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

Hawk-Eyes on Science and Hawk-Eyes in Space Outreach Programs

For more than 15 years, Hawk-Eyes on Science and Hawk-Eyes in Space have brought the excitement of science demonstrations to Iowans of all ages.

These successful and well-received outreach programs are led by dozens of department faculty, staff, and undergraduate and graduate students, who give 40-60 demonstrations each year both on and off-campus. Their combined efforts have made Hawk-Eyes on Science one of the nation’s premier university-based science outreach programs, one of a small handful of programs to receive both the World Year of Physics and LaserFest grants from the American Physical Society. The programs are supported in part by grants from the General Electric Corporation and the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) Bauder fund.

Upcoming Outreach Events

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Recent Outreach Events

Dangerous, Smelly, and Covered in Dirt: The Future of Humans in Space promotional image

Dangerous, Smelly, and Covered in Dirt: The Future of Humans in Space

Saturday, April 9, 2022 11:30am to 12:15pm
Macbride Hall
Dr. Kelly Weinersmith is a scientist and author. An adjunct assistant professor at Rice University, she studies behavioral manipulation of animal hosts by their parasites. She has worked on systems that infect the brains of fish, and wasps that control the behavior of other wasps before eating them. Dr. Weinersmith and her partner, the cartoonist Zach Weinersmith, coauthored the New York Times bestselling book Soonish. This talk is part of the 2022 Iowa City Darwin Day Science Fest. All events...

Outreach News

Prof. Vincent Rogers presents a physics demo as NASA's Eddie Gonzales looks on

Physics and Astronomy Hosts SPARK May 20

Wednesday, May 24, 2023
The Department of Physics and Astronomy hosted the Space Physics and Astronomy Research Kamp (SPARK) May 20 at  Van Allen Hall. Twelve Iowa City-area high school students attended SPARK, which focused on astronomy, astrophysics, space physics, and promoted the STEM field toward typically underrepresented groups.
Prof. Wayne Polyzou demonstrates a device to school children

Polyzou Presents at STEAM Day

Friday, May 5, 2023
For an outreach event, Prof. Wayne Polyzou presented at STEAM Day, April 21, 2023, at Prairie Ridge Elementary School in Cedar Rapids.

Additional Resources

Outreach Coordinators

Dale Stille
Instructional Resource Specialist
58 Van Allen Hall (VAN)
319-335-1833
dale-stille@uiowa.edu

Vincent Rodgers, Ph.D.
Professor
513 Van Allen Hall (VAN)
319-335-1219
vincent-rodgers@uiowa.edu

Gregory Howes, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
213 Van Allen Hall (VAN)
319-335-1221
gregory-howes@uiowa.edu

Cyerra Hutchins
Academic Programs Coordinator
202 Van Allen Hall (VAN)
319-467-1517
cyerra-hutchins@uiowa.edu

Caroline A. Roberts, Ph.D.
Astronomy Laboratory Coordinator and Van Allen Observatories Manager
610 Van Allen Hall (VAN)
319-467-1481
caroline-roberts@uiowa.edu

Fax: 319-335-1753

Outreach Images and Media