Sydney Johnson, a Des Moines native, was determined to study abroad while at the UI. She chose a small Italian town off the beaten path to hone her language skills.

Bruce Sterling, American science fiction author whose work helped to define the steampunk genre, will read from and talk about his work at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, in a free reading at Prairie Lights Books in downtown Iowa City.

Liz Lerman, founding artistic director of the Dance Exchange and recipient of a MacArthur “Genius Grant,” will be in Iowa City as part of the Ida Cordelia Beam Visiting Professorships Program in September.

University of Iowa Student Health and Wellness has achieved another three year accreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, earning recognition for providing the highest quality care.

University of Iowa psychiatry professor Nancy Andreasen has published a study using brain scans to document the effects of schizophrenia on brain tissue. The findings may help doctors better understand the origin of the illness and the best ways to treat it.

University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop alumnus John Falsey will offer a free presentation, “Basics of Screenwriting for Fiction Writers and Poets,” at 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, in the Frank Conroy Reading Room of the Glenn Schaeffer Library, adjacent to the Dey House.

The University of Iowa ranks 29th among the nation's best public universities, according to the latest rankings published by the magazine "U.S. News & World Report." The ranking places the UI in a tie with Michigan State University.

Susan Branch, author of 12 best-selling Heart of the Home books, will sign copies of her new book, "A Fine Romance: Falling in Love With the English Countryside," at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at Prairie Lights Books in downtown Iowa City.

The performing arts component of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Project Art will present a musical performance by jazz pianist extraordinaire Dave Burrell at noon Wednesday, Sept. 18, in the atrium of the John Colloton Pavilion at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The performance is free and open to the public.

Two-time Emmy-Award winner and University of Iowa alumnus Marcos McPeek Villatoro will visit the UI campus and local community Sept. 15-18 thanks to a collaboration between the UI Chief Diversity Office and the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

Adam Kruger never considered any place but the University of Iowa for dental school, and his post-graduation plans came naturally, too. He returned to northeast Iowa to practice with his dad and help his hometown of Oelwein chart new directions.

University of Iowa Recreational Services offers beginner and intermediate adult tennis clinics in September and October.