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Schnell takes reins as ITI director

Tom “Mach” Schnell has taken the helm as director of the Iowa Technology Institute, effective April 15, succeeding Karim Abdel-Malek, who had led the research institute for 20 years.

Schnell’s vision is to deepen the connection between ITI faculty and industry as well as leverage interdisciplinary research to attract large-scale grants.

Explore the latest research at OPL

The University of Iowa's Operator Performance Lab, directed by Dr. Tom "Mach" Schnell, is a flight testing laboratory with a fleet of jets, helicopters, Humvees, and UAVs.

Iowa professor's innovation among Time magazine's best inventions of 2024

Yang Liu, University of Iowa associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and an ITI faculty affiliate, co-founded Unify Medical, which released a digital loupe technology called Amplio to support image-guided surgical procedures. Amplio made Time magazine's best inventions of 2024.

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Environment and Energy

Human Modeling and Simulation

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ITI has a number of strategic partnerships with academic institutions, consortia and membership organizations, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private businesses. These help fund and support our research and development.

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Recent News

Iowa PhD student's algorithm becomes global resource through industry partnership

Friday, December 5, 2025

College of Engineering

Jonah Marks, a University of Iowa PhD candidate in chemical and biochemical engineering, created a better way for scientists to find "transition states" in chemical reactions that are essential to design new medicines, better catalysts, and advanced materials.

UI scholars find laser technology could make surgeries safer

Thursday, November 13, 2025

College of Engineering

Researchers at the University of Iowa have found they can bend high-tech lasers without sacrificing performance – a key milestone in bringing advanced laser systems into hospitals, labs, and fieldwork.

NASA sponsors UI research to advance wildfire air quality forecasting

Monday, November 10, 2025

College of Engineering

A $500,000 NASA grant led by Xi Chen, principal investigator, and Jun Wang, co-investigator, will leverage state-of-the-art satellite-based measurements of aerosol optical centroid height (AOCH) — a key indicator of smoke layer altitude.

Iowa engineers leverage ‘digital twins’ to shape future of military fitness training

Friday, November 7, 2025

College of Engineering

The U.S. Army has awarded a $5 million contract led by Karim Abdel-Malek, a University of Iowa engineering professor, for a groundbreaking study aimed at improving soldier fitness standards and training.

Lee selected for distinguished service medal

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

College of Engineering

The Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association (KSEA) has awarded Hosin “David” Lee, a University of Iowa professor of civil and environmental engineering, with its 2025 Distinguished Service Membership Award, citing his “exemplary leadership, visionary service, and profound impact.”

Xi Chen wins Goody Award for young scholars

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

College of Engineering

Xi Chen, an assistant research scientist in the AER Lab, has won a top award for early career scientists investigating how tiny particles interact with light and other electromagnetic particles in the atmosphere so scientists can improve weather forecasting and monitor air quality.

Two students pose for photos in an airplane hangar

OPL, Air Force Test Pilot School partnership benefits students

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Operator Performance Laboratory

An aspiring U.S. Air Force pilot found a rare opportunity this year to work directly with a senior officer, gaining hands-on experience with advanced aviation technology while observing the calm, cool, collected demeanor required of airmen. They met while conducting research for their engineering graduate degrees at the University of Iowa Operator Performance Laboratory (OPL).

Schnieders secures NSF grant to speed up drug development

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Michael Schnieders, University of Iowa professor of biomedical engineering, is developing new computer models that would speed up development of lifesaving drugs by better predicting how drug formulas will interact with the human body.

Schnell takes reins as ITI director

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Tom “Mach” Schnell has taken the helm as director of the University of Iowa Technology Institute, effective April 15, succeeding Karim Abdel-Malek, who had led the research institute for 20 years.

Edward Sander inducted as AIMBE fellow

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Edward A. Sander, a renowned University of Iowa scholar in the areas of tissue engineering and multiscale mechanics, has been inducted as a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), an organization representing the top minds in the field.

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