Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Featured Stories
West Liberty University and Lake Erie College Establish Accelerated Pathway to Doctor of Education Degree
WEST LIBERTY, West Virginia, April 29 -- West Liberty University issued the following news:
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West Liberty University and Lake Erie College Establish Accelerated Pathway to Doctor of Education Degree
West Liberty University and Lake Erie College have announced a new articulation agreement that creates an accelerated pathway for students to earn a Doctor of Education (EdD) degree.
The 4+1+3 agreement allows qualified Lake Erie College students to seamlessly transition from their undergraduate and master's studies into West Liberty University's Doctor of Education program, reducing time to
... Show Full Article
WEST LIBERTY, West Virginia, April 29 -- West Liberty University issued the following news:
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West Liberty University and Lake Erie College Establish Accelerated Pathway to Doctor of Education Degree
West Liberty University and Lake Erie College have announced a new articulation agreement that creates an accelerated pathway for students to earn a Doctor of Education (EdD) degree.
The 4+1+3 agreement allows qualified Lake Erie College students to seamlessly transition from their undergraduate and master's studies into West Liberty University's Doctor of Education program, reducing time todegree completion and expanding access to advanced educational opportunities.
"This articulation agreement between West Liberty University and Lake Erie College represents more than a partnership, it is a strategic pathway that expands opportunity, strengthens regional collaboration, and empowers their graduates to seamlessly advance into doctoral study," said Dr. Richard Whitehead, Chair of Undergraduate and Graduate Education and Assistant Professor at West Liberty University. "By guaranteeing placement in the Doctor of Education program at West Liberty University, we are not only investing in individual career growth, but in the broader impact these professionals will have as leaders, innovators, and change agents across a wide range of fields."
Through the agreement, students will benefit from a clearly defined academic pathway that supports continuity between institutions while preparing them for leadership roles in education and related fields.
"Through this partnership with West Liberty University, we are creating a seamless and accelerated pathway for our students to advance their education and impact in the field of teaching," said Dr. Greg Rothwell, Dean of the School of Education at Lake Erie College. "This agreement reflects our shared commitment to preparing highly qualified, passionate educators by reducing barriers, strengthening academic continuity, and opening doors to meaningful, long-term careers in education."
University representatives from both institutions formalized the agreement during a signing held April 21 on West Liberty University's campus.
The partnership reflects a shared commitment to student success, regional collaboration, and the development of future educators and leaders.
West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. To apply or learn more about West Liberty University, visit westliberty.edu.
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About Lake Erie College
Founded in 1856, Lake Erie College is a private liberal arts institution located in Painesville, Ohio. The College offers a dynamic, student-centered education grounded in the liberal arts, complemented by career-focused programs and experiential learning opportunities. Known for its strong equestrian studies program and commitment to personalized attention, Lake Erie College prepares students to lead meaningful lives and succeed in a global society.
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Original text here: https://westliberty.edu/news/news/west-liberty-university-and-lake-erie-college-establish-accelerated-pathway-to-doctor-of-education-degree/
Virginia Tech: Jessica Walters Never Expected to Love the Lab - Now She Runs All Four of Them
BLACKSBURG, Virginia, April 29 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news:
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Jessica Walters never expected to love the lab -- now she runs all four of them
By Andrew Mann
In a small animal clinic in Powhatan, Virginia, a teenage Jessica Walters held an 8-week-old puppy while a veterinarian put it down.
The puppy had a broken leg from jumping off a doghouse with the owner's son. The owner, hearing the cost, opted to euthanize instead.
"It was kind of my opposite of the James Herriot moment," said Walters, '09, Ph.D. '14, DVM '16. "I knew at that point in time that I couldn't be a small
... Show Full Article
BLACKSBURG, Virginia, April 29 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news:
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Jessica Walters never expected to love the lab -- now she runs all four of them
By Andrew Mann
In a small animal clinic in Powhatan, Virginia, a teenage Jessica Walters held an 8-week-old puppy while a veterinarian put it down.
The puppy had a broken leg from jumping off a doghouse with the owner's son. The owner, hearing the cost, opted to euthanize instead.
"It was kind of my opposite of the James Herriot moment," said Walters, '09, Ph.D. '14, DVM '16. "I knew at that point in time that I couldn't be a smallanimal vet, because I have the knowledge and the equipment to help you, and I can't, because of the money."
She still wanted to be a veterinarian. She just knew she wanted to be one on a different scale: population health, herd health. A place where the work protected whole operations, whole industries, whole states.
Walters completed her bachelor's degree at Virginia Tech in 2009 and later, also at Virginia Tech, a Ph.D. in poultry infectious diseases and a DVM. Now, she serves as program manager for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Office of Laboratory Services, overseeing all four veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the Commonwealth.
This year, she is the recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Recent Alumni Award from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.
From beef cattle to poultry
Walters grew up in Powhatan with horses and a small beef cattle operation. She arrived at Virginia Tech planning to become a large-animal cattle veterinarian.
Her first introductory animal science class changed that.
"I took my very first intro to animal science classes, and I decided then and there that I just loved poultry," Walters said. "I loved being able to look at the populations in poultry and the herd health, the epidemiology of it."
The pull toward flock-level work kept her at Virginia Tech for a decade. She completed her bachelor's degree in 2009, pursued a Ph.D. in poultry infectious diseases, then earned a DVM in food-animal medicine. By 2016, she held three Virginia Tech degrees and was working toward board certification in poultry medicine, later earning her diplomate credential from the American College of Poultry Veterinarians.
Her Ph.D. advisor was Bill Pierson, professor emeritus of biosecurity and infection control and a recipient of the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Alumni Award. Pierson had to pull her back into the lab.
Dr. Pierson emphasized that he needed Walters back in the lab because she was spending so much time in the field and not in the laboratory setting.
She did not want to be in the lab. She wanted to be in the field, working with commercial poultry operations. The plan was to work for a commercial poultry company first and move into state laboratory work much later in her career.
The cards fell differently. When a position opened as a poultry diagnostician for VDACS in the Shenandoah Valley, Walters took the job. She advanced through two more roles over the years, and now runs the laboratory system she once tried to avoid.
Over the past five years, the laboratory system has grown from a single laboratory being a Level 2 member of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network to all four laboratories being Level 1, comparable with some of the best labs in the country.
Walters has brought in new technology, including a new laboratory information management system to better serve clients and new equipment in all four laboratories to standardize service throughout the Commonwealth. A large expansion of three of the four laboratories is underway to build even more surge capacity and capabilities for testing.
Eight hours
On a Friday night in January 2023, a sample arrived at the Harrisonburg Regional Animal Health Laboratory. The result came back non-negative for highly pathogenic avian influenza. It was the first suspected commercial case in Virginia during what would become the largest avian flu outbreak in U.S. history.
The sample needed to go to Ames, Iowa, for confirmation. Walters was not convinced commercial delivery could get it there fast enough.
She looked up flights from Charlottesville. The next morning at 5 a.m., she boarded a plane with the sample. She flew to Iowa, handed it off at the airport, turned around, and flew home. The confirmatory results came back before she landed in Charlottesville.
"My thought as soon as we saw that non-negative was, we have to act, and we have to act fast," Walters said. "It was really just because I wanted to protect the industry that I hold dear."
From initial suspicion to depopulation of the affected flock, the response took approximately eight hours.
In what Walters calls "peacetime," the Harrisonburg lab averages 150 to 200 samples a week. Once the first detection hit, the lab ran close to 3,000. Routine testing shifted to other state facilities. Employees moved to six-day workweeks. The laboratory director began baking for the staff on her own dime.
"Most people would say, oh my gosh, we're going to a six-day-a-week work week," Walters said. "They were all willing to jump in for the protection of Virginia agriculture."
Virginia's 2023 response has since been cited by federal and state colleagues as one of the most effectively run in the country.
A people person in a lab
Walters did not expect to find contentment in laboratory management. Before she took the program manager job, a close mentor told her he was not sure she had the backbone to make the decisions the role would require.
"I think it's the passion for the people that has really kind of encouraged me to grow stronger as a leader," Walters said.
There is a misconception, she said, that lab people are not "people people." Walters runs her program the other way. She pulls input from employees, holds group meetings, prioritizes continuing education, and travels to conferences. Her boss prefers the numbers. She handles the people.
"People want to be somewhere where they feel appreciated," Walters said. "People want to be somewhere where they feel trusted. That's something that's really, really important to me."
Walters' people-first approach shows in the VDACS externship. She opens her home to visiting students in need of housing. Over the years, she has hosted 20 to 30 students. Many still call her for career advice years after graduation.
"Whether it's students or employees, my biggest passion with them is being able to see them grow and develop and succeed," Walters said.
The network
When avian flu hit Virginia in 2023, Walters was not working alone.
Carrie Bissett, a 2004 DVM graduate and director of veterinary services at VDACS, ran the field response. Christina Loiacono, from the class of 1994, coordinates the national laboratory network to which Harrisonburg belongs. Fidelis Hegngi, also from the class of 1994, handles avian flu policy at USDA.
All four trained at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.
"Having two leaders of those programs that have strong ties, work very closely together, I think is very important," Walters said of her relationship with Bissett. "It was really important for us to be able to work together."
Every accredited veterinary school teaches from the same textbooks. Every graduate passes the same boards. Asked what makes the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine specifically worth coming back to, Walters did not talk about coursework.
"My answer is going to have nothing to do with the education," Walters said. "Honestly, I think the secret sauce truly is the people."
She still calls the professors who taught her. Bob Evans first got her into poultry medicine. He stayed on her Ph.D. committee and helped her navigate her first job. The day she learned about the award, she texted Pierson to ask if he had nominated her. Tanya LeRoith, now director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and one of Walters' former professors, became a model for her as a woman entering leadership in a male-dominated field.
For Walters, it comes back to the people. The professors. The mentors. The classmates. The team.
The first call
When Walters learned she had won the Outstanding Recent Alumni Award, the first call she made was to her husband Mat. He has been with her since undergrad and through every degree, board exam, and career change. The second call was to her parents.
"It's really great to be able to, you know, they poured a lot into me and invested a lot into me as a kid," Walters said. "I was the first one to even go to college."
She said she felt undeserving when she got the call. Several members of the DVM class of 2016 have been recognized with VMCVM alumni awards over the past several years. She sees the award as much as a recognition of her team and her class as of herself.
At home in Rockingham County, Walters lives with her husband and their six-year-old daughter Sara Beth. Their current menagerie includes five dogs, four cats, three horses, two goats, a Scottish Highlander steer, a mini donkey, a mini pony, a turkey, a guinea, 20 chickens, a fish, and a turtle.
For the past two years, Sara Beth has told anyone who asks that she wants to be a veterinarian. She has helped with small necropsies at home and can point out the organs to her father.
Walters tells veterinary students something close to what her own path taught her.
"Don't close any doors. Keep options open," Walters said. "I'm a perfect example of this. This is never where I thought I would be, but it's an area that I truly do find passion in. Keep those doors open, because you never know unless you try new avenues as to where you'll truly be happy."
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Original text here: https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/04/vetmed-outstanding-recent-walters.html
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Merger Boosts Local Care Quality, Job Satisfaction, Financial Performance
ANN ARBOR, Michigan, April 29 -- Michigan Medicine, the academic medical center of the University of Michigan, issued the following news release:
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University of Michigan Health-Sparrow merger boosts local care quality, job satisfaction, financial performance
Leaders point to distinct factors behind the integration's success in an era when similar consolidation efforts fall short
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Just three years after a six-hospital group merged with University of Michigan Health, leaders are reporting significant improvements in access, quality of care, operational efficiency and employee job satisfaction.
According
... Show Full Article
ANN ARBOR, Michigan, April 29 -- Michigan Medicine, the academic medical center of the University of Michigan, issued the following news release:
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University of Michigan Health-Sparrow merger boosts local care quality, job satisfaction, financial performance
Leaders point to distinct factors behind the integration's success in an era when similar consolidation efforts fall short
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Just three years after a six-hospital group merged with University of Michigan Health, leaders are reporting significant improvements in access, quality of care, operational efficiency and employee job satisfaction.
Accordingto an article in NEJM Catalyst, the prestigious peer-reviewed journal published by the New England Journal of Medicine, the 2023 consolidation that created UM Health-Sparrow produced positive outcomes many similar system integrations promise but fail to deliver.
Ann Arbor-based Michigan Medicine acquired Lansing-based Sparrow Health System in April 2023, creating an 11-hospital enterprise across the state of Michigan. Contrary to objective evaluations of other health system consolidations, Michigan Medicine's academic medical center in Ann Arbor, in partnership with UM Health-Sparrow and UM Health-West in Grand Rapids, MI has been able to achieve clinical integration and financial performance goals other mergers have not.
Data on the impact hospital mergers have on care quality, patient experience and cost are mixed and often negative. Studies from groups like RAND have reported seeing no change or a decline in quality of care after consolidation. That study also noted insufficient evidence exists on how consolidation impacts patient access.
"There are specific benefits to patients and communities that should follow health system integrations, but there is no guarantee they will be achieved," said David C. Miller, M.D., M.P.H., CEO of Michigan Medicine and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs for the University of Michigan. "In this case, we set out to beat the odds and to achieve meaningful clinical and cultural integration that would improve access and quality for local communities."
At the outset of the partnership, leaders from both organizations committed to creating a coordinated, integrated statewide system of care that would expand and improve health services closer to home for patients, said Miller, who is senior author of the Catalyst paper and a health care value researcher.
"The results detailed in this NEJM article show we are making significant progress, and we are well-positioned for additional opportunities and challenges in front of us," Miller said.
Scott Flanders, M.D., Chief Clinical Strategy Officer for Michigan Medicine, also a health care evaluation and quality improvement researcher, is the paper's lead author. Margaret Dimond, Ph.D., President of the U-M Health regional system, which includes both UM Health-Sparrow and UM Health-West, is a co-author.
The authors document multiple improvements that occurred as the integration process progressed. Some examples:
* A new neurosurgical program at UM Health-Sparrow Provided greater access to high-quality patient-centered care closer to home, eliminating long travel for high-acuity patients. Quality scores in the Michigan Spine Surgery Improvement Collaborative rose to 91 percent in 2024, up from 63 percent in 2022.
* Registered nurse turnover at UM Health-Sparrow decreased to 7.7 percent in 2024, down from 17.4 percent in 2022.
* Eighteen months after supply chain integration, UM Health-Sparrow achieved more than $23 million in savings from new sourcing strategies and aligned system vendor contracts without significant reductions in employees.
* UM Health-Sparrow employee workplace satisfaction rose from just over 3.5 on a scale of 1 to 5 In 2002 to nearly 3.9 in 2024.
Among the guiding principles for this work were optimizing care at the local level and bending the unsustainable health care cost curve in Michigan.
"We set out with a commitment to combine our organizations to create value for the patients and communities we serve," Dimond said. "Within a year of integration, UM Health-Sparrow recovered from a $158 million loss that threatened to reduce care to its communities, to posting $28 million in revenue while significantly improving clinical care and local access to the specialized expertise of U-M Health."
"After clinical integration, a patient with a complex cervical spinal deformity requiring multiple operations was able to have surgery performed at UM Health-Sparrow, when they previously had to be transferred to the academic medical center in Ann Arbor, 65 miles away, for procedures," Dimond said.
Flanders said the teams were committed to achieving coordinated statewide care and finding opportunities to improve patient experience. Historically, patients from UM Health-Sparrow's community hospitals who required more complex care had to be transferred to UM Health-Sparrow's flagship hospital E.W. Sparrow Hospital, about 50 miles away in Lansing. That facility struggled with long-standing challenges to accept these transfer patients. Following the integration, UM Health-West's hospital near Grand Rapids created a new option as part of the same regional network.
"Our teams revised our processes to direct these patients to UM Health-West where we have additional capacity and can deliver high complexity care with fewer delays than at the Lansing facility," Flanders said.
Miller stresses it is still early in the integration journey. Future benefits will be realized when the hospitals adopt a single electronic health record and Michigan Medicine extends its considerable research and educational capabilities across the system.
"Our progress demonstrates that carefully planned and executed integration efforts can yield meaningful improvements in patient care, greater operational efficiency with stronger financial performance and progressive cultural alignment," Miller said.
"We are well-positioned to build a highly coordinated statewide system of care that supports the right care, in the right place, at the right time for more patients and communities across the state of Michigan."
About Michigan Medicine: At Michigan Medicine, we advance health to serve Michigan and the world. We pursue excellence every day in our 12 hospitals and hundreds of clinics statewide, as well as educate the next generation of physicians, health professionals and scientists in our U-M Medical School.
Michigan Medicine includes the U-M Medical School and University of Michigan Health, which includes the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Von Voigtlander Women's Hospital, University Hospital, the Frankel Cardiovascular Center, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan Health-West, University of Michigan-Sparrow and the Rogel Cancer Center. The U-M Medical School is one of the nation's biomedical research powerhouses, with total research funding of more than $800 million.
More information is available at www.michiganmedicine.org.
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Original text here: https://www.uofmhealth.org/news-release/university-michigan-health-sparrow-merger-boosts-local-care-quality-job-satisfaction-financial
UTHealth Houston Awarded Nearly $8 Million to Research Brain Processes Underlying Parkinson's Disease
HOUSTON, Texas, April 29 -- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston issued the following news:
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UTHealth Houston awarded nearly $8 million to research brain processes underlying Parkinson's disease
By Catherine Marfin
Researchers at UTHealth Houston have been awarded a three-year, $7.8 million grant from the Aligning Science Across Parkinson's initiative to support projects that will help better understand how Parkinson's disease occurs in the brain.
The funding was awarded in partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research to expand their Collaborative
... Show Full Article
HOUSTON, Texas, April 29 -- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston issued the following news:
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UTHealth Houston awarded nearly $8 million to research brain processes underlying Parkinson's disease
By Catherine Marfin
Researchers at UTHealth Houston have been awarded a three-year, $7.8 million grant from the Aligning Science Across Parkinson's initiative to support projects that will help better understand how Parkinson's disease occurs in the brain.
The funding was awarded in partnership with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research to expand their CollaborativeResearch Network, a global research initiative that emphasizes collaboration and data sharing across health research entities with the goal of advancing diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's.
UTHealth Houston will serve as the main research site in collaboration with the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of Toronto; and the Banner Health Institute.
Claudio Soto, PhD, director of The George and Cynthia Mitchell Center for Research in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, will serve as the lead principal investigator under the award.
"We hope that this project will let us understand how the disease happens in the brain and how the brain becomes damaged," said Soto, who is also a professor of neurology and the Huffington Foundation Distinguished Chair in Neurology at the medical school. "We want to understand the proteins and the cellular pathways that are involved in brain damage so that we can eventually come up with novel strategies for intervention."
Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's. More than 1.1 million people in the U.S. are affected by Parkinson's, with 90,000 people diagnosed each year, according to the Parkinson's Foundation.
Soto said the grant will allow his team to expand on studies he previously conducted using a technique developed in his lab that mimics the brain processes underlying Parkinson's. This technique, known as the seed amplification assay, has high potential for early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. In 2024, Soto was awarded the Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson's Research by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for the invention and development of this technology.
Soto said he hopes that access to the Collaborative Research Network's resources will allow UTHealth Houston to make significant advances in understanding the neurodegenerative disease.
"When Aligning Science Across Parkinson's selects you, you become part of this club with the best scientists worldwide and get access to the resources, facilities, materials, and expertise that they have available," Soto said.
Research projects under the award will begin June 1, with the possibility of a funding extension after three years.
Additional researchers from the The George and Cynthia Mitchell Center for Research in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Brain Disorders include Fei Wang, PhD, who will serve as an early-stage investigator on projects under the award, and senior researcher Sofia Elizabeth Sepulveda Contreras, PhD.
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Original text here: https://www.uth.edu/news/story/uthealth-houston-awarded-nearly-8-million-to-research-brain-processes-underlying-parkinsons-disease
Nicholas School to Honor Professional Students in Recognition Ceremony
DURHAM, North Carolina, April 29 -- Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment issued the following news:
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Nicholas School to Honor Professional Students in Recognition Ceremony
The Nicholas School will celebrate 169 graduates receiving master's degrees in environmental management, forestry or environmental policy.
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On Friday, May 8, the Nicholas School of the Environment will honor 169 graduates from the following professional degree programs: Master of Environmental Management (MEM), Duke Environmental Leadership Master of Environmental Management (DEL-MEM), Master of Forestry
... Show Full Article
DURHAM, North Carolina, April 29 -- Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment issued the following news:
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Nicholas School to Honor Professional Students in Recognition Ceremony
The Nicholas School will celebrate 169 graduates receiving master's degrees in environmental management, forestry or environmental policy.
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On Friday, May 8, the Nicholas School of the Environment will honor 169 graduates from the following professional degree programs: Master of Environmental Management (MEM), Duke Environmental Leadership Master of Environmental Management (DEL-MEM), Master of Forestry(MF) and International Master of Environmental Policy (iMEP). The ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. in Duke's Wilson Recreation Center.
Of the graduates, 138 students will receive an MEM, including 13 from the DEL-MEM program for experienced working professionals; three will receive an MF; and 28 will receive diplomas from the iMEP program. Graduates from the iMEP program spent 18 months at Duke Kunshan University in China, and their last semester at Duke University in Durham. Additionally, 22 individuals will graduate with dual professional degrees, including five MEM/MF students.
Students were required to complete a Master's Project for graduation. To learn more about these and past projects, visit the Duke Libraries collection.
The professional student ceremony will be streamed live for those who cannot attend in person.
Student Speaker
Professional students elected Ananya Aggarwal, an MEM student concentrating in Energy and Environment and Community Engagement and Environmental Justice, as their peer speaker.
In addition to serving as a teaching assistant for two classes taught by Gendell Family Associate Professor Dalia Patino-Echeverri, Aggarwal worked as a research assistant at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability.
Her responsibilities included supporting the Nicholas Institute's research and thought leadership initiatives on international climate finance and energy partnerships, as well as its work on international energy transitions -- the shift from fossil-fuel based systems to low-carbon, renewable energy systems.
Aggarwal also served as a case studies editor for Duke's Global Energy Access Network, an interdisciplinary group of undergraduate and graduate students dedicated to fostering research and policy dialogue about access to reliable, affordable and sustainable energy. In that role, she collaborated with peers across campus on a forthcoming publication examining energy access challenges and opportunities in countries across Africa and Asia.
Additionally, Aggarwal worked as a graduate student researcher with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), where she contributed to research informing TNC's strategy on ecovoltaics -- an emerging approach to solar energy development that integrates renewable energy generation with ecosystem services.
Duke Alumnus Speaker
The professional students' recognition ceremony will also feature Duke alumnus speaker Kathy Moser, acting commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
The office manages 250 parks and historic sites across New York, including the oldest park in North America, Niagara Falls State Park. New York is home to the second largest parks system in the nation, hosting 86 million visitors annually.
Moser previously served as chief conservation and policy officer at the Open Space Institute (OSI), an East Coast land trust based in New York. At OSI, Moser directed the Parks, Stewardship and Government Relations programs. Prior to that post, she was OSI's senior vice president of parks and policy.
Before OSI, Moser served as deputy commissioner for natural resources at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, where she oversaw the agency's portfolio in lands and forests, fish and wildlife, and marine resources.
Moser has also worked as managing director for strategic initiatives at the World Wildlife Fund and has held senior positions at TNC in New York State and in its International Program. Her career began in 1985 with the Peace Corps, where she managed Cerro Uyuca, which at the time was a newly established protected area in Honduras.
Additionally, Moser has served on the board for the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy and that of the New York League of Conservation Voters' Capital District.
She holds a bachelor's degree in botany and a master's degree in forest productivity, both from Duke, and served two terms on the Nicholas School's Alumni Council.
Nicholas School recognition ceremonies also include a designated event for graduates from the iMEP program at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7, in Field Auditorium of Grainger Hall at Duke; an event for Ph.D. graduate students at 10 a.m. Friday, May 8, in Love Auditorium, within the Levine Science Research Center at Duke; and an event for undergraduates at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 9, in the Wilson Recreation Center.
For more information on Duke's commencement activities, visit Duke Commencement '26 (https://commencement.duke.edu/).
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Original text here: https://nicholas.duke.edu/news/nicholas-school-honor-professional-students-recognition-ceremony-0
NJIT Infrastructure Forum Connects AI, Workforce and Resilience Challenges
NEWARK, New Jersey, April 29 -- The New Jersey Institute of Technology issued the following news:
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NJIT Infrastructure Forum Connects AI, Workforce and Resilience Challenges
Written by: Evan Koblentz
Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, energy demand, transportation systems, water quality and workforce development are no longer separate conversations, but rather connected challenges where universities can help move ideas into practice, said leaders from academia, government and industry at New Jersey Institute of Technology's Spring 2026 Infrastructure Forum.
The forum, a year in development,
... Show Full Article
NEWARK, New Jersey, April 29 -- The New Jersey Institute of Technology issued the following news:
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NJIT Infrastructure Forum Connects AI, Workforce and Resilience Challenges
Written by: Evan Koblentz
Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, energy demand, transportation systems, water quality and workforce development are no longer separate conversations, but rather connected challenges where universities can help move ideas into practice, said leaders from academia, government and industry at New Jersey Institute of Technology's Spring 2026 Infrastructure Forum.
The forum, a year in development,hosted more than 300 experts in their fields and enabled deep discussions in each subject with notable overlap between them. Discussions spanned three keynote addresses, two legislative perspectives and five expert panels. Patrick Natale '70, '75, executive director of the United Engineering Foundation and a member of the NJIT Foundation Board of Directors, served as the forum's master of ceremonies.
NJIT President Teik C. Lim framed the forum as part of the university's role as both a public polytechnic institution and a partner to the industries and agencies shaping the built environment.
"We strive to be a physical and intellectual focal point for innovative ideas, actions and people coming together. That is exactly what we're doing today," Lim said.
"By bringing all of you together to explore issues that deeply impact our economy, our welfare and our lives, we hope to align priorities, share advances and identify opportunities for new and for sustained collaboration across all sectors," Lim added.
From Research to Real-World Deployment
Nick DeNichilo '73, '78 -- co-vice chair of the NJIT Board of Trustees and former CEO of Mott MacDonald -- framed the forum around a central question of how industry and universities can move faster together. He pointed to university research, capstone projects and workforce development as ways for companies to engage NJIT not only as a talent pool but as an equal partner in testing and applying new ideas.
John Pelesko '97, NJIT's provost, spoke and led a related panel on technological advances emerging from academia. Among the themes were the need for organizational innovation officers, the pressure to balance sustainability, building codes and profitability, and a new university course in emerging construction technologies.
That bridge between research and deployment surfaced throughout the day, especially in transportation. State Senator and civil engineer Paul Sarlo '92, '95 led a panel on transportation agencies, where Parth Oza, assistant commissioner with the New Jersey Department of Transportation, said New Jersey's bridges average 58 years old and described how AI is already being used to improve pedestrian safety. Oza pointed to an AI-enabled intersection in Trenton that keeps a traffic light from turning green until sensors determine that a crosswalk is clear.
The example closely matched transportation research already underway at NJIT. In NJIT's 2025 Research Magazine, Guiling (Grace) Wang, distinguished professor of computer science and associate dean for research, is highlighted for developing AI-based traffic signal systems designed to reduce waiting times while accounting for safety risks. Her colleague, Assistant Professor Hua Wei, focused on AI-enabled traffic signals. Joyoung Lee, associate professor of civil engineering, is working on how autonomous vehicles respond to such signals. Marcos Netto and Philip Pong are studying how electric cars impact the energy grid.
Rail infrastructure offered another example. As forum speakers discussed aging systems and the cost of maintenance, NJIT civil engineer Yun Bai's research in the same magazine points to how routine operations could become part of the inspection process. Bai is developing sensor systems that can be placed on regular service trains to gather frequent data on track conditions, using vibration and acoustic signals with machine learning to identify rail defects and better understand how they form over time.
Rizwan Baig, chief engineer at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said his agency is also embracing AI through an innovation hub deploying the technology across departments, including engineering. But he cautioned that engineers should treat AI as a "trusted copilot," not a replacement for professional judgment.
"For engineers, AI is your trusted copilot," Baig said. "It's not something to take over your job. It's not something that you just close your eyes and rely on and just sign off. So think about it as a junior engineer that is there to help you ... We are fully embracing it."
Preparing the Workforce Behind Modern Infrastructure
Several forum discussions returned to a shared concern: the infrastructure sector cannot modernize if its rules, business models and workforce pipelines remain static.
Clinton Calabrese, Deputy Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly, and Andrew Zwicker, chairman of the New Jersey Senate Legislative Oversight Committee, offered government perspectives on that challenge. Both emphasized the need for bipartisan, common-sense reforms that allow agencies and companies to keep pace with technology while preserving the public-safety reasons regulations exist in the first place.
In a panel for architects and engineers, moderated by NJIT Board of Trustees member Gary Dahms, speakers discussed how firms are weighing innovation against budgets, billable hours and client expectations. Aine O'Dwyer '08, CEO of Enovate Consulting, said billable hours can become an impediment to innovation, while also cautioning that AI and emerging technologies should be evaluated by their return on investment, not their trendiness. Kim Vierheilig '99, '00, an architect and member of the NJIT Board of Trustees, added that sustainability can remain a corporate priority alongside cost and performance pressures.
The construction field brought the workforce issue into sharper focus. In a panel led by NJIT's Andrew Christ '94, '01, senior vice president of university operations, panelists including Ken Colao '77, co-executive vice chair of the NJIT Foundation, and Brian Senyk '08, chief engineer of Terminal Construction, said both new graduates and experienced workers must be ready to adapt as construction technologies, delivery methods and expectations change.
Efforts to directly address workforce upskilling have been gaining momentum. As CEO of T&M Associates, Dahm's was first in line to take advantage of the NJIT's industry-focused graduate degree enrollment program.
The same week as the forum, NJIT also took a concrete step toward expanding the infrastructure workforce pipeline. NJIT, Hudson County Community College and the New Jersey Administrative District Council of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers signed a Letter of Intent to develop an apprenticeship-to-degree pathway that would allow apprentice members to connect technical training and HCCC associate-degree credits to bachelor's study at NJIT in Applied Engineering Technology or Construction Management.
The New Risks Facing Critical Systems
Maria Lehman, former president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, gave the forum a national frame through ASCE's 2025 Report Card for America's Infrastructure. The nonpartisan organization gave the country's infrastructure an overall C grade across 14 categories. Ports earned the highest mark, a B, while stormwater and public transit each received a D.
Lehman said the report is trusted across political lines because engineers focus on evidence and plain language. Politicians on all sides trust the ASCE report because engineers speak in nouns and verbs, not adjectives and adverbs, she noted.
But the forum also made clear that the definition of infrastructure risk has expanded. Lucian Niemeyer, former assistant secretary of defense, warned that critical systems are increasingly exposed to cyber threats from state-sponsored actors, including attacks aimed at the networks that support water, transportation and energy systems. His remarks underscored that infrastructure resilience now depends not only on concrete, steel and maintenance schedules, but also on the security of the digital systems that operate behind them.
Water and energy pressures added another layer to that discussion. In a panel moderated by the director of operations for Ridgewood Water, Richard Calbi '94, '00, speakers discussed the spread of forever chemicals and plastics, the growing demand placed on water and electric systems, and the need for both near-term protections and long-term research solutions.
Calbi has been working with an NJIT-based startup, PFASolve, a company offering end-to-end remediation technologies - detection, capture and destruction - that are relatively inexpensive and sustainable. Panelists also urged attendees to think about household-level water protections while research, regulation and treatment technologies continue to advance.
The same week as the Infrastructure Forum, NJIT also hosted a CTR Workshop on Translational Research and Technology Innovations for PFAS Decontamination, bringing together state, industry, academic and community leaders to discuss PFAS advocacy, detection, monitoring, treatment, regulation, commercialization and public communication. The agenda included NJIT leaders and researchers, New Jersey Innovation Institute representatives, state and municipal officials, utilities, industry experts and academic partners.
NJIT's has broadened this conversation with sustainability-focused engineering conversations through efforts such as its Engineers for Sustainability seminar series.
The panel also pointed to the fast-growing infrastructure demands created by data centers, which require major supplies of electricity and water at the same time communities are trying to modernize aging systems. A single megawatt of power is enough for 800 homes, but even a small data center can require 400 megawatts per month, said Jason Kalwa '08, senior director for construction and maintenance at PSE&G.
Yet it was at the day's start that the need for American infrastructure improvements hit hardest. Natale, the emcee, announced that Lehman -- who presented the infrastructure report card, grading the railroad sector second-best of all categories with a B-minus -- was arriving late due to an Amtrak delay.
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Original text here: https://news.njit.edu/njit-infrastructure-forum-connects-ai-workforce-and-resilience-challenges-facing-built-environment
Discover Alumni Stories, University News, Research Updates and More in the Spring 2026 Lehigh Alumni Bulletin
BETHLEHEM, Pennsylania, April 29 -- Lehigh University issued the following news:
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Discover Alumni Stories, University News, Research Updates and More in the Spring 2026 Lehigh Alumni Bulletin
The latest edition of the Bulletin features R1 research momentum at Lehigh, an inside look at the reimagined Clayton University Center at Packer Hall, student and alumni stories and more.
The Spring 2026 Lehigh Alumni Bulletin brings a fresh collection of stories that highlight the achievements and impact of the Lehigh community, as well as exciting moments and successes shaping the university's future.
The
... Show Full Article
BETHLEHEM, Pennsylania, April 29 -- Lehigh University issued the following news:
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Discover Alumni Stories, University News, Research Updates and More in the Spring 2026 Lehigh Alumni Bulletin
The latest edition of the Bulletin features R1 research momentum at Lehigh, an inside look at the reimagined Clayton University Center at Packer Hall, student and alumni stories and more.
The Spring 2026 Lehigh Alumni Bulletin brings a fresh collection of stories that highlight the achievements and impact of the Lehigh community, as well as exciting moments and successes shaping the university's future.
Thevibrant new edition highlights faculty, students and alumni driving research momentum forward in the first year since Lehigh was named an R1 research university. It also explores the reimagined Clayton University Center at Packer Hall, which continues to foster community and collaboration through a variety of fresh spaces.
Readers will meet Julie Wright '25 M'26 and Rhema Hooper '26, who built a friendship and record of global impact through research, advocacy and community. They will also learn more about the recently hired head coaches of women's tennis, women's lacrosse, women's wrestling and volleyball, who are bringing fresh leadership and momentum to Lehigh women's athletics.
Read the full issue online here (https://flippingbook.lehigh.edu/Alumni-Bulletin-Spring26/) to stay connected with stories that celebrate Lehigh's community of Future Makers.
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Original text here: https://news.lehigh.edu/discover-alumni-stories-university-news-research-updates-and-more-in-the-spring-2026-lehigh-alumni
