Here's today's MSU High 5 – a morning hello and the fastest way to get you up to speed with what's happening at Michigan State University.
1. Spartans graduate this weekend: Michigan State University will host commencement ceremonies this weekend at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center on the corner of Harrison Road and Kalamazoo Street. There are a total of 1,693 undergraduate degree candidates and 746 advanced degree candidates. The College of Social Science has the most undergraduate degree candidates with 356. More >>
2. How to make scientists better communicators: A Michigan State University professor will use a $310,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to study how scientists can become better communicators. John Besley, associate professor and Ellis N. Brandt Chair in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, will study how scientists both view and communicate with the public. More >>
3. All the world's a stage: John F. Kennedy once said, “If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.” I agree with him wholeheartedly. I remember the day that sentiment hit home for me personally. My then-17-year-old daughter, who had been researching colleges and programs and figuring out what she wanted to do, came to me and said, “It might not be the smartest or most stable thing to do, but I don’t want to be 50 years old regretting that I never tried to make it in musical theater.” More >>
4. Facing off with a fungal threat: That fuzzy fungus creeping onto the forgotten food buried in your crisper is hiding something. Mold is more than a nuisance that spoils dated produce, it also indicates the presence of toxins. Certain molds, such as those that grow on corn, pistachios and peanuts, produce a deadly carcinogenic toxin called aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is responsible for up to 28 percent of liver cancer cases worldwide and is the biggest risk factor for the disease. But a Michigan State University researcher is fighting the fungus and working to prevent future cases of aflatoxin-induced liver cancer. More >>
5. Digital recognition at MSU: Hand-drawn forensic sketches based on witness descriptions are a traditional yet time-consuming method used to catch criminals. But in some cases, authorities don’t have the luxury of time. A new automated sketch recognition system developed at Michigan State University is changing this race against the clock. More >> Watch >>
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