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Iowa Technology Institute

Aerospace, Defense, and Applied Research:
Advancing Innovation from Concept to Execution

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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.

University of Iowa plays leadership role in NASA’s STRIVE mission

The University of Iowa, led by Professor Jun Wang, will play a leading role in an up to $355 million space mission called STRIVE that is designed to help NASA better understand Earth and improve capabilities to foresee environmental events and mitigate disasters.

Explore Our Mission Areas

Advanced Manufacturing and Materials

Aerospace Technology

Biotechnology

Environment and Energy

Human Modeling and Simulation

Systems and Sensors

Explore Our Partnerships

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.

See partnerships

Recent News

Six people pose for a photo at an exhibition booth.

Marzen represents OPL at Farnborough International Airshow

Thursday, August 20, 2026

Operator Performance Lab

Randy Marzen, test director at the University of Iowa Operator Performance Laboratory (OPL), joined an Iowa delegation at one of the world’s largest aerospace trade events in July.

Yellow experimental aircraft on display in a hangar beside an Iowa Engineering exhibit.

Aerospace hub initiative leverages University of Iowa flight-test capabilities, could create opportunities to stay in Iowa

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

College of Engineering

As public and private sector leaders in Iowa launch the Ascentus Aerospace Hub initiative to attract aerospace investment and accelerate innovation, forces in industry, infrastructure, workforce development, and research are being combined to create an environment where aerospace and aviation companies can thrive and skilled graduates find reasons to stay in Iowa.

People walk and gather in a bright indoor lobby or hallway, with several individuals standing and talking while moving through the open space.

Iowa engineers investigate links between LED blue light and health impacts

Friday, June 26, 2026

College of Engineering

New research from the University of Iowa uses data from the TEMPO satellite mission to examine how blue light common in LEDs may disproportionately affect sleep patterns and health conditions of those in lower income areas. The findings, published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, were presented at a TEMPO DART conference in Iowa.

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