Jane Smiley will speak about her Atanasoff bio March 3

Photo by Michael Lionstaer

Pulitzer prize-winning author Jane Smiley will speak about her most recent nonfiction book, "The Man Who Invented the Computer: The Biography of John Atanasoff, Digital Pioneer," at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 3, in the Memorial Union Great Hall. The book tells the story of Atanasoff, an Iowa State physics professor who invented the first electronic digital computer in the basement of Physics Hall before he was diverted into war work in 1941. Smiley taught at Iowa State University from 1981 to 1996. Her presentation is free and open to the public.
News release.

Iowa State, Ames Lab researchers describe the pump that bacteria use to resist drugs

A research team led by Edward Yu of Iowa State University and the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory is identifying the structure of pumps that allow bacteria to resist toxins. Their discoveries are published in the Feb. 24 issue of the journal Nature.
News release.

Iowa State selected for 'Princeton Review Best Value Colleges for 2011'

Iowa State University is among 50 public colleges nationwide -- and the only public school in the state -- named to the Princeton Review Best Value Colleges for 2011. The selection criteria covered more than 30 factors in three areas: academics, cost of attendance and financial aid.

USA TODAY presents: The Princeton Review Best Value Colleges.

More info.

Best-selling author of "Stuff White People Like" will speak at ISU March 2

Christian Lander, a New York Times best-selling author who satirizes white culture, will present a talk about "Stuff White People Like" at 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Lander's blog by the same name is a tongue-in-cheek list of things upper-middle-class Caucasians enjoy such as irony, having two last names, Whole Foods, kitchen gadgets, recycling and writers workshops. His talk is free and open to the public.
News release.

Humorist and author of "Coop" will speak Feb. 27

Michael Perry, the humorist and author of bestselling memoirs, will speak about his new book, "Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs, and Parenting," at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27, in the Memorial Union Sun Room. Perry has written for several publications, including Esquire, The New York Times Magazine, Outside and Salon.com.The presentation is part of the university's Symposium on Wildness, Wilderness and the Creative Imagination. It is free and open to the public.

News release.

ISU economist's report assesses Obama health care plan moving forward

David Correll, a College of Business Ph.D. student and co-founder and president of ISU BioBus, looks forward to using the group's new processor to make biodiesel for CyRide bus No. 18.

Students to process waste vegetable oil from ISU Dining to fuel CyRide bus

David Frankel

Black History Month’s sobering news: MLK dream alive for few, says researcher

David Frankel, associate professor of economics, looked at public school enrollments from every school district in the country and found that school segregation between blacks and whites has improved only slightly from 1987 to 2007.

News release.

Iowa State, Ames Lab physicist talks superconductivity at AAAS annual meeting; Iowa State part of materials science collaboration highlighted during meeting

An Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory physicist talked about the science of high-temperature superconductivity during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. An online materials science collaboration that includes Iowa State researchers was also highlighted during the meeting.

News release.

Iowa State leaders ask governor, legislators for state support for Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Complex

Gov. Terry Branstad, left, speaks with Charles Sukup, middle, the president of Sukup Manufacturing Co. in Sheffield, and President Gregory Geoffroy, during a tour of Iowa State University's Davidson Hall. University leaders asked Branstad and legislators to consider a two-year, $60.4 million appropriation to complete the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Complex.

See story.

ISU, UI, UNI announce results of groundwater analysis at ash disposal site

The results of voluntary groundwater testing beneath a quarry where Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Northern Iowa deposit coal and biomass ash have shown levels of the sampled constituents all well below state and federal standards.

News release.

Eating disorders author and film featured in two ISU lectures, Feb. 24 and Feb. 28

Two nationally known works on eating disorders will be the focus of separate presentations during Iowa State University's National Eating Disorder Awareness Week activities, Feb. 21 - 28. Author Michelle Lelwica will present "The Religion of Thinness" at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24. And filmmaker Darryl Roberts will present and discuss his new documentary, "America the Beautiful: Health for Sale," at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28. Both presentations will be in the Memorial Union Great Hall. They are free and open to the public.
News release.