The University of Iowa has long been a home base for writers and humanists who produce high-caliber scholarship and creative work.

Working together, the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Office of the VP for Research, Office of the Provost, and several other university centers and institutes invest substantially in the humanities disciplines—history, classics, languages, literature, philosophy, religion, and world-renowned writing programs. 

Funding

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Substantial financial support for research and teaching initiatives

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Services

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Comprehensive services to assist faculty and students in their scholarly work

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Space / Time

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Dedicated space/time allocated for research and teaching activities

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Visibility

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Recognition and celebration of achievements and contributions of our community

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Upcoming Events

Book Matters: James Costa and Elizabeth Yale promotional image

Book Matters: James Costa and Elizabeth Yale

Thursday, April 9, 2026 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Prairie Lights Books
Join us for a reading and discussion to celebrate The Descent of Man: An Annotated Edition of Darwin’s Classic Work, annotated by James Costa, professor of biology and executive director of the Highlands Biological Station at Western Carolina University, and Elizabeth Yale, associate professor of history at the University of Iowa.
Conflict and Resolution — An Obermann "Wide Lens" Event promotional image

Conflict and Resolution — An Obermann "Wide Lens" Event

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 4:00pm to 5:30pm
Voxman Music Building

The Obermann Center's Wide Lens series aims to inspire and connect the University of Iowa community across the disciplines. For each Wide Lens event, researchers, scholars, and artists from across the university briefly present their work on a shared topic of interest PechaKucha–style. Then, we open the floor to questions and conviviality over hors d'oeuvres and drinks.

Presenters:

Stephanie DiPietro, Sociology & Criminology: Only the Dead Have Seen the End of War: Life Course Legacies of Conflict...

Past Events

Application Deadline: Spring 2026 Obermann Writing Collective promotional image

Application Deadline: Spring 2026 Obermann Writing Collective

Friday, January 23, 2026 5:00pm
111 Church Street

This program offers accountability to artists, scholars, and researchers working on any kind of writing project (articles, essays, fellowship or grant applications, dissertations, book projects, edited volumes, etc.) who want dedicated time, a cozy space, and a community for the practice of writing.

In spring 2026, four writing groups will meet in our Writers' Attic at the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies at 111 Church St. Each group will meet once a week for 1.5 hours, beginning the week of...

Nomination Deadline: Obermann Interdisciplinary Achievement Award promotional image

Nomination Deadline: Obermann Interdisciplinary Achievement Award

Monday, February 2, 2026 5:00pm
111 Church Street

The new Obermann Interdisciplinary Achievement Award recognizes individuals or teams whose trajectories have engaged diverse disciplines to produce insights that would be unattainable within a single academic silo. These scholars cultivate collaborative work, fostering dialogue across academic fields and institutional units. Their research or creative work engages with foundational questions that resonate across society. By recognizing interdisciplinary excellence, the Obermann Center for...

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