Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Education (Colleges & Universities)
Featured Stories
University of New England Research Suggests No-cost Educational Resources Enhance Learning, Accessibility in Dental Education
BIDDEFORD, Maine, July 31 -- The University of New England issued the following news:
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New UNE research suggests no-cost educational resources enhance learning, accessibility in dental education
In what is believed to be the first study of its kind, new research conducted by University of New England Clinical Professor Yang Kang, B.Med., Ph.D., suggests the use of open educational resources (OER) in dental education can reduce cost barriers and increase learning among dental students.
Using a $5,000 grant from the Davis Educational Foundation, Kang studied the impact and effectiveness ... Show Full Article BIDDEFORD, Maine, July 31 -- The University of New England issued the following news: * * * New UNE research suggests no-cost educational resources enhance learning, accessibility in dental education In what is believed to be the first study of its kind, new research conducted by University of New England Clinical Professor Yang Kang, B.Med., Ph.D., suggests the use of open educational resources (OER) in dental education can reduce cost barriers and increase learning among dental students. Using a $5,000 grant from the Davis Educational Foundation, Kang studied the impact and effectivenessof OER on student learning outcomes in her course on dental clinical research education, Foundations of Patient Care 2, and found strong evidence that OER can contribute to greater accessibility in the classroom.
Kang highlighted the study's big takeaway: Students are more interested in pursuing research when education around it is made more accessible to them.
"This was a very good example of how to encourage student interest in research by reducing the cost of that. This can be applied more broadly to all healthcare professions, if they have open textbooks available to them," said Kang, chair of the Department of Restorative and Clinical Sciences in the College of Dental Medicine.
"I truly want to support equity and be part of making a positive difference. Now with OER it feels like we can give the students with limited financial resources greater equity and, with that, more opportunities to learn," she said, excited by the findings.
The cost of course materials has increased over the past decade, a trend that has exacerbated educational inequities. OER has offered a viable solution, but Kang said little research has been done looking at graduate-level programs using OER in dental education, leaving gaps in the understanding of how OER impacts student learning in dental schools.
In her study, Kang observed and surveyed two cohorts of first-year dental students -- one that used OER resources in dental clinical research education in the 2025-2026 academic year and another cohort from the 2023-2024 academic year that used digital e-books issued to every UNE dental student through VitalSource and UNE Library Services.
Specifically, Kang looked at whether OER helped improve students' literature-review skills.
She reported that the first-year dental students from this past academic year who used OER showed especially strong gains in some regards, including in searching medical databases.
Moreover, the survey in 2025-2026 academic year overwhelmingly supported the use of OER, with 64% of students agreeing that the OER resources were accessible, 67% saying they supported learning, and 78% reporting that the OER textbook prompted critical thinking.
As many as 87% of students surveyed said they would like to use OER in future courses.
Kang noted that several UNE colleagues assisted and encouraged her research around OER.
Beth Dyer, M.L.I.S., M.S.Ed., A.H.I.P, dean of UNE Library Services, helped Kang find online resources that could be applied to her teaching; Sonya M. Durney, Ph.D., M.L.I.S., UNE scholarly communication librarian and chair of the UNE Open Educational Resources Steering Committee, provided grant support; B. Oak McCoy, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics in the UNE College of Business, assisted with the data analysis; and College of Dental Medicine Dean Nicole Kimmes, D.D.S., supported Kang to help facilitate the study.
"Because adding required or optional resources can create an additional financial burden, it is important to consider affordability when selecting course materials," Kimmes said. "When Dr. Kang expressed interest in using an open educational resource to support her course, I was very supportive because it would help avoid additional costs and reduce the risk of creating inequities for students."
In 2023, UNE joined the Open Education Network, an alliance of colleges, universities, and other organizations working to promote the use of open educational resources, especially open textbooks, in higher education. Since then, UNE faculty's adoption of OER has saved students at the University over $430,700 in textbook costs, according to data from UNE Library Services.
That savings underscores a campuswide effort to expand access to affordable course materials and to connect faculty with collaborative learning communities and grants aimed at reducing financial barriers for students.
Kang was awarded two previous grants that helped her launch research around this area of inquiry. In 2023-2024, she was awarded a $1,500 UNE Equity-Minded mini grant to look at the challenges in teaching dental clinical research, a study that provided the baseline data for how well first-year medical students learned evidence-based dentistry through research without OER textbooks. In 2024, she was awarded a $300 grant to review OER textbooks for her course and another $500 grant to adopt OER textbooks.
Kang hopes to present her findings at the Academic Dental Education Association's (ADEA) annual conference in March in Chicago.
In what is believed to be the first study of its kind, new research conducted by University of New England Clinical Professor Yang Kang, B.Med., Ph.D., suggests the use of open educational resources (OER) in dental education can reduce cost barriers and increase learning among dental students.
Using a $5,000 grant from the Davis Educational Foundation, Kang studied the impact and effectiveness of OER on student learning outcomes in her course on dental clinical research education, Foundations of Patient Care 2, and found strong evidence that OER can contribute to greater accessibility in the classroom.
Kang highlighted the study's big takeaway: Students are more interested in pursuing research when education around it is made more accessible to them.
"This was a very good example of how to encourage student interest in research by reducing the cost of that. This can be applied more broadly to all healthcare professions, if they have open textbooks available to them," said Kang, chair of the Department of Restorative and Clinical Sciences in the College of Dental Medicine.
"I truly want to support equity and be part of making a positive difference. Now with OER it feels like we can give the students with limited financial resources greater equity and, with that, more opportunities to learn," she said, excited by the findings.
The cost of course materials has increased over the past decade, a trend that has exacerbated educational inequities. OER has offered a viable solution, but Kang said little research has been done looking at graduate-level programs using OER in dental education, leaving gaps in the understanding of how OER impacts student learning in dental schools.
In her study, Kang observed and surveyed two cohorts of first-year dental students -- one that used OER resources in dental clinical research education in the 2025-2026 academic year and another cohort from the 2023-2024 academic year that used digital e-books issued to every UNE dental student through VitalSource and UNE Library Services.
Specifically, Kang looked at whether OER helped improve students' literature-review skills.
She reported that the first-year dental students from this past academic year who used OER showed especially strong gains in some regards, including in searching medical databases.
Moreover, the survey in 2025-2026 academic year overwhelmingly supported the use of OER, with 64% of students agreeing that the OER resources were accessible, 67% saying they supported learning, and 78% reporting that the OER textbook prompted critical thinking.
As many as 87% of students surveyed said they would like to use OER in future courses.
Kang noted that several UNE colleagues assisted and encouraged her research around OER.
Beth Dyer, M.L.I.S., M.S.Ed., A.H.I.P, dean of UNE Library Services, helped Kang find online resources that could be applied to her teaching; Sonya M. Durney, Ph.D., M.L.I.S., UNE scholarly communication librarian and chair of the UNE Open Educational Resources Steering Committee, provided grant support; B. Oak McCoy, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics in the UNE College of Business, assisted with the data analysis; and College of Dental Medicine Dean Nicole Kimmes, D.D.S., supported Kang to help facilitate the study.
"Because adding required or optional resources can create an additional financial burden, it is important to consider affordability when selecting course materials," Kimmes said. "When Dr. Kang expressed interest in using an open educational resource to support her course, I was very supportive because it would help avoid additional costs and reduce the risk of creating inequities for students."
In 2023, UNE joined the Open Education Network, an alliance of colleges, universities, and other organizations working to promote the use of open educational resources, especially open textbooks, in higher education. Since then, UNE faculty's adoption of OER has saved students at the University over $430,700 in textbook costs, according to data from UNE Library Services.
That savings underscores a campuswide effort to expand access to affordable course materials and to connect faculty with collaborative learning communities and grants aimed at reducing financial barriers for students.
Kang was awarded two previous grants that helped her launch research around this area of inquiry. In 2023-2024, she was awarded a $1,500 UNE Equity-Minded mini grant to look at the challenges in teaching dental clinical research, a study that provided the baseline data for how well first-year medical students learned evidence-based dentistry through research without OER textbooks. In 2024, she was awarded a $300 grant to review OER textbooks for her course and another $500 grant to adopt OER textbooks.
Kang hopes to present her findings at the Academic Dental Education Association's (ADEA) annual conference in March in Chicago.
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Original text here: https://www.une.edu/news/2026/new-une-research-suggests-no-cost-educational-resources-enhance-learning-accessibility
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New UNE research suggests no-cost educational resources enhance learning, accessibility in dental education
In what is believed to be the first study of its kind, new research conducted by University of New England Clinical Professor Yang Kang, B.Med., Ph.D., suggests the use of open educational resources (OER) in dental education can reduce cost barriers and increase learning among dental students.
Using a $5,000 grant from the Davis Educational Foundation, Kang studied the impact and effectiveness ... Show Full Article BIDDEFORD, Maine, July 31 -- The University of New England issued the following news: * * * New UNE research suggests no-cost educational resources enhance learning, accessibility in dental education In what is believed to be the first study of its kind, new research conducted by University of New England Clinical Professor Yang Kang, B.Med., Ph.D., suggests the use of open educational resources (OER) in dental education can reduce cost barriers and increase learning among dental students. Using a $5,000 grant from the Davis Educational Foundation, Kang studied the impact and effectivenessof OER on student learning outcomes in her course on dental clinical research education, Foundations of Patient Care 2, and found strong evidence that OER can contribute to greater accessibility in the classroom.
Kang highlighted the study's big takeaway: Students are more interested in pursuing research when education around it is made more accessible to them.
"This was a very good example of how to encourage student interest in research by reducing the cost of that. This can be applied more broadly to all healthcare professions, if they have open textbooks available to them," said Kang, chair of the Department of Restorative and Clinical Sciences in the College of Dental Medicine.
"I truly want to support equity and be part of making a positive difference. Now with OER it feels like we can give the students with limited financial resources greater equity and, with that, more opportunities to learn," she said, excited by the findings.
The cost of course materials has increased over the past decade, a trend that has exacerbated educational inequities. OER has offered a viable solution, but Kang said little research has been done looking at graduate-level programs using OER in dental education, leaving gaps in the understanding of how OER impacts student learning in dental schools.
In her study, Kang observed and surveyed two cohorts of first-year dental students -- one that used OER resources in dental clinical research education in the 2025-2026 academic year and another cohort from the 2023-2024 academic year that used digital e-books issued to every UNE dental student through VitalSource and UNE Library Services.
Specifically, Kang looked at whether OER helped improve students' literature-review skills.
She reported that the first-year dental students from this past academic year who used OER showed especially strong gains in some regards, including in searching medical databases.
Moreover, the survey in 2025-2026 academic year overwhelmingly supported the use of OER, with 64% of students agreeing that the OER resources were accessible, 67% saying they supported learning, and 78% reporting that the OER textbook prompted critical thinking.
As many as 87% of students surveyed said they would like to use OER in future courses.
Kang noted that several UNE colleagues assisted and encouraged her research around OER.
Beth Dyer, M.L.I.S., M.S.Ed., A.H.I.P, dean of UNE Library Services, helped Kang find online resources that could be applied to her teaching; Sonya M. Durney, Ph.D., M.L.I.S., UNE scholarly communication librarian and chair of the UNE Open Educational Resources Steering Committee, provided grant support; B. Oak McCoy, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics in the UNE College of Business, assisted with the data analysis; and College of Dental Medicine Dean Nicole Kimmes, D.D.S., supported Kang to help facilitate the study.
"Because adding required or optional resources can create an additional financial burden, it is important to consider affordability when selecting course materials," Kimmes said. "When Dr. Kang expressed interest in using an open educational resource to support her course, I was very supportive because it would help avoid additional costs and reduce the risk of creating inequities for students."
In 2023, UNE joined the Open Education Network, an alliance of colleges, universities, and other organizations working to promote the use of open educational resources, especially open textbooks, in higher education. Since then, UNE faculty's adoption of OER has saved students at the University over $430,700 in textbook costs, according to data from UNE Library Services.
That savings underscores a campuswide effort to expand access to affordable course materials and to connect faculty with collaborative learning communities and grants aimed at reducing financial barriers for students.
Kang was awarded two previous grants that helped her launch research around this area of inquiry. In 2023-2024, she was awarded a $1,500 UNE Equity-Minded mini grant to look at the challenges in teaching dental clinical research, a study that provided the baseline data for how well first-year medical students learned evidence-based dentistry through research without OER textbooks. In 2024, she was awarded a $300 grant to review OER textbooks for her course and another $500 grant to adopt OER textbooks.
Kang hopes to present her findings at the Academic Dental Education Association's (ADEA) annual conference in March in Chicago.
In what is believed to be the first study of its kind, new research conducted by University of New England Clinical Professor Yang Kang, B.Med., Ph.D., suggests the use of open educational resources (OER) in dental education can reduce cost barriers and increase learning among dental students.
Using a $5,000 grant from the Davis Educational Foundation, Kang studied the impact and effectiveness of OER on student learning outcomes in her course on dental clinical research education, Foundations of Patient Care 2, and found strong evidence that OER can contribute to greater accessibility in the classroom.
Kang highlighted the study's big takeaway: Students are more interested in pursuing research when education around it is made more accessible to them.
"This was a very good example of how to encourage student interest in research by reducing the cost of that. This can be applied more broadly to all healthcare professions, if they have open textbooks available to them," said Kang, chair of the Department of Restorative and Clinical Sciences in the College of Dental Medicine.
"I truly want to support equity and be part of making a positive difference. Now with OER it feels like we can give the students with limited financial resources greater equity and, with that, more opportunities to learn," she said, excited by the findings.
The cost of course materials has increased over the past decade, a trend that has exacerbated educational inequities. OER has offered a viable solution, but Kang said little research has been done looking at graduate-level programs using OER in dental education, leaving gaps in the understanding of how OER impacts student learning in dental schools.
In her study, Kang observed and surveyed two cohorts of first-year dental students -- one that used OER resources in dental clinical research education in the 2025-2026 academic year and another cohort from the 2023-2024 academic year that used digital e-books issued to every UNE dental student through VitalSource and UNE Library Services.
Specifically, Kang looked at whether OER helped improve students' literature-review skills.
She reported that the first-year dental students from this past academic year who used OER showed especially strong gains in some regards, including in searching medical databases.
Moreover, the survey in 2025-2026 academic year overwhelmingly supported the use of OER, with 64% of students agreeing that the OER resources were accessible, 67% saying they supported learning, and 78% reporting that the OER textbook prompted critical thinking.
As many as 87% of students surveyed said they would like to use OER in future courses.
Kang noted that several UNE colleagues assisted and encouraged her research around OER.
Beth Dyer, M.L.I.S., M.S.Ed., A.H.I.P, dean of UNE Library Services, helped Kang find online resources that could be applied to her teaching; Sonya M. Durney, Ph.D., M.L.I.S., UNE scholarly communication librarian and chair of the UNE Open Educational Resources Steering Committee, provided grant support; B. Oak McCoy, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics in the UNE College of Business, assisted with the data analysis; and College of Dental Medicine Dean Nicole Kimmes, D.D.S., supported Kang to help facilitate the study.
"Because adding required or optional resources can create an additional financial burden, it is important to consider affordability when selecting course materials," Kimmes said. "When Dr. Kang expressed interest in using an open educational resource to support her course, I was very supportive because it would help avoid additional costs and reduce the risk of creating inequities for students."
In 2023, UNE joined the Open Education Network, an alliance of colleges, universities, and other organizations working to promote the use of open educational resources, especially open textbooks, in higher education. Since then, UNE faculty's adoption of OER has saved students at the University over $430,700 in textbook costs, according to data from UNE Library Services.
That savings underscores a campuswide effort to expand access to affordable course materials and to connect faculty with collaborative learning communities and grants aimed at reducing financial barriers for students.
Kang was awarded two previous grants that helped her launch research around this area of inquiry. In 2023-2024, she was awarded a $1,500 UNE Equity-Minded mini grant to look at the challenges in teaching dental clinical research, a study that provided the baseline data for how well first-year medical students learned evidence-based dentistry through research without OER textbooks. In 2024, she was awarded a $300 grant to review OER textbooks for her course and another $500 grant to adopt OER textbooks.
Kang hopes to present her findings at the Academic Dental Education Association's (ADEA) annual conference in March in Chicago.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.une.edu/news/2026/new-une-research-suggests-no-cost-educational-resources-enhance-learning-accessibility
Rutgers University: Study Finds Strong Link Between Conspiracy Beliefs, Antisemitism and Anti-Israel Attitudes
NEWARK, New Jersey, July 31 (TNSjou) -- Rutgers University issued the following news:
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Study Finds Strong Link Between Conspiracy Beliefs, Antisemitism and Anti-Israel Attitudes
New research from Rutgers University-Newark psychologist Kent Harber reveals a strong connection between conspiracy theories, antisemitic attitudes, and hostility toward Israel.
Published in American Psychologist, the flagship publication of the American Psychological Association, the set of three studies draws from more than 1,000 adults surveyed across the United States.
Harber's study was prompted by a well-documented ... Show Full Article NEWARK, New Jersey, July 31 (TNSjou) -- Rutgers University issued the following news: * * * Study Finds Strong Link Between Conspiracy Beliefs, Antisemitism and Anti-Israel Attitudes New research from Rutgers University-Newark psychologist Kent Harber reveals a strong connection between conspiracy theories, antisemitic attitudes, and hostility toward Israel. Published in American Psychologist, the flagship publication of the American Psychological Association, the set of three studies draws from more than 1,000 adults surveyed across the United States. Harber's study was prompted by a well-documentedglobal rise in antisemitism since the early 2010s, accompanied by violent attacks against Jews in the U.S. and elsewhere, including the bombing of synagogues.
"Concurrent with this is a growing anti-Jewish animosity that has been mounting hostility toward Israel,'' added Harber, who has also researched conspiracy theories linked to COVID-19 and whose latest study focuses on psychological mechanisms and patterns associated with antisemitism.
"Our findings offer an evidence-based framework for understanding how these attitudes intersect--and how conspiracy beliefs can serve as a powerful and enduring bridge between them,'' said Harber, who co-authored the study with Thomas Malloy, Dominka Bulska, and Valeria Villa, a Rutgers graduate student supervised by Harber.
According to Harber, a psychology professor at Rutgers University-Newark, antisemitism channeled through conspiracy beliefs about Israel and its supporters explained more than 55 percent of anti-Israel attitudes across all three studies.
"This is a very large effect for psychological research,'' said Harber. "Our research shows that a meaningful quantum of hostility to Israel is infused with antisemitism, and that the link between antisemitism, conspiracy beliefs, and hostility toward Israel is predictive, reliable, and strong.''
Harber emphasized that not all criticisms of Israel and its government are inherently antisemitic. His team's goal was not to suppress legitimate debate but to encourage greater awareness, he said.
"People can have legitimate reasons for being critical of Israel, just like any other country," he said. "Even unfair or ill-informed hostility to Israel does not necessarily reveal antisemitism."
He also stressed that the findings are correlational and do not explain causality.
"Antisemitism might cause anti-Israel attitudes, or anger toward Israel might cause dislike of Jews, or perhaps some other conditions cause both," Harber said.
His team's research offers new evidence that conspiracy theories continue to fuel and shape expressions of antisemitism. Throughout history, conspiracy theories have been used to scapegoat Jews, blaming them for everything from the Black Plague to the 9/11 attacks and the assassination of Charlie Kirk, said Harber.
His study focuses on a set of self-reported attitude surveys measuring three things: antipathy toward Jews that's unrelated to Israel -- which Harber refers to as "classic antisemitism" -- anti-Israel sentiment, and belief in conspiracy theories involving Jews and Israel.
Study subjects were chosen from throughout the U.S. and mirrored the nation's racial and ethnic demographics, as well as religious and political affiliations. The average age was between 32 and 40.
The first study tested participants on established measures of antisemitism, including statements drawn from the Selznick and Steinberg antisemitism scale, created in 1969. It tested agreement with statements such as, "Jewish people make too much of a big deal about being oppressed" and "You can tell if people are Jewish by how they look.''
The second measure involved the anti-Israel subscale of the Middle East Opinion Survey, developed by Harber, which includes dubious accusations and statements attributing malign motives to Israel.
Harber and his team found that classic antisemitism and anti-Israel attitudes were related. But bridging the two were conspiracy beliefs about Israel and pro-Israel Jews.
Bogus conspiracy theories developed by Harber and his team included survey statements such as, "Israel created COVID-19 as a weapon against Palestine" and "Israel started the war in Gaza to summon the coming of a Jewish Messiah."
Harber's study tested how survey results would unfold over time as a way to more rigorously measure the relationship between antisemitic and anti-Israel attitudes.
"This predictive relationship shows that knowing a person's attitudes toward Jews today can help predict their feelings about Israel in the future," said Harber.
"It also helps rule out momentary explanations, such as subjects being in a temporarily bad mood or seeing a particularly upsetting news story about the Middle East when they completed the research," he explained.
Harber's team found that antisemitic beliefs measured at the start of the study predicted conspiracy beliefs four weeks later, and that the conspiracy beliefs, in turn, predicted anti-Israel attitudes four weeks after that.
The research also uncovered ideological differences. Among Republican respondents, antisemitic beliefs were slightly more prevalent, but anti-Israel sentiment was less pronounced.
In contrast, Democrat participants showed lower levels of antisemitism but stronger hostility toward Israel and a greater endorsement of anti-Israel conspiracy beliefs.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.newark.rutgers.edu/news/study-finds-strong-link-between-conspiracy-beliefs-antisemitism-and-anti-israel-attitudes
* * *
Study Finds Strong Link Between Conspiracy Beliefs, Antisemitism and Anti-Israel Attitudes
New research from Rutgers University-Newark psychologist Kent Harber reveals a strong connection between conspiracy theories, antisemitic attitudes, and hostility toward Israel.
Published in American Psychologist, the flagship publication of the American Psychological Association, the set of three studies draws from more than 1,000 adults surveyed across the United States.
Harber's study was prompted by a well-documented ... Show Full Article NEWARK, New Jersey, July 31 (TNSjou) -- Rutgers University issued the following news: * * * Study Finds Strong Link Between Conspiracy Beliefs, Antisemitism and Anti-Israel Attitudes New research from Rutgers University-Newark psychologist Kent Harber reveals a strong connection between conspiracy theories, antisemitic attitudes, and hostility toward Israel. Published in American Psychologist, the flagship publication of the American Psychological Association, the set of three studies draws from more than 1,000 adults surveyed across the United States. Harber's study was prompted by a well-documentedglobal rise in antisemitism since the early 2010s, accompanied by violent attacks against Jews in the U.S. and elsewhere, including the bombing of synagogues.
"Concurrent with this is a growing anti-Jewish animosity that has been mounting hostility toward Israel,'' added Harber, who has also researched conspiracy theories linked to COVID-19 and whose latest study focuses on psychological mechanisms and patterns associated with antisemitism.
"Our findings offer an evidence-based framework for understanding how these attitudes intersect--and how conspiracy beliefs can serve as a powerful and enduring bridge between them,'' said Harber, who co-authored the study with Thomas Malloy, Dominka Bulska, and Valeria Villa, a Rutgers graduate student supervised by Harber.
According to Harber, a psychology professor at Rutgers University-Newark, antisemitism channeled through conspiracy beliefs about Israel and its supporters explained more than 55 percent of anti-Israel attitudes across all three studies.
"This is a very large effect for psychological research,'' said Harber. "Our research shows that a meaningful quantum of hostility to Israel is infused with antisemitism, and that the link between antisemitism, conspiracy beliefs, and hostility toward Israel is predictive, reliable, and strong.''
Harber emphasized that not all criticisms of Israel and its government are inherently antisemitic. His team's goal was not to suppress legitimate debate but to encourage greater awareness, he said.
"People can have legitimate reasons for being critical of Israel, just like any other country," he said. "Even unfair or ill-informed hostility to Israel does not necessarily reveal antisemitism."
He also stressed that the findings are correlational and do not explain causality.
"Antisemitism might cause anti-Israel attitudes, or anger toward Israel might cause dislike of Jews, or perhaps some other conditions cause both," Harber said.
His team's research offers new evidence that conspiracy theories continue to fuel and shape expressions of antisemitism. Throughout history, conspiracy theories have been used to scapegoat Jews, blaming them for everything from the Black Plague to the 9/11 attacks and the assassination of Charlie Kirk, said Harber.
His study focuses on a set of self-reported attitude surveys measuring three things: antipathy toward Jews that's unrelated to Israel -- which Harber refers to as "classic antisemitism" -- anti-Israel sentiment, and belief in conspiracy theories involving Jews and Israel.
Study subjects were chosen from throughout the U.S. and mirrored the nation's racial and ethnic demographics, as well as religious and political affiliations. The average age was between 32 and 40.
The first study tested participants on established measures of antisemitism, including statements drawn from the Selznick and Steinberg antisemitism scale, created in 1969. It tested agreement with statements such as, "Jewish people make too much of a big deal about being oppressed" and "You can tell if people are Jewish by how they look.''
The second measure involved the anti-Israel subscale of the Middle East Opinion Survey, developed by Harber, which includes dubious accusations and statements attributing malign motives to Israel.
Harber and his team found that classic antisemitism and anti-Israel attitudes were related. But bridging the two were conspiracy beliefs about Israel and pro-Israel Jews.
Bogus conspiracy theories developed by Harber and his team included survey statements such as, "Israel created COVID-19 as a weapon against Palestine" and "Israel started the war in Gaza to summon the coming of a Jewish Messiah."
Harber's study tested how survey results would unfold over time as a way to more rigorously measure the relationship between antisemitic and anti-Israel attitudes.
"This predictive relationship shows that knowing a person's attitudes toward Jews today can help predict their feelings about Israel in the future," said Harber.
"It also helps rule out momentary explanations, such as subjects being in a temporarily bad mood or seeing a particularly upsetting news story about the Middle East when they completed the research," he explained.
Harber's team found that antisemitic beliefs measured at the start of the study predicted conspiracy beliefs four weeks later, and that the conspiracy beliefs, in turn, predicted anti-Israel attitudes four weeks after that.
The research also uncovered ideological differences. Among Republican respondents, antisemitic beliefs were slightly more prevalent, but anti-Israel sentiment was less pronounced.
In contrast, Democrat participants showed lower levels of antisemitism but stronger hostility toward Israel and a greater endorsement of anti-Israel conspiracy beliefs.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.newark.rutgers.edu/news/study-finds-strong-link-between-conspiracy-beliefs-antisemitism-and-anti-israel-attitudes
Morehouse College Launches Commercial Real Estate Finance Academy Through $200,000 Alumni Gift
ATLANTA, Georgia, July 31 -- Morehouse College issued the following news:
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Morehouse College Launches Commercial Real Estate Finance Academy Through $200,000 Alumni Gift
Morehouse College alumnus Truman N. Tolefree '02 and his firm, Intersection Realty Group, have generously donated $200,000 to establish the Truman Tolefree and Intersection Realty Group Commercial Real Estate Finance Academy (the "Tolefree Academy"), a new program designed to prepare students for internships and careers in commercial real estate while developing the next generation of industry investors, leaders, and owners.
The ... Show Full Article ATLANTA, Georgia, July 31 -- Morehouse College issued the following news: * * * Morehouse College Launches Commercial Real Estate Finance Academy Through $200,000 Alumni Gift Morehouse College alumnus Truman N. Tolefree '02 and his firm, Intersection Realty Group, have generously donated $200,000 to establish the Truman Tolefree and Intersection Realty Group Commercial Real Estate Finance Academy (the "Tolefree Academy"), a new program designed to prepare students for internships and careers in commercial real estate while developing the next generation of industry investors, leaders, and owners. TheTolefree Academy will be housed within the Morehouse Real Estate Institute. It will offer rising Morehouse Men and Atlanta University Students intensive training in the technical and analytical aspects of commercial real estate finance, investment, development, and asset management, connecting them with industry mentors and creating a pipeline to lucrative careers in the field.
The Tolefree Academy also aims to ensure that the future of urban corridors is shaped by those who understand the power of ethical revitalization and community wealth creation. Its launch represents an important milestone in the Morehouse Real Estate Institute's mission to diversify the global commercial real estate industry and develop new pathways for Black wealth creation.
According to a recent Federal Reserve's May 2026 Financial Stability Report, the U.S. commercial real estate market was valued at $22.1 trillion as of the fourth quarter of 2025, making it the fourth-largest asset market in the U.S. following equities, residential real estate, and Treasury securities.
"We want talented young people, particularly people of color, to see themselves not only working in the industry, but also leading firms and having the confidence to believe that they belong in rooms where major investment and development decisions are being made," said Tolefree, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Intersection Realty Group and a 23-year veteran executive in the commercial real estate industry.
"Commercial real estate sits at the intersection of finance, business, community development, and public policy. The industry helps to shape neighborhoods, create jobs, influence housing access, and drive economic growth," Tolefree added. "However, historically, many communities of color have participated more as consumers of real estate rather than as owners, developers, investors, or capital allocators. I want to help change that."
Across the country, Black professionals remain significantly underrepresented in commercial real estate leadership. Today, fewer than 2% of senior executive roles in the industry are held by Black professionals. Of the more than 112,000 private commercial real estate firms in the United States, fewer than 450 are majority Black-owned. Intersection Realty Group and Truman Tolefree are part of a small group helping to change that reality. "My work at Intersection Realty Group is grounded in creating value for our investors while helping broaden pathways for people of color to participate and succeed in careers in commercial real estate," he said. "Supporting the Academy is a meaningful extension of that commitment."
Tolefree said his path into the industry is intertwined with his Morehouse journey. He entered Morehouse to pursue a degree in finance and took a real estate finance class that paved the way to his future. His professor later referred him for a job when a Morehouse alumnus called searching for new talent.
"Morehouse gives you the technical skills and expertise to know that you don't just need to be a spectator, but that you can be a player in the industry," he said. "The faculty, staff, and alumni network at Morehouse have been hugely influential in my career. It was a Morehouse Alum, Jeff Lawrence, who gave me my start in the industry, and I feel a deep personal responsibility and obligation to follow his example. It is one of the reasons that inspired me to give back."
In 2003, Tolefree left investment banking in New York to work with Lawrence (Morehouse '89) as a real estate financial analyst at Prudential Financial in Chicago, IL. He later joined the Real Estate Capital Market Group at LaSalle Bank before serving as Principal and Director of Acquisitions and Dispositions for Morgan Communities for six years. In 2020, he launched his own firm, Intersection Realty Group, as an entrepreneur.
Tolefree has an MBA in Corporate Finance and a graduate minor in Real Estate Finance & Development (School of Hotel Administration) from Cornell University. He will draw on his years of commercial real estate experience to support the new finance academy, which will offer the following programs and initiatives:
* Technical Mastery: Providing intensive financial modeling and underwriting training aligned with rigorous industry standards.
* Experiential Learning: Funding site visits, travel, and case competitions that allow students to engage with real-world development projects.
* Direct Mentorship: Facilitating guest instruction and advisory participation from Intersection Realty Group practitioners and other industry leaders.
* Student & Instructional Support: Ensuring all students, regardless of financial background, have the resources needed to participate fully in the Academy's elite programming.
Tolefree's gift supports the "Making Men of Consequence" Campaign for Morehouse College, and its efforts to increase funding for innovative academic programs offered at Centers and Institutes, among other institutional priorities. The Tolefree Academy will serve as a critical engine for social mobility. By placing graduates in high-earning career tracks, Morehouse ensures its alumni will have the financial freedom to lead lives of global consequence.
"We are deeply grateful to Truman Tolefree and Intersection Realty Group for this transformative investment in Morehouse," said Richard Ammons, Interim Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Morehouse College. "By equipping our students with the knowledge of equity, debt, asset management, and real estate finance, they are doing more than preparing young men for successful careers--they are empowering them to build wealth, create opportunity, and become owners, investors, and leaders in an industry where their representation is urgently needed."
* * *
Original text here: https://news.morehouse.edu/tolefree-academy-launch-major-gift
* * *
Morehouse College Launches Commercial Real Estate Finance Academy Through $200,000 Alumni Gift
Morehouse College alumnus Truman N. Tolefree '02 and his firm, Intersection Realty Group, have generously donated $200,000 to establish the Truman Tolefree and Intersection Realty Group Commercial Real Estate Finance Academy (the "Tolefree Academy"), a new program designed to prepare students for internships and careers in commercial real estate while developing the next generation of industry investors, leaders, and owners.
The ... Show Full Article ATLANTA, Georgia, July 31 -- Morehouse College issued the following news: * * * Morehouse College Launches Commercial Real Estate Finance Academy Through $200,000 Alumni Gift Morehouse College alumnus Truman N. Tolefree '02 and his firm, Intersection Realty Group, have generously donated $200,000 to establish the Truman Tolefree and Intersection Realty Group Commercial Real Estate Finance Academy (the "Tolefree Academy"), a new program designed to prepare students for internships and careers in commercial real estate while developing the next generation of industry investors, leaders, and owners. TheTolefree Academy will be housed within the Morehouse Real Estate Institute. It will offer rising Morehouse Men and Atlanta University Students intensive training in the technical and analytical aspects of commercial real estate finance, investment, development, and asset management, connecting them with industry mentors and creating a pipeline to lucrative careers in the field.
The Tolefree Academy also aims to ensure that the future of urban corridors is shaped by those who understand the power of ethical revitalization and community wealth creation. Its launch represents an important milestone in the Morehouse Real Estate Institute's mission to diversify the global commercial real estate industry and develop new pathways for Black wealth creation.
According to a recent Federal Reserve's May 2026 Financial Stability Report, the U.S. commercial real estate market was valued at $22.1 trillion as of the fourth quarter of 2025, making it the fourth-largest asset market in the U.S. following equities, residential real estate, and Treasury securities.
"We want talented young people, particularly people of color, to see themselves not only working in the industry, but also leading firms and having the confidence to believe that they belong in rooms where major investment and development decisions are being made," said Tolefree, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Intersection Realty Group and a 23-year veteran executive in the commercial real estate industry.
"Commercial real estate sits at the intersection of finance, business, community development, and public policy. The industry helps to shape neighborhoods, create jobs, influence housing access, and drive economic growth," Tolefree added. "However, historically, many communities of color have participated more as consumers of real estate rather than as owners, developers, investors, or capital allocators. I want to help change that."
Across the country, Black professionals remain significantly underrepresented in commercial real estate leadership. Today, fewer than 2% of senior executive roles in the industry are held by Black professionals. Of the more than 112,000 private commercial real estate firms in the United States, fewer than 450 are majority Black-owned. Intersection Realty Group and Truman Tolefree are part of a small group helping to change that reality. "My work at Intersection Realty Group is grounded in creating value for our investors while helping broaden pathways for people of color to participate and succeed in careers in commercial real estate," he said. "Supporting the Academy is a meaningful extension of that commitment."
Tolefree said his path into the industry is intertwined with his Morehouse journey. He entered Morehouse to pursue a degree in finance and took a real estate finance class that paved the way to his future. His professor later referred him for a job when a Morehouse alumnus called searching for new talent.
"Morehouse gives you the technical skills and expertise to know that you don't just need to be a spectator, but that you can be a player in the industry," he said. "The faculty, staff, and alumni network at Morehouse have been hugely influential in my career. It was a Morehouse Alum, Jeff Lawrence, who gave me my start in the industry, and I feel a deep personal responsibility and obligation to follow his example. It is one of the reasons that inspired me to give back."
In 2003, Tolefree left investment banking in New York to work with Lawrence (Morehouse '89) as a real estate financial analyst at Prudential Financial in Chicago, IL. He later joined the Real Estate Capital Market Group at LaSalle Bank before serving as Principal and Director of Acquisitions and Dispositions for Morgan Communities for six years. In 2020, he launched his own firm, Intersection Realty Group, as an entrepreneur.
Tolefree has an MBA in Corporate Finance and a graduate minor in Real Estate Finance & Development (School of Hotel Administration) from Cornell University. He will draw on his years of commercial real estate experience to support the new finance academy, which will offer the following programs and initiatives:
* Technical Mastery: Providing intensive financial modeling and underwriting training aligned with rigorous industry standards.
* Experiential Learning: Funding site visits, travel, and case competitions that allow students to engage with real-world development projects.
* Direct Mentorship: Facilitating guest instruction and advisory participation from Intersection Realty Group practitioners and other industry leaders.
* Student & Instructional Support: Ensuring all students, regardless of financial background, have the resources needed to participate fully in the Academy's elite programming.
Tolefree's gift supports the "Making Men of Consequence" Campaign for Morehouse College, and its efforts to increase funding for innovative academic programs offered at Centers and Institutes, among other institutional priorities. The Tolefree Academy will serve as a critical engine for social mobility. By placing graduates in high-earning career tracks, Morehouse ensures its alumni will have the financial freedom to lead lives of global consequence.
"We are deeply grateful to Truman Tolefree and Intersection Realty Group for this transformative investment in Morehouse," said Richard Ammons, Interim Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Morehouse College. "By equipping our students with the knowledge of equity, debt, asset management, and real estate finance, they are doing more than preparing young men for successful careers--they are empowering them to build wealth, create opportunity, and become owners, investors, and leaders in an industry where their representation is urgently needed."
* * *
Original text here: https://news.morehouse.edu/tolefree-academy-launch-major-gift
Kansas Wesleyan University Earns Perfect Score on NAIA Core Report and Champions of Character Gold Institution Status
SALINA, Kansas, July 31 -- Kansas Wesleyan University issued the following news release:
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KWU earns perfect score on NAIA Core Report and Champions of Character Gold Institution status
Kansas Wesleyan University has earned the Champions of Character Gold Institution Award after recording a perfect score on the NAIA Core Report for the 2025-26 athletic year.
This was the third consecutive year that KWU has earned Gold status on the Core Report.
Each year, NAIA schools use the Champions of Character core report to measure the pursuit of character-driven athletics. Schools scoring a minimum ... Show Full Article SALINA, Kansas, July 31 -- Kansas Wesleyan University issued the following news release: * * * KWU earns perfect score on NAIA Core Report and Champions of Character Gold Institution status Kansas Wesleyan University has earned the Champions of Character Gold Institution Award after recording a perfect score on the NAIA Core Report for the 2025-26 athletic year. This was the third consecutive year that KWU has earned Gold status on the Core Report. Each year, NAIA schools use the Champions of Character core report to measure the pursuit of character-driven athletics. Schools scoring a minimumof 60 out of 100 points earn the Champions of Character Five-Star Institution Award.
"I am thrilled with our coaches and athletic staff to have earned Gold status on the Core Report again this year," said KWU Co-Interim Athletic Director Bill Neale. "It shows our continued commitment to excellence in all facets of what we do.
"We continue to challenge our teams to display outstanding character on and off the playing field and to give back to the community in many different ways and again they met the challenge. It shows that we are committed to doing the right thing here at KWU in everything we do."
Institutions are measured on a demonstrated commitment to Champions of Character and earn points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion. Institutions earned points based on exceptional student-athlete grade point averages and by having minimal to no ejections during competition throughout the course of the academic year.
KWU was one of 120 institutions to achieve the top score on the Core Report. There were 203 institutions across the country that earned NAIA Champion of Character Institution Awards across the three levels - Gold, Silver and Bronze.
The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference was also named as a NAIA Champions of Character Conference for the 16th consecutive year. Conferences must have an established Champions of Character Committee, a conduct in competition oversight committee and have at least 60 percent of its member institutions earn a Champions of Character Institution Award.
The KCAC had 13 of 14 institutions earn the Award. Avila, Bethel, Evangel, Friends, KWU, McPherson, Oklahoma Wesleyan, Saint Mary, Sterling, Tabor and York all earned Gold status, and Ottawa and Bethany earned Silver status.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.kwu.edu/about/news/kwu-earns-perfect-score-on-naia-core-report-and-champions-of-character-gold-institution-status/
* * *
KWU earns perfect score on NAIA Core Report and Champions of Character Gold Institution status
Kansas Wesleyan University has earned the Champions of Character Gold Institution Award after recording a perfect score on the NAIA Core Report for the 2025-26 athletic year.
This was the third consecutive year that KWU has earned Gold status on the Core Report.
Each year, NAIA schools use the Champions of Character core report to measure the pursuit of character-driven athletics. Schools scoring a minimum ... Show Full Article SALINA, Kansas, July 31 -- Kansas Wesleyan University issued the following news release: * * * KWU earns perfect score on NAIA Core Report and Champions of Character Gold Institution status Kansas Wesleyan University has earned the Champions of Character Gold Institution Award after recording a perfect score on the NAIA Core Report for the 2025-26 athletic year. This was the third consecutive year that KWU has earned Gold status on the Core Report. Each year, NAIA schools use the Champions of Character core report to measure the pursuit of character-driven athletics. Schools scoring a minimumof 60 out of 100 points earn the Champions of Character Five-Star Institution Award.
"I am thrilled with our coaches and athletic staff to have earned Gold status on the Core Report again this year," said KWU Co-Interim Athletic Director Bill Neale. "It shows our continued commitment to excellence in all facets of what we do.
"We continue to challenge our teams to display outstanding character on and off the playing field and to give back to the community in many different ways and again they met the challenge. It shows that we are committed to doing the right thing here at KWU in everything we do."
Institutions are measured on a demonstrated commitment to Champions of Character and earn points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion. Institutions earned points based on exceptional student-athlete grade point averages and by having minimal to no ejections during competition throughout the course of the academic year.
KWU was one of 120 institutions to achieve the top score on the Core Report. There were 203 institutions across the country that earned NAIA Champion of Character Institution Awards across the three levels - Gold, Silver and Bronze.
The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference was also named as a NAIA Champions of Character Conference for the 16th consecutive year. Conferences must have an established Champions of Character Committee, a conduct in competition oversight committee and have at least 60 percent of its member institutions earn a Champions of Character Institution Award.
The KCAC had 13 of 14 institutions earn the Award. Avila, Bethel, Evangel, Friends, KWU, McPherson, Oklahoma Wesleyan, Saint Mary, Sterling, Tabor and York all earned Gold status, and Ottawa and Bethany earned Silver status.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.kwu.edu/about/news/kwu-earns-perfect-score-on-naia-core-report-and-champions-of-character-gold-institution-status/
From the South Pole to Startup Life: How Case Western Reserve Alum is Using AI to Improve Wireless Networks
CLEVELAND, Ohio, July 31 -- Case Western Reserve University issued the following news:
* * *
From the South Pole to startup life: How a CWRU alum is using AI to improve wireless networks
A conversation with James "JT" Sayre (CWR '03; GRS '14, physics), co-founder and chief technology officer of eino
Story by: Katie Critchett
A wireless network can be running smoothly today and strained tomorrow.
As demand shifts, telecommunications companies must decide where more capacity will be needed, which upgrades will have the greatest effect and how to avoid spending money in the wrong places.
Eino
Software ... Show Full Article CLEVELAND, Ohio, July 31 -- Case Western Reserve University issued the following news: * * * From the South Pole to startup life: How a CWRU alum is using AI to improve wireless networks A conversation with James "JT" Sayre (CWR '03; GRS '14, physics), co-founder and chief technology officer of eino Story by: Katie Critchett A wireless network can be running smoothly today and strained tomorrow. As demand shifts, telecommunications companies must decide where more capacity will be needed, which upgrades will have the greatest effect and how to avoid spending money in the wrong places. Eino Softwarestartup eino is working to make those decisions less uncertain.
The Boulder, Colorado-based company uses artificial intelligence, predictive modeling and network data to forecast future performance, test the effects of possible changes and recommend where clients should direct their time and capital.
Leading the technical work is James "JT" Sayre, PhD (CWR '03; GRS '14, physics), eino's co-founder and chief technology officer.
His path into telecommunications began in an unlikely place: the basement of Rockefeller Building at Case Western Reserve University, where he worked on telescope detectors cooled to about minus 459 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sayre arrived at Case Western Reserve as an undergraduate studying mechanical engineering and history. After graduating, he remained at the university as an IT administrator in the School of Graduate Studies and took advantage of an employee benefit that allowed him to enroll in courses.
One course in stellar physics turned a lifelong interest in the universe into a new career direction.
Sayre went on to earn his PhD in physics as a member of the South Pole Telescope collaboration. He helped develop detectors for the telescope's cameras, created algorithms to analyze the resulting data and traveled to Antarctica to install equipment in temperatures that could fall to minus 50 degrees.
After a postdoctoral appointment in astrophysics and space astronomy at the University of Colorado Boulder, Sayre moved into data science at a national telecommunications company. There, he used network data to identify patterns, forecast demand and develop plans for expanding infrastructure.
That combination of physics, software development, data analysis and telecommunications experience eventually positioned him to build eino.
In the conversation below, Sayre discusses following his curiosity into astrophysics, leaving academia, finding the startup environment he had been missing and why building a company reminds him of working at the South Pole.
What drew you further into physics after that first stellar physics course?
I have always enjoyed studying difficult subjects with the attitude that it does not matter whether something is hard or extremely technical. You keep working at it until it begins to make sense.
The course was partly a way to indulge a lifelong fascination with how the universe works and partly a test. I wanted to see whether I could keep up with a deeper exploration of the subject than what I had encountered in documentaries.
I worked hard, realized I could handle the coursework and found that the subject became even more interesting as it grew more technical. I decided to keep going.
What did your work with the South Pole Telescope collaboration teach you about solving difficult problems?
The work required patience, precision and a willingness to keep troubleshooting when the answer was not obvious.
We spent hours babysitting test systems cooled to about minus 459 degrees Fahrenheit while developing the telescope's detectors. I also created algorithms for identifying unusual data, estimating noise, filtering signals and classifying the information the telescope collected.
At the South Pole, even basic physical tasks could become difficult. You might be outside drilling holes and turning screws when it was minus 50 degrees.
It was challenging, but it was also a wonderful experience. There was a great deal of satisfaction in solving difficult problems as part of a team working at the edge of science and technology.
What ultimately convinced you to leave academia?
Honestly, I could have been a student forever. I could probably find a topic interesting enough to carry me through a degree in almost any field.
I loved graduate school and postdoctoral life. You are surrounded by smart people who share the same drive and passion to learn.
But academia is a difficult career path, particularly in a small field. The competition for a limited number of positions is intense, and the road to a stable, comfortable career can be daunting.
At the same time, there was an entire world outside academia filled with interesting problems to solve and a better opportunity to create the kind of life I wanted for my family.
Data science offered a way to apply the analytical and technical skills I had developed through physics to a different class of problems.
What did your experience in telecommunications reveal about the problem eino could solve?
It showed me the gap between having enormous amounts of data and being able to use that data to make a clear decision.
A telecommunications company may have detailed information about its network, but the difficult part is turning it into an answer: Where will additional capacity be needed? What will happen if we make a particular change? Which projects should come first?
My work involved identifying patterns in network data and developing optimized construction plans. We were trying to understand where demand was changing and how resources could be directed more effectively.
Those are the kinds of decisions eino is designed to make clearer.
What is your role in turning that idea into a working platform?
As chief technology officer, I lead the development and refinement of the platform from beginning to end.
That starts with data engineering and how client information enters the system. It continues through the development and quality control of our predictive models and ends with how we communicate performance insights and upgrade recommendations.
I also serve as the primary architect of our cloud-based software. My focus is making sure the platform remains flexible, reliable and capable of responding to the different needs of each client.
The goal is not simply to produce more data. It is to give clients something they can act on before a network problem emerges or money is committed to an upgrade.
* * *
Katie Critchett is a fellow with the Alumni Venture Fund at the CWRU Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship.
* * *
Original text here: https://case.edu/news/south-pole-startup-life-how-cwru-alum-using-ai-improve-wireless-networks
* * *
From the South Pole to startup life: How a CWRU alum is using AI to improve wireless networks
A conversation with James "JT" Sayre (CWR '03; GRS '14, physics), co-founder and chief technology officer of eino
Story by: Katie Critchett
A wireless network can be running smoothly today and strained tomorrow.
As demand shifts, telecommunications companies must decide where more capacity will be needed, which upgrades will have the greatest effect and how to avoid spending money in the wrong places.
Eino
Software ... Show Full Article CLEVELAND, Ohio, July 31 -- Case Western Reserve University issued the following news: * * * From the South Pole to startup life: How a CWRU alum is using AI to improve wireless networks A conversation with James "JT" Sayre (CWR '03; GRS '14, physics), co-founder and chief technology officer of eino Story by: Katie Critchett A wireless network can be running smoothly today and strained tomorrow. As demand shifts, telecommunications companies must decide where more capacity will be needed, which upgrades will have the greatest effect and how to avoid spending money in the wrong places. Eino Softwarestartup eino is working to make those decisions less uncertain.
The Boulder, Colorado-based company uses artificial intelligence, predictive modeling and network data to forecast future performance, test the effects of possible changes and recommend where clients should direct their time and capital.
Leading the technical work is James "JT" Sayre, PhD (CWR '03; GRS '14, physics), eino's co-founder and chief technology officer.
His path into telecommunications began in an unlikely place: the basement of Rockefeller Building at Case Western Reserve University, where he worked on telescope detectors cooled to about minus 459 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sayre arrived at Case Western Reserve as an undergraduate studying mechanical engineering and history. After graduating, he remained at the university as an IT administrator in the School of Graduate Studies and took advantage of an employee benefit that allowed him to enroll in courses.
One course in stellar physics turned a lifelong interest in the universe into a new career direction.
Sayre went on to earn his PhD in physics as a member of the South Pole Telescope collaboration. He helped develop detectors for the telescope's cameras, created algorithms to analyze the resulting data and traveled to Antarctica to install equipment in temperatures that could fall to minus 50 degrees.
After a postdoctoral appointment in astrophysics and space astronomy at the University of Colorado Boulder, Sayre moved into data science at a national telecommunications company. There, he used network data to identify patterns, forecast demand and develop plans for expanding infrastructure.
That combination of physics, software development, data analysis and telecommunications experience eventually positioned him to build eino.
In the conversation below, Sayre discusses following his curiosity into astrophysics, leaving academia, finding the startup environment he had been missing and why building a company reminds him of working at the South Pole.
What drew you further into physics after that first stellar physics course?
I have always enjoyed studying difficult subjects with the attitude that it does not matter whether something is hard or extremely technical. You keep working at it until it begins to make sense.
The course was partly a way to indulge a lifelong fascination with how the universe works and partly a test. I wanted to see whether I could keep up with a deeper exploration of the subject than what I had encountered in documentaries.
I worked hard, realized I could handle the coursework and found that the subject became even more interesting as it grew more technical. I decided to keep going.
What did your work with the South Pole Telescope collaboration teach you about solving difficult problems?
The work required patience, precision and a willingness to keep troubleshooting when the answer was not obvious.
We spent hours babysitting test systems cooled to about minus 459 degrees Fahrenheit while developing the telescope's detectors. I also created algorithms for identifying unusual data, estimating noise, filtering signals and classifying the information the telescope collected.
At the South Pole, even basic physical tasks could become difficult. You might be outside drilling holes and turning screws when it was minus 50 degrees.
It was challenging, but it was also a wonderful experience. There was a great deal of satisfaction in solving difficult problems as part of a team working at the edge of science and technology.
What ultimately convinced you to leave academia?
Honestly, I could have been a student forever. I could probably find a topic interesting enough to carry me through a degree in almost any field.
I loved graduate school and postdoctoral life. You are surrounded by smart people who share the same drive and passion to learn.
But academia is a difficult career path, particularly in a small field. The competition for a limited number of positions is intense, and the road to a stable, comfortable career can be daunting.
At the same time, there was an entire world outside academia filled with interesting problems to solve and a better opportunity to create the kind of life I wanted for my family.
Data science offered a way to apply the analytical and technical skills I had developed through physics to a different class of problems.
What did your experience in telecommunications reveal about the problem eino could solve?
It showed me the gap between having enormous amounts of data and being able to use that data to make a clear decision.
A telecommunications company may have detailed information about its network, but the difficult part is turning it into an answer: Where will additional capacity be needed? What will happen if we make a particular change? Which projects should come first?
My work involved identifying patterns in network data and developing optimized construction plans. We were trying to understand where demand was changing and how resources could be directed more effectively.
Those are the kinds of decisions eino is designed to make clearer.
What is your role in turning that idea into a working platform?
As chief technology officer, I lead the development and refinement of the platform from beginning to end.
That starts with data engineering and how client information enters the system. It continues through the development and quality control of our predictive models and ends with how we communicate performance insights and upgrade recommendations.
I also serve as the primary architect of our cloud-based software. My focus is making sure the platform remains flexible, reliable and capable of responding to the different needs of each client.
The goal is not simply to produce more data. It is to give clients something they can act on before a network problem emerges or money is committed to an upgrade.
* * *
Katie Critchett is a fellow with the Alumni Venture Fund at the CWRU Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship.
* * *
Original text here: https://case.edu/news/south-pole-startup-life-how-cwru-alum-using-ai-improve-wireless-networks
Columbia University Issues Q&A Involving Marine Geophysicist Ferrini on Mapping the Ocean Floor
NEW YORK, July 31 -- Columbia University Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory issued the following Q&A on July 30, 2026, involving senior research scientist Vicki Ferrini:
* * *
From Marie Tharp to Seabed 2030: Marine Geophysicist Vicki Ferrini on Mapping the Ocean Floor
In honor of Tharp's birthday, Ferrini discusses the geologist's pioneering work and how it paved the way for her own collaborative efforts to map the ocean floor.
By Adrienne Day
When Vicki Ferrini was recently named the Marie Tharp Senior Research Scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is part of the Columbia ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, July 31 -- Columbia University Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory issued the following Q&A on July 30, 2026, involving senior research scientist Vicki Ferrini: * * * From Marie Tharp to Seabed 2030: Marine Geophysicist Vicki Ferrini on Mapping the Ocean Floor In honor of Tharp's birthday, Ferrini discusses the geologist's pioneering work and how it paved the way for her own collaborative efforts to map the ocean floor. By Adrienne Day When Vicki Ferrini was recently named the Marie Tharp Senior Research Scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is part of the ColumbiaClimate School, it was an emotional moment. "When I heard the news, I definitely got teary," Ferrini says. "The fact that Marie Tharp's work continues to resonate with so many people is incredibly inspiring."
Ferrini is the first Lamont research scientist to hold the appointment, which honors the pioneering geologist and cartographer whose maps of the seafloor transformed our understanding of plate tectonics. For Ferrini, the title also represents a direct connection between Tharp's groundbreaking work and today's global effort to create the first complete map of the ocean floor.
As head of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans Regional Center for the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project, Ferrini leads international efforts to integrate seafloor mapping data from around the world into a freely available global map. Her work also focuses on building scientific partnerships, open data infrastructure and the collaborative community needed to make this ambitious international effort possible, while mentoring the next generation of ocean scientists.
To mark Tharp's birthday on July 30, State of the Planet spoke with Ferrini about her new appointment, the enduring importance of open ocean data and the curiosity that first drew her to the sea.
Congratulations on your recent appointment! How do you feel about being named the Marie Tharp Senior Research Scientist?
It's an incredible honor. Marie Tharp fundamentally changed the way we understand our planet, and to be entrusted with carrying forward a position that bears her name is both deeply meaningful and humbling.
I'm also honored to be the first Lamont research scientist to hold the appointment. I've been deeply touched by the kind words from colleagues, but more than anything, I see this as an opportunity--and a responsibility--to continue advancing the kind of work Marie championed: bringing together data, people and ideas to deepen our understanding of the ocean and make that knowledge accessible to everyone.
How does your work build on Tharp's legacy?
A few years ago, during Marie Tharp's centennial, I gave a talk at the European Geoscience Union tracing the thread from her work to what we do today. What struck me is that there really is a direct lineage. Marie transformed scattered depth measurements into a coherent picture of the seafloor. Today, we're carrying that vision forward on a global scale by bringing together millions of individual measurements collected by researchers around the world into a single, openly accessible map of the ocean floor.
Lamont has been central to that effort. The work evolved from early seafloor mapping and the 1977 World Ocean Floor map through the Ridge Multi-Beam Synthesis, and eventually the Global Multi-Resolution Topography (GMRT) synthesis, which our team has curated for over 20 years. GMRT is one of Lamont's most significant contributions to modern global ocean mapping, and serves as a major source of data for the Seabed 2030 initiative and the international GEBCO grid.
There's another connection that feels especially meaningful to me. Marie's work began in the Atlantic and expanded to the Indian Ocean, ultimately encompassing the globe. Today, the Seabed 2030 center at Lamont focuses on those same two oceans, continuing that legacy of exploration and discovery.
What is Seabed 2030, and how much progress has been made in mapping the seafloor?
Seabed 2030 is an international effort to create the first complete map of Earth's ocean floor. People are often surprised to learn that, although we've mapped the land surface in extraordinary detail, much of the seafloor remains unmapped. A better map of the seafloor helps us understand how our planet works. It supports everything from navigation and tsunami hazard assessment to ocean and climate research, offshore infrastructure, resource management and our understanding of marine ecosystems.
When the project began in 2017, only about 6% of the ocean floor had been mapped to modern standards. Today, that figure has grown to nearly 29%. Much of the remaining challenge isn't simply collecting new data--it's finding, processing and integrating data that already exist. We know there are valuable datasets held by research institutions, governments and industry that have not yet been shared or incorporated into the global synthesis. The percentage we report reflects what has been integrated into the international GEBCO grid--not necessarily everything that has been mapped. A map locked away on someone's hard drive doesn't advance science. The real value comes from bringing data together and making them openly available so researchers, educators, governments and industry can all build on one another's work.
Why is collaboration so important to that effort?
No single organization--or even country--can map the global ocean alone. That's what makes collaboration so essential. The ocean connects us all, and the only way to create a complete map is by bringing together data collected by many different communities. Those contributions come from academic research vessels, government agencies, industry, philanthropic organizations and even recreational mariners through crowdsourced bathymetry.
We advocate for open data whenever possible because sharing information maximizes its scientific and societal value. At the same time, we recognize that every organization and every country has different policies and priorities. Our role is to build partnerships, foster trust and make it as easy as possible to contribute what can be shared. Every contribution helps improve the global map and benefits everyone who relies on the ocean.
How is AI impacting ocean mapping?
AI has tremendous potential to accelerate ocean mapping, particularly by helping process, verify and integrate the rapidly growing volume of bathymetric data being collected around the world. Those activities remain major bottlenecks to completing the global map, making AI an exciting opportunity to accelerate progress.
My work also includes leading the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS), which focuses on making marine geoscience data easier to discover, access and integrate. The better organized, documented and connected these data are, the more effectively they can be used--not only by scientists, but increasingly by AI tools that are poised to accelerate scientific discovery.
You're also helping train the next generation through the Making Waves program. Could you talk a bit about that initiative?
Making Waves is designed to give students a meaningful introduction to ocean mapping while showing them the many different career paths available in ocean science and technology. Over the course of a week, participants learn why ocean mapping matters, work directly with marine geoscience data and mapping tools, hear from scientists and engineers about their career journeys, and even connect live with researchers at sea through a ship-to-shore event.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the program is that the students aren't just learning--they're making a real scientific contribution. They process multibeam bathymetric data that become part of the global ocean mapping effort, so they leave knowing they've helped advance our understanding of the seafloor.
I also really value the multi-generational exchange the program creates. Bringing together students with scientists and professionals at different stages of their careers fosters conversations that benefit everyone. More than anything, I hope participants leave with the understanding that there are many ways to contribute to ocean science. Whether they're interested in research, technology, data science, engineering, communications or education, there's a place for them, and they can begin making an impact much earlier than they might imagine
What first drew you to this work?
The connection to the ocean really began with growing up at the beach. I was fortunate to have that as my backdrop, and I've always been fascinated by maps and by observing the world around me. Ocean mapping turned out to be the perfect intersection of those interests.
Spending time at sea deepened that connection. When you're hundreds of miles from land on a research cruise, you gain an entirely new appreciation for how vast the ocean is--and how little we still know about it. It's both humbling and inspiring. At the same time, you realize how difficult and expensive it is to collect these data. Every expedition represents an enormous investment of people, technology, time and resources, which makes preserving, sharing and building upon those observations just as important as collecting them in the first place. That philosophy of stewardship has long been a hallmark of Lamont, and it's something that continues to inspire my work today.
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Original text here: https://lamont.columbia.edu/news/marie-tharp-seabed-2030-marine-geophysicist-vicki-ferrini-mapping-ocean-floor
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From Marie Tharp to Seabed 2030: Marine Geophysicist Vicki Ferrini on Mapping the Ocean Floor
In honor of Tharp's birthday, Ferrini discusses the geologist's pioneering work and how it paved the way for her own collaborative efforts to map the ocean floor.
By Adrienne Day
When Vicki Ferrini was recently named the Marie Tharp Senior Research Scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is part of the Columbia ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, July 31 -- Columbia University Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory issued the following Q&A on July 30, 2026, involving senior research scientist Vicki Ferrini: * * * From Marie Tharp to Seabed 2030: Marine Geophysicist Vicki Ferrini on Mapping the Ocean Floor In honor of Tharp's birthday, Ferrini discusses the geologist's pioneering work and how it paved the way for her own collaborative efforts to map the ocean floor. By Adrienne Day When Vicki Ferrini was recently named the Marie Tharp Senior Research Scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is part of the ColumbiaClimate School, it was an emotional moment. "When I heard the news, I definitely got teary," Ferrini says. "The fact that Marie Tharp's work continues to resonate with so many people is incredibly inspiring."
Ferrini is the first Lamont research scientist to hold the appointment, which honors the pioneering geologist and cartographer whose maps of the seafloor transformed our understanding of plate tectonics. For Ferrini, the title also represents a direct connection between Tharp's groundbreaking work and today's global effort to create the first complete map of the ocean floor.
As head of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans Regional Center for the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project, Ferrini leads international efforts to integrate seafloor mapping data from around the world into a freely available global map. Her work also focuses on building scientific partnerships, open data infrastructure and the collaborative community needed to make this ambitious international effort possible, while mentoring the next generation of ocean scientists.
To mark Tharp's birthday on July 30, State of the Planet spoke with Ferrini about her new appointment, the enduring importance of open ocean data and the curiosity that first drew her to the sea.
Congratulations on your recent appointment! How do you feel about being named the Marie Tharp Senior Research Scientist?
It's an incredible honor. Marie Tharp fundamentally changed the way we understand our planet, and to be entrusted with carrying forward a position that bears her name is both deeply meaningful and humbling.
I'm also honored to be the first Lamont research scientist to hold the appointment. I've been deeply touched by the kind words from colleagues, but more than anything, I see this as an opportunity--and a responsibility--to continue advancing the kind of work Marie championed: bringing together data, people and ideas to deepen our understanding of the ocean and make that knowledge accessible to everyone.
How does your work build on Tharp's legacy?
A few years ago, during Marie Tharp's centennial, I gave a talk at the European Geoscience Union tracing the thread from her work to what we do today. What struck me is that there really is a direct lineage. Marie transformed scattered depth measurements into a coherent picture of the seafloor. Today, we're carrying that vision forward on a global scale by bringing together millions of individual measurements collected by researchers around the world into a single, openly accessible map of the ocean floor.
Lamont has been central to that effort. The work evolved from early seafloor mapping and the 1977 World Ocean Floor map through the Ridge Multi-Beam Synthesis, and eventually the Global Multi-Resolution Topography (GMRT) synthesis, which our team has curated for over 20 years. GMRT is one of Lamont's most significant contributions to modern global ocean mapping, and serves as a major source of data for the Seabed 2030 initiative and the international GEBCO grid.
There's another connection that feels especially meaningful to me. Marie's work began in the Atlantic and expanded to the Indian Ocean, ultimately encompassing the globe. Today, the Seabed 2030 center at Lamont focuses on those same two oceans, continuing that legacy of exploration and discovery.
What is Seabed 2030, and how much progress has been made in mapping the seafloor?
Seabed 2030 is an international effort to create the first complete map of Earth's ocean floor. People are often surprised to learn that, although we've mapped the land surface in extraordinary detail, much of the seafloor remains unmapped. A better map of the seafloor helps us understand how our planet works. It supports everything from navigation and tsunami hazard assessment to ocean and climate research, offshore infrastructure, resource management and our understanding of marine ecosystems.
When the project began in 2017, only about 6% of the ocean floor had been mapped to modern standards. Today, that figure has grown to nearly 29%. Much of the remaining challenge isn't simply collecting new data--it's finding, processing and integrating data that already exist. We know there are valuable datasets held by research institutions, governments and industry that have not yet been shared or incorporated into the global synthesis. The percentage we report reflects what has been integrated into the international GEBCO grid--not necessarily everything that has been mapped. A map locked away on someone's hard drive doesn't advance science. The real value comes from bringing data together and making them openly available so researchers, educators, governments and industry can all build on one another's work.
Why is collaboration so important to that effort?
No single organization--or even country--can map the global ocean alone. That's what makes collaboration so essential. The ocean connects us all, and the only way to create a complete map is by bringing together data collected by many different communities. Those contributions come from academic research vessels, government agencies, industry, philanthropic organizations and even recreational mariners through crowdsourced bathymetry.
We advocate for open data whenever possible because sharing information maximizes its scientific and societal value. At the same time, we recognize that every organization and every country has different policies and priorities. Our role is to build partnerships, foster trust and make it as easy as possible to contribute what can be shared. Every contribution helps improve the global map and benefits everyone who relies on the ocean.
How is AI impacting ocean mapping?
AI has tremendous potential to accelerate ocean mapping, particularly by helping process, verify and integrate the rapidly growing volume of bathymetric data being collected around the world. Those activities remain major bottlenecks to completing the global map, making AI an exciting opportunity to accelerate progress.
My work also includes leading the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS), which focuses on making marine geoscience data easier to discover, access and integrate. The better organized, documented and connected these data are, the more effectively they can be used--not only by scientists, but increasingly by AI tools that are poised to accelerate scientific discovery.
You're also helping train the next generation through the Making Waves program. Could you talk a bit about that initiative?
Making Waves is designed to give students a meaningful introduction to ocean mapping while showing them the many different career paths available in ocean science and technology. Over the course of a week, participants learn why ocean mapping matters, work directly with marine geoscience data and mapping tools, hear from scientists and engineers about their career journeys, and even connect live with researchers at sea through a ship-to-shore event.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the program is that the students aren't just learning--they're making a real scientific contribution. They process multibeam bathymetric data that become part of the global ocean mapping effort, so they leave knowing they've helped advance our understanding of the seafloor.
I also really value the multi-generational exchange the program creates. Bringing together students with scientists and professionals at different stages of their careers fosters conversations that benefit everyone. More than anything, I hope participants leave with the understanding that there are many ways to contribute to ocean science. Whether they're interested in research, technology, data science, engineering, communications or education, there's a place for them, and they can begin making an impact much earlier than they might imagine
What first drew you to this work?
The connection to the ocean really began with growing up at the beach. I was fortunate to have that as my backdrop, and I've always been fascinated by maps and by observing the world around me. Ocean mapping turned out to be the perfect intersection of those interests.
Spending time at sea deepened that connection. When you're hundreds of miles from land on a research cruise, you gain an entirely new appreciation for how vast the ocean is--and how little we still know about it. It's both humbling and inspiring. At the same time, you realize how difficult and expensive it is to collect these data. Every expedition represents an enormous investment of people, technology, time and resources, which makes preserving, sharing and building upon those observations just as important as collecting them in the first place. That philosophy of stewardship has long been a hallmark of Lamont, and it's something that continues to inspire my work today.
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Original text here: https://lamont.columbia.edu/news/marie-tharp-seabed-2030-marine-geophysicist-vicki-ferrini-mapping-ocean-floor
Arapahoe Community College Foundation Receives $3K From Littleton Rotary
LITTLETON, Colorado, July 31 -- Arapahoe Community College issued the following news:
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ACC Foundation Receives $3K from Littleton Rotary
Author: Jeff Duggan
The Littleton Rotary Foundation presented the Arapahoe Community College (ACC) Foundation with $3,000 on Tuesday afternoon, July 28, 2026, at the ACC Littleton Campus.
The gift was made in support of ACC's James McKechnie Memorial Scholarship. McKechnie, a longtime member of Littleton Rotary, was a prominent civic leader in Littleton for many years. He also served as the first president of the Arapahoe Junior College (now Arapahoe ... Show Full Article LITTLETON, Colorado, July 31 -- Arapahoe Community College issued the following news: * * * ACC Foundation Receives $3K from Littleton Rotary Author: Jeff Duggan The Littleton Rotary Foundation presented the Arapahoe Community College (ACC) Foundation with $3,000 on Tuesday afternoon, July 28, 2026, at the ACC Littleton Campus. The gift was made in support of ACC's James McKechnie Memorial Scholarship. McKechnie, a longtime member of Littleton Rotary, was a prominent civic leader in Littleton for many years. He also served as the first president of the Arapahoe Junior College (now ArapahoeCommunity College) Governing Council when the school was founded in 1965. McKechnie passed away in January 2025.
"The ACC Foundation would like to thank the Littleton Rotary Club for its continued support of the College," stated Courtney Loehfelm, Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement & Executive Director of the ACC Foundation. "ACC values its community partnership with Littleton Rotary, and the ACC Foundation is proud to honor the legacy of the late James McKechnie with this scholarship."
The ACC Foundation, which awarded over $1.7 million in student scholarships during the 2025-26 academic year, works to advance the mission of the College by providing financial assistance and opportunities to students, encouraging public support for the College, and strengthening the teaching, learning, and cultural environment of the College and our community.
Littleton Rotary strives to support organizations throughout the Littleton community by providing financial and volunteer support to local entities. Established in 1922, Littleton Rotary played an important role in the grassroots movement that successfully led to the founding of Arapahoe Junior College.
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ACC drives new and creative approaches to education, with a focus on building forward-thinking pathways to social and economic mobility. ACC creates and strengthens pipelines into high-demand careers by developing work-based learning opportunities and real-world experiences in response to evolving labor market needs. Contact the ACC Foundation to learn more about how your generosity can benefit our students and programs.
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Original text here: https://www.arapahoe.edu/news/acc-foundation-receives-3k-littleton-rotary
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ACC Foundation Receives $3K from Littleton Rotary
Author: Jeff Duggan
The Littleton Rotary Foundation presented the Arapahoe Community College (ACC) Foundation with $3,000 on Tuesday afternoon, July 28, 2026, at the ACC Littleton Campus.
The gift was made in support of ACC's James McKechnie Memorial Scholarship. McKechnie, a longtime member of Littleton Rotary, was a prominent civic leader in Littleton for many years. He also served as the first president of the Arapahoe Junior College (now Arapahoe ... Show Full Article LITTLETON, Colorado, July 31 -- Arapahoe Community College issued the following news: * * * ACC Foundation Receives $3K from Littleton Rotary Author: Jeff Duggan The Littleton Rotary Foundation presented the Arapahoe Community College (ACC) Foundation with $3,000 on Tuesday afternoon, July 28, 2026, at the ACC Littleton Campus. The gift was made in support of ACC's James McKechnie Memorial Scholarship. McKechnie, a longtime member of Littleton Rotary, was a prominent civic leader in Littleton for many years. He also served as the first president of the Arapahoe Junior College (now ArapahoeCommunity College) Governing Council when the school was founded in 1965. McKechnie passed away in January 2025.
"The ACC Foundation would like to thank the Littleton Rotary Club for its continued support of the College," stated Courtney Loehfelm, Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement & Executive Director of the ACC Foundation. "ACC values its community partnership with Littleton Rotary, and the ACC Foundation is proud to honor the legacy of the late James McKechnie with this scholarship."
The ACC Foundation, which awarded over $1.7 million in student scholarships during the 2025-26 academic year, works to advance the mission of the College by providing financial assistance and opportunities to students, encouraging public support for the College, and strengthening the teaching, learning, and cultural environment of the College and our community.
Littleton Rotary strives to support organizations throughout the Littleton community by providing financial and volunteer support to local entities. Established in 1922, Littleton Rotary played an important role in the grassroots movement that successfully led to the founding of Arapahoe Junior College.
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ACC drives new and creative approaches to education, with a focus on building forward-thinking pathways to social and economic mobility. ACC creates and strengthens pipelines into high-demand careers by developing work-based learning opportunities and real-world experiences in response to evolving labor market needs. Contact the ACC Foundation to learn more about how your generosity can benefit our students and programs.
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Original text here: https://www.arapahoe.edu/news/acc-foundation-receives-3k-littleton-rotary