Letter from the Director

Dear IISC friends and partners,

In 2009, Dr. Chuck Connerly, Professor Emeritus in the School of Planning and Public Affairs, launched an initiative that forges deep connections between talented University of Iowa faculty and students and communities across the state. Now in my 9^th year leading the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities, I continue to be grateful for the opportunity to be part of this special program (and, as this is my first director letter in those nine years, I had to start by giving props to Chuck!).

Our core work focuses on building and supporting collaborations between the University of Iowa and communities across the state. IISC’s current partnership with West Branch is in full swing, providing incredibly rich learning opportunities for UI students and addressing meaningful topics that will shape the future of the community for years to come. Additional projects in Bondurant, Jackson County, and Bloomfield expand our reach across the state.

It’s an exciting time for IISC. We just opened our call for community partners for the 2026-27 academic year, launched a new online Foundations of Community Engagement course, and continue to recruit citizen scientists for the NSF-funded DARE project that aims to build resilience in ag-based communities. 

I’m also very happy to welcome a new member to the IISC team. Ashley Laux, IISC Assistant Director, joins us with valuable experience working at the nexus of campus and community. A native Iowan, Ashley’s expertise, talents, and passion for community engagement has brought new energy and possibilities to IISC.

IISC’s work to enhance education, support UI faculty, contribute to research, and strengthen communities across Iowa depends on financial contributions from community partners and generous donors. We hope you consider making a donation to help ensure IISC can continue to develop future leaders and build more resilient and sustainable communities across Iowa.

Travis Kraus
Director, IISC

Let's Work Together!

Imagine 100+ creative, passionate, and dedicated University of Iowa students and faculty working to make a difference in your community. IISC is currently accepting Letters of Interest from community partners for the 2026-27 academic year. You can let us know of your interest by completing a short interest form by January 15th, 2026. Applicants may consist of a municipality, a county government, councils of governments, or a collection of communities with similar characteristics, such as economic or cultural districts, or a transportation corridor. Previous community partners of IISC may apply.

LEARN MORE

Students Partner with West Branch to Shape the City’s Future

This fall IISC launched its 2025–2026 partnership with the City of West Branch. Students and faculty from across campus are driving several major efforts, including an update to the city’s comprehensive plan, that aim to strengthen West Branch’s economic vitality, environmental sustainability, and community well-being. Projects are underway with students from Civil & Environmental Engineering; the School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability; the School of Journalism and Mass Journalism; and and the School of Planning & Public Affairs. 

READ MORE ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP

Project Spotlight: West Branch Tree Inventory

Students in the ICIGO student organization within the School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability are conducting an on-site tree study and creating a GIS-based digital inventory tool to help City of West Branch officials effectively manage the stock of public trees both now and in the future. Tiffany Birch, an undergraduate studying Environmental Bioscience shares: "One of the best outcomes of this project is the ability for all of us with different skillsets and backgrounds to come together and not only share our areas of expertise but also learn from each other. We have also really appreciated the public interest and community engagement, with many local citizens expressing curiosity and asking questions about our work. We are really excited to see how this project will impact the future of the development of the community."

Citizen Scientists Needed for DARE Community Resilience Project

Data-Advanced Research and Education (DARE) is an NSF-funded project spanning four Midwest states- Kansas, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Iowa. The project uses technology and community engagement to improve weather intelligence, localized climate change assessment, and resilience in ag-based communities.

As a co-investigator on the project, IISC director Travis Kraus works with the social science team and graduate students to recruit and engage residents as “citizen scientists.” DARE is seeking participants to host sensors, which they keep at no cost, to contribute to better climate measuring and weather forecasting methods. Participants also benefit from localized data about weather and soil health on their own properties, as seen on this website. To learn more, please contact travis-kraus@uiowa.edu.

Support IISC

Make a financial gift this season to IISC. 

IISC is a self-sustaining initiative funded by contributions from our community partners and generous donors. Your donation will enable University of Iowa students to continue having hands-on opportunities to apply what they are learning in the classroom to directly benefit Iowa communities. We appreciate your support!

IISC in the News

Stronger Together? Sometimes – And That’s Worth Exploring – Why Cooperation and Shared Services Matter for West Burlington and Burlington

Check out this great article by Gregg Mandsager and Chad Bird, published in the November issue of the Iowa League of Cities' Cityscape Magazine! They highlight a project completed last year in collaboration with School of Planning & Public Affairs graduate students.