MSU president: Work force faces serious challenges

President Jay Noren will join with University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman and Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon to represent the Michigan University Research Corridor to the nation's CEOs and international news media at the June 15-17 National Economic Summit in Detroit. They will emphasize that the URC is a formidable force for innovation and a driver of Michigan's 21st-century economy.

June 13, 2009

WSU starts company to make better antidepressants

Several Internet news sites, a few of which are listed above, ran a clip from an AP story that mentions that Wayne State and the Michigan Technology and Research Institute in Ann Arbor are forming a company to develop improved antidepressant drugs. "Drug therapies currently on the market for treatment of depression have many shortcomings," said Dr. Aloke Dutta, professor of pharmaceutical sciences at WSU and inventor of the new technology.

June 13, 2009

DMC top docs

Richard Santucci, WSU urology professor and chief of urology at Detroit Receiving Hospital, was profiled recently as a DMC "Top Doc." He is one of approximately 20 surgeons in the United States who specialize in reconstructive urology.

June 12, 2009

So who is Chrysler Group's new global marketing boss?

A profile on Michael Accabitti, new president-CEO for Chrysler's Dodge brand, notes that he has a master's degree in business management from Wayne State and is a graduate of the Michigan State University Law School in Detroit.

June 12, 2009

Lynches bring funeral home ethos to Brighton's Main Street

An article about Lynch & Sons Funeral Directors of Milford mentions that Dana Nowak, who will reside on site at their new Brighton location, is president of her Wayne State University graduating class in mortuary science.

June 12, 2009

Higher education is one of Michigan's best exports

Wayne State is among three universities in Michigan that rank among the top 40 doctoral granting institutions based on number of international students, according to the Institute of Higher Education. And the state of Michigan ranks eighth in the nation in economic impact from international students. The article is from Michigan Business Review.

June 11, 2009

Role of 'microgrids' may grow; integrating current, future technologies will be challenging

In an article about an increase in investments in "smart" power grids, WSU engineering professor Caisheng Wang, who recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation to pursue his work, says there will be challenges in combining new energy infrastructures with existing ones.

June 11, 2009

Economic development organizations jump into bed with state's public universities

Jeff Mason, executive director of the University Research Corridor, says that while Michigan's universities are paramount to the state's success, collaborations between the URC and outside organizations will be critical in helping to resuscitate the economy. Wayne State is mentioned as a URC member institution.

June 11, 2009

Job creation in Metro Detroit starts with regional collaboration

MetroMode reprinted a Detroit News op-ed piece by James Nicholson, vice chair of the Detroit Renaissance board's Executive Committee. He suggests steps Detroit could take to help bring the city back to prominence. Among other things, he recommends more fully engaging "our universities as part of an economic development strategy." Wayne State, University of Michigan and Michigan State, are mentioned as part of the University Research Corridor.

June 11, 2009

Merit Member Conference Covers Cool Learning Technology

Patrick Gossman, deputy CIO at Wayne State, is quoted in an article about the Merit Network's annual meeting, where he was a guest speaker. He called Detroit a "poster child" for using federal stimulus money to provide WiMax, "but we don't know what the regulations will be yet."

June 11, 2009

Green in Between: Detroit alley to become earth-friendly experiment

Wayne State University, along with community groups and DTE Energy, is working on plans to turn the alley behind Motor City Brewing Works into a "green alley" that includes energy-efficient lights and permeable asphalt. Wayne State will provide technical assistance. The university also plans to work with the University Cultural Center Association (UCCA) to develop a bikeway and walkway that will include the alley.

June 10, 2009

Court clears path for Chrysler-Fiat to close

The U.S. Supreme Court has lifted a temporary halt of the plan for Fiat to purchase Chrysler LLC. Law professor Peter Henning comments briefly in the article about the one-day delay in bankruptcy proceedings imposed by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "Not enough of her associates showed sufficient interest to ask for a full hearing," he said.

June 10, 2009

Bing wants to privatize lighting

A story about Mayor Dave Bing's proposal to privatize the Detroit Public Lighting Department mentions that the department serves many public buildings, including Wayne State University.

June 10, 2009

University of Michigan researchers find clues at bottom of Lake Huron to ancient hunters

University of Michigan researchers worked with an unnamed WSU computer science professor to reconstruct and then simulate ancient caribou migrations across an ancient corridor that now lies at the bottom of Lake Huron.

June 10, 2009

TechTown extends a hand to entrepreneurs in Detroit

In an op-ed, Randal Charlton, TechTown executive director, places a call to action for all aspiring entrepreneurs to sign up for TechTown's June 24 day-long event, the free event that kicks off FastTrac to the Future. A photo of Charlton is included.

June 9, 2009

Wayne State prof works to turn energy grid into two-way street

An AP story about engineering professor Caisheng Wang's work to develop a control strategy for using powerplant-generated electricity in conjunction with alternative energy sources continues to generate significant media mentions. Among these is the news outlet mentioned above. Wang received a grant of over $311,000 from the National Science Foundation to pursue his work.

June 9, 2009

Emotional housecleaning: Going through parents' belongings is often a bittersweet task

Peter Lichtenberg, director of Wayne State University's Institute of Gerontology, said that the inability to sort through parents belongings after they have died may signal the need for grief counseling; ideally, the clearing-out process is a time for healing.

June 9, 2009

Charter reform spells change for Detroit

In an op-ed about the impact that the City Charter reform will have on Detroit, Wayne State University law professor John Mogk said that while there is reason to be excited for change, the success of the city will ultimately fall on the elected officials.

June 9, 2009

Former Detroit mayor's new home bigger than Manoogian

In a story originally published in the Detroit Free Press about former Detroit Major Kwame Kilpatrick's expansive new home near Houston, WSU professor Peter Henning observes that Kilpatrick's lavish new surroundings could be a problem for authorities in Detroit, where the former mayor has until recently been short on court-ordered restitution payments to the city.

June 9, 2009

Midsummer Nights in Midtown

The station's Rachel Nevada mentioned "Wayne State's Midsummer Nights in Midtown" activity in her list of upcoming weekend events.

June 9, 2009