- Get your COVID-19 booster shot.
- Feature: Researchers develop first fully 3D-printed, flexible OLED display.
- Awards and Recognition: Jian-Ping Wang has been named a National Academy of Inventors Fellow; and more.
Get your COVID-19 booster shot
The University community has set a high standard for limiting COVID-19 spread, with more than 90 percent vaccinated systemwide and no significant outbreaks. Faculty, staff, and students are asked to get a COVID-19 booster as soon as you are eligible. Instructions on how to submit booster shot proof will come soon. If you previously applied for a medical or religious exemption, no action is required unless contacted. See details on boosters and appointments from the Minnesota Department of Health.
Researchers develop first fully 3D-printed, flexible OLED display
In a groundbreaking new study, University of Minnesota Twin Cities researchers used a customized printer to fully 3D print a flexible organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. The discovery could result in low-cost OLED displays in the future that could be widely produced using 3D printers by anyone at home, instead of by technicians in expensive microfabrication facilities.
Awards and Recognition
Jian-Ping Wang has been named a National Academy of Inventors Fellow; U in the News features highlights of U faculty and staff cited in the media.
Apply to serve with the University Senate
Be involved, be heard, and make a difference by taking an active role in shaping the University by applying to serve on a systemwide University Senate committee or subcommittee. Consideration of applications for the 2022-23 academic year will begin on Jan. 14. Find more information about the committees.
Funding opportunity: MnDRIVE Research Fellowships in Neuromodulation
MnDRIVE Research Fellowships in Neuromodulation will be awarded to outstanding graduate students (doctoral), postdoctoral trainees, and residents/clinical fellows pursuing research in neuromodulation. The deadline to apply is Jan. 19.
Research Brief: Wolves might help moose avoid acquiring a deadly deer parasite
A new study from the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa offers a new theory on the role of wolves in disease transmission among prey. Additional recent Research Briefs include “New data model reveals novel infertility treatment recommendations,” “Beavers support freshwater conservation and ecosystem stability,” and “Pro-worker ideas in political manifestos linked to more votes.”
Winter houseplant care
Many people struggle to provide the correct amount of care for their houseplants. The key to watering houseplants is to feel the soil before watering to make sure the pot is draining properly. Root rot is a common cause of houseplant failure that sets in when plant roots are constantly wet and when containers don't drain. Read more about caring for houseplants at U of M Extension.
Jan. 16 - 41st MLK Tribute Concert
The annual MLK Tribute Concert, sponsored by the Office for Equity and Diversity and the School of Music, is a multidisciplinary celebration intermixing the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with musical performances. Hosted and curated by U of M alumnus G. Phillip Shoultz, III of VocalEssence, the program celebrates 41 years of being in community. The virtual event begins at 4 p.m.
Feb. 1 - Malala Yousafzai to Headline 2022 Distinguished Carlson Lecture
Malala Yousafzai is the next speaker in the Humphrey School's virtual Distinguished Carlson Lecture series. Yousafzai is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and internationally known advocate for global education. Yousafzai will discuss her ongoing campaign to improve access for girls’ education. Noon-1 p.m.
U of M featured virtual events
Jan. 13 - Teach with StoryMaps
Jan. 13 - Tune up your course site with the Start of Semester Checklist
Jan. 13-14 - University of Minnesota Day of Data
Jan. 14 - Trauma Across Generations: The Impact on the African American Community
Jan. 18 - Health benefits of companion animals for seniors: pros and cons
Jan. 19 - Don’t breathe! The dangers of radon gas and how to keep your family safe
Jan. 20 - The Digital Silk Road: China's Quest to Wire the World and Win the Future
Join U of M Crookston for a series of learning communities
U of M Crookston invites members of the Crookston and surrounding communities to engage in a series of learning communities to discuss ideas from contemporary Indigenous thinkers about how the world is arranged, and what the human place is within larger spheres of existence. There will be 5-10 learning communities over the course of this project, which will run through fall semester.
Student Life team members receive national awards
Two UMD staff are being recognized at the national conference of the Association for Student Conduct Administration on Feb. 10. Katie Jackson, director of the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution, will receive the Individual Award of Excellence. Brenna Hucka, student conduct specialist, will receive the Equity and Inclusion Leadership Award.
Jan. 18 - May 15 - ‘Anti-Social Art: Experimental Practices in Late East Germany’
UMD’s Tweed Museum of Art will feature independent artists who worked in the final decades of East Germany. “From photography to performance art, independent films to independent publications, artworks from this period reveal the core disjunctions between state power and citizen agency,” says Sarah Blaylock, curator.
Feb. 1 - Visual Culture Lecture Series with Moira Villiard
Multidisciplinary visual artist Moira Villiard will present as part of the Visual Culture Lecture Series. Villiard is a community organizer, curator, and passionate arts educator concentrating her efforts around issues of equity and justice, including: arts access (giving voice to underrepresented communities within the arts), creative placemaking, environmental sustainability, youth empowerment, and acknowledgement of Indigenous land, culture, and history. 6 p.m., 120 Solon Campus Center and online via Zoom.
Granholm receives Kennedy Center Innovative Teaching Award
Lucas Granholm, assistant professor of theatre arts at the University of Minnesota Morris, is the 2021 recipient of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region V Innovative Teaching Award. The award recognizes excellence and innovation in theatre pedagogy.
The Kettle - Faculty profile: Molly Dingel
More than a decade ago, Professor Molly Dingel took a leap and joined the burgeoning University of Minnesota Rochester campus. Dingel was one of three initial faculty who helped design the curriculum for the first incoming class. Read more in the latest edition of UMR's alumni magazine, The Kettle.
UMR Career Pathways: Emerging Health Technologies
UMR's innovative degree programs and integrated curriculum provide students with a foundational undergraduate education. Discover how Lucas Jacobson navigated UMR’s many health career opportunities with an individually planned capstone to prepare for a career in the Hepatitis/HIV Molecular Laboratory at Mayo Clinic as a quality specialist. Learn more about U of M Rochester Career Pathways.
Bachelor of Science in Health Professions Echocardiography program
UMR’s educational collaboration with Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences prepares future echocardiographers to be a part of the diagnosis of cardiac conditions and assess heart function by taking 2D and 3D heart images. Discover how Desiree Cygan’s passion for learning led her to a career in echocardiography in this video.
University Paratransit Service to change schedule
University Paratransit Service is changing its schedule on Jan. 31. Rides will move from 15-minute slots to 20-minute slots and will be available on the hour, 20 minutes after, and 40 minutes after. Additionally, geographical zones have been added, including service to Riverside, the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain area, and the West Bank Office Building.
Recruiting TRIO McNair Scholars
The TRIO McNair Scholars program is recruiting undergraduate students to participate in the summer 2022 research opportunity program. Applications are due Feb. 1. Please encourage students to apply. Complete this short survey to recommend prospective students and/or indicate interest in being a faculty mentor.
A social scientist
Abygail Andebrhan credits her career trajectory back to a high school guest lecturer. When the Genetics, Cell Biology and Development major heard from the head of the Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation about the health and societal impacts of individuals dealing with this disease, she was immediately intrigued and wanted to learn more. At the College of Biological Sciences, she is combining her fascination with biology with a passion to combat social inequalities.
The science of small: Why the tiny and invisible matter
“This past year, with COVID, we learned the importance of studying something we can’t see,” says Professor Christy Haynes. “None of us can see the COVID virus, right? But it has changed our entire planet.” Haynes, Andre Mkhoyan, and Jake Bailey are respected experts in nanotoxicology, transmission electron microscopy, and geomicrobiology, respectively. They are just three of many College of Science and Engineering scientists who study the super small. See more CSE features in the latest issue of Inventing Tomorrow magazine.
A soaring career at CCAPS
As a graduate and long-time employee of CCAPS, Tony Scott brings a bird’s-eye perspective to his new job as director of Undergraduate Applied and Professional Study degree programs.
Growing with Jim Elskamp
Farm manager and research coordinator Jim Elskamp keeps the AppleHouse stocked with apples and helps grape, apple, woody plant, and rare-plant conservation research projects run smoothly at the Arboretum's Horticultural Research Center. Read more about Elskamp and his contributions to the Arboretum.
2022 Physics Force winter shows
Physics Force is back with fun new shows in January 2022. Auditorium shows bring the wonders of physics to life in an educational and spectacular display. Intended for all ages. Shows take place Jan. 15, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Carlson Family Stage, Northrop.