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Wichita State University Satellite Prototype Hits Milestone With First Transfer of Data From Orbit
WICHITA, Kansas, Sept. 6 -- Wichita State University issued the following news release:
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Wichita State satellite prototype hits milestone with first transfer of data from orbit
On May 3, a satellite prototype created at Wichita State was launched into low space orbit by NASA. On Aug. 4, when the first delivery of data came through, Professor Nickolas Solomey and his entire team of faculty and students breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"It's something to be excited about for a university that prides itself on technology and educating students to do creative technology," said Dr. Solomey,
... Show Full Article
WICHITA, Kansas, Sept. 6 -- Wichita State University issued the following news release:
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Wichita State satellite prototype hits milestone with first transfer of data from orbit
On May 3, a satellite prototype created at Wichita State was launched into low space orbit by NASA. On Aug. 4, when the first delivery of data came through, Professor Nickolas Solomey and his entire team of faculty and students breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"It's something to be excited about for a university that prides itself on technology and educating students to do creative technology," said Dr. Solomey,professor of mathematics, statistics and physics. "We're out there measuring things. That is what scared me the most - 'Is this experiment detector going to work? Because I cannot go up there and fix it like experiments in the lab on earth.'"
The CubeSat project, known as SNAPPY (Solar Neutrino Astro-Particle PhYsic) CubeSat, is a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC)-funded collaboration. It aims to validate the feasibility of a larger detector positioned closer to the sun, where the neutrino flux from the fusion core is expected to be 1,000 times or higher than at Earth.
Neutrinos are minuscule subatomic particles that are similar to electrons but have no charge and almost negligible mass. Understanding neutrinos holds the keys to understanding the structure of the universe and the origin of mass. According to neutrinos.fnal.gov, neutrinos are the second most abundant fundamental particle in the universe.
The spacecraft (a 10 by 10 by 30 centimeters box structure made mostly of aluminum) has two main goals: to prove the detector can operate in space; and measure the background rate of the double pulsed interaction signature expected from solar neutrinos.
Neutrino detectors currently in use are positioned deep below the Earth's surface. WSU's SNAPPY will allow researchers to look at the sun in a new way, Solomey said, and perform experiments not possible on earth with solar neutrinos.
Solomey said data collection for the primary mission will continue for nine months. An extended run of data could last three to four more years. WSU will use an antenna in Chile during the winter date collection returns to Iceland in the spring.
"What it is telling us is that all the components are working," Solomey said. "Most of this data is gamma rays. Some is charged particle solar wind mixed together. We will soon be separating this out and we will also start to count gamma ray rates in space and do a full solar wind charged particle analysis."
The CubeSat orbits the earth every 95 minutes. When over Iceland, transmission takes about nine minutes to an S-band antenna to start its journey to WSU's Jabara Hall, which is where Wichita State's team sends control commands.
After the launch in May, they spent months establishing communication, debugging and stabilizing the CubeSat. On Aug. 4, they turned on the detector to start the experiment and receive data. The download reached full power on Aug. 21.
Solomey leads the interdisciplinary project, which also includes Dr. Holger Meyer, professor of physics, Atri Dutta, professor of aerospace engineering, and Professor Hyuck Kwon, of electrical engineering. Thirty-six graduate and undergraduate students, to date, have worked on the project since its start in 2017.
"We built it, we assembled it," Solomey said. "Aerospace engineering has done a lot with our orbits and daily contact command/download operations. They get to work with a real satellite with orbits and communications and all the stuff you have to worry about."
SNAPPY is Wichita State's first space craft. The arrival of data is the latest landmark step in its orbital journey and mission.
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About Wichita State University
Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 25,000 students between its main campus and the WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech), including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student-centered and innovation-driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students. The National Science Foundation ranked WSU No. 1 in the nation for aerospace engineering R&D, No. 2 for industry- and defense-funded engineering R&D and No. 9 overall for engineering R&D.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation's largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
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Original text here: https://www.wichita.edu/about/wsunews-releases/2026/08-aug/SNAPPYdata_release_3.php
University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute: Cell Growth Platform Aids African Swine Fever Studies
MIDLOTHIAN, Scotland, Sept. 6 (TNSjou) -- The University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute issued the following news:
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Cell growth platform aids African Swine Fever studies
Team develops process to generate immune cells on demand, to aid understanding of porcine virus.
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A new approach to growing immune cells in the lab will support efforts to tackle a disease that causes significant losses in the pork industry.
Researchers have established a process to produce the type of immune cells that are targeted by African Swine Fever in wild and domestic pigs.
Their system provides a platform
... Show Full Article
MIDLOTHIAN, Scotland, Sept. 6 (TNSjou) -- The University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute issued the following news:
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Cell growth platform aids African Swine Fever studies
Team develops process to generate immune cells on demand, to aid understanding of porcine virus.
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A new approach to growing immune cells in the lab will support efforts to tackle a disease that causes significant losses in the pork industry.
Researchers have established a process to produce the type of immune cells that are targeted by African Swine Fever in wild and domestic pigs.
Their system provides a platformto enable scientists to study how domestic and wild pigs respond to infection by the virus - and why wild African pigs show limited signs of illness, while domestic pigs suffer a lethal fever.
Their efforts could inform the development of farmed pigs that are resilient to disease, and determine whether pigs could be enabled to be entirely resistant to infection.
Stem cell development
A team of researchers led by the Roslin Institute took tissue from domestic pigs, wild boar, red river hog, and warthog, and used these to generate induced pluripotent stem cells - which are in an early stage of development, with the capacity to develop into various tissue types.
The team then developed the stem cells into macrophages, a type of immune cell that is targeted by African Swine Fever virus.
As macrophages cannot be cultured long-term in the lab, the stem cell approach provides a renewable source of these cells, by storing stem cells for development into macrophages as required.
Tests in the lab showed that immune cells from all four species supported the infection and replication of virus, validating their usefulness as laboratory tools.
Tests revealed a suppressed immune response in warthog macrophages compared with the immune over-reaction experienced by domestic pigs, indicating this might be the reason for the absence of clinical signs of infection and resilience in these wild African pigs.
Scientists hope their technology will aid the understanding of African Swine Fever infection in domestic pigs, towards the development of ways to mitigate disease and potentially breed pigs that are resistant to infection.
The study, carried out in collaboration with The Pirbright Institute, Friedrich-Loeffler Institute, Animal and Plant Health Agency and Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, was published in Stem Cell Reports.
African Swine Fever is devastating to domestic pigs, but has little impact on their wild African cousins, and the key to understanding this lies in the immune cells that are the target of the virus across all pig species.
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"Our development of a method to produce immune cells on demand will be useful in the study of this complex virus, and will support research into these types of immune cells more broadly."
-Dr Tom Watson, Roslin Institute
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"A consistently available source of macrophage immune cells represents a significant development for the study of infection and immunity without reliance on animals for research."
-Dr Tom Burdon, Roslin Institute
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The Roslin Institute receives strategic investment funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and it is part of the University of Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.
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Related links
Read the scientific publication in Stem Cell Reports (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213671126002572).
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Original text here: https://vet.ed.ac.uk/roslin/news-events/2026/cell-growth-platform-aids-african-swine-fever-studies
USC Arnold School of Public Health: Clinical Assistant Professor Brings Neurologic Expertise and Passion for Students' Professional Identity Formation to Physical Therapy Program
COLUMBIA, South Carolina, Sept. 6 -- The University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health issued the following news:
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Clinical assistant professor brings neurologic expertise and passion for students' professional identity formation to physical therapy program
KeithAnn Halle's interest in neurologic physical therapy began early in her career when she joined the Concussion Care Clinic at Fort Bragg's Womack Army Medical Center. It was Halle's first clinical role, having just completed back-to-back master's and doctoral degrees in the field at the University of North Carolina Chapel
... Show Full Article
COLUMBIA, South Carolina, Sept. 6 -- The University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health issued the following news:
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Clinical assistant professor brings neurologic expertise and passion for students' professional identity formation to physical therapy program
KeithAnn Halle's interest in neurologic physical therapy began early in her career when she joined the Concussion Care Clinic at Fort Bragg's Womack Army Medical Center. It was Halle's first clinical role, having just completed back-to-back master's and doctoral degrees in the field at the University of North Carolina ChapelHill.
"I was treating service members who had suffered from a concussion and continued to have symptoms such as dizziness, headache and balance deficits," recalls Halle, who joined the Department of Exercise Science's Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program as a clinical assistant professor this fall. "We were able to expand the physical therapy rehabilitation program for the clinic, and I remain passionate about treating members of the military population."
Halle's next role took her to the Concussion Clinic at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, where she served individuals who had experienced concussions. The program also introduced her to adaptive sporting events for active-duty service members, which has been an area of interest for her ever since.
After returning to the continental U.S., Halle continued building her clinical experience - expanding to home healthcare but also amassing additional expertise working with athletes and serving in nearly every type of physical therapy setting. It was around this time that she began teaching college courses - first as an athletic training adjunct faculty member at Dominican College and then with the physical therapy program at the University of Puget Sound.
Preparing students for the profession became her calling, and Halle served as the director for clinical education at the University of Puget Sound and then Arcadia University. These roles led Halle to develop an interest in professional identify formation among physical therapy students as well as knowledge translation into the clinical setting.
"I worked primarily with the hybrid DPT students at Arcadia, and I find the trajectory of development interesting across educational media," she says.
This interest led Halle to enroll in an EdD in Leadership and Learning in Organizations program at Vanderbilt University, which she will complete next year. She also just wrapped a three-year term as recording secretary for the Clinical Education Special Interest Group in the American Physical Therapy Association's Academy of Education. Another fun extracurricular for Halle is her involvement with the Academy of Neurological Physical Therapy Historical Committee.
"For the past three years and moving forward, I get to interview movers and shakers in the PT world for the ANPT podcast, and that is always so motivating," she says.
In addition to her investment in the development of students, Halle's teaching interests include the neurologic and vestibular rehabilitation therapies that have been a recurring theme throughout her career. She also specializes in anatomy and functional therapeutic exercise prescription.
Ready to work with students in person, Halle joined the Arnold School's DPT program because she believes that small class sizes lead to "thick mentorship."
"I missed the relationships built when you are learning together," Halle says. "I have developed so much as a professor and clinician because of the mentorship I have received, and I want to continue that tradition. I am passionate about developing the next generation of PTs, and I think this is one of the best places to do that."
"We're really excited to have KeithAnn join our team," EXSC chair Shawn Arent says. "She brings a skillset as a clinician that enhances our DPT program and significant academic and leadership experience that will add to the faculty's capacity. Hires like this make us instantly better."
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Original text here: https://www.sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/public_health/about/news/2026/faculty_intro_keithann_halle_dpt_exsc.php
SUNY-Fredonia: Faculty Member Publishes Study
FREDONIA, New York, Sept. 6 (TNSjou) -- The State University of New York Fredonia campus issued the following news:
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Faculty member publishes study
Dr. Josie Diebold recently published a study in Abolitionist Perspectives in Social Work.
The scholarly work examined how white antiracists understand and engage with prison industrial complex abolition. Drawing on interviews with 26 participants, the research explores how white people committed to racial justice develop a stake in creating alternatives to policing and prisons and what lessons these perspectives may offer for social work and
... Show Full Article
FREDONIA, New York, Sept. 6 (TNSjou) -- The State University of New York Fredonia campus issued the following news:
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Faculty member publishes study
Dr. Josie Diebold recently published a study in Abolitionist Perspectives in Social Work.
The scholarly work examined how white antiracists understand and engage with prison industrial complex abolition. Drawing on interviews with 26 participants, the research explores how white people committed to racial justice develop a stake in creating alternatives to policing and prisons and what lessons these perspectives may offer for social work andantiracist practice.
Dr. Diebold is a faculty member in the Department of Social Work and Criminal Justice.
The article can be found online (https://apsw-ojs-uh.tdl.org/apsw/article/view/66).
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Original text here: https://www.fredonia.edu/news/articles/faculty-member-publishes-study
On High-Level U.S. Security Visit, Shin Bet Director David Zini Brings Message of Leadership to Yeshiva University Students
NEW YORK, Sept. 6 -- Yeshiva University issued the following news:
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On High-Level U.S. Security Visit, Shin Bet Director David Zini Brings Message of Leadership to Yeshiva University Students
In the U.S. for sensitive meetings with senior FBI officials, Zini speaks with YU students about Israel, Jewish responsibility and next-generation leadership.
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During his first visit to the United States since becoming Director of the Shin Bet, Major General (res.) David Zini--one of Israel's most senior security officials--visited Yeshiva University President, Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, and spoke directly
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Sept. 6 -- Yeshiva University issued the following news:
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On High-Level U.S. Security Visit, Shin Bet Director David Zini Brings Message of Leadership to Yeshiva University Students
In the U.S. for sensitive meetings with senior FBI officials, Zini speaks with YU students about Israel, Jewish responsibility and next-generation leadership.
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During his first visit to the United States since becoming Director of the Shin Bet, Major General (res.) David Zini--one of Israel's most senior security officials--visited Yeshiva University President, Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, and spoke directlywith students about the future of Israel, the Jewish people, and the spiritual strength and wisdom their generation will need to lead in an increasingly complex world.
The visit came amid a consequential U.S. trip focused on national and international security. A former IDF major general and veteran combat commander, Zini met in Washington with FBI Director Kash Patel for discussions on counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, terror financing and emerging security capabilities.
"Director Zini's visit speaks powerfully to the enduring bond between Yeshiva University and the State of Israel and to our distinctive responsibility in the Jewish world," said Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, President of Yeshiva University. "Our mission is to educate students at the highest level and prepare them to lead with moral clarity, courage and conviction. Director Zini has devoted his life to serving Israel and the Jewish people, and the opportunity for our students to learn directly from his example was deeply meaningful."
"One message that particularly stood out from Director Zini was that a leader does not believe that certain tasks are beneath him," said one Yeshiva University student. "Instead, no task is too small, and a strong leader approaches every responsibility with the same level of importance. We are so grateful for the opportunity to hear from such a world leader and impactful figure in Am Yisrael!"
"Director Zini's willingness to listen to our students reflected the very care and responsibility he described as essential qualities of leadership," said another Yeshiva University student.
Drawing on a career spent at the highest levels of Israeli military and national security leadership, Zini described leadership as a profound responsibility rooted in limitless care for others and emphasized the moral strength required to lead during difficult times.
Looking ahead, Zini turned to the extraordinary technological changes students will face as leaders, particularly the accelerating power of artificial intelligence. Greater material capabilities, he told them, must be matched by greater spiritual fortitude.
For Yeshiva University students, the encounter offered a rare opportunity to hear directly from a leader charged with confronting some of the most difficult security challenges facing Israel and the Jewish people, and to consider their own role in shaping what comes next.
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Original text here: https://www.yu.edu/news/featured/high-level-us-security-visit-shin-bet-director-david-zini-brings-message-leadership
Ohio Dominican University Announces Faculty Promotions
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 6 -- Ohio Dominican University issued the following news:
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Ohio Dominican University Announces Faculty Promotions
In recognition of their commitment to teaching and their scholarly and creative contributions, the Ohio Dominican University Board of Trustees has approved the promotions of two faculty members for the 2026-27 academic year. The promotions took effect July 1, 2026.
* Dr. Blake Mathys
Associate Professor of Biology with Tenure - Promoted to Professor of Biology
* Dr. Jeremy Skrzypek
Assistant Professor of Philosophy - Promoted to Associate Professor
... Show Full Article
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 6 -- Ohio Dominican University issued the following news:
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Ohio Dominican University Announces Faculty Promotions
In recognition of their commitment to teaching and their scholarly and creative contributions, the Ohio Dominican University Board of Trustees has approved the promotions of two faculty members for the 2026-27 academic year. The promotions took effect July 1, 2026.
* Dr. Blake Mathys
Associate Professor of Biology with Tenure - Promoted to Professor of Biology
* Dr. Jeremy Skrzypek
Assistant Professor of Philosophy - Promoted to Associate Professorof Philosophy with Tenure
"We are proud to announce the promotions of two outstanding faculty members who demonstrate excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service," said ODU Provost Dr. John Marazita. "Their reach extends beyond the disciplines in which they teach as they lead the Division of Math, Computer and Natural Science, and ODU's Honors Program with dedication and passion."
"Congratulations to Dr. Mathys and Dr. Skrzypek on their well-earned promotions," said ODU President Dr. Shonna Riedlinger. "These exceptional educators embody our mission to prepare our students for successful careers and meaningful lives."
About the Faculty
Dr. Blake Mathys is now a professor of biology at Ohio Dominican University.
Mathys has long been interested in nature and animals. He earned a bachelor's degree in biology, with a minor in field biology, from Ohio Northern University.
Following graduation, Mathys spent several years working as a field biologist, monitoring elephant seals in California, endangered sparrows in the Florida Everglades, and migrating raptors in Washington state.
His doctoral work at Rutgers University focused on birds introduced to islands, which allowed him to conduct fieldwork in Bermuda, Trinidad, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
A native Ohioan, Mathys has returned to the state to inspire Ohio Dominican's young biologists to explore the natural world around them.
Dr. Jeremy Skrzypek is now an associate professor of philosophy with tenure at Ohio Dominican University.
Skrzypek joined the Ohio Dominican philosophy faculty in 2022. Prior to coming to ODU, he taught at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from the State University of New York at Buffalo, a Master of Arts in philosophy from the University of Saskatchewan, and a Ph.D. in philosophy from Saint Louis University.
Skrzypek's primary research areas include metaphysics, medieval philosophy, and philosophical theology. His dissertation focused on hylomorphism, the theory that material objects are composed of both matter and form, and he continues to research and write about how the theory can be understood and applied.
His published work has appeared in Erkenntnis, The European Journal of Philosophy, Synthese, The Journal of Analytic Theology, Oxford Studies in Medieval Philosophy, Analytic Philosophy, and The European Journal for Philosophy of Religion, among other publications.
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Original text here: https://www.ohiodominican.edu/about/campus-news/2026/2026_faculty_promotions.html
Mount St. Joseph University: Swati Chopra Receives United States Senate Recognition for Faculty Excellence
CINCINNATI, Ohio, Sept. 6 -- Mount St. Joseph University issued the following news:
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Swati Chopra Receives United States Senate Recognition for Faculty Excellence
Senate recognition celebrates Swati Chopra's excellence in teaching, mentorship, and creative leadership
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Swati Chopra, Associate Professor of Graphic Design at Mount St. Joseph University, has received the 2026 United States Senate Recognition for Faculty Excellence from Ohio Senator Jon Husted. The recognition marks another meaningful achievement in a year celebrating her work as an educator, mentor, and advocate for student
... Show Full Article
CINCINNATI, Ohio, Sept. 6 -- Mount St. Joseph University issued the following news:
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Swati Chopra Receives United States Senate Recognition for Faculty Excellence
Senate recognition celebrates Swati Chopra's excellence in teaching, mentorship, and creative leadership
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Swati Chopra, Associate Professor of Graphic Design at Mount St. Joseph University, has received the 2026 United States Senate Recognition for Faculty Excellence from Ohio Senator Jon Husted. The recognition marks another meaningful achievement in a year celebrating her work as an educator, mentor, and advocate for studentlearning.
The recognition follows Professor Chopra's 2026 Faculty Excellence Award from the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE) and honors faculty whose leadership and service strengthen higher education in Ohio through teaching, scholarship, mentoring, community engagement, and academic leadership.
At the Mount, Professor Chopra's work centers on helping students grow as designers while building the confidence and professional skills they need beyond the classroom. Throughout the graphic design curriculum, she encourages students to develop strong creative voices, think critically, collaborate thoughtfully, and understand the impact their work can have on others.
One student described that impact in deeply personal terms: "She has helped me believe that I belong not only here at the Mount, but also in the professional world beyond it. That confidence is something I will carry with me long after graduation."
For Professor Chopra, mentorship is about more than helping students complete successful projects. It is also about helping them recognize their own potential. Kylee Adams, a recent Mount graduate, shared, "She encourages us to grow while at the same time making sure that we feel seen, supported, and capable of success."
That philosophy is also at the heart of Design Hub, the faculty-led, student-powered design studio established by Professor Chopra. Through the Hub, students work with real clients on campus, in the community, across the country, and internationally. They gain hands-on experience in branding, communication design, research, collaboration, critique, client communication, and professional practice while seeing their work make an impact beyond a classroom grade.
Professor Chopra is also exploring how emerging technologies can support creativity and learning without replacing the human judgment at the heart of design. Her work with artificial intelligence and design thinking gives students opportunities to experiment, research, question, and create while keeping ethics, reflection, and responsible use central to the process.
A recent MSJ News feature highlighted how that preparation is already carrying into students' professional lives. After accepting a position at Matthew 25, graduating Graphic Design senior Catie Keefer told Professor Chopra, "I wanted to say thank you for exposing us to AI and how to use it in design."
For Professor Chopra, the Senate recognition is especially meaningful because so much of her work begins with students and the possibilities they see for themselves. Whether she is guiding them through a challenging project, encouraging a new idea, or connecting them with professional opportunities, mentorship remains at the center of her teaching.
The recognition celebrates the thoughtful teaching, close mentorship, experiential learning, and creative collaboration that have shaped Professor Chopra's work at the Mount, as well as something harder to measure: the confidence, belonging, and sense of possibility students develop when someone believes in their potential.
Mount St. Joseph University congratulates Professor Swati Chopra on this meaningful recognition and celebrates the care, creativity, and commitment she continues to bring to her students, the Department of Creative Arts, and the wider Mount community.
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Original text here: https://www.msj.edu/news/2026/09/swati-chopra-receives-united-states-senate-recognition-for-faculty-excellence.html
