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In Shambles Research explores American’s discomfort with ruins

Although it may be too early to know how the British Petroleum oil spill will ultimately affect the grasses that comprise Gulf Coast marshlands, College of Engineering researchers are taking precautions. More

Related: UI researcher finds Caribbean coral protection efforts miss the mark. More

HELPING OTHERS

Volunteerism among Iowa college students earns high ranking

The state of Iowa ranks second in the nation in volunteerism, in part due to efforts at The University of Iowa. According to a report by Volunteering in America, Iowa college students rank second in the nation in volunteering within the college student demographic, up from 32nd in 2006, with 41 percent of college students volunteering their time in 2009. More

Related: UI named 'Best Buy' in new Fiske Guide. More

DIET AND DISEASE

Physican heal thyself: professor uses diet, electrical stimulation to combat MS

In 2004, Terry Wahls relied on a wheelchair because of multiple sclerosis. Now she bikes five miles a day. Wahls, a clinical professor of internal medicine in the UI Carver College of Medicine and the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center, credits a nutrient-rich diet she developed in helping her overcome the debilitating effects of her disease. More

BIG TEN CHANGES

Nebraska to join Big Ten conference competition with 2011–12 academic year

The Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors announced unanimous approval June 11 for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) to join the Big Ten Conference effective July 1, 2011, with competition to begin in all sports for the 2011–12 academic year. UNL also will seek admission into the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, which can occur on or before July 1, 2011. More

LITERATURE

New book from the UI Press reminds readers of celebrated Iowa author

Susan Glaspell (1876–1948) of Davenport, Iowa, was one of the most popular and critically aclaimed writers of her time, producing nine novels, more than 50 short stories, and 14 groundbreaking plays, one of which won the Pulitzer Prize. Her America: 'A Jury of Her Peers' and Other Stories, available from the University of Iowa Press, reminds contemporary readers of Glaspell's substantial contributions to short fiction. More

TRAVEL WITH CARE

UI takes driver safety training program on the road to Cargill

The National Advanced Driving Simulator, a research unit of the University of Iowa College of Engineering, launched a program incorporating both classroom and hands-on driver safety training that can be tailored for the particular needs and challenges of each participating business. More

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

UI alumna named to USA TODAY All-USA College Academic Team

USA TODAY named Alexandra Keenan, a 2010 UI graduate who majored in biomedical engineering, biochemistry, and international studies, to its annual All-USA College Academic Team, honoring her for outstanding intellectual achievement and leadership. More

FOOD SAFETY

Report highlights steps FDA should take to prevent food-borne illnesses

The abilities of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discover potential threats to food safety and prevent outbreaks of food-borne illness are hampered by inadequate funds and staff, impediments to efficient use of its resources, and a piecemeal approach to gathering and using information on risks, according to a new report by an Institute of Medicine and National Research Council committee led by a University of Iowa professor. More

3-D DISCOVERY

Insight into structure of HIV protein could aid drug design

Researchers at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and University of Nebraska Medical Center have created a three-dimensional picture of an important protein that is involved in how HIV—the virus responsible for AIDS—is produced inside human cells. The picture may help researchers design drugs that can prevent HIV from reproducing. More

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCIENCE EDUCATORS

Program forges learning ties across Iowa

Faculty and students from four Iowa colleges are spending their summer break hard at work in research labs at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. The four science educators, each accompanied by an undergraduate student from their home institution, are Fellows in the Carver College's FUTURE in Biomedicine program, which aims to strengthen science education and research connections across the state. More

ATHLETICS DEPARTURE

Hall of Fame softball Coach Blevins to retire

After an illustrious 31-year career, University of Iowa softball coach Gayle Blevins has announced her retirement from coaching. Blevins, who coached at Indiana University (1980–1987) and Iowa (1988–2010), retires with a 1,245-588-5 record, including a 945-440-3 record in 23 seasons at Iowa. Her 1,245 wins are the second-most in NCAA Division I softball history. More

“The short answer is that you can't make a 300-year-old instrument today. You can’t replace 300 years of mystique.”

David Schoenbaum, professor emeritus in The University of Iowa Department of History and author of a forthcoming social history of the violin, on the $18 million asking price for the celebrated Vieuxtemps violin (New York Times, June 18).

More UI national news

“I wanted to dig in, and really learn—even the ugly stuff.”

Bonnie Yocum Rough, a graduate of The University of Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program, discussing her book, Carrier: Untangling the Danger in my DNA, which charts the biological legacy of Rough's grandfather, whose genetic disorder introduced agonizing decisions into her young marriage (The Daily News, May 17).