Roberto Ampuero, a UI assistant professor of Spanish and Portuguese who is on leave to serve as the Chilean ambassador to Mexico, is also a best-selling novelist and the creator of Cayetano Brulé, one of Spanish-language crime fiction's most traveled modern private eyes.

This year saw one of Iowa’s most philanthropic families, the Gerdins, make a $12 million commitment to the building campaign for the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, making the Gerdin Family the Iowa City Press-Citizen's Person of the Year for 2012.

UI professor Armando Duarte, a choreographer at the UI since 1993, was inspired to create a three-week study abroad program in his native Brazil to share the culture of Carnival with UI students. He is currently in Brazil with 20 UI students so they can study the unique culture firsthand.

Trends in alcohol-related issues will top the agenda for the bi-monthly meeting of the Partnership for Alcohol Safety Wednesday, Jan. 9, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in Room 203 of the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building, 855 South Dubuque St., Iowa City.

University of Iowa psychiatrist and gambling researcher Donald W. Black says his latest published study on compulsive gambling has found that the percentage of gamblers who report gambling problems has dropped despite the expansion of casinos in the state.

The University of Iowa's Dance Marathon seems to get a bit bigger every year, so it's no surprise it was named to a list of the 10 biggest college fundraisers by the college rating site thebestcolleges.org.

A University of Iowa Public Health Ambassador makes it her mission to ensure that moms-to-be are well-informed about their babies’ health.

Ring in the New Year with old friends at the next University of Iowa Museum of Art First Friday reception from 5-7 p.m. on Jan. 4, at hotelVetro in downtown Iowa City.

The UI is partnering with Mediacom, Iowa’s largest cable TV provider, to create what it is calling the Hawkeye Network, a statewide station airing content produced entirely in-house at UI. (Note: A paid subscription may be required.)

Despite a troubled first trimester, Alicia Ames entered her second trimester finally feeling good about her pregnancy. Then her water broke at just 20 weeks and she and her baby relied on UI Hospitals and Clinics and UI Children’s Hospital to see them through.

The University of Iowa Division of Student Life's 2012 Annual Report highlights how the division fosters student success by creating and promoting educationally purposeful services and activities within and beyond the classroom.

Mary Cohen, a UI music education professor with appointments in both the Colleges of Education and Liberal Arts and Sciences, unites prisoners and volunteers through the Oakdale Community Choir. (Note: A paid subscription may be required.)