August 30, 2023

May 28, 2023

Vol. LIII No. 22

University of Minnesota researchers have discovered evidence that moose in Minnesota consume species that host brainworm, a parasite that affects the animal’s nervous system, ultimately leading to paralysis and death. Minnesota saw a 58 percent decline of its moose population in the northeastern part of the state between 2006 and 2017.

A new U of M study is the first to demonstrate the ability for gene therapy to repair neural connections for those with the rare genetic brain disorder known as Hurler syndrome. The findings suggest the value of the use of gene therapies—an entirely new standard for treatment—for those with devastating brain disorders like Hurler syndrome.

Recognizing U of M researchers who were awarded patents for their discoveries in 2022; the Office of the Vice President for Research has announced the awardees of the 2023 Social Justice Impact Grants; Andrew Oxenham has received an NIH R01 Renewal award for the study “Complex pitch perception in complex environments;” Emily Allen has received an NIH Early Career Research grant for the study “Functional and structural characterization of the human auditory cortex using high-resolution MRI;” James Lee and Emily Willoughby have received a grant for the study “Foundations and Implications of Human Cognitive Ability;” Melisa López Franzen has been named as the University's new executive director of Government and Community Relations; U in the News features highlights of University faculty and staff cited in the media.

Awards and Recognition

Task force members will be part of a small group developing recommendations to support the future of world-class academic health professions education, research, and care delivery in Minnesota. If you would like to serve the state and the University on this important task force, learn more and apply by Aug. 31.

Philanthropy can drive social change and open doors for members of the University of Minnesota community and far beyond. To celebrate the start of the new academic year, the U of M Foundation aims to raise $10,000 in September for select student support funds (Twin Cities and Duluth) through the “U Belong” dollar-for-dollar fundraising match.

The COIL initiative promotes project-based class-to-class virtual exchanges. This training program for all system faculty offers support to establish and/or strengthen an international partnership and develop a COIL module for an existing course. Learn more and apply by Sept. 15. Participants receive $500 in professional development funds. Email Dan Nolan with questions.

The lab of Robert Blanchette in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences is focused on developing novel tools to proactively detect and manage deadly, invasive plant pathogens before they can rip through Minnesota’s forests. This work could provide forest managers with the knowledge and tools they need to prevent devastating outbreaks like Dutch elm disease or emerald ash borer much earlier.

For many Minnesota communities, a “road diet”—slimming a road from four lanes to three—could help improve safety and the user experience. Knowing when it’s a good fit, however, can be challenging. U of M researchers studied several corridors and came up with guidance for local agencies.

The first disability studies certificate program in West Africa recently began at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in Ghana, the result of a nearly two-year partnership formed to train disability services professionals in a region where stigma still keeps many people with disabilities from education, employment, and other aspects of community life. The U of M’s Institute on Community Integration and other organizations partnered with UCC to design the International Certificate in Disability Studies.

When individuals with Type 2 diabetes received intensive lifestyle intervention in multiple areas—including sessions with lifestyle counselors, dietitians, and other specialists—they were more likely to lose weight and improve diabetes control, while being less likely to experience disability and diabetes complications. The research suggests these benefits could translate to increased employment. See additional recent Research Briefs.

Participants in this four-part virtual series will learn practical, evidence-based approaches to help build personal resilience and enhance your skills and confidence in bringing more wellbeing into your daily life, at work and at home. University of Minnesota employees and spouses can register for free through OHR’s Total Compensation Health Programs. Noon-1:15 p.m., Zoom.

U of M Crookston has officially started the 2023-24 school year. Part of our student population this fall includes 250 student-athletes who play for one or more of our NCAA or club sports teams. Read more in the chancellor’s message.

After finishing seventh last season at the NSIC Championships, U of M Crookston men's golf was ranked fifth in the recent NSIC preseason coaches poll. Meanwhile, junior Layton Bartley was tabbed as the golfer to watch for the Golden Eagles.

The Natural Resources Research Institute has conducted several stream restoration activities in Minnesota in recent years. The goal is to return the streams, as closely as possible, to the healthy brooks they once were, full of well-fed trout. In order to measure progress, a team including Valerie Brady and Karen Gran, the PIs for the study, conducted several tests. In one test, deep purple dye was mixed with stream water to determine if the water was mixing with low-oxygen below-ground water sources.

UMD has introduced three new options for students this fall. A Sustainable Living Learning Community has been established on campus, allowing a group of students to take classes and attend events together. A new degree program, the Bachelor of Business Administration in Risk Management and Insurance, is now offered through the Labovitz School of Business and Economics. And a new Project Management Undergraduate Certificate in Civil Engineering begins in the Swenson College of Science and Engineering.

UMD graduate Ben Valerius comments on his experience in the Environmental Outdoor Education program at UMD. Valerius, who has worked in several elementary schools, says he can see the value of outdoor education and its positive impact on children.

Keith Brugger, University of Minnesota Morris geology professor, has been named a fellow of the Geological Society of America (GSA), a global professional organization with more than 26,000 members in 115 countries. GSA fellowship recognizes an individual’s contributions to geosciences through research, teaching, public outreach, and leadership in the field.

This fall, the University of Minnesota Morris welcomes Michelle Janning as its Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Liberal Arts. Janning is a sociology professor and endowed chair of social sciences at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA.

Join the Office of Community Engagement for its annual fall day of service. The goal of the event is to introduce students and others to volunteer opportunities and agencies in the community and to provide needed services for those agencies. The day includes pre-service training, a hands-on service opportunity, reflection, and snacks. 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Paul Hanstedt joins the U of M Rochester as the vice chancellor for academic affairs and innovation. Hanstedt is a nationally recognized leader in teaching and learning innovation. Previously, Hanstedt led the Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning at Washington and Lee University in Virginia. He received his doctorate in literature from The Ohio State University, master’s in creative writing from Iowa State University, and bachelor’s in literature from Luther College.

UMR is welcoming students to campus, including to the new Student Life Center, home to first-year students, a new dining facility, the Intercultural Center, and the Admissions Welcome Center. UMR continues to grow in downtown Rochester, expanding its presence in the heart of the medical world to provide new opportunities and growth for students.

UMR students and faculty were featured in a USA Today article focused on various paths to accelerating undergraduate degree completion. Student Akhil Kollengode was quoted: “All through high school, I always thought [being out of school in the] summer was sort of a drag… I always wanted summer to be over so I could go back to school.”

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities welcomes one of the largest and the most diverse classes of students in campus history, including roughly 6,700 first-year students and 1,600 transfer students. Events include Welcome Week (Aug. 30–Sept. 4)—a transition program that provides an opportunity for new Gophers to quickly adjust to student life, connect with new peers, learn their way around, and discover resources and University traditions.

University of Minnesota Twin Cities faculty, staff, and students are eligible for a free one-year Shipt membership by signing up with your zip code and umn.edu email address. Shipt offers same-day delivery of groceries and other household essentials. For more information, see University FAQs.

U of M faculty and staff can use RecWell facilities for free on the third Thursday of every month. Access also includes free open climbing, free group fitness classes, and a free daily locker. Bring your U Card to the member service desk when checking in.

Professor Fatih Guvenen of the Department of Economics knows income inequality is one of the more misunderstood economic trends discussed in popular media today. Although his research attests to the oft-cited “shrinking middle class,” it pushes back on the assumption that income inequality is rising in every corner of the globe. The story is part of a series from the College of Liberal Arts, “Data in the Liberal Arts. And Beyond.”

Data is not only for STEM scholars. Students in HIST 3001–Public History teamed up with the Mapping Prejudice Project to digitize mapping data from Minnesotan history, creating a tangible picture of how events like highway construction and racialized policies displace marginalized groups of people. The course is part of the University of Minnesota’s community-engaged learning program, which integrates community work with studies.

Through collaboration with demographic historian J. David Hacker of the College of Liberal Arts and the Institute for Social Research and Data Innovation, School of Public Health assistant professor J'Mag Karbeah identified an association between residential segregation and the likelihood of experiencing a child death in the early 1900s. Karbeah found neighborhood segregation dramatically widened the mortality gap between white and Black children in both urban and rural areas.

Aug. 31 - Saint Anthony Falls Lab Public Tour

Aug. 31 - Inclusive Teaching Basics: Centering BIPOC Students

Sept. 5 - ISGH Faculty Research Presentation: Magdalena March and Kristen Mark, PhD, MPH, present: Utility of Netflix’s “Sex Education” in our Sex Ed Efforts Sept. 6 - U of M Farmers Market

Sept. 11 - Exhibit opening: Symbolic Significance

Sept. 13 - Professional development webinar: Reignite Team Motivation

Oct. 17 - 2023 IEM Otto Schmitt Distinguished Lecture Series

See the full Events Calendar