AGEDS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Student Services Specialist
Ben Chamberlain coordinates academic advising for the department, advises Agricultural Studies and Agriculture and Life Sciences Education - Communications Option students, teaches AGEDS 110, 215 and 412, coordinates the AGEDS Learning Community, and assists in various other roles related to his position. Ben is a 1999 ISU Agricultural Studies graduate. He earned a graduate certificate in Academic Advising from Kansas State (July, 2004) and a M.S. degree in Student Personnel Services in Higher Education from Kansas State (July, 2004). Prior to joining the department in 2011, Ben worked in real estate sales in Central Iowa. In addition to work at ISU, Ben is actively involved in a family farming operation in northwest Illinois.
Job Titles:
- Professor
- Special Advisor to the Dean
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor
- Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural Education
Dr. Alyssa Rockers is an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies at Iowa State University, specializing in agricultural communication. Before joining the faculty at Iowa State, Dr. Rockers was a faculty member at Tennessee State University.
Her research is focused on the communication needs of women in agriculture, how interpersonal communication influences the food decision-making of consumer mothers, and the teaching and learning of agricultural communication.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural Education
Dr. Amber Rice is an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies at Iowa State University specializing in agriculture teacher preparation. Prior to joining the faculty at Iowa State, Dr. Rice was a faculty member at The University of Arizona and a high school agricultural educator in Kentucky.
Her research is focused on teacher knowledge, specifically the content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge of agriculture teachers and the beliefs, motivations, and influences of this knowledge development.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor
- Assistant Professor of Agricultural Communication
Dr. Fally Masambuka-Kanchewa is an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Communication. She teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses in agricultural communication and extension. She is passionate about community development, specifically implementation of needs and evidence-based projects and programs. Her research focuses on exploring the role of communication as a science for understanding people's behaviors and amplifying voices of the marginalized. She is also interested in exploring factors influencing public perceptions and acceptance of scientific innovations and technologies especially examining the impact of trust on public acceptance of science and innovation. The goal of her research is to identify ways for incorporating needs of various stakeholders when planning, implementing and evaluation agricultural policies programs and technologies. She has experience conducting research in Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and the U.S.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Education Coordinator
- Teacher
Dr. Scott Smalley, an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies at Iowa State University, serves at the agricultural education teacher education coordinator. Prior to joining the faculty at Iowa State, Dr. Smalley was a faculty member at South Dakota State University and a high school agricultural educator.
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Assistant Professor
- Director of the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation
- Dolezal Adjunct Associate Professor / Director of the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation
Kristine is an adjunct assistant professor in the Agricultural Education & Studies Department and the director for the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation. Kristine's work focuses on studying and interpreting laws impacting the agricultural industry. In particular, she focuses on agricultural taxation.
Since joining CALT in 2013, Kristine has written hundreds of articles and blogposts to keep tax professionals, practicing attorneys, producers, and agribusiness professionals informed about legal developments impacting their business. She also writes technical chapters for the National Income Tax Workbook and regular articles for farm publications. In addition to her writing, Kristine speaks to many professionals and producers each year regarding tax and agricultural law topics. She also plans and provides instruction for CALT-hosted seminars, including the annual federal income tax schools.
Kristine teaches AgEds 451, a four-credit agricultural law class to upper-level undergraduate students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She also regularly collaborates with other agricultural law and tax professionals throughout the country, including those from the Rural Tax Education Committee, the American Agricultural Law Association, and the Land Grant University Tax Education Foundation. Kristine is licensed to practice law in Iowa and Missouri and is a member of the Iowa Bar Association.
Before coming to ISU, Kristine worked for a legal publishing company and as a practicing attorney. She received her J.D., Order of the Coif, from the University of Texas at Austin and her B.A. in journalism from Iowa State. She grew up on a farm in west central Iowa.
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Professor
- Interim Director
- Interim Director, Seed Science Center
Lulu Rodriguez is interim director and global programs lead at Iowa State University's Seed Science Center (SSC), recognized as a global center of excellence in seed science, technology, and systems. She also serves as adjunct professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies.
She has 20 years of experience in communication education, research, and outreach in support of national and international communication and development programs. She currently works with national and international agencies, governments, research centers, universities and institutes, and nongovernment entities to develop and execute activities that aim to improve seed and food security in the world.
Her research products and activities fall under two broad streams: understanding the effects of science and risk communication interventions on public knowledge, attitudes, and behavior, and evaluating and improving media performance in communicating science and risk.
Job Titles:
- Chairman in Global Agricultur
- Chairman in Global Agriculture
Job Titles:
- Department Chair
- Professor
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate Teaching Professor
Mr. Jon K. Davis is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies at Iowa State University, serves on the agricultural education teacher certification committee, and maintains student advising within the department. Prior to joining the faculty at Iowa State, Mr. Davis was a high school Ag Ed Instructor and FFA advisor for 31 years. He served as a cooperating teacher with 27 Ag Ed teacher candidates and continues to supervise student teachers in the department during their teaching practicums. Mr. Davis has held roles in the profession as an officer in the IAAE, Iowa FFA Assoication board chairperson, president of Gamma Sigma Delta, and supervisor for the Iowa State Fair.
Nate Dobbels advises students in AGEDS, teaches AGEDS 1100 and AGEDS 2150, co-coordinates the AGEDS Learning Community, advises the PAS club, is chair for the CALS Honors Committee and assists in various other roles related to his position. Nate is a 2012 ISU Agriculture and Life Sciences Education- Teacher Certification graduate. He has a master's degree in Postsecondary Education: Student Affairs from the University of Northern Iowa (May, 2014). He has a background in production agriculture and experience in higher education, career services, community college relations, financial aid, and alumni relations. Nate is originally from Galva, Illinois.
Job Titles:
- Student Services Coordinator II
Job Titles:
- Assistant Teaching Professor
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean, Collaborative Initiatives