Featured news at KU


Our top featured stories

A European bison roams free in Poland’s Białowieża National Park.
In a new scholarly article, Nathan Wood, associate professor of history at the University of Kansas, describes how after soldiers and poachers killed the last free European bison, Polish naturalists worked with international organizations following World War I to revive the species from the few animals scattered on estates and zoos across the continent.

Other featured news

The KU project team visits Upriver Dam in Spokane, Washington, in August 2023

Four years later, KU researchers continue their work strengthening American dams

Nearly four years after launching a federally funded research initiative to strengthen American dams and levees, University of Kansas engineers are demonstrating how that work is delivering measurable benefits to Kansas infrastructure, workforce development and public safety.
A collage of characters from the Nigerian epic film Aníkúlápó are assembled.

‘Nollywood’ film industry still tethered to patriarchal stereotypes despite progress of female characters, expert says

In a new article, Abisola Akínsìkù, a doctoral candidate in English at the University of Kansas, uses feminism as a conceptual lens to interrogate how female characters are portrayed in the burgeoning “Nollywood” film industry of Nigeria.
potato chips spilling from bag

Using FDA addiction science, researcher asks: Do salty, high-fat foods act like drugs?

University of Kansas researcher Tera Fazzino is investigating whether “hyperpalatable” foods marketed to Americans — foods formulated with artificially high amounts of fat, salt and carbohydrates — have traits commonly associated with addictive substances. She recently earned a $2.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to test the idea using experimental practices standard in the field of regulatory research.
Jennifer Lohoefener

NSF awards $2 million grant to KU-led project supporting future AI and computing leaders

A University of Kansas-led initiative has received a $2 million award from the National Science Foundation’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program to expand educational opportunities for low-income students pursuing careers in computing, engineering and emerging technology fields.

Research



A University of Kansas physicist played a leading role in a CERN study showing that two rival explanations for how gluons behave inside atomic nuclei can now be experimentally distinguished.
In a new novel, Laura Moriarty, a professor of English at the University of Kansas, crafts a coming-of-age tale set in 1950s Florida. It has been selected as a featured book for “The Today Show.” Moriarty will give talks at several events across Kansas this month.
Ilya Vakser portrait along with red and blue illustration of KU seal
University of Kansas researcher Ilya Vakser and colleagues at Stony Brook University and the Stowers Institute for Medical Research will use a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation to expand knowledge of macromolecular systems using artificial intelligence.

Kansas Communities



The KU Transportation Center supports the roads, routes and relationships that strengthen the Sunflower State. Part of the School of Engineering, the center has partnered with transportation professionals, transit providers and local governments throughout Kansas.
The 2025 Kansas Statistical Abstract will be available online Sept. 1. This data compendium is published annually by the Institute for Policy & Social Research at the University of Kansas and includes information on a wide range of topics about Kansas.
Three people sitting together and laughing
The University of Kansas Office of Community Impact has announced 26 inaugural champions and hubs that support community-engaged scholarship and collaboration across Kansas.

Economic Development



The Center for Workplace Excellence supports career development in the Greater Kansas City area, helping businesses and nonprofit organizations strengthen workforce skills, improve organizational effectiveness and navigate today’s rapidly changing workplace environment.
The National Academy of Inventors ranks the University of Kansas 39th among public universities for the number of utility patents granted in 2025, marking the fourth consecutive year the University of Kansas is listed among the United States’ top 100 institutions receiving patents.
Person soldering wires in an electrical engineering laboratory
The website, partner.ku.edu, serves as a gateway to KU’s business-focused resources, connecting employers with world-class research, core laboratories, workforce training and top talent.

Student experience and achievement



The University Honors Program recognized two faculty members and a student for their contributions to the program during Honors Convocation, an annual celebration for first-year honors students, which took place Aug. 23 at the Burge Union.
Fifty-two University of Kansas Theatre & Dance students, including 34 Kansans, were honored for academic merit and potential for the 2026-27 academic year. Jayhawks were awarded approximately $210,00 in scholarships.
A top-down perspective of a student painting the Kettle Mural in Watson Library.
KU Libraries collaborated with students from the Department of Design for a new mural in The Kettle in Watson Library. The public is invited to an opening reception at 4 p.m. Sept. 24 to celebrate the work and partnership.

Campus news



The University of Kansas will welcome home one of its own this fall when KU alumna and NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara returns to Lawrence for a public event celebrating the 2026-27 KU Reads: A Common Book Experience selection.
The University of Kansas is hosting the second annual Falling into AI Summit from Sept. 22-24, bringing together leaders from KU, KU Medical Center, Google, Amazon Web Services, Apple and artificial intelligence industry partners to explore how AI is transforming education, healthcare, research, workforce development and society.
KU banner with text: One of America's top research universities
The University of Kansas has announced 15 faculty members from the Lawrence and KU Medical Center campuses as recipients of KU’s annual teaching awards. They will be honored at a public reception Oct. 13 at the Jayhawk Welcome Center.

Latest news

KU banner with text: One of America's top research universities

University announces 2026 recipients of annual teaching awards

The University of Kansas has announced 15 faculty members from the Lawrence and KU Medical Center campuses as recipients of KU’s annual teaching awards. They will be honored at a public reception Oct. 13 at the Jayhawk Welcome Center.
A European bison roams free in Poland’s Białowieża National Park.

Polish naturalists saved European bison from extinction, research reveals

In a new scholarly article, Nathan Wood, associate professor of history at the University of Kansas, describes how after soldiers and poachers killed the last free European bison, Polish naturalists worked with international organizations following World War I to revive the species from the few animals scattered on estates and zoos across the continent.
A top down image of a student painting the Kettle Mural in Watson Library.

KU student-designed mural reflects community, belonging in Watson Library

KU Libraries collaborated with students from the Department of Design for a new mural in The Kettle in Watson Library. The public is invited to an opening reception at 4 p.m. Sept. 24 to celebrate the work and partnership.
Three people sitting together and laughing

New KU initiative recognizes community partnerships driving action across Kansas

The University of Kansas Office of Community Impact has announced 26 inaugural champions and hubs that support community-engaged scholarship and collaboration across Kansas.