WSU Insider

Closeup of Washington State Governor Jay Inslee speaking with Charles Robbins inside the WSU Bear Center.

Inslee visits Family Medicine Residency Program, WSU Bear Center

May 26, 2023

Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee got a behind-the-scenes tour of the WSU Bear Center as well as the new Family Medicine Residency program at Pullman Regional Hospital as part of his visit to the Palouse Thursday.

Illustration of Coronavirus Covid-19 new variant mutation.

WSU lab joins network identifying new pathogens

May 25, 2023

A WSU veterinary student watches their lab partner practice a medical procedure on a mannequin version of an animal.

Expired medical supplies get second life

May 24, 2023

Good To Know

Sharing American political and judicial expertise overseas

May 25, 2023

College of Education appoints Eric Johnson as associate dean

May 25, 2023

WSU Core-to-Career program announces members of third cohort

May 25, 2023

Dasgupta receives excellence in teaching international students award

May 24, 2023

Campus & Community

WSU Insider will be back Tuesday

May 27, 2023

The staff at WSU Insider hopes you make the most of your Memorial Day holiday. New postings will resume Tuesday.

Inslee visits Family Medicine Residency Program, WSU Bear Center

May 26, 2023

History graduate to speak at World War II conference in Washington, D.C.

May 23, 2023

Recent WSU graduate Alicia Callahan’s Honors College thesis about the heroic efforts of WWII soldiers has drawn national attention, earning her a summer speaking engagement in D.C., and a trip to Normandy.

High school football team gets a hand from WSU, Pullman officials

May 18, 2023

Students and coaches from Renton High School didn’t expect to spend quite as long in Pullman as they had to following a bus breakdown.

University Affairs

College of Education appoints Eric Johnson as associate dean

May 25, 2023

Eric Johnson, an English language learners professor, will begin his two-year term on Aug. 16 and will focus heavily on faculty and staff professional development aimed at fostering an inclusive and equitable educational environment within the college.

WSU Core-to-Career program announces members of third cohort

May 25, 2023

Twenty-one Washington State University faculty have been named as the newest members of the Core-to-Career professional development program that impacts undergradutes’ career readiness.

Reduced Doctor of Pharmacy tuition for non‑resident students

May 22, 2023

The 30% reduction is intended to help address the acute pharmacist shortage by drawing more students to study and serve in Washington.

Committee works to eliminate hazing at WSU

May 22, 2023

The committee creates regular opportunities for representatives across the WSU system who work with student groups, departments, and organizations to share hazing prevention strategies and learn from one another.

WSU-related Podcasts

From WSU:

Food safety, WSU stories, science answers for kids, and more—listen to podcasts from Washington State University.

About WSU:

A selection of programs about Washington State, produced by alumni and friends.

WSU Podcasts

Benefits & Training

WA State Employee Assistance Program: ‘Disruptive and Bullying Behaviors: Considerations for the Workplace’

May 24, 2023

This live webinar, presented by the Washington State Employee Assistance Program, will review opportunities to identify disruptive and bullying behaviors, how to place disruptive behaviors on a continuum of concerning behaviors, and learn about the impacts of disruptive and bullying behaviors on physical and emotional safety. May 31, 11 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Register now to save your spot and learn […]

WA State Employee Assistance Program: ‘Disruptive and Bullying Behaviors: Considerations for the Workplace’

May 19, 2023

Awards & Achievements

Dasgupta receives excellence in teaching international students award

May 24, 2023

Director and Professor of Data Analytics Narianjana Dasgupta is the recipient of the 2023 Yang Liu Award for Excellence in Teaching International Students.

Gilman scholarship students heading abroad

May 24, 2023

Four WSU undergraduates recently received the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship toward study abroad programs of their choice. Cougs will use the funding to study in Taiwan, Italy, Kenya, and Japan.

WSU undergraduates receive Udall scholarships

May 23, 2023

Katy Ayers and Jessalyn Swanson are the latest recipients of prestigious, nationally competitive Udall Undergraduate Scholarship awards.

WSU Student Employee of the Year is Marielibeth ‘Vanessa’ Moran

May 16, 2023

Moran has worked for WSU Concessions, CORETECH, and the Department of Psychology, all while pursuing a degree in computer engineering. She plans to graduate in 2024.

Science & Technology

Researchers build bee robot that can twist

May 23, 2023

With four wings made out of carbon fiber and mylar as well as four light-weight actuators to control each wing, the Bee++ prototype is the first to fly stably in all directions.

Murrow Media Mind Lab funded to discover media influence on young adults’ mental health

May 22, 2023

The Arthur W. Page Center is supporting WSU’s new project investigating the mental health of Generation Z in the post-Covid world.

WSU hosts Data Literacy Playshops program

May 12, 2023

Dozens of children and their families participated in age-appropriate, data-immersive activities that helped start conversations, create awareness, and pique positive interest in data.

Arthur W. Page Center funds WSU research to enhance cancer communication

May 3, 2023

The Murrow College’s Nicole O’Donnell will use the funding to improve social media campaigns for bone marrow donations. Her work could benefit the more than one million people diagnosed with blood cancers each year.

Food & Agriculture

WSU, WSDA helping businesses succeed through new regional food center

May 16, 2023

Funded through a $400 million USDA initiative, the center is one of 12 being established nationwide to build capacity for a diverse and inclusive set of farm and food-based enterprises to support food supply chains.

Engineers, plant scientists decode electrochemical soil signals

May 4, 2023

Seeking new tools to improve soil health, WSU scientists are studying electric signals that bounce between plants and the underworld community of microbes that sustain them.

Too much water can make whiskies taste the same

May 2, 2023

While adding a little water is popularly thought to “open up” a whisky’s flavor, a study led by WSU researchers indicates there’s a point at which it becomes too much: about 20%.

First university to put gene-edited livestock into human food supply

May 1, 2023

A WSU sausage has made history. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the university to use its gene-edited pigs for human consumption — in this case, as tasty, German-style sausages.

Health & Medicine

Science-focused messaging could help reduce cannabis use during pregnancy

May 16, 2023

WSU researchers found that conveying simple, scientific facts about how THC can harm a fetus was associated with reduced intentions to use cannabis while pregnant.

Research addresses mental health, substance use in supportive housing

May 9, 2023

As cities across the state and country are struggling to deal with a worsening homelessness crisis, a group of WSU scientists is helping to improve outcomes for people in permanent supportive housing.

WSU launches undergraduate biomedical degree program to address health care worker shortage

May 8, 2023

The new Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical and Medical Sciences program is designed to help community college students enter health care fields. Classes will start in fall 2024.

Grant will develop psychological safety training for construction workers

May 8, 2023

Hongtao Dang recently received a grant from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industry to develop a training program to improve psychological safety for people in the construction industry.

Veterinary Medicine

WSU lab joins network identifying new pathogens

May 25, 2023

As part of the $1.7 billion Pathogen Genomics Center of Excellence, the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory will play a key role preventing the spread of disease-causing pathogens, including new COVID-19 variants.

Expired medical supplies get second life

May 24, 2023

A donation of medical supplies from Cougar Health Services is helping veterinary students prepare for their first live-animal surgeries.

WSU cardiologist ensures chimps have healthy hearts

May 16, 2023

As the lead cardiologist at WSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Dr. Lynne Nelson recently visited the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest in Cle Elum to perform cardiac exams on three newer residents.

Special needs dog rescue seeks specialized care

May 10, 2023

WSU provides veterinary care to many of the Double J Dog Ranch sanctuary’s permanent residents — all with disabilities ranging from neurological and orthopedic disorders to blindness and deafness.

Arts & Culture

Recycling fashion helps educate WSU students

May 18, 2023

Designers will be showing off their upcycled apparel and accessories, including dresses made from kitty litter bags and discarded liquor pouches, as part of this year’s Washington State Recycling Association’s Trashion Show.

WSU Schnitzer Museum begins ‘What Was Always Yours and Never Lost’ exhibit May 16

May 9, 2023

The exhibit provides an essential introduction to recent works of video art and experimental documentary by Indigenous film and video makers across North America.

Faculty artists gain valuable support for their work

May 5, 2023

WSU faculty members are among 16 artists statewide to each receive $10,000 Artist Trust Fellowship awards in recognition of their artistic excellence.

Center for Arts and Humanities named for David G. Pollart

April 19, 2023

The WSU alumnus’ gift of more than $1.5 million provides perpetual annual funding for arts, music, and humanities programming, including student engagement opportunities like internships and study abroad.

Business & Economics

Video game advertising venture wins big at 20th annual Business Plan Competition

April 28, 2023

Business software solutions and mobile app technology for social good were collective themes presented at the 20th annual Business Plan Competition on Thursday, April 27.

WSU online graduate business programs receive global recognition in CEO Magazine

April 24, 2023

CEO Magazine ranked online MBA and executive MBA programs from WSU’s Carson College of Business as No. 27 and No. 26, moving up in rankings from No. 34 and No. 55 the previous year.

Cash prizes available for students who create sustainable solutions to linen waste

April 19, 2023

Pullman Marriott Hotels is funding prizes for the three best products created from hotel linen waste by WSU students.

Fake news on Facebook increased 2020 election doubts

March 30, 2023

New WSU research shows that the main driver of doubt among voters about the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election was the consumption of fake news, which was primarily gleaned off Facebook.

Politics & Society

Sharing American political and judicial expertise overseas

May 25, 2023

Recipient of a Fulbright Senior Specialist award for a three-week visit to Slovakia, WSU’s Cornell Clayton held a series of lectures for graduate and undergraduate students focusing on contemporary American politics.

Aggregating data on AAPI groups can be ‘a form of erasure’

May 22, 2023

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Micronesian, and Pacific Islander groups — alongside a growing number of data scientists — are concerned about the practice of collecting their many identities under one demographic category.

Gov. Inslee signs capital, operating budgets

May 19, 2023

In addition to funding a significant portion of WSU’s compensation request for 2023–25, the operating budget includes millions for new degree programs, scholarships and university-affiliated centers across the state.

Globalization Conference returns this fall

May 17, 2023

Opportunities to present are now open for the College of Education’s 17th annual Globalization, Diversity, and Education Conference, to be held Sept. 14–16 at Northern Quest Casino and Resort.

Reports & Updates

Cougar Athletics budget update

May 22, 2023

WSU has made steady progress toward balancing the athletics budget the past several years. Unfortunately, though, we are facing tremendous headwinds that will make closing out fiscal year 2023 more challenging than expected.

An update on the WSU system strategic plan

April 19, 2023

A brief update on some of the progress made in the past year and highlights of some of the notable achievements.

Addressing WSU’s rankings and reputation

April 13, 2023

Rankings shouldn’t drive how WSU educates or serves its communities but the university should take steps to ensure everything practically possible is being done to improve the university’s national reputation and rankings.

Our long-term fiscal health

March 14, 2023

President Kirk Schulz provides some details on how WSU has navigated its long‑term fiscal health since 2016, including comparisons with peer public research universities.