Steve Hendrix, a UI biology professor, was recently named the director of academics and research at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory in Milford, Iowa, where he has conducted research and shared his expertise since 1975.

New media journalism—blogs, social media sites, and the like—are often heralded as the future of journalism. But Columbia University Professor Todd Gitlin, a renowned media scholar, journalist, sociologist, and writer, thinks mainstream journalism remains crucial—even though it often does a lousy job.

The Senior Project connects high school students with area seniors. Their work together will result in written portraits of new friends made across the generations.

The University of Iowa Department of Dance continued its remarkable record of success in American College Dance Festival Association (ACDFA) competitions—college dance's “March Madness”—winning a spot on the 2013 Gala Concert of the North-Central Regional ACDFA Conference at Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minn, held March 9-12.

The people of Iowa understand the necessity of living with floods. A series of statewide events called “Living with Floods” will recognize the resiliency of Iowans in the face of flooding and includes a free community forum Thursday, March 21, at Modern Woodmen Park, 209 S. Gaines St. in Davenport.

Cadet Ryan Wilson, a UI senior, was recently ranked as the No. 16 cadet among 5,600 in the country by the U.S. Army Cadet Command. Wilson is the battalion commander of the UI Reserve Officers' Training Corps, the highest position in the program.

Réne Lecuona, professor of piano in the University of Iowa School of Music, will perform with cellist Hannah Holman, formerly of the Maia Quartet and now with the New York City Ballet Orchestra and the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 24, in the Old Capitol Senate Chamber.

Nicole Esposito, professor of flute in the University of Iowa School of Music, will present a CD release concert with the award-winning Alturas Duo (Carlos Boltes, viola/charango, and Scott Hill, guitar) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 28, in Riverside Recital Hall on the UI campus.

Wells Tower, writer of short stories and nonfiction, will present a free reading at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 28, in the Frank Conroy Reading Room of the Glenn Schaeffer Library, adjacent to the Dey House. Tower is the recipient of two Pushcart Prizes, the 2002 Plimpton (Discovery) Prize from the "Paris Review," and a Henfield Foundation Award.

The Iowa Neurological Patient Registry was founded in 1982 by UI researchers. The one-of-a-kind registry collects multiple instances of patients who have experienced brain damage as a result of injury, illness, or surgery, and helps researchers determine if lesions in one specific brain area always produce the same cognitive or behavioral deficits.

A new documentary co-produced by UI alumna Devon Terrill traces the stories of eight American families struggling to get by during the worst U.S. recession in 80 years. The film will debut on HBO on March 18 and will be screened March 30 at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City.

David Schoenbaum, UI history professor emeritus, has been researching his book, The Violin: A Social History of the World's Most Versatile Instrument, ever since he started playing the violin, as a child.