Dr. Vanessa Govender visits the University of Iowa for four events exploring occupational lung disease, global health lessons from South Africa’s mining industry, and worker health and community resilience.

The University of Iowa Center for Asian and Pacific Studies hosts a reading and discussion with acclaimed Japanese author Keiichiro Hirano at Prairie Lights Books in Iowa City. Hirano will read from Eclipse, his award-winning debut novel, newly available in English, followed by a Q&A with UI professor Kendall Heitzman. The event takes place on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

The University of Iowa Jewish Studies Network hosts an author reading and discussion with Clare Kinberg at Prairie Lights Books in Iowa City. Kinberg will read from By the Waters of Paradise, a memoir exploring family secrets and the intertwined histories of racism, antisemitism, and segregation in the United States. The event takes place on Monday, February 23, 2026.