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Making a World of Difference--Engle to receive UI award for international impact

The 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to Chinese author Mo Yan, a 2004 participant of the University of Iowa International Writing Program (IWP). In announcing the prize Oct. 11, the Nobel Foundation said that “with hallucinatory realism (Mo) merges folk tales, history, and the contemporary.” More

RESEARCH

Investigators create 3-D model of mysterious lung region

A UI-led research team has created the most detailed, three-dimensional rendering of a key region of a mammal lung. The model is important, because it can help scientists understand where and how lung diseases emerge as well as advance how drugs are delivered through the respiratory system. More

VEHICLE SAFETY

Can in-vehicle technologies help improve driver safety for seniors?

The UI Aging Mind and Brain Initiative is partnering with Toyota Collaborative Safety Research Center to evaluate how older drivers interact with various types of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). The findings from the three-year study will guide development and improve design of ADAS, to make them helpful to senior drivers. More

ACHIEVEMENTS

Influenced by great mentors, Apicella passes it on

Mike Apicella really knows how to bring out the best in his fellow scientists. On Oct. 4, the senior associate dean for scientific affairs and professor of microbiology was honored for his exceptional mentoring skills with the 2012 UI Carver College of Medicine’s Distinguished Mentor Award. More

SPORTS

The official story: How the third team on the field prepares for each game

Unbeknownst to many, officials do not just show up at the stadium and call a game; hours and hours of preparation go into every game. More

COLLEGE OF LAW

UI law student retires from Great Britain’s softball team

Stacie Townsend might be the only UI law student who knows all the lyrics to “God Save the Queen.” That’s not surprising, since she’s heard the song hundreds of times over the past eight years while competing for Great Britain’s national softball team. More

PUBLIC HEALTH

UI study helps prevent the ‘stork’ reality of unintended pregnancies

Most of us are familiar with the fairy tale version of the stork who delivers neatly bundled babies to doorsteps. UI researchers gave the storybook stork a new twist by placing it at the center of a comprehensive social marketing campaign designed to prevent unintended pregnancies. More

FARM SAFETY

Driving simulator puts tractor-driving skills to the test

Farming can be a dangerous occupation, especially for youth. To better understand the limits of farm children’s abilities to operate tractors, researchers at Iowa and other institutions are employing the National Advanced Driving Simulator on the UI campus. More

GENETICS

Upcoming events focus on genetics—from Frankenstein to the future

Following the university’s 2010 cluster hire of new faculty pursuing genetics research, a number of campus programs this fall are encouraging the public to reflect on the responsibilities of science and scientists to the broader culture. Events include a panel discussion and an exhibit, “Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature.” More

“There’s a real populist movement happening to try to attack the judicial system as, quote, ‘out of touch with the popular sentiment of the people.’ And that’s just a basic misunderstanding of what courts are about.”

Linda McGuire, associate dean in the UI College of Law, explaining that having an independent judiciary may result in some rulings that are unpopular, such as the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage (NPR’s All Things Considered, Sept. 26).

More UI national news

“If he sensed there was a moment of hesitation on the set, he would jump in there and start calling the shots.”

UI graduate Robert Lorenz, director of the film Trouble with the Curve, acknowledging that he pulled all-nighters preparing for each day’s shoot to prevent actor Clint Eastwood from assuming directorial duties during filming (Daily Herald, Sept. 18).