Briante Najev, a first-year graduate student in the University of Iowa's Department of Biology, won a European Society for Evolutionary Biology Outreach Fund grant to create outreach activities explaining climate issues. With the award, Najev will lead an activity, called EcoStax, with people across eastern Iowa, particularly Muscatine and Davenport. In this activity, which was created by the National Center for Science Education, participants build an ecosystem, then try to keep it stable under the duress of climate change, helping to make climate issues local and personal.

Darcell Stokes came to Iowa not knowing what she wanted to study. The Waterloo native found her academic passion studying social justice issues, became integrated in the LGBTQ community through the Pride Alliance Center, and now aims to study law.

Ninety University of Iowa student-athletes have been named Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholars. Among the Iowa honorees, 29 maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average during the 2019-20 academic year.

Inside and outside the classroom, University of Iowa junior Joseph Haggerty is combining his interests in the environment and issues facing the LGBTQ community while developing skills for a successful career in advocacy.

University of Iowa graduate and undergraduate students are helping develop the state's budding winemaking industry, connecting grape growers with winemakers throughout Iowa

The University of Iowa awarded more than 5,700 degrees at the close of the spring 2020 semester.

Jon Lensing always knew he wanted to pursue a career in medicine. But deep into his medical-school path, he focused on launching a business-one he and his co-founders designed to meet a need in the medical industry-and soon saw its numbers skyrocket due to COVID-19.

More than 8,500 undergraduate students at the University of Iowa were named to the dean's list for the 2020 spring semester.

Jacob Lensing tackles research challenges with an athlete's drive. The first-year College of Dentistry student from Pella, Iowa, has made great strides comparing the efficacy of materials used to seal and protect the inside of a tooth after a root canal.

The Zada Cooper Leadership Committee recently announced the 2019-2020 recipients of the Zada Cooper Student Leadership Award. Three students received this honor for embodying the leadership qualities of Zada Cooper, a UI College of Pharmacy student and faculty member in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The nominees for the leadership award have made meaningful contributions to students and the surrounding communities through service and provided exemplary leadership and commitment to an organization. Nominees have mentored future leaders, inspired and motivated others to act through service, and demonstrated initiative, creativity, and perseverance to challenge the present and enrich the future.

More than 800 undergraduate students at the University of Iowa named to the president's list for the 2020 spring semester.

Savannah DeGroot is driven to serve the LGBTQ+ community and the homeless.

Laurence Chan was trying to figure out what he wanted in life when he realized he wanted to help people figure out what they wanted in life.

As a doctoral student in nursing at the University of Iowa, Elyse Laures is studying pain assessment in children who are sick. She hopes to decrease their lengths of stay in pediatric intensive care units and expedite their healing.

Inspired years ago by a school speech pathologist, New Jersey native Ally Valde aims to make a similar impact-to help others who struggle with communicating-and has grown into an advocate for equal access for students and individuals with disabilities.

Two current graduate students, two incoming graduate students and three undergraduates have been awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship to support their graduate studies. The award provides the students with three years of financial support ($34,000 annual stipend and $12,000 cost-of-education allowance to the graduate institution) for graduate study that leads to a research-based master's or doctoral degree in chemistry, computer & information sciences, engineering, geosciences, life sciences, materials research, mathematical sciences, physics & astronomy, psychology, social sciences, and STEM education & learning research.

While studying neuroscience at the University of Iowa, Suraj Rao has been able to maintain a connection to his cultural heritage in Southeast Asia.

Gordon Louie is committed to creating a more welcoming and inclusive environment within higher education. One way he hopes to help do that is by serving as an inaugural member of the UI Pan Asian Council at the University of Iowa.

A University of Iowa graduate student in physics has been selected to conduct research at a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facility. Lucas Beving studies low-temperature plasmas in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. He is one of 62 graduate students from across the nation selected for DOE's Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program.

Many students and alumni will say they 'bleed black and gold' as an expression of their allegiance to the University of Iowa. Yet, for the Kollasch siblings, it is easy to say Hawkeye blood runs in their family. Anna Kate, Zachary, and Anthony Kollasch all came to the University of Iowa to pursue their graduate degrees. While many Hawkeyes can boast having multiple family members graduate from Iowa, the timing worked out this year for all three Kollasch siblings to be on campus simultaneously. The siblings from Whittemore, in north central Iowa, appreciate being close to each other in Iowa City as they complete degrees in their respective programs. Yet, they each were drawn to the university with different career interests.

Laxmi Annapureddy grew up straddling her Indian traditions and American culture. The sophomore from Urbandale credits the University of Iowa with deepening her appreciation of her ancestral roots and connecting to her Indian identity.

In April, the University of Iowa's John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC) in the Tippie College of Business partnered with the UI's Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Iowa Research Foundation, and UI Ventures to host the second phase of the Iowa Innovation Challenge. The second phase of the Challenge was business model canvas (BMC) pitch competition. A total of 52 UI businesses applied to compete in the business model competition. Thirty-six were selected as finalists to compete virtually due to COVID-19. In a separate division of the Challenge, University of Iowa alumni, Venture School alumni, and UI business consulting clients were invited to submit a 60-second video and an executive summary of their business. Thirty-seven submission were received.

Tippie College of Business graduate Matt Tolton is taking over his father's Atlantic-based business while starting his own cybersecurity firm.

For her PhD, Kathryn Crawford merged a longtime love of music with her passion for keeping workers safe.

Isabella Penniston never thought she would be performing research as an undergraduate in the College of Nursing. But several research experiences opened her eyes to new possibilities in her chosen career.

Zac McFarland originally wanted to play professional football, but picked Esq. over ESPN. The University of Iowa College of Law student will join the Minneapolis law firm Frederickson & Byron after graduation.

Whenever Jose Duran encountered a hurdle growing up, there was someone-a family member, a teacher, his boxing coach-to help him over it. Now the graduating University of Iowa student wants to be the one who helps others over their hurdles.

University of Iowa senior Tori Cassady wants to know how early life developed. The senior from West Des Moines, who will graduate in May, will go on to graduate school to study cyanobacteria, micro-organisms that live in Yellowstone's geothermal pools and are believed to be among the first life-forms on Earth.

University of Iowa graduating senior Sean Maxson has found his calling: Developing technological innovations that can provide more independence for people with paralysis or other similar conditions.

Katie Moore had no idea how worldly her education would be staying close to home and attending the University of Iowa.