Desire to improve food safety leads Afghan student to WSU
Barakatullah Mohammadi saw firsthand the effects of food borne illnesses growing up in Afghanistan. Now a WSU graduate student, he will receive a prestigious national food and agriculture research fellowship.
Campus & Community
Nez Perce leaders to speak at WSU as part of Indigenous People’s Day celebration Oct. 9
The celebration begins at 3 p.m. at the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center. Nez Perce leaders will speak on the history of Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) territory, current Tribal priorities, and plans for the future.
Kristin Becker challenges Honors College students to live life through art
Becker, education and programs curator at WSU’s Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, introduces art, art history, and curation to Honors College students using the museum as her classroom.
Reading by poet and writer Bojan Louis on Oct. 18
The reading and Q&A will start at 5 p.m. in the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art on the Pullman campus and via livestream.
WSU, Pullman Regional Hospital renew commitment to provide world-class medical care, education
Leaders from both organizations signed a renewed, five‑year memorandum of understanding that includes opportunities for partnership with multiple WSU campuses.
University Affairs
Monitoring a potential government shutdown
WSU President Kirk Schulz addresses system-wide efforts underway to prepare for a potential federal government shutdown.
Marty Dickinson reappointed to WSU Board of Regents
Regent Marty Dickinson will continue to serve on the governing body of the institution for another six‑year term.
Washington state FFA Convention finds way back to WSU
The annual event brings together about 2,500 high school students, agricultural educators, and guests to learn about careers in agriculture and compete in career and leadership development events.
Program manager named for new Murrow News Fellowship
Jody Brannon will lead the Murrow News Fellowship program for early-career journalists reporting in underserved communities following a career at some of the nation’s most prestigious news outlets.
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
Informational session on new faculty Peer Observation and Co‑Mentoring Program Oct. 4
Faculty can learn about a new initiative designed to boost scholarly teaching and learning during a PIT Stops professional development session at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4, over Zoom.
WSU implements new online hazing prevention training
Thousands of students across the WSU system are taking a new online hazing prevention training this fall.
Awards & Achievements
College of Education professor receives Fulbright award
Margaret Vaughn will spend three weeks in Vienna, Austria where she will work with a research team discussing student agency and the role of adaptability in classroom learning environments.
Grants awarded for equity webinar series
The WSU College of Education has awarded four individuals with grants as part of its equity and inclusion webinar presentation series.
WSU ranked as a 2023 top online school for its special education program
The College of Education has been ranked by OnlineU as No. 10 in the nation for its online special education master’s degree.
WSU ranked among 100 best public universities in U.S. News 2024 Best Colleges Rankings
WSU’s overall ranking among U.S.-based institutions, which includes private colleges and universities, improved as well, climbing 34 places, from 212 in the outlet’s 2022–23 rankings to 178 this year.
Science & Technology
Elk hoof disease likely causes systemic changes
Elk treponeme-associated hoof disease, previously thought to be limited to deformations in elks’ hooves, appears to create molecular changes throughout the animal’s system, according to WSU epigenetic research.
WSU anthropologist edits special journal issue on cultural climate adaptation
The special issue explores how human communities across the globe use often-little-known cultural adaptations to address climate change.
Private gifts enable renovation of Tri‑Cities engineering lab
WSU Tri‑Cities School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has been upgrading major components of its engineering lab thanks in part to a $200,000 donation.
WSU students create database to accelerate skin science
A new public database built from the ground up by WSU undergraduates looks to expedite scientific understanding of how skin heals.
Food & Agriculture
Desire to improve food safety leads Afghan student to WSU
Barakatullah Mohammadi saw firsthand the effects of food borne illnesses growing up in Afghanistan. Now a WSU graduate student, he will receive a prestigious national food and agriculture research fellowship.
Gene required for root hair growth, nitrate foraging found in grasses
Scientists have found a plant gene that drives the growth of root hairs, the tiny structures that help plants find water and nutrients in the soil.
A career battling pests leads to national honor for scientist
WSU Professor Doug Walsh is one of six scientists who will join the ranks of the prestigious Fellows of the Entomological Society of America this fall.
Lindsey du Toit to lead WSU’s Department of Plant Pathology
For more than 20 years, du Toit helped protect many Pacific Northwest crops from diseases. Now, she is the first woman to lead the Department of Plant Pathology as full chair.
Health & Medicine
Protein found that may hold key to preventing a tick-borne disease
New WSU research has pinpointed a protein that appears to play a role in how a harmful bacteria establishes itself in ticks before being transmitted to human hosts.
NIH-grant funds research on hearing side-effects from medications
A $1.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will help WSU researchers determine if new drugs used to treat COVID‑19 may be linked to hearing loss.
Cougar Health Services earns three-year accreditation
Following a months-long review, CHS has been reaccredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.
Lesser-known brain cells may be key to staying awake without cost to cognition, health
New animal research suggests that little-studied brain cells known as astrocytes are major players in controlling sleep need.
Veterinary Medicine
College of Veterinary Medicine names assistant dean of professional students
Known for his passion for teaching, Associate Professor Jeff Abbott has been named assistant dean for professional students at WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
Nairobi six‑week study abroad puts emphasis on research
The Nairobi program, offered for the first time this summer, is meant to enhance students’ technical expertise while supporting ongoing studies by WSU’s Global Health Kenya program.
Restoring Bill’s ride for animals in need
WSU veterinarian Dr. Rance Sellon is riding 217 miles from Cle Elum to Pullman to support his friend Bill Johnson and his efforts to raise funds for animals in need of care.
Rare brain surgery performed to save beloved dog
A team of WSU veterinary specialists performed a risky and rare emergency brain surgery to save the life of Laura Bloomfield’s 7‑year‑old heeler-shepherd mix, Yukon.
Arts & Culture
‘Tree of Remembrance’ art project unveiled at Pullman Regional Hospital
The project, crafted from acrylic and wood in WSU’s fabrication facilities, serves as a tribute to patients and staff who have passed away since the hospital’s construction in 2004.
Certificate programs open doors for undergraduates
Three new interdisciplinary certificate programs offered by the Department of Art will provide students with recognized credentials that demonstrate their interdisciplinary skills.
Mule sculpture on WSU Pullman campus taken away to be reworked
The bronze sculpture of a mule on a wagon near Bustad Hall is getting a makeover and will return to campus as soon as it is complete.
Center for the Arts and Humanities announces 2023 fellows
The David G. Pollart Center for the Arts and Humanities has selected five WSU faculty members to receive 2023 CAH Fellowship Awards to help pursue and share their creative endeavors.
Business & Economics
Carson professor Bitty Balducci shares business expertise with Romanian students
Balducci’s trip to Romania enabled her to impart some of the active classroom engagement techniques she has honed at WSU with an international audience.
Sept. 26: Power Breakfast to focus on the future of sales
The Power Breakfast is designed to inform, inspire and engage business leaders on contemporary business issues. The event is $55 and will be held 8-10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26 at the Westin hotel in Bellevue. Participants may register online until 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19.
Font size can ‘nudge’ customers toward healthier food choices
Restaurants can persuade patrons to choose healthier foods by adjusting the font size of numbers attached to nutritional information on menus, according to a WSU-led study.
Panel highlights thriving careers, coming boom in senior living industry
With the Baby Boomer generation nearing retirement, many career opportunities exist for students interested in shaping the senior living industry in the decades to come.
Politics & Society
Economics professor debunks Great Depression inaccuracies on social media
Christopher Clarke is using TikTok and X to debunk viral social media claims that people were making more money in the 1930s than today.
Preschoolers show cultural differences in generosity, competitiveness
In a set of sharing experiments, Spanish-speaking Latino preschoolers were more likely to choose options that would be more generous to others.
Faster postal service linked to better voter turnout
A more efficient U.S. Postal Service can increase voter turnout in all states regardless of their mail voting laws, according to a WSU study.
Pandemic pushed half-million kids into grandparents’ homes
Grandparents appeared to serve as an important private safety net when COVID-19 first hit the U.S., according to a study led by a WSU researcher.
Reports & Updates
Revisioning the New Budget Model
After careful and thoughtful consideration, WSU will suspend additional work on the new budget model during the fall 2023 semester and delay the initiation of the pilot year as originally anticipated for FY24.
Statement from Lisa Keohokalole Schauer, chair of the WSU Board of Regents
The Regents met Friday morning in a special meeting to discuss the status of the Pac‑12 Conference.
Addressing recent Pac‑12 developments
An update from WSU President Kirk Schulz on the rapidly changing Pac-12 dynamics: “The decision by the University of Washington and the University of Oregon to accept offers to join the Big Ten Conference sealed the fate of the Pac‑12.”
‘Reaffirming our commitment to accessibility and affordability’
In the wake of today’s Supreme Court ruling, Washington State University reaffirms its longstanding commitment to ensuring higher education is accessible and affordable for all Washingtonians.