Physics and Astronomy | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Research at the cutting edge

From dark matter to space probes to qubits

Why Iowa?

Home of James Van Allen, the “Father of Space Science" and one of the Top Fifth Global Universities in Physics according to U.S. News and World Report.

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Build a foundation

Join a vibrant community of students and faculty passionate about exploring the universe.

Build a foundation

Expand your horizons

Contribute to groundbreaking research and potentially co-author scientific publications.

Expand your horizons

Learn from experts

Collaborate with game-changers on spacecraft missions and particle physics discoveries.

Learn from experts

See yourself here

Whether you're interested in space and plasma physics, astronomy and astrophysics, condensed matter and optics, or nuclear and particle physics, Iowa will develop your analytical, computational, and experimental skills to advance scientific knowledge of the universe around us.

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Research

Whether you’re passionate about space physics, quantum mechanics, or the intersections of physics and engineering, you’ll collaborate with expert faculty and cutting-edge labs. You’ll have access to hands-on research experiences, from working on space missions to contributing to particle physics discoveries. These opportunities allow you to expand your knowledge while making tangible contributions to the scientific community.

Research at Iowa

Top Fifth

of Global Universities in Physics

U.S. News and World Report 2022

$ 26 m

In annual research expenditures

Averaged over FY18-22

Write your story

Build on the legacy of space pioneer Dr. James Van Allen by getting involved with our faculty’s cutting-edge space physics research with NASA and the NSF, even as an undergrad.

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24

Full-time Faculty

Very High

Research 1: Doctoral Universities
Research Activity

Carnegie Classification

120 +

Undergraduate physics and astronomy majors

2023-24 data

70 +

Graduate students

2023-24 data

Explore physics at Iowa

James Van Allen

Engage in our rich history by learning about the "Father of Space Science"

Outreach and engagement

Outreach and public engagement are essential to sharing our research with the general public, by interacting and listening in order to generate mutual benefit.

Earn your Natural Sciences requirement

Learn more about how our programs can satisfy the General Education CLAS Core requirement in Natural Sciences.

News and announcements

Professor Mary Hall Reno Receives NASA APRA Award to Advance Cosmic Neutrino Detection Research

Friday, August 28, 2026

Professor Mary Hall Reno has been awarded a NASA APRA grant for the project "Continued Development of nuSpaceSim: Modeling of the Extensive Air Shower Signals from Cosmic Neutrinos for Suborbital and Space-based Experiments." Working with collaborators at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Colorado School of Mines, the University of Utah, Penn State University, and Columbia University, the project will enhance key software tools for modeling cosmic neutrino interactions, improve simulation capabilities, and develop new methods for evaluating the sensitivity of future neutrino observatories.

Ultra-tiny diamond sensors could offer a more precise look inside living cells

Friday, August 28, 2026

A research team co-led by the University of Iowa has developed a new approach that uses ultra-tiny diamond sensors to detect temperature changes in cells, which could lead to better diagnosis of diseases such as cancer.