Applicants sought for Engage Detroit Workshops funding
Proposals are being sought for the 2024 Engage Detroit Workshops grant program that supports new workshops or speaker series on a topic connecting the University of Michigan with Detroit communities. The program is preparing for its third year and building on previous years’ success. The Office of the Vice Provost for Engaged Learning will provide up to $15,000 per awarded workshop or speaker series proposal. Applicants are asked to identify a theme for their proposed event or events that are relevant to Detroit constituencies. The submission deadline is March 3. “So many people are doing great work in the Detroit community and this opportunity allows for work to continue, it also helps us uncover projects we didn’t know existed and give credit to those involved,” said Valeria Bertacco, vice provost for engaged learning. Eligible applicant teams should comprise groups of up to three faculty and/or staff members affiliated with differing academic units on the Ann Arbor and Dearborn campus, and who are currently involved in community-engaged work in Detroit. Interdisciplinary teams and proposals that involve students and community partners are encouraged to apply. Learn more about Engage Detroit Workshops and download the request for proposals.
University begins alcohol sales at Crisler Center, Yost Ice Arena
The athletics department has been approved for state liquor licenses and has begun offering the sale of alcohol at events in Crisler Center and Yost Ice Arena. In October, the Board of Regents approved alcohol sales in select U-M athletic facilities, following bipartisan legislation enacted last summer, which permits such licensed sales at university athletic competitions in the state. The regulatory features to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all fans for all events will include all patrons being required to show ID at every purchase, and each transaction will have a limit of two alcoholic beverages per legal drinking age guest. Implementation for potential alcohol sales at Michigan Stadium will be considered after reviewing data and the experiences at the other two venues. Read more about this development.
REMINDER: President’s international education award nominations due Feb. 9
Nominations are due Feb. 9 for the President’s Award for Distinguished Service in International Education, recognizing faculty and staff who advance international education for U-M students. The purpose of this award is to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary efforts of our faculty and staff who advance international education for U-M students. Up to two recipients are selected each year. Eligible for nomination are all active U-M faculty and staff members, on all three campuses, who meet the selection criteria, which include: sustained commitment and dedication to international education for U-M students; specific accomplishments in U-M international education; and leadership in the field of international education, either on campus or beyond. Individual award nominations will be reviewed by a faculty/staff screening committee. Learn more about how to submit a nomination.
Projects gets up to $11.5M for eco-friendly control over ice and snow
New, nontoxic materials could one day keep solar panels and airplane wings ice-free, or protect first responders from frostbite and more, thanks to a new University of Michigan-led project funded with up to $11.5 million by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The research team, which includes researchers from Raytheon Technologies, North Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota, will study biological molecules used by other living things to survive freezing temperatures. Existing materials used to accomplish these feats come with serious downsides. For instance, road salts prevent pavements and streets from freezing but also corrode concrete and enter natural freshwaters through runoff, to the detriment of aquatic life. The project aims to find molecules that can be used to manipulate ice and snow in several ways, including changing the temperature at which water freezes, increasing and decreasing how strongly ice adheres to surfaces, changing the structure of the formed ice and inhibiting or encouraging ice crystals to grow on surfaces. Read more about this project.
More Americans support government assistance for elder care
Prior to the pandemic, the majority of American adults thought that families should be responsible for the daily care of older adults — and that families should cover the cost of this care. But there is a small sea change in that way of thinking, a U-M researcher said. Demographer and sociologist Sarah Patterson, along with Adriana Reyes of Cornell University, used data from the General Social Survey to determine how Americans’ attitudes toward elder care have changed over time. The data was drawn from about 2,400 survey respondents 18 and older. They found that by 2022, more Americans felt government agencies should be providing help in caring for older adults — both financially and in providing support for daily tasks such as grocery shopping or laundry. In 2012, 61% of Americans believed that families should provide care for older family members. By 2022, only 48% of Americans felt this way. Over the same time, Americans’ support for government assistance nearly doubled, from 13% to 25%. Read more about this research.
— Compiled by James Iseler, The University Record
