersection of University Boulevard and Sixth Street (adjacent to the CyRide facility), including sidewalks, and replace the traffic signals is scheduled to begin Monday, May 19, and continue into the first week of August. The work will be done in phases, first the northbound lanes, followed by the southbound lanes (estimated to begin around June 19). Single-lane traffic in both directions will be maintained throughout the project. Access between Sixth Street and University Boulevard will be closed during the first phase, and access between the east CyRide driveway and University Boulevard will be closed during the second phase.
Shared walking and cycling paths in the vicinity of the road project, including the sycamore path north of the Lied recreation center, will close during the project, and pedestrians and bicyclists will have two detour options:
- South from Sixth Street on Brookridge Drive/North Hazel Avenue to Lincoln Way, and west on Lincoln Way to campus.
- West past the Brookside Park baseball fields and ISU Transportation Services to the pedestrian railroad underpass near the horse barns/Wallace Road.
Corpse plant's infrequent bloom is likely in mid-May
Stink plant
The Reiman Gardens staff awaits the blooming of its corpse plant (Amorphophallus titanum), irreverently named "Stink Floyd," which promises an unforgettable sensory experience when it blooms every seven to 10 years. The corpse plant is one of the world's largest and most unusual flowering structures, growing up to 10 feet tall. When it does bloom, it emits a powerful odor reminiscent of rotting flesh -- an evolutionary strategy to attract pollinators like carrion beetles and flesh flies. The bloom and stink last for 24-48 hours. The bloom is expected between May 10 and May 14, but because of the plant's unpredictability, guests are encouraged to follow Reiman Gardens on social media for live updates. The gardens will offer extended hours (7 a.m.-11 p.m.) during the peak stink/bloom, and guests can see the plant with the price of daily admission.
"This bloom is nature's rock concert,” said director of Reiman Gardens Christine Prescott. "It's loud in scent, rare in appearance and draws a crowd."
End-of-semester Art Mart is May 13-16 at the MU
The Workspace and Gaffers' Guild will co-host an Art Mart pop-up shop May 13-16 in the Memorial Union's first floor art gallery. Purchase blown glass pieces, pottery, jewelry, accessories, prints and more. Hours are: 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Friday.
Demo Day set for Startup Factory's newest class
The ISU Startup Factory 18-week incubator program will hold Demo Day for the program's 17th cohort on Tuesday, May 20 (5:30 p.m., networking reception follows their presentations until 8 p.m., atrium, ISU Research Park Core Facility). All Startup Factory alumni, founders, mentors and startup community supporters are welcome; RSVPs are requested.
SHOP food pantry seeks volunteers for May-August
Faculty and staff volunteers are needed to help keep the SHOP food pantry open during prep week, finals week and summer break. SHOP, which serves our student community out of 1306 Beyer, would like to maintain its service hours on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. A new volunteer sign-up schedule has been created for May-August.