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News

Leaves in bunches

Seeds of Hope

College of Natural Science plant researchers are racing to build climate-resilient crops before global food systems reach a breaking point.
Two scientists in a laboratory

Fuel for the Finish Line: How Sperm Achieve ‘Overdrive’

Michigan State University scientists have pinpointed the molecular “switch” that supercharges sperm for their final sprint to an egg — a breakthrough that could reshape infertility treatments and pave the way for safe, nonhormonal male contraceptives.
Doctor consulting patient

Researchers Lead $3.7M Study to Shed Light on Perimenopause and Psychosis

For decades, women’s midlife experiences have been largely overlooked by medical research. Despite previous assumptions about midlife mental health risks, relatively little research has systematically investigated the connections between hormonal fluctuations and psychological symptoms.
Aerial farm from above

Precision Agriculture: Soil Mapping and Measuring With a Data-Driven Approach

Digital tools make it easier to visualize how soil properties vary across our fields. Recent research suggests that using management zones to highlight these spatial patterns can help us understand field variations and how to better manage them.
Gabriela Quinlan

Spartan Scientists Contribute to Global Examination of Pollinator Habitat

Michigan State University Distinguished Professor Rufus Isaacs and CANR alumna Gabriela Quinlan (Ph.D. ’20), now an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, collaborated with researchers from 19 countries to develop a framework for informing conservation policies to increase the quantity and enhance the quality of pollinator habitat in agricultural landscapes.
Maria Molina

Molina Awarded NSF Career Grant to Advance Research on Human-AI Interaction and Privacy

Maria Molina, Assistant Professor of Advertising and Public Relations, has been awarded the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award. The five-year grant, totaling more than $500,000, will support Molina's groundbreaking research on human-AI interaction, specifically how people navigate trust and privacy in their use of generative AI systems.
Thea Knowles

Knowles Wins Grants to Improve Speech Therapy for Parkinson’s

Thea Knowles, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, assistant professor in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at Michigan State University, and her collaborators have been awarded two competitive grants to support their innovative research on communication challenges in Parkinson’s disease and atypical parkinsonism.
Robotic bionic hand connected to human hand

Automation Alley: Xiaobo Tan Finding Creative Uses for Soft Robots

What if a soft robot like Baymax in the Disney animated film Big Hero 6 were real? Xiaobo Tan, MSU Foundation Professor and Richard M. Hong Endowed Chair, and his team are working to bring that science fiction to life by designing robots made of soft materials that are safer for both human interaction and delicate objects.
Announcements
MSU, Michigan Tech Partner to Advance Dual-Use Technologies That Improve Everyday Life
MSU and Michigan Tech are partnering to advance technologies that address national security challenges while benefiting areas such as health, energy, and manufacturing.
Physiology Professor Receives Mayo Clinic Early-Career Alumni Award
Erica Wehrwein’s work at MSU is advancing physiology education by helping students connect complex biological systems to real-world health and medicine.
Teena Gerhardt Named 2027 Association for Women in Mathematics Fellow
MSU mathematician Teena Gerhardt has been named a 2027 Fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics for her leadership, mentorship, and service to the field.
North Wind Leaders Join MSU to Explore Dual-Use Innovation and National Security
From AI and advanced computing to workforce development and technology transfer, leaders from North Wind and MSU explored how collaboration across academia, industry, and government can accelerate dual-use innovation and strengthen national security.
Agnieszka Sorensen Receives NSF CAREER Award to Study Dense Nuclear Matter
Using machine learning, theoretical modeling, and experimental data, MSU researcher Agnieszka Sorensen is working to better understand dense nuclear matter and the universe’s strong force.
MSU Scientist Bruno Basso to Be Honored for Outstanding Contributions to Agronomic Research
MSU scientist Bruno Basso is being recognized for pioneering precision agriculture research that helps farmers improve yields, reduce costs, and protect the environment.