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A photograph of a man holding a sign outside of the Missouri Capital. He is wearing a red T-shirt and holding signs made by Stand Up KC, an organization advocating for better pay for restaurant workers.

KU professor leads project to document history, preserve KC-based movement to fight for better restaurant pay

Children playing with instructional toy at Juniper Gardens Children's Project

Long-running research center in Kansas City celebrated in scholarly journal

A photo of an industrial ship with lightning overhead.

Cleaner ship fuel is reducing lightning in key shipping lanes, KU research shows

A University of Kansas researcher found lightning-stroke density — the number of individual lightning discharges, or “strokes,” per square kilometer — to be about 36% lower than before the 2020 IMO sulfur cap. Findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Climate and Atmospheric Science.

Science and Technology

KU study shows that species-diverse systems like prairies have built-in protection

Six years into a study on the effect of plant pathogens in grasslands, University of Kansas researchers have the data to show that species diversity — a hallmark of native prairies — works as a protective shield: It drives growth and sustains the health of species-diverse ecosystems over time, functioning somewhat like an immune system.

Experiment nixes ‘sterile’ neutrino explanation of previous unexpected measurements

Experimental particle physicists working at the MicroBooNE experiment at Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory have found evidence against the existence of a “sterile” type of neutrino hypothesized to be responsible for previous experiments’ anomalous results, as detailed in a paper recently published in Nature.
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A photo of an industrial ship with lightning overhead.

Cleaner ship fuel is reducing lightning in key shipping lanes, KU research shows

A University of Kansas researcher found lightning-stroke density — the number of individual lightning discharges, or “strokes,” per square kilometer — to be about 36% lower than before the 2020 IMO sulfur cap. Findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Climate and Atmospheric Science.
More Science and Technology

Health and Well-Being

Grant to expand community-based research project focused on people with mobility disabilities

With new federal funding, a University of Kansas project is expanding access to exercise for people with disabilities. Life Span Institute researcher Lyndsie Koon says the community-based functional fitness program has shown strong results.

NIH grant supports KU study of DNA-protein cross-links

Identifying toxic DNA-protein cross-links (DPCs) and the cellular pathways to repair them are the goals of research underway by University of Kansas researcher Luke Erber, assistant professor of medicinal chemistry, and his lab team. The research is being funded by a $1.8 million grant recently announced by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, a unit of the National Institutes of Health.
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Illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia of many types litter a table.

Fractured family relationships increase susceptibility for polydrug use, study finds

In a new study, Jarron Saint Onge, professor of sociology at the University of Kansas, examines the relationship between using multiple types of drugs and social inequality among low-income Mexican American women.
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Teaching, Learning and Behavior

New book aims to make gamification simple for higher education professionals

Two University of Kansas scholars began using gamification in their teacher prep courses and had enough success that they decided to write a book dedicated to helping other educators with the strategy. The result was "Gamification Made Simple: A Guide for Higher Education Professionals."

Grant launches initiative to integrate faith perspectives into health education

The Department of Religious Studies at the University of Kansas received a $60,000, two-year grant from the nonprofit group Interfaith America to create partnerships with community groups addressing the spiritual connection to health issues.
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Children playing with instructional toy at Juniper Gardens Children's Project

Long-running research center in Kansas City celebrated in scholarly journal

Juniper Gardens Children’s Project, part of the Life Span Institute at the University of Kansas, is the focus of a special issue of the peer-reviewed journal Education and Treatment of Children.
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Arts, Architecture and Humanities

Scholar says censorship was constant struggle during Spanish Inquisition

Contributing a chapter to the new book “The Cambridge Companion to the Spanish Inquisition,” a University of Kansas professor stresses the limits of the Spanish Inquisition’s ability to control literature and free thought. “The key takeaway is still valid today — that when you prohibit things, it makes them more attractive,” Patricia Manning said.

KU scholar’s work comes alive as empire-building video game character

A few years ago, Amal El Haimeur could hardly find any information about the 16th century “pirate queen” of Morocco. After the University of Kansas professor published her research, Sayyida al-Hurra became a character in a leading video game.
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Colin Roust holds a keyed bugle

Professor’s ‘Complete Works’ preserves music of pioneering African American bandleader

KU Music scholar Colin Roust has published the first “Complete Works” of early 19th century African American bandleader and composer Francis Johnson. The work includes 282 songs, cotillions, quadrilles, waltzes and quick steps that comprised the popular dance music of Johnson’s day.
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Business, Economics and Innovation

Strong incentives may lead to even more employee burnout, research finds

In a new article, Rob Waiser, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Kansas, examines how firms should account for effects like fatigue and burnout when designing incentive compensation for their employees.

B2B sales now require a ‘holistic’ selling approach, study finds

In a new study, Murali Mantrala, the Ned Fleming Professor of Marketing at the University of Kansas, examines how the key role of the salesperson has evolved in business-to-business sales, in response to changing buyer behavior during the purchase journey.
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Accountants analyze financial reports in an office, flanked by a magnifying glass and documents.

Lack of competition leads to more efficient and effective auditing, study finds

In a new working paper, Will Ciconte, assistant professor of finance at the University of Kansas, investigates the relation between audit competition, quality and labor hours, finding that auditors who appear to be operating in less competitive markets are more efficient and more effective.
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Law, Politics and Society

KU professor leads project to document history, preserve KC-based movement to fight for better restaurant pay

Tadeo Weiner Davis, assistant professor of social welfare at the University of Kansas, earned a grant to preserve materials of Stand Up KC, a movement dedicated to earning better pay for fast food and casual restaurant workers, and record oral histories of those involved.

Study shows how kidnapping of athlete's father influenced society, president across continents

Two media scholars at the University of Kansas have published a study analyzing media coverage of the 2023 kidnapping of soccer star Luis "Lucho" Diaz's father.
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A woman, face unseen, slips a gun into a handbag.

Complex motivations of women gun owners revealed in new book

Margaret Kelley, professor of American studies at the University of Kansas, explores the growing phenomenon and misconceptions regarding women gun owners in middle America in a new book, “A Gun of Her Own: The Everyday Lives of Women Who Shoot.”
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