We're excited to announce that Sam Taylor from SEES has been selected as a finalist in the University of Iowa's 2026 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition! Come show your support on Friday, November 6, from 1:30–3:00 p.m. in the IMU International Ballroom, where Sam will present his research in just three minutes alongside other outstanding graduate researchers from across campus. Enjoy hot apple cider and seasonal treats while learning about the exciting research happening at Iowa. Audience members will also vote for their favorite presentations for the People's Choice Awards.

The drone of cicadas has always been one of the sounds of summer in Iowa. Annual cicada populations are holding their own, but periodical cicadas — a species that emerges every 13 to 17 years — are in trouble. On this episode, we talk with University of Iowa biologist Andrew Forbes about a study that uses GIS technology to show how habitat loss has impacted cicada populations. We also hear from GIS experts Susan Meerdink and Adam Skibbe and discuss what the future holds for these cicadas.

Sam Taylor, Riley Pacer, and Dr. Meerdink headed to the 2026 Cartography and Geographic Information Society (CaGIS) conference in St. Louis, where the theme was "Cartographer in the Loop: Balancing technological innovation with human expertise". We presented our posters and enjoyed the Geo-Resolution conference.