Multimedia Features | The University Record

January 17, 2025

The inaugural address

Donald Trump will give his second inaugural address Jan. 20 after being sworn into office for another presidential term. In this video, Aaron Kall, the Lee H. Hess Director of Debate, says Trump is likely to talk about his governing philosophy, immigration reform, tax cuts and returning power to people by minimizing government involvement.

Read a Q&A with Aaron Kall

January 14, 2025

Acknowledging the arts

In his monthly message to the U-M community, President Santa J. Ono acknowledges the Arts Initiative and its commitment to excellence, creativity and connection. This month’s Portrait of a Wolverine is Rhiannon Giddens, a singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist who is the inaugural U-M Artist-in-Residence.

January 13, 2025

A new look for transit

Logistics, Transportation & Parking has made several changes to improve the user experience and accessibility for U-M’s transit system. The modifications, which start this semester, are intended to simplify the navigation and understanding of bus routes, enhance accessibility for all users, and provide clear guidance on bus boarding at major stops. Included is a change in the way routes are identified on the back of buses. The photo at left shows the previous rear illuminator, while the one on the right shows the new illuminator that coincides with the code used in the Magic Bus app.

Read more about the transit system modifications

January 10, 2025

‘Healing’ batteries with ultrasonics

UM-Dearborn postdoc research fellow Yaohong Xiao has been working on developing solid-state batteries, a safer, more energy dense alternative to today’s lithium-ion batteries. They are considered safer because they don’t require a liquid electrolyte. But Xiao, who works with Lei Chen, associate professor of mechanical engineering, says that is both a blessing and a curse. (Photo by Annie Barker, UM-Dearborn)

Read more about next-generation solid-state batteries

January 9, 2025

Digital Mcity

The first open-source digital twin of the Mcity Test Facility — U-M’s test center for connected and autonomous vehicles and technologies — is now available to the public, giving researchers around the world a new free tool. These photos show an aerial view of the actual Mcity test facility (top) and the digital re-creation in the Mcity digital twin (bottom). (Images by Joseph Xu, College of Engineering, top, and Darian Hogue, Mcity, bottom)

Twisted Edison

Jun Lu, an adjunct research investigator in chemical engineering at the College of Engineering, examines twisted filament glowing within a bulb. He, along with a team of U-M researchers, demonstrated for the first time that a twisted filament could produce twirling light waves. The finding adds nuance to fundamental physics while offering a new avenue for robotic vision systems and other applications for light that traces out a helix in space. (Photo by Brenda Ahearn, College of Engineering)

Winter Commencement 2024

A graduate captures a celebratory selfie with President Santa J. Ono at the Dec. 16 Winter Commencement ceremony. Commencement speaker Rebecca Blumenstein, president of editorial at NBC News, encouraged U-M graduates to prioritize seeking the truth in an age of burgeoning artificial intelligence.(Photo by Leisa Thompson, Michigan Photography)

Charging the future

Researchers Jeff Sakamoto, visiting professor of mechanical engineering, and Neil Dasgupta, associate professor of mechanical engineering and of materials science and engineering, are at the helm of a pioneering effort to supercharge the electric vehicle industry. This video explores how, backed by a $11 million U.S. Department of Energy grant, their team is partnering with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and others to forge new paths in advanced battery fuel cell development and manufacturing, aiming to revolutionize efficiency and spur widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

December 11, 2024

How rising temperatures affect monkeys

The immune performance of wild capuchin monkeys declines when the animals experience higher temperatures, and younger monkeys seem to be particularly vulnerable to heat, according to a U-M study. In this video, U-M anthropology doctoral student Jordan Lucore explains her research on wild monkeys in Costa Rica.

Mott tree lighting

This video captures the seasonal joy and celebration as C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital kicks off its holiday season with appearances by Batman, Captain Marvel and dozens of young heroes called the hospital’s annual “calendar kids” at a tree-lighting ceremony.