Two minutes

Patiently anticipating madam president

Dianne Bystrom doesn't hide her desire to someday soon see a woman become the U.S. president. The director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State knows how hard it's been for women in American politics. Bystrom has contributed to 11 books, including Gender and Elections (2006), and Anticipating Madam President (2003). She's currently writing about the presidential bid of Hillary Clinton, who will become the first female candidate to make it to Iowa Caucus night.

Leading women: Bystrom helped bring Clinton to campus as the Fall 2007 Mary Louise Smith Chair in Women and Politics. That's nothing new. The Catt Center has hosted every woman who has run for president since 1995, when the Smith Chair was established. Previous speakers included Elizabeth Dole (R-1999), and Carol Moseley Braun (D-2004).

Star power: Clinton's strong candidacy has cast the media spotlight on Bystrom. She recently has provided political analyses for the BBC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, NPR, The Los Angeles Times, The Associated Press and USA Today, among others.

Practicing political science: Through the Catt Center's Iowa Caucus Workshop, Bystrom helps educate others on how to participate in the caucuses. On caucus night, she's typically a neutral observer with a group of out-of-state political academics.