The State Hygienic Laboratory is one of seven University of Iowa units collaborating to connect people throughout the state with university research and services via a new website.

“Dare to Discover” – http://discover.research.uiowa.edu – is coordinated by the University of Iowa Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, and is a portal for Iowans to request educational materials, book speakers and field trips, and learn from some of the leading scientists in the state.

Among the tools available are Discovery Trunks that are filled with educational materials from the UI Museum of Natural History, the Old Capitol Museum and the Office of the State Archaeologist. Parents and teachers in all 99 counties of Iowa can reserve a trunk – such as “Iowa’s Earliest Residents” to “Dairy on the Prairie” – to help tell the story of Iowa’s natural and cultural history.

Educational events across the state also are featured on the new site. These include the March 28 Statewide STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Conference in Des Moines, the April 1 and 2 Iowa Governor's Conference on Public Health in Ames, and the Iowa Public Policy Center’s discussion of “What if…gas were $10/gallon in two to five years,” on April 8 in Iowa City.

The UI organizations contributing to the Dare to Discover website include the State Hygienic Laboratory, Pentacrest Museums (Museum of Natural History and the Old Capitol Museum), the Public Policy Center, the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, the Office of the State Archaeologist and Iowa Centers for Enterprise.

The Hygienic Lab, with facilities in Coralville, Ankeny and as part of Lakeside Lab in Milford, expects to post information about student mentorships, STEM activities and upcoming events of general interest.