Home Van Allen Observatory Van Allen Observatory Welcome to the Van Allen Observatory website. The University of Iowa Department of Physics and Astronomy maintains these pages as a guide to the Van Allen Observatory (VAO) located on the roof of Van Allen Hall in downtown Iowa City. Events Plasma Physics Seminar - Assistant Professor Elizabeth Tolman; Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Iowa Monday, October 5, 2026 2:30pm to 3:30pm Van Allen Hall Plasma Physics Seminar Nuclear & Particle Physics Seminar - Dr. Aparajitha Karthikeyan; Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Iowa Monday, October 5, 2026 3:30pm to 4:30pm Van Allen Hall Nuclear & Particle Physics Seminar Operator Theory Seminar - Professor Raúl Curto; Department of Mathematics, University of Iowa Tuesday, October 6, 2026 1:30pm to 2:30pm Van Allen Hall Operator Theory Seminar