A Wayne State University program to help nurture budding scientists has been so successful, the National Institutes of Health has given it an additional $3.6 million in funding, which will enable it to grow and run at least another five years. The Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) is designed to support underrepresented students and help keep them engaged in the college experience. The IMSD began in 1978 as the Minority Biomedical Research Support program led by Joseph Dunbar, associate vice president for research at Wayne State. Dunbar is still deeply involved in the IMSD program and said the goals are to facilitate the “entry, persistence, and success” of minority students majoring in science, ultimately guiding them to pursue careers in academics and scientific research. Dunbar said when the grant was renewed in 2011, WSU instituted yearly evaluations to measure the progress of both the students and the program. Dunbar has used that feedback to refine the program’s offerings. Over the last five years, the data shows that students in the IMSD program have a grade-point average that is between .7 to 1.0 higher than students who don’t participate. IMSD student graduation rates are at 87 percent, compared to 21 percent for the control group of underrepresented minority, non-IMSD students at WSU with comparable high school GPAs and standardized test scores. In addition, 64 percent of the IMSD students have gone on to pursue post-graduate degrees, compared to just 11 percent of the non-IMSD group. “We introduce them to university life—how to navigate it, what to expect, financial literacy, where services are, et cetera,” Dunbar explained. “The most important thing is to give students a sense of community and support.”    

At Wayne State University, researchers hoped to make a breakthrough for heart attack victims. By finding a way to deliver oxygen directly to the heart through the bloodstream, they believed they could minimize the amount of permanent heart damage a patient might incur. But an environmentally-minded researcher saw an opportunity to expand the technology. He spent 15 years refining it and eventually discovered a breakthrough for wastewater treatment. He developed the nano gas process. His mechanism joined with Concept Equity Group to create Nano Gas Technologies, Inc., a solution to the fundamental issue in the world of hydraulic fracturing. The vast majority of oil companies have been injecting wastewater directly into the ground, through the soil, deep below water resources, and into porous underground rock formations. This practice is coming under heightened environmental scrutiny and some operations have begun recycling the water using dissolved gas flotation, an expensive, high maintenance, and chemical-intensive practice that fixes gas bubbles onto oil droplets, raising them to the surface and making them easy to remove.  

Wayne State University has named Keith Whitfield as its new provost – the person in charge of academics at the school and the No. 2 executive behind President M. Roy Wilson. Whitfield, vice provost for academic affairs at Duke University and an expert on aging among African Americans, will start June 1. The WSU Board of Governors approved Whitfield’s appointment Friday. "We are delighted that Keith Whitfield will be joining the university,” Wilson said in a press release. “We could not have hoped for a better-qualified candidate for the provost's position, and we look forward to his guidance and leadership in all academic matters at Wayne State University.” Whitfield also holds Duke appointments as professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, research professor in the Department of Geriatric Medicine at Duke University Medical Center, and senior fellow in the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development. He also is co-director of the Center on Biobehavioral Health Disparities Research. “I am very honored to have been selected to serve as the next provost of Wayne State,” said Whitfield in a press release. “It is clear that the university is working on great things, and I hope to provide the leadership needed to realize its ambitions.”     Other media mentionshttp://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2016/04/01/wayne-state-university-names-provost/82531896/http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20160401/NEWS/160409985/wayne-state-hires-duke-university-exec-as-next-provosthttp://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/04/prweb13312018.htmhttps://www.insidehighered.com/people/2016/04/01/provosthttp://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2016/04/vice-provost-keith-whitfield-named-wayne-state-provost

Midtown sees about 3 million visitors a year, according to statistics gathered by Midtown Detroit. About 60,000 people work at institutions like the Detroit Medical Center, Wayne State University and Henry Ford Hospital, in addition to the small businesses. Roughly 30,000 college students attend Wayne State University and the College for Creative Studies. And, 20,600 people live in the Midtown area, according to 2015 numbers. Add to that national attractions like the Detroit Institute of Arts and it's not hard to see that Midtown is meant to serve a bigger area than just those who live within the borders. With recent talk of zoning changes in Midtown, it's possible those trying to push the neighborhood toward something of a shopping district might inch closer to ideals slowly taking form: Getting people on the street, giving them parks and store fronts and cafes, and getting outsiders talking about Detroit.  

A Wayne State University program has received a $400,000 grant to design an environmental project aimed at boosting the health and quality of life of Detroit residents. The Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation is giving the grant to the Detroit Revitalization Fellows. Fellows representing the Belle Isle Conservancy, Detroit RiverFront Conservancy and EcoWorks will tackle the project. Detroit Revitalization Fellows, a program of Wayne State’s Office of Economic Development, consists of mid-career leaders working on civic, community and economic development endeavors.                 Other media mentionshttp://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/a56446d077fd48c3845df934fa9b77d4/MI--Wayne-State-Environmental-Granthttp://www.pendletontimespost.com/view/story/a56446d077fd48c3845df934fa9b77d4/MI--Wayne-State-Environmental-Grant/#.Vv0VTfkgtD8http://baytownsun.com/article_76fdf1bd-8055-5968-9af6-c96e33860eca.htmlhttp://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/Wayne-State-program-gets-grant-for-environmental-project-374065581.htmlhttp://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=8255&DateTime=3%2F31%2F2016+5%3A21%3A38+AM&LineNumber=&MediaStationID=8255&playclip=True&RefPage=http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=4405&DateTime=3%2F31%2F2016+6%3A04%3A01+AM&LineNumber=&MediaStationID=4405&playclip=True&RefPage=http://www.petoskeynews.com/news/state-region/wayne-state-program-gets-grant-for-environmental-project/article_118c1be6-e74e-56be-80fc-e946df86ceca.html

Quicken Loans Inc. founder Dan Gilbert said 3,100 of his workers live in Detroit, up from the 77 who lived in the Motor City when Gilbert first moved his online mortgage firm downtown in August 2010. If they could find a place to live in the city, “there would probably be another 2,000 ...,” Gilbert said. The revelation came Wednesday night in front of an estimated 700 people who filled a Wayne State University auditorium to hear the billionaire talk about his Detroit roots and his vision for the city. Gilbert earned his law degree from Wayne State by attending night classes  while delivering pizzas and then selling real estate, mainly in Southfield. That real estate business led him to what would become Quicken Loans, he told the crowd. The event was a wide-ranging question-and-answer session, moderated by WSU Law School dean, Jocelyn Benson, in which Gilbert said he is a third-generation Detroiter, whose father owned an east-side bar.               Other media mentionshttp://www.freep.com/story/money/business/michigan/2016/03/31/gilbert-detroit-wayne-benson-quicken-blight/82460736/http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20160331/NEWS01/160339982/dan-gilbert-says-detroit-is-home-for-3100-of-his-employeeshttp://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/31/dan-gilbert-says-detroit-is-home-for-more-of-his-e/http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article69160592.htmlhttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article69160592.htmlhttp://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=2785&DateTime=3%2F31%2F2016+6%3A09%3A36+AM&LineNumber=&MediaStationID=2785&playclip=True&RefPage=

After the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, Detroit is pushing for a comeback, driven in part by local businesses with a belief in the city's future. Resources are also plentiful for current and aspiring business owners. TechTown, which is now a nonprofit, was founded in 2000 by Wayne State University, General Motors and Henry Ford Health System and serves as the city's innovation hub. From 2008 through 2015, there have been nearly 1,600 companies served and more than 1,200 jobs created. More than $122 million has been raised in funding by TechTown's companies in that time frame. TechTown rents space to start-ups, connects them to capital resources and accelerates and incubates companies via several programs with varying focuses, including technology, health care and traditional brick-and-mortar retail. The space is a renovated former Chevrolet facility where the Corvette was designed, and that culture of innovation is still present. "The biggest opportunity is the low barrier to entry," said TechTown president and CEO Ned Staebler, who added, "You can get up with a relatively low amount of capital due to low real estate costs in a relatively short amount of time."   

After nearly 30 years of leadership in the battle against sickle cell disease (SCD) in Michigan, Dr. Wanda Whitten-Shurney will now play an expanded national role in shaping federal policy and guidelines aimed at lessening the impact of the genetically triggered blood disorder. During her 29 years as a clinician specializing in treating Detroit-area children with SCD, Whitten-Shurney has worked relentlessly to help kids and their families manage the chronic ailment while enjoying healthier, more active lives. Now she’s being recognized for her long career as a pediatric physician who specializes in treating SCD. Whitten-Shurney, assistant clinical professor of Pediatrics for the Wayne State University School of Medicine, will be formally installed as a member of the committee during its next regular meeting in June.     Other media mentionshttp://patch.com/michigan/bloomfield-mi/detroit-pediatrician-awarded-seat-national-sickle-cell-disease-advisory-committee

Wayne State University’s Forum on Contemporary Issues in Society (FOCIS) is welcoming Harvard professor Robert Putnam to Detroit today to discuss the growing gap between rich and poor, and the impact it has on opportunity, especially for children. Irvin D. Reid, director of FOCIS, commented about the program’s topic. “The earlier you address this gap between the children of rich and poor, the better off it will be for the society, starting even with daycare, with preschool. Mayor Duggan is doing the same thing in terms of community college opportunities here in the city of Detroit.” Today’s FOCIS discussion, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 10:30 a.m. at Wayne State’s Community Arts Auditorium.        Other media mentionshttp://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=2785&DateTime=3%2F28%2F2016+6%3A14%3A31+AM&LineNumber=&MediaStationID=2785&playclip=True&RefPage=

A new study shows that knowledge of government surveillance causes people to self-censor their dissenting opinions online. The study, published in Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, studied the effects of subtle reminders of mass surveillance on its subjects. Elizabeth Stoycheff, lead researcher of the study and assistant professor at Wayne State University, is disturbed by her findings. “So many people I've talked with say they don't care about online surveillance because they don't break any laws and don't have anything to hide. And I find these rationales deeply troubling,” she said. She said that participants who shared the “nothing to hide” belief, those who tended to support mass surveillance as necessary for national security, were the most likely to silence their minority opinions. “The fact that the 'nothing to hide' individuals experience a significant chilling effect speaks to how online privacy is much bigger than the mere lawfulness of one's actions. It's about a fundamental human right to have control over one's self-presentation and image, in private, and now, in search histories and metadata,” she said.

Health officials in Flint are prepping for the warm season ahead to prevent another deadly outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, which sickened at least 88 people and killed 10 the past two summer seasons. The agencies have combined to create a tool kit of best practices for monitoring and treating water systems for Legionella bacteria and information for health-care providers about diagnosing and caring for people with Legionnaires' disease. They are also developing guidelines for the public about symptoms and what to do if you suspect you have the illness. The agencies involved include Wayne State University’s Flint Area Community Health and Environment Partnership, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Because of the heightened awareness, I think everyone is watching and trying to monitor this and the circumstances much more closely," said Matthew Seeger, a Wayne State University professor who is part of the Flint Water Health and Environmental Partnership.  "It’s also important to recognize that children rarely get this disease," said Seeger. "Children are less likely, based on the clinical evidence. We want the public to understand the ... symptoms of Legionnaire’s disease so should there be any concerns, they know to go to their physician immediately." Dr. Paul Kilgore, another Wayne State University professor who is  part of the Flint Water Health and Environmental Partnership, says recognizing the symptoms of Legionnaires' disease and seeking medical attention quickly are vital.  

About 1,100 students from Wayne State University and the University of Michigan teamed up for a day of service Saturday in Detroit. Volunteers of The Detroit Partnership, a student group that works to connect people from Ann Arbor and Detroit, boarded up abandoned houses, painted murals, cleaned vacant lots and prepared urban gardens. The two universities team up every year in an annual volunteer effort called DP Day. Organizers said the effort helps students build relationships with the city and its leaders. Other media mentionshttp://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=1014&DateTime=3%2F26%2F2016+11%3A14%3A32+PM&LineNumber=&MediaStationID=1014&playclip=True&RefPage=

Wayne State University Law School Associate Professor Noah Hall, an expert in environmental and water law, has been appointed special assistant attorney general for Michigan, joining the special counsel team for the Flint water investigation. The special counsel team will investigate to determine if any state laws were violated and then potentially could prosecute under civil and criminal law options. As Hall explained: Appointing the team was necessary because the Michigan attorney general must advise and ultimately defend the state and its agencies in this matter. Attorney General Bill Schuette has established an “iron-clad conflict wall” between the attorney general’s office and the special counsel team, allowing both sides to do their job properly.  

Wayne State University business students have a powerful way to start building their networks from their very first day on campus. They can join the Warriors Business Community and earn $2,000 housing scholarships offered to the first 30 newly admitted fall 2016 freshman business majors who sign up.  

Wayne State University President M. Roy Wilson has been given the 2016 Giving Back award byINSIGHT Into Diversity magazine for his work to propel underrepresented students toward science careers and increase the diversity of WSU’s campus, among other initiatives. Wilson will be featured, along with 26 other recipients, in the April 2016 Leadership Support and Giving Back issue ofINSIGHT Into Diversity, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The award honors presidents and chancellors of colleges and universities who go above and beyond their everyday leadership duties and give back to their campuses and communities. “I am honored and humbled to receive this recognition,” said Wilson, who became Wayne State’s 12th president in August 2013. “Diversity is so important in the higher education environment. Ultimately, diversity makes for a much better educational experience of our students. It’s very important to have different perspectives and ways of thinking incorporated in the everyday life of a student. That’s how they learn. That’s how the world is.” Among Wilson’s accomplishments, he developed a strategy to improve the pipeline of underrepresented students toward science careers. As part of this, he formed a coalition in 2015 of Detroit-based universities and colleges to launch the National Institutes of Health-funded Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) program at WSU. As part of a plan to increase the diversity of Wayne State’s campus, Wilson created in 2014 the position of Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer. He also insisted that the newly-created diversity officer be elevated to a cabinet-level appointment to emphasize its importance and centrality to the university’s core leadership. In addition, Wilson created the Office of Multicultural Student Engagement to provide an inclusive environment and promote awareness initiatives that encourage academic success for underrepresented minorities and historically marginalized students.    

What do you think is the American Dream? Is that dream possible? Does any and everyone have access to making good on the pursuit of happiness? Those are some of the fundamental questions raised by Professor Robert Putnam of Harvard University, also a consultant to President Barack Obama. Putnam will be the keynote speaker at Wayne State University’s Forum on Contemporary Issues in Society (FOCIS) on Monday, March 28. The topic of his talk will be “Urban Families: The American Dream in Crisis.” Putnam told “Detroit Today” host Stephen Henderson that the ‘gap between rich kids and poor kids has widened a lot…and it’s pushing America towards a caste-based society.” Putnam added that talent is equally distributed across every class but opportunity is not. He said there has been a cultural shift in America where the focus has moved from creating opportunity for all children, to people only focusing on their own biological kids. “We now have a shriveled sense of who we are responsible for,” he said.   

Wayne State University and other educational institutions will participate today in a water policy conference held in Lansing. Topics to be explored include water supply engineering, funding needs, public trust regulation and impact on the environment and health of citizens. The goal is to get information, backed up by research, into the hands of legislators, state employees and other people with the power to use the information.  

Detroit is making a promise to every high school student: Graduate and there will be funding for the first two years of college. The city is able to make this promise because a program that already has been supporting Detroit students’ college education will get permanent funding to guarantee a tuition-free path to an associate degree for every student who graduates from a school in the city. Meanwhile, a pilot program also is being launched to give some Detroit students scholarships to earn four-year degrees. Officials announced Tuesday the two-year college scholarships for city students will be available in perpetuity through the Detroit Promise Zone, a designation created by law during the administration of former Gov. Jennifer Granholm that allows Detroit to capture a portion of state education taxes generated in the city to offer scholarships. It will be known as the Detroit Promise. The program funding four-year scholarships will be funded by the Michigan Education Excellence Foundation, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, most of the state’s public universities, a few private colleges, and the Detroit Regional Chamber.  

US News & World Report just released its 2016 rankings of the best pharmacy schools in the nation. Wayne State University's pharmacy school was among the listed institutions. University's were ranked on a scale from 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding) based on peer assessment surveys distributed to deans, administrators, and faculty at accredited schools. These surveys were conducted in fall 2015 for the 2016 rankings. US News & World Report surveyed 125 Doctor of Pharmacy programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, and the response rate was 40%.  

At noon, medical students throughout the country will open sealed envelopes and find out where they will be doing their residency and in what specialty. It’s part of national Match Day. Medical students from Wayne State University will get the news today at a celebration at the MGM Grand in Detroit.