Photo gallery of creations made by Adam Mael out of LEGO, including a replica of the national championship trophy and colorful mosaics of his golden retrievers.

Short news items from around the University of Michigan.

The opening call for proposals for U-M’s Strategic Initiative Fund attracted strong demand: nearly 465 proposals representing faculty and staff from all over U-M.

The Center for Japanese Studies has announced the Yuzuru J. Takeshita Nikkei Workers Memorial Project, a database and map of 401 formerly-incarcerated Japanese Americans who worked for U-M in the 1940s.

• Heritage Project: “These Young Americans”

Bureaucratic hurdles and racial disparities restrict access to victim compensation for adult survivors of sexual assault, deepen justice system inequities and compound trauma, according to a U-M study.

Interim Chancellor Gabriella Scarlatta discussed milestones, opportunities and challenges, emphasizing that faculty and staff help students succeed in ways big and small each day.

A customizable, open-source robot design called The Robot of Theseus, developed at U-M, could help researchers discover the particular advantages related to the length and segmentation of animal limbs.

The Board of Regents approved two projects that will improve access to much-needed mental health resources and create a lower-cost setting for certain surgical procedures in Mid-Michigan.

Five University of Michigan faculty members have been named Arthur F. Thurnau Professors in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to undergraduate education.

Allison Renee Webel, a nationally recognized nurse scientist and academic leader, has been appointed as the next dean of the School of Nursing, effective July 1, 2026.