News Briefs

  • CLAS data team member represents Iowa at national data visualization competition

    March 18, 2024


    By Charlotte Brookins 

    Meliza Wise, a senior business intelligence architect in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, took first place at the University of Iowa portion of the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Data Viz Championship, allowing her to compete against other Big Ten staff and faculty members. 

    Meliza Wise
    Meliza Wise

    Although Wise didn’t get the most votes in the final round of the competition, she says she is grateful for the opportunity to compete and learn alongside other institutions. 

    “This was our way of showing that the data visualization tools we have made are being used and valued,” says Wise, who is a member of the college’s technology services team. “It was so fun to showcase the level of user engagement from our senior leaders.” 

    2024 was the opening year of BTAA’s Data Viz Championship, which is a competition encouraging staff, faculty, and students from different Big Ten schools to show their skills in data visualization to viewers around the country. The event is part of the organization’s Love Data Week, which celebrates all things relating to the collection and presentation of data. 

    Faculty and staff participants were asked to present a visualization of already-existing data from their university, while students were provided with a data set to visualize.  

    My presentation was an interactive visualization of how technology service dashboards are being used,” says Wise, who has worked at the University of Iowa for 15 years. “Using four different kinds of charts, it shows who uses the dashboard, when they use it, how often it is used, and what information they’re trying to get from it.” 

    Having used the program Tableau for data visualization throughout her career at the university, Wise says she enjoyed applying those skills to the competition. Even before transferring to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Wise says she frequently created analyses for business intelligence at University of Iowa Health Care, internal medicine, and more.  

    For her, the competition was another way to enhance and improve upon skills she already had. 

    Wise adds she was happy to represent the university at the competition and get a glimpse at the data visualization skills of other Big Ten institutions, as well as have the opportunity to collaborate with other data analysts across universities. 

    “This event was a great team booster for CLAS!” she adds. “I’m happy to have participated.”  

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  • CLAS physics and astronomy professor awarded NASA grant

    March 18, 2024


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  • CLAS political science professor receives grant for research on Latino community

    March 18, 2024


    By Charlotte Brookins 

    Julianna Pacheco, a professor in the Department of Political Science in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, received a grant from County Health Rankings and Roadmaps to measure Latino community power and its relationship to racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes. 

    Julianna Pacheco
    Julianna Pacheco

    County Health Rankings and Roadmaps — which focuses on growing community power to improve health equity — is a project from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Pacheco’s research was one of four projects selected for funding. 

    “There is a growing recognition that racial and ethnic health disparities are in part due to disparities in community power; along these lines, my research looks specifically at Latino community power,” Pacheco explains. “I measure indicators that tap into both the promotion and undermining of political power in Latino communities.” 

    Pacheco has worked at the University of Iowa since 2012 and says her research was inspired by collaborative project with Nicole Novak of the College of Public Health and Nick Salazar at the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)  funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Their research prompted further investigation into how individuals unable to exercise the right to vote, such as noncitizens and felons, are nonetheless impacted by healthy policy making. 

    “My current project builds off that research to better measure political power for Latinos,” says Pacheco. 

    Pacheco says the ultimate goal of her project is to develop a compounded measure of Latino community power on the county level, drawing a focus on the connection between political self-determination and health.  

    “The findings will contribute to our understanding of the political determinants of health and provide evidence-based research highlighting the importance between political advocacy and health equity,” Pacheco continues, adding how the measures will eventually be included in the University of Wisconsin’s County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. “I anticipate others will use these measures in their own research.” 

    Pacheco says she is grateful for the support she has received from the university and the college, crediting the political science department as being a great fit for her work and one of the reasons why she came to Iowa in the first place. 

    “My early work looked at differences in public opinion and representation across the United States," says Pacheco. “It fit in well with my colleagues in the Department of Political Science.” 

    Pacheco says she is grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with County Rankings and Roadmaps and continue her research with the university. 

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  • Nominate a CLAS colleague for a staff award

    February 18, 2024


    Nominations are now being accepted for two important staff recognition awards. A ribbon

    Faculty, staff, and students are invited to submit nominations for the CLAS Leadership Award and Mary Louise Kelley Staff Excellence Award. 

    Honorees for Leadership award will receive a $500 stipend. 

    Nominations are due by April 15, 2023. Please submit all documentation with the application. 

    Nominations will be evaluated with respect to the award criteria by members of the CLAS staff recognition committee and the dean. More than one award in each category may be distributed by the committee each year.

     


    Nominate a CLAS staff member 

    CLAS Leadership Award 

    This award recognizes staff in the college who exhibited exceptional leadership qualities and positively impacted individuals, departments, or the college. All permanent full-time and part-time (50% or more) professional and scientific, merit exempt, and merit staff employed in the college are eligible for this award. For questions, email roseanne-versteegh@uiowa.edu

    Mary Louise Kelley Staff Excellence Award

    This award recognizes staff who performed exceptional service or contributed ideas that improved the work of the department or the college. All permanent full-time and part-time (50% or more) professional and scientific, merit exempt, and merit staff employed in the college are eligible for this award. For questions, email roseanne-versteegh@uiowa.edu

    Nominate

    An image of CLAS staff award certificates

     

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  • Harness the power of mindfulness during your student experience

    March 15, 2024


    In the whirlwind of academic pressures, social commitments, and personal growth, college life can sometimes feel like a balancing act on a tightrope. It's easy to lose touch with the present moment, allowing stress and anxiety to take control. However, there's a powerful tool that can help you navigate the challenges of university life with greater ease and resilience: mindfulness.

    Mindfulness is the practice of intentionally focusing on the present moment, without judgment. It involves tuning into your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the environment around you, fostering a deeper sense of awareness and acceptance. While mindfulness has roots in ancient Eastern traditions, its benefits have been extensively studied and validated by modern science, making it a valuable skill for individuals of all ages, including college students.

    By practicing mindfulness, you can cultivate a greater sense of clarity and focus, enabling you to tackle your academic work with enhanced efficiency and effectiveness. Research has shown that mindfulness meditation can improve attention span, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, all of which are crucial skills for success in college and beyond. By reducing stress and anxiety, mindfulness can enhance overall well-being and mental health, creating a more positive and fulfilling college experience.

    In addition to its cognitive benefits, mindfulness can also foster deeper connections with others and promote a greater sense of empathy and compassion. In a fast-paced and competitive environment like college, it's easy to become self-absorbed and disconnected from those around us. However, by cultivating mindfulness, you can develop a greater appreciation for the people in your life and the experiences you share together. This can lead to more meaningful relationships, increased social support, and a greater sense of belonging.

    A man meditating on the steps of Old Capitol

    Here are four mindfulness practices you can try out today:


    Deep Breathing

    Simply inhale slowly through your nose, then exhale slowly out through your nose or mouth. If it helps, you can inhale and exhale for the same amount of time; maybe four seconds. For bonus relaxation, focus on sending your breath down into your belly and expanding it like a balloon.

    5 Senses Activity

    This practice encourages you to tune into your sensory experience and focus on the sensations happening in the present moment.

    Here's how you can do the Five Senses Activity:

    • Sight: Take a moment to look around you and notice five things you can see. Pay attention to the colors, shapes, and textures of your surroundings. Try to observe with curiosity, noticing even the smallest details.
    • Touch: Notice four things you can feel physically. It could be the texture of the ground beneath your feet, the warmth of sunlight on your skin, or the softness of fabric against your fingertips. Take a moment to fully experience the sensation of touch.
    • Hearing: Close your eyes if it helps you concentrate and identify three things you can hear. Allow yourself to fully immerse in the auditory experience.
    • Smell: Notice two distinct scents in your environment. It could be the smell of your coffee or perfume or the aroma of the air around you.
    • Taste: Finally focus on your sense of taste and identify one thing you can taste. It could be the lingering flavor of your last meal or the minty freshness of toothpaste. If you don't have anything to taste, you can simply focus on the sensations in your mouth, such as the feeling of your tongue against your teeth.

    Body Scan

    A body scan is a mindfulness practice that involves systematically directing attention to different parts of the body, starting from the toes and moving upward to the head. It helps increase awareness of physical sensations, relaxes the body, and promotes a sense of calm and presence.

    Here's how to do a basic body scan:

    • Sit or lie down in a comfortable position, with your spine straight and your body relaxed. Close your eyes if it helps you focus.
    • Begin by taking a few deep breaths, allowing your breath to flow naturally and rhythmically. Notice the sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves your body.
    • Direct your attention to your toes. Notice any sensations, such as warmth, tingling, or tension. Take a moment to fully experience the sensations in your toes before moving on.
    • Slowly shift your attention upward, focusing on each part of the body in sequence. Move from your toes to the soles of your feet, then to your ankles, calves, knees, thighs, and so on, gradually scanning upward through your body.
    • As you scan each part of the body, pay attention to any sensations you encounter. Notice areas of tension, discomfort, or relaxation. Try to observe these sensations without judgment, simply acknowledging them as they arise.
    • If you encounter areas of tension or discomfort, bring your awareness to your breath. As you inhale, imagine breathing into the tense or tight area, allowing it to soften and relax with each breath.
    • Continue scanning upward through your body, moving from the torso to the arms, hands, shoulders, neck, and finally to the top of your head.
    • Once you've completed the scan, take a moment to experience your body as a whole. Notice the sensations of relaxation and calm that may have emerged during the practice.
    • When you're ready, gently bring your awareness back to your surroundings. Wiggle your fingers and toes, stretch if it feels good, and gradually open your eyes.

    Gratitude

    Expressing gratitude is a powerful way to acknowledge and appreciate the positive aspects of your life, fostering feelings of happiness, contentment, and connection with others.

    Here's how you can practice expressing gratitude:

    • Mentally note three things you are grateful for.
    • Write down in a journal or in the notes or journal app on your phone what you are grateful for.
    • Call or text someone and tell them you are grateful for them.

    Mindfulness is a powerful tool that can help you navigate the challenges of college with greater ease and resilience. By cultivating a deeper sense of awareness and acceptance, you can enhance your academic performance, improve your mental health, and foster more meaningful connections with others. So, whether you're feeling overwhelmed by exams, stressed about deadlines, or simply seeking a moment of peace amidst the chaos, remember to take a deep breath and bring your attention back to the present moment. The power of mindfulness is always within reach.

    Student Wellness offers free mindfulness workshops and events to support you in developing your own mindfulness practice. See below for our upcoming programming.

    • Silent Retreat – Sunday, April 21st from 1-4pm in IMU 335
    • Mindfulness Workshop – Tuesdays, June 4th – 25th from 7-8:15pm via zoom

    To learn more and register for these events, visit the student wellness website

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  • On One Day for Iowa, support experiential learning for Hawkeyes

    March 12, 2024


    The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) is the oldest and largest college at the University of Iowa featuring more than 35 departments, 70 majors, and nearly 15,000 students. About 80 percent of undergraduate Hawkeyes begin their studies in this college and more than 60 percent of UI undergraduate degrees are awarded here.  

    Many students are seeking opportunities to position themselves for careers or graduate school through internships, lab work, and practicums, in addition to conference registration, symposium participation, and travel expenses. These unique opportunities enhance the student experience and prepare Hawkeyes for their next steps after graduation, but cost can be a barrier. That's where you can help, especially on March 27 during One Day for Iowa, the University of Iowa's 24-hour online giving day. 


    Opening doors for Hawkeyes 

    A unique conference opportunity 

    Professional experiences, including attending symposiums and conferences, can be life changing for students, allowing them to present research and creative work, exposing them to professionals and networking, and ultimately helping them land their first jobs.   A CLAS student presents at a conference for women studying physics.

    Last year, the Department of Physics and Astronomy hosted a conference for undergraduate women in physics. Mary Haag, a second-year student, showed her work there. She says in addition to the career development opportunities, she was grateful to hear from professional women working in physics.  

    “I really liked learning from their experiences and hearing what they went through because they have trail blazed in the industry and have given us motivation as the next generation of scientists,” Haag said.  


    Showcasing art on an international stage 

    In 2023, students in the School of Art and Art History’s 3D design program were invited to exhibit in New York during a competitive showcase, a career-altering opportunity for up-and-coming designers. Reynold Tawiah-Quashie, a graduate student, displayed a lounge chair he created during his studies.  3D design students showcase work in New York City

    “It [the show] gave me an inside look at the furniture industry and valuable insights into the commercial aspect of furniture and design,” Tawiah-Quashie explains.   


    Exploring sustainability on a global scale 

    Students also find value in conducting coursework abroad. Last summer, students studying STEM subjects visited France, Switzerland, and Germany to experience the applications of sustainable chemistry on a global scale, gaining a deeper understanding of how history, geography, and national policies conspire to shape sustainability practices. Students participate in a course in Europe
     
    “It was cool to see chemistry humanized by the people working at the pharmaceutical companies we visited,” says Kodi Dailey, a student studying chemistry, English, and creative writing with a certificate in sustainability. “This was the first time in my entire life that I felt like maybe I could work in a lab someday — prior to this visit, I always thought I didn't have what it takes.” 


    Your gift goes further on One Day for Iowa

    Donations to the college are essential for students to participate in these often-necessary experiences to prepare them for careers or further education.  

    “These types of opportunities can have a life-changing or career-altering impact on our students," College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Sara Sanders says. “Not everyone has the personal funds to participate. Some of our students simply cannot accept internships, experience practicums, or attend conferences and symposiums without private support from our generous alumni and friends.”  

    On Wednesday, March 27, during One Day for Iowa, members of the college’s dean’s advisory board are offering to match more than $6,500 in gifts made to the CLAS development fund, meaning $1 becomes $2, $5 becomes $10. 

    You can support this fund and more than 50 CLAS programs participating during the giving day. This includes posting on your favorite social media using #1DayForIowa where you could win an additional $250-500 for your favorite programs.  

    To learn more about how you can give back during the giving day, visit 1day.uiowa.edu 

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  • Watch the new Performing Arts at Iowa video

    March 11, 2024


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  • CAMBUS service during spring break

    March 11, 2024


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  • CLAS journalism student selected for prestigious program

    March 11, 2024


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  • CLAS faculty member to discuss recent book during Book Matters

    March 11, 2024


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The University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers about 70 majors across the humanities; fine, performing and literary arts; natural and mathematical sciences; social and behavioral sciences; and communication disciplines. About 15,000 undergraduate and nearly 2,000 graduate students study each year in the college’s 37 departments, led by faculty at the forefront of teaching and research in their disciplines. The college teaches all Iowa undergraduates through the college's general education program, CLAS CORE. About 80 percent of all Iowa undergraduates begin their academic journey in CLAS. The college confers about 60 percent of the university's bachelor's degrees each academic year.