- School of Public Health launches new center to test and implement dementia care.
- Feature: In full color.
- Awards and Recognition: Xiaoran Sun has been awarded a $2.75 million NIH grant to study how adolescents manage their social media use and its impact on their mental health; and more.
School of Public Health launches new center to test and implement dementia care
Nearly seven million people in the U.S. are living with Alzheimer’s and related diseases—a number that has more than doubled in the last 20 years. To address the issue, the School of Public Health and partner institutions founded the Establishing Mechanisms of Benefit to Reinforce the Alzheimer’s Care Experience center, which will focus on identifying and testing what makes dementia interventions work to adapt them successfully in a variety of care settings.
In full color
For almost as long as he can remember, Tom, who asked to omit his last name, has navigated life with severe depression. It cratered his self-worth and prevented him from experiencing the full spectrum of emotions that makes us all human. No treatments seemed to work. Then a U of M study caught his eye. It aimed to explore whether a new, personalized approach that uses brain stimulation could help people like him find relief from their symptoms. “It was like something had just opened, or a wall had come down,” he says.
Awards and Recognition
Xiaoran Sun has been awarded a $2.75 million NIH grant to identify how adolescents manage their social media use over time and the impact social media has on adolescent mental health; Tianzhong Yang will lead a new research grant aimed at understanding the genetic mechanism for childhood cancers; Michael Goh has been elected a Fellow of the American Psychological Association; Pita Adam has been named the Minnesota Chair in Family Medicine, a newly created endowed chair position in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health; the Research and Innovation Office has announced 10 recipients of the Research Technical Staff Award; U in the News features highlights of University faculty and staff cited in the media.
President Cunningham inauguration
Rebecca Cunningham was inaugurated as the 18th president of the University of Minnesota on Sept. 18. Watch highlights of President Cunningham's Inauguration Day and hear Cunningham's thoughts on the University of Minnesota's future. View the transcript of the Presidential Inauguration Address.
Nominations open: John Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising
The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost invites nominations for the 2024-25 John Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising. By highlighting examples of outstanding advising, the Tate Awards identify professional models and celebrate the role that advising plays in the University's educational mission. Recognize excellent undergraduate academic and career advising by nominating a candidate for the Tate award. Nominations are due Jan. 3.
Apply now: Imagine Fund Special Event Grants
Budgets of up to $15,000 are available to support innovative, publicly engaged events relating to the arts, humanities, or design. U of M faculty (tenure-line or full-time continuous) or academic professional staff systemwide are eligible. Apply by Sept. 30.
Free Coursera offerings for U of M faculty, staff, and students
All U of M faculty, staff, and students have free access to a range of courses and specializations in Coursera. Access University of Minnesota Coursera content through Coursera for Minnesota as well as over 3,800 online courses and 400 specializations from other institutions through the Coursera for Minnesota Consortium, all at no cost. Use your U of M credentials to log in. Email Fritz Vandover at [email protected] with any questions.
Google Jamboard is retiring in fall
Starting Oct. 1, the Google Jamboard app will become view-only. Users will no longer be able to create new or edit existing Jams on any platform, including the web, iPhone, iPad, Android, and Jamboard devices. After Dec. 31, Jamboard fully retires, and users will no longer be able to access the app or your Jam files. Review the recommended actions for the University community.
Expanding access for rural, highly mobile, and military-connected families
Wait times for intervention services to help military families and those living in geographically dispersed areas who have developmental, emotional, or behavioral health concerns can stretch up to three years, and in large states with dispersed populations, long distances to care create more barriers. Researchers and clinicians from the University’s Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain and the Institute on Community Integration are connecting with providers across the state through a telehealth and tele-mentoring series for practitioners working with these groups.
Tangled up in knotweed: the need for adaptive management
In various pockets across the state, a sneaky invader has rooted itself into Minnesota’s landscape, breaking into buildings and eroding shorelines. Knotweeds are hardy environmental troublemakers, but a new research project funded by the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center offers new insights into the problem and practical advice for land managers and homeowners.
Master Naturalist volunteers help rebuild native plant communities
The drought-hardy prairie ecosystem once covered 18 million acres of Minnesota. Restoring native plants undaunted by drought and able to thrive after fire is becoming even more important as people recognize the importance of biodiversity. Regional, county, and state parks often welcome and depend on Extension Master Naturalist volunteers for the labor-intensive seed collection to help restore our prairies.
Research Brief: Students with multiple marginalized identities face barriers to sports participation
The number of youths participating in physical activity and sports is on the decline. New U of M research examines inequities at the intersection of multiple social identities, offering insights on how communities can provide greater support. See additional recent Research Briefs.
Crookston faculty and students experience Morocco, Spain, and France
Visiting Morocco, Spain, and France was the experience of a lifetime for University of Minnesota Crookston students Evelyn Stuck and Emily Haggadone, along with Associate Professor Venu Mukku, this summer. On the trip, they visited three universities, performed experiments and continued work on a previous manuscript, and toured world-famous cathedrals and museums.
U of M Crookston welcomes new CAAB members
The University of Minnesota Crookston recently welcomed new members to its Campus Advisory and Advancement Board (CAAB), including Gail Yutrzenka, Carrie Michalski, Tom Anderson, Theresia Gillie, and Jason Carlson. CAAB was created to enhance and strengthen the relationship between U of M Crookston and the region. CAAB provides insight to help direct decision-making, develop opportunities for collaboration, and build relationships leading to greater understanding. CAAB also addresses both current and future needs in education as well as the enhancement of scholarship.
UMD Homecoming celebrations
It’s Homecoming week at UMD and campus is already a flurry of activities as the UMD community comes together for a time filled with tradition, spirit, and connection. For students, alumni, and UMD supporters, it’s a chance to reconnect, reminisce, and revel in the pride of being part of the UMD community. Get ready for a lineup of activities, spirited gatherings, and unforgettable memories that honor UMD’s rich history and bright future. The week culminates on Sept. 28 at this year's Homecoming Tailgate before the football game.
Sept. 27 - Webinar: Perceptions of election legitimacy
Psychology professor John Blanchar will discuss how low institutional trust has shaped and sustained beliefs about the legitimacy of the 2020 U.S. presidential election among Republicans and Democrats over the past two years. He’ll present data on the persistence of these beliefs and their impact on perceptions of the 2022 midterm elections, with broader implications for the upcoming 2024 election and the future of democracy. 1 to 2 p.m.
U of M Morris Theatre announces 2024-25 season
The University of Minnesota Morris Theatre Discipline is offering a range of captivating performances for the 2024-25 season, showcased throughout three exciting productions. Kicking off the season is The Outsider, followed by a Meiningens student theatre production of Joan The Girl of Arc in winter, and in the spring, theatre arts major Michael Oberton ’25 will direct the annual children’s show, Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook.
Sept. 26 - Campus and Climate Action Planning brainstorm
The kickoff for the Campus and Climate Action Planning process will be held in Oyate Hall, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Learn more about the planning process for U of M Morris and bring your ideas to inform the future of campus. This is an open house format; come and go as you’re able.
Destination Medical Center features UMR at annual meeting
U of M Rochester was featured at this year’s Destination Medical Center (DMC) annual meeting. DMC is the largest public-private economic development endeavor in Minnesota. UMR and DMC are both working for a vibrant future in “America’s City for Health.” At this annual showcase, student leaders shared UMR’s continued contribution to the vibrancy of the Rochester community and the distinctive role UMR students play in the future of health care in this city and state.
UMR honored for career development
Colleges of Distinction has recognized UMR for the fifth year in a row with its Career Development award that honors breadth of resources, faculty and staff support, and learning environments that support student success beyond graduation. UMR continues to live out its three principles: students at the center, research informs practice, and partners make it possible.
Getting on the same page about book bans
Earlier this year, Minnesota adopted a new law “banning” book bans. This Banned Books Week (Sept. 22-28), Associate Professor Lianna Farber, who teaches the English department’s popular course on banned books, shares some insights into this nuanced issue and the power of books.
'We're with the band'
By one measure, the story of the Rosdahl family’s three-generation membership in the University of Minnesota Marching Band began roughly 50 years ago when the family’s matriarch, Caroline, joined the band. But the better, and richer, story actually dates back some 65 years to the mid-1950s, when female students were only allowed to be in the band for sit-down performances but were prohibited from marching.
Food is its own language
Judith Tschann (BA ’73) likes to nibble. This may explain why Tschann, a professor emerita of English language and literature at the University of Redlands in California, wrote her recent book, Romaine Wasn’t Built in a Day: The Delightful History of Food Language. In a work that explores the rhythms of appetite from breakfast to nightcaps, she serves up snack-sized anecdotes about the origins of words that range from absinthe to zest.
Oct. 4 - Genomics Technology 2024: The sequencing revolution is now
The U of M Genomics Center (UMGC) annual GenoFest open house offers an opportunity for the research community to learn about emerging trends in genomics technologies and future plans for the UMGC. U of M researchers who attend the morning presentations and visit eight tables at the Genomics Resource Fair will be entered to win $5,000 in services from the UMGC. Free and open to the public.
Oct. 9 - Health Careers Fair
Faculty and staff are asked to encourage students who may have an interest in health careers to attend the Health Careers Fair. Students will connect with U of M health degree programs at undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels, pre-health student groups, and community organizations that provide volunteer or employment opportunities to pre-health students. Noon-3 p.m., Great Hall, Coffman Union.
Featured events
Sept. 28 - Land Management Volunteer Event - Rain Garden Planting
Oct. 4 - Webinar: Master Research Agreements with Industry
Oct. 8 - Lunch with a Scientist hosted by Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve
Oct. 8 - Tucker Center Distinguished Lecture
Oct. 15 - Turning Research into Practice to Support the Early Childhood Workforce
Oct. 15 - BACH Health Sector Leaders Consortium
Oct. 15 - TRIO McNair Research Symposium
Oct. 15 - Accessibility in US Cities—Where is Transportation Most Sustainable?