Featured news at KU

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Sun peeks through clouds near Campanile at the University of Kansas.

KU chapter of Phi Beta Kappa initiates new members

Big Jay and Baby Jay cross Jayhawk Boulevard on a spring day at the University of Kansas Lawrence campus.

University of Kansas announces spring 2026 honor roll

A photo of young students raising their hands in a classroom with a teacher standing near the front of the room.

Study finds effective method to help teachers address gap between finding a good practice and getting started

Researchers at the University of Kansas have documented an approach that helps educators address the “know-do gap.” The gap is when teachers and schools know a practice will benefit the students but it is difficult to get started for any number of reasons. The practice helps anticipate obstacles, plan for them and deliver new practices for students.

Other featured news

Medical instruments stored on wall in physician's office.

KU Engineering researcher receives NSF CAREER award for work on reliable healthcare AI

Zijun Yao, assistant professor of electrical engineering & computer science at the University of Kansas, earned a National Science Foundation CAREER award for a project that tackles a major hurdle in healthcare technology: teaching AI to understand a patient’s full medical history without losing sight of human clinical judgment.
KU Engineering Complex at the University of Kansas.

National Science Foundation honors KU Engineering researcher for protecting public trust in global supply chains

Sumaiya Shomaji, assistant professor of electrical engineering & computer science at the University of Kansas, is building a secure, high-tech tracking system powered by artificial intelligence. Her project, AuthenTrack, recently earned her a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award.
A photo of young students raising their hands in a classroom with a teacher standing near the front of the room.

Study finds effective method to help teachers address gap between finding a good practice and getting started

Researchers at the University of Kansas have documented an approach that helps educators address the “know-do gap.” The gap is when teachers and schools know a practice will benefit the students but it is difficult to get started for any number of reasons. The practice helps anticipate obstacles, plan for them and deliver new practices for students.
A scientific illustration reconstruction of a Late Cretaceous forest where a small mammal and a horned dinosaur eat the fleshy fruits of flowering plants.

Dinosaurs probably dined upon a variety of fruits and seeds

Recent research appearing in the journal Science overturns a long-held idea that flowering plants didn’t evolve large fruits and seeds until after the mass extinction of dinosaurs about 66 million years ago, when Earth was smacked by a giant asteroid.

Research

Official newspaper of China has reduced foreign news coverage during President Xi Jinping’s administration, study finds

In a new article, Jack Zhang, associate professor of political science at the University of Kansas, finds that the People’s Daily newspaper has reduced foreign news coverage during President Xi Jinping’s administration, suggesting such coverage is influenced more by domestic politics than by China’s growing international interests.

Study finds estrogen-based hormone therapies could protect brain health in older women

Researchers from the University of Kansas discovered older women who had used hormonal birth control in young adulthood were more likely to have larger volumes in brain regions vital to memory, cognition and information processing.
More Research
A businessperson touches a green seedling on a stack of growing coins.

Startups’ co-innovation outcomes depend on venture capitalist type, study finds

Independent venture capitalists tend to trigger more frequent, less impactful but more novel co-inventing outcomes by their portfolio startups, new research finds. KU business researcher Kaushik Gala also found that corporate venture capitalists tend to trigger less frequent, more impactful but less novel inventive outcomes.
More Research

Kansas Communities

Statewide partnership to help improve literacy rates evaluates school readiness, educator training

KU researchers are working to address declining literacy rates in Kansas schools, where just 1 out of 3 students are reaching grade-level proficiency. The goal through the state's Blueprint for Literacy initiative is to reach 90% proficiency for students across Kansas.

Kansas science teachers to take part in immersive program at KU Field Station

Ten secondary school science teachers from Kansas will converge this week at the University of Kansas Field Station, just north of Lawrence. They’ll take part in the Ecosystems of Kansas Summer Institute, an annual immersive program that gives secondary educators the chance to work with KU scientists to explore resources and gain new ideas for their classrooms.
More Kansas Communities
A woman with brown hair is looking at the camera as she hugs a child who has closed her eyes and is slightly smiling.

KU autism AI tool launched to provide resources to Kansas families

With a new artificial intelligence chatbot tool developed at the University of Kansas, families can receive vetted information about autism that is specific to their needs in Kansas.
More Kansas Communities

Economic Development

KU remains among top 40 public universities granted patents for inventions

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.

KU research growth boosts Kansas communities, fuels economy

Research and development expenditures spanning all University of Kansas campuses climbed to $610.6 million in fiscal year 2025, surpassing the previous record of $546.1 million by 12% and marking a full decade of sustained research growth.
More Economic Development
Attendees chat in audience at professional development workshop.

University of Kansas launches Center for Workplace Excellence to empower organizations across Kansas City

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.
More Economic Development

Student experience and achievement

KU Jazz sets record at DownBeat Student Music Awards

The University of Kansas Jazz and Commercial Music program has earned national recognition with a record-setting eight honors in the 49th Annual DownBeat Student Music Awards. The 2026 awards mark the most DownBeat Student Music Awards that KU has received in a single year, underscoring the program's continued excellence and reinforcing its reputation as one of the nation's premier university jazz and commercial music programs.

University of Kansas announces spring 2026 honor roll

More than 9,000 Jayhawks were named to the dean's lists for their respective schools for academic excellence in the spring 2026 semester.
More Student Experience and Achievement
Sun peeks through clouds near Campanile at the University of Kansas.

KU chapter of Phi Beta Kappa initiates new members

The University of Kansas Alpha chapter of Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society has initiated 87 new members. Election to Phi Beta Kappa recognizes a student’s high academic achievement while pursuing a broad and substantive liberal-arts curriculum.
More Student Experience and Achievement

Campus news

Tickets go on sale for Day on the Hill concert featuring Turnstile

Turnstile, which made history this year by winning Grammy Awards in both the metal and rock categories in the same year, will be joined by artists Slayyyter and Die Spitz for the Oct. 6 event at the University of Kansas.

Keeler Professorship fuels KU collaboration on Mars simulant research

Steve Gurysh, associate professor of visual art, will further his exploration of Mars Global Simulant through sculpture and by contributing to evolutionary biology scholarship at KU.
More Campus News
Series of five theatre and dance show poster illustrations in rad colors. Most show figures moving

KU Theatre & Dance unveils 2026-27 season

With its message of community and optimism, “The SpongeBob Musical” will conclude a highly inventive season that celebrates contemporary theatre and dance. A reimagined Greek tragedy and a Restoration comedy are also highlights of KU Theatre & Dance's season.
More Campus News

Latest news

Medical instruments stored on wall in physician's office.

KU Engineering researcher receives NSF CAREER award for work on reliable healthcare AI

Zijun Yao, assistant professor of electrical engineering & computer science at the University of Kansas, earned a National Science Foundation CAREER award for a project that tackles a major hurdle in healthcare technology: teaching AI to understand a patient’s full medical history without losing sight of human clinical judgment.
Top of the Campanile at the University of Kansas during sunset.

Dorris Mbogo selected as KU’s interim university ombuds

Dorris Mbogo, director of informal resolution in the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX, will serve a part-time position as interim university ombuds. She succeeds Ada Emmett, who retired from KU after nearly 25 years of service in the Ombuds Office and in KU Libraries.
A businessperson touches a green seedling on a stack of growing coins.

Startups’ co-innovation outcomes depend on venture capitalist type, study finds

Independent venture capitalists tend to trigger more frequent, less impactful but more novel co-inventing outcomes by their portfolio startups, new research finds. KU business researcher Kaushik Gala also found that corporate venture capitalists tend to trigger less frequent, more impactful but less novel inventive outcomes.
KU Engineering Complex at the University of Kansas.

National Science Foundation honors KU Engineering researcher for protecting public trust in global supply chains

Sumaiya Shomaji, assistant professor of electrical engineering & computer science at the University of Kansas, is building a secure, high-tech tracking system powered by artificial intelligence. Her project, AuthenTrack, recently earned her a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award.
View all news

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