April 12, 2023

Inside This Issue

Meet the doctors of academic medicine.
Features: Innovation station; Valuing our elders.
Awards and Recognition: Three U of M faculty have been awarded 2023 Guggenheim Fellowships; and more.

Meet the doctors of academic medicine

At hospitals affiliated with the University of Minnesota, the doctors who see patients are the same ones developing better ways to treat them. And they’re the same ones training a new generation of doctors who will find the next breakthroughs in health care. That kind of interdisciplinary work is the cornerstone of academic medicine, and it’s leading to better patient outcomes. Learn more and meet some of these doctors.

Innovation station

A doctor uses a heart lung machine in 1955

Earl Bakken invented the first battery-powered wearable pacemaker in 1958 in response to a request from pioneering University of Minnesota heart surgeon C. Walton Lillehei, after a devastating power outage at his hospital. That invention went on to benefit upward of 3 million people, and it also put Minnesota on the map for medical innovation. Here are just a few notable medical devices that had their start at the University of Minnesota.

Valuing our elders

Alumnus Adam Suomala has aging on his mind and has for some time. Suomala is executive director of the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging, a coalition representing 33 statewide organizations. In Minnesota, he says, currently 1 million people are over the age of 65, a significant portion of the state’s roughly 5.7 million residents. That represents both a resource and an opportunity. “As a nation, we are missing out on the value of those who are older,” Suomala says. “That needs to stop.”

Awards and Recognition

Three U of M faculty have been awarded 2023 Guggenheim Fellowships; Rachel Hardeman has been honored by STAT News as a 2023 “Status Leader” for her work in exposing racism’s role in maternal health disparities; Scott Lanyon has been selected by the American Ornithological Society as the winner of the 2023 Peter R. Stettenheim Service Award; U in the News features highlights of University faculty and staff cited in the media.

Awards and Recognition

U-Wide News

Safety of minors information for youth programs/activities/events

Youth programs, activities, and events engaging with minors (under 18) must comply with the University of Minnesota's Safety of Minors policy and must be registered annually on the Youth Central Registration System. Program leaders/heads of units are encouraged to be a part of the pre-college network. Email Youth Safety and Compliance Manager Jazmin Danielson for more information and learn about professional learning opportunities related to operating a safe and effective youth program.

Survey: U.S. teens seek more than just work

A new CFANS Insights survey conducted by the U of M’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences takes a closer look at U.S. high schoolers’ perspectives on their future careers. According to the survey, 90 percent of respondents indicated it was important to pursue careers in which they can make a difference, including addressing hunger, sustainability, environmental conservation, and natural resources.

Research Brief: Fungi contribute to loss of structural strength in trees attacked by emerald ash borer

Since emerald ash borer was first detected in North America in 2002, the invasive beetle has killed hundreds of millions of mature ash trees. After an attack, branches and trunks weaken and the trees become more likely to fall. New research from the University of Minnesota confirms that fungi play a significant role in the process. See additional recent Research Briefs.

Talking climate change and health impacts with U of M

Climate change causes more extreme winter weather, wetter springs, and hotter summers in the United States. Ahead of Earth Day on Apr. 22, Emily Onello and Joseph Bianco with the U of M Medical School talk about how climate change impacts human health. See more editions of "Talking with U of M."

Apr. 18 - People & Planet: In Minnesota, for the World

Join Shane Stennes, systemwide chief sustainability officer, and Jessica Hellmann, executive director of the Institute on the Environment, in an Earth Week conversation discussing how academic leaders can guide the University's engagement in a sustainable future. 11 a.m.-noon. Register to attend.

May 23 - C2DREAM Conference

The Center for Chronic Disease Reduction and Equity Promotion Across Minnesota (C2DREAM) annual conference brings further awareness and education of cardiovascular disease and the related chronic conditions of hypertension and obesity inequities across Minnesota. Attendees will learn about strategies and approaches for moving research to action and consider community and stakeholder roles in shaping research. Free and open to anyone. Learn more and register.

Crookston

U of M Crookston soccer to host player development camps

The University of Minnesota Crookston soccer program is hosting a player development camp for boys and girls, pre-K through 6th grade, on select dates in June. Additionally, the soccer program will host a specialized summer ID camp on July 27 that is designed to familiarize high school-age soccer players with the U of M Crookston soccer program.

Duluth

Investigating trauma-informed care practices

Viann Nguyen-Feng, U of M Duluth assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, along with Mary Butler, U of M School of Public Health, and colleagues, received a $385,000 funding award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to review trauma-informed care practices in health care. Nguyen-Feng also directs the Mind-Body Trauma Care Lab.

Apr. 14 - Genomics and supercomputing roadshow

The University of Minnesota Genomics Center and the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute invite the public for a day of presentations, tutorials, and project consultations. Staff will be on hand to explain the genomic and informatics resources available to U of M researchers. 10 a.m.-3 p.m., School of Medicine building.

Apr. 18 - Swedish Folk Art: Tulips and Roses

Ulla-Karin Warberg, a guest speaker in the UMD Visual Culture Lecture Series and curator at the Nordiska Museet in Stockholm, Sweden, will present her research on Swedish folk art and its pattern traditions. She will provide social, socio-economic, and topographic context by referencing objects from the permanent collection of Nordiska Museet, including furniture, textiles, betrothal gifts, and handicrafts. 6 p.m., 120 Solon Campus Center.

Apr. 19 - Sieur du Lhut Creativity Conference

A map of the globe, flattened, with the words Creativity Conference

A session about creativity across cultures and disciplines, “Communicating Science in Changing Times,” will be presented by science communicators Brother Guy Consolmagno and Jad Abumrad. Consolmagno is the director of the Vatican Observatory and president of the Vatican Observatory Foundation. Abumrad is the creator and former host of Radiolab, a public radio program, and now serves Vanderbilt University as a distinguished research professor. 7 p.m., Kirby Ballroom.

Morris

U of M Morris announces Community Engagement Award recipients

The University of Minnesota Morris has announced the 2023 recipients of its Community Engagement Awards. Samantha Clear, Ed Brands, and Teresa Kittridge have been selected for awards from both U of M Morris and Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact for their community and civic engagement efforts.

2023 senior art exhibit

The 2023 senior art exhibition, “Apperception,” or the representation of the process by which a person comprehends one idea by amalgamating it into the body of ideas that already exist, will feature seven graduating students from the studio art program. An opening reception will take place Apr. 13, 7-9 p.m., Edward J. and Helen Jane Morrison Gallery.

Apr. 14 - Jazz Fest returns

After a three-year hiatus, the University of Minnesota Morris Jazz and Contemporary Music Studies will welcome middle and high school students, alumni, and friends for Jazz Fest 2023. Guest artists will participate in clinics throughout the day and headline the evening concert at 7 p.m., Edson Auditorium.

Rochester

The Kettle - Health CORE Alumni Profile

Trailblazer Maha Siddiqui ’19 doesn't shy away from breaking new ground. She was among the students to help faculty and administrators develop the UMR Living Learning Community, Health CORE (Community of Health and Respect Environment). The aim of Health CORE is to support the success of underrepresented students with a passion to make a difference in the world through a career in health. Read more about Siddiqui’s experience and lasting impact at UMR.

Apr. 18 - UMR and Kern Center Connects

elderly woman resting hands on cane and chin on hands

U of M Rochester and the Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery at Mayo Clinic will present Kern Center Connects featuring Fernanda Bellolio and Nafisseh Warner. This public session will focus on Pain, Aging and Cognition, and Emergency Department Initiatives to Decrease Delirium. 5 p.m. 414 University Square.

Inside Higher Ed features College-in-3 Convening

The Strada Education Foundation provided a grant to UMR to fund a convening of College-in-3 campus pilots at Georgetown University. Associate Professor Andrew Petzlod represented UMR at the gathering co-led by Chancellor Lori Carrell and Robert Zemsky of the University of Pennsylvania. Inside Higher Ed describes the pilots as an effort to design college degrees that address both cost and outcomes (including degree completion and career launch).

Twin Cities

Helping kids with neurodevelopmental disorders

Researchers like Christine Conelea and Suma Jacob are collaborating at the U of M’s Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain to find better ways to help children who have neurodevelopmental disorders. Their goal is to create a new paradigm, one that embraces the interconnectedness of neurodevelopmental disorders, encourages cooperation among experts, and ultimately leads to better care for more kids.

Huntington Bank Sponsorship Program awards available

University departments are eligible for up to $1,000 per calendar year for events, and student groups for up to $500. Applicants should be in good standing with the University, and applications should be submitted at least 45 days in advance of your event. Learn more and apply on the sponsorship website.

Reminder: Shipt delivery service is free for one year

University of Minnesota Twin Cities faculty, staff, and students are eligible for a free one-year Shipt membership by signing up with your zip code and umn.edu email address. Shipt offers same-day delivery of groceries and other household essentials. The University does not operate or take responsibility for Shipt services. Anyone who chooses to take advantage of the opportunity will work directly with Shipt. For more information, see University FAQs.