News
KU receives $5.8 million NIH Phase 3 COBRE funding for Chemical Biology of Infectious Disease center
The Chemical Biology of Infectious Disease center recruits, mentors and supports investigators across the University of Kansas, KU Medical Center, Kansas State, Wichita State and other regional partners as they address urgent challenges in infectious disease and antibiotic resistance using chemical-biology approaches.
More news
Tue, 05/19/2026
Study shows comprehension intervention, working memory predict math achievement in English learners
University of Kansas professor Michael Orosco led a study that found an intervention designed to improve students' reading comprehension boosted math achievement. Additionally, his research tied strong working memory to word problem-solving abilities.
Tue, 05/19/2026
Ryan Bodensteiner announced as new director of the Center for Evaluation and Educational Leadership
The Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI) at the University of Kansas has announced Ryan Bodensteiner the director of the Center for Evaluation and Educational Leadership (CEEL), a center within AAI that supports district and building level leaders in creating and sustaining effective learning environments for students.
Mon, 05/18/2026
KU Kudos: Faculty and staff achievements, May 2026
It’s time to celebrate Jayhawk colleagues’ achievements: KU News Service accepted submissions and combed websites, social media and newsletters for recent external honors and awards for current faculty and staff at the Lawrence, Edwards and Medical Center campuses and affiliates.
Mon, 05/18/2026
Engineering professor charts unexpected career path from thermodynamics to whiskey barrels
Chris Depcik, University of Kansas professor of mechanical engineering, has created a solution to help distillers better predict how spirits mature inside a barrel.
Fri, 05/15/2026
KLETC honors fallen officers during Police Week memorial service
Students, faculty, and staff at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center gathered May 12 in Integrity Hall to honor fallen law enforcement officers who graduated from KLETC during a memorial service recognizing National Police Week.
Fri, 05/15/2026
KU announces promotion and tenure for 146 faculty and researchers
Chancellor Douglas A. Girod has approved the promotion and award of tenure, where indicated, for 50 individuals at the University of Kansas Lawrence and Edwards campuses and 96 individuals at the KU Medical Center campuses. Promotion and tenure are effective at the start of the fall 2026 semester.
Fri, 05/15/2026
KU Natural History Museum’s exhibit celebrates global biodiversity during international soccer tournament
The University of Kansas Natural History Museum has launched a temporary exhibit titled “Collections from Around the World,” showcasing biological specimens from eight research divisions within the Biodiversity Institute.
Fri, 05/15/2026
KU Law student awarded fellowship to work in Wichita
University of Kansas School of Law student Chris Cummings has been selected as a recipient of the 2026 Judge Gregory L. Waller Public Interest Legal Fellowship.
Fri, 05/15/2026
Perilous partnership among gender, violence, military scrutinized in new book
Joane Nagel, University Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the University of Kansas, has contributed a chapter to the "Handbook on Gender and Violence." The scholar said the influence of gender in shaping military culture, organization, expectations and functioning cannot be overstated.
Thu, 05/14/2026
KU doctoral student receives Cobell Fellowship
Annalise Guthrie, a University of Kansas doctoral candidate in ecology & evolutionary biology, has been named a recipient of the Elouise Cobell Dissertation Writing-Year Fellowship. The award provides $30,000 in support over 12 months to American Indian and Alaska Native scholars who are completing their doctoral dissertations.
Wed, 05/13/2026
Studio 804 to host May 16 open house for latest sustainable design-build project in Lawrence
KU’s Studio 804 will host a May 16 open house for its latest student-designed and constructed home in Lawrence. Built by KU architecture students, the project highlights innovative sustainable design, material reuse and high-performance construction.
Wed, 05/13/2026
Study analyzes environmental impacts of academic conference travel, encourages rethinking alternatives
A study led by a University of Kansas researcher has analyzed the environmental effects of air travel to academic conferences. The study does not call for an end to academic travel but rather to rethink how such gatherings are arranged and held, especially in fields like social welfare, that are dedicated to environmental justice.
Tue, 05/12/2026
Media advisory: KU to test manufactured homes in hurricane winds May 13 in Florida
The WiSH project, based at the University of Kansas, is testing three full-scale manufactured housing units at the NHERI Wall of Wind Experimental Facility at Florida International University with the goal of providing evidence for needed building-code changes.
Tue, 05/12/2026
School of Engineering faculty member earns NSF CAREER Award for advancing sustainable plastics solutions
Ana Morais, assistant professor of chemical & petroleum engineering, received the prestigious award for research focused on improving how difficult-to-recycle plastics can be converted into useful products while advancing broader sustainability efforts through education and outreach.
Tue, 05/12/2026
Restrictions on emigration equally important as immigration in shaping European borders, research finds
In a new article, Erik Scott, the John P. Black Professor of History at the University of Kansas, challenges the traditional focus on immigration to look at how restrictions on emigration have helped define the borders of Central and Eastern Europe since the 19th century.
Tue, 05/12/2026
Former dean Lorraine Haricombe to speak on libraries and digital scholarship
The University of Kansas Libraries will welcome former dean and international library leader Lorraine Haricombe as the next guest in its “Global Conversations in Librarianship” series.
Mon, 05/11/2026
Public invited May 15 to open house for KU-designed supportive housing project in Lawrence
Students in KU’s School of Architecture & Design designed and built Kaw House, an innovative supportive housing project in Lawrence. The high-performance home demonstrates new approaches to sustainability, construction and community impact. The public is invited to an open house and ribbon cutting May 15.
Mon, 05/11/2026
Study finds people more cynical toward news more likely to believe misinformation
A study led by the University of Kansas explored news skepticism, news trust and misinformation. Results showed people with more news knowledge had more news skepticism, but those with more news cynicism were more likely to believe misinformation. The results can help improve media literacy and fight misinformation, the authors said.
Mon, 05/11/2026
Airborne electromagnetic survey of Ogallala aquifer conditions planned in southwest Kansas
Beginning in late May and continuing until late July, residents of southwest Kansas may see a low-flying helicopter towing a large hexagonal frame. This aerial arrangement is part of a project to map groundwater conditions in the Ogallala aquifer in Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management District (GMD) 3.
Mon, 05/11/2026
Study reveals common mutation linked to autoimmune diseases may protect people from viral infections
New research from the University of Kansas shows a “risk gene” linked to higher odds of developing autoimmune diseases such as diabetes or lupus may also provide a survival advantage fighting viral infections like coronavirus.
Mon, 05/11/2026
Scholar sketches a Jewish economic theology
A University of Kansas religious studies scholar has written a new chapter on Jewish economic theology for the St. Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology. Samuel Brody starts with the biblical injunction against lending money at interest and sketches historical Jewish highlights stretching from the rabbis of the Talmud to the medieval sage Maimonides to Karl Marx.
Fri, 05/08/2026
KU Engineering student groups continue to excel at annual ASCE championship
Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering student groups took home several awards at the 2026 ASCE Symposium at the beginning of April. The KU ASCE chapter, Concrete Canoe and the Steel Bridge program traveled to Carbondale, Illinois, to take part in their respective competitions.
Thu, 05/07/2026
School of Pharmacy to host David Sinclair for Takeru Higuchi Memorial Lecture
David Sinclair, professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, will deliver a public lecture June 2 at KU. The researcher is best known for his work in reshaping how scientists think about aging.
Thu, 05/07/2026
KU School of Education & Human Sciences to honor Bob Swift with 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award
Bob Swift, University of Kansas alumnus, will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Education & Human Sciences during the school’s spring convocation ceremony May 16. He is the founder of 3rd Decade, a nonprofit providing free financial education to young adults.
Thu, 05/07/2026
Amy Hansen receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for water research in Chile
Amy Hansen, associate professor of civil & environmental engineering at KU, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to conduct research in Chile during the 2026-2027 academic year. She will study how water sources of different densities mix in natural environments, collaborating with Chilean researchers.
Wed, 05/06/2026
Judith Rosenbaum-Andre to serve as next dean of the KU School of Journalism & Mass Communications
The University of Kansas has selected Judith Rosenbaum-Andre, associate dean for faculty affairs and administration in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Maine, as the next dean of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications. She will start her new position July 19.
Wed, 05/06/2026
KU announces new 2026-2027 Self Memorial Scholars
Twenty-one students have been selected to receive the University of Kansas Madison and Lila Self Memorial Scholarship for the 2026-2027 academic year. The award is given to outstanding seniors from KU who will be transitioning into their first year of a master’s or doctoral program at KU in the fall 2026 semester.
Wed, 05/06/2026
Douglas County cultural institutions partner for America at 250 project honoring public servants
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, Watkins Museum of History and city of Lawrence will honor current and former public servants living and working in Douglas County for a project that will debut at the city’s Summerfest Fourth of July event at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
Wed, 05/06/2026
Four students receive Kansas Biological Survey Student Research Awards for 2026
The Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research at KU has awarded $4,000 in funding this spring for student research to be conducted in the coming academic year. Four students will receive assistance through the research center’s 2026 Student Research Awards.
Wed, 05/06/2026
Study of nonprofit resilience emphasizes importance of broad-based ties
According to a new study from the University of Kansas, nonprofit organizations that seek to build resilience — or the capability to enact a rapid, robust response to challenges — should cultivate a broad network of relationships and view those ties as assets on par with financial and other important resources.