May is a time of celebration and reflection at MSU. As graduation season ends, we honor students’ achievements and recognize women in leadership. From inspiring faculty to student voices and cultural legacies, these stories reflect the resilience and creativity of the Spartan community.

The study, led by doctoral candidate Leonardo Ziccardi with professor Scott C Stark in the MSU Department of Forestry, shows how tropical trees act like giant solar antennas—absorbing vast quantities of light energy that must be carefully managed.

A new study from Michigan State University shows that planting too much genetically modified corn designed to fight off a tough insect — the corn rootworm — especially in the eastern U.S. Corn Belt states may be causing more harm than good.

Nearly 1 in 8 women in the U.S. experience postpartum depression (PPD), which is linked to higher rates of substance abuse, domestic violence, infant mortality, and even suicide. Research shows PPD can be reduced by 50% cost-effectively, but looming NIH funding cuts threaten this progress.

Michigan’s proximity to the Great Lakes provides access to roughly 20% of the world’s surface fresh water. From agriculture to tourism, water is a key driver of the state’s economy and the well-being of its residents. It has prompted Michigan State University, alongside statewide partners, to invest in bringing some of the leading water researchers to Michigan.

Scholars from three MSU colleges are leading a four-year, $2 million NSF-funded grant to enhance workforce inclusion for people with disabilities by researching ways to augment human abilities and redesign workflows.

According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, as many as 50 million Americans may be living with an autoimmune disorder. Many of these remain undiagnosed and, without intervention, can worsen over time. Given current treatment options, however, even those being actively managed can be met with complications.

Assistant Professor Jacob Fisher is a researcher at the intersection of cognitive neuroscience and media psychology. He was one of 23 scholars nationwide chosen for the 2024 Google Cloud Research Innovators cohort, a program that supports researchers using Google Cloud services to tackle real-world problems.