Inside Iowa State for faculty and staff
Nov. 30, 2023
Inside news
As part of the phased implementation of Workday Student and Receivables, thousands of transaction scenarios, featuring hundreds of simulated student personas, are being tested this winter in preparation for rollout No. 3 this spring.

Following 20 months in an interim leadership post in the Graduate College, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering Michelle Soupir has been appointed associate dean for operations, effective Jan. 1.

A small army of volunteers work throughout November to decorate Reiman Gardens' grounds for its holiday light show. Additional help ensures every Thursday through Saturday evening in December is a success. Members of the horticulture department work with Reiman Gardens staff to plan and execute the holiday design.

A reminder of where to park until your lot is clear of snow, how to navigate safely across campus and where to find sand/salt if your building steps are getting slippery.
Announcements
The following announcements were added this week:
  • Catt Center announces honorees in its 2024 'Impact' calendar
  • Employee volunteers needed for SHOP during final exams, winter break
  • Cyclones host Hawkeyes three times next week
  • Hand-blown glass ornaments offered at Dec. 1 sale
  • Maker Market is Dec. 7 at Innovate 1858 store
  • Latest WorkCyte awareness survey is open through Dec. 11
  • Ten classrooms reserved for evening study during prep week
  • Register for Project LEA/RN workshop in January
  • Registration is open for ISU's February health, wellbeing symposium
  • Contemporary Issues in Accounting conference is Dec. 15 
  • Tickets on sale for Nutcracker Ballet at Stephens Auditorium
Around campus
Adjunct assistant professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology Corinna Most offers students opportunities for immersive animal behavior research. Students selected for the program are paid to study olive baboons for eight weeks in Kenya, getting hands-on, high-value experience that's difficult to acquire.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, whose 2021 ISU degree is in communication studies, visited class several weeks ago during a trip to Ames. Purdy talked about how his major has served him in the National Football League and answered students' questions for 45 minutes.

The interdepartmental approach to Iowa State's newest degree program, biomedical engineering, widens the scope of the program and presents all kinds of opportunities for students -- in veterinary medicine, biosensors, nanovaccines, computational fluid dynamics or virtual reality, to name a few.

ISU researchers found people are more likely to volunteer for festivals and support rural community development if they have a strong sense of psychological ownership. They view the event as personally important and relevant, feel needed and find social connection with other volunteers and attendees.
Retirements
This week
  • Gary Van Loon, building structural services, facilities planning and management, Nov. 30 (1-3 p.m., shop breakroom, 168 General Services Building)
  • William Jenks, chemistry, Nov. 30 (2-4 p.m., Thiel north atrium, Hach Hall)
  • John Wagner, academic advising, mechanical engineering, Nov. 30 (2:30-4:30 p.m., 2004 Black Engineering)
  • Diane Maxwell, Team Sycamore, finance service delivery, Dec. 1 (no public event)
  • Nancy Sizemore, campus services, facilities planning and management, Dec. 1 (no public event)
  • Julia Sullivan, student financial aid, Dec. 1 (no public event)

Next week
  • Jeff Ames, Diane Bugeja and Jay Newell, Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication, Dec. 8 (4:30-6 p.m., Cardinal Room, MU), RSVP requested by Dec. 4 (share stories, photos in the form)

Upcoming
  • Mike Stahr, Seed Science Center, Dec. 20 (2-4 p.m., Seed Science Center)
  • Sue Reimers, student counseling services, Dec. 29 (no public event)
  • Vince Dahl, facilities services, Ames National Laboratory, Jan. 2, 2024 (no public event)
  • Henrietta "Dutch" Elliott, facilities services, Ames National Laboratory, Jan. 3 (no public event)

Employees, their colleagues or supervisors are invited to submit retirements and departures to inside@iastate.edu. Inside doesn't receive this information from a central source.
Arts and events
The university community is invited to take a break from academics to enjoy many indoor and outdoor activities at the annual WinterFest Friday, Dec. 1 (Memorial Union and central campus). Most events are free; all are family-friendly.

Each fall, theater directing students (in Theatre 455) choose, cast and bring to life an array of ten-minute plays. Their festival of plays will be presented Friday-Saturday, Dec. 1-2 (7:30 p.m., Fisher Theater). Admission is free; some plays contain adult language or content.

It's a weekend for holiday concerts
Stephens Auditorium is the site this weekend for several holiday music events:
  • Ames TubaChristmas, Dec. 2 (3 p.m., doors open at 2:30 p.m.), free, general admission seating
  • ISU Holiday Concert, Dec. 3 (3 p.m.), featuring the ISU Symphony Orchestra, Iowa State Singers, Iowa Statesmen, and Cantamus and Lyrica choirs, tickets $10 (youth, ISU students and seniors, $5) 
  • ISU Concert Bands Holiday Concert, Dec. 3 (7 p.m.), featuring the ISU Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band and Concert Band, tickets $10 (youth, ISU students and seniors, $5)

Cyclone Cinema concludes for the semester with four showings of this summer's "Oppenheimer" film Thursday-Sunday (7 p.m., 101 Carver). Admission is free; the Sunday show includes captioning.
Learning opportunities
Provost office programming
  • Workshop and networking reception, "Advancing Your Term Career," overview of the advancement process, best practices for assembling a portfolio, opportunities for faculty to engage as their careers develop, with assistant provost for faculty success Tera Jordan, Dec. 7 (9:30-11 a.m., 3560 Memorial Union), register

Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) programming
  • Workshop, ISU Annual Student-Centered Learning AY23-24, "Embedding Our Students' Well-Being in Learning Environments," sessions for those who missed their department session, register
  • Dec. 1 (11 a.m., via Zoom)
  • Dec. 5 (3 p.m., via Zoom)
  • Dec. 6 (8 a.m., via Zoom)
  • Consultations, Proposal writing (Miller Faculty Fellowship), Dec. 1 (1-3 p.m.), email celt-miller@iastate.edu to schedule
  • Workshop, Visual Literacy Tools for Curriculum in STEM Fields, with William Gallus, geological and atmospheric sciences, and Adrienne Gennett, university museums, Dec. 5 (10-11 a.m., 2030 Morrill), register

WorkCyte Phase II programming
Workday Wednesdays webinars, highlights of Workday Student functions, register online
  • Customer Billing Processes, including changes to accounts receivables systems, Dec. 6 (3:10-4:10 p.m.)
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About us
Inside Update is published Thursday mornings by Strategic Relations and Communications. Questions? Email inside@iastate.edu or call 515-294-7065.