In the News

  • Cache Valley Daily Monday, Mar. 11, 2024

    USU professor wins national award as he prepares for quakes

    LOGAN – Once a year the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) presents the Prakash Lecturer Award for outstanding research or professional practice contributions in the area of geotechnical engineering or soil dynamics.

    This year’s winner is Utah State University geotechnical engineering professor Brady Cox, a Utah native and USU grad who joined the USU faculty in 2020 after terms at the University of Arkansas and the University of Texas.

    He is one of the experts on seismic hazards who has said for years that there will some day be a major earthquake in Utah. In early-2023 he made a statement that apparently caught the attention of Utah lawmakers.

  • The Herald Journal Saturday, Mar. 09, 2024

    Utah Climate Center scientists study all facets of weather data

    The Utah Climate Center at Utah State University has been providing Utahns and people globally with accurate weather forecasts measuring the state’s precipitation for 134 years.

    Founded in the early 1890s, the Utah Climate Center has been devoted to accurately documenting and sharing climate information for businesses and the public alike. Since inception, it has expanded by adding more stations and hiring more specialists; to provide weather services to growers and researchers worldwide.

    Climate data is grouped into mission specific networks that primarily support Utah agriculture. Stations have research grade sensors that measure solar radiation, wind, relative humidity, air and soil temperature, precipitation and soil moisture.

  • Cache Valley Daily Wednesday, Mar. 06, 2024

    24-year veteran named CFO at USU's Space Dynamics Lab

    LOGAN – Jennifer Bettencourt, a 24-year veteran of service at Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory, Tuesday was named SDL’s chief financial officer.

    Bettencourt joined SDL in 2000 as a cost analyst. She becomes the organization’s first female officer and a corporate officer of the SDL Board of Directors.

    She will serve not only as director of SDL’s recently merged Business and Finance Division, but as CFO overseeing all aspects of financial management and strategy.

    The appointments were effective March 1.

  • ABC4 News Wednesday, Mar. 06, 2024

    Utah State Researcher Conducts New Study for Early Dementia Detection

    LOGAN, Utah (Good Things Utah) – Alzheimer’s is the 4th leading cause of death in Utah. Because of this, Utah State University recently became home to a state-funded Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center aimed at increasing research across the state to find ways to better understand Alzheimer’s and dementia, and better understand how to best support people living with these diseases. The ADRC opened in 2022, funded by a bill from the State Legislature.

    Dr. Beth Fauth, Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center at Utah State University has partnered with Sydney Schaefer, associate professor in the School of Biological Health Systems at Arizona State University, and Jill Love, a geriatric care manager and co-owner of Neurosessments, to improve early dementia detection with a simple, non-invasive motor test. The test has already been shown to detect neuropathology and neurodegeneration in older adults who exhibit little to no symptoms of dementia.

  • Cache Valley Daily Monday, Feb. 26, 2024

    USU students spending a week helping middle school students unplug

    LOGAN – Last October, a group of five Utah State University Health and Wellness students began work on a program designed to help Mount Logan Middle School (MLMS) students put down their technology and strive to do something else with their time.

    This week MLMS students, with support from Principal Spencer Holmgren, will learn about the “Break the Screen Routine” to help the kids swap out their phones for other activities.

    The program starts Monday and ends Saturday, March 2, on “Global Day of Unplugging.” Saturday will also include an event at USU’s Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art for the community to spend time putting their phones down to tour the museum, and to enjoy free family-centered activities including a scavenger hunt and refreshments.

  • Cache Valley Daily Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024

    USU Extension celebrates new cohort of Latino community health workers

    Utah State University Extension recently hosted the first all-Spanish-speaking community health workers cohort. Twenty Latino students learned public health skills over five months to receive the state certification to become community health workers. As part of the certification, participants received training on “Mejore su salud,” a Create Better Health (CBH) curriculum that has been culturally adapted and taught in Spanish for Latino Extension audiences. Participants also worked on a final project addressing public health issues affecting the Hispanic community or relating to their respective workplaces. A graduation ceremony was held to celebrate the participants and their efforts.

  • The Herald Journal Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024

    USU Engineering celebrates Engineers Week with student and community events

    This week is Engineers Week at Utah State University. The week features events for USU students as well as the public to enjoy and learn about the engineering program.

    Maddie Witte, the president of the USU Engineering Student Council, said that Engineers Week is a national event that USU is taking part in.

    “Engineers Week is actually a nationwide thing,” Witte said. “There’s a national Engineers Week, which is also this week, so we match ours up with that, and it’s just a celebration of all of the hard work that the students put into the college and into their studies and everything.”

    Engineers Week starts on Tuesday, Feb. 20. The first big event for the week will be a pinewood derby for USU students at 2:30 p.m. in the Taggart Student Center Ballroom. The pinewood derby race will have two car classes; one for cars that are only powered by gravity and one for cars that use a propellent such as a motor or fan.

  • Salt Lake Tribune Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024

    Higher education makes for happier, healthier Utahns, analysts say

    The benefits of higher education in Utah are “relatively overwhelming,” the president of the state’s flagship university said Wednesday.

    “What I’ve always loved about higher education is it has this remarkable transformational power in individuals,” University of Utah President Taylor Randall said during an event at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.

    Randall and presidents of three other public, postsecondary institutions spoke about the value of a degree or certificate for people and the broader community following a quick presentation of the Gardner Institute’s new policy brief.

  • KUTV Friday, Feb. 09, 2024

    Utah State University professor analyzes Taylor Swift 'phenomenon'

    SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Thanks to Taylor Swift, this year’s Super Bowl may draw millions of additional fans who otherwise might not normally tune in.

    Swift has become part of NFL headlines simply because she’s dating Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.

    That, coupled with Swift’s own remarkable entries into different areas of pop culture, has one Utah State University (USU) professor examining why and how Swift is the most famous person in the world right now.

  • Cache Valley Daily Thursday, Feb. 08, 2024

    USU online Bachelor's programs rank in nation's top 10 percent

    LOGAN – Now in its 29th year offering online education outside the traditional campus setting, USU Online is once again numbered among the leading bachelor’s programs in the country.

    The 2024 rankings, issued this week, were announced by U.S. News & World Report, one of the preeminent college ranking systems.

    In the new numbers from USNWR, USU Online ranks 32nd overall among the leading online bachelor’s programs which puts it in the top 10 percent of American colleges.

  • KSL Wednesday, Feb. 07, 2024

    Dust from Great Salt Lake helps algal blooms thrive, study finds

    LOGAN — A new study is putting a large part of the blame for algal blooms on blowing dust.

    Researchers at Utah State University say it's a growing problem, thanks to ongoing drought and construction.

    "We wanted to know where this material is going and how it might be impacting these remote ecosystems," Janice Brahney, an associate professor of environmental biogeochemistry at Utah State University said.

    She began gathering samples from water systems across the western U.S. in 2017.

  • Cache Valley Daily Tuesday, Feb. 06, 2024

    Gail Miller to be Commencement speaker at USU in May

    LOGAN – Larry H. Miller Company owner Gail Miller will serve as Utah State University’s commencement speaker for its 137th ceremony taking place on May 2. She becomes the 10th woman to fill that role.

    She will also receive an honorary doctorate degree as will Darren B. Parry, former chairman of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation and retired U.S. Air Force general Bruce Carlson, now chair of the Space Dynamics Lab Board of Directors.

    With the purchase of a single automobile dealership in Murray, Utah in 1979, Larry and Gail Miller started the Larry H. Miller Company. With headquarters now in Sandy, Utah the company has expanded with a growing portfolio of companies and values-guided investments across the United States with involvement in entertainment, sports, real estate and automotive industries.

  • Cache Valley Daily Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024

    Utah's outdoor agencies unveil inaugural Outdoor Strategic Plan

    SALT LAKE CITY — Utah State University’s Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation (DOR), and the Utah Outdoor Adventure Commission just released the state’s first Outdoor Recreation Strategic Plan.

    The primary mission of the plan goes beyond just the economic benefits of outdoor recreation, said Jason Curry, director of the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation.

    “It’s about cultivating Utah’s outdoor culture that resonates with every Utahn and visitor, and we are setting a precedent with a commitment to the people and places of Utah,” Curry said. “This strategic plan is our promise for a vibrant, diverse outdoor legacy that will thrive for generations, aligning our community’s well-being and economic vitality with our treasured natural landscapes.”

    The purpose of the plan is to balance economic growth with the preservation of Utah’s natural landscapes and the enhancement of outdoor experiences for both residents and visitors. While it could guide legislative decisions on resource allocation, its primary focus is on strategic development, access, conservation, and collaboration in outdoor recreation, rather than solely on funding.

  • The Herald Journal Monday, Jan. 22, 2024

    USU to be first in the state to offer new cyber security engineering degree

    Utah State University’s College of Engineering will be offering a new bachelor’s degree program next year. The cyber security engineering program will be the first of its kind offered in Utah.

    The new undergraduate program is on track to begin with the fall 2024 semester, and faculty experienced in the field are currently being hired. According to Jake Gunther, the head of the department of electrical and computer engineering, cyber security engineering is a very broad term.

    Gunther said that cyber security engineering helps to ensure that when engineered systems such as computers are made, they are made with security in mind. He said that currently, there are not enough skills related to making systems secure in the workforce.

  • The Guardian Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024

    Carbon released by bottom trawling 'too big to ignore', says study

    Scientists have long known that bottom trawling – the practice of dragging massive nets along the seabed to catch fish – churns up carbon from the sea floor. Now, for the first time, researchers have calculated just how much trawling releases into the atmosphere: 370m tonnes of planet-heating carbon dioxide a year – an amount, they say, that is “too big to ignore”.

    Over the study period, 1996-2020, they estimated the total carbon dioxide released from trawling to the atmosphere to be 8.5 to 9.2bn tonnes. The scientists described trawling as “marine deforestation” that causes “irreparable harm” to the climate, society and wildlife.

    The study – Atmospheric CO2 emissions and ocean acidification from bottom trawling, written by a global team of climate and ocean experts – found that 55-60% of the carbon dioxide in the water released from the seabed by trawlers will make it to the atmosphere within nine years.

  • KSL Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024

    Utah undergraduate students present research at Utah Capitol

    SALT LAKE CITY — More than 50 students from the University of Utah and Utah State University gathered in the rotunda of the Capitol Thursday to present research they’ve been working on, some for several years.

    The event, Research on Capitol Hill, has been an annual event since 2000. The event allows students from nearly every college at both universities to present their findings to state legislators and the public.

    “I think the students really value the opportunity to get out and talk to a broad, diverse audience about what they’re doing,” said Alexa Sand, associate vice president for research at USU. “It’s legislators and staffers and the public and people who have no idea the kind of creativity and innovation that’s taking place behind closed doors.”

  • Cache Valley Daily Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024

    USU Statewide announces new fall offerings

    LOGAN – In its role as Utah’s land-grant university, Utah State University is responsible for using available resources to make life better for communities, families and individuals throughout the state.

    For that purpose, USU Statewide Campuses announced Tuesday seven new program offerings which will be available by Fall of 2024 at several campus locations. Included is a master of accounting degree, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice plus several certificate programs.

    Certificates include Archaeological Data Analytics; Cultural Resource Management Policy, Advocacy and Business Administration; Museum Administration and Collections Management Policy; and, Speech-Language Pathology Assistant.

    The new degree minor is in Marketing Design.

  • Newsweek Tuesday, Jan. 09, 2024

    Watermelon Snow Is Threatening Glaciers in the US

    Snow is turning red across Alaska and much of Canada's Rocky Mountains, threatening the future of the frozen glaciers.

    This "watermelon snow," also known as "glacier blood," is caused by the blooming of a type of pink-colored algae called Chlamydomonas nivalis, which flourishes in freezing temperatures.

    This pink coloring makes glaciers much more prone to melting as the colored algae cause sunlight to be absorbed rather than reflected, heating the surrounding ice.

    A recent study in the journal Science Advances found that this watermelon snow has now crept across 5 percent of the total glacier area in northwestern North America, including mountains in Alberta, British Columbia, Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Washington State.

  • Fox 13 News Friday, Dec. 08, 2023

    USU students raise money for kids to participate in sports programs

    By: Kerri Cronk

    Posted at 7:27 AM, Dec 08, 2023

     

    and last updated 7:27 AM, Dec 08, 2023

    LOGAN, Utah — A pair of Utah State University students are taking advantage of a school project to ensure every child in their community gets the chance to participate in youth sports.

    Haldi Lords and John Coleman explained sports opportunities played a large part in helping them form their own identities.

    "We know the impact that sports can play any young person's life," Coleman reflected. "Acting like an outlet or helping them grow to be big leaders and their teams."

    When they got a class assignment to make a difference in their community, they decided to raise money to sponsor kids to play Junior Jazz.

    "We believe that every kid should be able to play sports, regardless of their family's financial situation. They all deserve that opportunity," Lords said.

    The students started a GoFundMe fundraiser with a modest goal of $500 but thanks to generous donations, they've met their goal nearly two times now, raising just short of $1,000 for kids in need.

  • The Herald Journal Monday, Dec. 04, 2023

    'A-Team:' USU students win state battle bot competition

    Utah State University’s Robotics Club took seven teams of students to the Ant Annihilation robot competition at Brigham Young University on Dec. 2.

    Each team brought a battle bot they had designed and made to fight other bots. One of USU’s teams, the “A-team”, won the competition.

    The competition featured 37 teams from schools across Utah. Each team in the competition was comprised of two to four students who did all the engineering of their bot. The bots had to be entirely 3D printed other than the electronic components, and they had to weigh less than one pound total.

  • KSL Sunday, Dec. 03, 2023

    New USU police dog being trained to help students with stress

    LOGAN — College has always been a stressful place. Grades, exams, and figuring out what you want to do in life, can take its toll on any student.

    But all that pressure at Utah State University seems to melt away whenever Sage shows up.

    Hannah Whiting, a student at Utah State, came over to pet Sage when she entered the student union building.

  • Cache Valley Daily Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023

    Two USU professors contribute to national climate report

    LOGAN – The UN Climate Change Conference begins Thursday and continues until Dec. 12, hosted by Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

    In advance of the conference the Biden-Harris Administration this month released the Fifth National Climate Assessment, documenting impacts of climate change while assessing the state of climate science in the United States.

    Two of the authors of that report are Utah State University professors Mark Brunson and Peter Howe of the school’s Quinney College of Natural Resources. Brunson authored the section detailing issues in the Southwest, including Utah, and Howe authored the report’s section on human health.

  • KSL Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023

    State of Utah to fund medical cannabis research at Utah universities

    LOGAN — A state initiative was announced Wednesday in partnership with University of Utah Health and Utah State University. The partnership is called the Center for Medical Cannabis Research.

    Its purpose will be to understand what is still a very new medical resource in Utah.

    The partnership will tackle questions about how medical cannabis interacts with other drugs and medical conditions. Like any other prescribed medicine, this plays a major role in learning how to use the drug safely.

  • The Herald Journal Friday, Nov. 24, 2023

    USU to host first Religious Inclusive Excellence Symposium

    Utah State University’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will be hosting its first Religious Inclusive Excellence Symposium from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 30, and Friday, Dec. 1. The event will be a continuation of the division’s fifth annual Inclusive Excellence Symposium.

    Isaiah Jones, senior director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Utah State, said this new symposium is the division’s strategy to build on the university’s principals of community and inclusion. He said the symposium will be an annual event.

    “With the Inclusive Excellence Symposium, we were trying to help folks across campus and in the community to be able to identify, recognize and define inclusive excellence across our own university system and in the community,” Jones said. “But there’s a lot of stuff we weren’t able to cover.”

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