IIHR - Hydroscience and Engineering

10/15/2026

A world-class ship hydrodynamics program in landlocked Iowa? It may seem unexpected, but IIHR has been a leader in ship hydrodynamics research for more than 70 years.

What began in 1954 with experiments in the Tow Tank at Stanley Hydraulic Laboratory has over time grown into a globally recognized program. In fact, IIHR’s ship hydrodynamics supports research for the U.S. Navy and develops computational fluid dynamic codes used in naval applications, such as CFDShip-Iowa.

Today, researchers conduct tests in IIHR's Wave Basin Facility, a 40x20x3-meter basin equipped with wave makers that simulate real-world ocean conditions. Watch as the team examines how ships navigate, maneuver, and perform in rough seas to help improve safety, efficiency, and vessel design.

Check out some of the latest testing in action!

University of Iowa College of Engineering

10/12/2026

We love welcoming visitors to IIHR and sharing the research, facilities, and people that make our work possible.

Recently, students led by Niloofar Kamran, associate professor of engineering at Cornell College, toured several of our labs. They learned about everything from bridge scour and erosion experiments to demonstrations in the Fluid Mechanics and Experimental Engineering Lab. Along the way, they connected classroom learning to real-world research and gained new ideas to bring back to their own projects.

Thanks for learning alongside us, Cornell College! We enjoyed hosting you.

University of Iowa College of Engineering

10/01/2026

The Iowa Flood Center's release of the new improved Iowa Flood Information System could not be more timely. IFIS 2.0 offers the same reliable, essential flood information in a faster, more user-friendly and accessible platform. Check it out and get up-to-the-minute flood information for your area!

09/30/2026

This floating quilt sculpture caught our eye — what a beautiful way to put the focus on Iowa’s water quality! With funding from Group Creative Services, Drake University art professors Edward Kelley and Emily Newman created the 18-x-18-foot floating quilt, which found a home in the Wilson Orchard and Gardens pond near Cu***ng, Iowa.

The sculpture actually removes nitrate from the water. A team of Drake students developed a special bucket that uses algae to consume nitrate as waves agitate the artwork, while also acting as a buoy on the four corners of the sculpture.

The subject couldn’t be more timely. “Water quality issues are on a lot of people’s minds,” Newman says.

Photo credit: Jacob Kuperman/Group Creative Services

09/29/2026

When University of Iowa student Corin Fuchtman started his job at IIHR about a year ago, he had no idea how far it would take him. He was new to communications, and now he’s comfortable presenting to researchers, K-12 students, and other groups. Fuchtman has also done hands-on fieldwork and flood research, which has influenced him to apply for graduate school in engineering at Iowa.

“I feel lucky to have stumbled across IIHR," he says.

And IIHR is lucky to have him — thanks, Corin, for all your hard work and willingness to take on new challenges and opportunities!

Story link the comments below.

University of Iowa College of Engineering

09/23/2026

If you’re like us, you’ve been wondering WHY the rain has been so persistent in parts of Iowa this month, which is normally pretty dry. We asked Iowa Flood Center researcher Yagmur Derin for an explanation.

Derin, who is also an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Iowa, says that a large ridge of high pressure has been sitting over the southern U.S. for most of September. Meanwhile, a front has stalled along the northern edge of this high-pressure ridge, directly above Iowa.

“So whenever a wind brings any moisture toward that boundary, it fires another round of storms over the same places,” Derin says. At the same time, a southerly jet brought deep tropical moisture to the Midwest from the Gulf and the Southwest. “Overall, the atmosphere over Iowa had so much water v***r during September, it has delivered very efficient rainfall at every event,” Derin explains.

Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts!

University of Iowa College of Engineering

09/22/2026

University of Iowa staff, we’re excited to host you at our next Discover Your University tour at IIHR’s wave basin facility!

During the tour, you’ll learn how researchers in our ship hydrodynamics program use scale models and wavemakers to test vessels for seaworthiness and maneuverability in realistic conditions. The work helps improve naval vessel performance while reducing the cost and risk of full-scale testing.

You’ll also get the chance to see the largest Tigerhawk logo on campus, painted on the bottom of our Olympic-sized pool. Go Hawks!

Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at a unique research facility that supports hydrodynamic engineering and national defense on October 8. Sign up today with the link in the comments, and we’ll see you there!

University of Iowa College of Engineering, University of Iowa Research Foundation

09/21/2026

Listen in on this Iowa Farmers Union Lunch and Learn conversation with University of Iowa researcher David Cwiertny, who leads the new Iowa Integrated Network for Science, Information, and Geospatial Health Tracking (INSIGHT). Cwiertny answers questions from host Aaron Lehman on water quality and public health, Iowa’s cancer rates, and how these issues and others affect all Iowans, particularly farmers and rural communities.

Cwiertny says he sees an increasing level of engagement statewide that makes him optimistic for Iowa INSIGHT’s success. He’s looking forward to collaborating and engaging with Iowans to develop evidence to help decision-makers create sound policies that will benefit the people of our state.

Link in the first comment below!

09/17/2026

Thank you, KCCI, for highlighting this important new University of Iowa research initiative to expand arsenic testing in private wells across select Iowa counties.

Free private well water testing is available for residents in Mitchell, Floyd, Cedar, Jones, Benton, and Plymouth counties.

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in groundwater in some parts of Iowa. Studies have shown that exposure is linked to serious health risks, including cancer of the skin, bladder, and lungs. Because it is colorless, tasteless, and odorless, the only way to know if arsenic is present in your well water is through testing.

This research is part of the newly established Iowa Integrated Network for Science, Information, and Geospatial Health Tracking program, co-led by IIHR and the University of Iowa Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination.

Link to KCCI story:

Residents in Benton, Cedar, Floyd, Jones, Mitchell and Plymouth counties can request a free test kit to mail back in.