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News

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MSU Project Documenting Enslaved Individuals Publishes Latest Data of Black Americans Born Before Emancipation

Michigan State University’s Enslaved.org, in partnership with other organizations, documents the lives of named enslaved individuals of African descent. Its latest data release makes information on two million Black Americans born before emancipation, identified in the 1900 census, available for discovery and download.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Announcements
MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory names Brandizzi as next director
Michigan State University Research Foundation Professor Federica Brandizzi has been named the next director of the MSU-Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory, or PRL.
Yumibe Named a Research Foundation Professor
In recognition of his influential scholarship in film and media studies and his contributions to Michigan State University’s research mission, Joshua Yumibe has been named an MSU Research Foundation Professor. He is among just four MSU faculty members to earn this prestigious designation in 2025.
Liu Awarded Young Investigator Award for Making AI Safer
Sijia Liu, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), was presented the Aharon Katzir Young Investigator Award from International Neural Network Society (INNS) during its 2025 joint conference in Rome, Italy, in early July.
Barton Named Fellow of the Electrochemical Society
Scott Calabrese Barton of Michigan State University has joined a renowned group of 12 experts in the U.S. and abroad as a Fellow in The Electrochemical Society (ECS). A professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science (ChEMS), he was selected in recognition of his technological and service contributions to the society.
Sant’Ambrogio Elected to American Law Institute
Michigan State University College of Law Dean Michael Sant’Ambrogio has been elected to the American Law Institute, or ALI, one of the nation’s most respected organizations dedicated to clarifying and improving the law.
Ferguson Receives National Ubuntu Award From LSAC
Mary Ann Ferguson, Assistant Dean for Diversity and Equity Services at Michigan State University College of Law, has received the 2025 Camille deJorna Ubuntu Award from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).