- Features: Where it starts; Law students help free client who spent 18 years in prison; Refresh and reset at winter’s best kept secret.
- Awards and Recognition: Keshab Parhi has been named a National Academy of Inventors Fellow; and more.
Where it starts
“Where it Starts” is a collection of personal stories that highlights the incredible accomplishments of members of our Black community during their journey at the University of Minnesota. Each story reflects upon overcoming obstacles, building community, and finding purpose. In “Defeat turns to growth,” student Governess Simpson finds a new capacity to help others despite the heartbreak of being rejected by her major. In "Who SHE is," alumnus Lulete Mola discusses how she came to realize her purpose is in powering social change.
U of M law students help free client who spent 18 years in prison
Cheers greeted Myon Burrell as he walked out of the Stillwater Correctional Facility Dec. 15 after serving 18 years of a life sentence. Minnesota Law professor Perry Moriearty and two Law School clinic students played key roles in gaining freedom for Burrell. Learn more about their work and the work of the Law School’s Child Advocacy and Juvenile Justice Clinic.
Refresh and reset at winter’s best kept secret
Though the shortest in days, February can feel like the longest month in Minnesota. Cabin fever is real, and the coronavirus pandemic is amplifying feelings of restlessness. Fortunately, one of Minnesota’s brightest gems is just miles from the Twin Cities and well worth a drive from anywhere in the state, whether for some solitude and to commune with nature, or for art and outdoor adventure. Explore things to do in winter at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
Awards and Recognition
Keshab Parhi has been named a National Academy of Inventors Fellow; the Minnesota Crop Improvement Association has presented its highest honor to Don Wyse; U in the News features highlights of U faculty and staff cited in the media. Awards and Recognition
Now open: UMN Water Network
The Water Council of the University of Minnesota has developed and released a new set of tools to enhance interdisciplinary water scholarship across the University of Minnesota System. Graduate students, postdocs, staff, and faculty are invited to join the new UMN Water Network for access to network-wide communication tools, informal virtual gatherings, targeted working groups, and to find others interested in water topics of interest.
New library research guide: Conducting research through an anti-racism lens
The “Conducting research through an anti-racism lens” library research guide is complete. The guide is for students, staff, and faculty who are incorporating an anti-racist lens at all stages of the research life cycle. It was developed in response to librarians fielding multiple requests from U of M researchers looking to incorporate anti-racism into their research practices. Learn more about the development of the guide.
Busting rust, boosting food security in wheat
Wheat supplies approximately 20 percent of the caloric intake for humans globally. In Minnesota alone, farmers grow about 1.5 million acres of wheat each season. With wheat playing a key role in global food security, it is critical for farmers to control the rusts and fungal diseases that can destroy crops. In a major advance over conventional wheat breeding, a novel approach of building multiple layers of protection will make it much harder for rust pathogens to successfully attack wheat.
Online leadership development program for individual contributors
Discover your leadership potential and build your skills through the online Leading on All Levels leadership program. Whether you informally manage projects or are looking to advance your career at the University of Minnesota, this course will help individual contributors systemwide to learn about their strengths and how to use them to progress in their leadership journey. Leading on All Levels consists of six live virtual-learning sessions and begins on March 24. Learn more and apply.
Security alert: Unemployment fraud in Minnesota
With unemployment reaching record highs for recent history, the State of Minnesota has been inundated with requests for unemployment insurance. This influx makes it easier for a fraudulent request to hide or “get lost” in the system, and the expansion of unemployment benefits provided by the federal government makes this fraud more lucrative than normal. Learn how unemployment fraud appears to victims and steps you can take to secure your identity.
New funding opportunity: MnDRIVE Fellowships in Neuromodulation
The MnDRIVE Neuromodulation Discoveries through Industry Partnerships Fellowship is a commercialization focused opportunity, open to graduate students, postdocs, residents/clinical fellows, and Medical Devices Center Innovation Fellows. The fellowship will be awarded to an outstanding individual trainee or trainee project team that has a translational, commercially focused neuromodulation research project and a significant collaboration with an industry or a commercialization support partner. The deadline to apply is Apr. 19. See the online application.
Announcing the 2021 Research Infrastructure Investment Program
Letters of Intent are now being accepted for the 2021 Research Infrastructure Investment Program. The Office of the Vice President for Research is committed to facilitating strong core facilities as the backbone for research excellence and to encourage cross disciplinary collaboration. The funding will be directed toward new or existing facilities, service centers, or other shared resources across the U of M System. Matching funds are required. Letters of Intent are due March 8; the deadline for proposals is Apr. 6. All applicants who submit an LOI are invited to submit a proposal.
Research works to understand drug efficacy sex disparity in HIV prevention
Nichole Klatt, professor and the director of the Division of Surgical Outcomes and Precision Medicine Research in the Department of Surgery, is studying how vaginal microbial communities impact pre-exposure prophylactic medications for HIV.
Feb. 15, 22, and March 1 - Mini Medical School: COVID-19: The Way Forward
The Office of Academic Clinical Affairs has announced a virtual Mini Medical School for spring 2021. COVID-19: The Way Forward is an exploratory journey of emerging questions and new developments around COVID-19. As we move into a new phase of the pandemic with vaccines becoming available, U of M experts will discuss real-time updates and what lies ahead. The series is free and open to the public.
Feb. 26 - Register for Rare Disease Day
The College of Pharmacy and the Medical School will jointly host a virtual Rare Disease Day conference. This year's event will focus on "Telehealth in Rare Disease Clinical Practice and Research: The Silver Lining Now and Beyond COVID-19," with keynotes from Susan Berry, professor of pediatrics, and Bobby Patrick, vice president of strategic growth and policy at the Medical Alley Association.
Research Brief: Invasive mussels now control a key nutrient in the American Great Lakes
The spread of quagga mussels across the American Great Lakes has transformed the supply of phosphorus—a key biological nutrient—to the ecosystem, according to new U of M research. Additional recent Research Briefs include "Obtaining specialist care may be harder for rural and lower-income Alzheimer’s patients."
U of M featured virtual events
Feb. 4-6 - Virtual edition of the Bell Museum’s Space Fest 2021
Feb. 9 - What Can President Biden Accomplish in Congress? Conversation with Norm Ornstein
Feb. 11 – The Rural/Urban Divide
Beginning Feb. 15 - Earn your badge in Online Distance Learning
Feb. 17, 24 - State of all the Bees events
Feb. 18 - A Feast of Words: John Wright—the Unapologetic Omnivore
Crookston senior makes her way to pharmacy school
U of M Crookston health sciences senior Deaira Gresham has persevered with positivity throughout her life to get to where she is today. Gresham has always had a passion for helping others, but it wasn’t until her mom suggested she try pharmacy that Gresham’s passion for health sciences and medicine grew.
New adapted PE minor
UMD recently launched a new minor in Developmental Adapted Physical Education through the Department of Applied Human Sciences in the College of Education and Human Service Professions. Assistant Professor Daehyoung Lee is leading the program, which is unique in the U of M System. A teacher shortage exists in the area of developmental adapted physical education, which is federally mandated in public schools for all students with disabilities.
UMD Theatre online
Caryl Churchill’s play Love and Information, directed by Assistant Professor Lauren Roth, will be presented virtually Feb. 11-14. Meet over 100 quirky, yet relatable, characters as they navigate life, love, and the information that shapes them. Live stream Zoom performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. nightly. There is no charge for the performances.
U of M Morris welcomes Distinguished Visiting Professor Steve Rowell
This spring U of M Morris welcomes Steve Rowell as the Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Liberal Arts. Rowell is an artist who works with photography, moving image, sound, installation, maps, and spatial concepts to produce complex multicomponent projects. He is teaching “Representation and the Anthropocene” and will give two public lectures via Zoom.
UMR Career Pathways: Patient Care
UMR's innovative degree programs and integrated curriculum provide students with a foundational undergraduate education. Discover how Bethany O'Brien navigated UMR’s many health career pathway opportunities with an individually planned capstone to prepare herself for the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Learn more about UMR's Pathways.
June 3-4 - Higher Education Innovation Summit
Registration is now open for the Higher Education Innovation Summit. This summit is designed to connect creative educators and researchers seeking to transform higher education through innovations that enhance student learning. Keynote speakers include Cathy Davidson, author of the best-selling book The New Education, and Jennifer Sparrow, associate vice president of teaching and learning with technology at Penn State University.
U of M shares recommendations, next steps from campus safety and policing review
An external review of where the values and experiences of the Twin Cities campus community align with those of its police department shares dozens of community-informed public safety recommendations. See the full report on the president’s website. President Gabel offered more specifics on her planned approach in which she committed to immediately act on four of the report’s recommendations, as well as the creation of the M Safe Implementation Team. Progress on this work will be provided through regular updates to the M Safe webpage. See the news release for more details.
February - Black History Month events
The Office for Multicultural Student Engagement and partners are offering virtual Black History Month events throughout February, including a panel discussion of the documentary This Free North, Soul Food Live, an annual cultural showcase, and more.
Racism Untaught: An interview with Terresa Moses and Lisa Mercer
Assistant Professors Terresa Moses (U of M) and Lisa Mercer (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign) first met as graduate students. Years later, the two reunited to create the Racism Untaught toolkit—a resource to help design educators bring social impact projects and discussions of race, culture, and identity to their classrooms. The framework has since evolved and expanded from universities to industry partners like PayPal, Target, and Spotify. Moses and Mercer talk about these changes as well as how the toolkit can be applied.
A conversation with Heidi Roop, new U of M climate scientist
Since coming on board last summer, new University of Minnesota climate scientist Heidi Roop has hit the ground running, whether through teaching or public engagement. As a researcher who has participated in work from Alaska and Antarctica to the mountains of Vietnam and New Zealand, she has a lot of experience to draw from. In a new interview, Roop discusses a number of topics and how she envisions her role taking shape.
Weisman Art Museum and WAM Shop to reopen Feb. 11
The Weisman and WAM Shop will reopen to the public on Feb. 11 (Thursday through Sunday, noon-5 p.m.) with important safeguards in place to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. There is no timed entry or reservation required to visit. Admission is free. Face coverings are required and museum capacity will be limited to 25 percent. WAM’s student and community programming and arts educational resources will continue to be offered online.
Find book love for Valentine's Day
This year, you can keep up your social distancing while celebrating Valentine's Day with the University Libraries. U Libraries has online book matchmaking and online workshops to help you create handmade Valentines.