On May 17th, the University of Michigan-Flint hosted the Student Research Conference at the Riverfront Conference Center. This conference was held in collaboration with Mott Community College and Kettering University to allow students the opportunity to present their research. In the remarks offered by the Office of Research, on behalf of the partners, Andre Louis
Professor Mihai Burzo: The Autonomous Vehicle
Daba Coura Mbow Professor Mihai Burzo, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan Flint, is delving into the future of automotive technology with his groundbreaking work on autonomous vehicles. Born in Transylvania and armed with a Ph.D. from Southern Methodist University, Professor Burzo’s expertise spans microelectronics, computational dynamics, and mechanical engineering,
A Journey of Entrepreneurial Spirit and Innovation
Daba Coura Mbow Mark Simon, the esteemed director of the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Michigan-Flint, is set to retire this year. With a career spanning ventures in wilderness canoe trips, import-export businesses, and educational product development, Simon’s entrepreneurial journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Born into a family
Eduardo Bonilla-Silva’s keynote speaker presentation at the 3rd annual Spring Symposium
On April 11 2024, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion partnered with the Urban Institute for Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice at the University of Michigan-Flint for the third annual DEI/UIREEJ Spring Symposium. This symposium featured presentations from UIREEJ interns and keynote speaker Eduardo Bonilla-Silva. Bonilla-Silva is a well-known figure in the sociology profession,
Dr. Shirl Donaldson: Bringing STEM Education to Life with Donk Racing
Daba Coura Mbow Dr. Shirl Donaldson, a passionate educator from Detroit, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan Flint. She grew up in metropolitan Detroit where cars are more than just machines; they’re a way of life. Growing up in an automotive family, Dr Donaldson knew that the “motor life” was her destiny. As a professor
Elizabeth Heger Boyle’s seminar on IPUMS MICS and physical discipline against orphans
Sociologist Elizabeth Heger Boyle presented at a recent campus seminar on March 12, 2024. Boyle was invited to give the talk by UM-Flint’s Julie Ma, associate professor of social work. Ma is hosting a series of seminars funded by her recent research grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development known as
Jacob Lederman awarded fellowship at the Institute for the Humanities in Ann Arbor
Jacob Lederman, associate professor of sociology, has been awarded a much sought after fellowship at the UM-Ann Arbor’s Institute for the Humanities for the 2024-2025 academic year. Lederman will use this opportunity to work on his next book manuscript. The Institute for the Humanities, located in the U-M’s college of Literature, Sciences and the Arts (LSA), examines
The HEART clinic has moved to a new location
Recently, the University of Michigan- Flint’s HEART clinic took up a new residence at the Insight Health Center. The HEART clinic, which stands for health, equity, action, research, and teaching, is part of the physical therapy and occupational therapy program. The clinic gives students hands-on experience working in a professional environment. At no cost, clients
Upcoming seminar on IPUMS-MICS hosted by Dr. Julie Ma
Coming March 12, 2024, Julie Ma, associate professor and director of social work here at the University of Michigan-Flint, will be hosting a seminar with guest speaker Elizabeth Heger Boyle from the University of Minnesota. The seminar will focus on the IPUMS-MICS survey data system which Boyle and Ma use to research the impact of
Decoding Emotion: Enhancing Human-Computer Interaction through Emotional Understanding
Daba Coura Mbow As a senior pursuing a degree in computer science, Allison Gaspard has been deeply engaged in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program at the University of Michigan Flint. She has been involved in a project led by Dr. Mark Allison for the past two years. The work focuses on computationally analyzing the intricate
Persistence and Mattering in Undergraduate Education
Daba Coura Mbow A group of educators from different departments at U-M Flint has joined forces to enrich undergraduate education. As part of a joint research effort known as the PMUE (Persistence and Mattering in Undergraduate Education), Kazuko Hiramatsu, Stephanie Roach, Jennifer Alvey and others have been working on teaching methods that help students think
Mapping the Health of Flint River: Bridging Data and Ecology for Ecosystem Preservation
Daba Coura Mbow A key project for IDEAS (the Institute for Data Engineering, Analytics, and Science) this fall, explains its Director Cam Mcleman, associate professor of mathematics, connects UM-Flint’s wildlife biology faculty with scientists at the Flint River Watershed Coalition (FRWC). Joining ongoing efforts to monitor the river’s health, looking at organisms inhabiting the watershed,
Exploring Flint River’s Aquatic Ecosystem: Nicklas Smith’s Journey in Wildlife Biology
Nicklas Smith, a third-year student majoring in wildlife biology, is from the Genesee County area, with a strong connection to Flint. Last summer, he was inspired by Larissa, a graduate student working as a lab assistant from a previous biology class. When Nicklas expressed his interest in field research, Larissa told him to reach out
UROP Student Uses Algorithms to Improve Benchmark Query Runtimes
Dylan Binu is an international student from India and has been in the United States since January of 2020, pursuing his bachelor’s degree in computer science. He graduates this December, after completing his studies during the Fall 2023 semester. He works as a research assistant with one of his professors, Murali Mani, and the assistantship
Telehealth’s Impact on Adolescent Healthcare
Daba Coura Mbow Amid a technological revolution, Taylor Culinski is immersed in research examining the impact of telehealth on adolescent populations. In a recent conversation, Culinski shared her vision of the potential impact of this ongoing work. With training in psychology and childhood education, Culinski’s passion for developmental psychology and social work is evident in
Professor Receives Grant To Bring Anthropology Student to Indonesia
A UM-Flint student will be getting some hands-on anthropological experience this summer. Keaton Reese, a sophomore at UM-Flint, will be traveling with UM-Flint professor Daniel Birchok on an upcoming research trip to Indonesia. Birchok is an associate professor of anthropology at UM-Flint and has a background in historical anthropology. He studies religion, specifically Islam, in
UROP PROJECT: Self-driving cars for people with Parkinson’s disease
Daba Coura Mbow Majoring in computer science, Leen Yasin is an undergraduate student in her junior year at the University of Michigan Flint. Leen is also taking chemistry and biology classes and is interested in biomedical innovation and patient care. As a participant in UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program), she works alongside professors Nathan Miller
Khalil Khanafer is in the 2%
The phrase ‘Publish or Perish’ is commonly used by researchers, and their work greatly impacts their evaluations. Stanford University professor John Ionnaidis has worked diligently for years to improve the system used to standardize the evaluation process by looking at how often researchers’ work is used as a reference, cited by other researchers. He has
Precision Health connects health data and analytics
The University of Michigan has created an initiative to connect health related data resources and state-of-the art analytic tools known as Precision Health. Precision Health aims to advance medical research at the University of Michigan. They use a number of different data sets to conduct this research, and combine these to better inform patient care.
Interdisciplinary Innovations in Community Revitalization: Collaborative Approaches to Design, Environmental Justice, and Education in Flint
Daba Coura Mbow Benjamin Gaydos is a nationally recognized designer and associate professor of Art and the University of Michigan-Flint. He holds an MFA in Visual Communication/Design from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is co-founder of the social impact design studio, goodgood, with offices in Boston and Detroit, and is the driving force behind the
CIT event: Rod Reid an entrepreneur of an IndyCar racing
Daba Coura Mbow When discussing the future of motorsports, professionals often highlight the challenge of engaging young enthusiasts. Beyond the hefty costs associated with vehicles and equipment, there exists a significant experiential investment required for meaningful participation in any aspect of racing. This hurdle is particularly daunting for young individuals with limited financial resources. On
Meredith Broussard’s presentation for her book relating to AI and bias
On March 27, 2024, Meredith Broussard, data journalist and associate professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University, gave a presentation at the University of Michigan-Flint regarding the focus of her recent book More Than A Glitch: Confronting Race, Gender, and Ability Bias in Tech (2024). The book focuses on the