The Iowa Board of Regents requires that each ISU center be reviewed every seven years, so the Iowa Soybean Research Center underwent a review in November. The purpose of the review was to get feedback on the effectiveness of the center’s activities and processes and to solicit feedback that may improve the functioning and effectiveness of the center moving forward. ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Associate Dean for Research and Discovery Carolyn Lawrence-Dill provided guidance and oversight for the review.

The review panel comprised eight individuals led by Ed Anderson, Senior Director of Research for the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA). Other panel members were Kelly Gillespie, Vice President of Digital Ecosystem Services for Bayer; Randy Miller, soybean farmer and current ISA President; Steve Harris, chair of the ISU department of plant pathology, entomology and microbiology (PPEM); center affiliates Matt O’Neal and Leonor Leandro, PPEM; Prashant Jha, department of agronomy; and Steve May, ISRC industry partner recruiter. Prior to the review, the ISRC prepared and shared a self-study document with the review panel.

On the day of the review, ISRC Director Greg Tylka presented a timeline and described the origins of the center. Tylka also provided information about the various research projects funded by the center and briefly described the many and varied activities of the center. The review panel then had discussion sessions with center staff and with faculty affiliated with the center. The review ended with the panel providing initial thoughts and suggestions for the center based on the information provided throughout the day.

Following the review, the panel submitted a comprehensive report to Lawrence-Dill and ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean Dan Robison, as well as to center staff. The feedback provided by the review panel will guide the center as it moves toward achieving future objectives and goals. Overall, the members of the review panel provided positive feedback and many helpful suggestions for increasing the effectiveness and reach of the center.