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News

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Puckett Leads Postcard Research Project to Connect Members of the Transgender Community

Researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Oregon have given out over 10,000 postcards to the community over the past couple of years — postcards that highlight what resilience means to the transgender and nonbinary community.
A person stands in a lush, green garden surrounded by tall plants and foliage

Spartan Science Protects the Food on Your Table

From apples to potatoes and from farm fields to your family table, MSU researchers are helping ensure that fresh, healthy food stays available, affordable and safe.
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.
Mackinac Bridge with clear skies

Leaders and Partners Gather on Mackinac to Shape Innovation’s Future

Each year, Michigan’s top leaders gather on Mackinac Island for the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Policy Conference to address key issues shaping the state’s future. This year, Michigan State University hosted a panel highlighting how federal research funding fuels breakthroughs, from improving pancreatic cancer survival rates to addressing crises like the Flint Water Crisis.
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May Research at MSU

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.
Announcements
McCusker Receives Royal Society of Chemistry Prize
James K. McCusker, a University Research Foundation Professor in the College of Natural Science, has been awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry’s prestigious Mond-Nyholm Prize for Inorganic Chemistry.
Jain Awarded BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award
Anil Jain, University Distinguished Professor at MSU, has received the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Information and Communication Technologies, alongside Michael I. Jordan of UC Berkeley, for their foundational work in machine learning and its broad societal impact.
10 MSU Faculty Members Earn University Distinguished Professor Designation
Ten Michigan State University faculty have been named University Distinguished Professors in recognition of their outstanding achievements in teaching, research and public service.
Woodruff Receives Highest Award From Society for the Study of Reproduction
Michigan State University Research Foundation Professor Teresa K. Woodruff is the 2025 recipient of the Carl G. Hartman Award from the Society for the Study of Reproduction. Woodruff, an internationally recognized expert in ovarian biology and reproductive science, will receive the award in Washington, D.C. at the society’s annual meeting in late July.
Bringing the Heat: Researchers Convene to Discuss the Impacts of Extreme Heat
Researchers convened on May 14, 2025, at the Wharton Center for the interdisciplinary research forum Heat Stress: Challenges to Human and Animal Health, on the impacts of heat stressors on people, plants, and animals.
Henderson Receives National Press Photographers Association Educator of the Year Award
Jarrad Henderson, artist in residence at MSU’s School of Journalism, was recently presented the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) Educator of the Year Award for his outstanding work as a visual journalism educator.