- Features: Call for racial justice; Research by Medical School students suggests protocol change for tear gas deployment; A worldwide emergency.
- Awards and Recognition: Ann Masten has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; and more.
Call for racial justice
Nine days after George Perry Floyd Jr. was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer, University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel announced a systemwide scholarship honoring his memory. The University of Minnesota Scholarship in honor of George Floyd supports underrepresented students. Meet the first recipients, as well as some of the people who helped make it happen.
Research by Medical School students suggests protocol change for tear gas deployment
A new study by five doctoral students in neuroscience at the University of Minnesota Medical School calls attention to a lack of regulation and unknown long-term health effects of tear gas. Based on their research, the group recommends changing the protocols around the use of tear gas as a crowd control measure at both the local and national level.
A worldwide emergency
Growing up in Nairobi, Kenya, Sanda Ojiambo was deeply aware of global inequalities, an understanding that came into sharper focus when she went to college in North America, including earning her master’s degree at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Last June she became the CEO and executive director of the United Nations’ Global Compact, the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative. In this interview with Minnesota Alumni magazine, Ojiambo talks about Global Compact’s commitment to the environment and how the UN enlists companies to commit to building a better world.
Awards and Recognition
Ann Masten has been elected to the 2021 class of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; 2021 recipients of the President’s Award for Outstanding Service; the School of Public Health has been awarded $10 million to lead the Midwest Consortium for Hazardous Waste Worker Training; Brian Muthyala, Lily Rubenstein, and the MN CovidSitters team have been selected as champions of humanistic care by the Gold Foundation; Kyle Shelton has been named the next director of the University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies; U in the News features highlights of U faculty and staff cited in the media. Awards and Recognition.
Small galaxies likely played important role in evolution of the Universe
A new study led by University of Minnesota astrophysicists shows that high-energy light from small galaxies may have played a key role in the early evolution of the Universe. The research gives insight into how the Universe became reionized, a problem that astronomers have been trying to solve for years.
Novel late-stage colorectal cancer treatment proves effective in preclinical models
University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have uncovered a new way to potentially target and treat late-stage colorectal cancer—a disease that kills more than 50,000 people each year in the United States. The team identified a novel mechanism by which colorectal cancer cells evade an anti-tumor immune response, which helped them develop an exosome-based therapeutic strategy to potentially treat the disease.
High turnover, low wages, and disparities magnified during the pandemic for direct support professionals
New research from the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration and the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals provides insight on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on direct support professionals—staff who support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
U of M PK-12 survey: Students learned, but more mental health resources are needed
Minnesota educators, families, and students agree that PK-12 students learned during the first half of the 2020-21 school year, according to a University of Minnesota analysis of the new Minnesota Safe Learning Survey. However, the extent of how much coursework was learned was perceived to be lower than pre-pandemic times, but higher than spring of 2020. See more survey results.
U of M rapid response project to test zebra mussels found in pet stores
The Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC) has launched a rapid response project to conduct genetic testing on zebra mussels that were inadvertently distributed across the United States and Canada, hiding within aquarium moss balls and sold at pet stores—including in Minnesota. MAISRC is partnering with the University of Minnesota Genomics Center.
Talking soil health with U of M
Spring is here and many Minnesotans will soon start tending to their gardens. Anne Sawyer, an assistant professor with Extension, answers questions about soil health and how it translates to healthy plants this growing season.
Invitation to subscribe to Today’s News
University Relations produces a newsletter every weekday morning that provides direct links to select, systemwide media coverage of the University. Faculty and staff are welcome to subscribe to this service. Those who subscribe can expect to begin receiving Today’s News on or around May 17.
Reminder: Check out Brief Alerts
Brief Alerts consists of a few regularly updated important news items to know about the University this week. The new feature is available at brief.umn.edu and is meant to provide easy access to timely, high-level University messages and resources.
May 17 - From Industry's Perspective: What Makes a Great Research Partner?
In this webinar (register), researchers will learn firsthand from a panel of industry representatives about what makes a great academic partner. Participants will gain insight into what companies look for when working with academic collaborators, including how companies view academic partnerships, what companies want to see in a proposal, and the attributes of a great collaborator. Open to faculty, researchers, post-docs, and grad students. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
U of M featured virtual events
Summer program - Camp In A Box: Growing Observation (Grades 1–12)
May - Arb May Markets at the U of M Landscape Arboretum
May 6-7 - 2021 Master of Landscape Architecture Capstone Presentations
May 7 - Online class - Cardinal: Needle Felting
May 11 - Canvas Gradebook workshop
May 12 - The economics of COVID-19
May 19 - Founders Day 2021 showcase of student startups and projects in entrepreneurship
May 19 - Saving Live Music: A Conversation with Dessa and Dayna Frank
May 20 - Mindful Communication at Work: An Approach for Creating More Inclusive and Engaged Teams
Collaboration receives $12,000 grant to showcase indigenous culture and the environment
Four faculty, including U of M Crookston’s Katy Chapman, will launch a series of events, activities, and discussions related to “Transdisciplinary Engagements with Contemporary Indigenous Thinkers.” This research and creative collaborative is funded by the University of Minnesota’s Institute for Advanced Study.
Dudley receives 2021 Horace T. Morse award
Timothy Dudley is a recipient of a 2021 Horace T. Morse – University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education. Dudley teaches general chemistry lecture and lab courses and is a dedicated adviser and instructor committed to providing a quality educational experience for his students.
Faculty and staff honored
Victor Lai, chemical engineering, received the Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising. Chongwon Park, English, linguistics writing studies, and Justin Rubin, music, are recipients of the Chancellor’s Distinguished Research/Creative Activity Award. Andrea Schokker, civil engineering, received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Paula Gudmundson, music, was recipient of the Tezla Teacher/Scholar Award. David Short, art and design, received the Faculty Advisor Award, and Rick LaCaille, psychology, received the Graduate Faculty Advisor Award. See 2021 Faculty Awards and Staff Recognition for more information.
Making a difference
Since February, third-year pharmacy student Erin Salo has been traveling to Brainerd every couple of weeks to give COVID vaccine shots. In addition to administering shots, Salo has been able to help educate patients about COVID-19 and the vaccine. “It makes me feel proud that I have the education I do and that I’m able to do this for this community,” she says.
U of M Morris announces first named professorship
The privately funded Morton Gneiss Professorship for Environmental Sciences is U of M Morris's first named professorship. This faculty position will be held by a recognized expert or specialist in the area of environmental science. The professorship will begin in fall 2023 and will contribute to rigorous interdisciplinary education, including natural resources, environmental issues and challenges, climate change, and applied environmental science. The professorship is one of the highlights of Morris's “A model for living and learning campaign,” part of the U of M Driven campaign.
2021 faculty and staff recognition celebration
The University of Minnesota Morris recently celebrated the accomplishments of 2021 retirees and faculty and staff award winners at the 2021 Faculty/Staff Recognition Celebration. Those who missed the event or who wish to share the recording with family and friends can access it online.
May 7 - Dedication of Morris Community Softball Complex
The finishing touches are underway on the first phase of the Morris Community Softball Complex (MCSC). The MCSC is the result of a partnership between the University of Minnesota Morris, Morris Area Schools, and the City of Morris. Construction has been supported by generous contributions from many individuals and organizations. The official dedication will take place May 7, 5:15 p.m. The public is invited to join in the celebration.
Riding the coronacoaster
Assistant Professor Angie Mejia, along with UMR students Chadi Katoch and Danny Turin and UMR alumni Fiza Khan and Blake Peterson, have published a collaborative text, "Riding the Coronacoaster: Learning, Teaching, and Living at a Health Sciences Campus during the COVID-19 Pandemic." The article appears in part of a special COVID-19 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Anthropologica.
The heart of art is how we respond
This past fall, UMR’s commitment to collaboration and student engagement was on full display in Assistant Professor Angie Mejia’s and Professor Yuko Taniguchi's Sociology 3721: Society and Mental Health - An Intersectional Approach and A Lived Experience. Students in the course were challenged to look at mental health experiences in new ways, through reading about lived experiences and using creative response methods. These methods culminated in the creation of an original work of art by UMR alumna and artist Nitya Chandiramani ’17.
Pandemic doesn’t stop NASA—or student interns
Several College of Science and Engineering students participated in virtual internships through NASA’s Ames Research Center in summer 2020. The students’ internships largely focused on hypersonics, a branch of aerospace research on vehicles that travel faster than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5. Learn more about their internship projects.
Developing videographers
Over the many years that Emi Ito, professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, has been teaching critical thinking to her students, she has moved her group projects from posters to PowerPoints to video presentations. To help guide students through the process of becoming videographers this semester, she has relied on a team of mentors from U of M Libraries.
Landscape Arboretum tulips in bloom
The U of M Landscape Arboretum’s 39,000 tulips are starting to bloom. While it's often hard to predict, arboretum staff anticipate that full bloom will occur during the first two weeks in May. Watch for weekly updates on the What's in Bloom webpage.