College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

CLAS community,

This month, we collectively brought some long-planned changes in our college to fruition—notably the establishment of the new Department of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures, and Cultures and the new School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability. These and other attendant changes were made possible by the creativity and collaboration of our faculty and staff from over 15 departments and programs.

As I take stock of how far we've come in just a few years, I have never been prouder to be part of this college and to work alongside such caring and dedicated people. While our work is far from finished, I am assured our CLAS community can meet the challenges and stay as committed as ever to our mission.

I hope you are finding time for rest and relaxation this summer, and I look forward to seeing you upon your return to our ever-improving college.

Sara Sanders, PhD, MSW
Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

CLAS announcements

Four CLAS staff receive awards for leadership and excellence

Greta Sokoloff and Matt Wortel were selected for the Mary Louise Kelley Staff Excellence Award. Shonda Monette and Tammy Siegel were selected for the CLAS Leadership Award. Learn more about each award recipient and their impact.

Employee updates

Please join us in welcoming and congratulating CLAS staff on their hiring, promotion, or transfer within the college. Check out this list of CLAS employee updates from last month.

Featured achievements

CLAS faculty receive grant for interdisciplinary project focused on the Iowa River

Stephanie Miracle, an assistant professor in the Department of Dance, is leading a project that will guide the audience through an immersive journey. Miracle received a $6,000 grant through the Grants for Arts project.

McMurray receives $794,490 NSF grant

Bob McMurray and his research team in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences are looking to understand how children and adults hear and distinguish speech sounds. The research capitalizes on the strength of McMurray’s Growing Words Project.

Spotlight CLAS

Landsman making a difference in child welfare in Ottumwa

Miriam Landsman, associate professor and chair in the School of Social Work, started her next research project with Iowa Children’s Justice and the UI Child Health Specialty Clinics in southeast Iowa.

Wimp leading first of its kind collaborative directing course

Cinematic arts associate professor of instruction Patrick Wimp brings his expertise in the film industry to his students in this collaborative course between cinematic arts and theatre arts. Wimp is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and producer from Chicago.

Check out more CLAS stories by visiting our news section.

Upcoming events

Image: Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center

Commemorating impact of the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center

Saturday, Aug. 2
Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center, 250 Hawkins Drive

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders will be moving to the new Health Sciences Academic Building. Join faculty and staff as they celebrate the lasting impact of the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center.

Image: Students sitting on the Pentacrest

Opening of classes

Monday, Aug. 25

The first day of classes for the 2024-25 academic year is on Monday, Aug. 25. As you prepare, you can review helpful information including policies and resources for undergraduate teaching on the CLAS Resource site under "Instruction" in the navigation menu.

For more CLAS-specific events, visit the university events calendar.