Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Featured Stories
How Physical Activity is Linked to Well-being in Daily Life
BOCHUM, Germany, June 5 -- The University in Bochum issued the following news release:
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How Physical Activity is Linked to Well-being in Daily Life
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Going on walks, going up stairs, working around the home: One meta-study shows how everyday movements are linked to our mood.
Movement is good for us, as we all know. But many people do not engage in enough physical activity in their daily lives. Because knowledge of the positive effects of movement is clearly not sufficient to induce changes in behavior, science is increasingly focusing on mood and emotional factors. Researchers at Ruhr
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BOCHUM, Germany, June 5 -- The University in Bochum issued the following news release:
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How Physical Activity is Linked to Well-being in Daily Life
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Going on walks, going up stairs, working around the home: One meta-study shows how everyday movements are linked to our mood.
Movement is good for us, as we all know. But many people do not engage in enough physical activity in their daily lives. Because knowledge of the positive effects of movement is clearly not sufficient to induce changes in behavior, science is increasingly focusing on mood and emotional factors. Researchers at RuhrUniversity Bochum, Germany, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS), Austria, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany, and the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim (ZI), Germany, have analyzed data sets from over 8,000 individuals to determine how physical activity is linked to good moods and positive emotions. They found that most people feel better when they move throughout the day. At the same time, people are more physically active when they are in a better mood. The results are published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour from May 6, 2026.
Smartphones and other devices measure movement throughout the day
"It has long been known that physical activity has a positive effect on well-being, but we used to only have evidence of this from lab and cross-sectional studies," says Professor Markus Reichert (PLUS, Ruhr University Bochum, ZI), who coordinated the project. He says that, for several years now, the correlation is also being examined in studies that monitor physical activity and well-being under natural, everyday conditions. This is possible with smartphones and similar systems. Routine activities like going on walks, going up the stairs, and housework can thus be assessed. It is also possible to differentiate between correlations within one individual ("I feel better when I move more") and among multiple individuals ("I feel better than other people when I move more than they do").
However, Reichert adds that the results from the studies are unclear and sometimes even contradictory. "It was important that we summarize the findings, also to be able to estimate the scope of the correlations for different aspects of affective well-being like positive and negative affect, energy, and calmness, and potentially identify differences between individuals," explains Johanna Rehder (Ruhr University Bochum, PLUS, ZI), PhD student and first author of the publication.
Good feelings before and after physical activity
"This synthesis of a large quantity of research data from everyday life required innovative and complex meta-analysis techniques," adds Dr. Julian Packheiser (Ruhr University Bochum). These analyses conducted by the core research group - which also includes Dr. Marco Giurgiu, Dr. Irina Timm (both KIT), and Dr. Gesa Berretz (Ruhr University Bochum and Radboud University) - revealed that affective well-being in general exhibits a positive correlation with preceding and subsequent physical activity. Only calmness showed a negative correlation with physical activity. This means that individuals were less calm before or after physical activity than they were when they were stationary.
Persons with low well-being benefit in particular
The analyses also revealed that the correlations between physical activity and affective well-being differ strongly between individuals. While the majority of the subjects exhibited a better mood when engaging in physical activity, some showed a decreased mood before or after physical activity. The results for energy as a form of affective well-being were the most consistent: Over 95 percent of the subjects felt more energetic before or after physical activity.
"Our study also shows that persons with low well-being benefit in particular from physical activity," says Onur Gunturkun (Ruhr University Bochum), which underlines the potential of everyday movement for mentally vulnerable groups. "Now our job for the coming years is to identify additional personal and contextual factors that can explain the differences in the correlations," says Reichert. The data also does not present a causality of the correlations. These must be evaluated, such as through interventional studies of persons' everyday lives. Only then can the full potential of the connections between physical activity and affective well-being be used for health-promoting interventions in care.
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Original text here: https://news.rub.de/english/press-releases/2026-05-06-sports-and-mental-health-how-physical-activity-linked-well-being-daily-life
CoSTAR launches PS1m 'AI for Creativity' initiative to back responsible innovation
LONDON, England, June 5 -- The Royal Holloway-University of London issued the following news:
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CoSTAR launches PS1m 'AI for Creativity' initiative to back responsible innovation
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CoSTAR Network has unveiled a new PS1million initiative aimed at accelerating the use of AI across the UK's creative industries, while safeguarding core principles around authorship and intellectual property.
Entitled 'AI for Creativity', the initiative, which runs throughout 2026, offers UK companies research insights, interactive workshops, business support, funding programmes, and access to cutting-edge AI
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LONDON, England, June 5 -- The Royal Holloway-University of London issued the following news:
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CoSTAR launches PS1m 'AI for Creativity' initiative to back responsible innovation
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CoSTAR Network has unveiled a new PS1million initiative aimed at accelerating the use of AI across the UK's creative industries, while safeguarding core principles around authorship and intellectual property.
Entitled 'AI for Creativity', the initiative, which runs throughout 2026, offers UK companies research insights, interactive workshops, business support, funding programmes, and access to cutting-edge AIcompute and cloud infrastructure.
This new initiative will support companies on their journey to AI adoption, while preserving essential principles around responsible AI, control of IP, and human creativity.
Leveraging CoSTAR Network's extensive practical and research knowledge, AI for Creativity will showcase and develop relevant research and Development (R&D) focusing on the ethical, successful and sustainable use of AI in and for the creative industries.
AI for Creativity will kick off with a series of workshops and webinars taking place across the UK in May and June, featuring a range of industry and CoSTAR Network experts ' An Introduction to AI Assisted Pipelines in Motion Capture', 'Creative Work in the Age of AI: Tools, Practice and the Road Ahead', and 'Directing Generative AI - Control, Realism and Creative Workflow'.
CoSTAR, part of Royal Holloway, University of London, is developing a state-of-the-art AI Compute facility to drive innovation in creativity technology, whilst enabling research and development across academia, startups, SMEs and industry partners.
The pilot cluster is already operational with expansion planned for a full-scale cluster in Summer 2026.
This facility will allow companies and researchers to train and test advanced AI models on the large audio-visual datasets common in film, games and performance production. The system combines powerful GPU servers with ultra-fast storage, providing the capacity needed for data-intensive creative AI research and development.
Find out more about the CoSTAR Network AI Compute infrastructure here.
Industry Access Programmes form a core part of the 'AI For Creativity' initiative beginning with CoSTAR Emerge-AI - the next evolution of our successful Ideate and Evolve programmes.
CoSTAR Emerge-AI goes further by placing artificial intelligence at the heart of its offer, bringing together world-leading industry and research expertise with bespoke access to AI Compute and cloud credits.
Designed specifically for early-stage creative technology companies working with AI, this programme offers bespoke business support, product development guidance and commercialisation expertise - all tailored to where your company is in its business growth. Be the first to hear about the programme launch here.
Another announcement is the four companies taking part in CoSTAR National Lab's Advanced Production Technologies call launched late last year.
The companies will be amongst the first to trial CoSTAR's AI compute facilities and will be using them as part of the programme, exploring efficiencies within a forward thinking, converged production process for screen audiences.
Becky Gregory-Clarke, Co-Head of Innovation at CoSTAR National Lab & Co-Lead, AI For Creativity, said: "AI innovation is an area of intense and rapid change, and one that creative companies in the UK are finding they need to face head on.
"The challenges are significant, however, and the 'AI for Creativity' initiative aims to help companies at different stages of their journey to explore and innovate with the technology, and ultimately work out how it can best serve their creative and business needs, now and in the years to come."
Professor Frauke Zeller, Chair in Design Informatics, Co-Director, Institute for Design Informatics & Co-Lead for AI For Creativity, said: "Between them, all five Labs across the CoSTAR Network represent an exceptional resource of infrastructure and expertise that support the use of AI for creative production, research and innovation.
"We are excited to see this incredible pool of resources coming together to support innovators from across the creative industries."
To find out more about CoSTAR AI For Creativity, click here. To be the first to hear about upcoming opportunities for AI For Creativity, sign up to the CoSTAR newsletter here.
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Original text here: https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/news/costar-launches-1m-ai-for-creativity-initiative-to-back-responsible-innovation
University of Virginia: Q&A - What are the Options for Colorectal Cancer Screening?
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, June 3 -- The University of Virginia issued the following Q&A on June 1, 2026, involving Andrew Wolf, professor emeritus of medicine at UVA Health:
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Q&A: What are the new options for colorectal cancer screening?
By Zeina Mohammed, spr2jm@virginia.edu
As colorectal cancer rates continue to rise among younger people, the American Cancer Society has issued updated screening recommendations, including an endorsement of two new types of stool tests.
Dr. Andrew Wolf, a cancer-prevention expert at UVA Health, led the society's effort to set the new screening guidelines.
He
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, June 3 -- The University of Virginia issued the following Q&A on June 1, 2026, involving Andrew Wolf, professor emeritus of medicine at UVA Health:
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Q&A: What are the new options for colorectal cancer screening?
By Zeina Mohammed, spr2jm@virginia.edu
As colorectal cancer rates continue to rise among younger people, the American Cancer Society has issued updated screening recommendations, including an endorsement of two new types of stool tests.
Dr. Andrew Wolf, a cancer-prevention expert at UVA Health, led the society's effort to set the new screening guidelines.
Hediscussed the recommendations with UVA Today.
Q. What are the important takeaways from the new guidelines?
A. We continue to recommend that all average-risk adults be screened for colorectal cancer starting at age 45 through age 75 with any of a number of preferred options, including colonoscopy, a stool test, CT colonography - virtual colonoscopy - or flexible sigmoidoscopy.
The one new preferred option is a multi-target stool RNA test, brand name Colosense, which is similar to the multi-target stool DNA test currently available, known as Cologuard. We are also recommending an updated next-generation version of the Cologuard test, Cologuard-Plus, which appears to be more accurate than the original version and will be replacing it.
Another new development is that we are recommending, as a nonpreferred option, a new DNA blood test for individuals who decline colonoscopy and stool tests. Currently, the only available blood test is called the Shield test, by Guardant Health.
Q. How does this differ from past recommendations?
A. The stool RNA test and next-generation stool DNA test are new preferred options, and the DNA blood test is the first blood test to be recommended, albeit as a nonpreferred option, for colorectal cancer screening.
Q. Will insurance cover these tests?
A. The Shield blood test is Food and Drug Administration-approved, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has approved it for reimbursement. The stool RNA test is also FDA-approved, but CMS has not yet made a determination regarding coverage.
Also, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has not yet weighed in on these new tests. Only tests recommended by the (task force) are required by law to be covered by insurers without out-of-pocket costs for patients. Until they issue recommendations, it is important for folks to check with their insurers to see if they are getting one of the new tests.
The out-of-pocket cost of the RNA test, Colosense, is in the $500 range, similar to Cologuard, and the Shield blood test is in the $1,000 range, so it is critical that folks know if they will be covered. In comparison, a fecal immunochemical stool test, which, if done yearly as recommended, is an excellent screening test, runs $25 to $50.
Q. What is important for people to know?
A. Folks need to know that colorectal cancer is a very curable and even preventable cancer through screening, but that it is often deadly if caught late, so screening and screening regularly is the key. We now have a menu of options, so it's critical to talk with your doctor about which is best for you.
The new blood test, while obviously an attractive option because it's just a blood test, is not as good as colonoscopy or the stool tests because it does not do as good a job at detecting precancerous growths - polyps - or early-stage colorectal cancer. It really should only be considered by folks who just won't complete a stool test or a colonoscopy. But they should know that if the blood test is positive, they'll need to undergo a colonoscopy.
Q. What trends are we seeing in colorectal cancer?
A. We are seeing a persistent and disturbing trend of higher incidence of colorectal cancer in younger folks below the age of 50, which is why we lowered the screening start age from 50 to 45 back in 2018. Colorectal cancer is now the No. 1 cause of cancer death in adults under the age of 50, making it even more critical that folks start screening at age 45.
Currently, about a third of adults have not been screened for colorectal cancer or are not up to date with screening, a number that rises to two-thirds of adults between 45 and 50. Some of these folks simply don't have access to care due to the ongoing healthcare crisis in this country, but these numbers highlight the importance of spreading the word that screening really can and does save lives and unnecessary suffering.
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Original text here: https://news.virginia.edu/content/qa-what-are-new-options-colorectal-cancer-screening
University of Iowa International Programs: Dean's Message - Celebrating Graduates and Fulbrighters
IOWA CITY, Iowa, June 3 -- The University of Iowa International Programs issued the following statement on June 2, 2026, by Russ Ganim, associate provost and dean of International Programs:
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Dean's Message: Celebrating graduates and Fulbrighters
Dear all,
Welcome to summer! Graduation marks the kickoff to longer days, warmer temperatures, and hopefully, a slower pace from the academic year. It is also a time to vaunt the accomplishments of our students, and International Programs (IP) has much to celebrate.
On May 1, IP held its annual International Student Success event. This is always
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IOWA CITY, Iowa, June 3 -- The University of Iowa International Programs issued the following statement on June 2, 2026, by Russ Ganim, associate provost and dean of International Programs:
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Dean's Message: Celebrating graduates and Fulbrighters
Dear all,
Welcome to summer! Graduation marks the kickoff to longer days, warmer temperatures, and hopefully, a slower pace from the academic year. It is also a time to vaunt the accomplishments of our students, and International Programs (IP) has much to celebrate.
On May 1, IP held its annual International Student Success event. This is alwaysa proud occasion, as it acknowledges the academic achievements of our international students as well as their perseverance and determination in the face of deeply challenging circumstances. At this event, IP presents several awards to our undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Categories include cultural bridge-building, programming and initiatives, wellness, rising star, leadership, and academics. Each of the winners and nominees serves as an inspiration to our entire campus community. We remember that international students are not only adjusting to a different learning environment, but are coping with cultural, administrative, and financial obstacles as well. Celebrating them showcases their many talents but also reminds us that supporting them must continue if Iowa is to maintain the respectful and welcoming environment it is known for.
On the heels of this celebration came another: the announcement that now 13 UI students and alumni have earned Fulbright awards for the academic year 2026-2027. Our list of winners is always impressive, but this year stands out for a wide range of projects and countries represented by the awardees. Both the Research/Study and English Teaching Assistant recipients are undertaking efforts that will, among other initiatives, promote literacy, study glacial runoff, spark community outreach, and launch radio broadcasts. In terms of the countries to which our awardees will be assigned, we note that locations such as North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Bahrain, and Tajikistan are among the corners of the globe where Iowa has new opportunities to plant the Hawkeye flag. Please take the time to read the profiles prepared by Ben Partridge from our Communications Team. Year after year, Ben does a tremendous job highlighting our achievements in the Fulbright space. Warm thanks and congratulations go of course to Karen Wachsmuth, Sylvia Dean, and our many faculty mentors who work tirelessly to coach our candidates through the application process. Karen and Sylvia also organized a Fulbright Recognition Reception for awardees, faculty, and staff at the beginning of the month to highlight the broad-based endeavor that is Team Fulbright here at Iowa.
As May concluded, we were privileged to welcome two delegation visits, one from Japan and the other from Taiwan. It was a delight to receive Mr. Masamine Tamai from Nagoya University of Foreign Studies (NUFS) during his whirlwind tour of the U.S. NUFS is a longstanding partner of the University of Iowa, as we have operated an exchange program for several years. On occasion, we have sent Japanese language students to NUFS. Given the growth in the UI's Japanese program, the goal is to strengthen this collaboration soon.
Similarly, what a pleasure it was to see Chieh-Lan (Winnie) Li and Chi-Tong (Monica) Wang from Ming Chi University of Technology (MCUT) in Taiwan on our campus. We note that MCUT's president is an Iowa alumnus who is keen on building partnerships with his alma mater. During their stay, Winnie and Monica met with colleagues from the College of Engineering, the Tippie College of Business, the Chinese language program, and the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies (CAPS). Winnie's and Monica's visit was an enjoyable and substantive follow up to my trip to Taiwan last December. IP's strategic priorities involve building more opportunities for our students, staff, and faculty in the Indo-Pacific region, and partner engagements such as these go a long way toward accomplishing that goal.
As we congratulate our students and thank our partners, please let me express my warmest appreciation to you, our friends, as the school year ends, and the summer begins.
All the best,
Russ Ganim
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International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement. IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.
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Original text here: https://international.uiowa.edu/news/2026/06/deans-message-celebrating-graduates-and-fulbrighters
Texas Tech University: Noureddine Abidi on Cotton, Plant-based Polymers and the Potential Impact on Farmers
LUBBOCK, Texas, June 3 -- Texas Tech University issued the following Q&A on June 1, 2026, by Jacob Gordon with Noureddine Abidi, professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Science, associate dean for research in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and managing director of the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute:
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Noureddine Abidi on Cotton, Plant-based Polymers and the Potential Impact on farmers
Noureddine Abidi discusses his research on cotton and his recent work with plant-based polymers at the Fiber & Biopolymer Research Institute.
Writer: Jacob
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LUBBOCK, Texas, June 3 -- Texas Tech University issued the following Q&A on June 1, 2026, by Jacob Gordon with Noureddine Abidi, professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Science, associate dean for research in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and managing director of the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute:
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Noureddine Abidi on Cotton, Plant-based Polymers and the Potential Impact on farmers
Noureddine Abidi discusses his research on cotton and his recent work with plant-based polymers at the Fiber & Biopolymer Research Institute.
Writer: JacobGordon, jacob.l.gordon@ttu.edu
Welcome to Rise & Research where cutting-edge discoveries are made as accessible as your morning coffee. This monthly feature offers a closer look at the transformative research happening on our campus. Pull up a chair as we talk with faculty who are pushing boundaries while creating opportunities for the next generation.
In this installment, Jacob Gordon sits down with Noureddine Abidi to discuss the important role cotton plays in the development of plant-based materials.
Lubbock is perhaps best known for three things: Buddy Holly, Texas Tech University and the sprawling fields of cotton that surround it.
Noureddine Abidi is connected to the last two. He is the Leidigh Professor in the Department of Plant & Soil Science, associate dean for research in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources and managing director of the Fiber & Biopolymer Research Institute (FBRI). He also was recently named interim vice president of Research & Innovation.
Abidi came to Texas Tech in 1999 as a research associate working on chemical finishes and textile chemistry. He recalls being in the lab, struggling to make a polymer and reading about cotton.
"I had never touched or even seen a cotton plant at that time," he says. "I was really intrigued by how the ball of the plant can form into a polymer and that polymer can be shaped in a way to give us a textile product."
This initial interest led to a postdoc that combined his background as a chemist with the physical properties of cotton.
Over nearly three decades, Abidi has innovatively explored the humble cotton to unlock structural mysteries of its fibers and engineer completely new functions from cotton cellulose. He discusses his work and the potential impact this could have on West Texas farmers.
Q: Can you talk about your first project involving cotton and how your interests have evolved over time?
A: When I came here almost 27 years ago, the very first task I worked on was cotton stickiness. Back then, the cotton was infested by whitefly honeydew - basically a fly will drop some sticky sugar on the plant, so when the farmers harvest the cotton and start ginning it, those sticky spots create problems. I looked at the chemistry of the sugars and tried to come up with a method to detect them.
When I finished that, I looked at the relationship between the chemistry of cotton fiber and its physical properties, such as length and strength. The objective of producing cotton is to sell it to a textile mill to make a product, and the best cotton is selected to produce the best products.
When we gin the fiber, about 60% is going to be either seeds or linters (short fibers). We don't call them waste, but they are the byproducts. My recent research projects are around giving value to or upscaling the byproducts.
Q: What is it like to see your work immediately impact farmers?
A: It's really satisfying that the research is not just staying in the lab. The research we do right now is applied research. When there is a problem, we try to find a solution that will have an immediate impact on the end user. At the time of the first project, we were able to determine why those sugars were sticking and creating problems.
We published the results and have a patent on how to measure and detect it and see if it's going to be a problem or not. The farmers were relieved to have a way to measure it and prevent it from becoming a problem during textile processing. It has been a good 20 years, but if the problem comes back, we have a method to detect it.
Q: How did your current work on plant-based polymers get started?
A: About 10 years ago, Lubbock farmers were complaining about contamination from plastic. When cotton is harvested, it's placed in a big module that is wrapped with plastic and weighs about 5,000 pounds. The modules are taken to the gin, broken and sometimes plastic remains as a contamination in the lint which would then be shipped to textile mills to make products.
I had an idea: What if we replace the plastic with one made from cotton cellulose, so we can wrap cotton in cotton? Then, even if fragments of this module are left in the cotton, the farmer wouldn't have the same contamination effect.
Because cotton can't melt, you can't just change it to something else. It took a few years to find a solvent that could dissolve the cotton fibers and separate the cellulosic chains. What we have now is a gel that can be placed in a mold and take its shape. We even have a patent on a 3D printer using cellulose gel, so you could be printing a shape using cotton.
Q: What could using cotton to create these polymers mean for farmers?
A: We want to give more value to the cotton the farmers are growing. A farmer can put the best seed in the ground, but the plant is going to be affected by the growing environment if it's too hot, cold or dry. If the cotton is not of good quality -- meaning length, strength and so on -- then it will be discounted. If we can find a use and a market for the leftover discounted cotton or the byproducts that would be great. The farmers would just need to do their regular farming practices.
Q: Can you talk a little about the work done at the Fiber & Biopolymer Research Institute (FBRI)?
A: FBRI was created back when Texas Tech was founded. At that time, the mission was to educate students about all segments of natural fibers. Right now, we're just doing cotton.
FBRI is the only institution in the world where somebody can drop a bag of seed cotton at the back of the building and then get a shirt or anything else in between. We do ginning, fiber processing, fiber testing, spinning and weaving. At every stage, we have students involved. We teach courses and do research, but we also provide services to the cotton industry. When we do fiber testing, sometimes we can learn the problem the producer faces. That's how we feed the idea into our research and create a project to try to understand what's going on.
Q: How would you describe the role students play in your work?
A: Students are a big priority. When we bring on students for research projects, we advise them and guide them in the lab. It's important to combine education of the highest standards with teaching them in the lab to develop them to be the next workforce. It's very important, and that's what we do at Texas Tech.
Q: Why do you choose to conduct your research at Texas Tech?
A: Texas Tech is a great place, but what's really important for me is the people. The people here and in Lubbock are very nice. At every stage, I have never had any issues working with students, faculty or administrators. Someone is always here to help you. That's what makes a really big impact. It's people first, not just the buildings or the place.
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About Noureddine Abidi
B.S. Mohamed First University (Morocco), 1991; M.S. Mohamed First University, 1992; Ph.D. University of Montpellier (France), 1996
To learn more about the research opportunities at Texas Tech, visit our Graduate School (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool/?_gl=1*1dekuva*_ga*MTczMDUyMDE5OS4xNzY2MTA4Njg3*_ga_KYDNSFJH6D*czE3ODA0NzkxMjQkbzI2JGcxJHQxNzgwNDc5MTMyJGo1MiRsMCRoMA..*_gcl_au*ODk3MzI0ODE3LjE3NzUwMzkxMzQ.*_ga_B27HBMC8B7*czE3ODA0NzkxMjQkbzI1JGcxJHQxNzgwNDc5MTMyJGo1MiRsMCRoMA..).
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Original text here: https://www.ttu.edu/now/posts/2026/06/noureddine-abidi-on-cotton-plant-based-polymers-and-the-potential-impact-on-farmers.php
GVSU Expert: Q&A on What a Dried-up, Ancient Lake in Utah Can Tell Us About Lake Michigan
ALLENDALE, Michigan, June 3 (TNSjou) -- Grand Valley State University issued the following Q&A on June 2, 2026, involving assistant professor of geology Ian Winkelstern:
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GVSU expert: A Q&A on what a dried-up, ancient lake in Utah can tell us about Lake Michigan
By Peg West
Ian Winkelstern, assistant professor of geology, was part of a research team of scholars from six universities studying Lake Bonneville, an ancient lake in Utah that was an ancestor to the Great Salt Lake. The team's findings were recently published in the journal "Geology."
He talks about the insight gained about
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ALLENDALE, Michigan, June 3 (TNSjou) -- Grand Valley State University issued the following Q&A on June 2, 2026, involving assistant professor of geology Ian Winkelstern:
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GVSU expert: A Q&A on what a dried-up, ancient lake in Utah can tell us about Lake Michigan
By Peg West
Ian Winkelstern, assistant professor of geology, was part of a research team of scholars from six universities studying Lake Bonneville, an ancient lake in Utah that was an ancestor to the Great Salt Lake. The team's findings were recently published in the journal "Geology."
He talks about the insight gained aboutthe modern Lake Michigan from a key finding of the study: Lake Michigan's hydrology is remarkably similar to what Lake Bonneville's once was.
What led you and your team members to study Lake Bonneville? What were you hoping to learn?
Lake Bonneville is famous (as far as paleolakes go) because its remnant, the Great Salt Lake still exists, and because evidence like ancient shorelines is easy to spot in northern Utah. United States Geological Survey geologist G.K. Gilbert described the lake in detail as far back as 1890. For this project, we were working on a new geochemical tool called "triple oxygen isotopes" that had mostly been applied to the hydrology of modern waters, and so we wanted a well-studied lake to be among the first ancient applications of the technique. The modern Great Salt Lake is also in real danger of disappearing completely; therefore, data on how past climate changes affected this basin are also important.
Explain the characteristics of Lake Bonneville until it dried up and why its hydrology was similar to Lake Michigan.
Lake Bonneville was one of several large western U.S. lakes that grew during the last ice age, ultimately covering a roughly Lake Michigan-sized area of Utah by about 17,000 years ago. By measuring the geochemistry of fossil shells and rocks, we can now say that ancient Lake Bonneville and modern Lake Michigan had similar temperatures and similar relative amounts of inflow and evaporation. (A lake only exists if the amount of water flowing in is equal to or greater than the amount flowing out.) Standing on the shores of Lake Bonneville at its peak would have felt very similar to standing on the shore of Lake Michigan today.
What insight did you and other research team members take from this study on the long-term instability of these big bodies of water, such as Lake Bonneville and Lake Michigan?
Our work shows that cold ice-age era climate is what supported Lake Bonneville, not some major increase in precipitation. So, as the climate warmed out of the last ice age - much slower than climate change today - evaporation rates increased until ending up as the desert we see now. This is not good news for the modern Great Salt Lake, since climate change is exacerbating this trend toward warmer and more evaporative conditions.
The main lesson for the Great Lakes is that similar lakes have existed and then disappeared. Though it is hard to believe when standing on the shore of Lake Michigan and staring at the immensity of it, it too is likely to be a transient feature on a geologic time scale.
Remind us of how Lake Michigan was formed, what its arc has been, and how it has changed over time.
Lake Bonneville had largely dried up by the time the Great Lakes emerged. The basin holding Lake Michigan today was shaped by glaciers of the last ice age. That ice was melting in earnest by 10,000 years ago, both filling the basin and changing its shape as the crust rebounded from the great weight of ice being removed. As a result, different precursor lakes, both smaller and larger than the current shoreline, are thought to have formed, with differences in drainage as well. The modern shape where water flows under the Straits of Mackinac to the St. Lawrence river, rather than out via the Mississippi, may only be about 3,000 years old. In that sense, Lake Michigan is younger than the Pyramids.
What is the long-term outlook for Lake Michigan? Could it meet the same fate as Lake Bonneville?
Barring some purposeful diversion of water, there is no real concern that the Great Lakes will dry up anytime soon. So far, climate change has seemed to induce more severe swings in lake levels between record highs and lows, not a clear trend in either direction. But Lake Bonneville was of similar size and essentially identical temperature, hydrology and isotopic composition. And now Lake Bonneville is a mostly empty basin lined with salts. The lesson I think is not that the Great Lakes are in immediate danger of disappearing, but that big lakes do not tend to persist forever. It seems unlikely that Lake Michigan will retain its size and shape centuries from now, particularly as summers are quickly becoming increasingly hot and dry.
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Original text here: https://www.gvsu.edu/gvnext/2026/gvsu-expert-a-qa-on-what-a-dried-up-ancient-lake-in-utah-can-tell-us-about-lake-michigan.htm
Flinders research leader recognised as outstanding educator
BEDFORD PARK, Australia, June 3 -- Flinders University posted the following news:
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Flinders research leader recognised as outstanding educator
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Recognising his extensive efforts in mentoring and training the next generation of researchers and health clinicians worldwide, Flinders University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Raymond Chan, has been honoured as an outstanding educator by a leading international body.
The Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC), the foremost organisation in cancer survivorship, is dedicated to improving care for people
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BEDFORD PARK, Australia, June 3 -- Flinders University posted the following news:
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Flinders research leader recognised as outstanding educator
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Recognising his extensive efforts in mentoring and training the next generation of researchers and health clinicians worldwide, Flinders University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Raymond Chan, has been honoured as an outstanding educator by a leading international body.
The Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC), the foremost organisation in cancer survivorship, is dedicated to improving care for peoplewith cancer from diagnosis through to survival or end-of-life care.
The MASCC Outstanding Educator Award recognises professionals who have made significant contributions to global educational activities in supportive cancer care, and has been awarded to Professor Chan in recognition of his work over the past two years- including mentoring, training and supporting emerging experts in their field of study.
A nurse-scientist and leading international researcher in cancer care, Professor Chan has helped lay the groundwork for global collaboration and approaches on clinical care in nursing, survivorship, and palliative care by mentoring the next generation of researchers supporting survivors.
Among these mentees is Professor Nicolas Hart, an NHMRC Research Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney.
He says Professor Chans' mentorship has contributed to his global impact within MASCC and beyond (including ASCO - the worlds' leading professional organisation for oncology professionals), which led to a long-term research collaboration focused on improving outcomes for people affected by advanced or metastatic cancer.
"Professor Raymond Chan has been a standout research mentor to many across supportive care in cancer, within and beyond MASCC, including myself. Never too busy, Professor Chan has provided us with guidance and his decades of knowledge on research practices and implementation, as well as advice and mentorship regarding our career development," says Professor Hart.
"Using his experience when it comes to leading projects related to cancer survivorship, Professor Chan has guided us in developing high-impact clinical knowledge and research that has direct impacts on improving the lives of cancer survivors. He has been instrumental to my career development and research performance trajectory."
Examples include Professor Chan's significant contributions to education and mentorship across MASCC projects and thought leadership at the MASCC board level which has delivered new study programs and initiatives.
Professor Chan also co-led the establishment of trainee fellowships at the MASCC which are designed to provide education and mentorship to early- and mid-career clinicians and researchers across the organisation.
Already, this trainee fellowship program has supported over 25 people across the world, highlighting the sustained impact of his thought leadership and capability of bringing excellent ideas to life for the betterment of researchers and people affected by cancer.
Professor Chan will be presented with the honour at the annual MASCC meeting in Melbourne on 25 June.
"While I'm deeply honoured to be recognised by MASCC, this recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects nominations from my students and collaborators, whom I have supported as an educator and witnessed them go on to success in their research careers, making meaningful contributions to cancer survivorship and clinical knowledge," said Professor Chan.
"This is really a reflection of the value of teamwork and cross-collaboration in improving the lives of millions of people around the world who are impacted by cancer and its treatment."
Professor Chan currently serves as Executive Member of the Board of the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer.
In 2021, he was inducted to the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher.
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Original text here: https://news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2026/06/03/flinders-research-leader-recognised-as-outstanding-educator-of-next-generation-clinicians/
