May 31, 2023

Inside This Issue

Brief summer schedule: June 14 and 28; July 19; Aug. 2, 16, and 30. Weekly publication resumes Sept. 6.

Stretching metals allows researchers to create materials for quantum, electronic, and spintronic applications.
Features: Saved by a stranger; Brynn bounces back.
Awards and Recognition: Announcing the recipients of the 2023 Research Animal Resources Patrick J. Manning award; and more.

Stretching metals allows researchers to create materials for quantum, electronic, and spintronic applications

Professor Bharat Jalan and PhD candidate Sreejith

A U of M–led team has developed a first-of-its-kind method that makes it easier to create high-quality metal oxide thin films out of “stubborn” metals that have historically been difficult to synthesize in an atomically precise manner. This research paves the way for scientists to develop better materials for various next-generation applications including quantum computing, microelectronics, sensors, and energy catalysis.

Saved by a stranger

Kidney donor Ali Hansen right meets 2-year-old Cooper Thompson and his parents Katie and Eric

Due to a rare condition, 2-year-old Cooper Thompson was born with end-stage kidney failure and endured near-daily dialysis. After his parents shared his story on social media, two strangers—including living donor Ali Hansen—stepped up. Now, thanks to a transplant at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital, Cooper has a second chance.

Brynn bounces back

Brynn Liberda was 9 when she first began to experience overwhelming mental health difficulties that her parents couldn’t explain. The family turned to the U of M’s Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, where specialists (and a furry friend) helped Brynn overcome a rare diagnosis and leap back into life as a thriving teenager. Watch a video about Brynn’s story.

Awards and Recognition

The Office of the Vice President for Research has announced the recipients of the 2023 Research Animal Resources Patrick J. Manning award; U in the News features highlights of University faculty and staff cited in the media.

Awards and Recognition

U-Wide News

Inclusive and Accessible Course Design Clinics

Teaching Support is offering virtual Inclusive and Accessible Course Design Clinics to enrich and apply instructors’ recent learning experiences in Fundamentals of Disability Accommodations and Inclusive Course Design training. Participants will meet with an advocate from local and central support teams who can answer questions about the training and help apply inclusive and accessible design strategies to courses. June clinic dates are June 12 and 15; more clinics will be held in August.

Opioid use disorder in older adults toolkit

For older adults, opioid use disorder (OUD) is a growing problem. Working with the Minnesota Northstar Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program, Robert Levy authored a toolkit, which includes a free online interactive module for health professional students to learn how to recognize opioid use disorder and symptoms of withdrawal.

Request for proposals: Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics

The State of Minnesota–funded Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics initiative provides support for innovative research conducted by collaborative teams from the U of M and Mayo Clinic. Letters of intent are due July 11.

Researchers unveil a refined approach to moose pregnancy diagnosis

Moose populations in Minnesota and across North America have been declining in recent years, which threatens the food security and cultural practices of Indigenous tribes. A newly developed method provides an accurate way to determine pregnancy without physically examining the moose or monitoring their calves, saving time and resources for wildlife managers and sparing the animals distress.

Talking lawn care with U of M

Many people enjoy working in their yard as a hobby or as a connection to the outdoor world. University of Minnesota Extension educator Jon Trappe has tips for yards that accomplish multiple goals, including promoting pollinators, climate action, and aesthetics. See more editions of "Talking with U of M."

Crookston

Crookston DECA chapter named top 10 at international conference

U of M Crookston’s DECA (formerly Distributive Education Clubs of America) chapter was recognized as one of the top 10 chapters of the 2022-23 school year at April’s International Career and Development Conference in Orlando. The chapter was also presented with a certificate of affiliation and was recognized for being a new or renewed club. Seven students participated in the conference.

Business students earn $20,000 toward their idea at e-Fest

Ben Goelz and Matt Thielen and friend hold an award reading third place

U of M Crookston business students recently participated in e-Fest and took third place at the competition. The team received $20,000 to advance its business, "Greenscapes," which takes recycled glass bottles, crushes them, and turns them into fine sand that can be used on golf courses.

Duluth

Dialogue and deliberation

Burke Scarbrough loves controversy. Loves to teach it, that is. As an associate professor in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Scarbrough teaches a longstanding class in which students are assigned to read a banned or challenged book. The group researches the issue and then holds a mock town hall, role-playing various perspectives. It’s a realistic exercise, one that often plays out in communities across the country, and Scarbrough sees it as a valuable learning opportunity for future teachers and their own students.

Exhibit: Gibson Girls (and Guys) of Glensheen

A new Glensheen exhibition showcases clothing and accessories of the early 1900s assembled from the Congdon family collection. Garments such as gowns, tuxedos, hats, and wool bathing suits are displayed throughout the first three levels of the house. Chester Congdon’s original top hats are featured along with Clara Congdon’s hand fans, jewelry, and personal items.

Morris

DuHamel receives McKnight Musician Fellowship grant

Ann DuHamel, associate professor of music and head of keyboard studies at U of M Morris, has received a 2023-24 McKnight Musician Fellowship. DuHamel is one of four musicians to receive the statewide grant.

Pre-LADC path now offered at Morris

A new pre-licensure program that prepares students to pursue the licensed alcohol and drug counselor (LADC) credential through the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy is now available at Morris. The pre-LADC program emphasizes a liberal arts approach with a curriculum designed to prepare students for a career helping others overcome addiction.

2023 commencement

Morris celebrated its 60th commencement on May 13. NPR's Steve Inskeep was the commencement speaker, Dylan Young was the student speaker, and U of M Regent Mike Kenyanya conferred the degrees for over 225 graduates. The ceremony can be viewed on YouTube.

Rochester

First 10-year reunion

The University of Minnesota Rochester is gathering for the 10-year reunion of its first class of graduates on June 17. This celebration will include founders, alumni, and community supporters as UMR moves onward toward bolder goals and bigger opportunities.

UMR student research

Ruqayah Ali standing by her research poster

As part of her undergraduate studies, Ruqayah Ali ’23 conducted an independent qualitative study on the experience of Muslim undergraduate women in the STEM field with the hijab. This spring Ali shared her research at UMR's Research and Education Symposium as well as the Midwest Sociological Society Annual Meeting.

Twin Cities

M Food Co. summer dining options

There will be select east bank retail locations open this summer. Caribou Coffee, Starbucks, and Einstein Bros. Bagels are now open. Additional locations will open on June 5. See hours of operation for more information.

Path to nursing paved by firsthand experiences

Warda Hussein in cap and gown at ceremony

Warda Hussein says two events put her on the path to nursing. The first occurred when as a worried 14-year-old whose mother was headed to surgery, a nurse ensured Hussein could visit her mother before being taken to the operating room and that her mother had a scarf to cover her head while in a patient gown. The second event occurred her first year as a pre-med student at the U of M. As a recent graduate of the Master of Nursing program, Hussein says her time as a nursing student reinforced that she's on the right path.

Serving the president and people of Palau

Lauren Henry standing by a sculpture outdoors

As a Minnesota Law student, Lauren Henry ’11 envisioned being a criminal defense attorney. Working in the seat of power of Palau—a small island nation in Micronesia—was not on her radar. But today, Henry is the top legal advisor of the leader of the small island nation. Explore this and other stories in the spring issue of Minnesota Law magazine.

Pushing back the desert

Gilles Amadou Ouedraogo ’13 works on an initiative to increase the amount of arable land in the 11 nations of the Sahel region, which borders the Sahara Desert in Africa. The story on Ouedraogo's work in the spring 2023 issue of Minnesota Alumni magazine is just one of several about U of M graduates who are making a difference in a wide variety of ways, both globally and closer to home.