Jacqueline McShan, a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, has received an Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) Graduate Fellowship for a research project entitled “Calibrating RR Lyrae Stellar Parameters."

John Silva, a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, has received an Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) Graduate Fellowship for a project that will measure precise and accurate ages for millions of nearby subgiant stars, enabling a robust reconstruction of the Milky Way’s star formation and chemical evolution.

University of Iowa physicist David Nataf will lead a NASA-funded research project focused on producing detailed three-dimensional maps for the study of exoplanets and their host stars.

Brendyn Little was named an Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) Undergraduate Research Scholar for the 2025-2026 academic year. Eight outstanding undergraduate students across the state were awarded this honor to pursue STEM research projects that align with NASA’s mission.

Assistant Professor David Nataf has recently received several research grants that could improve our understanding of planets outside the solar system.

Many space scientists in Iowa are thrilled after seeing the first high-resolution images being released this week from the mountaintop Rubin Observatory in Chile, taken by the largest digital camera ever built. University of Iowa astronomy professor David Nataf says the large, detailed photos may deepen our understanding of the cosmos, helping us to comprehend things like how fast the universe is expanding.