- Features: Going green; Student earns U of M’s first online MBA; A career in hockey, and what comes after.
- Awards and Recognition: Eleven School of Nursing faculty have been elected as distinguished fellows of the National Academies of Practice in Nursing; and more.
Going green
The year 2020 tied for the warmest year on record, matching a previous milestone temperature from 2016. Although the factors driving climate change are highly complex, moving to renewable, more sustainable energy sources and lessening our dependence on fossil fuels is seen as key to slowing this progression. U of M researchers and alumni are hard at work creating a greener Minnesota.
Student earns U of M’s first online MBA
The U of M’s evolution in the online space allows the University to offer working professional students the opportunity to engage where and when they choose. Nicole Nelsen began her online studies in January 2019 and finished in two years, recently becoming the first graduate of the Carlson School’s online master of business administration degree (MBA).
A career in hockey, and what comes after
After a long career in the NHL and the founding of a nonprofit that raises awareness for mental health issues, U of M alum Paul Martin has returned to finish the bachelor’s degree he started almost two decades ago.
Awards and Recognition
Eleven School of Nursing faculty have been elected as distinguished fellows of the National Academies of Practice in Nursing, the most in the school’s history; the COVID-19 Hospitalization Tracking Project has been recognized by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business as a 2021 Innovations that Inspire award winner; Kristin Hogquist has been recognized as a 2021 distinguished fellow by the American Association of Immunologists; Deborah Roedder John has been named a fellow by the Society for Consumer Psychology; doctoral students Cassandra Silveira and Ryan Wold are the newest members of the John DePodesta Education Innovation Fellowship Program; U in the News features highlights of U faculty and staff cited in the media. Awards and Recognition
Lifeline in a time of crisis
“U of M students are incredible, hard-working people who deserve stability in this time of uncertainty,” says Madeline G., faculty/staff donor to the Student Emergency Fund. Thank you to all faculty and staff who have joined Madeline in supporting students as they continue to face uncertainty and financial challenges due to the pandemic. A challenge matching gift will now double your gift to help students with essentials like food and rent.
At the speed of ‘pandemic’
Brad Benson, chief academic officer for M Health Fairview, shares three key themes after a year of research during the COVID-19 pandemic that have shaped the future of science between the Medical School and M Health Fairview.
Mid-pandemic, U of M research guided changes to make classrooms safer
Early last summer, as the University of Minnesota began to assess how to adapt to COVID-19 and gradually bring the University community back to campus, Facilities Management (FM) set to task making buildings as safe from the virus as possible. One pillar of this effort was the HVAC Workgroup, made up of representatives from FM, four U of M campuses, University Health and Safety, and faculty. Ultimately, this collaboration resulted in changes that made classrooms safer for students and instructors.
Migrate classic Google Sites to new sites by Nov. 30
Google is replacing classic Sites with the new version of Google Sites. Owners of University of Minnesota classic Sites have until Nov. 30 to migrate to the new Google Sites. Starting December 2021, any remaining classic Sites will be automatically archived and replaced with a draft in the new Sites experience for site owners to review and publish. This change applies to all system campus domains.
Cooking to mend relationships
University of Minnesota Extension educators have found that cooking can improve participants' mental health and help mend relationships. In many Extension programs, participants find strategies that bring them to their own optimum state of mental health.
Signs of spring at the Arb
Registration is open for the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum’s annual Bud Break 5k on May 2. On May 8-9, the Arboretum’s Plant Conservation Program will sell a selection of native plants at this year’s Auxiliary Plant Sale.
Apr. 12 - Mini-Webinar: Research Tool Commercialization
Research tools facilitate the progress of research and discovery and are valuable assets to make widely available. In this webinar (register), learn how Technology Commercialization can work with you to commercialize and distribute the research tools developed in your lab to scientists at a variety of organizations, both academic and industrial. 11-11:30 a.m., via Zoom.
May 17-27 - Spring 2021: Teaching with Writing Online
This interdisciplinary short course supports faculty and instructors as they devise (or revise) online writing assignments and activities appropriate to a particular course. Using a combination of lively synchronous discussions and structured asynchronous activities, participants will devise and receive feedback on high- and low-stakes writing assignments and will become familiar with online commenting and grading tools and practices. Register by Apr. 26.
U of M featured virtual events
Apr. 7 - Pankake Poetry featuring Deborah Keenan
Apr. 9 - Religion, Public Education, and Diversity: A Pre-Conference Colloquium
Apr. 12 - Design in 7: 7 Stories, 7 Minutes
Apr. 14 - Curiosity Drives Progress Lecture Series: Giants of Earth and Space
Apr. 16 - Walleye Tank: Minnesota's Life Science Pitch Competition
Apr. 19 - Courageous Leadership: A conversation with climate scientist Dr. Terry Root
Apr. 21 - The Clinical and Public Health Importance of Social Wellbeing
Through May 16 - Pressing Issues: Printmaking as Social Justice in 1930s United States
Caring for newborns in animal and equine science
Hands-on learning is typical at the University of Minnesota Crookston, more so in March as students majoring in animal and equine science are in the heart of caring for newborns. It's lambing, kidding, calving, and foaling season on campus and Animal and Equine Science faculty, staff, and students are busy.
Crookston graduate received skills and training that set him up for success
Changle Li, a transfer student from China and Crookston graduate, recently discussed the numerous opportunities and “technical skills” that the University of Minnesota Crookston equipped him with, first with his positions at the United Nations International Institute of Global Health and then as a data analyst at Mitsubishi.
Bridging the gap
Last spring, after the pandemic hit, Swenson College of Science and Engineering (SCSE) launched a new program, “Bridging the Gap,” for admitted SCSE students who had decided to delay enrollment or for current students who were delaying returning to campus. Once a month, program participants meet with fellow students, faculty, career counselors, and industry professionals. Each meeting has a different focus, including study skills, time management, and career prep.
Apr. 6 - Overman lecture
UMD will host Richard Potts when he presents “Environmental Disruption During the Origin of the Homo Sapiens,” part of the Ben and Jeanne Overman Distinguished Speakers Series. Potts, a paleoanthropologist, is the founder and director of the Smithsonian National Museum’s Human Origins Program. Registration is required. Open to all at no charge. 3-4 p.m.
Apr. 7 - Startup Cup Entrepreneurship Competition
Watch the UMD Startup Cup Entrepreneurship Competition, where student contestants pitch their business or idea to professionals. Before the event, contestants receive advice from a mentor on taking their business or idea further and on preparing for the competition. Registration is required. Open to all at no charge. 6-7:30 p.m.
McPhee earns distinguished research award
Professor of Computer Science Nic McPhee has earned the 2020–21 University of Minnesota Morris Faculty Distinguished Research Award. The award recognizes sustained research of a Morris faculty member over the course of a career.
Juried student art exhibit
The annual juried student art exhibit, titled "Herd Ingenuity" this year, closed last week. Fifty-six works by U of M Morris students, majors and non-majors, were juried by Liz Miller. View images from the exhibit.
NXT GEN MED highlighted in Urban Evolution podcast
Chancellor Carrell shared information about NXT GEN MED and what it means for higher education on Destination Medical Center's podcast, Urban Evolution. Additional topics include the impacts of COVID-19 on UMR's campus community and the uniqueness of the living and learning campus, which is focused on healthcare studies.
UMR Career Pathways: Patient Care
UMR's innovative degree programs and integrated curriculum provide students with a foundational undergraduate education. Discover how Bryar Hansen navigated UMR’s many health career pathway opportunities and developed a mentality that acknowledges differences in culture, language, and ideologies while building on the similarities that exist between others to prepare himself for medical school at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. Learn more about UMR's Pathways.
Habits of thought
As we aim to design a future free of systemic racism, many types of actions are needed—including a continuous commitment to refining habits of thought. For more, see Chancellor Carrell's most recent blog post, Learning Matters: Habits of Thought.
A shot in the arm for those who need it most
As the fight against COVID-19 becomes a charge to quickly vaccinate Minnesotans—especially the most vulnerable—there remain key shortages, both in vaccine supplies and the people to administer them, especially to underserved populations. Enter the U of M’s Medical Reserve Corps, which is helping with the vaccination efforts at Twin Cities clinics.
For grad student, big win in NFL Big Data Bowl
When a statistical model you built correctly picks the 26th-ranked team to win an NCAA men’s basketball tournament, how can you top that? If your name is Sam Walczak, you go on to win the grand prize in the 2020-21 NFL Big Data Bowl, a test of contestants’ analytical prowess with football statistics. Read more about Walczak, a data science grad student in the U of M College of Science and Engineering.
Two juniors awarded 2021 Goldwater Scholarships
Two juniors in the University Honors Program have been recognized as Goldwater Scholars by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. Hannah Bodmer and Brian Carrick will receive scholarships worth up to $7,500 for their senior years. The scholarship is awarded annually to outstanding sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research-oriented careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering.
A century of Gopher hockey
Perhaps no other team has borne Minnesota’s identity longer, represented the University to the nation as prominently, or enjoyed success in the way the Golden Gophers men’s hockey team has—developing its fan base over 100 years. Minnesota Alumni writer John Rosengren looks back over highlights of a century on the ice and the awards and honors that make Gopher hockey "the heartbeat of the state."
Apr. 15 - School of Public Health Research Day
Join the School of Public Health (SPH) Research Day to hear presentations from SPH students and faculty. From linking brain function to adolescent suicide risk to examining how skin tone bias and age affect the preterm birth rates of Black women, these five-minute presentations highlight creative solutions to confront the world’s most emerging and persistent public health challenges. Reserve a virtual seat and learn more.