ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ

Selections for the fourth class of Future Innovators of America Fellowships have been announced by the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering.  The eight recipients and the department which selected them are:  • Maxwell Donelan, mathematics and statistics  • Tennille Eremas and John Akujobi, both computer science • Keaton Ranslem, civil engineering • Connor Matthies and William O’Connell, both mechanical engineering • Eli Otten and Gabrielle Robbins, both construction and concrete industry management.

Alysha Kientopf, who received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural education from ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ, has received the Region III Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher Award from the National Association of Agricultural Educators.

AeroFly, a Brookings-based aerospace company bred from ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ research, has been selected by NASA to test and advance its innovative technology. If successful, it could help enable the first long-term presence of humans on the moon and may even allow for deep space exploration.

A controlled feeding study led by Moul Dey, professor in the School of Health and Human Sciences at ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ, shows that older adults who ate fewer ultra-processed foods naturally consumed fewer calories and lost weight and abdominal fat. They also showed improvements in insulin, nutrient-sensing hormones and inflammation.

More than 125 scholarships totaling more than $650,000 were awarded last week as part of the ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences Scholarship and Recognition Banquet. The annual celebration of student achievement honored students representing every department within the college.

ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ held its ninth annual Swine Day at Club 71 in Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium on Nov. 4. Organized by university swine research and extension personnel, the daylong event offered attendees a full day of learning and connection.

As part of a tradition that is uniquely South Dakota, the 2025 Dean’s Pheasant Hunt took place last week. The annual event highlights the relationship between agriculture and conservation, two topics important to the ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, but also two of the main contributors to the South Dakota economy.

South Dakota Cattlemen's Foundation supports state's beef industry.

There’s something special about every college town — and Brookings is no exception. This episode explores the deep connection between ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ and the city of Brookings. Guest Laura Schoen Carbonneau, executive director of Visit Brookings, shares what makes the community unique, how SDState contributes to its growth and spirit, and why so many alumni choose to make Brookings their home long after graduation.

The ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ Soil Judging Team made an impressive showing at the recent National Collegiate Soil Judging Region 5 competition, garnering first-place awards in both the team and individual categories. Helping to bring home the team’s overall first-place score was individual top winner Luke Desmith, a senior agronomy major from Walnut Grove, Minnesota.