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News

Drone view of the Belo Monte hydroelectric power plant

Politics Shape What Brazilians See on TV About Energy Shortages

A new study led by Karina Ninni Ramos of the Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, reveals that relationships between presidents and the press strongly influence how the country’s biggest broadcasters cover energy shortages, blackouts, and rationing.
Gulbransen lab members

Decoding the Second Brain

Trust your gut is more than an expression. The gut’s ability to influence our wellbeing is rooted in the enteric nervous system. This complex network of neurons and glial cells that lines the gut is often called the “second brain.”
Sherif Ramadan at work in the lab

Sweet Targets: The Quest for an Improved Whooping Cough Vaccine

With cases on the rise, researchers are aiming to develop a “one-two punch” vaccine strategy against pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough. This work could ultimately help reduce transmission of the disease and combat the threat of resistant bacteria mutating into stronger, more lethal “superbugs.”
Peter K. Lundquist in a lab

Scientists Solve Long-Standing Mystery of Amino Acid Transport in Plants

The team’s new study, published in Nature Plants, identifies a class of previously unknown transport proteins called RETICULATA1 (RE1), which enable the exchange of key amino acids within plant cells.
Musicians involved in the Waking Dream

“Waking Dream” Builds on Napoleon’s MSU Jazz Guitar Foundation

Jazz guitarist Randy Napoleon’s latest release, Waking Dream: The Music of Gregg Hill and Randy Napoleon (OA2 Records), is more than an album—it’s a testament to mentorship, collaboration, and the vibrant jazz community cultivated at MSU.
Kirstin J.H. Brathwaite

Brathwaite Explores Nationalism’s Role in Combat Motivation

JMC Associate Professor Kirstin J.H. Brathwaite’s new book, Symbols and Sacrifice in War, challenges conventional wisdom about military motivation. She argues that soldiers’ commitment to battle depends not just on training or unit bonds, but on whether the war’s goals align with their deepest beliefs about national identity.
Sedatole conducting

Faculty and Students Showcased in New Album

When the Michigan State University Wind Symphony took the stage at the Wharton Center on March 20, 2025, it wasn’t just another performance—it was the beginning of a recording that would become a testament to the College of Music’s commitment to excellence, collaboration, and student opportunity.
Man releasing a wood pecker

On a Florida Bombing Range, Endangered Woodpeckers Get a Second Chance

Florida’s Avon Park Air Force Range is teeming with life. Over 40 at-risk species occupy the 106,000-acre expanse used by the military for training exercises — including bombardments. But Spartan scientists are using the range to test something other than weapons: innovative strategies to save threatened species.
Announcements
Call for Applications: Graduate Student Affiliate Program at CIRCLE
CIRCLE is excited to announce the launch of its Graduate Student Affiliate Program.
Campeau to Serve in New Role of AVP for Research Security
Krista Campeau, Director of Export Control and Trade Sanctions in the Office of Research and Innovation, has been promoted to Assistant Vice President for Research Security.
Faculty Named Among World’s Top Researchers
Twenty-four scholars from the Michigan State University College of Education were among the top 2% of scientists worldwide in 2024, according to Stanford University.

College of Veterinary Medicine Named Official Fellowship Training Center by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons
The American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) has named the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine as an official Fellowship Training Center in the area of small animal orthopedics minimally invasive surgery.
Applications Open for the BioInnovation Institute and Science Prize for Innovation
Through the BioInnovation Institute & Science Prize for Innovation, the editors of Science seek to recognize bold researchers who are asking fundamental questions at the intersection of the life sciences and entrepreneurship. We seek scientists who can show that they have reached across field boundaries with an enthusiasm that combines outstanding basic science with an eye toward application in the marketplace.
MSU Unveils First-Ever Strategy for Shared Research Resources
MSU has unveiled a groundbreaking blueprint to strategically coordinate its shared research resources across campus. Led by the Office of Research & Innovation and shaped by 140+ community members, this is the university’s first unified plan to enhance access, visibility, and efficiency of its many research resources, everything from labs and tech, to field stations and high-performance computing.