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students in political science class at MacBride

~ 9,000

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Poli Sci classroom

20 +

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2025 data

400 +

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2025 data

Political Science class discussion

70 +

International relations majors

2025 data

Group of University of Iowa students.

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News and announcements

A headshot of University of Iowa professor Caroline Tolbert.

Distinguished professor receives the 2026 Frank J. Goodnow Award

Wednesday, September 9, 2026
American Political Science Association
Caroline Tolbert is recognized with the Frank J. Goodnow Award for her sustained service to the profession of political science. The award is presented annually by the American Political Science Association.
A headshot of University of Iowa alumnus Barrett Anderson.

Barrett Anderson honored with Distinguished Alumni Award

Monday, August 31, 2026
Center for Advancement
Graduating with degrees in political science and economics, Barrett Anderson built a strong foundation at the University of Iowa for a successful legal career.
University of Iowa students in a classroom learn how to work the polls for Johnson's County's 2026 election.

Political science students to work polls in Johnson County's 2026 election

Monday, August 31, 2026
KWWL
Students enrolled in Professor Alex Smith's Election Administration course will learn how elections work, study the laws behind them and serve as poll workers during the 2026 General Election.
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Events

Intro to Networks in R with Dr. Elizabeth Menninga promotional image

Intro to Networks in R with Dr. Elizabeth Menninga

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 9:30am to 11:30am
Social Sciences Research Building
This workshop is an introduction to social network analysis. Participants will discuss core concepts (e.g., density and transitivity) as well as descriptive and inferential techniques, such as community detection, that can be used to understand and analyze networks. All coding will be done in R. Familiarity with R is encouraged but not required to participate in the workshop.
Registration Deadline: Junior Faculty and Graduate Student Session with Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence promotional image

Registration Deadline: Junior Faculty and Graduate Student Session with Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence

Wednesday, September 30, 2026 (all day)
111 Church Street

University of Iowa junior faculty and graduate students at all stages are invited to join Walter Biggins—editor-in-chief at the University of Pennsylvania Press—for a light breakfast and a conversation about turning an article, thesis, or dissertation into a book on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 9–10:30 a.m. at the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies library. Please bring any questions you have about that process or about scholarly publishing in general.

Register by Wednesday, September 30.

Biggins is...

RSVP Deadline: AMA with Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence promotional image

RSVP Deadline: AMA with Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence

Wednesday, September 30, 2026 (all day)
111 Church Street

UI faculty, students, and staff are invited to attend ask-me-anything group discussions with Walter Biggins—editor-in-chief at University of Pennsylvania Press—at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 1 at the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies. Questions might address finding an editor, pitching a book, writing a book proposal, how the publishing process works, etc.

There will be two back-to-back discussions; you may attend one or both.

Please RSVP by Wednesday, September 30.

Free and open to all.

Bi...

AI Is Not Your Friend: Cautions and Vents about Its Uses and Abuses in the Creation of Scholarly Publications — public lecture by Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence promotional image

AI Is Not Your Friend: Cautions and Vents about Its Uses and Abuses in the Creation of Scholarly Publications — public lecture by Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence

Tuesday, October 6, 2026 3:00pm to 4:00pm
111 Church Street

On Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 3–4 p.m. at the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, Walter Biggins, editor-in-chief at University of Pennsylvania Press—will offer his perspective as both a longtime acquiring editor and as a writer on how the advent of AI affects the present and possible futures of scholarly publishing. In particular, he will discuss how the emerging technology creates concerns and unresolved tensions—ethical, legal, and otherwise—in publishing around intellectual property, peer...

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