Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Featured Stories
Virginia Tech: Gluing Streambanks Could Help Restore Healthy Rivers
BLACKSBURG, Virginia, April 28 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news:
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Gluing streambanks could help restore healthy rivers
Researchers explore effective ways to rebuild streambanks and strengthen watershed resilience.
By Briana Bittner
As flooding intensifies worldwide, streambanks are most prone to erosion in the days after a storm. But, another vulnerable window is often overlooked: the period between reconstruction and when vegetation is established. Without roots to hold soil in place, newly graded banks are highly susceptible to erosion from rainfall and fast moving water.
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BLACKSBURG, Virginia, April 28 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news:
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Gluing streambanks could help restore healthy rivers
Researchers explore effective ways to rebuild streambanks and strengthen watershed resilience.
By Briana Bittner
As flooding intensifies worldwide, streambanks are most prone to erosion in the days after a storm. But, another vulnerable window is often overlooked: the period between reconstruction and when vegetation is established. Without roots to hold soil in place, newly graded banks are highly susceptible to erosion from rainfall and fast moving water.This creates excess sediment that can smother habitat for fish and macroinvertebrates, degrade water quality, and increase treatment costs for drinking water and wastewater facilities.
One undergraduate researcher, Keegan O'Hara, a senior and accelerated master's degree student in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering, is supported by research funding from the Global Change Center as he develops a "recipe" to encourage soil microorganisms to create substances that act like glue, quickly strengthening reconstructed streambanks until vegetation can grow.
"The less erosion you have from a bank, the healthier the water will be," he said.
Creating a sticky recipe
The project builds on the previous work of Daniel Smith Ph.D. '22 and Michael Snead '22 in the lab of Tess Thompson, associate professor in biological systems engineering. Earlier research showed that adding small amounts of organic matter to soils can rapidly stimulate the growth of soil microorganisms and increase the amount of extracellular polymeric substances. This substance acts like a natural sticky adhesive, binding soil particles together and reducing erosion.
To test how this process might support stream restoration, O'Hara is evaluating three organic materials: wood chips, straw, and a hemp based substrate. Each material will be mixed into soil at different densities and allowed to sit for several weeks to encourage microbial activity. The mixtures then will be tested in a laboratory flume to measure how well they withstand erosion.
"We're hoping to identify one or two mixtures that noticeably improve soil cohesiveness," O'Hara said. "If we can show that, it could become a simple, low cost addition to restoration work."
Because the materials being tested are inexpensive and widely available, the approach could be easily integrated into existing construction workflows. Straw, for example, is already used on many sites as a surface layer to reduce splash erosion.
"By determining how streambank erosion resistance changes with different types and amounts of readily available organic matter," said Thompson, "the results of Keegan's research will be directly applicable to the stream restoration practice, improving the success of restoration projects."
A sustainable alternative
Many restoration projects currently rely on plastic mesh or rock armoring to stabilize banks. While effective in the short term, these methods can create long term challenges. Plastic mesh can break down into microplastics, and rock armoring can increase water velocity downstream, shifting erosion onto neighboring properties.
By giving vegetation more time to establish, the soil glue approach could reduce dependence on these materials and encourage engineers and restoration companies to consider organic soil-stabilizing mixtures as a supplemental tool to reduce erosion during the most vulnerable stage of restoration.
"This is something that could help balance ecological goals with infrastructure needs," O'Hara said. "And in the future, it could be applied beyond streams to other construction areas that face erosion challenges."
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Original text here: https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/04/eng-streambank-restoration.html
UT Health San Antonio Researchers Awarded Grant to Study How Circadian Rhythm Disruptions May Contribute to Alzheimer's
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, April 28 -- The University of Texas Health San Antonio issued the following news release:
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UT Health San Antonio researchers awarded grant to study how circadian rhythm disruptions may contribute to Alzheimer's
Can jet lag cause more than just sleep loss? Do quick-grab, high-fat foods associated with late-night or rotating work shifts bring more than indigestion? Those circadian rhythm disruptors might also contribute to Alzheimer's disease.
UT Health San Antonio, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), was recently awarded
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SAN ANTONIO, Texas, April 28 -- The University of Texas Health San Antonio issued the following news release:
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UT Health San Antonio researchers awarded grant to study how circadian rhythm disruptions may contribute to Alzheimer's
Can jet lag cause more than just sleep loss? Do quick-grab, high-fat foods associated with late-night or rotating work shifts bring more than indigestion? Those circadian rhythm disruptors might also contribute to Alzheimer's disease.
UT Health San Antonio, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), was recently awardeda highly competitive Alzheimer's Association research grant to investigate how such environmental stressors may contribute to an increased risk for the disease.
While Alzheimer's is a highly heritable disease with about 60% of the risk coming from a person's genes, the remaining risk is less well-studied and may, in part, come from environmental stressors. Sleep loss, for example, can change the amount of tau and amyloid in the brain. The aggregation of tau proteins and amyloid plaques are well-known hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
"We are trying to incorporate as many genetic variants and environmental stressors as we can to have a robust model that mimics late-onset Alzheimer's disease, as opposed to other preclinical work that shows early onset, highly aggressive, non-physiological models," said principal investigator Juan Pablo Palavicini, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology in the Joe R. and Teresa Long School of Medicine, and a researcher with the Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, both under UT San Antonio.
The grant examining this gene-environment interaction begins this month and provides $200,000 to fund the study over the next three years.
Circadian disruption as an environmental stressor
Palavicini is teaming with Kevin B. Koronowski, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology in the Long School of Medicine and researcher with the Barshop Institute, to primarily study the effects of circadian rhythm disruption as an environmental stressor and its effects on human phosphorylated-tau proteins.
"In modern society, it's difficult to reduce environmental stressors like disrupted sleep schedules and diet," Koronowski said. "That is the whole point of our study. We don't yet know all the potential consequences of this disruption."
With Koronowski's expertise in circadian rhythm, the team developed an earlier study funded by the William and Ella Owens Medical Foundation. A chronic jet lag condition was created in an animal model by shifting the light-dark schedule forward by eight hours twice per week.
"It is as if you traveled from Texas to Europe, from Europe to Australia and then back to Texas," Palavicini said.
During that study, some mice started misbehaving and developing metabolic abnormalities, but the effects were not strong. For the upcoming study, the research team will incorporate changes to create more dramatic consequences of circadian rhythm disruption.
"A key adjustment will be to start the process in middle-aged subjects instead of younger ones to account for age-related resiliency and recovery capacity," Palavicini said.
For the upcoming study, researchers will also provide a Western diet with higher fat and sugar content. Many clinical studies show that people who work rotating or night shifts tend to have lower-quality diets. In replicating actual human scenarios of circadian disruption, Koronowski said it makes sense to include dietary stress.
"This type of food falls perfectly into the big picture of what we are doing," he said. "This shows the additional stress of an unhealthy diet that many people eat, the typical Western-style diet."
The research team is also proposing a second aim of the study in which they will determine if a time-restricted feeding schedule rescues circadian disruption-induced metabolic abnormality.
In their previous study, the team noticed the chronic jet lag caused eating at all times of the day and night. In the upcoming study, they will have an automated system that only allows for feeding 12 hours a day.
Cause or effect?
"We are especially testing whether restoring metabolic rhythms while light is disrupted can prevent the progression of Alzheimer's disease," Koronowski said. "In the context of neurodegeneration, we still don't know if circadian disruption is a cause or effect, so this study can help us determine that."
Rather than only focusing on the genetic component, Koronowski said this study is a more holistic view of health and how loss of homeostasis in the body and misalignment of natural rhythms can contribute to disease.
"Night is a critical time for our brains because these proteins that accumulate, like tau and amyloid beta, get flushed out as we are sleeping," Palavicini said. "The different stages of sleep, especially REM, are essential for memory consolidation. Disrupted sleep, even for one night, can alter the amount of tau and amyloid in the brain substantially."
Findings from this study could help clarify how environmental stressors such as disrupted sleep and diet interact with genetic risk, offering new insight into how Alzheimer's disease develops later in life.
Other researchers on the team include Qing Zhang, MD, a research scientist in Koronowski's lab, and Andrea Gonzalez, a student associate in Palavicini's lab.
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UT Health San Antonio is the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), offering a comprehensive network of inpatient and outpatient care facilities staffed by medical, dental, nursing and allied health professionals who provide more than 2.5 million patient visits each year. It is the region's only academic health center and one of the nation's leading health sciences institutions, supported by the schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health professions, graduate biomedical sciences and public health that are leading change and advancing health-related fields throughout South Texas and the world. To learn about the many ways "We make lives better(R)," visit UTHealthSA.org.
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The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) is listed among U.S. News & World Report's best medical schools, among the top 5% of universities globally for clinical medicine research and ranked as the third-highest medical school in Texas for medical research funding by the National Institutes of Health. The Long School of Medicine supports the university's academic health center, UT Health San Antonio.
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The Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies at UT Health San Antonio is one of the world's premier institutes dedicated to the study of age-related diseases. The Barshop Institute is the only aging-intensive research institute in the country to have four peer-reviewed designations: two National Institute on Aging (NIA)-funded centers (Nathan Shock and Claude D. Pepper centers), a testing site of the NIA-sponsored Interventions Testing Program, and a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center. UT Health San Antonio is the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio).
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Original text here: https://news.uthscsa.edu/ut-health-san-antonio-researchers-awarded-grant-to-study-how-circadian-rhythm-disruptions-may-contribute-to-alzheimers/
Northwestern Pritzker Law Professor John O. McGinnis Pens Book
CHICAGO, Illinois, April 28 -- The Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law issued the following school news:
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Northwestern Pritzker Law Professor John O. McGinnis Pens New Book
At a time of renewed debate over inequality, political influence, and the role of wealth in public life, John O. McGinnis, the George C. Dix Professor in Constitutional Law at Northwestern Pritzker Law, has published a new book, Why Democracy Needs the Rich (Encounter Books, 2026), which examines the function of affluent individuals within democratic systems.
The book advances a broad argument that the wealthy
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CHICAGO, Illinois, April 28 -- The Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law issued the following school news:
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Northwestern Pritzker Law Professor John O. McGinnis Pens New Book
At a time of renewed debate over inequality, political influence, and the role of wealth in public life, John O. McGinnis, the George C. Dix Professor in Constitutional Law at Northwestern Pritzker Law, has published a new book, Why Democracy Needs the Rich (Encounter Books, 2026), which examines the function of affluent individuals within democratic systems.
The book advances a broad argument that the wealthyplay a beneficial role in modern democracies.
"The title was meant to encapsulate the book's thesis in five words," McGinnis said. "It is a defense of the role of the rich, suggesting that they play a vital role, particularly in American democracy, and by extension in other market democracies."
Examining Wealth and Political Influence
McGinnis situates the project within a broader climate of skepticism toward concentrated wealth.
"A lot of people are unhappy about the rich," he said, noting that while such sentiments are longstanding, "recently there has been a greater antagonism toward the rich, and I wanted to respond to that."
Rather than disputing that wealthy individuals possess outsized influence, the book examines how that influence operates within a system in which unequal influence is common across multiple groups.
"It's a fantasy to suggest that we are going to have equal influence in democracy," McGinnis said. "There are many groups with greater-than-average influence, and the rich counterbalance these groups."
A central concept in the book is what McGinnis terms "professional influencers," including members of the media, academia, entertainment, and the administrative state. Drawing on the historical notion of "the Clerisy," he argues that these groups play a significant role in shaping political and cultural agendas and often share relatively similar ideological perspectives. By contrast, he contends that wealthy individuals tend to reflect a wider range of viewpoints and can function as a counterbalance within democratic discourse.
Institutional Support and Policy Experimentation
The book identifies several mechanisms through which affluent individuals contribute to democratic processes. One is through the funding of institutions that introduce alternative perspectives into public debate. McGinnis points to organizations such as the Federalist Society as examples of efforts that broaden intellectual diversity within legal and academic settings.
He also argues that wealthy individuals can mitigate the influence of organized special interests, which the political science literature has long identified as structurally advantaged in policymaking.
"Special interests have a systematic advantage in representative democracy," McGinnis said. "Often, the rich give voice to the effectively voiceless."
Education policy serves as a key illustration. McGinnis describes how wealthy donors have supported a range of initiatives, including charter schools, private school funding, and reforms within traditional public-school systems.
"We see a whole variety of initiatives with different ideological priors," he said. "That's valuable for democracy because it supports experimentation."
Wealth, Innovation, and Social Change
Beyond political influence, McGinnis argues that the wealthy contribute to broader social and economic change, particularly in technologically advanced societies. He suggests that high levels of economic mobility among the wealthy distinguish them from traditional oligarchies.
"They are constantly changing, generating new ideas and new perspectives," he said.
He further contends that technological innovation associated with wealth creation has narrowed differences in lived experience across economic classes. Access to digital information, transportation services, and entertainment, he argues, has reduced disparities that were more pronounced in earlier historical periods.
Academic Background and Intellectual Approach
McGinnis' analysis reflects a career spanning government service, legal practice, and academia. He earned degrees from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review, as well as a master's degree from Balliol College, Oxford. He clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and served as deputy assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel from 1987 to 1991.
After beginning his academic career at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, McGinnis joined Northwestern Pritzker Law in 2002. His scholarship spans constitutional law, administrative law, antitrust, international law, and law and technology.
"I'm part of what I would call a generation of generalist law professors," he said. "This book reflects economic, political, and legal perspectives brought together."
Teaching and Student Collaboration
At the Law School, McGinnis highlighted the role of institutional culture in shaping his work, particularly the presence of diverse viewpoints among the faculty. He also emphasized the strength of the student body and the opportunities for collaboration.
Through the Law School's Senior Research program, McGinnis has co-authored numerous articles with students, working closely with them to develop publishable scholarship. "I regard these students less as students and more as colleagues," he said. "It's a valuable collaboration on both sides."
As Why Democracy Needs the Rich enters public discussion, McGinnis' work contributes to ongoing scholarly and policy debates about inequality, influence, and the structure of democratic governance--offering a perspective that emphasizes the potential institutional and societal roles of wealth within those systems.
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Original text here: https://news.law.northwestern.edu/news/northwestern-pritzker-law-professor-john-o-mcginnis-pens-new-book/
NWC Partners With Western Theological Seminary for Streamlined Pathway to M.Div. Degree
ORANGE CITY, Iowa, April 28 -- Northwestern College issued the following news:
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NWC partners with Western Theological Seminary for streamlined pathway to M.Div. degree
Northwestern College is partnering with Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, to enable theology students to complete their Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree in as little as two years. The new advanced degree partnership program will reduce the cost for students to earn an M.Div. and prepare them to begin their ministry quicker.
"This is a win-win for our biblical and theological studies majors, allowing them
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ORANGE CITY, Iowa, April 28 -- Northwestern College issued the following news:
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NWC partners with Western Theological Seminary for streamlined pathway to M.Div. degree
Northwestern College is partnering with Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, to enable theology students to complete their Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree in as little as two years. The new advanced degree partnership program will reduce the cost for students to earn an M.Div. and prepare them to begin their ministry quicker.
"This is a win-win for our biblical and theological studies majors, allowing themto enter directly into a faster track for completing their seminary training," says Dr. John Vonder Bruegge, Northwestern's dean of arts and humanities and professor of biblical and theological studies (BTS). "It also validates our own program. This agreement isn't just based on a rudimentary review of our coursework; it stems from our long history sending outstanding students to Western. They know our students come prepared, ready to hit the ground running when they start seminary."
The accelerated degree partnership counts some of students' undergraduate coursework in Northwestern's biblical and theological studies major toward their Western graduate degree, enabling them to complete a bachelor's degree and M.Div. in six years, instead of seven or more. The program also emphasizes guided development so students receive support and encouragement as they discern God's calling. Students can apply to the program anytime in their first three years at Northwestern.
"We are thrilled to further solidify our connection to Western Theological Seminary," says Dr. Michael Andres, professor of theology and chair of Northwestern's biblical and theological studies department. "Not only have we had a century-long rich and fruitful relationship between Northwestern and Western through our mutual bond in the Reformed Church in America, but over the years we have had many Northwestern students thrive at Western. Often we would have alumni tell us they felt so well prepared their first year because of their BTS degree at NWC. Now our students will get credit for the learning and hard work in our undergraduate program--and receive a two-year pathway to graduation from Western."
"The church is longing for theologically thoughtful, emotionally attuned spiritual leaders, and Northwestern College and Western Theological Seminary are well suited to partner in forming such people," says the Rev. Dr. Katlyn DeVries, a 2011 Northwestern graduate who directs the accelerated M.Div partnerships at Western. "I look forward to walking alongside these ministry-minded students as they take the next step in their education."
For more information about the accelerated B.A./M.Div. program, visit westernsem.edu/programs/northwestern-college-accelerated-degree-program.
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Original text here: https://www.nwciowa.edu/news/4990/nwc-partners-with-western-theological-seminary-for-streamlined-pathway-to-mdiv-degree
Message From NJCU President Andres Acebo on Middle States Commission Action
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey, April 28 -- New Jersey City University issued the following statement on April 27, 2026, by President Andres Acebo:
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Message from NJCU President Andres Acebo on Middle States Commission Action
Dear and Beloved NJCU,
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has taken accreditation action that advances the establishment of Kean Jersey City this summer, marking a defining and historic moment for our university and our community.
As our campus approaches its centennial, this moment, however, is about more than history. It is about responsibility. It is about
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JERSEY CITY, New Jersey, April 28 -- New Jersey City University issued the following statement on April 27, 2026, by President Andres Acebo:
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Message from NJCU President Andres Acebo on Middle States Commission Action
Dear and Beloved NJCU,
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has taken accreditation action that advances the establishment of Kean Jersey City this summer, marking a defining and historic moment for our university and our community.
As our campus approaches its centennial, this moment, however, is about more than history. It is about responsibility. It is abouta renewed commitment to the indispensable and storied mission we were called to carry forward. It is about honoring nearly a century of purpose etched into stone, into classrooms that have stayed lit long after dusk, into offices where quiet acts of care lifted students and colleagues when no one was watching, into a campus that has borne witness to generations rising, striving, and becoming. This milestone reflects years of extraordinary work by a remarkably devoted community whose passion and convictions safeguarded a noble public purpose. It has served thousands of students, most of them first-generation, positioning them to change the trajectory of their lives.
This milestone was not born of ease. It was forged in faith and tested, stretched, and, often, strained. There were many moments over the last four years when the weight of what we were called to preserve and reimagine pressed heavily upon us. But this community did not turn away. It leaned in and drew closer.
New Jersey City University has always been more than a name or a place. It is a promise sustained by faculty who have taught beyond the syllabus, by staff who have lifted what could not afford to falter, and by students whose aspirations gave this campus its purpose and its power. This milestone belongs to them. It belongs to a campus community that held its ground, and to the external partners who stood with us in shared purpose.
In the course of the last 99 years, we have changed our name and expanded our charters to meet a moment: New Jersey State Normal School at Jersey City in 1927, New Jersey State Teachers College at Jersey City in 1935, Jersey City State College in 1958, New Jersey City University in 1998, and soon our mission will endure and expand as Kean Jersey City in the summer of 2026. Jersey City has always been where the moment has been met.
More than 60,000 alumni carry this campus's story into the world. Behind every one of them: generations of faculty, staff, and classmates who gave everything to them and one another. And in a few short weeks the Class of 2026, our final graduating class, will join them and we will witness the answer to every doubt that tried to define this season. The Class of 2026, thousands of students and families who relied on our hearts and minds in our most defining chapter, will cross the stage, and trailing behind their names will follow thousands of stories, thousands of sacrifices, thousands of quiet victories. They are proof that hope, when held long enough, becomes something you can see, something you can touch, something that walks across a stage and into the world. They are what you made possible together. They lay the cornerstone for our next century.
I am deeply grateful to our faculty, staff, students, and alumni, whose commitment and presence sustained this university through a period of challenge, transformation, and change; to our university leadership, who undertook this work with discipline, resolve, and care; to our community supporters and partners in state and local government who joined us in that purpose; and to President Repollet and our colleagues at Kean University, whose partnership reflects a shared belief in what this next chapter can be.
Kean Jersey City will expand opportunity, strengthen offerings, and carry nearly a century of impact into a second century with greater reach, greater strength, and renewed purpose. A rich and fortified legacy will be preserved and celebrated. It will be extended and elevated as we create a new and more dynamic public university committed to student success that is forever anchored in the communities we are entrusted to serve.
If there is something to be claimed in this moment and at this hour, it is this: that even under strain, hope held. That even in uncertainty, purpose endured.
What we carry forward is not simply an institution's history, but a calling. One shaped by sacrifice, sustained by belief, and made real through the lives we are privileged to change. The work before us now is sacred in its own way: to carry forward what others built with care, to widen its reach, and to ensure that those who come after us inherit not only what we preserved but what we had the courage to imagine anew.
Let us move ahead with reverence for what has been, with compassion for all that this moment asked of us, and with steady hands and open hearts for what lies ahead. Let us be grounded in what we have been and unwavering in what we are now called to build.
The measure of this moment will be what, together, you now make possible for our students, for this community, and for generations still to come who will one day stand and call this place their own.
Yours in service with admiration, affection, and gratitude,
Andres Acebo
President
New Jersey City University
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Original text here: https://www.njcu.edu/about/news/2026/04/message-njcu-president-andres-acebo-middle-states-commission-action
Department of Energy Selects Virginia Tech Joint Venture to Manage and Operate Jefferson Lab
BLACKSBURG, Virginia, April 28 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news:
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Department of Energy selects Virginia Tech joint venture to manage and operate Jefferson Lab
By Lon Wagner
The U.S. Department of Energy has selected Virginia Tech and the Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) to manage and operate the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, one of the nation's leading nuclear physics research laboratories. The contract marks a new chapter for Jefferson Lab's scientific mission and continued leadership in discovery and innovation.
SURATech,
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BLACKSBURG, Virginia, April 28 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news:
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Department of Energy selects Virginia Tech joint venture to manage and operate Jefferson Lab
By Lon Wagner
The U.S. Department of Energy has selected Virginia Tech and the Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) to manage and operate the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, one of the nation's leading nuclear physics research laboratories. The contract marks a new chapter for Jefferson Lab's scientific mission and continued leadership in discovery and innovation.
SURATech,the name for the new management group, is a joint venture between Virginia Tech and SURA, bringing together the strengths of both organizations to support Jefferson Lab's long-standing tradition of scientific excellence. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing fundamental research, fostering collaboration, expanding opportunities for the global scientific community, and giving students hands-on science and technology experiences.
"Virginia Tech is proud to partner in this effort to lead one of the nation's premier research facilities," said Virginia Tech President Tim Sands. "As part of SURATech, we're ready to support Jefferson Lab's mission and push the boundaries of discovery in ways that benefit the commonwealth, nation, and world.
"This is the result of continued support from our state legislators and governor. Their strategic investments in Jefferson Lab, including a new High Performance Data Facility, spur job creation and education across the commonwealth," Sands said.
"Jefferson Lab has an extraordinary legacy of scientific achievement and a bold vision for the future," said Sean Hearne, president and chief executive officer of SURA. "We are honored that the Department of Energy has selected SURATech to support the laboratory's mission and to help advance groundbreaking research that deepens our understanding of the universe."
Since its founding, Jefferson Lab has been at the forefront of particle accelerator and nuclear physics research, driving discoveries that explore the fundamental structure of matter. Its world-class facilities, talented workforce, and vibrant scientific user community have positioned the laboratory as a global leader in science and innovation.
This is the first time a university has partnered in an organization selected to manage Jefferson Lab, one of the Department of Energy's 17 national laboratories.
"We are excited for Virginia Tech to bring its expertise in science, engineering, and computation to a premier national facility located right here in Virginia," said Dan Sui, the university's senior vice president for research and innovation. "We are proud to join a distinguished group of universities entrusted with the management and operations responsibilities for our national laboratories, including Princeton, Stanford, the University of Chicago, and the University of California system."
Jefferson Lab employs about 840 people and operates with an annual budget of approximately $238 million. Jefferson Lab is moving toward becoming a multi-purpose laboratory with the creation of a new High Performance Data Facility based in Virginia where the research will be an integral part of the nation's data science program.
In partnership with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, this $300 million-plus computing and data infrastructure resource will accelerate the pace of scientific discovery by providing users unprecedented data analysis, networking and storage resources. The data facility is critically aligned with the recently launched Genesis Mission, led by the Department of Energy, to transform American science and innovation through the power of artificial intelligence.
A new vision
The SURATech partnership brings together deep experience in managing large-scale scientific enterprises with a strong network of university and industry partners.
Virginia Tech brings a wealth of that type of national leadership. Kevin Pitts, dean of the College of Science, previously served as chief research officer at Fermilab National Accelerator Facility in Illinois. Pitts was integral in the process to develop the team and proposal for this new partnership.
In addition, eight other universities in Virginia will become part of the Spark Joint Institute at Jefferson Lab: Christopher Newport University, George Mason University, Hampton University, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and William & Mary.
This collaborative model will strengthen operational excellence while expanding opportunities for research, education, and workforce development.
Looking ahead, SURATech will focus on supporting Jefferson Lab's workforce, enhancing collaboration across the scientific community, and advancing the groundbreaking research that defines the laboratory's mission.
In addition to the existing thrusts in particle accelerator and nuclear science research, this partnership will further efforts across Virginia in artificial intelligence, data science, and quantum information. Working in close partnership with the DOE, universities, and industry collaborators, the team aims to build on Jefferson Lab's legacy and accelerate discovery for the benefit of society.
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Original text here: https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/04/science-Jefferson-Lab.html
Alumnus President of Award-Winning Restaurant Group to Speak at UVA Wise's 2026 Commencement
WISE, Virginia, April 28 -- The University of Virginia College at Wise issued the following news:
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Alumnus President of Award-Winning Restaurant Group to Speak at UVA Wise's 2026 Commencement
Genna Welsh Kasun
The University of Virginia's College at Wise (UVA Wise) announced today that alumnus and Southwest Virginia native Tyler Roberts will be the keynote speaker for its 2026 Commencement. The ceremony will take place on May 9, beginning at 10 a.m., at the David J. Prior Convocation Center.
Roberts is the President and Chief Financial Officer of The Mina Group, a $350 million restaurant
... Show Full Article
WISE, Virginia, April 28 -- The University of Virginia College at Wise issued the following news:
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Alumnus President of Award-Winning Restaurant Group to Speak at UVA Wise's 2026 Commencement
Genna Welsh Kasun
The University of Virginia's College at Wise (UVA Wise) announced today that alumnus and Southwest Virginia native Tyler Roberts will be the keynote speaker for its 2026 Commencement. The ceremony will take place on May 9, beginning at 10 a.m., at the David J. Prior Convocation Center.
Roberts is the President and Chief Financial Officer of The Mina Group, a $350 million restaurantmanagement company whose luxury dining offerings span across the U.S. in addition to Dubai and Riyadh. Founded by renowned chef, Michael Mina, the business develops and operates more than 35 restaurants under the flagship brands of Bourbon Steak, StripSteak, Orla and Aqua Bistecca.
As the senior executive responsible for strategy, performance and growth, Roberts oversees finance, operations, IT, capital strategy and investor relations. He sets and executes the company's long-term vision with an eye toward market expansion, building resilient, successful teams, and a balance of adoption of developing technologies and embracing efficient best practices.
"I'm excited for this year's UVA Wise graduates to hear from an alumnus with extensive experience in leadership and a flavor for opportunity," says UVA Wise Chancellor Donna P. Henry. "Tyler has great perspective on how to put leadership into action that I know will further inspire our impressive class of 2026."
Roberts has applied his UVA Wise education in various roles in financial planning and operations with VIVA Creative, the Jose Andres Group and Lidl. In May 2017, he was recognized as a Top Accounting Executive by Recognize D.C. After graduating from UVA Wise in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting, Roberts earned his Master of Business Administration degree from King University.
"I am most grateful to UVA Wise for teaching me how to learn," Roberts says. "What I mean by that, is that the University set me up to think deeply, push the boundaries of what is possible, and take learning beyond the classroom. Between classes and building enduring friendships, I have lifelong memories of my time here."
For his Commencement remarks, Roberts will draw not only on his experiences at the College, but also from working with Boards of Directors, investors, luxury hotel brands and alongside Chef Mina.
"You come to a restaurant for a great meal, but what makes you come back is how we make you feel. Everyone's job in a restaurant is to make you feel like a main character, and I know that does make a difference," Roberts says.
His advice to graduates will center around a tried and true value of the College and region where he grew up: trust, reputation, and success.
"I find myself in interesting rooms and am able to meet and spend time with really innovative and successful people who are titans of their industry," Roberts says. "They're successful not only because of intellect but because they're also people who continued working when everyone else quits."
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Original text here: https://www.uvawise.edu/news/2026/04/alumnus-president-award-winning-restaurant-group-speak-uva-wises-2026-commencement
