Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Scientific Exchanges Program

The Scientific Exchanges Program (SEP) advances USDA’s agricultural research goals to promote collaborative programs among agricultural professionals of eligible countries, the United States, the international agricultural research system, and United States entities conducting research in the agricultural sciences. SEP accomplishes this by providing fellowships to individuals from eligible countries who specialize or have experience in agricultural education, research, extension, or other related fields. Fellowships promote food security and economic growth in eligible countries by educating a new generation of agricultural scientists, increasing scientific knowledge and collaborative research to improve agricultural productivity, and extending that knowledge to users and intermediaries in the marketplace. The collaborative nature of the training and research programs benefits the fellow, his or her home institution, and partner country; the U.S. host institution, its professors, researchers, and students; and the global agricultural sector by improving agricultural productivity, systems, and processes in partnering nations through the transfer of new science and agricultural technologies. Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Scientific Exchanges Program

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Iowa State University Uganda Program (ISU-UP) Vaccination Clinic

A vaccination clinic for Iowa State University-Uganda Program staff was held at ISU’s Mpirigiti Rural Training Centre in Kamuli, Uganda on Monday, April 12.  National Director, Gideon Nadiope, was able to coordinate with kingdom health workers to inoculate all staff. The vaccine distributed is Astra-Zeneca which requires two doses. The second dose will be administered accordingly. Read More

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Graduating Student Travel Consultants (STCs)

The CALS Study Abroad Office would like to congratulate all of our graduating Student Travel Consultants! Thanks to our STCs for their dedication to our office and helping to promote international experiences to students throughout the college.

Megan Behrends

• Majors: Agriculture Communications, with a minor in Political Science
• Study Abroad experiences: Agricultural Production, Business and Trade in Spain; BREXIT - History, Political Implications and Possible Outcomes in the UK (classroom portions); and Dean's Global Agriculture and Food Leadership Program in Rome (classroom portions)
• Plans after graduation: I will be the summer government relations intern for the American Seed Trade Association in Washington DC.
• Where you hope to travel next: Within the U.S., I would like to travel to the mountains out west, and globally I would like to travel to Rome.

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Megan Warin

• Major: Agricultural Business
• Study Abroad experience: Agricultural Production, Business and Trade in Argentina
• Plans after graduation: Marketing Representative for John Deere in Des Moines, IA
• Where you hope to travel next: EVERYWHERE! But actually, I really want to travel to Ireland or New Zealand.

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Marta Grant

• Majors: Agricultural Business and Spanish
• Study Abroad experiences: Semester in Cáceres, Spain; Agricultural Business, Production, and Trade in Argentina and Vermeer International Leadership Program to the Netherlands
• Plans after graduation: I plan to work and research possible master's programs during a gap year spent in Austin, Texas.
• Where you hope to travel next: The top of my travel bucket list includes: Norway, Peru, and Thailand!

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Dori Kralj

• Majors: Graduate MBA Student with an undergraduate degree in Animal Science and international agriculture
• Study Abroad experiences: Heritage Livestock in the UK and the Study of Pork Industry in Japan and Thailand
• Plans after graduation: After graduation, I plan to finish out my Master in Business and Administration here at Iowa State University.
• Where you hope to travel next: Switzerland; to go skiing in the Swiss Alp

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Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods – What We Do

Since 2003, The Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has worked side-by-side with Kamuli District residents to discover and implement sustainable solutions to meeting the community’s most urgent needs.

From infants to school children, and from young adults to seniors, the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods puts people first to tackle the challenges of ending hunger. Their efforts have evolved to touch every stage of the life cycle. It takes many parts and pieces working in tandem to make their important work possible. Below is a list of interconnected areas that the organization has developed to contribute the overall goals. 

• Agronomy and Postharvest
• Community Nutrition
• Education
• Entrepreneurship
• Livestock
• Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Learn more about the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods by visiting their website.

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International Experiences for Spring 2021 CALS Council Senior Award Recipients

The CALS Study Abroad Office would like to congratulate graduating seniors; Erin Chalupa, Brianna Gorhamon, Esperanza Moothart, Madelyn Main, Hans Reinsche and Alyssa Swehla on being selected for the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences CALS Council Senior Awards. Each recipient participated in an array of international opportunities during their time at Iowa State University. Read More

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CALS Faculty & Staff International Travel

Dr. David Acker, Associate Dean for Global Engagement and Director of the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods, traveled to Uganda in April to meet with ISU-UP staff. He was impressed with their success in serving thousands of community members over the past year who were impacted by flooding and COVID-19. Dr. Acker was the first ISU representative to visit Uganda in over a year due to travel restrictions in place due to the pandemic.

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Farm Journal Foundation Speaker Series Recordings

The Farm Journal Foundation Speaker Series is designed to engage college students, future voters, consumers, and community leaders in a dialogue on topics that are essential to the understanding of how we will feed a growing world population through modern agriculture. The Speaker Series features university professors, policymakers, and industry representatives in virtual panel discussions, accessible via Zoom and Facebook Live, revolving around a predominant agricultural theme. The recordings from the first two sessions are now available. 

• You Are What You Eat: The Intersection of Agriculture, The Nutrition and Health

• It's Complicated! The Evolving Relationship of Consumers and Food

Future series registration links will be available at a later date. 

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International Students and Scholars Update COVID-19 Update

From the White House

• Due to the serious COVID-19 outbreak in India, President Biden issued a Presidential Proclamation effective 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 4, 2021, banning nonimmigrants who have been present in India at any time during the previous 14 days from entering the US.

From the US Department of State

• Certain travelers from China, Iran, Brazil, South Africa, the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, currently banned by Presidential Proclamation from entering the US within 14 days of having been in one of those countries, may apply through a U.S. Embassy or Consulate for a National Interest Exception (NIE) to enter the U.S.  However, “students and academics subject to these proclamations due to their presence in China, Iran, Brazil, or South Africa, may qualify for an NIE only if their academic program begins August 1, 2021 or later.”   More details can be found here.

• Also due to the serious COVID-19 outbreak mentioned above, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India have issued various closures by location and canceled all regular visa appointments.  Please go to  https://in.usembassy.gov/visas/ for the most up-to-date information.