In the News
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April 17, 2025
“I fear that the current administration’s efforts to limit SNAP purchases are actually a strategy to reduce participation in federal food assistance programs and justify budget cuts, under the guise of wanting to promote health,” said Kate Bauer, associate professor of nutritional sciences, about proposed federal and state restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
The Toledo Blade -
April 16, 2025
“Using GenAI tools without guidance can negatively affect learning, because they often give students easy or incorrect answers, preventing true understanding. However, this is intended to foster learning, not replace it,” said Jun Li, professor of technology and operations, who along with associate professor Andrew Wu launched an advanced Virtual Teaching Assistant pilot program with Google to improve learning and educational content via artificial intelligence in the classroom.
DBusiness -
April 16, 2025
Nearly two-thirds of Americans are open to “working from anywhere” with more than 8 in 10 agreeing that it’s beneficial to society, according to new research. “This pandemic has done a reset in terms of our expectations. Each organization has to individually, deeply understand their nature of work and their employees,” said M.S. Krishnan, professor of technology and operations.
The Wall Street Journal -
April 16, 2025
It would be a “high” bar to prove Donald Trump did something illegal when he urged social media followers to buy stocks shortly before announcing a 90-day pause in tariffs he unveiled a week earlier, says Nejat Seyhun, professor of finance: “Presidents make statements that move the market all the time. … (Trump) can easily say that the market has fallen 20%, and I want to make sure that panic does not become self-fulfilling.”
PBS News -
April 15, 2025
“By telling people that being alone is bad, we are influencing their beliefs (about this experience) and likely making the problem worse. We are undermining their ability to be alone, leading them to feel worse,” said Micaela Rodriguez, doctoral student in psychology. Ethan Kross, professor of psychology, said “if you see being alone as a source of rejuvenation, restoration and creativity … you may be very happy to be alone and (may) not feel lonely.”
BBC News Brazil -
April 15, 2025
“Even if well-intentioned, the timing of this policy change is really unwise. It’s a time where local school boards should be conveying that everyone is welcome and showing their commitment to protecting inclusive feedback and diverse representation,” said Camille Wilson, professor of education, after Ann Arbor schools voted to remove designated speaking time at future board meetings for groups advocating for marginalized students.
Detroit Free Press -
April 15, 2025
Neil Dasgupta, associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science, says lithium-ion EV batteries can be charged up to five times faster in cold temperatures when manufactured with more charging channels and a coating more than 100 times thinner than a human hair. “That very thin coating on the surface of the graphite allowed us to speed things up at low temperature,” he said.
Michigan Public -
April 14, 2025
Research by Thiago Gonçalves-Souza, assistant research scientist in environment and sustainability, shows that large, continuous natural areas protect more plants and animals than many small patches: “We’re saying that yes, continuous patches hold more biodiversity, but if you want to keep protecting biodiversity, we need to think about the fragmented landscapes,” which are home to nearly half of all species.
Great Lakes Echo -
April 14, 2025
If you have no symptoms or unique risks, the drawbacks of whole-body MRI scans outweigh the benefits of early detection, said Matthew Davenport, professor of radiology: “The odds that you’re going to be hurt are higher than the odds you’re going to be helped. … Metaphorically, you could go to Vegas and win the jackpot, but the average expected result is losing money, especially if you’re gambling regularly.”
Time -
April 14, 2025
Under a 1944 treaty, the U.S. and Mexico exchange 1.75 million acre-feet of water every five years from the Colorado and Rio Grande rivers, but Mexico contends drought makes it impossible to fulfill its water commitments. “That is the disconnect. … There is pressure to continue to abide by a treaty, but there’s really no water to comply,” said Vianey Rueda, doctoral student in environment and sustainability.
Reuters
