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 team designs microscope to study interaction of light and matter in electronic devices

Thursday, February 6, 2025
In a new study, a physics team at the University of Iowa designed a special microscope that can precisely study the interaction between light and matter that underpins electronic devices, such as those used in interior home lighting, smartphones, televisions and solar panels. The infrared cryo-microscope, designed by a team led by Thomas Folland, assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, uses off-the shelf components to make precise measurements of different materials’ properties.

Swarm Featured in 2025 Dare to Discover Campaign

Friday, January 24, 2025
Dustin Swarm, a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, is part of the 2025 Dare to Discover banner campaign, showcasing 80 undergraduate, graduate student, and postdoctoral scholars engaged in promising research, scholarship, and creative activities.

Chorus Waves Detected in Deep Space

Thursday, January 23, 2025
In this Scientific American article, Associate Professor Allison Jaynes discusses peculiar bursts of energy called chorus waves detected in deep space far from our planet. These waves could pose problems for long-distance space travel.

Upcoming Events

Operator Theory Seminar - Palle Jorgensen; University of Iowa Department of Mathematics promotional image

Operator Theory Seminar - Palle Jorgensen; University of Iowa Department of Mathematics

Tuesday, February 18, 2025 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Van Allen Hall
Title: Free Probability. Abstract: We study a family of free stochastic processes whose covariance kernels K may be derived as a transform of tempered measures σ. These processes arise, for example, in consideration of non-commutative analysis involving free probability. Hence our use of semi-circle distributions, as opposed to Gaussians. In this setting we find an orthonormal basis in the corresponding non-commutative L2 of sample-space. We define a stochastic integral for our family of...
Mathematical Physics Seminar - Wayne Polyzou, PhD; Department of Physics and Astronomy promotional image

Mathematical Physics Seminar - Wayne Polyzou, PhD; Department of Physics and Astronomy

Tuesday, February 18, 2025 2:30pm to 3:30pm
Van Allen Hall
Euclidean formulations of relativistic quantum mechanics
Physics and Astronomy Colloquium - Kai-Mei Fu, PhD; University of Washington promotional image

Physics and Astronomy Colloquium - Kai-Mei Fu, PhD; University of Washington

Tuesday, February 18, 2025 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Van Allen Hall
Point Defects in Crystals: Trapped Atoms for Quantum Technologies
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$ 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)