Movies and free popcorn brought to you by the College of Design computer labs! Tuesday, April 30, will feature The Hobbit and The Dark Knight Rises. See the poster for details.

Agenda forthcoming. Will include call for a vote on the revised college governance document.

This event will showcase the talent and hard work of 87 graduating graphic design and digital media students. Professionals are invited to meet students and view portfolios from 6 to 7 p.m.; the public is welcome to attend from 7 to 9 p.m.

Movies and free popcorn brought to you by the College of Design computer labs! Wednesday, May 1, will feature Spaceballs, Young Frankenstein and Robinhood: Men in Tights. See the poster for details.

Movies and free popcorn brought to you by the College of Design computer labs! Wednesday, May 1, will feature Spaceballs, Young Frankenstein and Robinhood: Men in Tights. See the poster for details.

Movies and free popcorn brought to you by the College of Design computer labs! Thursday, May 2, will feature Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Zoolander and Superbad. See the poster for details.

Movies and free popcorn brought to you by the College of Design computer labs! Thursday, May 2, will feature Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Zoolander and Superbad. See the poster for details.

Evaluation of Bicycle Commuting Routes in Des Moines, Iowa
Bailey Hanson, GIS certificate candidate, community and regional planning
and
Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to Aid in Decision Making for the Mitigation of Weather-Related Impacts on Iowa's Transportation Infrastructure
Angela L. Poole, GIS certificate candidate, civil, construction and environmental engineering

Hanson Abstract
In the last decade, city planners have been developing bicycle networks in cities for reasons such as reducing city traffic congestion, providing sustainable bimodal transportation options and for the health and wellness of residents. Many large cities already have extensive bicycle commuting resources in place but in many mid-sized cities in the Midwest, these resources are just beginning to be developed or becoming effective sustainable commuting options.

In Des Moines, Iowa, the average person-per-car ratio during morning and evening commuting hours is 1.16 people; this statistic is very similar to many other Midwestern cities. Bicycle commuting networks are just one way city planners can provide alternative, sustainable commuting options to city residents. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the bicycle commuting route options currently in place in Des Moines with the goal of identifying where explanation or improvements to the current bicycle network could be made.

Poole Abstract
Regardless of one’s view on climate change, it is hard to deny that extreme weather events have had a profound impact on the nation’s infrastructure within the last decade--for instance, the damage created by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans (2005), the Missouri River flooding in the Midwest (2011) and most recently Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast (2012). In order to minimize the negative effects of climate on the transportation system, professionals must start incorporating climate change impacts into their designs, construction, operations and maintenance plans.

To aid in determining mitigation strategies for the Iowa Department of Transportation, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) will be utilized to analyze known areas that experience chronic weather-related problems and to forecast potential future problem areas. In the future, those areas determined to be most vulnerable will be subject to a cost-benefit analyses to determine whether improvements are warranted.

The GIS Seminar Series is sponsored by the Department of Community and Regional Planning. All are welcome to attend.

Public presentation by Ingrid Lilligren, finalist candidate for chair of the ISU Department of Integrated Studio Arts, followed by a reception in the Lyle E. Lightfoot Forum.

View Lilligren's CV (PDF)

Concept papers for the WM Keck Foundation fall competition are due to the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development by 12 p.m. June 3. Faculty members may learn more about the foundation, the types of projects it funds and the application process in an open forum from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Wednesday, May 8, in the Memorial Union Gold Room.

Projects of interest to the foundation must meet one or more of the following criteria: fall outside the mission of public funding agencies; focus on emerging areas of research at the forefront of science, engineering and/or medicine; have the potential to lead to breakthrough technologies; are innovative, distinctive and interdisciplinary; demonstrate a high level of risk in that the research pushes the edges of its field, represents unconventional approaches to intransigent problems or challenges the prevailing paradigm; have the potential for transformative impact, such as creation of a new field of research, development of new instrumentation enabling observations not previously possible.

End of Year Review

Seniors in the first graduating class of the Iowa State University industrial design program will present their final design projects and celebrate their achievements.

The College of Design's spring graduation convocation will take place Saturday, May 11. This year's event will involve two recognition ceremonies in the Lyle E. Lightfoot Forum, with a reception for graduates and guests held in the King Pavilion between the ceremonies.

Candidates for graduation from architecture, community and regional planning, industrial design and landscape architecture will be recognized at 9 a.m. The reception will begin at 10 a.m. Candidates for graduation from art and design, design (BDes), graphic design, integrated studio arts and interior design will be recognized at 11 a.m. Please join us to celebrate our graduating students' accomplishments and wish them a personal farewell!