Why Iowa?

Home of James Van Allen, the “Father of Space Science" and one of the Top Fifth Global Universities in Physics according to U.S. News and World Report.

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Build a foundation

Expand your horizons

Learn from experts

See yourself here

Whether you're interested in space and plasma physics, astronomy and astrophysics, condensed matter and optics, or nuclear and particle physics, Iowa will develop your analytical, computational, and experimental skills to advance scientific knowledge of the universe around us.

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Research

Whether you’re passionate about space physics, quantum mechanics, or the intersections of physics and engineering, you’ll collaborate with expert faculty and cutting-edge labs. You’ll have access to hands-on research experiences, from working on space missions to contributing to particle physics discoveries. These opportunities allow you to expand your knowledge while making tangible contributions to the scientific community.

Research at Iowa

Top Fifth

of Global Universities in Physics

U.S. News and World Report 2022

$ 26 m

In annual research expenditures

Averaged over FY18-22

Write your story

Build on the legacy of space pioneer Dr. James Van Allen by getting involved with our faculty’s cutting-edge space physics research with NASA and the NSF, even as an undergrad.

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students in reserach lab

24

Full-time Faculty
Physics and Astronomy reserach lab

Very High

Research 1: Doctoral Universities
Research Activity

Carnegie Classification

120 +

Undergraduate physics and astronomy majors

2023-24 data

Physics and Astronomy reserach lab

70 +

Graduate students

2023-24 data

student with faculty discussions

Explore physics at Iowa

James Van Allen

Engage in our rich history by learning about the "Father of Space Science"

Outreach and engagement

Outreach and public engagement are essential to sharing our research with the general public, by interacting and listening in order to generate mutual benefit.

Earn your Natural Sciences requirement

Learn more about how our programs can satisfy the General Education CLAS Core requirement in Natural Sciences.

News and announcements

DeRoo Receives Iowa Mid-Career Faculty Scholar Award

Thursday, March 5, 2026
Associate Professor Casey DeRoo has been selected as a recipient of the Iowa Mid-Career Faculty Scholar Award for 2026. The award, which is in its fifth year, provides funding and development opportunities for a cohort of tenured mid-career faculty who have established national or international reputations in their disciplines and demonstrate exceptional teaching and mentorship.

Acevedo Poster Contest held Feb. 27

Monday, March 2, 2026
The Department of Physics and Astronomy hosted the third annual Acevedo Poster Contest on Feb. 27, giving participating students a chance to show how they used computing resources, tools, or techniques in their research.

UI nearing end of construction for Van Allen Hall’s Iowa Spaceflight Laboratory

Friday, February 27, 2026
In an effort to retain engineering staff from a $170 million project for NASA, the University of Iowa is renovating the seventh floor of Van Allen Hall to house the Iowa Spaceflight Laboratory, a collection of labs supporting the UI’s efforts in building spaceflight instrumentation for solar system exploration. Construction on the seventh floor of Van Allen could be completed as early as mid to late March.
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Events

Astronomy Public Talk - John Silva; Graduate Student; Department of Physics and Astronomy promotional image

Astronomy Public Talk - John Silva; Graduate Student; Department of Physics and Astronomy

Friday, March 6, 2026 7:30pm to 8:00pm
Van Allen Hall

Please join us for the Astronomy Public Talk series, where we host short, accessible talks on a wide range of astronomy and physics-related topics—free and open to the public! This event will feature a presentation by UI Physics and Astronomy graduate student John Silva, who will introduce the concept of lookback time—the idea that when we observe distant objects in the universe, we are seeing them as they appeared in the past, because their light has taken millions or even billions of years to...

Public Observing Night - Van Allen Observatory promotional image

Public Observing Night - Van Allen Observatory

Friday, March 6, 2026 8:00pm to 10:00pm
Van Allen Hall

Please join the University of Iowa Physics & Astronomy Department as we use the Van Allen Observatory and small telescopes to tour the spring sky. To attend this Astronomy observation session, follow the signs in Van Allen Hall to the east elevator to reach the roof.

Maker Breaks at the Sciences Library: Pi Day Celebration!

Monday, March 9, 2026 11:30am to 1:00pm
Sciences Library

Take a break and get creative with monthly, themed crafts. Each activity takes only 10 to 20 minutes. Stop by at any time during the 1.5-hour session and explore your creativity!

Celebrate circles and the magic of Pi! Make your own Pi-themed buttons.

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