A recent issue of Stories, a publication by Iowa State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), focused on advances in high technology and innovations in agriculture. This issue highlighted the research of several P3 Program faculty. 

Carolyn Lawrence-Dill, associate professor genetics, development and cell biology, and agronomy, is featured in the article, “Making Data-Driven Discoveries Possible.” This article details how Lawrence-Dill and her group create information management systems that allow large groups of scientists to work together. One area of her research focuses on the creation of systems to manage large datasets to support the development of better predictive models.

Steve Whitham, professor in plant pathology and microbiology, and Lie Tang, associate professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering, are featured in the article, "Creating New Worlds to Study Plant Life". This article focuses on their work on the Enviratron, an innovative new system for phenotyping plants. The facility, located at Iowa State’s Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy Research Farm, relies on a robotic rover to periodically visit each of eight growth chambers to collect data using its array of sensors. This system allows for accurate data collection from plants grown in up to eight environmental conditions in a single experiment.

Pat Schnable, a C.F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor, Iowa Corn Endowed Chair in Genetics, and Baker Scholar of Agricultural Entrepreneurship at Iowa State, is co-leading the Genomes to Fields Initiative. The article, "G2F Genomes to Fields", details how this initiative is creating a better understanding of plants responses to environmental factors. This is accomplished with the use of time-lapse imaging of hundreds of different varieties of corn.

To read these articles in full, as well as many other articles featuring fascinating innovations, successes, and service, visit this issue of Stories.