Podcast showcases Latino, Latina students, faculty at U-M
During Latinx Heritage Month, which runs through Oct. 15, Luisa Sánchez, a U-M Latina/o studies and political science student, will share the stories of some of U-M’s most fascinating Latino researchers and graduate students. They talk about their experiences in academia, how they forged a path to their current fields and how they navigated different challenges and opportunities at U-M. The first three episodes of the podcast feature: William Calvo-Quirós, who discusses his research on lowriders, jotería and his upcoming book about saints and monsters; Yeidy Rivero, who discusses how Latino media has evolved since the 1960s and how she turned her love for theater and teaching into a fruitful and successful career; and Marjoris Regus, who shares her experience as an Afro-Latina, her personal journey defining her identity and the challenges she’s faced within and outside the Latina/o community. Listen to these episodes.
Two agencies laud UM-Flint for being veteran friendly
UM-Flint has retained its gold-level status with the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency as a veteran-friendly school for the eighth consecutive year. The ranking means the university has achieved at least six of seven program criteria. This year the Student Veterans Resource Center launched the Peer Advisors for Veteran Education program, which connects incoming student veterans with student veterans already on campus to help them navigate college life and ease the transition from the military to academia by improving their sense of connectedness and belonging. UM-Flint also has been named a 2022 “Best for Vets” college by the Military Times. Military Times rankings are determined by factoring in several student success metrics (completion, retention, persistence, GPA) as well as by the range of military-specific resources and the level of financial assistance an institution offers. Read more about these honors.
College of Engineering team receives $2M grant to empower mobility
A College of Engineering research team has received a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation for a project that looks at long-term ways to provide new solutions for people who use wheelchairs in indoor and outdoor built environments. Carol Menassa and Vineet Kamat, professors of civil and environmental engineering, are the lead principal investigators for the project, which will examine ways to improve access from the start of a trip through the end of the transportation process. This study aims to provide end-to-end mobility solutions, highlighting navigation and maneuverability as key aspects of the mobility process. The research team is looking at ways to resolve problems people might encounter along each step of the way. Read more about this study.
Rising food prices hit less-healthy older adults hardest, poll suggests
Three-quarters of people older than 50 in the United States say the rising cost of groceries has affected them somewhat or a lot, and nearly a third say they’re eating less healthily because of increased food costs, according to a national poll conducted in late July by U-M’s National Poll on Healthy Aging. But food cost inflation has hit certain groups of older adults harder, especially individuals who rate their physical or mental health as fair or poor, and those in lower-income households or with fewer years of formal education, the poll suggests. More than a third of people ages 50 to 80 say the rising cost of groceries has impacted them a lot, with 41% of those in their 50s and early 60s saying this compared with 30% of those ages 65 to 80. Overall, the percentages saying this were higher among those who rate their physical health as fair or poor (46%), those who rate their mental health as fair or poor (58%), those with household incomes under $30,000 (56%) and those who have a high school education or less (48%). Read more about the poll.
Study shows hydrogen can play a key role in Michigan’s clean-energy transition
Hydrogen, the most abundant and lightest element in the universe, can play a significant role in accelerating Michigan’s clean-energy transition away from fossil fuels in the coming decades, according to a report released recently by U-M and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. The report, “Hydrogen Roadmap for the State of Michigan,” was prepared by U-M’s Center for Sustainable Systems with funding from MEDC and the university’s Office of the Vice President for Research. It will inform the state’s response to the U.S. Department of Energy’s $7 billion funding opportunity to create regional “H2 Hubs” that will form the foundation of a national clean-hydrogen network. As part of a larger $8 billion hydrogen hub program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the initial funding opportunity is expected to lead to the selection of six to 10 hubs, the Energy Department said. Read more about this report.
— Compiled by James Iseler, The University Record
