News
Study measures behavioral markers of alliance in support groups, viability of machine learning in mental health
A study from the University of Kansas and University of Southern California measured which nonverbal behaviors indicate that people are forming connections in a support group, particularly in virtual groups. The researchers also examined the feasibility of using machine learning in support groups.
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Tue, 07/22/2025
Paleontologists will convene in Kansas to boost sharing and crediting of scholarly data
A conclave of about 20 prominent paleontologists, data scientists and editors from academic journals will gather Aug. 4-5 at the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum to improve how data is shared among professionals in the field — and beyond.
Tue, 07/22/2025
Study finds news releases written by humans more credible than AI content
A study from the University of Kansas found that when people read news releases they were told were either written by a human or generated by artificial intelligence, they found the human content more credible and the organization it represented more trustworthy. The study was published in Corporate Communications: An International Journal.
Tue, 07/22/2025
Insight from KU Center for Public Partnerships and Research helps Michigan reimagine anti-poverty strategies
A recent partnership between the Achievement & Assessment Institute’s Center for Public Partnerships and Research (CPPR) and the state of Michigan has led to new insights about how Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding is used — and how it might be refined to better serve families facing economic insecurity.
Mon, 07/21/2025
Women activists seek to raise Tanzanian girls’ age of consent from 15 to 18
In a new scholarly article, Agnes Phoebe Muyanga, doctoral candidate in women, gender & sexuality studies at the University of Kansas, investigates the steps women’s organizations, activists and advocates are taking to raise the age of consent from 15 to 18 years old for girls in Tanzania.
Fri, 07/18/2025
Expert can comment on Israeli moves to defend Syrian Druze, election outlook
A University of Kansas associate professor of Jewish studies says Israel’s Druze religious minority might be more inclined to back Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu as a result of his recent military moves to protect their kinfolk in southern Syria.
Wed, 07/16/2025
Research shows freshwater fish like complicated shoreline environments, just as saltwater species do
A University of Kansas associate professor is co-author of new research seeking to ascertain how fish react to waterfront edges using a variety of underwater seawall panels made to resemble plant roots. The intent is to attract wildlife — both plant and animal — improving species diversity and water quality.
Wed, 07/16/2025
Scholar argues for move away from meritocracy in schools to redefine purpose of education
Yong Zhao, an education scholar at the University of Kansas, argues in a new article that education should move away from the idea of meritocracy, which fosters unnatural competition among students and unequal outcomes, to the Human Interdependence Paradigm, in which schools help every student use their strengths to guide their own education and solve problems for the world to reach their unique potential.
Wed, 07/16/2025
KU professors awarded Big 12 Faculty Fellowships for 2025-2026 academic year
Six KU faculty members have been selected to participate in the Big 12 Faculty Fellowship over the summer and the upcoming academic year. These scholars will visit and collaborate with faculty and students across the Big 12 Conference.
Tue, 07/15/2025
Study examines early sensory processing and development in people with autism
A researcher from the University of Kansas Life Span Institute recently published a comprehensive review of differences in sensory processing for people with autism during the prenatal (in utero) and neonatal (birth to a few months old) phases of life.
Tue, 07/15/2025
IT-capable employees improve relevance and timeliness of financial reporting, study finds
In a new study, University of Kansas School of Business researcher Adi Masli examines IT-capable employees’ role in the production process of financial information, deducing that enhanced management of raw data during this process decreases technical errors and increases data processing speed.
Mon, 07/14/2025
Study finds cities with proactive, risk-tolerant governing styles most likely to have ambitious climate strategies
A new study from KU has found that cities that base their governance style on a proactive, learning-oriented and risk-tolerant approach are the mostly likely to have implemented ambitious climate resilience strategies. The study also introduces the concept of transformative governance capacity, a measure that can gauge how cities approach climate readiness.
Mon, 07/14/2025
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute releases fall 2025 catalog with 50 courses and 8 special events — preview it July 16
The KU Osher Institute's fall 2025 catalog features 50 courses and eight special events for lifelong learners ages 50 and up. With 19 new classes and seven first-time events, topics range from history to current events and culture. A preview event is planned July 16, and course registration opens that day at 5 p.m. at the Osher Institute website.
Fri, 07/11/2025
Audio-Reader programs win 3 awards from International Association of Audio Information Services
Audio-Reader Network, an audio information service based at the University of Kansas for blind, visually impaired and print-disabled individuals, was recently honored by the International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS) at the organization’s annual conference, including for work on a 2024 voting guide for Kansas City audiences.
Thu, 07/10/2025
Music without borders: KU Wind Ensemble makes mark on global stage at World Expo 2025
The University of Kansas Wind Ensemble has returned from a successful international tour to Osaka, Japan, where it represented the United States at the 2025 World Exposition — one of the world’s largest global events, welcoming millions of visitors from around the globe.
Wed, 07/09/2025
New book delves into bigotry in critical, nonpartisan manner seeking to analyze how hate is taught
"On Bigotry: Twenty Lessons on How Bigotry Works and What to Do About It," a new book by Nicholas Ensley Mitchell of the University of Kansas, takes a critical, nonpartisan look at bigotry to help readers better understand it. Mitchell writes that bigotry is taught, and, as an education scholar, believes anything that is taught has curriculum that can be analyzed.
Mon, 07/07/2025
Women of color fare better in personal earnings where racial minority men struggle most, study finds
In a new study, ChangHwan Kim, a professor of sociology at the University of Kansas, examines why the stronger the power of race in accounting for earnings inequality among men in a local labor market, the weaker double disadvantage married women of color experience.
Mon, 07/07/2025
Author spotlights ‘Algorithmic Age of Personality’ in African literature
A University of Kansas scholar of African digital humanities examines how social media tends to reduce important discussions to name-calling in a new book titled “The Algorithmic Age of Personality: African Literature and Cancel Culture.”
Thu, 07/03/2025
Kansas Geological Survey receives donation from NextEra Energy Resources for continued research
A $10,000 donation to the Kansas Geological Survey is earmarked for the development of an experimental solar array in southwest Kansas.
Tue, 07/01/2025
Research from the University of Kansas suppresses coronavirus by targeting Mac1
A study published in mBio details the vulnerability of coronaviruses to inhibitors of a small protein domain called Mac1, found in all coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV. The findings point toward potential antiviral therapies.
Tue, 07/01/2025
Corporate victims of ransomware may make matters worse by paying attackers, study finds
In a new study, University of Kansas business researcher Debabrata Dey examines when organizations accede to ransomware payment demands and, in doing so, incentivize attackers to launch more attacks, elevating the chance of a future breach not just for themselves but for others.
Mon, 06/30/2025
University of Kansas announces spring 2025 honor roll
Nearly 8,700 undergraduate students at the University of Kansas earned honor roll distinction for the spring 2025 semester.
Wed, 06/25/2025
Author follows Japanese bells under sea, around world in new book
Where does the triangular relationship among dragons, bells and water come from, and how has it been portrayed and explained through the centuries? Sherry Fowler, professor in the Kress Foundation Department of Art History at the University of Kansas, explores those questions in “Buddhist Bells and Dragons: Under and Over Water, In and Out of Japan.”
Tue, 06/24/2025
KU undergraduate from Shawnee named Astronaut Scholar for 2025-2026
Alexa Magstadt of Shawnee is the University of Kansas’ most recent Astronaut Scholar, an award that provides a scholarship up to $15,000 and access to an Astronaut Scholar conference, mentorship, professional development, networking and recognition.
Tue, 06/24/2025
KU Law professor’s article selected as a Top 10 Corporate and Securities Article of 2024
Alex Platt, University of Kansas professor of law, has received one of the highest honors in the field of corporate and securities law. His article, “The Administrative Origins of Mandatory Disclosure,” was selected as one of the Top 10 Corporate and Securities Articles of 2024 by the Corporate Practice Commentator.
Tue, 06/24/2025
‘Muslim Ban’ decreased preventative care for children of Middle Eastern ancestry, study finds
In a new study, David Slusky, professor of economics at the University of Kansas, evaluates the impact of the 2017 “Muslim Ban” on preventive care use among Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) ancestry children in the U.S., finding decreased well-visits and associated vaccinations.
Tue, 06/24/2025
Plaintiffs left 'standing in the dark' when seeking redress for police misconduct, researcher finds
In a new scholarly article, Sharon Brett of KU Law writes that current legal frameworks set forth by Supreme Court rulings make it unnecessarily difficult for plaintiffs to prove standing in cases regarding police misconduct. Brett's new work proposes methods to remedy the obstacles.
Mon, 06/23/2025
Researchers unearth big possum that lived around 60 million years ago in Texas’ Big Bend National Park
Paleontologists from the University of Kansas have described for the first time a species of Swaindelphys discovered in Texas’ Big Bend National Park, though the ecosystem was drastically different in the Paleocene, when it thrived, than today.
Mon, 06/23/2025
Researchers work to perfect conservation signs in nature reserves
A University of Kansas professor is headed to Lake Tahoe this summer to continue his experiments refining the best types of nature-conservation signage. Jeremy Shellhorn and colleagues emphasize the importance of “telegraphic messaging” and proper tone in the effectiveness of designing warning signs in bear country.
Thu, 06/19/2025
Introducing the Project and Change Management Office
To help the university’s technology projects run smoothly and strategically align with institutional goals, the KU IT Project and Change Management Office provides essential oversight, coordination and expertise to units across the Lawrence and Edwards campuses.
Thu, 06/19/2025
Kansas science teachers to take part in KU Field Station immersive program June 24–26
Ten secondary school science teachers from Kansas will take part in the Ecosystems of Kansas Summer Institute, an immersive program that gives secondary educators the chance to work with KU scientists to explore resources and gain new ideas for their classrooms.