Domenico Grasso named interim president

Headshot of caucasian-looking man, UM-Dearborn's Dominic Grasso, with salt-and-pepper hair, a beard, and a pleaseant smile. He is new interim president of U-M.

The Board of Regents has named Domenico Grasso, PhD ‘87, as the University’s interim president, effective immediately. Grasso has been chancellor at UM-Dearborn since 2018. “We have full confidence that President Grasso will provide steady leadership during this critical time of transition,” the regents noted in a campus-wide email.

  1. U-M researcher's idea may soon simplify financial aid process

    Parents of students considering college are now struggling with a federal form that is longer and more grueling than the IRS Form 1040. But that could soon change, thanks to the work of a U-M researcher. Susan Dynarski’s plan was embraced by both the Obama and McCain campaigns and could become reality as officials work to simplify the financial aid process.

  2. Students help to bring the Internet to rural Africa

    Residents of rural Kenya now have e-mail accounts and Internet access thanks in part to the work of U-M engineering students.

  3. Number of fast-food restaurants associated with stroke risk

    U-M physicians have discovered a connection between the number of fast-food joints in a neighborhood and the rate of stroke. It’s not known yet whether the restaurants are a cause of stroke, or just a marker of an unhealthy area.

  4. Cell phones as classroom computers

    Educational software for cell phones, a suite of tools developed at the University of Michigan, is being used to turn smart phones into personal computers for students in two Texas classrooms. (watch) En Espanol

  5. 'USA Learns' helps immigrants learn English

    A new Web site that teaches English to Spanish-speaking immigrants has attracted more than 500,000 visitors in its first three months of operation. (watch)

  6. Violent media numb viewers to the pain of others

    Violent video games and movies make people numb to the pain and suffering of others, says a study co-authored by U-M’s Brad Bushman. “People exposed to media violence are less helpful to others in need because they are ‘comfortably numb’ to the pain and suffering of others,” he says. En Espanol

    Podcast: Researcher Brad Bushman describes his findings (listen)

Research to serve the world

The Office of the Vice President for Research at U-M collaborates with internal and external partners to catalyze, support, and safeguard research and scholarship across the University. Visit Michigan Research for a deep dive into the state of the research enterprise at U-M. Learn what inspires the Michigan scientists and scholars who are spurring new technologies, advancing health care, and driving the economy. Meanwhile, enjoy these recent research stories from Michigan News.

  • Synchrotron in a closet

    For the first time, researchers can study the microstructures inside metals, ceramics, and rocks with X-rays in a standard laboratory without needing to travel to a particle accelerator, according to a study led by U-M engineers. The newly developed laboratory-scale, three-dimensional x-ray diffraction (Lab-3DXRD) opens up more opportunities for student use. (Image credit: Marcin Szczepanski, Michigan Engineering.) Keep reading at Michigan News.

    University of Michigan scientist carefully positions a metal sample for measurement.

  • Why a next-gen semiconductor doesn’t fall to pieces

    A new class of semiconductors that can store information in electric fields could enable computers that run on less power, sensors with quantum precision, and the conversion of signals between electrical, optical, and acoustic forms. But how they maintained two opposite electric polarizations in the same material was a mystery. Now, a team led by U-M engineers has discovered the reason why the materials, called wurtzite ferroelectric nitrides, don’t tear themselves apart. (Image credit: Marcin Szczepanski, Michigan Engineering.) Keep reading at Michigan News.

    Researchers cluster around equipment in a U-M lab.

  • Researchers unveil bacterial villain behind ‘potent toxin’

    In the warm summertime waters of Lake Erie, cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, can proliferate out of control, creating algal blooms that produce toxins at a rate that can harm wildlife and human health. Now, researchers have identified the organism responsible for producing the toxins: a type of cyanobacteria called Dolichospermum. (Satellite image of Lake Erie. Credit: NOAA Great Lakes Coast.) Keep reading at Michigan News.

    Satellite image of Lake Erie. Image credit: NOAA Great Lakes CoastWatch MODIS Satellite Image – July 6, 2020

  • Catalyst grants fuel sustainability projects

    From PFAS detection to electricity shutoffs, five groundbreaking projects tackle urgent sustainability challenges with real-world impact and community-driven solutions.These interdisciplinary, impact-driven efforts reflect U-M’s commitment to partnering with communities and advancing scalable solutions for the future. (Graphic: Michigan News.) Keep reading at Michigan News.

    Graphic represents five U-M projects from PFAS detection to electricity shutoffs; the groundbreaking projects tackle urgent sustainability challenges with real-world impact and community-driven solutions.

  • Drug that treats flu shows additional benefit

    One dose of the antiviral baloxavir marboxil lowers the chance of transmitting the influenza virus to family members by about 30%, according to research in the New England Journal of Medicine. In a Phase III global trial of baloxavir marboxil (brand name Xofluza) led by U-M epidemiologist Arnold Monto, researchers found the drug significantly slowed the viral shedding that infects close contacts. Keep reading at Michigan News.

    African-American mother holds young child on her lap and checks thermometer.

  • E-I-E-I-Omics: Genetics, corn, and more resilient crops

    By analyzing DNA from different cells in nearly 200 lines of maize plants, research led by the University of Michigan has revealed insights that could help growers better adapt their crops to a fast-changing environment. The new study, led by Alexandre Marand, reveals previously hidden information about the activity of genes inside different cell types. (Image credit: Alexandre Marand.) Keep reading at Michigan News 

    A row of corn stalks in black pots along a white wall.

  • Making desalination more eco-friendly

    Desalination plants, a major and growing source of freshwater in dry regions, could produce less harmful waste using electricity and new membranes made at U-M. The membranes could help desalination plants minimize or eliminate brine waste produced as a byproduct of turning seawater into drinking water. (Image credit: Marcin Szczepanski, Michigan Engineering.) Keep reading at Michigan News.

    Extreme close-up of two gloved hands holding a piece of equipment in a U-M lab.

  • How extreme weather threatens nature’s essential services

    How much will strawberry harvests shrink when extreme heat harms pollinators? How much will timber production decline when windstorms flatten forests? How much will recreational value disappear when large wildfires sweep through mountain towns? These are some critical questions that a new computer simulation, modeled at Michigan, is helping answer. Keep reading at Michigan News.

    Graphic shows fire, tornado, and drought to illustrate how extreme weather threatens nature's essential services.