Featured Stories
University of Hawaii Manoa: Short, Intense Storms Gain Intensity Across Hawaii
MANOA, Hawaii, Aug. 28 (TNSjou) -- The University of Hawaii Manoa campus issued the following news release:
* * *
Short, intense storms gain intensity across Hawaii
While long-term data shows that Hawaii is getting drier overall, short, intense downpours that cause sudden, dangerous flash floods are getting stronger in the islands, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Published in the International Journal of Climatology, the research from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) is the first comprehensive study to analyze extreme
... Show Full Article
MANOA, Hawaii, Aug. 28 (TNSjou) -- The University of Hawaii Manoa campus issued the following news release:
* * *
Short, intense storms gain intensity across Hawaii
While long-term data shows that Hawaii is getting drier overall, short, intense downpours that cause sudden, dangerous flash floods are getting stronger in the islands, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Published in the International Journal of Climatology, the research from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) is the first comprehensive study to analyze extremehourly rainfall patterns across the state over 50 years (1966-2020). The team examined decades of hourly data from 117 rain gauges across Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui and Hawaii Island, uncovering climate trends that traditional 24-hour daily averages often miss.
Bursts of intense rain
In steep, mountain-filled tropical watersheds like Hawaii's, bursts of intense rain lasting one to six hours can overwhelm stream channels and storm drains before emergency alerts are even issued.
"If we want to understand extreme weather, like storms and floods, we really need to look at short-duration, high-temporal-resolution data rather than daily or monthly averages," said Professor Yinphan Tsang of CTAHR's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management and the principal investigator.
The study's major findings include:
* Common heavy rains, happening once every two years, are generally becoming less intense across the state.
* Short, sudden bursts of rain lasting one to three hours - the severe storms that usually occur only once every 20 to 100 years - are getting significantly stronger.
* Storms lasting 6 hours or longer are weakening more noticeably than shorter one- to three-hour storms.
Researchers noted that rainfall trends vary widely even between neighboring areas. Because of Hawaii's unique mountains and island terrain, rainfall intensity can increase in one neighborhood while decreasing just a few miles away.
Researchers also identified two distinct peaks when Hawaii is most vulnerable to extreme hourly rain events: October through December and February through March. These heavy rains are overall driven by cold fronts, Kona storms and other winter weather systems moving through the islands. The extreme events occurring from February through March, near the end of the wet season, were unexpected and could take people by surprise. Other systems, such as tropical storms, could also bring extreme rainfall during the summer season.
Vital data for climate adaptation
The findings offer updates for emergency responders, county planners and infrastructure design.
The study was a collaborative effort at UH Manoa bringing together experts from CTAHR, the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, the College of Social Sciences and the Water Resources Research Center. The research was primarily compiled by Maxime Gayte with co-authors including faculty members Professor Yinphan Tsang, Professor Pao-Shin Chu (Hawaii State Climatologist), Professor Thomas W. Giambelluca, Jr., Researcher Yu-Fen Huang, and Researcher Hanpei Zhang.
* * *
Original text here: http://www.uhm.hawaii.edu/news/article.php?aId=14767
University of Cincinnati Real Estate Center Appoints New Executive Director
CINCINNATI, Ohio, Aug. 28 -- The University of Cincinnati posted the following news:
* * *
UC Real Estate Center appoints new executive director
Sean McGrory brings decades of real estate experience
By Grant Freking, frekingt@ucmail.uc.edu
The UC Real Estate Center has announced Sean McGrory as its new executive director. McGrory succeeds Carl Goertemoeller, who retired.
McGrory joins the center from Clark Schaefer Hackett, where he was partner. Previously, he served as chief financial officer at Miller-Valentine Group and as a partner at Grant Thornton.
McGrory will advance the center's
... Show Full Article
CINCINNATI, Ohio, Aug. 28 -- The University of Cincinnati posted the following news:
* * *
UC Real Estate Center appoints new executive director
Sean McGrory brings decades of real estate experience
By Grant Freking, frekingt@ucmail.uc.edu
The UC Real Estate Center has announced Sean McGrory as its new executive director. McGrory succeeds Carl Goertemoeller, who retired.
McGrory joins the center from Clark Schaefer Hackett, where he was partner. Previously, he served as chief financial officer at Miller-Valentine Group and as a partner at Grant Thornton.
McGrory will advance the center'sstrong connections with students and deepen its engagement with the local, regional and national real estate community. He will work in tandem with Gary Painter, PhD, who continues as academic director, leading the college's real estate academic programs and the center's research in social innovation and housing.
"Sean's collaborative approach to leadership, deep commitment to the Cincinnati community and unwavering drive for excellence make him uniquely positioned to advance the center," said Lindner dean Marianne Lewis, PhD. "I'm energized by the opportunities ahead for our students, partners and region."
McGrory brings an established connection to the center and its students. A former member of the center's Board of Executive Advisors in Real Estate, he also helped organize a recent study abroad experience for real estate students in the United Kingdom. McGrory previously spent two years working in London with Grant Thornton.
At Clark Schaefer Hackett, McGrory led the firm's construction and real estate practice group, collaborating with developers, architects, contractors, investors and the broader network of real estate professionals across the region.
"Those businesses were the clients and the professional network that I operated in," he said.
McGrory plans to draw on his existing connections to the center and industry to continue to build on the center's upward trajectory.
"For students, the center combines business world exposure with their classroom and collegiate experience -- integrating it through co-ops, mentorship, the roundtables and much more," he said. "For industry partners, this is a really exciting time to be a part of the center. Our programs and initiatives really intersect with the university's Next Lives Here agenda."
Join the Roundtable program
The Real Estate Center's Roundtable Program was established in 1983 to further link the college and UC with the business and real estate communities. Now entering its 43rd season, the series features networking opportunities, engaging speakers and direct access to industry leaders.
The 2026-27 academic year features eight monthly roundtable events, highlighted by the UC/PNC Economic Outlook in February 2027.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2026/08/real-estate-center-sean-mcgrory.html
UC-San Francisco: Autism Decoded - New Science Is Opening Paths to Better Treatments
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Aug. 28 (TNSjou) -- The University of California San Francisco campus issued the following news release:
* * *
Autism Decoded: New Science Is Opening Paths to Better Treatments
UCSF research published in Science maps more than 1,800 protein interactions across 100 autism risk genes, revealing how diverse genetic mutations converge and providing a blueprint for translating genetic insights into new therapies.
-
In the past few decades, researchers have identified hundreds of genes that increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder. Yet, two key questions remained
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Aug. 28 (TNSjou) -- The University of California San Francisco campus issued the following news release:
* * *
Autism Decoded: New Science Is Opening Paths to Better Treatments
UCSF research published in Science maps more than 1,800 protein interactions across 100 autism risk genes, revealing how diverse genetic mutations converge and providing a blueprint for translating genetic insights into new therapies.
-
In the past few decades, researchers have identified hundreds of genes that increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder. Yet, two key questions remainedunanswered: How do mutations in these genes change brain development, and how can that knowledge lead to more effective therapies?
In an Aug. 27 study in Science, researchers in UC San Francisco's Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI) and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences have taken a major step toward answering both questions. Over more than a decade of work, the team developed the largest map of molecular interactions in autism, revealing how hundreds of genes and dozens of mutations converge within a small number of shared protein networks. The result could open new roads in developing precision medicines for the disorder.
"After the initial excitement of discovering rare mutations that cause common forms of autism, the reality of how hard it would be to develop medicines to target the most severe end of the autism spectrum became abundantly clear," said Matthew W. State, MD, PhD, a senior author and chair of the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. "This current work opens up a whole new world of possibilities for therapeutic targets and promises a generation of novel drugs that can transform what we are able to do in the clinic."
Rather than focusing only on the genes linked to autism, the researchers mapped the proteins encoded by those genes. They discovered how individual disease-causing mutations can rewire the molecular machinery of the developing brain. The work uncovered a new layer of disease biology that could offer targets for future therapies. It also provides a framework for designing medicines that address a wide range of underlying molecular causes of autism.
"The science demonstrates that autism is written in our genes," said Nevan J. Krogan, PhD, professor at UCSF, director of QBI, and senior investigator at Gladstone Institutes. "This study maps the exact molecular machinery that is altered, including the specific protein interactions, down to the interfaces we can target with a drug. Further, what we've built here isn't limited to autism. It's a blueprint for translating the genetics of almost any disease, from neurodegeneration to cancer, into a real therapeutic strategy. That's what we've been building QBI to do."
The study is most directly relevant to individuals with profound autism, which makes up about 30% of diagnoses. Many of these individuals carry rare, high-impact mutations in established autism risk genes.
One of the study's key findings is that many genetically distinct forms of autism disrupt the same dozen protein complexes. Instead of requiring different therapies for every mutation, these shared molecular hubs could be tapped to develop medicines capable of treating multiple genetic forms of autism.
Drugs designed to restore these shared protein interactions could potentially benefit many patients, while offering advantages in brain delivery, tolerability, scalability, and manufacturing.
More broadly, the work establishes a general framework for connecting disease-causing genetic variations to protein networks, molecular mechanisms, and therapeutic targets, a strategy that may ultimately be applicable across many human diseases.
The study systematically mapped protein-protein interactions for 100 high-confidence autism risk genes using affinity purification-mass spectrometry (AP-MS). The map revealed more than 1,800 protein interactions, 87% of which had never been reported previously. The researchers then analyzed 54 patient-derived autism mutations, revealing how distinct genetic variants rewire protein interaction networks to produce convergent effects on brain development.
Key Study Findings:
* QBI developed the largest molecular interaction map ever generated for autism. The study focused on 100 autism risk genes and mapped over 1,800 protein-protein interactions, 87% of which were previously unknown. The resulting "diagram" offers the most detailed view to date of the molecular machinery underlying autism, revealing previously unknown connections between proteins.
* Autism's genetic diversity funnels into a small number of shared molecular pathways. While autism can be caused by hundreds of different genes, the relevant changes in those genes tend to alter a much smaller number of shared protein complexes. This suggests that researchers may be able to develop therapies that target common molecular hubs rather than every mutation, which could speed the development of drugs benefiting more patients.
* Disease-causing mutations don't just break genes, they rewire protein networks in predictable, convergent ways. Distinct mutations in different autism genes produce surprisingly similar changes in how proteins interact with each other. For example, separate autism-causing mutations in the FOXP1 and FOXP2 genes converge on disrupting the same FOXP1-FOXP4 protein interaction, leading to premature development of neurons in the outer level of the brain and increased neural circuit excitability in lab-grown brain organoids.
* AI reveals precisely where disease-causing mutations act. By integrating the interaction maps with AlphaFold structural predictions, researchers pinpointed where mutations disrupt protein interfaces, creating opportunities to design drugs that stabilize beneficial interactions or block harmful ones.
* Study reveals that mutations cause damage, not just a loss of function. In one example, FOXP1 mutations that sit at different locations within the protein all converge on disrupting the same FOXP1-FOXP4 interaction. FOXP1 acts as a master regulator for other genes during brain development and has been presumed to play a primary role in how large-effect mutations cause the syndrome. The mapping revealed that, rather than simply reducing the amount of FOXP1, the genetic changes in FOXP1 trigger a pathogenic gain of function in the partner protein FOXP4. This unexpected finding reveals a new dimension of how autism mutations can cause harm and opens new avenues for therapeutic intervention.
* Research creates a blueprint for precision medicine. Beyond autism, the framework developed in this study -- connecting genetic mutations to protein interaction networks to disease mechanisms to therapeutic targets -- offers a model for translating disease genetics into a treatment strategy. QBI's PPI platform is now positioned to apply this approach across neurology, oncology, and infectious diseases.
QBI laid the groundwork for the research during the COVID-19 pandemic in mapping the SARS-CoV-2 human protein interaction network. The project identified 69 drug candidates, 27 of which advanced into clinical trials. The current study also marks a milestone in a more than decade-long partnership between QBI and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UCSF, known as the Psychiatric Cell Map Initiative (PCMI). This effort has identified the causal biology of a neuropsychiatric disorder at the molecular level, laid the foundation for a targeted therapeutic approach in autism spectrum disorder, and established a generalizable blueprint for moving from genetics to therapy that could inform how we approach other complex genetic diseases.
Authors: The study was led by co-first authors Belinda Wang, MD, PhD, Rasika Vartak, PhD, and Kelsey Hennick, PhD, along with co-corresponding authors Kirsten Obernier, PhD, Tomasz J. Nowakowski, PhD, and A. Jeremy Willsey, PhD.
* * *
About the Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI): The Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI) is a University of California organized research unit reporting through the UCSF School of Pharmacy. QBI fosters collaborations across the biomedical and physical sciences to advance interdisciplinary approaches to human disease and therapeutic discovery. QBI's disease-agnostic, uniquely integrated technological platforms have generated insights across cancer, neurodegeneration, and infectious diseases, leading to the formation of spinout companies, including Rezo Therapeutics. QBI incorporates the UCSF division of QB3, a multicampus UC institute that supports bioscience research and innovation in California. Learn more at qbi.ucsf.edu.
* * *
About the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences: The UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute are among the nation's foremost resources in the fields of child, adolescent, adult, and geriatric mental health. Together they constitute one of the largest departments in the UCSF School of Medicine and the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, with a focus on providing unparalleled patient care, conducting impactful research, training the next generation of behavioral health leaders, and expanding access, awareness, and advocacy across the field of behavioral health. Learn more at psychiatry.ucsf.edu.
* * *
About UCSF: The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is exclusively focused on the health sciences and is dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. UCSF Health, which serves as UCSF's primary academic medical system, includes top-ranked specialty hospitals and other clinical programs, and has affiliations throughout the Bay Area. UCSF School of Medicine also has a regional campus in Fresno. Learn more at ucsf.edu.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2026/08/432446/autism-decoded-new-science-opening-paths-better-treatments
UC-Irvine: Social Media - Reading Between the Lines
IRVINE, California, Aug. 28 (TNSjou) -- The University of California Irvine campus issued the following news release:
* * *
Social media: Reading between the lines
Online posts can reveal where Californians may be most vulnerable to extreme heat, UC Irvine study finds
* UC Irvine researchers analyzed nearly 25,000 heat-related social media posts from across California to examine what factors predict people talking about coping with extreme heat or its effects on daily life.
* People living in RVs, vans or boats appeared to face greater challenges during extreme heat while being less likely
... Show Full Article
IRVINE, California, Aug. 28 (TNSjou) -- The University of California Irvine campus issued the following news release:
* * *
Social media: Reading between the lines
Online posts can reveal where Californians may be most vulnerable to extreme heat, UC Irvine study finds
* UC Irvine researchers analyzed nearly 25,000 heat-related social media posts from across California to examine what factors predict people talking about coping with extreme heat or its effects on daily life.
* People living in RVs, vans or boats appeared to face greater challenges during extreme heat while being less likelyto discuss ways of coping with it.
* The findings suggest that social media could complement traditional public health data and help officials develop more targeted heat warnings, outreach and prevention strategies for vulnerable communities.
-
As extreme heat becomes more frequent and intense across California, knowing which communities are struggling and what kind of help they need is increasingly important for protecting public health.
A new UC Irvine study suggests that part of the answer may be hiding in everyday conversations on social media.
Researchers analyzed 24,598 heat-related posts on Twitter, now X, from across California between 2016 and 2022. They found that where people live, how they get around and the resources available to them were associated with meaningful differences in how they talked about extreme heat - including whether they described its effects on their lives or discussed ways of coping with it.
The findings, published in Environmental Research Communications, point to social media as a potential complementary tool for understanding how communities experience extreme heat and for developing more targeted public health interventions.
The study was conducted by Nicolas Rodriguez Garcia and senior author Suellen Hopfer of the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health; Veronica J. Berrocal of the Department of Statistics; and Chen Li of the Department of Computer Science - the latter two in the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences.
"Social media gives us another window into how people are experiencing heat in their daily lives," says Hopfer, associate professor of health, society and behavior. "Understanding those experiences can help us think more strategically about who heat-safety messages are reaching, where gaps remain and how communication can better support communities that are especially vulnerable."
Looking beyond the temperature
Extreme heat is a growing public health threat, and housing, income and occupation are known predictors of heat vulnerability. Rather than looking only at temperatures or heat-related illnesses, the UC Irvine team examined how people described heat's impact on their daily lives and the ways they coped with it. This revealed that individuals living in RVs, vans or boats - termed "sensitive housing" - may benefit from targeted public health interventions designed to reduce indoor heat exposure.
The researchers categorized posts according to whether people were discussing coping strategies - such as staying hydrated, using air conditioning, going to a pool or changing when they exercised - or life impacts, including health effects, disrupted work, canceled activities, concerns about pets or plants, changes in household expenses and other consequences of high temperatures.
They then compared those patterns with county-level indicators related to income, housing, transportation and tree canopy. In general, housing was correlated with posts about coping, while being an active commuter predicted life-impact posts.
The researchers also used a large language model to help group thousands of social media posts based on how people talked about heat. They checked the model's results against a set of posts that the team had manually sorted, learning that the model's accuracy ranged from 74 percent to 90 percent across the categories of heat impacts, coping strategies and "other."
Some of the clearest differences emerged around housing.
Counties with high levels of RV/van/boat households were 15 percent less likely to post positive heat tweets than counties with low levels and had 22 percent lower odds to posts about coping strategies. That finding is especially important because such homes can have poor insulation and become dangerously hot during extreme temperatures.
The researchers say the pattern points to an opportunity for more targeted communication about indoor heat safety, particularly for people living in housing where maintaining a safe temperature may be difficult.
Transportation patterns revealed another vulnerability.
Counties with greater percentages of people who walk, bike or use public transportation to commute showed substantially greater odds of negative heat-related posts and those describing the effects of heat on daily life. The researchers note that active commuters can experience direct heat exposure while traveling, making transportation infrastructure an important part of protecting communities from rising temperatures.
The study also identified disparities in counties with larger Hispanic populations. Those counties showed a slightly greater likelihood of posts describing heat's impacts on daily life and a lower likelihood of posts on coping strategies. The researchers caution that social media patterns should not be treated as direct measures of population-level vulnerability but say the results highlight an opportunity for more targeted heat awareness and intervention efforts.
Turning online conversations into public health insights
The researchers envision social media not as a replacement for established public health surveillance but as another source of information that could help officials understand how extreme heat is affecting people as events unfold.
The study found that heat-related posting increased as average monthly temperatures rose. Because online conversations can capture immediate experiences - from struggling with an overheated home to changing a commute or canceling an activity - they may reveal aspects of heat exposure that are difficult to capture through conventional datasets alone.
Combining those signals with measures of housing, transportation and socioeconomic conditions could eventually help public health agencies identify where particular kinds of heat communication are most needed.
For example, communities with substantial sensitive housing might benefit from messaging focused on keeping indoor spaces safe, while areas with many active commuters could benefit from heat-conscious transportation planning and interventions that reduce exposure while walking, cycling or waiting for public transit.
Ultimately, the researchers say, blending social media monitoring with automated language analysis could offer another way to identify communities that would benefit from targeted heat warnings, practical guidance and longer-term mitigation strategies.
As California prepares for a future of increasingly frequent and severe heat events, those insights could help public health officials move beyond one-size-fits-all warnings and toward communication designed around how people experience and cope with extreme heat.
* * *
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.
* * *
Original text here: https://news.uci.edu/2026/08/27/social-media-reading-between-the-lines/
UC-Irvine: Data Infrastructure Award to Help Scientific Communities Build Domain-specific Platforms for Collaborative Data Science and AI
IRVINE, California, Aug. 28 -- The University of California Irvine campus issued the following news release:
* * *
New data infrastructure award to help scientific communities build domain-specific platforms for collaborative data science and AI
UC Irvine's Chen Li to help lead NSF-funded national effort
-
Researchers at UC Irvine, UCLA and the University of Michigan have received nearly $9 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation to establish a new data infrastructure capability that will help scientific communities across the nation use advanced data science and artificial intelligence
... Show Full Article
IRVINE, California, Aug. 28 -- The University of California Irvine campus issued the following news release:
* * *
New data infrastructure award to help scientific communities build domain-specific platforms for collaborative data science and AI
UC Irvine's Chen Li to help lead NSF-funded national effort
-
Researchers at UC Irvine, UCLA and the University of Michigan have received nearly $9 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation to establish a new data infrastructure capability that will help scientific communities across the nation use advanced data science and artificial intelligencetools.
The award, called NSF BRIDGE and led by UC Irvine computer science professor Chen Li, helps scientific communities deploy computing platforms tailored to their needs, allowing researchers to share datasets, analysis pipelines, and machine learning models. Built on the open-source Texera system, these platforms can run on public clouds such as Amazon Web Services or on computing clusters operated by research laboratories. They enable scientists to collaborate on data analysis and apply AI techniques without requiring advanced IT or programming skills.
Why it matters
The enormous volume of data now being generated across many scientific fields, together with rapid advances in AI, creates unprecedented opportunities to transform observations into actionable knowledge. NSF BRIDGE enables this transformation by removing technical barriers and integrating deep domain expertise with AI and large-scale computing.
Rather than requiring scientists to set up complex computing systems or write sophisticated scripts, NSF BRIDGE enables scientific communities to deploy Texera as an online platform where researchers can store data, share it with collaborators, and analyze it using AI-powered tools. Researchers will be able to complete many tasks through visual dataflows and plain-language instructions to AI agents, rather than by writing code in languages such as Python or R.
Helping research move faster
"Building on more than a decade of open-source development through the Texera project, we aim to transform how scientific communities use data science and AI. NSF BRIDGE will enable seamless knowledge sharing and collaboration without requiring programming expertise," Li said.
The three-year project builds on Texera, an open-source system for collaborative data science using GUI-based workflows. Started in 2016, the system is now being incubated by the Apache Software Foundation. By using the system to make advanced computing more accessible, NSF BRIDGE accelerates discovery across many fields and helps scientific communities build shared knowledge bases for data science and AI.
A multi-disciplinary team for real-world applications
NSF BRIDGE is funded through the U.S. National Science Foundation's Integrated Data Systems and Services program, which supports national research infrastructure that helps scientists use data and artificial intelligence to solve complex problems across scientific disciplines. The data infrastructure helps research labs and domains deploy the Texera system, provides software services, including documentation, training, and technical support.
"The Texera system provides a novel platform that makes state-of-the-art AI and machine learning techniques accessible to a wide range of scientific domains. Through Texera, NSF BRIDGE can accelerate AI adoption in these fields and significantly benefit the nation," said Wei Wang, a co-principal investigator on the award and professor of computer science at UCLA.
Steve Parker, a senior personnel member of the award and professor of computational medicine and bioinformatics, human genetics, and biostatistics at the University of Michigan, shares an example: "With the support of NSF BRIDGE, we are deploying the Texera system to empower researchers in our bioinformatics domain without programming expertise to build and share flexible workflows that integrate their own data with public resources. Powered by the latest AI tools, it will bridge the gap between experimental research and computational analysis to substantially accelerate scientific discovery."
Li, from the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences, will serve as principal investigator, continuing a career focused on engineering and open-source system building. Co-principal investigators are UCLA's Wang; Ardalan Amiri Sani, also from ICS at UC Irvine; Kristin Turney from UC Irvine's School of Social Sciences; and Rui Chen from UC Irvine's School of Medicine. Subawards go to Wang and Naomi Sugie from UCLA's College of Social Sciences; Michigan's Parker; and the Research Cyberinfrastructure Center at UC Irvine.
In addition to five domains the team already worked on, the NSF BRIDGE team is actively looking for partners interested in the software system and service to help their research using data science and AI techniques.
* * *
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.
* * *
Original text here: https://news.uci.edu/2026/08/27/new-data-infrastructure-award-to-help-scientific-communities-build-domain-specific-platforms-for-collaborative-data-science-and-ai/
Texas A&M Engineering Initiative Target Student Mental Health With 'The Connection Project'
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Aug. 28 -- The Texas A&M University College of Engineering issued the following news:
* * *
Making a case for connection
Engineering faculty member Dr. Noemi Mendoza Diaz aims to improve college student mental health by bringing The Connection Project to Texas A&M.
By Alyssa Schaechinger, Engineering News Staff
College can be a challenging time for students due to stress from academics, extracurriculars and being away from home - researchers at Texas A&M are working to help.
At Texas A&M University's College of Engineering, improving student mental health is a priority.
... Show Full Article
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Aug. 28 -- The Texas A&M University College of Engineering issued the following news:
* * *
Making a case for connection
Engineering faculty member Dr. Noemi Mendoza Diaz aims to improve college student mental health by bringing The Connection Project to Texas A&M.
By Alyssa Schaechinger, Engineering News Staff
College can be a challenging time for students due to stress from academics, extracurriculars and being away from home - researchers at Texas A&M are working to help.
At Texas A&M University's College of Engineering, improving student mental health is a priority.With support from Dr. Robert H. Bishop, vice chancellor and dean of Texas A&M Engineering, researchers are working to implement The Connection Project, an initiative shown to improve college student mental health by offering access to additional support resources.
"We are prioritizing mental health by providing our students with resources linked to improved mental and physical well-being," Bishop said. "Integrating The Connection Project is a crucial step toward furthering a culture where students' mental health comes first."
First implemented at the University of Virginia (UVA), The Connection Project is an evidence-based intervention for college students designed to combat loneliness and social disconnection.
Lead researcher Dr. Noemi Mendoza Diaz highlights the vulnerability of college students to social isolation in a post-pandemic world, where reliance on technology continues to increase.
"An overdependency on technology, specifically artificial intelligence, has emerged in recent years," said Mendoza Diaz, an assistant professor in the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution. "By understanding the relationship between AI and mental health, we can help students connect with others, as opposed to artificial intelligence, when they are in need of support."
To seamlessly integrate The Connection Project at Texas A&M, first-year engineering students will participate in a pilot study. The intervention will be implemented as a 10-week extracurricular program during students' first semester.
The program will consist of weekly 75-minute group sessions facilitated by two trained graduate level leaders -- one from the College of Engineering and one from the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. Groups consisting of 6 to 8 students will follow a structured three-phase progression designed to foster meaningful connections with peers.
Phase one allows students to engage in values affirmation activities to build trust and find a shared purpose. Phase two focuses on enhancing social belonging through various activities aimed at reducing feelings of isolation. Phase three promotes resilience building strategies and voluntary self-disclosure of concerns.
The goal of this project is to produce measurable reductions in loneliness, depression and stress while strengthening students' sense of belonging. The Connection Project has been successful at UVA and other universities. Arizona State University, Virginia Tech and Penn State are among the growing number of schools adopting this intervention.
Collaborators on this project include Dr. Kristy Cuthbert, a clinical assistant professor and director of the Texas A&M Psychology Clinic, Dr. Eman Hammad, an assistant professor in the engineering technology and industrial distribution department, Dr. Sherecce Fields, a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Texas A&M, and Dr. Celeste Riley, an assistant professor of practice in the health psychology program at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (RELLIS Campus).
"Individuals who are the most vulnerable to mental health issues are often the least likely to ask for help," Mendoza Diaz said. "By establishing The Connection Project at Texas A&M, we hope to prevent students in need from falling through the cracks."
* * *
Original text here: https://news.engineering.tamu.edu/news/2026/08/27/making-a-case-for-connection/
Campbell University: Engineering Professor Chosen for Competitive EM-FUEL Program
BUIES CREEK, North Carolina, Aug. 28 -- Campbell University issued the following news:
* * *
Engineering professor chosen for competitive EM-FUEL program
Dr. Alison Polasik, associate professor of engineering, was selected recently for the KEEN (Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network) EM-FUEL Program, a national emerging leader training program for professors and other academics looking to step into broader roles of influence.
EM-FUEL, an acronym for Entrepreneurial Mindset for Future University Engineering Leaders, is a highly competitive program, and Polasik's inclusion is a win for Campbell
... Show Full Article
BUIES CREEK, North Carolina, Aug. 28 -- Campbell University issued the following news:
* * *
Engineering professor chosen for competitive EM-FUEL program
Dr. Alison Polasik, associate professor of engineering, was selected recently for the KEEN (Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network) EM-FUEL Program, a national emerging leader training program for professors and other academics looking to step into broader roles of influence.
EM-FUEL, an acronym for Entrepreneurial Mindset for Future University Engineering Leaders, is a highly competitive program, and Polasik's inclusion is a win for CampbellUniversity's School of Engineering, Founding Dean Dr. Jenna Carpenter said.
"We are thrilled Dr. Polasik has been selected for this program," Carpenter said. "Campbell Engineering's signature innovative and forward-looking approach to engineering education positions our faculty to be leaders of transformational change in higher education."
At Campbell, Polasik teaches courses in materials science and engineering, engineering statistics, thermodynamics, statics, mechanics and Fundamentals of Engineering exam preparation. A metallurgist by training and an engineering educator by vocation, Polasik said she is committed to helping students develop the technical skills, confidence and professional identity needed to become successful engineers.
She said joining the EM-FUEL cohort will help her better understand her strengths and values, while learning alongside engineering educators who are passionate about making a difference.
"My experiences with KEEN through workshops and conferences have always been impactful and valuable," she said. "I look forward to gaining new perspectives, stretching myself as a leader, and developing the skills to turn good ideas into meaningful and lasting change in engineering education."
Polasik is also active in the American Society for Engineering Education; The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society; and ABET, where she serves as an Engineering Accreditation Commission program evaluator and commissioner.
Her teaching has been recognized with awards from both Campbell and the ASEE Materials Division.
* * *
Original text here: https://news.campbell.edu/articles/engineering-professor-chosen-for-competitive-em-fuel-program/
