Genre-jumping Fulbright scholar takes a novel path

Aspiring scientist Ariel Djanikian, MFA ’04, read the writing on the lab wall when she found herself prioritizing creative writing over her latest experiment. Her fascinating and often tragic family history informs a recurring theme in both of her novels: the obliteration of one group of people for the convenience of another.
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‘VR is not the next SmartPhone’
Jeremy Bailenson, BS ’94, served as one of the consultants on the $2.3-billion Sphere in Las Vegas, the groundbreaking immersive entertainment venue. Extended reality isn’t just for play, he says. Impactful learning experiences are among the technology’s most impressive benefits.
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Kinesiology professor brings compassion, hope to refugee children
As the Russia-Ukraine war developed, soccer fan Michal Lorenc found an unexpected calling, reuniting him with his birthplace in Lublin, Poland, to bring joy to its most vulnerable — the children. The profound odyssey began with a ball, a scarf, and a 13-year-old refugee.
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The unsinkable Sarah E. Ray
In 1945, Sarah Elizabeth Ray was denied passage on a ferry on the Detroit River because she was Black. She fought the injustice, became a civil rights activist, and her case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Now, her legacy is being preserved in a collection coming to the Bentley Historical Library.
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Hungry for more: Cancer, metabolism, and food
Metabolism pathways make tumors sensitive or resistant to treatments. A collaborative group of U-M scientists is leveraging these avenues to explore the growing foundation of new potential therapies.
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U-M economic forecast: Modest growth expected, soft landing likely as inflation eases, but no guarantees
U-M experts say the U.S. economy should avoid a recession over the next two years, though economic growth will be modest as many consumers deal with high interest rates and dwindling savings.
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When ‘Red Emma’ came to town
In the 1910s, anarchist, writer, and provocateur Emma Goldman, described by J. Edgar Hoover as ‘the most dangerous woman in America,’ paid regular visits to Ann Arbor. She described one rowdy U-M crowd as ‘pampered parasites, not one of them with enough backbone to fight a flea.’
Columns
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President's Message
Renewing our commitment
President Santa J. Ono encourages the U-M community to unite in creating a brighter world of peace. -
Editor's Blog
Make the world go away
Has anyone seen the reset button? Methinks the humans need a do-over. -
Climate Blue
Adding fuel to the fire
Ricky Rood gives Jimi Hendrix a run for his money in this assessment of fire, the wild kind. -
Health Yourself
What’s the dope on psychedelic science? Part 2
Vic Katch concludes his two-part series about the expanding field of scientific research into 'psychedelics' as medicine.