Research

A new investigation from the University of Kansas improves detection of PFAS, a family of so-called “forever chemicals” in drinking water supplies. The method, which can measure such trace pollution levels of PFAS in water more quickly and inexpensively than current techniques, recently was published in the open-source journal PLOS Water.

“Living Roots: The Promise of Perennial Foods” (Princeton University Press) makes a cultural argument as much as an agricultural one: that perennial foods — crops that return year after year, building deep root systems and healthier soil — represent not just a different way of farming but a different way of belonging to the earth. The collection includes a contribution from Megan Kaminski, poet and professor of environmental studies at the University of Kansas.

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.

Ten secondary school science teachers from Kansas will converge this week at the University of Kansas Field Station, just north of Lawrence. They’ll take part in the Ecosystems of Kansas Summer Institute, an annual immersive program that gives secondary educators the chance to work with KU scientists to explore resources and gain new ideas for their classrooms.

In a new article, Murali Mantrala, the Ned Fleming Professor of Marketing at the University of Kansas, provides a practical framework for how retailers can deploy an ecosystem-centric strategy focusing on interdependent sets that jointly create and capture customer value.

Lilly Springer, doctoral candidate in economics at the University of Kansas, found that states that implemented total abortion bans by the start of 2023 experienced a 1.6% increase in the overall birth rate. They also experience 4.3% and 2.1% increase in monthly postpartum women and formula-fed infant WIC participation, respectively, leading to an additional $6.9 million in food costs.