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News

Seth Jacobson holding an asteroid piece

Planetary Scientists Help Advise NASA’s Planetary Defense Efforts

An asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago — and scientists know it could happen again. While no object that large currently threatens Earth, NASA continues to track potentially dangerous space rocks. Michigan State University researchers contribute critical insights into how asteroids behave and how they could be deflected.
Gabrielle Ekstrum playing with child

A Lifeline for Those Experiencing Postpartum Depression

After the birth of her second son, Gabrielle Ekstrum was overwhelmed by emotions she couldn’t explain. Through Michigan State University’s ROSE program, she learned to recognize postpartum depression and reach out for help early. Her story shows how timely support can save lives and reshape care for parents nationwide.
Shashank Priya, Vice President for Research and Innovation

MSU Welcomes Shashank Priya as Vice President for Research and Innovation

After the completion of a national search, Shashank Priya has been selected as the new VP for Research and Innovation.
A son and father at a computer

NIH Awards $3.1M to MSU To Study the Impact of Stuttering on Children

Researchers in MSU’s Developmental Speech Laboratory received $3.1 million from the National Institutes of Health for a five-year study examining why stuttering affects some children more negatively than others. The project is the first large-scale longitudinal study to focus on how the adverse impacts of stuttering develop in children.
Beaumont tower under a starry night

Astronomers Capture New Images of Star Explosions in Real Time

Astronomers have captured unprecedented, detailed images of two stellar explosions — known as novae — within days of their eruption. The breakthrough provides direct evidence that these explosions are more complex than previously thought, with multiple outflows of material and, in some cases, dramatic delays in the ejection process.
Aitor Aguirre writing on a whiteboard

Scientists Create First Human Heart Organoid To Replicate A-Fib

Though an estimated 60 million people around the world have atrial fibrillation. It’s been at least 30 years since any new treatments have been developed. This is because researchers haven’t had accurate models of the human heart to study. Thanks to new developments from Michigan State University scientists, that is no longer the case.
Three people on social media art

How Social Media Shapes Tolerance and Echo Chambers

A Michigan State University–led study explores how social media might strengthen or weaken echo chambers. The study focused on social media use and the attitudes of young people who leave rural areas to attend university and the attitudes of their parents who stay behind.
World Map

Is Narcissism a Uniquely American Trait? A New Study Suggests Not

But a recent study from researchers at Michigan State University’s Department of Psychology found that narcissism is a universal trait with consistent patterns across cultures. Interestingly, their findings indicate the U.S. is not even in the top five countries with the highest levels of narcissism — and that rates are higher among young adults and men.
Announcements
Ogunwobi Named Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences
Internationally renowned cancer researcher Olorunseun “Seun” Ogunwobi, MD, PhD, has been elected a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS). Ogynwobi is chair of Michigan State University’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and co-director of the Center for Cancer Health Equity Research.
Gordon Named Fellow of the American Academy of Osteopathy
Travis Gordon, D.O., MSc, an assistant professor and alumnus of Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, has been named a Fellow of the American Academy of Osteopathy. He will be formally recognized at the AAO Convocation in March 2026.
Jain to Help India Update National ID (Aadhaar) Innovation Roadmap
Anil Jain, University Distinguished Professor and the Douglas E. Zongker Endowed Professor of Engineering at Michigan State University, has joined a panel of experts for a strategic and technological upgrade of India’s digital identity platform.
Belin Joins MSU as the Audrey and John Leslie Endowed Chair in North American Indian and Indigenous Literary Studies
A citizen of the Navajo Nation and an acclaimed poet, artist, and educator, Esther Belin joined Michigan State University this fall as the new Audrey and John Leslie Endowed Chair in North American Indian and Indigenous Literary Studies in the Department of English. She is the second scholar to hold this position, following Gordon Henry, who retired in 2023 after serving as the inaugural Leslie Chair.
Khalil Receives National ASME Medal for Lifetime Achievements
Hassan K. Khalil was presented the 2025 ASME Rufus Oldenburger Medal — the highest honor presented by ASME in the field of automatic control — during the ASME Modeling, Estimation and Control Conference in October in Pittsburgh, Penn.