The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, today (Wednesday, Dec. 4) approved a request from the University of Iowa to re-name the UI Cardiovascular Research Center in honor of its founder, Francois Abboud, M.D.

“Open access” publishing allows ideas and research to be freely shared online instead of in subscription-based journals. The UI this year launched a financial-aid program to encourage its scholars to publish research in open access platforms.

The Dec. 4 University of Iowa Symphony Orchestra performance with the combined School of Music choirs and the Dec. 8 All-University String Orchestra and UI Chamber Orchestra performance will be streamed live via the Web on Iowa Now.

According to a new study out of the University of Iowa, kids who smoosh, smash, and even throw their food are actually learning as they play with their meals. The study also suggests that these messy eaters may be better and faster learners in the long run.

UI geneticist Jeff Murray warns against direct-to-consumer genetic tests because results might apply to some ethnic groups but not to others, leading consumers to think they have an elevated risk of some illness when in fact they do not.

UI researcher Nathan Holton says a difference in body size and energy demands between men and women explains why men’s noses are about 10 percent larger than women’s in populations of European descent. (Note: A paid subscription may be required.)

Next time your baby mashes his bananas, apple sauce, AND carrots all together—not to mention all over his hands, hair, and the high chair—don’t fret about the mess: Your little one just may be getting smarter in the process.

Elementary-school teachers, administrators, and interested community members are invited to a free, informal discussion about how students learn. The discussion is part of an ongoing initiative by UI psychology department researchers to develop improved learning interventions for struggling students.

Dylan Holub faced a lot of ups and downs during his 141-day stay in the UI Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, including the development of retinopathy of prematurity—an abnormal blood vessel development in the retina which can cause blindness if not caught and treated early. Holub will be the honorary Kid Capain this Friday, Nov. 29 when the Hawkeyes play Nebraska.

A burgeoning controversy is brewing in Des Moines over fluoridation of the city's water supply, but Steven Levy of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry says low levels of fluoride are beneficial for improved dental health.

A quiz about screen time for children includes advice from Deborah Linebarger, University of Iowa associate professor of education, who has conducted multiple studies on young kids' media use and recommends TV and videos that have a lot of dialogue and tell simple stories.

UI researcher Thomas Schnell compares the use of automation in a cockpit to cruise control in a car: “Make it 10 times as complicated, and that’s what automation in the flight deck looks like."