Lang
8/13/23
Renowned University of Iowa physics professor Craig Kletzing has died at age 65.
Kletzing joined the Department of Physics and Astronomy in 1996. In nearly three decades at Iowa, he was directly involved in 30 near-Earth or space missions, the most prominent when he won a $115 million contract from NASA for the TRACERS mission to study the mysterious, powerful interactions between the magnetic fields of the sun and Earth. That award, announced in 2019, is the single largest externally funded research project in UI history.
During his career at Iowa, Kletzing taught 75 physics classes, from introductory courses for nonmajors, to demanding, upper-level classes for graduate students in the field. A rocket scientist with a flair for the dramatic, he was well known for his in-class demonstrations. One involved former UI President Bruce Harreld riding a rocket-powered tricycle.
His commitment to teaching earned Kletzing numerous honors.
Away from teaching and research, Kletzing played electric and acoustic guitar in a Grateful Dead-inspired band, called Fork in the Road that jammed throughout Iowa City. His wife, Jeanette Welch, is a professional musician and a bass teacher at the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City and at Kirkwood Community College.