Students have eyes on spaceflight
WSU Everett engineering students are building a rocket to compete in NASA's student rocket competition which will culminate with a final launch April 13–15 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
Campus & Community
Strength in numbers
Prioritizing family, whether at home or on the field, is what drives Jake Dickert in his first full season as the WSU head football coach. Dickert and the Cougs play the Huskies in the Apple Cup this Saturday.
Coug-founded clinic continues to offer free pet care after 35 years
Every other Saturday at noon in Seattle, WSU veterinary students and alumni are among those providing dozens of pets and their owners with veterinary care the animals would otherwise go without.
Variety of security services available on Pullman campus
WSU police are reminding Cougs to remain alert and aware of their surroundings
ROTC team advances in Ranger Challenge
The WSU U.S. Army ROTC Ranger Challenge team is advancing to the next round after taking second place in the Task Force East regional competition.
University Affairs
WSU programs hailed for top assessment efforts
Faculty and staff from nine bachelor’s-degree programs were recognized for their student assessment efforts that helped guide changes to undergraduate curriculum or instruction.
Learning from indigenous populations common thread in new grants
Three new grants with funding from the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences will promote community education with a common focus on learning from Native populations.
Regents advance infrastructure projects
The regents voted to move ahead with the design phase of two projects on the WSU Pullman campus — the Taylor Sports Complex and the Schweitzer Engineering Hall — during their Nov. 18 meeting.
President’s House renamed in honor of historic faculty member
The Ida Lou Anderson House honors one of WSU’s first female faculty members. Among the students she influenced was Edward R. Murrow, one of the university’s most illustrious alumni.
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 PodcastsBenefits & Training
Open Enrollment set for November
All healthcare and coverage changes are made through Workday. Step‑by‑step instructions and informational videos are available on the HRS Open Enrollment website.
Cyber security training required systemwide by Jan. 31
WSU employees are now required to complete annual cyber security awareness training on Human Resource Service’s new learning platform, Skillsoft Percipio.
Awards & Achievements
Architecture award honors wind-based student design project
The WSU team received the annual honor from the American Institute of Architects Northwest and Pacific Region.
Global Campus inducts first distinguished alumni
The first five inductees were Shelley Broader, Nancy Krook, Lisa King, Katey Koehn, and Gary Rubens — all leaders in business or philanthropy and supporters of the worldwide WSU Global Campus community.
Engineering student wins IEEE power scholarship
WSU student Isobel Baetz is a recipient of a Power and Energy Society scholarship from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Five WSU faculty named to Highly Cited Researchers list
Dogan Gursoy, Kris Kowdley, Dan “Annie” Du, Yuehe Lin, and Nathan McDowell are on this year’s list recognizing researchers whose publications rank among the top 1% most cited in the world.
Science & Technology
Students have eyes on spaceflight
WSU Everett engineering students are building a rocket to compete in NASA's student rocket competition which will culminate with a final launch April 13–15 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
WSU leading in the quest for cleaner air travel
Researchers at WSU are helping the aviation industry and governments around the world reduce the environmental impact of air travel.
Kangaroo rat research earns new NSF grant
A new three-year, National Science Foundation grant will allow researchers to explore the complexities of kangaroo rats, small rodents that have impressive hopping abilities.
Students get a sense for science in farm fields
A group of Yakima Valley eighth graders got to test school-made sensors in real-world farming, thanks to a pilot field program through the WSU-led AI Institute for Transforming Workforce and Decision Support.
Food & Agriculture
History book chronicles 130‑year evolution of agricultural engineering at WSU
Written by Department of Biological Systems Engineering faculty and staff, the book reaches from the university’s 1892 origins to the present.
German visiting scholar studies red wine quality
As a student in Germany, Ingrid Weilack was inspired by WSU enology professor Jim Harbertson. Now, the visiting scholar is experiencing what it’s like to work with him at the WSU Wine Science Center.
Fresh harvest of Cosmic Crisp® apples hit stores Dec. 1
Scientists learn more about the best ways to grow, store, and share the WSU‑bred and research-boosting apple with each harvest.
Australian professor shares herbicide resistance knowledge during WSU visit
Michael Walsh, an associate professor at the University of Western Australia, spent a week at WSU this fall, discussing herbicide resistance and weed seed control with farmers.
Health & Medicine
Chemotherapy could increase disease susceptibility in future generations
While chemotherapy can kill cancer cells, like the one depicted above, WSU-led research indicates that the treatment could carry a toxic inheritance for descendents of adolescent cancer survivors.
Study identifies mental health disparities in rural schools
Proportionally fewer rural public schools have the ability to get kids diagnosed with mental health issues than their urban counterparts, according to a study led by WSU researchers.
A Native voice in their care
WSU Spokane’s Center for Native American Health addresses longstanding health disparities in Native American and Alaska Native communities, where higher rates of chronic illness and shorter lifespans are the norm.
Teens with COVID‑19 knowledge reported better well‑being
A pandemic survey found that adolescents who answered more COVID‑19 test questions correctly also reported lower stress, anxiety and depression as well as lower loneliness and fear of missing out, or FOMO.
Veterinary Medicine
Rodeo horse, Stormy, on path to recovery after serious accident
After a life‑threatening injury, the 10‑year‑old quarter horse, may be able to compete again on the ProRodeo tour with his rider thanks to the care of WSU veterinarians.
WSU veterinarian brings virtual reality to laparoscopic surgery
Veterinary surgeons training for laparoscopic surgeries could soon be able to perfect their skills in a virtual reality simulation before ever performing the procedures on live patients.
WSU works to repair puppy’s leg
It was a highly complicated procedure but the surgical team was able to practice and prepare using a 3D-printed model of the puppy’s legs.
Genetic discovery could lead to better treatments for common tumor in dogs
Newly discovered genetic commonalities and differences among prevalent types of canine soft tissue sarcomas, a potentially deadly tumor, could pave the way for better diagnosis and treatments.
Arts & Culture
Schnitzer museum brings world-renowned artist Keiko Hara to WSU
An exhibit of her work, “Keiko Hara: Four Decades of Paintings and Prints” is currently on display at the museum through March 4.
Artists’ books on display through October in Terrell Library on Pullman campus
WSU printmaking professor Kevin Haas has collected artist’s books for roughly 25 years. With each new acquisition, a unique creative exploration is revealed.
Sam Roxas-Chua to read at WSU Pullman Oct. 25
Roxas-Chua, a poet and multimedia artist, will read from his work at 5 p.m. at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art as a guest of the Visiting Writers Series. The reading will also be streamed on YouTube.
Exhibit of Wawawai County Park lands opens in MASC Oct. 20
The images by Dennis DeHart, associate professor of fine arts, will be on display at WSU’s Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections through the spring semester.
Business & Economics
Changing feelings can boost creativity for conventional thinkers
Even people who tend to think conventionally, such as accountants or insurance adjusters, can be creative if they can look at emotional situations in a different light, a recent study suggests.
Inflation is biggest concern for Pacific Northwest holiday shoppers
Pacific Northwest shoppers aim to be more fiscally conservative with their spending this holiday season, according to a new report from the WSU Carson College of Business.
Good sleep can increase women’s work ambitions
A WSU-led study indicated that sleep quality impacted women’s mood and changed how they felt about advancing in their careers.
Oct. 10: Managing business risk at Port of Seattle is topic of WSU Walton Lecture
Port of Seattle executives David Soike and Jeff Hollingsworth will present “Planes, Ships, Cyber, and Internships — Managing Business Risk at the Port of Seattle” 5-6:15 p.m. at WSU Pullman.
Politics & Society
WSU and U of I providing free immigration consultations
WSU’s Undocumented Initiatives and the University of Idaho College of Law are working together to help students in both states navigate the complex immigration process.
Trust in experts, media literacy connected to COVID‑19 vaccine intention
An early pandemic survey found that respondents’ intentions to receive COVID‑19 vaccines were linked more to their media literacy and opinion of health experts than knowledge of the virus or previous vaccination behavior.
COVID‑19 relief funds available for WSU immigrant communities statewide
Immigrants living in Washington state who lost their job or experienced other hardships during the COVID‑19 pandemic and were ineligible for federal stimulus may qualify for at least $1,000 in state relief.
TikTok teaching increases professor’s educational impact
Christopher Clarke, an assistant professor in WSU’s School of Economic Sciences, makes TikTok videos that explain real-world issues through an economic lens. His channel is approaching 40,000 followers.
Reports & Updates
Enrollment efforts across the system
WSU is seeing early indications of a return to pre‑COVID application levels thanks to the coordinated efforts of faculty and staff across the university system.
Light posting ahead for WSU Insider
Fresh daily lineups, along with the daily push email, will return next week. The WSU Announcements section will continue to be updated daily.
Dean Borjesson’s Notes from the Palouse
Sometimes academia can be rough. We have real challenges with staffing shortages, equipment needs, and turnover without the ability to be fully nimble in our responses. But there is something. Something in our many missions that compel faculty and staff to stay and discover, educate, and reach out.
Work-life balance survey results
The response was tremendous. Thank you to the more than 2,000 faculty and staff members who provided honest feedback, including the submission of more than 1,100 thoughtful comments.