The inaugural Extension Council Day on Campus was an energizing day for council members as they learned more about the connections between research on campus and programs offered in counties throughout the state.
Take a minute to view the photos from the event to get a glimpse of depth and breadth of the tours this year.
Friday, September 13, 2024
On September 13th, Ames will be the place to be! Extension council members from across Iowa will converge on the Iowa State University campus to engage, learn, and do.
- See where the research happens - - the same research that fuels the extension programs presented in your county.
- Meet the people who help extend the reach of the university.
- And of course there are some can't-miss tours like Jack Trice Stadium, the new Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex, the tornado simulator, and the Culinary Discovery Lab.
- Connect with other council members and campus extension staff.
- Meet ISU President Wendy Wintersteen, Vice President for Extension and Outreach Jason Henderson, Assistant Vice President for County Services Andrea Welchans, and Extension and Outreach Program Leaders.
Register by September 12 to save your spot. The registration fee for council members is just $25 and is reimbursable as professional development by your county. Council members may register a spouse or guest to join them for $45.
Download a printable flyer to share at your county extension council meeting.
Tour Track A
Note: This tour requires participants to wear closed-toe shoes. Participants will need to quarantine from all poultry and exotic birds 72 hrs. prior to the tour and may also need to quarantine for 72 hours prior to entering other poultry facilities following the tour.
Stop 1 - Plant & Insect Diagnostic Clinic
Stop 1 - Plant & Insect Diagnostic Clinic
See the clinic where they test for plant health problems. The tour will include the triage and soil grinding area, media prep room, isolation and incubation room, microscope area, and the molecular lab.
Stop 2 - Aerospace Adventures
Stop 2 - Aerospace Adventures
Join us for an out of this world experience! Tour the aviation simulators, tornado simulator, wind tunnel, and more!
Stop 3 - Robert T. Hamilton Poultry Teaching & Research Farm and University Compost Facility
Stop 3 - Robert T. Hamilton Poultry Teaching & Research Farm and University Compost Facility
The ISU Poultry Farm is utilized for teaching and research activities with broilers, layers, turkeys, and other avian species - especially important in defending Iowa's flocks against avian influenza. You'll view both cage-free and conventional systems. The other stop on this tour is the ISU compost facility. As they say, "we take crap from everyone(as long as it's from the university 😉)."
Tour Track B
Stop 1 - 3D Affordable Innovative Technologies Housing Project (Part 1)
Stop 1 - 3D Affordable Innovative Technologies Housing Project (Part 1)
Opened in 2020, the Student Innovation Center is a hands-on hub providing a unique space for design, fabrication, testing, and demonstration of ideas ranging from culinary to lunar to vehicles. Explore the Student Innovation Center and learn about its use and potential.
Stop 2 - 3D Affordable Innovative Technologies Housing Project (Part 2)
Stop 2 - 3D Affordable Innovative Technologies Housing Project (Part 2)
See the 3D Affordable Innovative Technologies Housing Project and get a demonstration of the College of Design’s research and development on the 3D printing of houses including a remote drone tour and a walkthrough part of the work.
Stop 3 - Horticulture Research Station
Stop 3 - Horticulture Research Station
The 230-acre Horticulture Research Station is an interesting place to visit. With 80+ research projects annually on topics ranging from fruit and vegetable production to turf grass and animal ecology projects using birds, bees, and fish, you're sure to learn something new.
Tour Track C
Note: Closed-toe shoes, pants, and short- or long-sleeve shirts required. Do not wear clothing on the tour that has been worn in any other livestock or poultry facility. Walking over a variety of surfaces (rock, dirt, pavement) required. Additional constraints may be necessary depending on activity with avian flu, etc. and will be shared closer to the tour date.
Stop 1 - Culinary Discovery Lab
Stop 1 - Culinary Discovery Lab
Tour the Food Science & Human Nutrition Department's Culinary Discovery Lab and learn how the space has created new opportunities to teach audiences about food. The lab is used as a studio for AnswerLine and Spend Smart Eat Smart videos that promote extension resources as well as hosting workshops such as charcuterie, salsa, and fresh pasta.
Stop 2 - ISU Winery/Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute
Stop 2 - ISU Winery/Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute
Come visit the Iowa State University Winery and learn more about what the Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute is doing to help the Iowa grape, wine, beer and cider industries. You might even be able to taste a bit of ISU's creations.
Stop 3 - Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex
Stop 3 - Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex
Opening in 2023, the Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex is a state-of-the-art facility on 10 acres including 47,000 square feet of teaching and learning space. Tour the classroom, warehouse, lab, pilot plant, mill, and grain center. Learn how the research done at this complex provides data and recommendations for extension program specialists.
Tour Track D
Stop 1 - ISU Meat Lab
Stop 1 - ISU Meat Lab
The Iowa State University Meat Laboratory is a federally inspected facility that serves multiple roles including undergraduate and graduate teaching, research, and extension programs. The internationally recognized short course programs on meat processing and food safety provides programming for meat processors in Iowa, across the entire United States, and around world.
Stop 2 - Journey Through Parkinson's
Stop 2 - Journey Through Parkinson's
See where the ISU research happens to support Parkinson's disease advances. Meet and hear first-hand from persons with the disease and ISU students who participate in our local outreach programs. This research and outreach inspired the creation of the Journey Through Parkinson’s Disease program offered across the state.
Stop 3 - Mayor's Workshop and Design Studio Tour
Stop 3 - Mayor's Workshop and Design Studio Tour
Take an inside look at the design process by visiting a working design studio and seeing the progress on the Mayors’ Design workshop. The 2024 Mayors Workshop will be working with mayors from Marshalltown, Council Bluffs, Atlantic, Ottumwa, Ft. Madison and Cedar Falls over this summer. The work happening in those communities will be highlighted, but the program is transferable to any city.