IIHR - Hydroscience and Engineering

📣 Exciting announcement! The University of Iowa is launching a new research program dedicated to understanding how Iowa’s environment is impacting the health of its people.

The Iowa Integrated Network for Science, Information, and Geospatial Health Tracking (INSIGHT) is a first-of-its-kind initiative that aims to produce scientific evidence needed to understand how environmental exposures affect human health — from the air Iowans breathe to the water they drink. The program will work to identify environmental factors contributing to Iowa’s high cancer rates and other negative health problems.

Iowa INSIGHT is a collaboration between The UI Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination and IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, building on existing expertise to close monitoring gaps for emerging environmental health threats.

Iowa INSIGHT was created through a generous $5 million founding gift from Sharon and Kyle Krause. An additional $1 million gift from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust will further strengthen the program’s commitment to understanding and mitigating the health risks of environmental exposures.

The situation in Iowa is complicated, but David Cwiertny, professor of civil and environmental engineering and CHEEC director, is ready to take on the challenge. “There’s an opportunity here … to help Iowa,” Cwiertny said.

Get the full story on IIHR’s website: https://iihr.uiowa.edu/all-news/2026/06/university-iowa-launches-new-program-improve-health-outcomes-iowans

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa, The University of Iowa College of Public Health, University of Iowa College of Engineering, University of Iowa Center for Advancement

Iowa Integrated Network for Science, Information, and Geospatial Health Tracking Breadcrumb Home Iowa Integrated Network for Science, Information, and Geospatial Health Tracking Iowa INSIGHT Integrated Network for Science, Information, and Geospatial Health Tracking Empowering individuals, communities, and decision-makers with science-based information and data to advance soluti...

IIHR was proud to welcome partners from the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH), based at the University of Alabama, for a collaborative exchange focused on water quality challenges and opportunities to strengthen national water quality forecasting efforts.

Discussions showcased IIHR’s leadership of the nation’s largest real-time, continuous water quality monitoring network and highlighted the essential role of community partnerships in driving impact. By building on this experience, IIHR and CIROH are working together to accelerate the transition of water quality research into operational tools that can benefit communities across the country.

Partners traveled from as far as Hawaii, Vermont, Colorado, and Utah to participate in meetings, facility tours, and in-depth conversations. The visit concluded with a tour of Schott Family Farms, offering valuable insight into a multi-generational, production-scale farming operation and how research can better support farmers and land stewards.

Thank you to our CIROH partners for making the trip and contributing to meaningful collaboration. We look forward to continuing this important work together!

CIROH at The University of Alabama, UVM Geography Dept., University of Alabama Department of Geological Sciences, UH Manoa College of Engineering, Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, USU Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Iowa Geological Survey, Colorado School of Mines,