News Stories - Science

Bruce Bugbee and Lance Seefeldt are principal investigators for a multi-institution, NASA-funded team awarded a prestigious honor for foundational research efforts toward sustaining human exploration on Mars.

With National Science Foundation funding, faculty members Lauren Lucas and Zach Gompert create Research, Scholarship and Creative Inquiry-Intensive course that leads fledgling researchers, step-by-step, through the scientific inquiry process.

Valter Longo, University of Southern California longevity researcher, is featured speaker for annual R. Gaurth Hansen Seminar Series lecture.

Students, faculty and staff are honored for outstanding achievements at annual ceremony.

USU geoscientist Alexis Ault is the featured presenter for the free, family friendly event featuring hands-on learning activities for all ages.

Physics and math major, Honors student and Aggie First Scholar Agustina Peck, who conducts research with postdoctoral mentor Ivana Molina, is set to present findings at the Student Research Symposium during USU Research Week, April 8-11.

Utah, home of Utah State University’s multiple campuses around the Beehive State, isn’t in the path of totality for Monday, April 8’s solar eclipse. But that doesn’t mean Aggies can’t enjoy the much-anticipated cosmic event.

Honors student Tristen Teeples, who conducts research with faculty mentor Nick Dickenson, prepares to present findings at the Student Research Symposium during USU Research Week, April 8-11.

In Biologist Justin Jones' Lab, students Jackson Morley, Oran Wasserman and Mary-Kate Williams study bee silk.

Use every day to learn something new.

Renowned biogerontologist and cell biologist presents "Fasting Mimicking Diets: Longevity and Disease" at 4 p.m. via Zoom.

The Cazier Professor Lifetime Achievement award is given annually to recognize a senior faculty member who has demonstrated 20+ years of consistent excellence in each aspect of their role statement.

Aggie Women Lead Series: Science Dean Michelle Baker encourages scholars to be open to opportunity and serendipity.

USU mathematician Erin Beckman is featured presenter for free, family-friendly event focused on probability theory.

From programs including “Discover Biological Engineering” to “Engineering State” and “Science Unwrapped,” Isabella participated in these enriching experiences, soaking in the knowledge and expanding her horizons.

Utah State's Intermountain Herbarium director is the recipient of a prestigious NSF CAREER Award.

Pursuing NSF-funded research, Soukaina Filali Boubrahimi, Pouya Hosseinzadeh and colleagues publish findings in AGU's 'Water Resources Research' journal.

Aggie scholars ranked in the top 17% of the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition.

Undergraduates in Utah State's Schaeffer/Weinstein Labs craft works of art from colorful bacteria.

USU Geosciences' 2024 Rock-n-Fossil Day attracts hundreds of geology enthusiasts of all ages.

Colorado State chemist Delphine Farmer is the featured speaker for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry's Richard Olsen Lecture Series.

For time-honored Aggie tradition, Jim Bridger Battalion cadets seek occupational safety recommendations from USU public health scholars. USU leads the charge with findings that will benefit the Army ROTC's multi-state 5th 'Apache' Brigade.

Designated a 'futurist' by AI Utah, Kevin Moon is among panelists for USU's Feb. 22 Research Summit on Artificial Intelligence.

Joseph Wilson and Kevin Williams are among authors of 'Velvet Ants of North America'

Undergraduate Research Fellow Rachel Tong, with Biology faculty mentor Sara Freeman, studies the brain's responses to emotional stress.

USU industrial hygienist Carl Farley is featured presenter for free, family friendly event focused on waves, force and torque.

Atmospheric Waves Experiment Science Team hones communications skills while participating in research-project-of-a-lifetime.

USU physicist Boyd Edwards and USU computer scientist John Edwards are featured presenters for free, family-friendly event focused on rotational forces.

In the Hevel Lab, Bella Lonardo and Zaharah Rossi are exploring the roles of enzymes and proteins in intracellular communication.

Undergrad physics researcher Joseph Cooney is among Aggies ascending Utah's Capitol Hill Jan. 18, to present to state legislators and the public. Cooney developed a computer simulation to study atmospheric ice nuclei under different electric fields.

Biology faculty member Sara Freeman's BIOL 5625 lab course is among the university's first to achieve research-intensive designation.

CRISPR researcher, teacher and mentor is the second USU faculty member to assume the professorship, which honors the memory of a Utah State great.

Moria Robinson, with The Herbivory Variability Network, publishes findings in the journal 'Science.

Trailblazing ecologist, engineer and shuttle astronaut was a champion of Utah State's students.

Mike Taylor passes the torch of groundbreaking NASA-funded AWE science mission to fellow USU professor Ludger Scherliess.

Ault presented research at the 2023 Japanese-American-German Frontiers of Science Symposium on Oct. 5-8 in Dresden, Germany.

Researchers at Utah State University are part of a multi-institutional project aiming to unravel the ecological enigmas surrounding plants, their fruits and the chemical mechanisms that facilitate seed dispersal.

Quartz sand from the forest floor gets more reactive to light after being heated. The behavior could help geoscientists unearth evidence of past fires.

In eastern Utah’s Uinta Basin, air quality is a complicated issue. Oil and natural gas are key parts of Utah’s economy, but they also create heavy concentrations of wintertime ozone.

Electromagnetic induction is the theme for annual free, family-friendly campus event.

USU chemist Scott Ensign is featured speaker for free, family friendly event.

With team members from NASA, Space Dynamics Laboratory and other institutions across the nation, Utah State University physicists look forward to the Nov. 5 launch of the Atmospheric Waves Experiment, known as AWE, to the International Space Station.

Wildfire, invasive species, climate change. Problems in the natural world tend to be thorny, often with interwoven factors that can’t be untangled without sincere, cross-disciplinary problem-solving.

The first-ever Science Story Slam at Utah State University is set to take place from 7-8 p.m. Oct. 25 in the Big Blue Room of the Taggart Student Center on the Logan campus.

Undergraduates and graduate students of all majors are invited to share their research at Nov. 2 Science Week event.

USU Department of Physics hosts public events during the 2023 Four Corners Section American Physical Society Meeting.

The College of Science and Space Dynamics Laboratory offer safe viewing instructions and learning activities on the USU Quad Saturday morning from 8 a.m.-noon.

According to a newly published study in ZooKeys Journal, the discovery was made at the Allpahuayo-Mishana National Reserve by scientists from the University of Turku in Finland who have researched biodiversity in the area for over 20 years.

Statistician Brennan Bean, climate scientist Wei Zhang team to provide information for building-code engineers.

USU sedimentologist Evey Gannaway Dalton is featured speaker for family friendly event.

Doctoral student Alexandra DiMonte studies shallow creep events along the southern segment of the sliding boundary between the Pacific and North American Plates.

AWEmission.org offers learning activities, mission challenges in countdown to Nov. 2023 launch of Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) to International Space Station

USU climate scientist Jon Meyer is featured speaker for family-friendly event.

All USU researchers involved in molecular life sciences study are welcome; Columbia University CRISPR researcher Sam Sternberg is featured speaker.

Graduate researchers Emilee Rickabaugh and Dillon Weatherston work in the USU lab of Elizabeth Vargis, who recently published a study determining that hagfish slime proteins can model Bruch's membrane for study.

Janna Cook applies occupational health and safety principles during Texas Instruments internship.

The public is invited to view the night sky through the telescope at the USU Observatory Friday, Sept. 8, from 9-11 p.m. Admission is free.

Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory achieved a significant milestone for NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment, or AWE, as the mission readies for a Nov. 1 launch to the International Space Station.

Brynja Kohler leads Undergraduate Programs and Services; Susannah French heads Research and Faculty.

The Inaugural R. Gaurth Hansen Professor was a revered researcher, teacher, and mentor.

Science Unwrapped, the public outreach program of USU's College of Science, welcomes inquiring minds of all ages to its free events. A new series kicks off Friday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Science Learning Center on campus.

2023 Joe E. Whitesides Award recipient Reagan Hoopes is building an information technology career through the competitive Palace Acquire program.

Nationwide community of more than 450 institutions provides training opportunities for faculty, postdocs and graduate students.

Doctoral candidate Savannah Adkins discusses soil carbon cycling at the 2023 Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting.

Jessica Murray publishes in the journal 'Geoderma'; presents at Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting.

The undergrads present at the 2023 Ecological Society of America annual meeting Aug. 6-11.

In the journal Science, Tammy Rittenour reports much of the Arctic island's ice melted as recently as 416,000 years ago, which has implications for sea-level rise.

Recent USU graduate Hannah Domgaard is the lead author on a Jackson Lab paper in a peer-reviewed journal.

Jeffrey Hazboun is among researchers featured in a June 29 briefing from NSF-funded North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves Physics Frontier Center

Four Aggies are awarded scholarships in American Industrial Hygiene Association's competitive national selection process.

Participants in the Native American Summer Mentorship Program share insights from month-long Logan campus experience.

Genetic variation is the ultimate fuel for evolution, says Utah State University evolutionary geneticist Zachariah Gompert. But, over centuries, that fuel reservoir gets depleted in the course of natural selection and random genetic drift.

USU Blanding undergrad Antonio Richards, center, learns from biology/ecology doctoral candidate Jack Phillips, left, and faculty member Molly Womack, right, how the USU scientists use 3D modeling software to study amphibians.

Tolonqua Nakai studies the social behavior of coyotes at USDA predator research facility.

From field to lab, NASMP participant Kailee Tohonnie learns techniques for investigating organic pollutants affecting Utah's forests.

USU geochemist Dennis Newell collects a sample from a spring along a remote segment of Alaska's Denali Fault. He reports evidence of mantle-to-crust connections that increase the possibility of a future major earthquake.

USU DIRECT Lab students Daniella Lopez, center, and Braxton Geary, right, demonstrate robotic dogs to teens participating in USU's 2023 Latinos in Action Leadership Bootcamp.

USU URCO grant recipient Madison Patch, left, demonstrates a 3D-printed prosthetic hand she designed to Computer Science faculty mentor Mario Harper, right. The application period for the grant opens June 1.

USU Biology doctoral student Brenna Decker displays wasp specimens that are part of her 'Wasps of Utah' traveling exhibit debuting June 1 at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Brigham City, Utah.

Utah State University ecologists were recently awarded funding to bolster state efforts to keep mosquito numbers in check.

Ready, set, GO: It’s been a long winter and one of Utah State University’s favorite harbingers of spring — USU Physics Day at Lagoon — is ready to provide thrills, chills and STEM-learning fun Friday, May 12, at Davis County’s popular amusement park.

USU Geosciences alumna Heather Upin MS'20 collects a microbial sample from Aguas Calientas Pinaya in Peru’s southern Andes. She and faculty mentor Dennis Newell published findings about microbial diversity in Peruvian hot springs.

Science Unwrapped, the college's public outreach program, received the USU Center for Community Engagement's 2023 Committed Community Partner Presidential Award.

As Utah’s Cache Valley emerges from a snowy winter, its encircling mountains provide breathtaking vistas that change daily and offer enticing clues to a fascinating geological history. Did you know ancient Lake Bonneville once covered Cache Valley? Did yo...

Science Dean Michelle Baker is the recipient of Utah State University's 2023 Diversity Award - Administrator Category, in recognition of her efforts in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion for students, faculty and staff.

SDL Engineer and Scientist Brian Thompson, Engineering Associate Dave Griffin, and Mission Assurance Manager Russ Kirkham are pictured mounting the AWE Opto-Mechanical Assembly (OMA) to the flight EXPRESS Payload Adapter (ExPA) at SDL facilities on Utah S...

Utah Public Radio is partnering with Utah State University’s Biology Department and Ecology Center to gather and share stories about research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in the Republic of Panama.

All ages are invited to the Science Unwrapped presentation, "Croaky Shapeshifters," with USU biologist Molly Womack at 7 p.m. Friday, March 17, in the Eccles Science Learning Center. Learning activities and refreshments follow the talk.

The oSTEM student club welcomes all LGBTQIA+ students and allies in STEM fields.

Rockhounds of all ages are invited to USU Rock-n-Fossil Day 2023 Saturday, Feb. 25, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Geology Building on the USU Quad. Guests may bring rocks and fossils for identification by USU geologists.

Renaissance polymath Leonard da Vinci demonstrated that frictional forces slow down the motion of surfaces in contact. Friction, he determined, is proportional to the normal force. When two objects are pressed together twice as hard, friction doubles.

The gathering, hosted by the Utah State University College of Science student-led Science Council, will feature a question-and-answer session led by a panel of faculty, graduate student and undergraduate women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and...

All are invited to USU's observance of International Women and Girls in Science Day, celebrated on campus Friday, Feb. 10, from 3-6 p.m. in the Taggart Student Center Big Blue Room.

According to Utah State University computer scientist Vladimir Kulyukin, the computation can unlock mysteries of honeybee behavior.

At a field research site near Delta, Utah, USU Honors scholar Michelle Norman pauses during a three-day trip to study a section of the Great Basin Drumian Carbon Isotope Excursion (DICE) in the Drum Mountains.

Scholars Emmaline Haderlie and Christen Ellis, with faculty mentor Erin Bobeck, study interactions in the brain, with a goal of exploring pain therapies to lessen the risk of opioid addiction.

All ages are invited to the Science Unwrapped presentation, 'Predicting Snowmageddon,' with USU statistician Brennan Bean Friday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Science Learning Center.

Aggie researcher is developing a predictive model for space weather events to protect defense, space exploration and communications activities.

In USU's Geology Building, Geosciences Assistant Professor Srisharan Shreedharan points out a small seismograph bolted to the floor. He was monitoring real-time data from the instrument, when Cache Valley’s magnitude 3.2 earthquake struck Jan. 3.

In a rare feat, doctoral student Thomson Hallmark and faculty mentor Ryan Jackson publish tandem papers in 'Nature.'

The Fall Student Research Symposium is USU’s non-competitive celebration of undergraduate research and creative work. Each December, students from every discipline share poster or oral presentations to the broader public.

Doctoral teaching assistant Megan Raddatz, standing, assists undergrad Kaleb Keller at a recording rig from the BIOL 5625 neurophysiology lab class. Students in the new course held a poster session Dec. 7.

Environmental chemist Kimberly Hageman is recognized during the Office of the Provost's fall lecture series.

John Flores, principal lecturer in USU's Public Health program, readies equipment in the program’s Life Sciences Building teaching laboratory. Flores received top recognition from the Utah Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

Inquiring minds of all ages are invited to learn answers to these questions and more at the Utah State University Department of Physics’ 15th annual November Demo Show on Friday, Nov. 18.

Doctoral student Nikolay Tkachenko, right, with USU Chemistry and Biochemistry Department Head Lance Seefeldt, was named "Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year" by the Utah Chapter of the American Chemical Society.

Tammy Rittenour and colleagues publish findings about the world's largest sand island in 'Nature Geoscience.'

LOGAN — Utah State University’s Caine College of the Arts is proud to announce a special anniversary performance of Rising Tide: The Crossroads Project on Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Daines Concert Hall.

Entomologist Ricardo Ramirez is recognized during the Office of the Provost's fall lecture series.

First-Generation college student Karla Sandoval Rodriguez is the student coordinator for USU's Aggie First Scholars program. The Biological Sciences Teaching major plans a career as a high school science teacher.

Evolution can repeat itself, says Utah State University alum Samridhi Chaturvedi PhD’19, resulting in parallel adaptations in independent lineages occupying similar environments.

Professional contacts made at the 2022 Small Satellite Conference, held annually on Utah State University’s Logan campus, paved the way for four Aggie undergraduate researchers to visit NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, one of the world’s leading centers ...

Utah State University physicist Rob Davies will explain this concept at USU’s Science Unwrapped on Friday, Nov. 4, and discuss how it relates to varied challenges in our lives — ranging from viruses to economic growth to humanity’s impact on the planet.

USU evolutionary ecologist Joseph Wilson and colleagues "think like predators" to study mimicry among North American bumble bees. They report findings in the open-access journal "Scientific Reports."

At USU Uintah Basin, students have the opportunity to work in the laboratory of a faculty member for an eight-week, paid summer internship.

Utah State University physics professor Vincent Wickwar, an early pioneer in the field of aeronomy — the study of the upper atmosphere — died unexpectantly at his Logan, Utah home Sept. 27. He was 79.

The Utah State University Honors Program presents the 47th Annual Honors Last Lecture featuring David Brown, the 2022 Honors Outstanding Professor. Brown will deliver a lecture titled “Our Sixth Sense: Math” from 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, in the Russell/...

All ages are invited to the Science Unwrapped presentation, 'Chemical Commuters,' with USU environmental chemist Kimberly Hageman Friday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Science Learning Center. Learning activities and refreshments follow the talk.

Minnesota's Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve was the site of experiments conducted by USU ecologist Noelle Beckman and colleagues, who reported findings in the Oct. 8, 2022 issue of the journal "Ecology."

All USU researchers involved in molecular life sciences study are invited to share ideas at the 2022 Hansen Life Sciences Retreat Oct. 21-22.

Undergraduate Teaching Fellow Heather Stout says her degree program combines her love of geosciences and teaching. The southern Utah native is a 2022 recipient of a College of Science Scholarship

Parker Hicks experiences the frontlines of pandemic care, undertakes overseas humanitarian mission

Honors student and Aggie First Scholar Owen Graham, a physics and mathematics major, says he's grateful for scholarship support that’s enabled him to pursue his academic dreams.

Utah State University alum Bradley Hintze (BS ’09, Biochemistry) says encouragement from his adviser, his professors and his undergraduate research mentor enabled him to push past self-doubt and keep trying.

The public is invited to view the night sky through the telescope at the USU Observatory. Admission is free and masks are welcome. (Photo: Steve Sellers, CC BY-SA 2.0)

Science Unwrapped, the public outreach program of USU's College of Science, welcomes inquiring minds of all ages to its free events. A new series kicks off Friday, Sept. 23, at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Science Learning Center on campus.

Zach Gompert, associate professor in USU's Department of Biology and Ecology Center, is lead author of a paper investigating genetic effects in interacting species in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Undergrad researchers, student leaders, advisers and faculty share tips for incoming students.

Peak Fellow, Undergraduate Research Fellow and Honors student Zachary Zito, left, meets with faculty research mentors Brittany Gentry, postdoctoral fellow in USU's Philosophy group, and Physics Professor Charlie Torre.

Steve Petruzza, assistant professor in USU's Department of Computer Science, is among recipients of a $600,000 NSF collaborative research grant to address data input and output challenges with exascale computing.

In a USU Physics lab, undergrad researcher Heather Allen adjusts the control unit of an electron flood gun she's built to study simulated lunar dust. Allen is among USU’s 10 2022 Peak Summer Research Fellows.

A beloved teacher and mentor at Utah State from 1992-2006, Kolesar was a valued contributor to the development of USU’s Department of Computer Science.

USU students gather in the Aggie Math Learning Center. Advisors, faculty and staff are invited to Aug. 17 and Aug. 25 open houses to learn about student resources and services offered by the center.

An image of Stephan's Quintet from the James Webb Space Telescope, released July 12, 2022, reveals new details about galactic mergers and interactions. Such images will shed light on dark holes, says USU physicist Maria Rodriguez.

Michelle Baker, professor in the Department of Biology and the USU Ecology Center, has been selected to serve as dean of Utah State University’s College of Science.

students at USU Uintah Basin have the chance to participate in hands-on paid internship experiences as wildlife technicians studying wildlife ecology in the region.

Utah State University physiological ecologist Susannah French is studying the effects of human-induced changes on varied lizards, including iguanas of the world’s tropics and, closer to home, the American Southwest’s side-blotched lizard.

Utah State University scholars are reacting with excitement to images from outer space, released this week by NASA, from the James Webb Space Telescope.

USU Blanding undergrad Rex Harvey inspects a bee he net-collected at the USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect Research Unit Experimental Research Garden in Cache Valley. Harvey and fellow NASMP scholars present research Tuesday, June 14.

USU Blanding scholar Jullian Crank, left, and Computer Science faculty mentor Soukaina Filali Boubrahimi discuss space weather. Crank is among nine students participating in USU's four-week Native American Summer Mentorship Program in Logan.

USU Computer Science undergrad Canyon Bryce, center, helps participants in USU STARS! GEAR UP's Biology Camp assembles a bioreactor. Bryce was awarded a URCO grant to develop activities for the teen campers.

Having grown up around horses, cattle, sheep and goats, Utah State University Blanding scholar Shailyn Parrish has few qualms around large animals.

Using a stereoscope, Geosciences doctoral student Emma Armstrong, seated, and faculty mentor Alexis Ault examine zircon grains.

To celebrate Pride Month in June, Utah State Today is highlighting university employees and students who are conducting research, academic pursuits and other projects related to or that benefit the LGBTQIA+ community.

Transmitting data to Earth until its final hours, Utah State University’s student-built satellite appears to have re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrated May 24 after surviving a phenomenal 117 days in space.

A nearly five-ton micro-computed tomographic scanner is lowered through the mechanical access shaft on the south side of USU's Eccles Science Learning Center May 23. The instrument will enhance research opportunities throughout the university.

After a two-year pandemic hiatus, USU Physics Day at Lagoon returned on May 13, 2022, for a day of thrills, chills and STEM learning fun.

SU Physics Day at Lagoon, among the West's longest-running STEM outreach programs, returns to an in-person event Friday, May 13. More than 10,000 Intermountain teens are expected to descend on Utah’s über-playground for a day of learning and fun.

After a two-year delay, former USU Science Dean Maura Hagan steps to the National Academy of Sciences podium to sign the academy's prestigious registry of membership during a 2022 ceremony held April 26, in Washington, D.C.

As a student at Utah State University’s on-campus Edith Bowen Laboratory School, Vicki Allan remembers waiting in the faculty office of her father, Rex LeRoy Hurst, as he finished his duties of the day. Allan would follow in his footsteps as a computer sc...

College of Science Valedictorian Porter Ellis conducts structural biology research in the microbial pathogenesis lab of faculty mentor Nick Dickenson in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. He will pursue graduate studies at Duke University.

USU computer scientist Soukaina Filali Boubrahimi is the recipient of a three-year, $527,129 NSF grant to support her development of combined physics and machine learning-based models to predict solar energetic particle events.

USU alumna Alexandra Lish, pictured adjusting Petri dishes in a lab at USU, is among nine Aggies named 2022 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellows. Seven USU scholars received honorable mention in the competitive STEM graduate program searc...

You have four minutes and four slides to share your big research idea. Is this brainstorm you’re banking your degree on incomplete? Still a bit fuzzy? No worries. You’re among your Aggie family, ready to cheer you on.

All ages are invited to the Science Unwrapped presentation, "Electric Avenues," with USU electrical engineer Regan Zane on Friday, April 1, at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Science Learning Center. The free event includes learning activities and refreshments.

Biology's Andy Anderson and his volunteer team of students and alumni offer unique learning, outreach, and recruiting opportunities.

USU geoscientist Katie Potter points to basalt samples collected during a NSF-funded JOIDES Resolution research ship expedition in the south Atlantic Ocean. She speaks at Science Unwrapped Friday, March 18, at 7 p.m. at USU. All are welcome.

Undergrad biochemist Arianna Towne presents at Rapid Fire Research 2021. Back by popular demand, the campus-wide Rapid Research 2022 event is set for Monday, March 28. All are welcome.

Guests to USU Rock and Fossil Day 2022 Saturday, Feb. 26, will enjoy hands-on learning activities, tours of the USU Geology Museum, and a "fossil dig." All ages are welcome and admission is free. Masks are encouraged.

USU neurobiologist Sara Freeman holds a coyote brain. She presents 'The Science of Social Bonds: From Animals to Autism' at Science Unwrapped Friday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. on the USU campus and online. All are welcome.

Nature equips plants with a variety of tools to disperse their seeds. They can simply drop them or release them to the wind or a nearby stream. Plants with fleshy fruits have the advantage of enticing hungry animals to partake of their delicious bounty, c...

USU Ecology doctoral student Jessica Murray, at a field site in Costa Rica's Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve, is a 2022 recipient of the Ecological Society of America’s Katherine S. McCarter Graduate Student Policy Award.

Whether a coding expert or a beginner, all Utah college students and high school seniors are invited to HackUSU 2022, Utah State University's annual 24-hour, intercollegiate hackathon. The free gathering is set for March 18-19 on the USU campus.

Undergrad Trace Taylor uses a vacuum chamber in Physics Professor J.R. Dennison's lab to study materials flown on NASA’s LDEF satellite. Taylor is among Aggies presenting at Research on Capitol Hill Feb. 8 in Salt Lake City.

Utah State University’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry has announced its Alumni Achievement Award recipients for 2021.

Utah State University’s Get Away Special Team CubeSat successfully deployed Jan. 26 from the International Space Station. It’s alive, well and communicating with Earth.

USU chemist Alexander Boldyrev, R. Gaurth Hansen Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has been named a 2021 Fellow of the American Association of the Advancement of Science, a top honor of the nation's scientists.

Members of USU's 2021-22 Get Away Special Team traveled to Florida’s Kennedy Space Center to witness the Dec. 21 launch of the team’s cube satellite to the International Space Station. The team now eagerly awaits deployment of the satellite from the ISS....

From left, USU geoscientists Carol Dehler and Paul Jamison guide visiting students from Utah's Lewiston Elementary in rock identification at the department's Centennial Rock Garden.

In USU's 2021 episode of 'The College Tour,’ student Jack Danos examines the GAS team’s GASPACS cube satellite. The CubeSat launches Dec. 21, to the ISS and is scheduled to deploy into space the first week of Jan. 2022.

USU neurobiologist Sara Freeman holds a coyote brain. One of 35 recipients of a prestigious 2021 Oak Ridge Associated Universities' Powe Research Grant, Freeman is studying the biological basis of pair bonding in mammals.

USU's Student Chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering, known as SAMPE, is hosting an on-campus, public watch party for the Dec. 22 launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, starting at 4:30 a.m. in ESLC 130.

Dennis Newell, graduate director in the Department of Geosciences, is coordinating the department's efforts as a new AGU Bridge Program partner. The nationwide initiative encourages underrepresented students to pursue graduate studies in geosciences.

Women in rural areas of Bangladesh face unique challenges with mobile technology, says USU computer scientist Mahdi Al-Ameen. He and colleagues received a research grant to explore this phenomenon.

The public is invited to view the night sky through the telescope at the USU Observatory Friday, Dec. 3, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Admission is free and masks are encouraged.

Manuel Santana, left, Science Council vice president of undergrad research involvement, and Science Senator Jonathan Mousley, pictured at Science Week 2021, invite all Aggie STEM undergrads to the Dec. 7 NSF Summer Research Opportunity Workshop.

Professor Curtis Dyreson of USU's Department of Computer Science was among faculty members honored this fall during the university’s 2021 Inaugural Professor Lecture Series.

Inquiring minds of all ages are invited to USU Physics' 14th annual November Demo Show Friday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Science Learning Center Auditorium. Admission is free.

Geoscientist Don Penman, left, and grad student Chels Howard examine microscopic shells of foraminifera, ancient single-cell plankton from deep-sea sediments. Data from Penman's 'Nature’ paper were measured from this type of microfossils

USU chemist Alexander Boldyrev, R. Gaurth Hansen Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is honored with a festschrift, a commemorative journal issue honoring his life's work, in 'The Journal of Physical Chemistry.’

The public is invited to view the night sky through the telescope at the USU Observatory Friday, Nov. 5, from 7-9 p.m. Admission is free and masks are encouraged. James Coburn.

A female Aedes aegypti mosquito gets blood from a human host. USU ecologist Norah Saarman describes tracking these disease-carrying mosquitos with satellites and genetics at Science Unwrapped Friday, Oct 29. All are welcome. James Gathany, CDC.

Journalist Andy Larsen’s Twitter bio reads, “Utah Jazz & NBA beat writer for The Salt Lake Tribune. Then the pandemic happened, and now I’m also a data columnist for the Trib.”

Utah State University computer scientist Nicholas ‘Nick’ Flann has long been inspired by the simple elegance of Victorian mechanical technology. He recalls childhood visits to steam engine demonstrations with his railway enthusiast father in his native En...

Professor John Stevens is the new interim department head of USU's Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Stevens says the department’s culture of teaching excellence stands out nationally. Nichole Bresee.

USU geologist Susanne Jänecke documents a small strike-slip fault in southern California's Fish Creek Basin. She and her colleagues’ findings, published in 'Geology,’ shed light on when the Colorado River first arrived at the Sea of Cortez. Jim Evans.

USU Geosciences alum Evan Millsap, BS'18, died in a rock-climbing accident on July 3, 2019. The International Astronomy Union recently announced an asteroid between Mars and Jupiter has been named in his honor.

USU physics alum Milo Maughan, BS'11, MEd’13, a teacher at Draper, Utah’s Corner Canyon High School, is a 2021 NASA Airborne Astronomy Ambassador. M. Muffoletto.

Uintah Basin Graduate Student Tyler Elgiar installing the inlet on the dual-channel oxidized mercury measurement system.

To celebrate Pride Month in June, Utah State Today is highlighting university employees and students who are conducting research, academic pursuits and other projects related to or that benefit the LGBTQIA+ community.

Video by Taylor Emerson, Digital Journalist, University Marketing and Communications.

Michelle Baker, who has served as Interim Dean of USU's College of Science since Jan. 1, 2021, will extend her service for an additional year, Provost Frank Galey announced May 5.

Due to continuing pandemic conditions, USU Physics Day at Lagoon will not hold an in-person event in 2021. Online STEM activities will be available on the program's website. M. Muffoletto.

Utah State University President Noelle E. Cockett conferred 7,255 degrees upon more than 6,800 students in a virtual commencement ceremony on May 5, 2021. Due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, USU revised its 134th commencement ceremony by hosting a ...

USU's 2021 Science Valedictorian Nikki Anderson performs a flying sidekick. A devotee of Taekwondo, Anderson says martial arts have taught her confidence, respect, and determination. She enters the University of Utah School of Medicine this fall.

2021 College of Science award recipients include, from left, USU's Graduate Mentor of the Year J.R. Dennison, Doctoral Student Researcher of the Year Spencer Hudson, and Peak Prize Undergraduate Researcher of the Year Noah Braeger.

Utah State University chemist Yi Rao, is developing laser techniques to advance photoelectrical chemical reduction of carbon dioxide for energy production.

“Marine Bacteria Provide New Opportunities in Drug Discovery” is the title of Utah State University’s 2020-2021 Richard Olsen Lecture Series talk, featuring marine research chemist William Fenical of the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Instit...

Discovery of the smallpox vaccine by Edward Jenner in 1798, considered one of the greatest medical advancements in modern history, was met with celebration as well as worry – much as emerging COVID-19 vaccines are received today.

Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory announced that it has successfully completed the Key Decision Point (KDP) C for NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE).

While recently compounding a dose of Remdesivir, the antiviral medication used to treat COVID-19, pharmacist MaLaura Creager’s thoughts wandered back to her general chemistry

After a hiatus, Utah State University’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry announces the resumption of its Alumni Achievement Award program, with a new development.

Day by day, news of emerging COVID-19 vaccines is popping up like spring dandelions. This week, with a shot broadcast ‘round the world, British nonagenarian Margaret Keenan stepped up for the first jab, followed shortly by 81-year-old William Shakespeare ...

The Utah State University Observatory opens its doors to the public Friday, Sept. 7. All are invited to view Cache Valley’s night sky from the observatory telescope from 8:30-10:30 p.m. All ages are welcome and admission is free.

Utah State University professor Alexander Boldyrev has been selected as the USU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry’s first R. Gaurth Hansen Professor.

Centuries ago, as humans began to domesticate animals and till the earth, their communities increased in population density – of both people and animals. Close proximity brought benefits, but also brought new dangers...

Remembering her parents and grandparents, Utah State University alumna and donor Mary Ann McDonald Ebbeler (BS’66, Medical Technology) recounts several stories of hardship and grit. Ebbeler’s grandmother, who lived in Willard, Utah, during the early 20th ...

Utah State University has joined a cohort of 19 universities in a three-year institutional change effort to develop inclusive faculty recruitment, hiring and retention practices...

Plastic has become ubiquitous in modern life and its accumulation as waste in the environment is sounding warning bells for the health of humans and wildlife. In a recent study, Utah State University scientist Janice Brahney cited alarming amounts of micr...

Utah State University undergraduate Natasha Gunderson is among eight scholars selected nationally, this year, for the American Mathematical Society’s Waldemar J. Trjitzinsky Memorial Award...

Keeping hands clean is among deterrents to the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens. Washing with soap and water helps to quash spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, as soap breaks down each virion’s (virus particle’s) surrounding lipid bilayer.

Associate Dean Sean Johnson welcomes students to the October newsletter and discusses the new free COVID-19 testing center at USU.

Friday, Oct. 23, Science Unwrapped welcomes featured speaker Charmaine Sample, chief security research scientist of Idaho National Laboratory's Cybercore Division. Her talk is broadcast at 7 p.m. via Zoom. All are welcome.

An unprecedented three Utah State University doctoral scholars were selected last spring for highly competitive internships, for summer 2020...

Some 92 to 66 million years ago, as the Age of Dinosaurs waned, giant marine lizards called mosasaurs roamed an ocean that covered North America from Utah to Missouri and Texas.

While planning the 10th annual Hansen Life Sciences Retreat, Lance Seefeldt, head of Utah State University’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, envisioned gathering...

Science Unwrapped returns Friday, Sept. 25, with 'Meme Menace,' featuring speaker Nick Flann, associate professor in USU’s Department of Computer Science. The talk is broadcast at 7 p.m. via AggieCast. All are welcome.

As a freshman joining Utah State University’s Track and Field Team in fall 2017, Alex Lyons wasn’t keen on having an upperclassman mentor...

Utah State University geosciences graduate students excelled in the Geological Society of America’s 2020 Graduate Student Research Grant competition, with 10 Aggies receiving grants to support thesis and dissertation research...

Five Utah State University College of Science graduate students are among 12 recipients of the USU School of Graduate Studies’ and the Office of Research’s most recent cycle of Graduate Research and Creative Opportunities (GRCO) grants.

Bees and flowers seem inseparable harbingers of spring, but what happens when pollinators emerge later than their sources of nectar and pollen?

Simply put, string theory is a proposed method of explaining everything. Actually, there’s nothing simple about it. String theory is a theoretical framework from physics that describes one-dimensional, vibrating fibrous objects called “strings,” which pro...

Utah State University computer scientist Xiaojun Qi is the new head of the Department of Computer Science. College of Science

Michelle Baker, associate dean in Utah State University’s College of Science and professor in the Department of Biology and the USU Ecology Center, will serve as the college’s interim dean, beginning January 1, 2021. Baker’s appointment, announced by USU ...

Sedimentary rock layers at the bottom of Grand Canyon have long entombed a geologic record of a period of evolutionary frenzy some 540 million years ago known as the “Cambrian Explosion.” During this biologic shift, which marks...

USU Uintah Basin faculty members Benjamin Burger, associate professor of geology, and Lea Ann Jolley, instructor of biology, discover a pig-like animal that lived 47 million years ago.

Traits that form an organism’s appearance, including color, are determined by many different genes and the creature’s environment. “Humans and domestic animals, for example...

Registration is open for Utah State University’s 2020 Hansen Life Sciences Retreat, which will be held online Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18-19. Celebrating its 10th year, the annual gathering is open to all USU...

Scientists have long debated the idea that global climate changes have forced river erosion rates to increase over the past five million years. New field data gleaned from a multi-institution, collaborative study of North America’s rugged...

Driving across the arid American Southwest, one views miles upon miles of scrubby creosote bushes. Well-adapted to the hot, thirsty landscape, the evergreen shrub

Increasing demand for electrification in rural areas poses challenges, but also creates opportunities for development of decentralized electrification systems. Compared with conventional electrical grids based on large

If you’ve spent any time online, you’ve seen it: Flashy advertisements, fake news or enticing headlines that distract and lure you down Internet paths you wish you hadn’t pursued...

Utah State University biologist Edmund ‘Butch’ Brodie, Jr. and colleagues from São Paulo’s Butantan Institute report the first known evidence of oral venom glands in amphibians. Their research, supported by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific an...

Eleven Utah State University science majors are recipients of College of Science Undergraduate Research Minigrants for the 2020-2021 academic year...

Utah State University Science Dean Maura E. Hagan announces she is retiring from her post and from the university effective December 31, 2020. USU Executive Vice President and Provost Frank Galey announced Hagan’s decision publicly

Initiated in 2014, Utah State University’s Native American Summer Mentorship Program was created with the express purpose of bringing scholars together to experience hands-on research.

Utah State University epidemiologist Scott Bernhardt is among Utah Medical Reserve Corps volunteers helping the Bear River Health Department gain control of a sudden surge in COVID-19 cases...

Utah State University public health faculty member Carl Farley is one of the first five industrial hygienists in the nation to complete requirements to become an Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems Registered Auditor.

Utah State University’s College of Science announces the R. Gaurth Hansen Professorship in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Established as an endowment by the Hansen Family, the professorship honors the memory of the renowned

University and Student Officials Offer Condolences, Resources for Our College Community

Dear USU College of Science Students, Faculty, and Staff, The recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have once again exposed the ongoing (and escalating) police brutality, general violence, and lack of accountability for these...

What do you do when a global pandemic prevents you from bringing students to campus to participate in research experiences?

College of Science students, faculty, and staff achieved new heights in the 2019-2020 academic year, with successful NSF grants and awards, presentations to legislators, international research, outreach initiatives, NSF Graduate Fellow awards, and more.

Naturalist John Muir’s famous quote, “The mountains are calling and I must go …” could be the call of the Western tanager as the brightly plumed songbird makes its annual spring trek from the tropics of Mexico and Central America to the mountain forests o...

The Navajo Nation, which straddles the Four Corners area of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, spans more than 27,000 square miles and is home to more than 170,000 people.

Utah State University Noelle Cockett has named Lisa Berreau as vice president for research. Berreau has been serving as interim vice president for research since July 2019.

Utah scientist Lindsay Meyers leads a team of colleagues laboring to refine a syndrome-based, but pathogen-specific, rapid disease-reporting system, installed at hospitals, to get ahead of respiratory scourges that plague individuals and communities with ...

USU Tooele entomologist Joe Wilson discusses Asian Giant Hornets on USU Office of Research's "Instead" podcast.

Idaho native, 2020 Human Biology graduate and aspiring surgeon excels in cross country, academic and research.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, USU, INL and Lagoon officials announce decision to forgo this year's long-running STEM event, which draws nearly 10,000 teens each year for day-long amusement park STEM fun.

Utah State University’s mathematicians, statisticians and data scientists faced a problem. But these folks tackle challenges every day and a daunting obstacle called a ‘global pandemic’ wasn’t about to harsh their groove...

Utah State University’s College of Science honors 2020 graduates with a video message and recognizes students, faculty, and staff for outstanding achievements.

Each semester, Utah State University’s Department of Biology hosts a public poster session, during which undergraduates showcase their research projects, internships and field course experiences...

Utah State University Student Sustainability Office and Sustainability Council are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and honoring the campus community’s sustainability award winners

Alex Lyons has always shown courage and determination in everything he did, and applying for Science Senator at Utah State University was no different. Even now, at the end of his term, Lyons has taken

Eight Utah State University scholars are honorees of the prestigious 2020 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship search. The Aggies, whose awards are collectively valued at about $828,000, are among nearly 2,000 students selected from mo...

Utah State University scientist Joseph Wilson is on a mission. The conservation biologist wants to encourage efforts to protect bees, but realizes a lot of people know little about them.

Science Unwrapped’s March 20 on-campus gathering, featuring USU dairy microbiologist Jeff Broadbent, is canceled. But Broadbent’s presentation, ‘Cheese: Teaming Art + Science to Immortalize Milk.’ will be posted online at a later date.

Julie A. Robinson, chief scientist of the International Space Station Division at NASA, and Utah State University alum, will serve as USU’s commencement speaker for its 133rd graduation ceremony as the university celebrates the accomplishments of Aggie wo...

Utah State University ecologist Noelle Beckman and colleagues Philippe Marchand of the University of Quebec, Liza Comita of Yale University, Joseph Wright of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama...

Utah State University’s air quality expert Seth Lyman was awarded the Clean Air Person of the Year by the Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR) for his continued work into developing solutions to fight Utah’s air pollution problems in the Uintah Basin...

In the animal kingdom, survival essentially boils down to eat or be eaten. How organisms accomplish the former and avoid the latter reveals a clever array of defense mechanisms. Maybe you can outrun your prey. Perhaps you sport an undetectable disguise.

Calling all rockhounds! Utah State University’s Department of Geosciences invites inquiring minds of all ages to its 2020 USU Rock and Fossil Day Saturday, Feb. 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Geology Building on the USU Quad. Admission...

All the Reasons that 'Bee' is the Science Unwrapped theme Friday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Science Learning Center on campus. Featured speaker is USDA-ARS entomologist Theresa Pitts-Singer. Admission is free; all ages welcome.

Imagine fleeing untenable conditions in your homeland. While you may feel relief, you’re immediately confronted with uncertainty and frustration, as you learn to navigate a new country, a new language and a new culture...

Undergrad researcher Anna Figgins to present genomics research to legislators on Utah’s Capitol Hill Feb. 18.

Registration is open for USU App Camp 2020, a series of summer day camp sessions held on the Utah State University campus, aimed at fostering interest and skills in computer science among middle school-aged youths...

Undergraduate Research Fellow and Honors Student Rachel Sagers is among Aggies presenting study findings to legislators on Utah’s Capitol Hill Feb. 18.

In 1960, as the Cold War heated up, the U.S. Army launched “Project Iceworm,” a top secret effort to build a network of mobile nuclear launch sites under the Greenland Ice Sheet.

It’s easier to understand data, when you can see it. “People are very visual,” says Utah State University data scientist Kevin Moon. “For scientists, having the ability to examine the structure of a complex dataset allows them to explore ideas and genera...

Three Utah State University Aggies are among four Utahns selected for the national Presidential Teaching Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Awarded by the White House and the National Science Foundation...

The Utah State University Observatory opens its doors to the public Friday, Dec. 6. All are invited to view Cache Valley’s night sky from the observatory telescope from 6-8 p.m. Admission is free.

What makes an airplane fly? What keeps a heavy battleship afloat? Inquiring minds of all ages are invited to learn answers to these questions and more at the Utah State University Department of Physics’ 12th annual November Demo Show Friday, Nov. 22.

Gumption. “Do you know what that word means?” asks Utah State University mathematician David Brown. Spunk? Grit? Chutzpah? Webster’s defines it as “enterprise or initiative."

Eat. Sleep (not). Code. Repeat. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn to code or tinker with hardware or maybe you’re a card-carrying-techie-programming-whiz. Whatever your skill level, all Utah college students are invited to participate.

Utah State University statistician Juergen Symanzik has been elected president of the International Association for Statistical Computing. Symanzik served two years as President-Elect and assumed the presidency this fall for the global organization...

“Daily Bread,” “Breaking Bread,” “Bread and Butter,” “Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread.” Bread has been a staple, and a symbol, of sustenance, community and survival since antiquity.

When you consider a model of a physical theory, how do you know it accurately encompasses all it’s trying to explain? One way, says Utah State University mathematical physicist Michael Schultz, is to tie the theory to math, put it through a series of math...

Utah State University’s Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art (NEHMA) is hosting Utah’s Proving Ground: Aesthetics, Environment and Politics of Dugway Proving Ground, an artist talk and panel discussion on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 5:15-6:30 p.m...

Once considered relatively rare, dengue fever is popping up throughout the globe, including the United States. The mosquito-borne virus is having a particularly active year, which some public health officials attribute, at least partially, to a warming cl...

USU nutrition scientist Carrie Durward is featured speaker for Science Unwrapped Friday, Oct. 11. The gathering begins at 7 p.m. in the Emert Auditorium, Room 130 of the Eccles Science Learning Center on campus. All are welcome.

“Ferroelectric Polarons, Belgian Waffles and Principles for ‘Perfect’ Semiconductors” is the title of Utah State University’s 2019-2020 Richard Olsen Lecture Series talk, featuring Columbia University chemist Xiaoyang Zhu. All are invited to the lecture W...

The Utah State University Observatory opens its doors to the public Friday, Oct. 4. All are invited to view Cache Valley’s night sky from the observatory telescope from 8-10 p.m. All ages are welcome and admission is free. “We invite the Cache Valley comm...

“When you talk only with researchers in your field, it can become a bit of an echo chamber,” says Utah State University neuroscientist Max McDermott. The first-time presenter at USU’s interdisciplinary Hansen Life Sciences Retreat says questions he receiv...

Cutting-edge Utah State University research is featured Saturday morning, Sept. 28, in “Spider Thread,” the premiere episode of Season 6 of the CBS TV program “The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation.” The broadcast airs at 8:30 a.m. Mountain on Salt Lake City...

As part of a research project, Utah State University physics major Matthew Hogan sits in a lab and watches plants grow. And it’s a far-from-boring exercise, he says. “It’s a new learning experience every day,” says the Undergraduate Researcher.

Can earthlings live on Mars? They can if they develop self-sufficiency, say Utah State University scientists Bruce Bugbee and Lance Seefeldt. The two researchers are part of the NASA-funded Center for the Utilization of Biological Engineering

Utah State University Undergraduate Research Fellow Olivia Brock loves solving jigsaw and logic puzzles, as well as the congeneric grace and physics of bowling and ice skating. She loves reading and writing. And she loves the art and science of airplanes,...

From fridge to microwave to table, preparing a daily meal may not seem like much of a challenge. But back up and dissect that process – molecule by molecule – from air to soil to table, and you’ll uncover one of the most vexing puzzles known to humankind....

Since its earliest days, women at Utah State University have had a huge impact on the cultural, scientific, economic, and social fabric of the institution since its earliest days. The Year of the Woman shares these critical voices simply because their sto...

As a pianist, Utah State University undergraduate researcher Christian Lange knows that listening to a music is best, when it’s in a quiet setting. A silent atmosphere, where the listener can experience every lyrical nuance, every pause.

Utah State University welcomes renowned scientist Vanda Grubišic of the Colorado-based National Center for Atmospheric Research to campus Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, for the public presentation, “NCAR Earth Observing Laboratory and the University Community Op...

Registration for Utah State University’s 2019 Hansen Life Sciences Retreat, which will be held Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, at the Riverwoods Conference Center in Logan, is open until Sept. 3.

When Undergraduate Research Fellow Audrey Lidgard entered Utah State University, she envisioned a career as a large animal veterinarian. After a few semesters at USU, the Salt Lake City native turned her attention to research and much smaller animals: liz...

In 2011, Utah State University geoscientist Tammy Rittenour, supported by a newly awarded National Science Foundation CAREER grant, embarked on a study of southern Utah’s sometimes dramatic arroyo cycles. “An arroyo is an entrenched river, like a canyon.....

Utah State University undergraduate Madison Taylor is learning that most day-to-day research efforts don’t yield heart-stopping breakthroughs. Sometimes, the geology major hits a wall as impenetrable as the rocks she studies...

The periaqueductal gray is a partially uncharted region of the brain. Discoveries in the 1970s revealed it plays a role in pain inhibition and opioid functions, yet the full purpose of the “PAG,” as the gray area located in the midbrain is informally know...

Utah State University professor Lisa Berreau, who serves as interim vice president for research, has been elected a Fellow of the American Chemical Society. Berreau is one of 70 scientists selected from an international pool of nominees for the 2019 class...

Spider silk is an engineer’s dream material. Lightweight, strong, elastic and biocompatible, it’s an ideal building block for a myriad of applications, including medical implants, body armor and vehicle components. But trying to farm spiders...

Utah State University ecologist Bonnie Waring heads one of seven projects chosen nationally by competitive peer review for a U.S. Department of Energy Terrestrial Ecological Sciences grant. Waring receives a two-year, $295,967 award to fund her project.

What’s the first thought that comes to mind when you envision a computer programmer? A nerdy keyboard geek, probably white and male, holed up behind a computer screen in a dark basement? Citing findings from studies published last year, Utah State Univers...

Greg Podgorski, associate professor in Utah State University’s Department of Biology, has been named associate dean for undergraduate programs and services for the university’s College of Science. He succeeds Richard Mueller, who recently retired from the...

American biologist E.O. Wilson supports the biophilia hypothesis – “BET” for short – suggesting humans possess an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life.

Utah is experiencing an explosion in population and a changing economy. These conditions are transforming the way the state uses water, particularly in the case of urbanization.

Utah State University’s Department of Computer Science returns to the College of Science July 1. University Executive Vice President and Provost Frank Galey said the department’s move, from the College of Engineering back to Science, follows a period of d...

All wildflower enthusiasts are invited to participate in the annual Richard J. Shaw Memorial Wildflower Walk Tuesday, June 4, 2019, in the hills of North Logan’s Green Canyon. Utah State University’s Intermountain Herbarium hosts the activity, which begin...

Utah State University professor Lance Seefeldt will head the university’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, announced Science Dean Maura Hagan April 15. Seefeldt assumes his new post July 1. Seefeldt succeeds Professor Alvan Hengge.

College of Science students, faculty, and staff acheived new heights in the 2018-2019 academic year, with successful NSF grants and awards, presentations to legislators, bids for NASA research missions, outreach initiatives, two Goldwater Scholar awards, ...

Utah State University Science Dean Maura Hagan is among 100 U.S. scientists and 25 international associates elected this year to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the world’s premier academic institutions, which provides science advice to the U.S. ...

Even though she was well on her way to finishing high school with a 4.0 GPA and was among the Top 10 students in her class, Karina Hernandez wasn’t seriously considering attending college after graduation in the spring of 2014.

Utah State University’s Office of Research has named Lance Seefeldt as the 2019 recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Mentor of the Year Award, one of Utah State’s most prestigious honors. The award is given annually as a...

It’s a dog-eat-dog world and, in the struggle for existence, organisms interact with each other and their environment in a myriad of ways. Along that journey, they adapt, or perish, as they’re exposed to peril at every turn...

Utah State University chemist Jeffrey Perala-Dewey is concerned about particulate pollution blowing across Utah’s Wasatch Front, including dust.

Biochemist Dr. Tianbiao "Leo" Lui and Evolutionary Biologist Dr. Zachariah Gompert are the College of Science's 2019 NSF CAREER awardees.

Tianbiao 'Leo' Liu, assistant professor in USU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is a 2019 recipient of the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development ‘CAREER’ Award.

Aggies are invited to a special presentation this Friday, April 12, at 10:30 am on USU Innovation Campus: ’The Transformative Journey,’ a talk by Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator at NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

Nearly sixty years ago, renowned physicist Richard Feynman invited scientists to enter the emerging field of atomic-scale physics with the rousing invitation, “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom.”

Utah State University’s College of Science hosted an awards ceremony and banquet April 3, 2019, to recognize the college’s top scholars. “Today, we honor our students for their hard work and for their service,” said College of Science Dean Maura Hagan.

Utah State University celebrates the completion of the Life Sciences Building on its Logan campus Friday, April 5, at 1 p.m. in the new building’s lecture hall, Room 133. All are invited to attend. “Our celebration is the culmination of precision planning...

Utah State University’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry welcomes renowned chemist Heather C. Allen to campus Wednesday, April 3, as guest speaker for the 2019 Richard Olsen Lecture Series. Allen, professor of chemistry and biochemistry...

Born in Sweden in 1814, Anders Ångström was a physicist, solar astronomer and a pioneer in the field of spectroscopy. He was among the first scientists to identify hydrogen in the Sun’s atmosphere and to examine the spectrum of the Aurora Borealis.

NASA has selected Utah State University’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) mission to study space weather from the International Space Station. Planned for launch in August 2022, the AWE experiment...

Like many Utah State University undergraduates preparing for medical school, Jayme Warner is keeping a close eye on her degree requirements and prerequisites for further study. Knowing classes in organic chemistry and biochemistry are on the horizon, she ...

Science enthusiasts of all ages are invited to the American Association of Physics Teachers Idaho-Utah Section Physics Demo Show Friday, March 1, 2019, at Utah State University. The free event begins at 7 p.m. in the Eccles Science Learning Center, Emert ...

Scientists get a bad rap for being poor communicators, says Utah State University physics alum and faculty member Rob Davies (Physics, MS’96, PhD ’99). “Some scientists are fabulous communicators,” says Davies.

Calling all rockhounds! Utah State University’s Department of Geology invites inquiring minds of all ages to 2019 USU Rock-n-Fossil Day Saturday, Feb. 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Geology Building on the USU Quad. Admission is free. “We welcome the c...

“Nano” is a unit prefix meaning “one billionth.” It denotes a factor of 10-to-the-minus-9 or 0.000000001. In other words, something very small. The unit of measure is useful in many areas of science, electronics and engineering.

Firearms constructed with 3D-printed parts aren’t suited for the long haul. After firing a few rounds, barrels warp, break and they’re ready for disposal. And that’s what provides advantages to criminals.

Emerging CRISPR (pronounced “crisper”) technology is “all over the news,” says Utah State University Undergraduate Research Fellow Matt Armbrust. “Many think of it as a tool for editing DNA and correctly see its potential for curing diseases,” he says. “...

USU biologist Bonnie Waring is featured speaker for Science Unwrapped Friday, Jan. 25. The gathering begins at 7 p.m. in the Emert Auditorium, Room 130 of the Eccles Science Learning Center on campus. All are welcome.

Declines in native bee populations are widely reported, but can existing data really analyze these trends? In the Jan. 17, 2019, online edition of PLOS One, Utah State University and USDA researchers report findings about pollinator biodiversity in Califo...

Makenzie Breitenbach, a biology undergraduate student at Utah State University (USU) Uintah Basin, was awarded the Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunity (URCO) grant to perform research on local emissions and air quality. She is working with the...

College of Science Senator Abigail Longaker-Service stresses the importance of self-care during finals and the holiday season and reflects on 2018.

Utah State University’s Science Unwrapped, the public outreach program of the College of Science, continues its “Powers of 10” series with “Planetary” Friday, Nov. 30, featuring USU geologist Carol Dehler...

The Utah State University Observatory opens its doors to the public Friday, Nov. 30. All are invited to view Cache Valley’s night sky from the observatory telescope from 6:30-8:30 p.m. All ages are welcome and admission is free...

Inquiring minds of all ages are invited to Utah State University Physics Department’s 11th annual November Demo Show Friday, Nov. 16. “A Night with Newton” is the theme for the event...

The state of Utah’s nickname is “The Beehive State,” and the moniker couldn’t be more apt, say Utah State University scientists. One out of every four bee species in the United States is found In Utah.

The Utah State University community is invited to enjoy brain-energizing fun as USU’s College of Science Student Council hosts ‘Science Week’ Nov. 2-9. “We invite all Aggies to channel their ‘inner geek’ and join us in some great activities,” says...

Utah State University ecologists celebrated past and current achievements during the USU Ecology Center’s 50th Anniversary Luncheon and Symposium held Oct. 24, 2018, in the Huntsman Hall Perry Pavilion on campus.

The Utah State University Observatory opens its doors to the public Friday, Nov. 2. All are invited to view Cache Valley’s night sky from the observatory telescope from 7-9 p.m. All ages are welcome and admission is free.

Members of USU Chemistry and Biochemistry's Liu Lab report advances in sustainable battery design in the journal 'Joule.’ Their research is supported by a USTAR University Technology Acceleration Grant.

If you’re struggling to understand a mathematician’s explanation of a complicated problem, don’t get discouraged. “It’s likely out of context for you,” says Utah State University mathematics professor Nathan Geer.

USU physicist Tonya Triplett is featured speaker for Science Unwrapped Friday, Oct. 26. The gathering begins at 7 p.m. in the Emert Auditorium, Room 130 of the Eccles Science Learning Center on campus. All are welcome.

USU mathematicians Brynja Kohler, Jim Cangelosi and David Brown present talks Nov. 1-2, during Utah State's commemoration of the Armistice Day Centennial. All are welcome.

The Utah State University Observatory opens its doors to the public Friday, Oct. 5. All are invited to view Cache Valley’s night sky from the observatory telescope from 7:30-9:30 p.m. All ages are welcome and admission is free.

Utah State University is one of 12 campuses in the United States and Canada selected by the American Physical Society to concurrently host the 2019 Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics.

USU mathematician Luis Gordillo is featured speaker for the kick-off of Science Unwrapped's 10th anniversary 'Powers of 10’ series Friday, Sept. 28, in the Emert Auditorium (ESLC 130). All are welcome.

Many bees nest in stems, twigs and crevasses, which makes them adept stowaways, says Utah State University entomologist Skyler Burrows. For this reason, customs officials and other managers monitor...

Utah State University Geology faculty members Carol Dehler and Tammy Rittenour have been named Fellows of the Geological Society of America...

During USU Connections Week 2018, Science Senator Abigail Longaker Service, welcomes new students to campus with Aggie Ice Cream at the College of Science’s “Discover Science” event on Aug. 23

Science Unwrapped, the public science outreach program of Utah State University’s College of Science, announces its new Fall 2018-Spring 2019 “Powers of 10” series. The series, which kicks off Friday, Sept. 28

As wildfires continue to rage across the American West and the resulting smoky haze obscures mountain views outside his office window, Utah State University scientist Will Pearse ponders

That pointy thing sticking out of a bee or wasp? It’s technically known as a “sting,” even though most of us call it a “stinger.”

About four years ago, Utah State University chemist Lisa Berreau posed a question to USU colleague and toxicologist Abby Benninghoff.

In the lab of Utah State University biochemist Sean Johnson, undergraduate Scott Adair discovered making mistakes, and developing the tenacity to keep trying, is a critical part of research.

Many Cache Valley natives and newcomers have heard of Lake Bonneville, but not as many know much about its history and the unique imprint it left on northern Utah.

Conservation biologists recognize a sobering reality. “We’re losing species left, right and center,” says Utah State University scientist Will Pearse. “We call it the ‘Noah’s Ark Problem,’ and we have to pick species to save.

Back in 1905, the Colorado River, swollen with heavy rainfall and snowmelt, surged into a dry lake bed along California’s San Andreas Fault and formed the Salton Sea. The flood waters...

Envisioning a device the U.S. Navy is developing with Utah State University synthetic spider silk conjures images you’d expect in a James Bond thriller. Think strong, stretchy fibers wrapping relentlessly around a boat propeller and effectively...

Utah State University is among 33 institutions nationwide selected to join the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Inclusive Excellence Initiative. USU joins 24 other schools, chosen in 2017 during the initiative’s inaugural year.

Though mostly rooted in the ground, plants have a number of innovative ways to disperse their seeds and get on with the business of propagation. They drop seeds or release them to the wind.

Research conducted by Utah State University’s Bingham Research Center led to a marginal, rather than moderate, ozone nonattainment designation for the Uintah Basin by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA). Marginal is the lowest and least...

What’s your favorite work of art on the USU campus? Is it James Russell’s celebratory Sojourn near Old Main? Or could it be Joseph Kinnebrew’s whimsical SNAFU (better known as “The French Fries”)? Perhaps your sentimental heart has a soft spot for the bel...

All wildflower enthusiasts are invited to participate in the annual Richard J. Shaw Memorial Wildflower Walk Tuesday, June 5, 2018, in the hills of North Logan’s Green Canyon...

Freeways choked with traffic, supermarkets laden with fertilizer-grown stock from distance fields and virtually everything we touch derived from petroleum-based plastics. It’s hard to imagine life beyond our fossil-fueled world. Black gold has brought......