Research Highlights Archives

Taking the temperature of global health

How do you measure global health? How can partnerships work toward improving health outcomes that are more equitable? Anthropologist Ellen Foley works to elevate the voices of experts from the Global South who explore those questions.
Reducing stress for sustainable bonds

Psychology Professor James Córdova envisions that, one day, couples’ “relationship checkups” with mental health professionals will be as easy to schedule as dental appointments. That could have significant effects on individuals’ mental health, he adds.
Could robots help farmers?

Farmers have acres of fields to look after, and it can be hard to spot an insect infestation before crops endure significant damage. What if a robot could help? That’s a question Computer Science Professor Gary Holness and students are tackling hands on.
The roads to treating cancer

Two professors and a doctoral candidate have combined their expertise in chemistry and computer science to conduct research that could one day lead to treatments for cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
Entering the iceless age

The Arctic of the future figures to be warmer, stormier, and greener than ever imagined, says polar scientist Karen Frey, a longtime contributor to and a lead author on the annual Arctic Report Card, established by NOAA two decades ago.
The human side of computing

Computer Science Professor John Magee is interested in learning how systems can improve people’s lives. Magee works with user interface technologies that allow people with disabilities to communicate and participate in the world.
What will we eat in 2050?

Biologist Chandra Jack studies plant microbe interactions, examining how microbes influence traits such as when a plant flowers or whether it can compete against neighboring vegetation, and applies that knowledge to sustainable agriculture.
Of dung beetle hookups and climate change

For evolutionary biologist Erin McCullough, the mating rituals of dung beetles are not only fascinating, they also can provide a window into understanding how climate change might affect biodiversity.
Food lit worth chewing on

When English Professor Elizabeth Blake opened The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book, she was captivated by more than the recipes. Published in 1954, the book is a serious literary and theoretical investigation into the power of food, the value of art, and queer life.
The whispering world of ASMR

In their research, Hugh Manon, professor of screen studies, and Shuo Niu, professor of computer science, are digging into the social media phenomenon that is ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response.