Iowa State University Research

09/02/2026

How can research help create cleaner waterways across Iowa?

A new Iowa State University initiative will soon give visitors a firsthand look at conservation practices that reduce nutrient runoff and improve water quality. Supported by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the new Watershed Innovation Farm will bring together practices such as wetlands, bioreactors, saturated buffers, and sustainable woodland management at a demonstration site near Ames.

The project will serve as a hub for education, outreach, research, and workforce development, helping farmers, students, educators, and conservation leaders learn about practical, science-based solutions for protecting water resources.

Read more about how Iowa State researchers are advancing innovative approaches to watershed management: https://go.iastate.edu/ZVK4D4

08/10/2026

Iowa State researchers have linked primary cilia, tiny cellular "antennas," to temperature-dependent s*x determination for the first time. The discovery could have implications beyond turtles, including human health.

https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/antenna-cell-appendage-linked-turtles-s*x-deciding-warmth-sensing

07/30/2026

Every researcher starts somewhere.

For the 100+ students that took part in today's Summer Undergraduate Research Showcase at Iowa State, this may be one of their first opportunities to share their work with a broader audience.

While "research" often brings to mind a lab, or field, or studio, that's only part of the process.

Yes, research is studying something deeply...but it ends with communicating what you've found with others.

Congrats to all who presented their work!

07/29/2026

What do rocket trajectories, long walks on Ames trails, and autonomous drones have in common?

They're all part of Shana Moothedath's research journey.

An Iowa State engineering professor, Moothedath creates algorithms that help autonomous systems learn, adapt, and make decisions together in real time. From research with India's space agency to leading a robotics lab in Ames, her work is helping shape the future of artificial intelligence and autonomous technology.

Learn more about the researcher behind the innovation: https://research.iastate.edu/faces-of-discovery/shana-moothedath/

07/16/2026

Research at Iowa State University is helping solve challenges that matter to Iowa families, farmers, businesses, and communities.

This year, Iowa State researchers secured funding for projects that are:

-Advancing the next generation of agricultural technologies with industry partners like John Deere
-Improving understanding of women's brain health and aging
-Using artificial intelligence to accelerate innovations in energy, manufacturing, health care, and water quality

These investments support Iowa jobs, train future workforce leaders, strengthen partnerships with Iowa industries, and generate discoveries that benefit communities across the state.

Even in a changing national funding environment, Iowa State researchers continue to develop solutions that improve lives and strengthen Iowa's economy.
Learn more: https://research.iastate.edu/2026/07/16/iowa-state-receives-254-6-million-in-external-research-funding-in-fy2026/

For the fiscal year that closed June 30, 2026, Iowa State University saw a noticeable shift in its research funding as the federal funding landscape continued to evolve over the past 12 months. After attracting more than $300 million in external sponsored research funds each of the past three fiscal

07/15/2026

Hear Iowa State Vice President for Research Peter Dorhout explain how the RuralSTAMINA initiative will strengthen rural communities, create new economic opportunities, and advance biomanufacturing innovation across Iowa and Nebraska.

https://youtu.be/03FKtnxJkLo?si=k6zrI_fhgFAowKWG

Discover how RuralSTAMINA is advancing biomanufacturing across Iowa...

07/15/2026

We believe the future of U.S. biomanufacturing should be built where the feedstocks are grown, right here in the rural Midwest.

That's the vision behind the NSF RuralSTAMINA Biomanufacturing Engine, a major new initiative led by Iowa State and selected as one of 12 new National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines.

The effort aims to create jobs, support entrepreneurs, and strengthen rural communities while advancing innovation in biomanufacturing across Iowa and Nebraska.

https://research.iastate.edu/2026/07/14/initiative-to-strengthen-rural-communities-through-biomanufacturing-receives-15-million-in-federal-funding/

01/13/2026

01/12/2026

Why do we treat non-human things as if they’re human?

That question led Lingyao “Ivy” Yuan to study how people interact with digital humans and AI — and why those interactions matter in our everyday lives.

Watch the video, then read her Faces of Discovery story 👇
https://research.iastate.edu/faces-of-discovery/lingyao-ivy-yuan/

12/29/2025

Bird flu can infect mammary glands, ISU researchers find ⬇️ Click the link in comments to read more