At the University of Iowa, faculty and students from a range of disciplines are actively partnering with community members to solve real-world problems.

Ames High School senior Aparna Ajjarapu is one of more than 150 top science and math students from across the state participating in the 2014 Iowa Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium Thursday and Friday, Feb. 27 and 28, on the University of Iowa campus.

UI finance professor Art Durnev is a native of Russia and has closely followed the Ukrainian turmoil. He says that the Ukrainian economy is "a mess right now," due to government corruption.

The Iowa Memorial Union footbridge will be closed to all pedestrian traffic from March 3-17. Alternate pedestrian river crossings are located at the Hancher footbridge to the north, or Iowa Avenue to the south.

Ragamala Dance is committed to preserving an important dance heritage while pushing the art form forward. "Sacred Earth" unifies this unique dance vision with other forms of art. The UI’s Hancher will present Ragamala Dance March 6 and 7 at Space Place Theater.

It’s not often that college students say the coolest place on campus is the library, but that’s what you’ll hear about the new Learning Commons at the University of Iowa. (Note: A paid subscription may be required.)

The University of Iowa celebrated the new Main Library Learning Commons with a grand opening on Feb. 21.

A shoebox, wrapped in a red ribbon turned brown with age, and stuffed with yellowed papers contained the stories of slaves who sued for freedom, stories now collected in a new book by UI law professor Lea VanderVelde.

UI communication studies professor Tim Havens said he finds it remarkable how much information Netflix is amassing: “They do know an awful lot about us...it’s really important to realize you’re being surveilled while you watch Netflix.”

UI political scientist Vicki Claypool said accommodations from the EU would help smooth the way forward following violent protests in Ukraine: “The European Union has to be more accommodative in the sense of not being quite as critical of Ukraine’s political system and economy."

The University of Iowa Main Library Learning Commons project has won a Master Award from the Master Builders of Iowa.

An Australian-led team including a UI geologist studied rocks from the coast of Hudson Bay in Quebec, Canada and found indications that life existed on Earth nearly 900 million years early than currently thought.