Public Events Calendar

Enjoy a night of Bollywood dancing, hosted by the Indian Students Association.

"50 Views from St. Plasticine," the Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibition of work by integrated visual arts graduate student Michael Vitha Nolan, will be on display from noon on Monday, April 13, through 7 p.m. Thursday, April 16. A closing reception and stamp rally will be from 5–7 p.m. April 16. All are welcome to participate. Read more about the artist and the show in the news release
Artist Statement
Modern living is propped up by plastic convenience. We eat, breathe, and live in and around plastic each day without realizing it. Plastic has become so interwoven into society and yet, we tend to not think about what we are using or where it goes after it has outlived its purpose. Plastic has become so universal and yet, we do not fully comprehend its impact on the world around us.

"50 Views from St. Plasticine" is a body of work that aims to do two things: bring awareness to the overwhelming presence of plastic in our daily lives and how plastic can and will appear in places we lease suspect it. St. Plasticine itself is a fictional beach that places this plastic pollution on a pedestal for the world to see. Each object depicted contains or transfers microplastics and has contributed to a growing problem in our environment. At the end of the day, we cannot undo the damage that we have caused, but we can at least become more aware of plastic pollution and the dangers that has posed for over a century.

Student projects from the College of Design's introductory design and drawing studios will be showcased from April 13–21 in locations throughout the first and second floors of the Design building.

A public reception and studio open house will be from 5:30–7 p.m. Thursday, April 16.

The “Core Exhibition Spring 2026” will feature a current selection of two- and three-dimensional projects completed this spring semester in the Design Studies 1020: Design Studio I and Design Studies 1310: Drawing I courses in the college’s first-year Core Design Program.

Student work will be on display in the atrium, room 111, the Pickard Chilton Gallery (first-floor corridor of the King Pavilion), second-floor hallways, and Design Studies classrooms 226, 230, 234, 240, 246, 252, and 258.

DSNS 1020 and 1310 studio classrooms will be open during the reception.

Speaker: Tom Gunning
PLEASE NOTE: This lecture has been canceled as of March 16, 2026.

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2026 Goldtrap Lecture

Pygmalion, a legendary Cyprian sculptor, fell in love with the work of his own hands, a figure he fashioned of a beautiful woman. In the version of the tale in Ovid’s "Metamorphoses," being obsessed with his creation, Pygmalion asks Aphrodite to give him a woman in her image. Returning to his studio, he discovers his statue has actually been transformed from ivory to flesh and is alive. This theme has inspired visual artworks (paintings and sculptures), as well as literary works. In his work "The Pygmalion Effect: From Ovid to Hitchcock," art historian Victor Stoichita has brilliantly traced its manifestations from antiquity through to the modern era, including a discussion of Alfred Hitchcock’s masterful 1958 film Vertigo.

As a film historian, Gunning will extend Stoicita’s fine insight into Hitchcock’s connection to the theme by exploring the motif of creating the ideal woman throughout his film career. He will also probe the ties the myth of creating an ideal woman has to the early conception of cinema technology in the symbolist novel by Auguste Villiers de l’Isle-Adam (L’Eve Future) and the theorization of montage by Soviet filmmaker Lev Kuleshov. The ambivalence of this male fantasy will be examined, as well as its inherent auto-critique.

Tom Gunning is the author of multiple books and nearly two hundred essays that have defined the field of cinema and media studies. His works have transformed our understanding of early cinema and the American avant-garde and reset the terms of many central debates in film and media history and theory. His 1986 essay “The Cinema of Attractions” is among the most cited essays on film ever published. Gunning’s writings articulate a distinctive and powerful model for thinking about cinema’s history and likely future, addressing the full range of moving-image media, from film to still photography to digital media. His discussions draw on stage melodrama and magic lantern shows, as well as criminology, world’s fairs, and Spiritualism, surveying the medium as a cultural phenomenon informed by the industrial and information ages, psychiatry, urban experience, discourses on art and aesthetics, and more.

Please note: this lecture will not be recorded.
Co-Sponsors: English Department, World Languages and Cultures Department, Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government)

Ever noticed the 12-foot figures standing guard atop the Molecular Biology Building? Those are G-Nomes (gnomes + genomes, yes, really), and they hint at one of the campus's most elaborate public art installations. Artist Andrew Leicester researched genetic engineering debates, talked to scientists, and filled the entire structure with visual puns and scientific references. It's playful, it's scientific, and somehow it all works together as the largest single-artist public art collection on campus. No science background needed—just curiosity about the hidden gems scattered across campus. 

Speaker: Geoffrey Ellis
This lecture explores the growing role of hydrogen in the global energy transition, particularly the increasing demand for blue and green hydrogen to meet climate goals. While hydrogen is currently seen mainly as an energy carrier, there is renewed interest in exploring naturally occurring subsurface hydrogen as a potential resource. Recent discoveries suggest geoscientists may have underestimated natural hydrogen’s economic potential due to limited exploration methods. The talk will examine what is known, what remains uncertain, and what advancements are needed to tap into this overlooked energy source.

Geoffrey Ellis is a research geologist and the project chief of the Potential for Geologic Hydrogen Gas Resources project within the U.S. Geological Survey. He is also an affiliated faculty member in the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. He holds a bachelor’s degree in geological sciences from Cornell University, a master’s degree in geochemistry from the Colorado School of Mines, a doctorate in marine geology and geophysics from the University of Miami, and post-doctoral experience at the California Institute of Technology. He has worked for more than 30 years conducting research and exploration related to energy resources and associated environmental issues.

This lecture recording can be found on the Available Recordings page approximately two business days after the event and will remain accessible for three weeks.
Co-Sponsors: Department of the Earth, Atmosphere, and Climate, The Graether Family Fund for Climate Science Advancement, Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government)

The 20th annual symposium is a showcase of undergraduate research across all of Iowa State's colleges. Students will present posters and oral presentations in moderated sessions. Multiple rooms will be in use: 3310, 3512, 3534, 3538, 3560, 3580 and the Cardinal Room. Additionally, the Campanile Room will serve as a welcome center where guests can pick up a program and receive directions. Light refreshments will be available.

Closing reception and stamp rally celebrating "50 Views from St. Plasticine," integrated visual arts graduate student Michael Vitha-Nolan's Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibition. All are welcome to attend and participate.

A public reception and studio open house will be from 5:30–7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 16, for an exhibition of student projects from the College of Design's introductory design and drawing studios (DSNS 1020 and DSNS 1310) in locations on the first and second floors of the Design building.

The "Spring 2026 Core Exhibition" will be on display April 13–21 in the atrium, room 111, the Pickard-Chilton Gallery (first-floor corridor of the King Pavilion), second-floor hallways and Design Studies classrooms 226, 230, 234, 240, 246, 252 and 258.

DSNS 1020 and 1310 classrooms will be open during the reception.

Every recipe has a story! Recipes often reveal cultural identity, childhood memories, and traditions passed through kitchens.

Speaker: Elizabeth Wardle
Dr. Elizabeth Wardle is a scholar and organizational facilitator whose work helps groups clarify their values, articulate their ways of thinking and practicing, and strengthen their approaches to teaching, learning, writing, and workplace collaboration. Grounded in the belief that shifting our conceptions leads to meaningful improvements in practice, she brings deep expertise shaped by a PhD in Rhetoric and Professional Communication from Iowa State University and earlier degrees in English and Philosophy from the University of Louisville. Wardle has led writing programs at both public and private institutions, chaired a large writing department, and now directs the Howe Center for Writing Excellence at Miami University. Her background also includes professional experience as a nonprofit fundraiser and grant writer. Widely recognized for designing and publishing research on successful deep‑change initiatives, she frequently delivers talks and workshops nationwide, drawing on threshold concepts and theories of learning, writing, leadership, and organizational change.

This lecture recording can be found on the Available Recordings page approximately two business days after the event and will remain accessible for three weeks.

The University Book Store will be onsite selling the speaker's book at the event.
Co-Sponsors: Student Innovation Center, English Department, University Library, Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government)

Speaker: Katrina Pedrick
Katrina Pedrick offers an inside look at the path from fashion‑obsessed student to full‑time corporate designer, sharing how she broke into the industry and what she’s learned along the way. In this talk, she walks students through the realities of a designer’s day-to-day—both the creative highs that keep her inspired and the unexpected challenges she faced as a new graduate. She also highlights her work with Aerie, reflecting on why the brand’s mission and culture continue to energize her. With plenty of time for audience questions, Katrina’s session gives students a candid, practical, and encouraging window into what a career in fashion design really looks like.

Please note: This lecture will not be recorded.
Co-Sponsors: The Fashion Show, Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government)

Don't miss this FREE Cyclone Cinema showing of Marty Supreme!

ISU Theatre presents "Peter and the Starcatcher"

Build/Innovate is a forward-looking symposium that brings together faculty and students to explore the intersection of design, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies. Through keynote talks, hands-on workshops, and project showcases, participants will engage new tools, ideas, and collaborative approaches shaping the future of creative practice. Join us to experiment, exchange knowledge, and help define how innovation can expand the role of design in an evolving technological landscape. See schedule of events listed below.

[caption id="attachment_62118" align="alignright" width="248"] Sheng Hung Lee[/caption]
Keynote speaker: Sheng-Hung Lee
Sheng-Hung Lee is a designer, engineer, and educator whose interdisciplinary work integrates design, technology, and systems thinking to address complex societal challenges. Currently an Assistant Professor of Urban Technology at the University of Michigan and Director of the d-mix lab, his research advances human-centered service innovation and “Design for Longevity,” exploring how design can shape more sustainable and impactful futures. His globally recognized work—spanning industry collaborations, academic research, and award-winning design—positions him at the forefront of innovation across design and emerging technologies.

Sheng-Hung Lee LinkedIn
Sheng-Hung Lee website

Speaker: Peter Byck
Soil Science Seminar Series

The Pierre Lecture seminar is a headliner for the Soil Science Seminar Series at Iowa State University. The guest lecturer, Peter Byck, is a world-renowned director and current professor at Arizona State University, whose documentaries have won numerous top awards at film festivals across the United States. Peter will show clips from his latest docu-series while discussing his groundbreaking research on sustainable agriculture, grazing management, environmental health, and carbon sequestration. This event is expected to appeal to many groups at Iowa State and beyond: soil scientists, animal scientists, film producers, agricultural communicators, environmental scientists, and practical farmers, to name a few.

Co-Sponsors: Soil Science Seminar Series, Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government)

Don't miss this FREE Cyclone Cinema showing of Marty Supreme!

ISU Theatre presents "Peter and the Starcatcher"

Fast-rising indie pop band The Whips are bringing their tour from Kansas (w/ love!) to the M-Shop!

Design/Shift is a fast-paced, high-impact design-a-thon where creative thinking powers real-world change. In one intensive day, student design teams partner directly with nonprofit organizations to tackle real branding challenges — translating mission, values, and community impact into bold, usable visual identities. Guided by professional designers and faculty mentors, teams move quickly from discovery to concept to pitch, competing to deliver the most compelling solution.

Design/Shift isn’t a classroom exercise; it’s a live, civic-minded design experience that mirrors professional practice while proving how thoughtful design can fuel change that matters.

In this year's event, 140 students from Iowa State and several other Iowa colleges and universities will work together in teams to develop logos and brand identities for 12 Iowa nonprofit organizations. Several teams will be assigned to each nonprofit and will compete to have their logo concepts selected by the organization for further development.

Iowa State Soccer vs North Dakota State
https://cyclones.com/calendar.aspx?game_id=18592&sport_id=12

The Fashion Show is produced entirely by students. Students from any major can apply to work on The Fashion Show, joining one of 15 committees. In addition, over 100 student design entries are showcased in the show each year. The Fashion Show provides students with enriching leadership opportunities, connections with other students, and an outlet to express their creativity.

The Fashion Show 2026 will take place on April 18 at 7 p.m. in C.Y. Stephens Auditorium.

Don't miss this FREE Cyclone Cinema showing of Marty Supreme!

ISU Theatre presents "Peter and the Starcatcher"