Author Archives: News Staff
![A heat map of thermogenic fat cells [artistic rendering]. (Image courtesy of Life Sciences Institute, multimedia designer Rajani Arora.)](https://michigan.it.umich.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/u-m-researchers-identify-new-approach-to-turning-on-the-heat-in-energy-burning-fat-cells-LEAD-scaled-1-200x140.jpg)
Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered a new set of signals that cells send and receive to prompt one type of fat cell to convert fat into heat. The signaling pathway was found in mice and has potential implications for activating this same type of thermogenic fat in humans. Thermogenic fat cells, also known as beige… Read More »
Lei Ying, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science, is developing algorithms to quickly and accurately identify COVID-19 “patient zero” and reconstruct the virus’s path with limited information. Ying’s approach combines big data, network science, and stochastic systems, using information such as human mobility data, social network data, and genetic network analysis to track the spread of… Read More »
University of Michigan students from the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses have free access for a limited time to more than 4,000 learning experiences from top universities and industries through the new Coursera for Campus initiative. With more than 70% of the world’s students impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, Coursera worked with its partners, including U-M, to provide free… Read More »
The first step of preparation for hybrid teaching, with some in-person time and some remote time, is to plan what activities will have the strongest impact done synchronously (live, at the same time). Synchronous time, whether in-person or via videoconference, is a precious resource in hybrid courses. Do not use your synchronous time for extended lectures, demonstrations, or… Read More »
The model is a practical method for robots to look for target items in complex, realistic environments. Robots can learn how to find things faster by learning how different objects around the house are related, according to work from the University of Michigan. A new model provides robots with a visual search strategy that can teach them to… Read More »
The virtual interviewer uses therapeutic writing techniques to help users cope with difficult situations. A virtual interviewer powered by natural language processing offers socially-distanced support for people facing trying times. The dialogue system, designed by a collaborative team from the University of Michigan and the University of Texas at Austin, takes inspiration from counseling strategies like motivational interviewing… Read More »
Accessible materials are a good basic practice precisely because they are often easier for all students to understand and process. Creating accessible materials helps all learners in your course and provides them with equal access to course materials and learning opportunities. Digital accessibility like consistent semantic markup and clean links makes it easier for everyone to navigate and… Read More »
ECE Senior Electronics Technician Jesse Cross and MSEL Assistant Director Shawn Simone both have their assigned 50-pound MakerBot Replicator 3D printers running on their kitchen tables. Senior engineering technician Matt Brown figured out the basement was the best place to muffle the printer’s regular “beeps and boops.” And Engineering Technician Josh Postell tucked his in a spare bedroom… Read More »
Aerospace Department Chair Anthony Waas was awarded the American Society of Engineers Warner T Koiter Medal. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Warner T. Koiter Medal recognizes distinguished contributions to the field of solid mechanics with an emphasis on the effective blending of theoretical and applied elements and a high degree of leadership in the international solid mechanics… Read More »
Transitioning to online lecturing may seem daunting at first, but LSA Learning and Teaching Technology Consultants have shared some tricks and tips for making it easier. According to the consultants, recording an hour-long lecture with slides to mimic a typical, in-person meeting reduces information retention and effectiveness of the instruction. Instead, lecturers should consider making shorter video lectures… Read More »
High-touch, hands-on engagement programs are continuing to connect students with community organizations by finding more creative ways to serve and offer programming. Although COVID-19 has paused and scrambled many engagement activities and programs, Leaders of Project Community in the Department of Sociology; Citizen Interaction Design out of the School of Information; the College of Literature, Science, and the… Read More »
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many jurisdictions have been examining new voting technologies for the upcoming presidential election. It appears, however, that these technologies are not secure. University of Michigan and MIT election security researchers have found vulnerabilities in OmniBallot, an internet voting and ballot delivery system which 14 states are either using or plan to… Read More »
This MiXR Studios podcast explores nuclear engineering and the recreation of the decommissioned Ford Nuclear Reactor in virtual reality with Brendan Kochunas, assistant professor of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences at U-M. In 2003, the Ford Nuclear Reactor was decommissioned. This forced U-M students to find and visit other reactors for hands-on learning. To enhance the learning goals… Read More »
Ph.D. student Trevor Odelberg received a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship for his research on low power circuits and devices. By combining low-power energy circuits with energy harvesting systems, the need for battery replacements (and batteries altogether) can be reduced, enabling new applications in big data and The Internet of Things. “It’s just physically impossible to… Read More »
optiMize, a student-led incubator at the University of Michigan, launched a $25,000 Community Aid Relief Fund in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The relief fund aims to provide mutual aid and community-based projects in Washtenaw county. Students at U-M, Eastern Michigan University, and Washtenaw Community College were eligible to apply for up to $5,000 in funding. optiMize received… Read More »
Ph.D. student Matthew Belz received a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship for a new research project to create a jamming-resistant radar chip to improve the safety of autonomous vehicles. Belz will begin the project in the fall. Currently, he is finishing a project joint with the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab to design a specialized circuit to… Read More »
Prof. Euisik Yoon’s research group has developed a new, faster method to identify cancer stem-like cells (CSCs), which could help improve the effectiveness of cancer treatments. CSCs can develop tumors and cause a cancer relapse after a patient’s treatment. CSCs are generally resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, so therapeutics that directly target CSCs may improve the success of… Read More »
Todd Allen has officially been elected as the Vice-Chair/Chair Elect of the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO). NEDHO is comprised of 36 different nuclear engineering departments. It describes itself as “a loosely formed alliance of heads (chairs) of nuclear engineering schools, departments, and programs in North America. NEDHO was formed to provide a forum for discussion, coordination,… Read More »
The Michigan Institute of Data Science (MIDAS) recently awarded three University of Michigan School of Information (UMSI) researchers COVID-19 data science grants. Research fellow Quan Nguyen, assistant professor Christopher Brooks and assistant professor Daniel Romero will receive funding for “Students’ mobility patterns on campus and the implications for the recovery of campus activities post-pandemic.” This project will examine… Read More »
Signers of an open letter raise the alarm on interpersonal and institutional racism as well as racial bias occurring from improper development and use of computing technology. A coalition of black computer scientists has drafted an open letter to the computing community, calling for action to address systemic and structural inequities. They ask for equal partnership in the leadership… Read More »