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 Nebraska: Staff Senate Welcomes New Leaders For 2026-27 Academic Year
LINCOLN, Nebraska, July 25 -- The University of Nebraska posted the following news:
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Staff Senate welcomes new leaders for 2026-27 academic year
By Joann Ross, Office of the Chancellor
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Staff Senate held its annual meeting July 9, marking the official transition of its leadership team.
The Staff Senate announced its executive committee members for the 2026-27 academic year:
* President: Jerri Harner (District 1)
* Vice President for Internal Affairs: Morgan McConnell (District 4)
* Vice President for External Affairs: Doug Pellatz (District 3)
* ... Show Full Article LINCOLN, Nebraska, July 25 -- The University of Nebraska posted the following news: * * * Staff Senate welcomes new leaders for 2026-27 academic year By Joann Ross, Office of the Chancellor The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Staff Senate held its annual meeting July 9, marking the official transition of its leadership team. The Staff Senate announced its executive committee members for the 2026-27 academic year: * President: Jerri Harner (District 1) * Vice President for Internal Affairs: Morgan McConnell (District 4) * Vice President for External Affairs: Doug Pellatz (District 3) *Secretary-Treasurer: Jennifer Rutt (District 7)
This spring, elections were held to fill 12 vacancies as serving senators rotated off. Jennifer Fox, Amy Harrison, Erin Ingram, Jon-Michael McDaniel, Mikeala Petersen, Abby Schletzbaum and Mike Stevens attended their first meetings as senators. Jessie Brophy, Jill Flagel, Sara Guerrero, Jerri Harner, Morgan McConnell and Jennifer Rutt also joined the meeting after being reelected to second three-year terms.
The Staff Senate also welcomed several new affiliates who bring interest, skills and passion to the senate.
The morning session focused on onboarding new members, introducing them to the culture and expectations of serving as senators and highlighting the journey they were beginning as one of professional growth and advocacy. Members learned about the foundations of Staff Senate, opportunities to contribute through committees and districts, and the importance of strategic leadership.
They also learned about the role of the senate's nine standing committees, where much of the organization's work takes place, followed by a discussion of the communications network used by Staff Senate.
The afternoon session expanded attendance to include returning senators and affiliates. It began with a keynote address from Interim Chancellor Katherine S. Ankerson, who highlighted the important role of staff members on campus. Following an icebreaker activity, breakout sessions allowed members to meet first for district strategy meetings and later for committee strategy meetings.
The meeting concluded by honoring staff members who championed the senate's mission over the past year through three leadership award categories:
* Leadership Legacy Awards -- Recognizing outstanding service on the 2025-26 Executive Committee: Jessie Brophy, Jerri Harner, Morgan McConnell, Doug Pellatz and Sara Haake.
* Committee Leadership Awards -- Recognizing excellence in co-leading standing committees: Avery Anderson-Baer, Hilary Butler, Lydia Coulson, Jon Gayer, Aurora Kenworthy, Jaime Mastera, Raul Ochoa, John Re, Andrew Rose, Jennifer Rutt, Garrett Scholberg and Jaclyn Tan.
* District Leadership Awards -- Recognizing impactful advocacy as district leads: Rebecca Baskerville, Matthew Boring, Annalisa Davenport, Blake France, Jerri Harner, Joan Kunzman, Jaime Mastera, Andrea Petersen, Jennifer Rutt and Jaclyn Tan.
The Staff Senate serves as a voice for university staff and meets on the second Thursday of every other month to discuss issues, share updates and provide input on universitywide initiatives. The next Staff Senate meeting will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 13 in the Nebraska Union's Swanson Auditorium. All university staff members are welcome to attend. Future meetings will be held in November, January, March and May.
For more information, visit the Staff Senate website (https://staffsenate.unl.edu/) to contact the senate and subscribe to its quarterly newsletter.
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Original text here: https://news.unl.edu/article/staff-senate-welcomes-new-leaders-for-2026-27-academic-year
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Staff Senate welcomes new leaders for 2026-27 academic year
By Joann Ross, Office of the Chancellor
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Staff Senate held its annual meeting July 9, marking the official transition of its leadership team.
The Staff Senate announced its executive committee members for the 2026-27 academic year:
* President: Jerri Harner (District 1)
* Vice President for Internal Affairs: Morgan McConnell (District 4)
* Vice President for External Affairs: Doug Pellatz (District 3)
* ... Show Full Article LINCOLN, Nebraska, July 25 -- The University of Nebraska posted the following news: * * * Staff Senate welcomes new leaders for 2026-27 academic year By Joann Ross, Office of the Chancellor The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Staff Senate held its annual meeting July 9, marking the official transition of its leadership team. The Staff Senate announced its executive committee members for the 2026-27 academic year: * President: Jerri Harner (District 1) * Vice President for Internal Affairs: Morgan McConnell (District 4) * Vice President for External Affairs: Doug Pellatz (District 3) *Secretary-Treasurer: Jennifer Rutt (District 7)
This spring, elections were held to fill 12 vacancies as serving senators rotated off. Jennifer Fox, Amy Harrison, Erin Ingram, Jon-Michael McDaniel, Mikeala Petersen, Abby Schletzbaum and Mike Stevens attended their first meetings as senators. Jessie Brophy, Jill Flagel, Sara Guerrero, Jerri Harner, Morgan McConnell and Jennifer Rutt also joined the meeting after being reelected to second three-year terms.
The Staff Senate also welcomed several new affiliates who bring interest, skills and passion to the senate.
The morning session focused on onboarding new members, introducing them to the culture and expectations of serving as senators and highlighting the journey they were beginning as one of professional growth and advocacy. Members learned about the foundations of Staff Senate, opportunities to contribute through committees and districts, and the importance of strategic leadership.
They also learned about the role of the senate's nine standing committees, where much of the organization's work takes place, followed by a discussion of the communications network used by Staff Senate.
The afternoon session expanded attendance to include returning senators and affiliates. It began with a keynote address from Interim Chancellor Katherine S. Ankerson, who highlighted the important role of staff members on campus. Following an icebreaker activity, breakout sessions allowed members to meet first for district strategy meetings and later for committee strategy meetings.
The meeting concluded by honoring staff members who championed the senate's mission over the past year through three leadership award categories:
* Leadership Legacy Awards -- Recognizing outstanding service on the 2025-26 Executive Committee: Jessie Brophy, Jerri Harner, Morgan McConnell, Doug Pellatz and Sara Haake.
* Committee Leadership Awards -- Recognizing excellence in co-leading standing committees: Avery Anderson-Baer, Hilary Butler, Lydia Coulson, Jon Gayer, Aurora Kenworthy, Jaime Mastera, Raul Ochoa, John Re, Andrew Rose, Jennifer Rutt, Garrett Scholberg and Jaclyn Tan.
* District Leadership Awards -- Recognizing impactful advocacy as district leads: Rebecca Baskerville, Matthew Boring, Annalisa Davenport, Blake France, Jerri Harner, Joan Kunzman, Jaime Mastera, Andrea Petersen, Jennifer Rutt and Jaclyn Tan.
The Staff Senate serves as a voice for university staff and meets on the second Thursday of every other month to discuss issues, share updates and provide input on universitywide initiatives. The next Staff Senate meeting will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 13 in the Nebraska Union's Swanson Auditorium. All university staff members are welcome to attend. Future meetings will be held in November, January, March and May.
For more information, visit the Staff Senate website (https://staffsenate.unl.edu/) to contact the senate and subscribe to its quarterly newsletter.
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Original text here: https://news.unl.edu/article/staff-senate-welcomes-new-leaders-for-2026-27-academic-year
University of Cincinnati Experts Say Proper Produce Washing is Key Defense Against Cyclospora
CINCINNATI, Ohio, July 25 -- The University of Cincinnati posted the following news:
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UC experts say proper produce washing is key defense against Cyclospora
Hamilton County reports confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis as doctors outline steps to reduce risk
By Megan Burgasser, burgasma@ucmail.uc.edu
Hamilton County Public Health reports confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis as concerns persist. Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause a stomach illness lasting days -- sometimes even weeks. University of Cincinnati medical experts say it is usually linked to contaminated water or food, often ... Show Full Article CINCINNATI, Ohio, July 25 -- The University of Cincinnati posted the following news: * * * UC experts say proper produce washing is key defense against Cyclospora Hamilton County reports confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis as doctors outline steps to reduce risk By Megan Burgasser, burgasma@ucmail.uc.edu Hamilton County Public Health reports confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis as concerns persist. Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause a stomach illness lasting days -- sometimes even weeks. University of Cincinnati medical experts say it is usually linked to contaminated water or food, oftenfresh produce.
Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, a UC professor of internal medicine and an infectious diseases researcher, recently told Fox 19 Now that a quick rinse may not be enough to remove cyclospora from food. The parasite can latch onto produce, making it resistant to a simple wash with water alone.
Fichtenbaum said that using a small amount of dish soap -- followed by a thorough rinse -- can help dislodge anything clinging to the surface.
"It's got antibacterial properties, and it is also very good for dislodging parasites from things," said Fichtenbaum.
"People should be cleaning their fresh produce very carefully," Fichtenbaum told Spectrum News 1 Ohio. "Take a little scrub brush, some dish soap and some water and wash it for anywhere between five to 15 seconds."
Past outbreaks have centered on produce that many families buy regularly, Fichtenbaum said.
"Most of the outbreaks we've seen have been on sort of leafy kinds of vegetables, snap peas, cilantro, lettuce, things like that," he said.
After handling produce, Fichtenbaum said hand-washing is a critical final step.
"Then you really want to wash your hands with soap and water for 30 seconds. Sing the 'Happy Birthday' song. That way you know you've done it long enough," he said.
Fichtenbaum told Medical News Today that if you suspect you or a family member has been infected with cyclospora, you should contact your doctor.
"Testing requires specific tests to look for cyclospora in a fecal sample. Some people with immunocompromised conditions can have more severe cases resulting in the need for hospitalization, largely due to dehydration and low blood pressure," said Fichtenbaum.
Read the full Medical News Today story (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cyclospora-explained-7-medical-experts-how-spreads-how-to-protect-yourself#Tips-for-protecting-yourself-from-cyclospora).
Read the full Fox 19 Now story (https://www.fox19.com/2026/07/16/health-officials-say-proper-produce-washing-is-key-defense-against-cyclospora/).
Read the full Spectrum News 1 Ohio story (https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2026/07/17/local-growers-cyclosporiasis).
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Original text here: https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2026/07/uc-experts-say-proper-produce-washing-is-key-defense-against-cyclospora.html
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UC experts say proper produce washing is key defense against Cyclospora
Hamilton County reports confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis as doctors outline steps to reduce risk
By Megan Burgasser, burgasma@ucmail.uc.edu
Hamilton County Public Health reports confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis as concerns persist. Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause a stomach illness lasting days -- sometimes even weeks. University of Cincinnati medical experts say it is usually linked to contaminated water or food, often ... Show Full Article CINCINNATI, Ohio, July 25 -- The University of Cincinnati posted the following news: * * * UC experts say proper produce washing is key defense against Cyclospora Hamilton County reports confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis as doctors outline steps to reduce risk By Megan Burgasser, burgasma@ucmail.uc.edu Hamilton County Public Health reports confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis as concerns persist. Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause a stomach illness lasting days -- sometimes even weeks. University of Cincinnati medical experts say it is usually linked to contaminated water or food, oftenfresh produce.
Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, a UC professor of internal medicine and an infectious diseases researcher, recently told Fox 19 Now that a quick rinse may not be enough to remove cyclospora from food. The parasite can latch onto produce, making it resistant to a simple wash with water alone.
Fichtenbaum said that using a small amount of dish soap -- followed by a thorough rinse -- can help dislodge anything clinging to the surface.
"It's got antibacterial properties, and it is also very good for dislodging parasites from things," said Fichtenbaum.
"People should be cleaning their fresh produce very carefully," Fichtenbaum told Spectrum News 1 Ohio. "Take a little scrub brush, some dish soap and some water and wash it for anywhere between five to 15 seconds."
Past outbreaks have centered on produce that many families buy regularly, Fichtenbaum said.
"Most of the outbreaks we've seen have been on sort of leafy kinds of vegetables, snap peas, cilantro, lettuce, things like that," he said.
After handling produce, Fichtenbaum said hand-washing is a critical final step.
"Then you really want to wash your hands with soap and water for 30 seconds. Sing the 'Happy Birthday' song. That way you know you've done it long enough," he said.
Fichtenbaum told Medical News Today that if you suspect you or a family member has been infected with cyclospora, you should contact your doctor.
"Testing requires specific tests to look for cyclospora in a fecal sample. Some people with immunocompromised conditions can have more severe cases resulting in the need for hospitalization, largely due to dehydration and low blood pressure," said Fichtenbaum.
Read the full Medical News Today story (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cyclospora-explained-7-medical-experts-how-spreads-how-to-protect-yourself#Tips-for-protecting-yourself-from-cyclospora).
Read the full Fox 19 Now story (https://www.fox19.com/2026/07/16/health-officials-say-proper-produce-washing-is-key-defense-against-cyclospora/).
Read the full Spectrum News 1 Ohio story (https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2026/07/17/local-growers-cyclosporiasis).
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Original text here: https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2026/07/uc-experts-say-proper-produce-washing-is-key-defense-against-cyclospora.html
Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station Selects Dell Technologies to Build a Secure AI Platform for National Research
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, July 25 -- The Texas A&M University College of Engineering issued the following news:
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Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station selects Dell Technologies to build a secure AI platform for national research
A state-funded initiative will provide Texas A&M researchers, students and collaborators with access to a secure, next-generation AI computing environment designed to support increasingly complex research and innovation.
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Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) has selected Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) to design and build the Innovative Growth in Next ... Show Full Article COLLEGE STATION, Texas, July 25 -- The Texas A&M University College of Engineering issued the following news: * * * Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station selects Dell Technologies to build a secure AI platform for national research A state-funded initiative will provide Texas A&M researchers, students and collaborators with access to a secure, next-generation AI computing environment designed to support increasingly complex research and innovation. - Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) has selected Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) to design and build the Innovative Growth in NextGeneration AI Technology Ecosystem (IGNITE), a new AI and high-performance computing (HPC) platform. Funded by the State of Texas, IGNITE will support large scale, AI-driven research across engineering, national security, scientific discovery and other research disciplines using shared infrastructure built to handle workloads with varying security requirements.
IGNITE is designed to scale alongside growing research demands and is expected to be among the largest AI deployments in higher education powered by AMD Instinct(TM) MI355X GPUs, supporting the next generation of HPC- and AI-driven research.
Why it matters
As federal research programs face greater complexity and security requirements, the infrastructure to support them has become as strategic as the research itself. TEES is the official research agency for Texas A&M Engineering and is pivotal in advancing interdisciplinary research across The Texas A&M University System. As part of a land-, sea- and space-grant R1 university, TEES leads federally sponsored programs spanning energy, healthcare, AI and more.
IGNITE will expand TEES' capacity to take on increasingly complex research programs. This includes several priority research areas that require large-scale scientific computation, such as mission-critical AI model and LLM development, materials discovery, advanced manufacturing, robotics and defense- and aerospace-related research, where requirements for data governance and security vary by program and sponsor.
A new model for secure, shared research infrastructure
Dell AI Services experts worked with TEES throughout the planning and design process to align the architecture to both research priorities and security requirements. IGNITE introduces a shared infrastructure model governed by policy-based, zero trust security controls. Researchers, students and external collaborators can access shared compute resources across projects with varying security requirements, without the cost and complexity of separate, siloed environments.
Designing a secure, scalable AI research environment
IGNITE will feature Dell PowerRack systems with liquid-cooled Dell PowerEdge XE9785L servers and AMD Instinct MI355X GPUs to accelerate AI training, inference, HPC and other data-intensive workloads across research programs. The data foundation is anchored by Dell AI Data Platform storage (Dell PowerScale) will deliver high-performance data access and management for large-scale research environments, while Dell Managed Services will support ongoing operations as research demands grow.
Dell will deploy the integrated systems in a Texas-based Equinix International Business Exchange (IBX) data center in Dallas.
Building on a long-standing collaboration in research and education
IGNITE builds on a long-standing relationship between Dell and the Texas A&M University System. Dell solutions already power Texas A&M HPC ecosystems, including systems such as FASTER, Grace, ACES and Launch.
The collaboration also extends into incubation environments, where researchers and students develop practical AI skills, and into the classroom, where Dell tools and AI-powered solutions are preparing the next generation of engineers, scientists and business leaders.
Perspectives
"As a research organization with more than a century of experience supporting federal agencies, industry and academia, we are constantly evolving to meet the needs of the programs we serve," said Dr. Robert H. Bishop, vice chancellor and dean, Texas A&M Engineering. "This platform we're building with Dell Technologies expands what we can take on -- supporting increasingly complex, secure research for years to come. It aligns technology investment to long-term institutional priorities while positioning TEES to support the research programs that matter most to the nation."
"The future of research depends on providing researchers and students with access to the right technologies, the right expertise and the freedom to innovate. IGNITE advances The Texas A&M University System's commitment to expanding access to next-generation computing environments that support AI-driven research, high-performance workloads and emerging technologies, said Dr. Vince Kellen, chief information officer, The Texas A&M University System. "Through collaboration with industry leaders such as Dell Technologies, AMD and Equinix, we are building a flexible and scalable platform that accelerates discovery, strengthens workforce development and creates new opportunities for partnership across academia, government and industry."
"Universities like Texas A&M are at the center of research that shapes national security, economic growth and scientific discovery," said Fran Bogle, senior vice president, Higher Education and Healthcare, Dell Technologies. "IGNITE gives TEES the AI and compute foundation to compete for the next generation of federal and state research programs - with security controls that keep sensitive data protected without limiting access for the researchers and collaborators who need it. That's the kind of partnership, from architecture and design to managed services, that defines how Dell works with leading research universities."
"As research grows more complex, institutions need infrastructure that can support both AI and traditional high-performance computing," said Thomas Zacharia, senior vice president, Strategic Technical Partnerships and Public Policy, AMD. "Powered by AMD Instinct GPUs, IGNITE will provide a flexible platform for both large-scale AI training and traditional HPC workloads, enabling researchers to accelerate discovery across engineering, national security and scientific research."
"Modern research environments generate and depend on massive volumes of data, requiring secure, sovereign and scalable infrastructure that can support advanced computing workloads," said Kevin Thames, vice president, Americas Partner Ecosystem, Equinix. "Through our collaboration with Dell Technologies, Equinix will provide the resilient connectivity, ecosystem and secure data center foundation needed to support IGNITE's growth, helping enable groundbreaking research and innovation across industry, government and academic communities."
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Original text here: https://news.engineering.tamu.edu/news/2026/07/24/texas-am-engineering-experiment-station-selects-dell-technologies-to-build-a-secure-ai-platform-for-national-research/
* * *
Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station selects Dell Technologies to build a secure AI platform for national research
A state-funded initiative will provide Texas A&M researchers, students and collaborators with access to a secure, next-generation AI computing environment designed to support increasingly complex research and innovation.
-
Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) has selected Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) to design and build the Innovative Growth in Next ... Show Full Article COLLEGE STATION, Texas, July 25 -- The Texas A&M University College of Engineering issued the following news: * * * Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station selects Dell Technologies to build a secure AI platform for national research A state-funded initiative will provide Texas A&M researchers, students and collaborators with access to a secure, next-generation AI computing environment designed to support increasingly complex research and innovation. - Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) has selected Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) to design and build the Innovative Growth in NextGeneration AI Technology Ecosystem (IGNITE), a new AI and high-performance computing (HPC) platform. Funded by the State of Texas, IGNITE will support large scale, AI-driven research across engineering, national security, scientific discovery and other research disciplines using shared infrastructure built to handle workloads with varying security requirements.
IGNITE is designed to scale alongside growing research demands and is expected to be among the largest AI deployments in higher education powered by AMD Instinct(TM) MI355X GPUs, supporting the next generation of HPC- and AI-driven research.
Why it matters
As federal research programs face greater complexity and security requirements, the infrastructure to support them has become as strategic as the research itself. TEES is the official research agency for Texas A&M Engineering and is pivotal in advancing interdisciplinary research across The Texas A&M University System. As part of a land-, sea- and space-grant R1 university, TEES leads federally sponsored programs spanning energy, healthcare, AI and more.
IGNITE will expand TEES' capacity to take on increasingly complex research programs. This includes several priority research areas that require large-scale scientific computation, such as mission-critical AI model and LLM development, materials discovery, advanced manufacturing, robotics and defense- and aerospace-related research, where requirements for data governance and security vary by program and sponsor.
A new model for secure, shared research infrastructure
Dell AI Services experts worked with TEES throughout the planning and design process to align the architecture to both research priorities and security requirements. IGNITE introduces a shared infrastructure model governed by policy-based, zero trust security controls. Researchers, students and external collaborators can access shared compute resources across projects with varying security requirements, without the cost and complexity of separate, siloed environments.
Designing a secure, scalable AI research environment
IGNITE will feature Dell PowerRack systems with liquid-cooled Dell PowerEdge XE9785L servers and AMD Instinct MI355X GPUs to accelerate AI training, inference, HPC and other data-intensive workloads across research programs. The data foundation is anchored by Dell AI Data Platform storage (Dell PowerScale) will deliver high-performance data access and management for large-scale research environments, while Dell Managed Services will support ongoing operations as research demands grow.
Dell will deploy the integrated systems in a Texas-based Equinix International Business Exchange (IBX) data center in Dallas.
Building on a long-standing collaboration in research and education
IGNITE builds on a long-standing relationship between Dell and the Texas A&M University System. Dell solutions already power Texas A&M HPC ecosystems, including systems such as FASTER, Grace, ACES and Launch.
The collaboration also extends into incubation environments, where researchers and students develop practical AI skills, and into the classroom, where Dell tools and AI-powered solutions are preparing the next generation of engineers, scientists and business leaders.
Perspectives
"As a research organization with more than a century of experience supporting federal agencies, industry and academia, we are constantly evolving to meet the needs of the programs we serve," said Dr. Robert H. Bishop, vice chancellor and dean, Texas A&M Engineering. "This platform we're building with Dell Technologies expands what we can take on -- supporting increasingly complex, secure research for years to come. It aligns technology investment to long-term institutional priorities while positioning TEES to support the research programs that matter most to the nation."
"The future of research depends on providing researchers and students with access to the right technologies, the right expertise and the freedom to innovate. IGNITE advances The Texas A&M University System's commitment to expanding access to next-generation computing environments that support AI-driven research, high-performance workloads and emerging technologies, said Dr. Vince Kellen, chief information officer, The Texas A&M University System. "Through collaboration with industry leaders such as Dell Technologies, AMD and Equinix, we are building a flexible and scalable platform that accelerates discovery, strengthens workforce development and creates new opportunities for partnership across academia, government and industry."
"Universities like Texas A&M are at the center of research that shapes national security, economic growth and scientific discovery," said Fran Bogle, senior vice president, Higher Education and Healthcare, Dell Technologies. "IGNITE gives TEES the AI and compute foundation to compete for the next generation of federal and state research programs - with security controls that keep sensitive data protected without limiting access for the researchers and collaborators who need it. That's the kind of partnership, from architecture and design to managed services, that defines how Dell works with leading research universities."
"As research grows more complex, institutions need infrastructure that can support both AI and traditional high-performance computing," said Thomas Zacharia, senior vice president, Strategic Technical Partnerships and Public Policy, AMD. "Powered by AMD Instinct GPUs, IGNITE will provide a flexible platform for both large-scale AI training and traditional HPC workloads, enabling researchers to accelerate discovery across engineering, national security and scientific research."
"Modern research environments generate and depend on massive volumes of data, requiring secure, sovereign and scalable infrastructure that can support advanced computing workloads," said Kevin Thames, vice president, Americas Partner Ecosystem, Equinix. "Through our collaboration with Dell Technologies, Equinix will provide the resilient connectivity, ecosystem and secure data center foundation needed to support IGNITE's growth, helping enable groundbreaking research and innovation across industry, government and academic communities."
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Original text here: https://news.engineering.tamu.edu/news/2026/07/24/texas-am-engineering-experiment-station-selects-dell-technologies-to-build-a-secure-ai-platform-for-national-research/
Cohn Fellowship Supports Rush University Faculty
CHICAGO, Illinois, July 25 -- Rush University issued the following news:
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Cohn Fellowship Supports Rush University Faculty
Rush University recently selected five faculty members as Cohn Fellows who will receive grant support for their research across a variety of disciplines.
Each year, the Cohn Family Foundation provides grant funding to support junior faculty at Rush University who are participating as mentees in the Rush Research Mentoring Program.
Selected mentees receive support to gather preliminary data for research proposals and to advance their ongoing research activities. ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, July 25 -- Rush University issued the following news: * * * Cohn Fellowship Supports Rush University Faculty Rush University recently selected five faculty members as Cohn Fellows who will receive grant support for their research across a variety of disciplines. Each year, the Cohn Family Foundation provides grant funding to support junior faculty at Rush University who are participating as mentees in the Rush Research Mentoring Program. Selected mentees receive support to gather preliminary data for research proposals and to advance their ongoing research activities.This support is imperative because faculty -- particularly early-career faculty -- may struggle to find the time for research and other scholarly activities.
"Faculty are the stewards of the university's mission. They are the driving force behind discovery, education, innovation, and clinical excellence to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve." says Julie Hoff, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, provost, Rush University. "Their time and efforts are invaluable, and it's important to us that they are given the support and time needed to achieve their goals while educating, mentoring, and professionally forming the next generation of healthcare professionals."
Through pilot grant funding and protected time for research, the Cohn Fellowship has significantly enhanced the academic progress of recipients. Recipients have gone on to secure extramural funding; produce peer-reviewed publications; present at regional, national and international conferences; and achieve academic promotion.
"Securing funding at such an early stage in their careers not only advances the incredible work these researchers do, but goes on to benefit our community," says Hoff. "Rush is committed to advancing translational research and implementation science by finding innovative solutions and putting them into practice at the bedside and throughout our communities."
Five RRMP mentees are chosen annually through a competitive review process, with funding distributed equally among the awardees.
Please join us in congratulating this year's fellows.
* Brittany M. Wilson, PhD
Brittany Wilson, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Rush Medical College. Her research focuses on musculoskeletal outcomes associated with disruptions in fetal development and preterm birth. Utilizing a combination of translational animal models and human tissues, along with advanced skeletal imaging modalities and measurement techniques, Wilson aims to deeply characterize bone development and mineral metabolism after preterm birth and other early life development disruptions.
As a Cohn Fellow, Wilson intends to improve the understanding and management of bone mineral balance during early postnatal life after preterm birth and determine if stable calcium isotopes are useful in diagnosing and monitoring metabolic bone disease of prematurity in infants.
* John Martin, PhD
John Martin, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush Medical College. For more than a decade, Martin has studied degeneration, regeneration and physical function of the musculoskeletal system, primarily the spine. His early work in regenerative medicine included developing injectable therapies and engineered tissues to improve or replace the intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine, a tissue that naturally degenerates with age and is implicated in low back pain. To monitor regeneration, his work progressed to developing in vivo imaging tools to quantify soft tissue structure, composition, function and physiology. Martin has developed expertise in human MRI, CT and PET imaging analyses and built data science tools to link imaging information with patient factors.
Martin's research group takes a holistic approach to low back pain by integrating the drivers of spine disease with the circumstances of the patient, from degenerative disc disease to the social determinants of health.
* Kevin Buell, MBBS, MS
Kevin Buell, MBBS, MS, is an assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Rush Medical College. His research aims to individualize and improve care for critically ill patients. As a steering member of the Common Longitudinal ICU data Format consortium, he uses a federated approach across 10 U.S. health centers to apply novel biostatistical, data science and machine learning techniques to large, nationally representative observational data from the electronic health record and to study associations between care variations and patient outcomes. By conducting prospective, randomized, pragmatic clinical trials, he also identifies the definitive causal effect of care variations on patient outcomes. His research areas include antimicrobial stewardship, bag-mask ventilation, tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation.
As a Cohn Fellow, Buell will look to quantify the variability and determinants that drive broad-spectrum antibiotic use and prevent antibiotic de-escalation. By defining patient, clinician, and geographic contributions to broad-spectrum antibiotic use and de-escalation, this research will help shift antimicrobial stewardship from a one-size-fits-all approach toward data-driven interventions grounded in objective measures of antibiotic broadness. This work will identify key predictors of broad-spectrum antibiotic use and de-escalation, which will subsequently be used to develop and validate real-time clinical decision support tools that incorporate data on dynamic patient trajectories, clinician prescribing patterns and ICU culture.
* Phillip Malloy PT, PhD
Phillp Malloy, PT, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush Medical College. He serves as the director of the Movement and Applied Rehabilitation Science Laboratory. His research focuses on understanding the biomechanical factors that may contribute to symptom development or can become altered in people with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome. His long-term research goal is to use human movement biomechanical data to inform rehabilitation treatment progressions for patients electing both non-operative and operative interventions for FAIS.
Malloy's Cohn Fellowship will longitudinally assess changes in biomechanics during postoperative rehabilitation in patients with FAIS following hip arthroscopic surgery. This research will build on his prior longitudinal work that measured patients between six and 12 months after surgery by assessing patients at early -- less than or equal to three months -- postoperative time points, which is when patients are still receiving postoperative rehabilitation. This work will also implement a battery of standardized clinical movement tests to promote clinical translation to rehabilitation treatment progressions after hip surgery for FAIS. The Cohn Fellowship will provide the necessary foundational data for a future rehabilitation intervention clinical trial in people with FAIS.
* Samantha Addante, PhD
Samantha Addante, PhD, is an assistant professor and licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Rush Medical College. Her research focuses on developing and implementing service delivery models to improve identification and treatment of perinatal posttraumatic stress disorder, with an emphasis on translating evidence-based trauma interventions into real-world obstetric and community settings.
Her Cohn Fellowship project centers on developing and testing an integrated care model designed to embed PPTSD screening, referral pathways and evidence-based trauma treatment into OB clinics. Through stakeholder engagement and implementation science methods, this work aims to identify barriers to care and pilot strategies that improve uptake of trauma-focused services during pregnancy and postpartum. This research will generate critical preliminary data to support scalable, sustainable approaches to perinatal mental health care, with the long-term goal of improving maternal mental health and reducing intergenerational impacts of trauma.
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Original text here: https://www.rushu.rush.edu/news/cohn-fellowship-supports-rush-university-faculty
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Cohn Fellowship Supports Rush University Faculty
Rush University recently selected five faculty members as Cohn Fellows who will receive grant support for their research across a variety of disciplines.
Each year, the Cohn Family Foundation provides grant funding to support junior faculty at Rush University who are participating as mentees in the Rush Research Mentoring Program.
Selected mentees receive support to gather preliminary data for research proposals and to advance their ongoing research activities. ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, July 25 -- Rush University issued the following news: * * * Cohn Fellowship Supports Rush University Faculty Rush University recently selected five faculty members as Cohn Fellows who will receive grant support for their research across a variety of disciplines. Each year, the Cohn Family Foundation provides grant funding to support junior faculty at Rush University who are participating as mentees in the Rush Research Mentoring Program. Selected mentees receive support to gather preliminary data for research proposals and to advance their ongoing research activities.This support is imperative because faculty -- particularly early-career faculty -- may struggle to find the time for research and other scholarly activities.
"Faculty are the stewards of the university's mission. They are the driving force behind discovery, education, innovation, and clinical excellence to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve." says Julie Hoff, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, provost, Rush University. "Their time and efforts are invaluable, and it's important to us that they are given the support and time needed to achieve their goals while educating, mentoring, and professionally forming the next generation of healthcare professionals."
Through pilot grant funding and protected time for research, the Cohn Fellowship has significantly enhanced the academic progress of recipients. Recipients have gone on to secure extramural funding; produce peer-reviewed publications; present at regional, national and international conferences; and achieve academic promotion.
"Securing funding at such an early stage in their careers not only advances the incredible work these researchers do, but goes on to benefit our community," says Hoff. "Rush is committed to advancing translational research and implementation science by finding innovative solutions and putting them into practice at the bedside and throughout our communities."
Five RRMP mentees are chosen annually through a competitive review process, with funding distributed equally among the awardees.
Please join us in congratulating this year's fellows.
* Brittany M. Wilson, PhD
Brittany Wilson, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Rush Medical College. Her research focuses on musculoskeletal outcomes associated with disruptions in fetal development and preterm birth. Utilizing a combination of translational animal models and human tissues, along with advanced skeletal imaging modalities and measurement techniques, Wilson aims to deeply characterize bone development and mineral metabolism after preterm birth and other early life development disruptions.
As a Cohn Fellow, Wilson intends to improve the understanding and management of bone mineral balance during early postnatal life after preterm birth and determine if stable calcium isotopes are useful in diagnosing and monitoring metabolic bone disease of prematurity in infants.
* John Martin, PhD
John Martin, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush Medical College. For more than a decade, Martin has studied degeneration, regeneration and physical function of the musculoskeletal system, primarily the spine. His early work in regenerative medicine included developing injectable therapies and engineered tissues to improve or replace the intervertebral disc of the lumbar spine, a tissue that naturally degenerates with age and is implicated in low back pain. To monitor regeneration, his work progressed to developing in vivo imaging tools to quantify soft tissue structure, composition, function and physiology. Martin has developed expertise in human MRI, CT and PET imaging analyses and built data science tools to link imaging information with patient factors.
Martin's research group takes a holistic approach to low back pain by integrating the drivers of spine disease with the circumstances of the patient, from degenerative disc disease to the social determinants of health.
* Kevin Buell, MBBS, MS
Kevin Buell, MBBS, MS, is an assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Rush Medical College. His research aims to individualize and improve care for critically ill patients. As a steering member of the Common Longitudinal ICU data Format consortium, he uses a federated approach across 10 U.S. health centers to apply novel biostatistical, data science and machine learning techniques to large, nationally representative observational data from the electronic health record and to study associations between care variations and patient outcomes. By conducting prospective, randomized, pragmatic clinical trials, he also identifies the definitive causal effect of care variations on patient outcomes. His research areas include antimicrobial stewardship, bag-mask ventilation, tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation.
As a Cohn Fellow, Buell will look to quantify the variability and determinants that drive broad-spectrum antibiotic use and prevent antibiotic de-escalation. By defining patient, clinician, and geographic contributions to broad-spectrum antibiotic use and de-escalation, this research will help shift antimicrobial stewardship from a one-size-fits-all approach toward data-driven interventions grounded in objective measures of antibiotic broadness. This work will identify key predictors of broad-spectrum antibiotic use and de-escalation, which will subsequently be used to develop and validate real-time clinical decision support tools that incorporate data on dynamic patient trajectories, clinician prescribing patterns and ICU culture.
* Phillip Malloy PT, PhD
Phillp Malloy, PT, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush Medical College. He serves as the director of the Movement and Applied Rehabilitation Science Laboratory. His research focuses on understanding the biomechanical factors that may contribute to symptom development or can become altered in people with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome. His long-term research goal is to use human movement biomechanical data to inform rehabilitation treatment progressions for patients electing both non-operative and operative interventions for FAIS.
Malloy's Cohn Fellowship will longitudinally assess changes in biomechanics during postoperative rehabilitation in patients with FAIS following hip arthroscopic surgery. This research will build on his prior longitudinal work that measured patients between six and 12 months after surgery by assessing patients at early -- less than or equal to three months -- postoperative time points, which is when patients are still receiving postoperative rehabilitation. This work will also implement a battery of standardized clinical movement tests to promote clinical translation to rehabilitation treatment progressions after hip surgery for FAIS. The Cohn Fellowship will provide the necessary foundational data for a future rehabilitation intervention clinical trial in people with FAIS.
* Samantha Addante, PhD
Samantha Addante, PhD, is an assistant professor and licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Rush Medical College. Her research focuses on developing and implementing service delivery models to improve identification and treatment of perinatal posttraumatic stress disorder, with an emphasis on translating evidence-based trauma interventions into real-world obstetric and community settings.
Her Cohn Fellowship project centers on developing and testing an integrated care model designed to embed PPTSD screening, referral pathways and evidence-based trauma treatment into OB clinics. Through stakeholder engagement and implementation science methods, this work aims to identify barriers to care and pilot strategies that improve uptake of trauma-focused services during pregnancy and postpartum. This research will generate critical preliminary data to support scalable, sustainable approaches to perinatal mental health care, with the long-term goal of improving maternal mental health and reducing intergenerational impacts of trauma.
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Original text here: https://www.rushu.rush.edu/news/cohn-fellowship-supports-rush-university-faculty
Case Western Reserve University Partnering With Argonne National Laboratory on Genesis Mission Grant to Harness Power of AI to Unlock Recycling of Nuclear Fuel
CLEVELAND, Ohio, July 25 -- Case Western Reserve University issued the following news:
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Case Western Reserve University partnering with Argonne National Laboratory on Genesis Mission grant to harness power of AI to unlock recycling of nuclear fuel
"The selection of this project for Genesis funding is yet another reflection of Case School of Engineering faculty's research excellence in electrochemical engineering."
-
Case Western Reserve University has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a coveted Genesis Mission Phase I award as part of a project team led by Argonne ... Show Full Article CLEVELAND, Ohio, July 25 -- Case Western Reserve University issued the following news: * * * Case Western Reserve University partnering with Argonne National Laboratory on Genesis Mission grant to harness power of AI to unlock recycling of nuclear fuel "The selection of this project for Genesis funding is yet another reflection of Case School of Engineering faculty's research excellence in electrochemical engineering." - Case Western Reserve University has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a coveted Genesis Mission Phase I award as part of a project team led by ArgonneNational Laboratory to investigate how to use artificial intelligence (AI) to help scientists recycle used nuclear fuel.
The project, one of 278 chosen to receive funding through the first phase of the DOE's Genesis Mission, is a partnership among Argonne, Case Western Reserve and Oklo Inc., a nuclear power company headquartered in Santa Clara, California.
The awards, announced this week at the DOE's Genesis Summit in Washington, D.C., are designed to double the nation's scientific productivity by bringing together world-class scientific capabilities, advanced AI, high-performance computing and the nation's leading researchers across academia, industry and national labs to accelerate breakthroughs in energy, discovery science and national security.
The CWRU team is led by Rohan Akolkar, the Milton and Tamar Maltz Professor of Energy Innovation at Case School of Engineering, and his laboratory.
The award is a reflection of Case Western Reserve faculty's research excellence in the field of electrochemical engineering, said Susan Hagness, Charles H. Phipps Dean of the Case School of Engineering.
"This Genesis award to Argonne, CWRU and Oklo Inc. builds on a rich history of research collaborations at CWRU involving public-private partnerships," Hagness said. "Our faculty in the Case School of Engineering have long recognized the value of collaborating with the national labs to tackle critical challenges in energy research. These partnerships are a strategic priority for us, as exemplified by the growing number of Case School of Engineering faculty with joint appointments at the national labs."
Argonne National Laboratory has led the development of used nuclear fuel recycling through a method called pyroprocessing for more than 20 years. Expanding U.S. nuclear capacity will require recycling used nuclear fuel--more than 95% of which is still recyclable material.
The Phase I project aims to remove that barrier by building an AI-enabled digital twin of the process: a live software model that lets engineers predict facility behavior and reduce time to license before construction begins.
Working with CWRU and Oklo, the Argonne team will develop a digital twin for the first stage of pyroprocessing, in which used fuel is converted from an oxide into base metals--a step known as oxide reduction.
The team will be training and calibrating the model on Argonne's oxide-reduction experimental data. AI agents built around the digital twin will handle data preparation, model tuning, real-time anomaly detection and automated regulatory documentation, allowing the team to iterate on facility designs in software rather than through repeated physical experiments.
Akolkar, a renowned electrochemical engineer whose research at CWRU includes developing new processes in energy storage, semiconductors and electrometallurgy, will be tasked with developing a physics informed neural network, or PINN--an AI system that runs experiments and makes predictions while incorporating the chemistry and physics equations that govern real action to ensure more accurate outcomes.
"The Argonne National Laboratory has been a strategic partner to my lab on many electrochemical projects--from electrosynthesis of metals to nuclear fuel processing and even novel battery materials," he said. "The Genesis Mission award to our team is a unique opportunity to integrate AI into electrochemistry, a capability that I hope will have far-reaching impacts in research and innovation as well as graduate education."
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Original text here: https://case.edu/news/case-western-reserve-university-partnering-argonne-national-laboratory-genesis-mission-grant-harness-power-ai-unlock-recycling-nuclear-fuel
* * *
Case Western Reserve University partnering with Argonne National Laboratory on Genesis Mission grant to harness power of AI to unlock recycling of nuclear fuel
"The selection of this project for Genesis funding is yet another reflection of Case School of Engineering faculty's research excellence in electrochemical engineering."
-
Case Western Reserve University has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a coveted Genesis Mission Phase I award as part of a project team led by Argonne ... Show Full Article CLEVELAND, Ohio, July 25 -- Case Western Reserve University issued the following news: * * * Case Western Reserve University partnering with Argonne National Laboratory on Genesis Mission grant to harness power of AI to unlock recycling of nuclear fuel "The selection of this project for Genesis funding is yet another reflection of Case School of Engineering faculty's research excellence in electrochemical engineering." - Case Western Reserve University has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a coveted Genesis Mission Phase I award as part of a project team led by ArgonneNational Laboratory to investigate how to use artificial intelligence (AI) to help scientists recycle used nuclear fuel.
The project, one of 278 chosen to receive funding through the first phase of the DOE's Genesis Mission, is a partnership among Argonne, Case Western Reserve and Oklo Inc., a nuclear power company headquartered in Santa Clara, California.
The awards, announced this week at the DOE's Genesis Summit in Washington, D.C., are designed to double the nation's scientific productivity by bringing together world-class scientific capabilities, advanced AI, high-performance computing and the nation's leading researchers across academia, industry and national labs to accelerate breakthroughs in energy, discovery science and national security.
The CWRU team is led by Rohan Akolkar, the Milton and Tamar Maltz Professor of Energy Innovation at Case School of Engineering, and his laboratory.
The award is a reflection of Case Western Reserve faculty's research excellence in the field of electrochemical engineering, said Susan Hagness, Charles H. Phipps Dean of the Case School of Engineering.
"This Genesis award to Argonne, CWRU and Oklo Inc. builds on a rich history of research collaborations at CWRU involving public-private partnerships," Hagness said. "Our faculty in the Case School of Engineering have long recognized the value of collaborating with the national labs to tackle critical challenges in energy research. These partnerships are a strategic priority for us, as exemplified by the growing number of Case School of Engineering faculty with joint appointments at the national labs."
Argonne National Laboratory has led the development of used nuclear fuel recycling through a method called pyroprocessing for more than 20 years. Expanding U.S. nuclear capacity will require recycling used nuclear fuel--more than 95% of which is still recyclable material.
The Phase I project aims to remove that barrier by building an AI-enabled digital twin of the process: a live software model that lets engineers predict facility behavior and reduce time to license before construction begins.
Working with CWRU and Oklo, the Argonne team will develop a digital twin for the first stage of pyroprocessing, in which used fuel is converted from an oxide into base metals--a step known as oxide reduction.
The team will be training and calibrating the model on Argonne's oxide-reduction experimental data. AI agents built around the digital twin will handle data preparation, model tuning, real-time anomaly detection and automated regulatory documentation, allowing the team to iterate on facility designs in software rather than through repeated physical experiments.
Akolkar, a renowned electrochemical engineer whose research at CWRU includes developing new processes in energy storage, semiconductors and electrometallurgy, will be tasked with developing a physics informed neural network, or PINN--an AI system that runs experiments and makes predictions while incorporating the chemistry and physics equations that govern real action to ensure more accurate outcomes.
"The Argonne National Laboratory has been a strategic partner to my lab on many electrochemical projects--from electrosynthesis of metals to nuclear fuel processing and even novel battery materials," he said. "The Genesis Mission award to our team is a unique opportunity to integrate AI into electrochemistry, a capability that I hope will have far-reaching impacts in research and innovation as well as graduate education."
* * *
Original text here: https://case.edu/news/case-western-reserve-university-partnering-argonne-national-laboratory-genesis-mission-grant-harness-power-ai-unlock-recycling-nuclear-fuel
Bernard Osher Foundation Gifts $2.1 Million to University of Cincinnati
CINCINNATI, Ohio, July 25 -- The University of Cincinnati posted the following news:
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Bernard Osher Foundation gifts $2.1 million to UC
Investment elevates regions health through integrative and whole-person health
By Julia Mace, julia.mace@uc.edu
The Bernard Osher Foundation has made a $2.1 million investment in the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of Cincinnati. The Foundation's latest gift supports the center's endowment and the new UC Osher Wellness Suite and John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen.
In 2021, the foundation made a $5.5 million investment ... Show Full Article CINCINNATI, Ohio, July 25 -- The University of Cincinnati posted the following news: * * * Bernard Osher Foundation gifts $2.1 million to UC Investment elevates regions health through integrative and whole-person health By Julia Mace, julia.mace@uc.edu The Bernard Osher Foundation has made a $2.1 million investment in the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of Cincinnati. The Foundation's latest gift supports the center's endowment and the new UC Osher Wellness Suite and John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen. In 2021, the foundation made a $5.5 million investmentin the center, launching a partnership with UC focused on transforming healthcare from a disease-care system to a well-care system. This donation enabled UC to join the Osher Collaborative, becoming one of only 11 Osher Centers worldwide leading the transformation of healthcare.
A vital component of the UC Osher Wellness Suite and John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen is the evidence-based practice that food is medicine. This additional investment will support the Center's culinary medicine director to oversee the operational, administrative and strategic activities of the Learning Kitchen. Chef Stephanie White, EdD, is Culinary Medicine Director, a doctoral-level chef, researcher and educator. White leads education, research programs, and community events and classes, bringing people and students together to learn, cook and thrive. Funds will also be used for additional community outreach, education and patient/community engagement focused on wellness.
An empowering community wellness space for all
The UC Osher Wellness Suite and John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen opened in early 2026 and is a one-of-a-kind space in the region. Located on the fifth floor of the UC Blood Cancer Healing Center, it includes the John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen, a mind-body-spirit wellness studio, and rooftop healing garden. These spaces are seamlessly integrated into patient care and open to the community, students, staff/faculty and researchers. The suite offers culinary medicine experiences as well as movement, mindfulness, nature, and art therapy classes. All programming is backed by research and guided by expert clinicians, positioning the University of Cincinnati as a national leader in integrative, compassionate, whole-person care.
"The impact that integrative therapies and lifestyle medicine are making on our community would not be possible without the Bernard Osher Foundation," said Sian Cotton, PhD, director, Osher Center for Integrative Health at UC and Turner Farm Foundation Chair. "I am so grateful that they are on this journey with us to create a healthier community."
More about the UC Osher Wellness Suite and John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen
The UC Osher Wellness Suite and John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen are designed for everyone -- no matter where they are in their health journey.
Programs support:
* Individuals living with cancer, from treatment through survivorship.
* People managing multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, movement disorders, chronic pain or mental health challenges.
* People wanting to live healthier lives
* Caregivers and family members.
* Employees and community members navigating stress, burnout or fatigue.
* Student training in integrative health and lifestyle medicine.
* Researchers advancing patient-centered care.
Classes can be adapted to individual abilities, and anyone can do them, even if they are new to these practices. Many offerings are designed to fit into busy schedules and budgets, making wellness in Cincinnati more accessible than ever.
"Philanthropy is enabling us to bring evidence-based lifestyle and integrative medicine into everyday clinical care, enriching healthcare with approaches that complement modern medical treatments while empowering patients to play an active role in their own health," said Mladen Golubic, MD, PhD, Medical Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UC. "We are also integrating these principles into our medical school curriculum, preparing future physicians to deliver more effective, compassionate, whole-person care."
A history of support
Lifelong learning is a part of caring for a whole person, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) has provided this to the Greater Cincinnati community for more than 35 years. The Bernard Osher Foundation has supported OLLI since 2009, helping it to expand its reach and services, reaching more than 2,000 students annually.
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Original text here: https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2026/07/bernard-osher-foundation-gift-uc.html
* * *
Bernard Osher Foundation gifts $2.1 million to UC
Investment elevates regions health through integrative and whole-person health
By Julia Mace, julia.mace@uc.edu
The Bernard Osher Foundation has made a $2.1 million investment in the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of Cincinnati. The Foundation's latest gift supports the center's endowment and the new UC Osher Wellness Suite and John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen.
In 2021, the foundation made a $5.5 million investment ... Show Full Article CINCINNATI, Ohio, July 25 -- The University of Cincinnati posted the following news: * * * Bernard Osher Foundation gifts $2.1 million to UC Investment elevates regions health through integrative and whole-person health By Julia Mace, julia.mace@uc.edu The Bernard Osher Foundation has made a $2.1 million investment in the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of Cincinnati. The Foundation's latest gift supports the center's endowment and the new UC Osher Wellness Suite and John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen. In 2021, the foundation made a $5.5 million investmentin the center, launching a partnership with UC focused on transforming healthcare from a disease-care system to a well-care system. This donation enabled UC to join the Osher Collaborative, becoming one of only 11 Osher Centers worldwide leading the transformation of healthcare.
A vital component of the UC Osher Wellness Suite and John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen is the evidence-based practice that food is medicine. This additional investment will support the Center's culinary medicine director to oversee the operational, administrative and strategic activities of the Learning Kitchen. Chef Stephanie White, EdD, is Culinary Medicine Director, a doctoral-level chef, researcher and educator. White leads education, research programs, and community events and classes, bringing people and students together to learn, cook and thrive. Funds will also be used for additional community outreach, education and patient/community engagement focused on wellness.
An empowering community wellness space for all
The UC Osher Wellness Suite and John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen opened in early 2026 and is a one-of-a-kind space in the region. Located on the fifth floor of the UC Blood Cancer Healing Center, it includes the John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen, a mind-body-spirit wellness studio, and rooftop healing garden. These spaces are seamlessly integrated into patient care and open to the community, students, staff/faculty and researchers. The suite offers culinary medicine experiences as well as movement, mindfulness, nature, and art therapy classes. All programming is backed by research and guided by expert clinicians, positioning the University of Cincinnati as a national leader in integrative, compassionate, whole-person care.
"The impact that integrative therapies and lifestyle medicine are making on our community would not be possible without the Bernard Osher Foundation," said Sian Cotton, PhD, director, Osher Center for Integrative Health at UC and Turner Farm Foundation Chair. "I am so grateful that they are on this journey with us to create a healthier community."
More about the UC Osher Wellness Suite and John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen
The UC Osher Wellness Suite and John & Carrie Hayden Community Learning Kitchen are designed for everyone -- no matter where they are in their health journey.
Programs support:
* Individuals living with cancer, from treatment through survivorship.
* People managing multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, movement disorders, chronic pain or mental health challenges.
* People wanting to live healthier lives
* Caregivers and family members.
* Employees and community members navigating stress, burnout or fatigue.
* Student training in integrative health and lifestyle medicine.
* Researchers advancing patient-centered care.
Classes can be adapted to individual abilities, and anyone can do them, even if they are new to these practices. Many offerings are designed to fit into busy schedules and budgets, making wellness in Cincinnati more accessible than ever.
"Philanthropy is enabling us to bring evidence-based lifestyle and integrative medicine into everyday clinical care, enriching healthcare with approaches that complement modern medical treatments while empowering patients to play an active role in their own health," said Mladen Golubic, MD, PhD, Medical Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UC. "We are also integrating these principles into our medical school curriculum, preparing future physicians to deliver more effective, compassionate, whole-person care."
A history of support
Lifelong learning is a part of caring for a whole person, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) has provided this to the Greater Cincinnati community for more than 35 years. The Bernard Osher Foundation has supported OLLI since 2009, helping it to expand its reach and services, reaching more than 2,000 students annually.
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Original text here: https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2026/07/bernard-osher-foundation-gift-uc.html
A White Coat and a Promise: UTRGV School of Medicine welcomes the Class of 2030
BROWNSVILLE, Texas, July 25 -- The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley posted the following news:
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A White Coat and a Promise: UTRGV School of Medicine welcomes the Class of 2030
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EDINBURG, TEXAS - JULY 25, 2026 - Before they ever diagnose a patient, comfort a family or write a prescription, every physician reaches one defining milestone: receiving the first white coat.
That moment arrived Saturday for 56 members of the UTRGV School of Medicine Class of 2030 as they donned their first physician's white coats during the university's annual White Coat Ceremony at the UTRGV Performing ... Show Full Article BROWNSVILLE, Texas, July 25 -- The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley posted the following news: * * * A White Coat and a Promise: UTRGV School of Medicine welcomes the Class of 2030 * EDINBURG, TEXAS - JULY 25, 2026 - Before they ever diagnose a patient, comfort a family or write a prescription, every physician reaches one defining milestone: receiving the first white coat. That moment arrived Saturday for 56 members of the UTRGV School of Medicine Class of 2030 as they donned their first physician's white coats during the university's annual White Coat Ceremony at the UTRGV PerformingArts Complex, officially beginning their medical education.
Surrounded by proud family members, friends, faculty and mentors, the students crossed the stage one by one to receive a symbol that has come to represent medicine's commitment to compassion, professionalism and service. Together, they recited the Hippocratic Oath, pledging to uphold the ethical principles that will guide them throughout their careers.
Selected from more than 5,000 applicants, the Class of 2030 represents one of the most competitive admissions cycles in the school's history. The incoming class also includes the largest Rio Grande Valley cohort since the medical school's founding, with 63% of students calling the region home, a reflection of UTRGV's mission to educate physicians who will improve healthcare across South Texas.
A COMMITMENT TO SERVE
First introduced at medical schools across the country, the White Coat Ceremony marks students' entrance into the profession. More than a ceremonial tradition, it serves as a public commitment to compassionate, ethical patient care and reminds future physicians that medicine is both a privilege and a lifelong responsibility.
This year's keynote speaker, Dr. Carlos Ayala, a UTRGV School of Medicine community faculty member and double board-certified otolaryngologist and facial plastic surgeon, encouraged the incoming class to embrace medicine with humility, integrity and a servant's heart.
"Wear your white coat with pride. Wear it with humility," Ayala said. "And every day, strive to be worthy to serve the suffering."
DIFFERENT JOURNEYS, ONE CALLING
While every student followed a different path to medical school, each arrived Saturday with a shared commitment to improving the lives of others.
Rio Grande City native and former UTRGV Track and Field student-athlete Tristan Solis saw the white coat as the next step in a journey built on discipline, perseverance and family sacrifice. A biology graduate and Lou Hassell Award recipient for earning the highest GPA among UTRGV student-athletes, Solis said balancing Division I athletics with rigorous science coursework prepared him for the demands of medical school.
Fifty-six students joined the UTRGV School of Medicine's Class of 2030 during Saturday's White Coat Ceremony. Selected from more than 5,000 applicants, the incoming class includes the largest Rio Grande Valley cohort in school history, with 63% of students calling the region home. (UTRGV Photo by Heriberto Perez-Zuniga)
"Being a student and an athlete is very time-consuming," Solis said. "Medical school is going to be hard and rigorous, but I feel like those experiences prepared me for demanding situations."
Solis, who will become the first physician in his family, hopes to practice in the Rio Grande Valley as an orthopedic surgeon.
Harlingen native Claudia Hernandez followed a different path to medicine. After earning her nursing degree from UTRGV in 2025, she chose to work in an intensive care unit before pursuing medical school, believing the experience would shape the physician she hopes to become while deepening her understanding of the region's healthcare needs.
"As a nurse, I wanted that experience first, to be there with patients during their most vulnerable moments," Hernandez said. "I also wanted to keep learning more about medicine and have a positive influence on patient care."
Hamza Waheed's journey began hundreds of miles away in Dallas but led him to the Rio Grande Valley with the same desire to serve others. A psychology graduate from The University of Texas at Dallas, Waheed said visiting UTRGV during his medical school interview convinced him it was the right place to begin his training.
"It wasn't just me who got to this place," Waheed said. "So many other people helped me get here. I feel like I have a job here on this earth, and that job is to help others."
LOOKING AHEAD
Although the white coats were new, the responsibility they symbolize begins immediately.
Over the next four years, members of the Class of 2030 will study medicine while learning to care for patients throughout the Rio Grande Valley and beyond. Many hope to return to the communities that shaped them, helping address healthcare needs across South Texas.
Dr. Everardo Cobos, dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine, said every white coat carries a unique story of determination, sacrifice and purpose.
"Behind every white coat is a story of perseverance, sacrifice and hope," Cobos said. "Today marks the beginning of a lifelong commitment to serving others. We are honored to welcome the Class of 2030 and privileged to help prepare the next generation of physicians whose compassion, integrity and commitment will strengthen the health of the Rio Grande Valley and beyond for years to come."
As the ceremony concluded, the newest physicians-in-training left the stage carrying more than their first white coats. They left with the hopes of their families, the trust of the communities they aspire to serve and the promise to spend the years ahead preparing for one of medicine's greatest responsibilities: caring for others with compassion, integrity and excellence.
Dr. Everardo Cobos, dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine, congratulates a member of the Class of 2030 during the annual White Coat Ceremony. At the ceremony he reminded students that every white coat represents a lifelong commitment to compassion, integrity and service. (UTRGV Photo by Heriberto Perez-Zuniga)
ABOUT UTRGV
Celebrating its 10th anniversary during the 2025-26 academic year, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is on a mission to serve the Rio Grande Valley and beyond via an innovative and unique education dedicated to student access and success. As one of the country's largest Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Seal of Excelencia \- certified university, UTRGV has earned national recognition for its academic excellence, social mobility, and student success since opening in fall 2015. Ranked among the Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars in 2025 by Washington Monthly (No. 7 nationally; No. 1 in Texas), UTRGV continues to break enrollment records, launch new academic and athletics programs, and progress toward achieving R1 research status. Additionally, UTRGV holds the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, awarded in 2020 and 2025, reflecting its commitment to strengthening community ties and addressing local challenges.
The only university in Texas with schools of Medicine and Podiatric Medicine, UTRGV's regional footprint spans South Texas -with locations, teaching sites, and centers established in Edinburg, Brownsville, Rio Grande City, McAllen, Weslaco, Harlingen, Laredo, Port Isabel and South Padre Island.
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Original text here: https://www.utrgv.edu/newsroom/2026/07/25/school-of-medicine-white-coat-ceremony-2026.htm
* * *
A White Coat and a Promise: UTRGV School of Medicine welcomes the Class of 2030
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EDINBURG, TEXAS - JULY 25, 2026 - Before they ever diagnose a patient, comfort a family or write a prescription, every physician reaches one defining milestone: receiving the first white coat.
That moment arrived Saturday for 56 members of the UTRGV School of Medicine Class of 2030 as they donned their first physician's white coats during the university's annual White Coat Ceremony at the UTRGV Performing ... Show Full Article BROWNSVILLE, Texas, July 25 -- The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley posted the following news: * * * A White Coat and a Promise: UTRGV School of Medicine welcomes the Class of 2030 * EDINBURG, TEXAS - JULY 25, 2026 - Before they ever diagnose a patient, comfort a family or write a prescription, every physician reaches one defining milestone: receiving the first white coat. That moment arrived Saturday for 56 members of the UTRGV School of Medicine Class of 2030 as they donned their first physician's white coats during the university's annual White Coat Ceremony at the UTRGV PerformingArts Complex, officially beginning their medical education.
Surrounded by proud family members, friends, faculty and mentors, the students crossed the stage one by one to receive a symbol that has come to represent medicine's commitment to compassion, professionalism and service. Together, they recited the Hippocratic Oath, pledging to uphold the ethical principles that will guide them throughout their careers.
Selected from more than 5,000 applicants, the Class of 2030 represents one of the most competitive admissions cycles in the school's history. The incoming class also includes the largest Rio Grande Valley cohort since the medical school's founding, with 63% of students calling the region home, a reflection of UTRGV's mission to educate physicians who will improve healthcare across South Texas.
A COMMITMENT TO SERVE
First introduced at medical schools across the country, the White Coat Ceremony marks students' entrance into the profession. More than a ceremonial tradition, it serves as a public commitment to compassionate, ethical patient care and reminds future physicians that medicine is both a privilege and a lifelong responsibility.
This year's keynote speaker, Dr. Carlos Ayala, a UTRGV School of Medicine community faculty member and double board-certified otolaryngologist and facial plastic surgeon, encouraged the incoming class to embrace medicine with humility, integrity and a servant's heart.
"Wear your white coat with pride. Wear it with humility," Ayala said. "And every day, strive to be worthy to serve the suffering."
DIFFERENT JOURNEYS, ONE CALLING
While every student followed a different path to medical school, each arrived Saturday with a shared commitment to improving the lives of others.
Rio Grande City native and former UTRGV Track and Field student-athlete Tristan Solis saw the white coat as the next step in a journey built on discipline, perseverance and family sacrifice. A biology graduate and Lou Hassell Award recipient for earning the highest GPA among UTRGV student-athletes, Solis said balancing Division I athletics with rigorous science coursework prepared him for the demands of medical school.
Fifty-six students joined the UTRGV School of Medicine's Class of 2030 during Saturday's White Coat Ceremony. Selected from more than 5,000 applicants, the incoming class includes the largest Rio Grande Valley cohort in school history, with 63% of students calling the region home. (UTRGV Photo by Heriberto Perez-Zuniga)
"Being a student and an athlete is very time-consuming," Solis said. "Medical school is going to be hard and rigorous, but I feel like those experiences prepared me for demanding situations."
Solis, who will become the first physician in his family, hopes to practice in the Rio Grande Valley as an orthopedic surgeon.
Harlingen native Claudia Hernandez followed a different path to medicine. After earning her nursing degree from UTRGV in 2025, she chose to work in an intensive care unit before pursuing medical school, believing the experience would shape the physician she hopes to become while deepening her understanding of the region's healthcare needs.
"As a nurse, I wanted that experience first, to be there with patients during their most vulnerable moments," Hernandez said. "I also wanted to keep learning more about medicine and have a positive influence on patient care."
Hamza Waheed's journey began hundreds of miles away in Dallas but led him to the Rio Grande Valley with the same desire to serve others. A psychology graduate from The University of Texas at Dallas, Waheed said visiting UTRGV during his medical school interview convinced him it was the right place to begin his training.
"It wasn't just me who got to this place," Waheed said. "So many other people helped me get here. I feel like I have a job here on this earth, and that job is to help others."
LOOKING AHEAD
Although the white coats were new, the responsibility they symbolize begins immediately.
Over the next four years, members of the Class of 2030 will study medicine while learning to care for patients throughout the Rio Grande Valley and beyond. Many hope to return to the communities that shaped them, helping address healthcare needs across South Texas.
Dr. Everardo Cobos, dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine, said every white coat carries a unique story of determination, sacrifice and purpose.
"Behind every white coat is a story of perseverance, sacrifice and hope," Cobos said. "Today marks the beginning of a lifelong commitment to serving others. We are honored to welcome the Class of 2030 and privileged to help prepare the next generation of physicians whose compassion, integrity and commitment will strengthen the health of the Rio Grande Valley and beyond for years to come."
As the ceremony concluded, the newest physicians-in-training left the stage carrying more than their first white coats. They left with the hopes of their families, the trust of the communities they aspire to serve and the promise to spend the years ahead preparing for one of medicine's greatest responsibilities: caring for others with compassion, integrity and excellence.
Dr. Everardo Cobos, dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine, congratulates a member of the Class of 2030 during the annual White Coat Ceremony. At the ceremony he reminded students that every white coat represents a lifelong commitment to compassion, integrity and service. (UTRGV Photo by Heriberto Perez-Zuniga)
ABOUT UTRGV
Celebrating its 10th anniversary during the 2025-26 academic year, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is on a mission to serve the Rio Grande Valley and beyond via an innovative and unique education dedicated to student access and success. As one of the country's largest Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Seal of Excelencia \- certified university, UTRGV has earned national recognition for its academic excellence, social mobility, and student success since opening in fall 2015. Ranked among the Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars in 2025 by Washington Monthly (No. 7 nationally; No. 1 in Texas), UTRGV continues to break enrollment records, launch new academic and athletics programs, and progress toward achieving R1 research status. Additionally, UTRGV holds the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, awarded in 2020 and 2025, reflecting its commitment to strengthening community ties and addressing local challenges.
The only university in Texas with schools of Medicine and Podiatric Medicine, UTRGV's regional footprint spans South Texas -with locations, teaching sites, and centers established in Edinburg, Brownsville, Rio Grande City, McAllen, Weslaco, Harlingen, Laredo, Port Isabel and South Padre Island.
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Original text here: https://www.utrgv.edu/newsroom/2026/07/25/school-of-medicine-white-coat-ceremony-2026.htm