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.

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.

River to River host Ben Kieffer spoke with Aislinn Conrad, a former child welfare investigator, and mechanical engineer Karim Abdel-Malek. The two are developing an AI system that monitors physical behaviors to detect violence as it happens.

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, 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.

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).

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.

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 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.

University of Iowa students recently experienced airborne research firsthand, traveling to California's Mojave Desert for a NASA mission to verify satellite data using a high-altitude aircraft soaring 12 miles above Earth.