Michigan Minds podcast: Finding the metals necessary for the energy transition
To combat climate change, the world needs to pivot away from fossil fuels. But building battery electric vehicles and infrastructure for renewable energy will require enormous amounts of minerals and resources, which can only be obtained in the quantities needed through mining.
Adam Simon, professor of earth and environmental sciences at the Michigan Earth, studies how metals are deposited in Earth's crust, with the ultimate goal of ensuring a sustainable supply of resources for our growing global population.
Listen to the Michigan Minds episode here: https://news.umich.edu/michigan-minds-podcast-finding-the-metals-necessary-for-the-energy-transition/
The Indigenous Education Youth Collective program, IEYC, is a research-practice partnership between the University of Michigan Marsal Family School of Education and Lake Superior State University, and the Anishinaabe youth and families in the Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan area. The program broadens students' horizons and prevents them from prematurely dismissing college as unattainable by blending cultural heritage with educational opportunity, making it a vital initiative for Indigenous student empowerment.
Learn more: https://news.umich.edu/braiding-heritage-and-education-michigan-program-redefines-paths-for-native-students/
Podcast: U-M experts explore the business of the holidays with election behind us—but changes ahead
There are, to be sure, disconnects between economic statistics and lived experiences, which seems to have played out in the recent U.S. presidential election.
There are also ongoing questions about the availability of seasonal workers and job insecurity, and technological disruptions to the retail status quo. And hey, we’re not that far removed from a pandemic that wreaked all sorts of havoc on business, the economy and life as usual.
So what to make of it all—or at least some of it?
Business experts Scott Rick and Ari Shwayder take a swing on the latest episode of the Business & Society podcast, a joint production of Ross School of Business and Michigan News.
Holiday spending shaped by economic fears, partisan divides
Americans are doing more than picking gifts this holiday season—they’re forecasting the economy.
The University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers, led by economist Joanne Hsu, offers insights into how consumer sentiment shapes holiday spending and broader economic trends.
With over 75 years of data, the index has become a trusted economic barometer, illustrating that perceptions about the economy often influence its trajectory.
This year, amid a presidential transition, consumer sentiment reveals a partisan divide: Republicans report newfound optimism, while Democrats express growing concerns. Independents, for their part, remain cautiously neutral. For retailers, these shifting sentiments can significantly impact holiday spending patterns.
University of Michigan School of Kinesiology professor of sport management Richard Paulsen comments on Juan Soto's monster 15-year, $765M deal with the NY Mets: "Sports economists, myself included, have found evidence that the job security that comes with long-term contracts disincentivizes effort. As Soto will be 41 and likely to retire at the end of the contract, he has little financial incentive to perform at a high level."
Visit news.umich.edu for more expert analysis.
🚀 Breakthrough in Display Tech: Faster Organic Phosphorescence without Heavy Metals! 🌟
Researchers at Michigan Engineering and global collaborators have developed a new hybrid OLED material that emits light 1,000x faster—without relying on expensive, hazardous heavy metals like iridium or platinum. This innovation offers:
✅ Sharper colors & contrasts
✅ Improved energy efficiency
✅ Longer device life
The secret? Layering organic materials with 2D materials to speed up phosphorescence, paving the way for next-gen TVs, smartphones, and more! 📱📺 Plus, this tech might solve OLED’s elusive blue pixel burnout issue. 💡
Curious about the science behind this? The study even challenges a fundamental quantum rule! 👀
Learn more: https://news.umich.edu/faster-organic-phosphorescence-for-better-display-tech/
#TechInnovation #OLED #DisplayTech #Phosphorescence #Engineering
Michigan Minds: Scott Rick
In the latest Michigan Minds podcast, Ross School of Business associate professor Scott Rick discusses consumer behavior when it comes to holiday shopping, and the moments when “tightwads” and “spendthrifts” can agree on spending. More from @University of Michigan News: myumi.ch/M64ZR
State program significantly reduces homelessness, utility insecurity, U-M report reveals
A new report from the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (ISR) and the University of Michigan Marsal Family School of Education highlights the success of Michigan's Healthy Moms Healthy Babies pilot program in improving financial security, housing stability, and health outcomes for families. Families in the program were 43% less likely to lose essential utilities and 25% less likely to experience homelessness. The initiative, funded for statewide expansion, also narrowed racial disparities in care satisfaction. A partnership between U-M's Youth Policy Lab and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, this program proves that investing in home visiting services can create lasting, life-changing impacts.
#HealthForAll #UMichResearch #MaternalHealth
Learn more: myumi.ch/1bWjy
University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts anthropology doctoral student Jordan Lucore examined how the immune systems of wild monkeys in Costa Rica were impacted by temperature. The immune performance of wild capuchin monkeys declines when the animals experience higher temperatures, and younger monkeys seem to be particularly vulnerable to heat, according to the study.
Learn more: myumi.ch/N6qWk
En Español: myumi.ch/9g1My
Em Português: myumi.ch/zX58G
As Congress reconvenes, a coalition of advocates have published a policy brief calling on representatives to provide more support for urban agriculture through a new iteration of the Farm Bill, which has been in a state of limbo since expiring in September 2023.
Built on the expertise and experiences of urban agriculturalists, along with research from the University of Michigan, the brief urges Congress to fully fund the Department of Agriculture’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production for the first time in the office’s six-year history.
First established by the Farm Bill’s passage in 2018, the office wasn’t funded until 2020 and, even then, the funding was at only 20% of its authorized level.
“It is possible to unlock extraordinary synergies between the environmental, economic and social benefits of urban agriculture, and this becomes even more likely if policy is supportive of it,” said Jason “Jake” Hawes, an author of the urban agriculture policy brief, which was also published by the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems and Community Development.
In addition to expanding funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production, the brief also seeks to make that funding more reliable and to foster urban agriculture technical support and data collection.
“Despite the incredible demand the office has seen for its programs, it has not been funded to the extent it was initially written for and this funding is conditional on repeated approval,” Hawes said. “So every year there are questions about the sustainability of its programs, despite their really remarkable success.”
More support, more sustainability
Results from Hawes’ earlier research have emphasized the barriers and challenges urban producers face in maintaining sustainable and viable operations.
The average collective and individual gardens included in the study were more carbon-intensive than conventional agriculture, often as a result of barrier
