March 1, 2023

Inside This Issue

Notice: Brief will not publish on March 8. 

  • University seeks critical support for U of M Health.
  • Features: A lifesaving procedure, moments after birth; Bench to bedside: How academic medicine improves patients’ lives; C.O.P.E. brings hope to Minnesota.
  • Awards and Recognition: 2022-23 recipients of the John Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising; and more.
Top News

University seeks critical support for University of Minnesota Health

The University of Minnesota recently announced a preliminary request for State of Minnesota support of its health system (UMN Health). UMN Health will take bold steps to accelerate increased access, equity, and quality to the University’s leading research and clinical care while safeguarding Minnesota’s public academic health assets.

A lifesaving procedure, moments after birth

atticus baby

While Atticus Wright was still in the womb, experts at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital discovered he had a dangerous heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Working in perfect coordination, a multidisciplinary care team performed a lifesaving operation just minutes after Atticus was born. Find out how Atticus is doing today, and sign up for Goldy’s Run on Apr. 2 to support children and families affected by heart disease. 
 

Bench to bedside: How academic medicine improves patients’ lives

Melena Bellin and students walking

In simplest terms, medicine is applying the knowledge derived from science to a patient, taking the work done in a lab and using it to improve lives. Meet physician-scientist Melena Bellin, who lives this process every day. 


 

C.O.P.E. brings hope to Minnesota

forest of aspen trees

The number of opioid-related overdose deaths was 12 times greater in 2020 than in 2000. In 2017, Centers for Family Development and Community Vitality at University of Minnesota Extension started work to address this tragic trend. This work, collectively titled the Community-based Opioid Prevention and Education (C.O.P.E.) project, is designed to leverage the strengths and address the needs of specific rural and Tribal communities across Minnesota.
 

Awards and Recognition

Announcing the 2022-23 recipients of the John Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising; U in the News features highlights of University faculty and staff cited in the media.

Awards and Recognition

U-Wide News

The best defense is you: Apply system and software updates

You are the best defense at keeping your devices safe and secure while at the same time protecting the University and your personal data from unauthorized access. Take these steps: Apply updates; log in to the U of M VPN regularly; and restart your system regularly, at least once a week. For more information, contact Technology Help

Collaboration leads to breakthrough in antibiotic delivery

a petri dish with pink things growing on it

Antibiotic resistance, the ability of bacteria to resist existing antibiotics, threatens our health care systems and the success of medical procedures on a daily basis. An invention resulting from the collaboration of two researchers from different disciplines seeks to combat that threat by delivering a new antibiotic to sites of infections that are difficult to treat.

 

CIDRAP releases Coronavirus Vaccines R&D Roadmap

The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota recently released the Coronavirus Vaccines Research and Development (R&D) Roadmap, a major global strategy to develop broadly protective vaccines against continually emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and the threat of new coronaviruses that may cause pandemics in the future.  

U of M issues report on Red Lake Nation medical concerns

In response to a Red Lake Nation request and a Minnesota Indian Affairs Council resolution, experts Stanford Shulman, Brad Rovin, and Blair Matheson wrote a report to assist in understanding "the role of the University, its faculty, and others during a 1966 epidemic of post-streptococcal impetigo acute glomerulonephritis." They evaluated allegations raised in a 2018 article questioning medical care provided to Red Lake Nation during the epidemic and related research activities. Learn more and see key findings from the report

Research Brief: Federal workers left their jobs at higher rates in the first year of the pandemic

In the opening months of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal workers across several agencies voluntarily left their jobs at higher rates than they had pre-pandemic, according to new research from the School of Public Health. See additional recent Research Briefs

March 22 - Webinar: Technology Commercialization 101

Learn how to move your research from the academic setting out into the world. This mini-webinar will provide an overview of the Tech Comm office and how they help researchers commercialize innovations. This event is designed with researchers who are new to technology commercialization in mind, but it is open to anyone at any stage of their career.

Crookston

Feedback requested for Crookston's Kiehle Building

The All-University Honors Committee is seeking feedback from the University community as part of the review of building names which meet the 75-year sunset provision of the Board of Regents Policy: Namings and Renamings. U of M Crookston’s Kiehle Building is up for review. Submit feedback via this form by March 6. 

Duluth

March 1 - 2023 Summit on Equity, Race, & Ethnicity

Clelia Rodriguez

UMD’s Summit on Equity, Race, & Ethnicity will be held in-person and virtually and features keynote speaker Clelia O. Rodríguez in the presentation “Who are you without colonialism?” The event includes additional speakers, workshops, and a performance of the play Mary Speaks by Angela Polite. Sponsored by UMD’s Commission on Equity, Race, and Ethnicity.

 

March 2 - Surviving a grizzly attack in the Canadian tundra

Alex Messenger

Hear Alex Messenger’s account of a 600-mile canoe trip in the Canadian wilderness. The trip should have been a dream adventure, but it turned into a nightmare when Messenger was mauled by a grizzly bear. Messenger’s survival story is now a bestselling memoir. Noon-1 p.m., Kathryn A. Martin Library Rotunda.            
 

 

Beginning March 3 - UMD presents Silent Sky

Graphic reading silent sky overlaying night sky-like background

Based on a true story, 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt and her fellow female Harvard University observatory researchers discovered thousands of stars and set standards still used today for measuring distances in space. See the schedule of performances.

 

 

Fiber Guild events at the Tweed

A tapestry from the fiber exhibit

The Tweed Museum of Art will host guided tours of the exhibition “The Duluth Fiber Guild: Janet Meany and 50 years of Fiber Art” and a Tweed Family Day event on select dates beginning March 4. Folks of all ages are invited to participate in hands-on activities around the fiber arts. See the full schedule of events.

Morris

Board of Regents March meeting and campus reception

The University of Minnesota Morris and the Morris area community will welcome the U of M Board of Regents and President Joan Gabel when the Board holds its March 9-10 meeting at the Morris campus. As part of the Board meeting, there will be a campus reception on March 9, 5:30 p.m., Edward J. and Helen Jane Morrison Gallery.    

March 1 - Panel discussion: Ethical considerations in research

Word cloud in shape of lightbulb with word Research in center

As part of UMN Research Ethics Week, U of M Morris faculty Peter Dolan, associate professor of computer science, and Kerry Michael, associate professor of psychology, will participate in "Ethical Considerations in Research." 2:15 p.m., 109 Imholte Hall.

 

 

March 5 - Symphonic Winds Spring Concert

Musically Maverick, a performance of free-spirited and trendsetting music, will be presented at 3 p.m. in the Humanities Fine Arts Recital Hall. Simon Tillier, conductor; Ava Anderson, mezzo-soprano. Refreshments will be available following the performance. 

March 8 - Pathmarking: A musical celebration for International Women's Day

Pathmarking is a voice recital featuring works by American women composers which highlight the societal contributions and ideas of women who have created a pathway for those who follow. There will be three choral works for treble voices that will be sung by a selective choir of students, faculty, and staff. A pre-concert talk begins at 6:45 p.m.; concert at 7:30 p.m., Humanities Fine Arts Recital Hall.

Rochester

Metzger earns Morse Award

Kelsey Metzger

Kelsey J. Metzger is one of two U of M Rochester faculty to receive the Horace T. Morse-University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education. Since UMR’s first students arrived, Metzger has been central to developing, assessing, and revising innovative curricula at U of M Rochester.

 

Wright earns Morse Award

Jake Wright

Jake Wright has earned the Horace T. Morse-University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education. Wright frames his teaching in the feminist ethic of care and the Jesuit educational philosophy Cura Personalis to center both care and community building as the foundation of academic success, especially for students in their first year. 

 

Living learning community students lead sickle cell disease awareness campaign

Students in U of M Rochester’s Health CORE (Community of Respect and Empowerment) living learning community are collaborating with researchers and physicians to heighten community awareness of sickle cell disease through posters, exhibits, and educational activities. UMR’s Health CORE success coach Fowziyyah Ali recently shared a UMR student-led project on Rochester’s public television show, R-Town.

Twin Cities

Seeking applications: 2023-24 Big Ten Academic Alliance Leadership Program

Applications are sought for Twin Cities faculty to participate in the 2023-24 Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Leadership Program. This program develops participants’ academic leadership skills through BTAA forums and conversations with U of M leaders. Questions and applications (including a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and support letter from department chair or dean) should be submitted to the vice provost for faculty and academic affairs no later than Apr. 7.

Study will use innovative tools to research tick-borne pathogens in the field

Jon Oliver and Peter Larsen

A new research collaboration between School of Public Health assistant professor Jon Oliver and College of Veterinary Medicine assistant professor Peter Larsen will use leading-edge, deployable field technologies to rapidly assess infection and spread of diseases from rodents and ticks. The study is supported by a $3.4 million NIH grant that seeks to transform our understanding of the transmission of Lyme disease and other tick-borne pathogens.

 

UMTC featured events

Sketch of Sherlock Holmes

March 2 - Campus Orchestra 

Through May 5 - Sherlock Holmes in 221 Objects 

March 6 - Mindful Mondays: Free Drop-In Sessions 

March 14 - Canvas Coffee Time 

March 15 - Webinar: Dynamics of Power in the Workplace 

March 16 - International Women's Day event: Leveraging the Wisdom of Communities for Reproductive Health

March 17 - Health Disparities Roundtable 2023 | Advancing Health Equity: Public Health Solutions for Mental Health 

March 22 - Are synchronous chats a silver lining of emergency remote instruction? 

March 24 - Symposium: Behind the scenes of Salmonella outbreaks linked to food animals 

See the full Events Calendar