News

Faculty and Staff: Submit grant awards, honors, research publications, accepted talks, and other news items through the Physics and Astronomy Faculty and Staff News Form.

Allison Jaynes in front of Van Allen Hall sign

Jaynes awarded the 2023 AGU James B. Macelwane Medal

Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Prof. Allison Jaynes was selected to receive the AGU James B. Macelwane Medal, which is given annually to three to five early career scientists in recognition of their significant contributions to Earth and space science. AGU, the world's largest Earth and space science association, annually recognizes a select number of individuals for its highest honors. Prof. Jaynes is recognized by the global Earth and space sciences community for her tremendous personal sacrifices and selfless dedication to advancing Earth and space sciences.
lunar research grant Jasper halekas DI

CLAS Features Halekas in Faculty Profile

Prof. Jasper Halekas is featured in an article about faculty in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who are doing impactful and interesting work across disciplines. 
Tom Folland in University of Iowa lab

Folland Received Five Grants in 2023

Assistant Professor Tom Folland has received five grants this year, including a major CAREER award from the National Science Foundation.
Casey DeRoo explains blue supermoon

DeRoo Explains the Blue Supermoon

In these interviews with local TV stations, Casey DeRoo explained the rare phenomenon of the blue supermoon.
Craig Kletzing with a student

Gazette: Esteemed Iowa, NASA physicist Craig Kletzing dies

Longtime University of Iowa physics and astronomy professor Craig Kletzing made big news in 2019 when he won the single largest research grant in UI history — a $115 million award from NASA to study how the sun and Earth’s magnetic fields interact. But the space plasma physicist over several decades before that had established himself not only as an expert in the field of space physics — researching, among many things, the Northern Lights and Van Allen radiation belts — but as a passionate educator, eager to inspire in his students the “a ha” moments that drove investigations and discoveries.
Craig Kletzing in front of a blackboard

Renowned Iowa physics professor, researcher Craig Kletzing dies

Craig Kletzing, the easygoing, humble University of Iowa professor who combined a zeal for teaching with a decorated research career in space plasma experimental physics, has died. He was 65.

Prineas Awarded Grant to Improve LWIR Thermal Camera Detectors

Friday, August 11, 2023
Professor John Prineas and the University of Iowa have been given a subaward as part of a contract entitled “Metasurface-Coupled Superlattices for LWIR Imaging” from the US Missile Defense Agency and led by Sivananthan Labs in Bolingbrook, Ill. The subaward is for $419,958 over two years.
Thomas Folland lab

Folland Receives Grant to Characterize Semiconductor Materials

Thursday, August 3, 2023
Assistant Professor Thomas Folland has received a $434,814 grant from the Office of Naval Research to develop nano-optic infrared probes to characterize new semiconductor materials through award number N00014-23-1-2616.

NSF Awards Folland and Prineas Grant to Develop Optical Infrared Detector

Friday, July 28, 2023
The National Science Foundation has awarded Assistant Professor Tom Folland and Professor John Prineas a $411,378 grant to develop long wavelength infrared detectors that can measure atmospheric chemicals using optical antennas.
Team ALEX presenting poster

Students Present Posters at Summer Undergraduate Research Conference

Thursday, July 27, 2023
Physics student Owen Fiedorowicz and students in the Edge of Space Academy presented their research at the Summer Undergraduate Research Conference on July 26 at the Iowa Memorial Union. Sponsored by the University of Iowa Graduate College, this conference brought together undergraduate students who have been conducting summer research projects in UI departments and programs across the University's colleges.