Several Department of Physics and Astronomy students were among the University of Iowa degree candidates participating in the Spring 2026 Commencement ceremonies held May 14-16.

Before leading some of NASA’s most ambitious missions, Jim Green found his trajectory at the University of Iowa — where a series of “gravity assists” set him on a path to the stars.

The Iowa Spaceflight Lab brings the full mission development process under one roof, from concept and design to testing, integration, and delivery, expanding the Department of Physics and Astronomy’s capabilities in spacecraft instrumentation. Housed in Van Allen Hall, the lab enables researchers to design, build, and test technologies for upcoming missions in a single, integrated space, strengthening Iowa’s leadership in space exploration.

Several faculty and staff from the department were recognized by the graduating class of 2026 for making a meaningful difference in students experiences at the University of Iowa. Among them were: Ugur Akgun; Casey DeRoo; Hai Fu; Jasper Halekas; Allison Jaynes; Kenneth Johnson: Jane Nachtman.