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News

A  ollage of scientific and technological elements arranged around large 3D letters reading “A to Z,”

MSU Research A to Z

Explore 26 ways Spartan research is improving lives — from A to Z. These examples offer just a glimpse into the wide-ranging impact Spartans are making every day through discovery and innovation.
Tom Sharkey and a person in lab observing plants

Some Plants Make Their Own Pesticide — But at What Cost to the Atmosphere?

A natural alternative to pesticides may be hiding in a misunderstood plant compound, but it could come at an environmental cost. New Michigan State University research 40 years in the making now sheds light on how this natural chemical can repel insects.
Lantern hanging from MSU building

MSU a Top 40 Institution Among US Universities Granted Patents

Michigan State University has been named one of the top 40 institutions in the Top 100 U.S. Universities ranking by the National Academy of Inventors, which recognizes universities granted the most utility patents each year.
Close-up view of water with rippling patterns in shades of blue and green

MSU Water Alliance Supports Interdisciplinary Research, Community Partnerships in Second Year

The MSU Water Alliance is helping faculty connect across disciplines, supporting student and young professional research, and turning scientific expertise into real-world solutions.
Illustration showing three colorful grid-lined 3D shapes representing exotic atomic nuclei

FRIB Researchers Use SuN to Shine Light on Exotic Nuclear Shapes

A team of researchers at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, or FRIB, at Michigan State University discovered that cobalt-70 isotopes form different nuclear shapes when their energy levels differ only slightly. The findings, published in Nature Communications Physics, shed light on the dynamic, complex nature of exotic nuclear particles.
4 construction workers planning and pointing

New MSU Research Shows Stronger Communication Results in Stronger Construction

When it comes to constructing complex buildings that involve architects, engineers and construction professionals, it’s not just engineering that matters, it’s also how people talk to each other. New interdisciplinary research from Michigan State University found that better team communication and collaboration can dramatically improve the performance of large-scale construction projects.
Gloved hand holding a metal circle

Rooney Searches for Clues to Why Continents Break Apart

Millions of years ago, nearly all of Earth’s continents were fused together in one giant land mass called Pangea. That is, until tectonic forces split them apart in a phenomenon called continental rifting. Tyrone Rooney has spent his career solving the mystery of how rifting works.
A person sits in a lab with lights and cameras extending her arm into a motion-tracking device

Spartans Are Creating Technologies for a Better World

Some of the most impactful technologies often aren’t the ones you see. They seamlessly make their way into our day, making life safer, healthier and more sustainable. At Michigan State University, a top 40 U.S. university for its number of utility patents, Spartan researchers are designing and delivering those very innovations.
Announcements
MSU Scientist Jason Rowntree Recognized for Sustainable Agriculture Research, Leadership
Jason Rowntree received NCR-SARE's Hero Recognition for his long-term leadership and contributions to sustainable agriculture across the North Central region.
12 MSU Scholars, Students Named Fulbright Finalists
The Fulbright Program has selected five Michigan State University faculty members and seven students as finalists for the 2026–27 academic year.
Seed Grants Nurture New Directions and Collaborations Campus Wide
MSU’s Ecology, Evolution and Behavior program awarded seed grants to 12 interdisciplinary research teams, providing early funding to help launch innovative projects and secure future external research support across fields ranging from AI to conservation and public health.
MSU AgBioResearch Funds Three Projects to Advance Health, Food Systems and Community Well-Being
MSU AgBioResearch has selected three projects to fund through the Growing Healthy Together Initiative, a program designed to solve complex health challenges through transdisciplinary research.
Ren and Shipley Named Guggenheim Fellows
Two MSU professors have been named 2026 Guggenheim Fellows: Xuefei Ren, a professor of sociology in the College of Social Science, and Lara Shipley, assistant professor of photography in the College of Arts and Letters’ Department of Art, Art History and Design.

Michigan State University Advances One Health Research at Summit
This faculty-based initiative brought together more than 600 researchers to shape interdisciplinary pathways and position MSU as a national leader in One Health.