UI alumnus Michael Lynch began his “blind audition” on NBC’s "The Voice" alone on the stage. After his 90-second rendition of "Bailamos," Lynch found himself in the midst of an impromptu dancing duet with Christina Aguilera. Ahead of the "battle rounds," Lynch reflects on his memorable moment.

Allyn Mark is recognized internationally for his research in brain control of the cardiovascular system and blood pressure, but his greatest passion is as a mentor to trainees and young faculty. Mark will be honored for his exceptional mentoring skills with the 2013 UI Carver College of Medicine’s Distinguished Mentor Award.

The Institute of Medicine as a Profession released its new study Oct. 11 on conflict of interest (COI) policies that shows the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine has one of the five strongest COI policies in the nation.

The three recipients of the 2013 World Food Prize will be available to meet the media prior to delivering a public lecture at the University of Iowa Tuesday, Oct. 15.

Carroll native and Des Moines resident Steve Bernholtz is the kind of guy you want on your side, a chemical detective who looks for things in water and soil that you probably don’t want in there.

University of Iowa, Kirkwood Community College, and Grant Wood Area Education Agency officials broke ground Friday afternoon for a 100,000-square-foot STEM education center slated to open in the UI Research Park in Coralville by fall 2015.

The JACK Quartet, current residents of the UI String Quartet Residency Program, spent much of this week with composition and string students in the School of Music. A week of mentoring and developing students' work will culminate with the JACK performing UI student compositions Friday, Oct. 11, in Riverside Recital Hall.

The University of Iowa School of Music will present a free performance by organist Christoph Keggenhoff at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, in Riverside Recital Hall on the UI campus. Keggenhoff will perform music of Bach, Buxtehude, Eben, and Merkel on the Taylor and Boody op. 13 organ, which is built in the style of organs known to Bach.

The University of Iowa Center for New Music will present a performance by guest composer Michael Harrison titled “Revelation: Music in Pure Intonation” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, in Riverside Recital Hall on the UI campus. The performance is free and open to the public.

Ted Anton will talk about great science and nature writing jobs at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, in the Frank Conroy Reading Room of the Glenn Schaeffer Library, adjacent to the Dey House.

Death notices for current and retired UI employees. Links to online obituaries provided when available.

In the movie "12 Years A Slave," a slave sues his captors who kidnap him into slavery. UI law professor Lea VanderVelde has studied hundreds of similar cases where slaves have sued their masters for their freedom, and will publish their stories in a new book this spring.