News
Studies find media literacy, social media use can predict trust in institutions, civic engagement
Christopher Etheridge and researchers in KU’s School of Journalism & Mass Communications conducted two studies with citizens of India gauging their media literacy and online behavior. The studies found the higher a person’s media literacy was, the higher their trust in democratic institutions. How and what types of social media they used also predicted how civically engaged they were as citizens.
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Mon, 06/29/2026
Jayhawks compete in 2025-2026 math events
University of Kansas students recently competed at math events at the local, state and national level. KU undergraduate students took fourth and eighth place in the team competition at the 2026 Kansas Collegiate Math Competition.
Fri, 06/26/2026
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.
Fri, 06/26/2026
KU School of Music Chamber Choir takes high prize at international competition
The University of Kansas School of Music has announced that the KU Chamber Choir has won top honors at an international choir competition in Slovakia.
Tue, 06/23/2026
Research shows AI advertising can deliver relevant content without spying on users' internet behaviors
Four experiments conducted by a University of Kansas researcher have shown that AI-derived ads can deliver effective, relevant advertising for users without tracking their internet behavior. The findings counter prevailing attitudes that online surveillance is necessary for effective advertising at a time when the future of online privacy is at stake, according to the study author.
Tue, 06/23/2026
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.
Tue, 06/23/2026
Audio-Reader to host donation drive at Fairlawn Plaza in Topeka to support benefit audio sale
The Audio-Reader Network, based at the University of Kansas, seeks donations of stereo equipment, speakers, vinyl records, cassette tapes and musical instruments. Audio-Reader will collect items from the public from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. June 30 at Fairlawn Plaza in Topeka.
Mon, 06/22/2026
Christian nationalists’ views on punishing lawbreakers contingent on identity of victim and offender, study finds
In a new scholarly article, Kevin Mullinix, associate professor of political science, finds Christian nationalism shapes beliefs about who is most deserving of punishment in society in ways that are contingent on the identity of the offender and victim — and the extent to which the crime violates particular norms.
Mon, 06/22/2026
Whayne Scholars to highlight research projects, KU’s African American Experience Collections during public talks July 9
The University of Kansas Libraries will host a public presentation featuring the 2026 recipients of the Alyce Hunley Whayne Visiting Researchers Travel Awards at 3 p.m. July 9.
Wed, 06/17/2026
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.
Tue, 06/16/2026
Researchers unveil method for safeguarding privacy of electrocardiograms
Researchers from the University of Kansas have developed a privacy-preserving AI model called (PP-VAE) to protect personally sensitive data about a patient’s sex, age, race and even exact identity derived from electrocardiogram signals.
Tue, 06/16/2026
Study finds landback returns of Indigenous lands happening across country, can lead public planning
KU researchers launched a project to document instances of “landback,” in which land is returned to Indigenous communities, tribes and owners. Analysis of the data shows the returns are happening and increasing in frequency across the country. That could be the impetus for public planning as a discipline to rethink how it approaches working with such lands and move beyond simple land acknowledgements, the authors said.
Mon, 06/15/2026
New Kansas Law Enforcement Officers Graduate from KLETC
HUTCHINSON — Cheers and applause filled Integrity Auditorium as the 358th Basic Training Class graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center on June 12. ...
Mon, 06/15/2026
KU recognizes 2025-26 faculty and staff retirees
The University of Kansas has recognized the more than 100 faculty and academic, support and unclassified professional staff affiliated with the Lawrence and Edwards campuses who retired during the 2025-26 academic year.
Fri, 06/12/2026
KU Law graduates named Academic All-American Advocates by the National Association of Legal Advocacy Educators
Logan Brtek and Alex Nelson, both KU School of Law graduates, have been honored by the National Association of Legal Advocacy Educators, becoming the first KU Law students to receive the national honors. The awards recognize excellence in competition performance, academic achievement, leadership and service.
Thu, 06/11/2026
Annual summer solstice tour of KU native plants garden will take place June 21
The public is invited to the summer semiannual tour of the University of Kansas Native Medicinal Plant Garden at 7 p.m. June 21, the day of the summer solstice. The garden is situated just east of the Lawrence Municipal Airport, next to Prairie Moon Waldorf School at 1865 East 1600 Road in Douglas County.
Thu, 06/11/2026
KU announces first Beinecke Scholar
Levi O’Connor, a senior in psychology from Louisburg, has been selected to receive the Beinecke Scholarship Program award for the 2026-2027 academic year. Each year, 20 students from across the nation receive $30,000 to be used for graduate study and $5,000 in their senior year. O’Connor is the first Jayhawk to receive the scholarship.
Thu, 06/11/2026
KU Department of Mathematics announces 2026 spring awards
The KU Department of Mathematics recently recognized its undergraduate and graduate students and faculty for outstanding academic and teaching achievements. Graduate summer scholarships and research assistantships were awarded to 25 graduate students. Academic year 2026-27 scholarships were awarded to 77 undergraduates.
Wed, 06/10/2026
KU and community partners publish postcards celebrating the life of Langston Hughes in Lawrence
The University of Kansas and community organizations, along with KU faculty members Tim Hossler and Elise Kirk, have published a set of 10 postcards about the experiences of Langston Hughes while he lived in Lawrence. Community members can pick up postcards for free at locations on the Lawrence campus and around town.
Wed, 06/10/2026
KU researcher’s work contributes to data transmission link from Artemis II mission
Research from Erik Perrins, University Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, enabled observers on Earth during the April mission to receive high-bandwidth transmissions from the Orion capsule, such as video and audio feeds, without being corrupted by errors.
Wed, 06/10/2026
KU Law students make 2026 honor roll for pro bono service
University of Kansas School of Law students provided more than 2,300 hours of free legal services during the 2025-2026 academic year, with 48 earning a spot on KU Law’s Pro Bono Honor Roll.
Wed, 06/10/2026
KU Libraries welcomes first international librarian-in-residence through global engagement initiative
The University of Kansas Libraries has welcomed its first international librarian-in-residence, marking a major step forward for the Institute for Globally Engaged Librarianship (IGEL) and its efforts to build meaningful global partnerships.
Tue, 06/09/2026
KU Law Veterans Legal Support Clinic to host suicide prevention and wellness program for veterans and first responders
The Veterans Legal Support Clinic at the University of Kansas School of Law will host a free “Lunch and Learn” program focused on suicide prevention, de-escalation techniques and personal wellness planning for veterans and their family members, law enforcement officers and first responders on June 16, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Eastern Kansas Health Care System, Veterans Treatment Courts, Kansas Justice League and Robert Irvine Foundation.
Tue, 06/09/2026
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.
Tue, 06/09/2026
Research examines how asexual, aromantic individuals view intimacy to improve education, counseling
Research from KU is examining how aromantic and asexual individuals view intimacy to better understand how they view relationships, to better understand themselves and to improve everything from relationship education, sexual assault prevention and counseling for all people. The improvement could also help address the mental health crisis among young people.
Tue, 06/09/2026
2026 KU microbiology graduate Lauren Reimer awarded KU Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship
Lauren Reimer, a 2026 University of Kansas graduate in microbiology, is the winner of this year’s James Blackiston Memorial Graduate Fellowship from the KU chapter of Phi Kappa Phi. She is the chapter’s nominee for a national Phi Kappa Phi fellowship.
Mon, 06/08/2026
2026 KU seniors honor high school teachers with Wolfe Teaching Excellence Awards
Educators from Blue Valley West High School and Topeka High School in Kansas and from Mundelein High School in Illinois are recipients of annual teaching awards from graduating KU seniors.
Mon, 06/08/2026
KU’s Spencer Museum welcomes the world with installation, programs for summer of soccer
The Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas has a special installation highlighting art from the countries playing and staying in the Kansas City area this summer for the world’s premier international soccer competition.
Wed, 06/03/2026
US tobacco firms used cigarette-selling tactics to globally market ultraprocessed foods
A new study from the University of Kansas details how U.S. tobacco corporations expanded into global food markets from the mid-1980s to the mid-2000s, using strategies honed through cigarette sales to market ultraprocessed foods, which are industrially processed and contain ingredients and additives that maximize their appeal.
Wed, 06/03/2026
More than a century of KU student journalism now freely available online
KU Libraries have digitized more than 140 years of University of Kansas student newspapers, from the first campus publication in 1878 through 2017, making the collection freely available through Kenneth Spencer Research Library’s digital repository.
Tue, 06/02/2026
Studies show that mentoring can also benefit the mentors decades after experiences
Mary Fry, professor of educational psychology at KU, has co-written two studies that examined mentoring programs. One found that the Strong Girls program benefited those providing the guidance to young girls 10 years after their experience, and another found “sideways mentoring” among peers helped scholars for as long as 20 years.