In the News
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January 8, 2026
“Optimism remains strong and expectations are still high, though this may be beginning to shift; we may soon be entering (a period) of disillusionment as educators and institutions more seriously grapple with the costs associated with AI use, including environmental and societal impacts,” said Rebecca Quintana, clinical associate professor of education. “At the same time, today’s AI-powered tools are still relatively underdeveloped and are likely to change rapidly in the months and years ahead.”
Inside Higher Ed -
January 8, 2026
“Every part of the federal government is aligned on the project of bringing private institutions to heel. … I cannot think of any prior presidential administration that has invested so much preparation and political capital on asserting control of institutions they perceive as hostile, often using extralegal means to do so,” said Don Moynihan, professor of public policy.
The New York Times -
January 7, 2026
“As healthy people perhaps fall out of the (ACA) exchanges, we’ll see more and more people who have higher medical needs, which will drive utilization and costs. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see if premiums actually rose in the commercial marketplace — that insurance you get from your employer — as well as some impact on the Medicare program,” said Mark Fendrick, professor of internal medicine and public health and director of the U-M Center for Value-Based Insurance Design.
WDIV Detroit -
January 7, 2026
“If I can give a person and their family more precise knowledge about what the future is going to hold for them, that is important. Even if it doesn’t lead to a cure or a therapy, it can help them plan for the future,” said Henry Paulson, professor of neurology and director of the Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Center, on the benefits of providing an early diagnosis of dementia.
Bridge Michigan -
January 7, 2026
“I think that most Venezuelans are actually very happy with this outcome. … For the Venezuelan people who are on the streets, clearly for them the major issue is democracy,” said Silvia Pedraza, professor of sociology and American culture, about the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
PBS NewsHour -
December 15, 2025
U-M is producing more startup companies than ever before, but about half of all of its spinouts are leaving the state. “While it’s still very challenging in Michigan, it was really, really tough a decade ago. Honestly, it’s improved pretty dramatically, but we are still behind,” said Mike Psarouthakis, executive director of impact investments and strategic alliances at Innovation Partnerships, who believes the ecosystem must do better to attract talent to the state.
Crain's Detroit Business -
December 15, 2025
“You don’t have all of the crash bars, or the sturdy metal frame that’s going to protect you. If you get into a collision with a 5,000-pound pickup truck, you’re going to lose,” said Tifani Sadek, director of the Law School’s Law and Mobility Program, about Japan’s inexpensive kei microcars, which President Trump would like to build in the U.S.
The New York Times -
December 15, 2025
“If we can offer them the benefits of nature while they’re at home and see if that’s going to help their mental health, that’s what we’re trying to do,” said Hala Darwish, associate professor of nursing and neurology, who is researching whether virtual reality nature walks can relieve depression and anxiety of patients with multiple sclerosis.
CBS News Detroit -
December 15, 2025
Research shows that kids who have investment accounts, including those in poor families, are more likely to go to college and to take school seriously, and is one reason that parents are “talking to their child about college — ‘What are you going to use this money for? What are you going to do to prepare in high school and middle school?’” said Trina Shanks, professor of social work. Even those with a small amount of money in a long-term savings account are significantly more likely to go to college, says William Elliott, professor of social work.
The New York Times -
December 12, 2025
John Monnier, professor of astronomy, says the recent deaths of two white dwarf stars are challenging our understanding of both novae and the powerful physics underlying star death: “The fact that we can now watch stars explode and immediately see the structure of the material being blasted into space is remarkable. It opens a new window into some of the most dramatic events in the universe.”
Popular Science
