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. 

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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

Arts and Humanities Initiative Unveiled: AHI Insights and Opportunities promotional image

Arts and Humanities Initiative Unveiled: AHI Insights and Opportunities

Tuesday, September 23, 2025 10:00am to 11:00am
Virtual

Event Information

The Research Development Office is hosting a virtual information session on Tuesday, Sept. 23, from 10 to 11a.m. Join us virtually to learn about the Arts and Humanities Initiative (AHI) program, hear from past reviewers, and have your questions answered. The deadline to apply to the AHI fall 2025 cycle is Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025.

This event is an introduction to this cycle's AHI program. Click here to learn more about this information session, and click here to learn more about...

The Fourth Age of Life: The Challenges of Aging and the Joys of Connecting — An Obermann Counterpoint Event promotional image

The Fourth Age of Life: The Challenges of Aging and the Joys of Connecting — An Obermann Counterpoint Event

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 4:30pm to 6:00pm
Voxman Music Building

What does it truly mean to grow and thrive as we age? In this thought-provoking Obermann Counterpoint event, Mercedes Bern-Klug (School of Social Work, CLAS) and Amy Colbert (Tippie College of Business) will explore the diverse ways we live, adapt, and flourish in our later years, whether we choose to navigate life independently or in a communal care setting. Against the backdrop of a growing loneliness epidemic among older adults, the two will discuss the health and social benefits of nursing...

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