The University of Iowa will confer an estimated 1,500 degrees at three December commencement ceremonies Friday, Dec. 14 and Saturday, Dec. 15, to honor students graduating at the end of the fall semester.

In this feature article from Iowa Alumni Magazine's December 2012 theme issue, UI alumni and faculty offer practical advice on how to find happiness at work.

Jessica Reed, who earned her Master of Science degree in chemistry from the UI in 2012, won this year's Sims Award for her research on hydrogen gas storage for use as fuel. Reed's work with magnetic microparticles substantially increases the hydrogen storage capacity of palladium and other metals used in hydrogen fuel cells.

Twin spacecraft have captured the clearest sounds yet from Earth’s radiation belts—and they mimic the chirping of birds. UI physicist Craig Kletzing played a recording of these high-pitched radio waves at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.

Oprah Winfrey's magic touch is about to turn a former waitress from Brooklyn who is an alumnus of the UI Writers' Workshop, into one of the most famous writers in the country. Winfrey chose Ayana Mathis' first novel, The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, for her Book Club 2.0.

Two colleges at the University of Iowa have received a total of $50,000 in grants from State Farm to promote business and technology education curriculum and training.

University of Iowa School of Music students enrolled in String Chamber Music and Piano Chamber Music will perform free concerts at 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 8-9, in the recital hall in University Capitol Centre.

Ronald McMullen, a University of Iowa visiting associate political science professor and ambassador, shares his thoughts on globalization in Iowa, also the topic of the next UI International Programs' World Canvass program Friday, Dec. 7. (Note: A paid subscription may be required.)

Shreya Ahuja and Emily Wechsler, 16-year-old high school students at The Hockaday School in Dallas, received an intensive two-week introduction to neuroscience at the University of Iowa last July. Melissa Duff, faculty member in the UI’s Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, hosted the students in her laboratory as part of this pilot program.

Experience the sights and sounds of Steel Bands II and III during rehearsal in this multimedia presentation, and then go check them out when they perform Thursday, Dec. 6, on the UI campus.

The University of Iowa Afro-Cuban Drum and Dance Ensemble will perform at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9, in the Space Place Theatre of North Hall on the UI campus. The performance is free and open to the public.

Mark Harris, director of University of Iowa disability services, says that earlier identification of disabled students in K-12 schools is helping to drive the enrollment growth of disabled students at all three state universities including students like Justin Wittrock of Algona.