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An 1840 painting depicts enslaved individuals of all ages garbed in osnaburg while picking cotton.

Enslaved people transformed clothing into instruments of rebellion, research reveals

A stylized graphic of a city made to look like a painting or abstract work of art.

Study shows social capital improves public health, but not equally for all communities

Image on side of ancient vessel depicting Clytemnestra and Orestes

Scholar links Greek tragedy, new evidence on transmission of trauma

A University of Kansas scholar has won a fellowship from the National Humanities Center to work on a book drawing parallels between the rhythmic tropes of ancient Greek tragedy and cutting-edge scientific research on epigenetic trauma.

Science and Technology

Study reveals cosmic tug-of-war behind the Crab Pulsar’s zebra stripes

An theoretical astrophysicist from the University of Kansas recently published work largely solving the mystery of the Crab Pulsar's zebra pattern. Now, Mikhail Medvedev has honed his analysis by incorporating gravity's lensing effects.

Tornado-forecast system can increase warning lead times, study finds

Today’s tornado warnings rely on radar data and regional spotters. By contrast, the Warn-on-Forecast System synthesizes observational data in real time and runs high-resolution simulations to gauge uncertainties and produce guidance for tornado and severe weather threats well before they form.
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KU student Kayla Castillo gives a research presentation standing next to posterboard.

KU awarded $2.2 million NIH research career training grant renewal

For almost 30 years, the Office for Advancing Success in Science at KU has provided opportunities for undergraduates to engage in research through grant support from the National Institutes of Health. KU has recently been awarded a $2.2 million Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) grant from the NIH that will carry on this tradition for another five years.
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Health and Well-Being

Startup from School of Pharmacy seeks to redefine oral testosterone replacement therapy

SteroCore, a startup emerging from the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy, is developing a novel oral testosterone therapy designed to work with, rather than bypass, the liver’s natural physiology. The company’s approach aims to address longstanding challenges in testosterone replacement therapy.

New research supports ‘trauma-informed lens’ for entrepreneurship community

Past research has found that some subpopulations — including immigrants and veterans — who experience disproportionate exposure to trauma are more likely to become entrepreneurs. New work from a KU School of Business researcher introduces a trauma-informed approach as an evidence-based tool to mitigate trauma's effects on functioning and entrepreneurial success.
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A stylized graphic of a city made to look like a painting or abstract work of art.

Study shows social capital improves public health, but not equally for all communities

A study from the University of Kansas has found that high levels of social capital, such as civic participation, leads to better public health. However, the improvement was not equal among white and Black populations in the same communities with high levels of social capital, meaning more work is necessary to improve health outcomes for all, according to the authors.
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Teaching, Learning and Behavior

KU lands funding to expand center helping educators use AI, create more ed tech leaders

The Center for Innovation, Design & Digital Learning at the University of Kansas has received a five-year, $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, to expand its work in helping educators across the country keep up with rapidly evolving technology like artificial intelligence.

One size does not fit all when it comes to return-to-office policies, study finds

New University of Kansas research shows which personality types are most affected by communication overload in the workplace and how that corresponds with in-office versus remote work preferences.
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An image of people's hands as they sit in a circle, having a conversation.

Study finds emphasis on conversation facilitation helps journalists re-engage communities

A research project among educators, students, journalists and communities in six states has found that pairing student journalists with communities through structured conversation can help to rebuild trust while also teaching future reporters how to listen to and investigate on the needs of overlooked populations. A KU journalism faculty member is co-author of the new study, published in Journalism Practice.
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Arts, Architecture and Humanities

Enslaved people transformed clothing into instruments of rebellion, research reveals

In a new article, Zay Dale, assistant professor of English at the University of Kansas, reveals how textiles operated as violent aesthetic tools in the formation of Black existence during American slavery, but enslaved people transformed these fibers into instruments of refusal, creativity and ontological reclamation.

Japanese painting tradition meets street materials in new exhibition

The many lives of Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani: The Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas has brought together the largest collection of work by the beloved street artist in an exhibition opening Feb. 19.
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Image on side of ancient vessel depicting Clytemnestra and Orestes

Scholar links Greek tragedy, new evidence on transmission of trauma

A University of Kansas scholar has won a fellowship from the National Humanities Center to work on a book drawing parallels between the rhythmic tropes of ancient Greek tragedy and cutting-edge scientific research on epigenetic trauma.
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Business, Economics and Innovation

Witnessing service workers being treated poorly inspires bigger tips, study finds

In a new article, Jonathan Beck, assistant professor of marketing at the University of Kansas, finds that customers who witness incivility toward service employees experience feelings of pity, followed by increased emotional support and, ultimately, an increased tip for the target employee.

Multinational corporations weigh ‘de-risking’ strategies for navigating political unpredictability in China

In a new article, University of Kansas political science researchers introduce an analysis of how multinational corporations might adapt to political risks in doing business with an increasingly authoritarian China.
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A hand holding a phone is shown liking posts on social media while a stock market graph is superimposed over the image.

Social media discussions fueled ‘meme stock’ events and significant short squeezes, research finds

In a new article, Angel Tengulov, assistant professor of finance at the University of Kansas, examines how discussions on social media fueled the association between retail trading and subsequent stock returns during the “meme stock” events of 2021 that sparked massive short squeezes.
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Law, Politics and Society

Study shows social capital improves public health, but not equally for all communities

A study from the University of Kansas has found that high levels of social capital, such as civic participation, leads to better public health. However, the improvement was not equal among white and Black populations in the same communities with high levels of social capital, meaning more work is necessary to improve health outcomes for all, according to the authors.

Pandemic, election crises mark ‘critical events’ in declining democratic accountability standards, governance scholar writes

Christopher Koliba, University of Kansas public affairs and administration researcher, has published a new study examining how the COVID-19 pandemic response and perpetuation of false claims about the 2020 presidential election were critical events in declining democratic accountability standards. Scholars and others have important work to do in documenting such cases to learn the effects of democratic backsliding, according to Koliba.
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A photograph of ICE agents detaining a man and walking away from the camera with their backs turned as a man is handcuffed behind his back.

Supreme Court ruling allowing race-based immigration hampers relief from government misconduct, legal scholar argues

Sharon Brett, associate professor of law at the University of Kansas, has published a new case study arguing the Supreme Court decision in Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo — and Justice Brett Kavanaugh's concurring opinion — miss the mark legally and factually and continue to make seeking relief from government misconduct exceedingly difficult.
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