The 2012 Samuel L. Becker Distinguished Lecture in Communication Studies brings to campus distinguished scholar Celeste Condit.

University of Iowa political science professor Cary R. Covington says he thinks Iowans are more receptive to Obama's claims about the economy moving in the right direction following the debate and the most recent jobs report.

Charles D’Ambrosio and Joyelle McSweeney will present a free reading at 8:15 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 17, in the Frank Conroy Reading Room of the Glenn Schaeffer Library, adjacent to the Dey House.

Bryan Phillips, an assistant professor in the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Department of Biology, was recently awarded a three-year grant by the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust in the amount of $372,828. Research funded by the grant could lead to the development of drugs to alleviate the effects of human disease.

A new book edited by University of Iowa American studies doctoral students Nicholas Yanes and Derrais Carter looks at President Barack Obama's candidacy and first year of presidency through a pop culture lens.

Novelist Justin Cronin, who has a Master of Fine Arts from the UI Writers' Workshop, says his daughter inspired him to write a best-selling apocalyptic thriller, The Passage, after calling his books boring.

Anthony Arnone, associate professor of cello in the University of Iowa School of Music, will perform with pianist Martha Eckey, a UI School of Music alumna and current UI College of Pharmacy student, at 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 14, in Riverside Recital Hall on the UI campus.

Tim Hagle, a University of Iowa political science professor, says that if a third-party candidate has a national profile, the person can play spoiler in the race.

Kevin Leicht, director of the Iowa Social Science Research Center at the University of Iowa, says that in the United States, the term middle class is more of a cultural category than an economic one.

Linda Kerber has arguably been the most influential pioneer in the field of women's studies in the past 41 years, say those who organized a weekend event in celebration of the retired UI professor's career.

Science fiction comes to the stage: The Gallery series of the University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts will present The Stellification, a student production written by Bella Poynton and directed by Janet Schlapkohl, at 8 p.m., Thursday–Saturday, Oct. 18–20, and at 2 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 21, in Theatre B of the UI Theatre Building.

Luke Juran, a University of Iowa doctoral student in geography, recently conducted research in post-disaster water sanitation in India through a Fulbright grant. In this video, he shares what inspired his project and how he gave back to the community while exploring the local culture.