May 18, 2022

Take personal holidays by June 30

As a reminder, University employees have until June 30 to take any remaining personal holidays, including the two additional holidays President Gabel announced in December. The Board of Regents approved the two extra personal holidays to acknowledge the dedication of faculty and staff during the pandemic. Check your personal holiday balance in the My Time tab of MyU. For details on eligibility and scheduling your holidays, visit the Office of Human Resources.

Latino/a/x Faculty and Staff Association survey and events

The Latino/a/x Faculty and Staff Association (LFSA) will meet with Ken Horstman, vice president for human resources, in June. Email your questions to Patricia Izek. LFSA is also hosting a summer social at La Dona Cerveceria on June 1, 5-7 p.m. Complete this LFSA informational survey to inform organizational priorities.

Sign up to volunteer at Twin Cities Pride by June 1

University Relations is planning a systemwide presence at this year's Twin Cities Pride Festival, which will be held June 25-26 at Loring Park in Minneapolis. Volunteer spots are available for staff, faculty, alumni, and students (sign up by June 1). University Relations will follow up with volunteers with details about the University’s presence. Email Jason Kaiser with any questions.

 
 
U of M celebrates 200th startup and top ranking for technology transfer

The University of Minnesota has launched 200 startup companies since 2006, a significant milestone in its work to scale and commercialize ideas and inventions from labs and research facilities on its five campuses. The milestone coincided with a recent report by the group Heartland Forward that ranked the University of Minnesota Twin Cities first for technology transfer within the heartland—a 20-state region—and fifth among all U.S. public universities.  

Energy researchers invent chameleon metal that acts like many others

University of Minnesota researchers have invented a “catalytic condenser” that opens the door for new catalytic technologies using non-precious metal catalysts for important applications such as storing renewable energy, making renewable fuels, and manufacturing sustainable materials.

Study: Not enough food crops harvested to meet UN food security goal

U of M senior research scientist Deepak Ray, with global collaborators, mapped global crop harvests and found that harvests for direct food use will be insufficient to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal of food security for all by 2030. Today, we grow enough total calories from the top ten global crops to meet food demands—if all crops were harvested for direct food consumption. Increased competition for crops for other uses means a smaller fraction of calories are available as food.

Where discovery creates hope: The science of sleep

Sleep is something that impacts all of us—when it's good, we’re able to perform at our best, and when it’s bad, everything gets a little harder. But what happens when your body starts acting out your dreams in your sleep? For Barbara and Allan Moon, that’s when they turned to U of M Medical School’s Michael Howell and the M Health Fairview Sleep Clinic.  

 

Talking sustainable Minnesota landscapes with the U of M

Minnesota gardeners can’t be blamed for greeting May with more than the usual anticipation after April’s unrelenting cold, wet days. Extension horticulture educator Julie Weisenhorn can relate, but she also says this is a good time to slow down and take stock of how choices made in our yards and gardens can have an impact on the environment. 

UMN Headlines: May 2022

Spring brings new beginnings, and in the May installment of the “UMN Headlines” video series, more than 11,000 U of M graduates embark on their next adventure. This episode features highlights from around the University of Minnesota System, including medical innovations, diabetes discoveries, U of M Duluth’s economic impact, the development of more efficient farming practices, supply chain forecasting, sustainability work, and more. See past episodes here.