GE CLAS Core: Natural Sciences

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

James Van Allen

Research

Outreach and Public Engagement

News and Announcements

UI leads NASA project to better understand magnetic activity in space

Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Interactions between Earth and the sun's magnetic fields cause "space weather" which can cause problems with our electrical infrastructure. The University of Iowa is leading NASA's TRACERS mission that is studying this occurrence. On Iowa Public Radio's River to River program, host Ben Kieffer speaks with David Miles, the principal investigator on the project.

Gazette: TRACERS Mission Moves Toward April Launch

Monday, November 18, 2024
In summer 2017, University of Iowa physicist Craig Kletzing learned NASA was giving him an initial $1.25 million to flesh out a proposal to study how solar winds interact with Earth’s magnetic fields — in hopes of better understanding space weather, including to what extent it might affect satellites and other aspects of everyday life. Seven years later — after securing an additional $115 million from NASA to pursue the project in full, navigating delays through the pandemic and losing its leader in Professor Kletzing’s unexpected passing — the groundbreaking mission is nearing launch.

TRACERS satellites set to enhance understanding of space weather

Thursday, November 14, 2024
In just over five months, the University of Iowa will be launching its TRACERS mission which currently stands as the largest grant ever awarded to the university.

Upcoming Events

Astrophysics and Space Physics Seminar - Lillian Daneshmand; University of Iowa promotional image

Astrophysics and Space Physics Seminar - Lillian Daneshmand; University of Iowa

Wednesday, December 4, 2024 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Van Allen Hall
Modulation of Chorus Waves During Pulsating Aurora Events
Distinguished Public Lecture - Chris Quigg, PhD; Distinguished Scientist Emeritus, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory promotional image

Distinguished Public Lecture - Chris Quigg, PhD; Distinguished Scientist Emeritus, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Wednesday, December 4, 2024 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Van Allen Hall
Postcards from the Particle Frontier: How Scientists Explore the Universe, Establish New Laws of Nature, and Confront a Dazzling Array of New Questions
View more events

$ 26 m

In annual research expenditures (averaged over FY18-22)

Top Fifth

of Global Universities in Physics
(U.S. News and World Report 2022)

Very High

Research 1: Doctoral Universities
Research Activity
(Carnegie Classification)

24

Full-time Faculty

3100

Students taught in introductory courses per year (2017-2022)

124

Undergraduate Physics and Astronomy Majors
(2023-24)

72

Graduate Students
(2023-24)