Iowa State University of Science and Technology is a public land-grant research university founded in 1858 and based in Ames, Iowa. As one of the United States' oldest land-grant institutions, it fulfills a mission spanning education, research, and extension - connecting academic work to communities across Iowa and beyond.
The university is organised across seven colleges: Agriculture and Life Sciences; Business; Design; Engineering; Health and Human Sciences; Liberal Arts and Sciences; and Veterinary Medicine. Together these colleges offer more than 100 majors, minors, and certificates at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Research activity spans fields including data science, artificial intelligence, genetics, and agricultural sciences.
Iowa State emphasises hands-on learning through research opportunities, innovation initiatives, and learning communities - combining academic study with practical experience. The institution describes itself as a large research university with a close-knit community, a combination that shapes both its academic environment and its working culture.