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News

Equations on a Blackboard

How Race, Socioeconomic Status Contribute to Math Education Inequalities 

There is a long-documented problem of inequalities in mathematics education across the United States and in other countries around the world. Previous research suggests socioeconomic status, or SES, and race play a role — but to what extent and how? Research from Michigan State University scholars answers these questions.
Solar Flare

Astronomer's Breakthrough Model Sheds Light on Solar Storms and Space Weather

Thomas Do, an astronomy graduate student at Michigan State University, published a paper predicting how particles accelerate under a wider net of circumstances than previous models. His model could be applied to solar storms that impact technology in space.
Brian Schutte talking to someone

MSU Connects Change in DNA to Cleft Palate Phenomenon

Cleft lip and cleft palate are some of the most common birth defects in people, affecting roughly one in every 700 babies in the world. Researchers have identified a likely culprit: a change in DNA variant near a specific gene.
Student writes with pen on graph paper

Highlighting the Negative Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Special Education Students in Michigan

Researchers at Michigan State University’s College of Education published a new study exploring learning gaps for students with disabilities and especially for those who are Black, Asian, and economically disadvantaged students — with the 2019-21 school years showing staggering declines in identifying students who could benefit from special education.
A graphic of the Earth in deep space

Bringing Dark Comets to Light

Darryl Seligman, a postdoctoral fellow in the College of Natural Science’s top-ranked Department of Physics and Astronomy, is the lead author on a paper that uncovers seven new dark comets in our solar system.
A graphic of immune cells

Reprogramming Immune Cells to Decrease Rejection of Medical Implants

When it comes to medical implants, Michigan State University researchers have discovered that using a drug that is a metabolic inhibitor performs like an opening act and makes the body more receptive to medical devices such as pacemakers, replacement joints and dental implants.
Two people reviewing an ultrasound picture

Worried About a Pregnant Woman’s Stress and Mental Health? Her Saliva May Hold the Key

New research out of Michigan State University found that the number and type of microbes present in the saliva of pregnant women differ according to whether they are experiencing life stress and symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Aphids on a plant

Uncovering Plant Resistance Through Aphids Saliva

Aphids are small yet mighty. In the right conditions, these tiny creatures can be among the most destructive insect pests to crops and cultivated plants, making understanding aphids’ feeding process crucial to the plant health field.
An aerial view of a city

Using Brain Activity to Predict Visits to Urban Areas

Researchers from Michigan State University are the first to measure brain activity to make predictions that could help inform enhanced urban planning and design that addresses the well-being of residents and visitors.
A research station in Antartica

MSU Team Helping Unlock Cosmic Mysteries in Antarctica

Roughly a year from now, scientists at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory will begin deploying more than 400 multi-photomultiplier digital optical modules, or mDOMS, deep inside a 1 billion-ton block of ice at the South Pole as part of the IceCube Upgrade — a feat powered in part by the work of a team from Michigan State University.
Many deer grazing on grass

New Research Could Pave the Way for a Vaccine Against a Deadly Wildlife Disease

Sean Crosson, a Professor Rudolph Hugh Endowed Chair in Michigan State University’s Department of Microbiology, Genetics and Immunology, has been awarded a $2.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to study the cause of the disease, Brucella abortus.
Two researchers wearing white coats in a plant lab

Walker Lab Researchers Find Trees Acclimate to Changing Temperatures

Researchers from the Walker lab at the Michigan State University-Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory, or PRL, are looking at how paper birch trees are acclimatizing to changing environments through how they manage a vital plant process called photorespiration.
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.