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SRI Stories: Dance of Discovery

SRI Stories: Dance of Discovery


March 18, 2025
Above: Shrinivasan “Cheenu” Raghuraman

“If you close your eyes and put your fingers together above your head, you know exactly where the tips of your fingers are, right? That property is called ‘proprioception’, your body knows where your limbs are in three dimensional space."

The same property is there for fish too. They know exactly where they're swimming in a three dimensional space, and that helps them navigate.”

When explaining his work with cone snail venom, Shrinivasan “Cheenu” Raghuraman uses this simple example to explain the concept of proprioception, an aspect of the fish’s neurology that the snail’s venom targets. It’s a term most wouldn’t recognize upon hearing it, but with such a relatable comparison the path to understanding is made clear. 

Finding such comparisons is a vital science communication skill in both teaching students and presenting findings, but it wasn’t science that taught this example to Raghuraman. It was dancing. As part of the ensemble of Nitya Nritya Foundation, which promotes (and performs) classical Indian dance and music, he needs to understand how one’s limbs are positioned. This in turn inspired the comparison to his scientific work. 

Ironic as it may seem, it’s these aspects outside of the scientific fields that bring better clarity of the concepts within them. And Raghuraman has taken these paths of understanding to heart within his Science Research Initiative (SRI) streams. Students are given projects tailored to their goals to better streamline their learning process. Interested in discovering new drugs? A project is set up specifically focused on peptides (chains of amino acids within the snail venom) that all have therapeutic potential and what the drug testing process is like. Drawn to the bioelectricity of the brain itself? Or the policies and science writing around the health sciences? In each case a project is set up using snail venom as the subject model in a way that encourages those interests. 

Such practices benefit both students and teacher, for as the young scientists  receive teaching streamlined towards their interests, Raghuraman in turn learns a new way to approach and understand his field of study. He’s quick to explain this importance, that, “It’s becoming crucial that our science communication is stronger than it’s been before. We need to realize that if something makes sense to us, it’s possible for it to make sense to everyone!” 

He takes special care to instill this value in students, taking them on field trips to elementary and middle schools to do small experiments and show them how to simplify (NOT dumb down, he clarifies!) their work for different audiences.

These values of adaptation and communication are largely inspired by Raghuraman’s own journey through education. Having completed his undergrad in South India at Sastra Deemed University, an opportunity was presented to work alongside Toto Olivera here at the U. In doing so, was  catapulted to the other side of the globe, across cultures and into a climate that gleefully greeted him with a terrible snowstorm just to rub things in. 

But adaptation begets adaptation! Entering the Olivera lab, Raghuraman’s  interest in industrial biotechnology spun off towards marine biology, evolving into a focus on neuroscience and its relationship to snail venom. Exploring a single peptide within one snail's venom set a template that could be adapted not only to Raghuraman’s interest but to those of all other fellow researchers. It was a powerful template that formed the dynamic learning environment found in the celebrated lab today.

It’s been several years since that Utah snowstorm “welcomed” Raghuraman who is commemorating his 15th year at the U. He mentors over a dozen students while continuing his own research pursuits. He hopes his work will lead to a better understanding of how to medicinally work with the brain, that by following how snail venom targets specific areas of the mind, we can create drugs that do the same in a positive manner. It’s a chaotic path that changes constantly, but at this stage in his career, Cheenu Raghuraman is well versed to its rhythm, happily teaching students to move and sway accordingly to this ever moving dance of discovery.

 

By Michael Jacobsen

SRI Stories is a series by the College of Science, intended to share transformative experiences from students, alums, postdocs and faculty of the Science Research Initiative. To read more stories, visit the SRI Stories page.

 

Thriving in the cadences of college

Thriving in the Cadences of College


June 12, 2025.
Above: Jake White outside the Skyline Mine near Price, Utah. Photos courtesy of White.

Jacob 'Jake' White, who just completed his first year in the mining engineering program at the University of Utah, began his path in the field early. In his hometown of Syracuse, Utah he enrolled in the High School University Program (HSUP) that the U offers, allowing students to take classes at the U.

Gone fishin' during Jake White's 32-hour MSHA training in Salina

“This was a wonderful idea because it allowed me to learn the cadences of college and begin that transition early. Tackling the learning curve of college early is indispensable in my young college career.”

Later at an engineering showcase, White met mining academic advisor Pam Hoffman who introduced him to some mining basics. “It wasn’t until I attended one of the open house events that decided to major in mining.”

Since then, he has found his passion. “I would love to change how mining is perceived in the public,” he says. “I believe the future is unlocked through mining, which requires public support. Not to mention, that mining is getting more sustainable which is a major selling point but seems to get neglected.”

Both a touchstone and an inspiration for that passion has been Aaron Witt, a heavy machinery influencer of sorts who markets a microlearning platform specifically designed for the heavy civil and critical infrastructure construction industries. Perhaps more important to White, though, is that Witt, through his online presence, is determined to change how earth-moving industries are viewed in the public, which “resonates with me because—before I started at the U—I was oblivious to how these industries operated.”

Recipient of the William Browning Scholarship at the U, White is spending the summer interning at Wolverine Fuels’ Skyline coal mine twelve miles outside Price, Utah where he's been working as a laborer on various projects throughout the mine, most recently developing a belt line for the new section of the mine. "Getting hands-on experience is one of (if not the most) valuable things a mining engineer can have," he reports from the field. "That’s what has surprised me the most — every experienced coal miner is something of an engineer in their own right. Especially in a mine as unique as Skyline, where faults and sandstone aquifers are the norm. I’m one lucky fella!“

"Something I think that people don’t understand," concludes Jake White, "is how ahead the mining industry is. Public perception depicts mining as harmful and wasteful, a danger to the environment. In reality, mining has been a leader in sustainability and has set the standard for similar industries.”

by David Pace
Learn more about what it takes to be a mining engineer at the department website here

Humans of the U: Gail Zasowski

Humans of the U: Gail Zasowski


June 10, 2025
Above: Gail Zasowski

I was raised in a fairly rural area where being a scientist wasn’t really seen as a career option, but when I started college, I took Astronomy 101 for fun.

 

Gail Zasowski. Photo credit: Matt Crawley

I really fell in love with it, and I realized that becoming an astronomer was a real possibility for me.

What really draws me to it is that it’s incomprehensible. I enjoy working with things that are too far away and too big for our brains to actually picture. Building models and testing our predictions — describing things our minds can’t grasp in a mathematical way — is empowering. The universe is understandable, even if we don’t fully understand it.

We’re scientists, but we’re people, and all science is done by individuals who work together and help each other. Having people around you is what keeps you grounded. It reminds you that we’re also human beings — we’re not terrifying.

I’ve met a lot of students at the early stages of their careers, and later on, when they were graduating, I would ask them how things had gone. One of the common themes among those who felt they were successful was that they connected with other students early on — people who were invaluable in helping them through classes and connecting them with mentors.

I had the opportunity to apply for a grant with a large educational component, and I met with several students and faculty to design a mentoring program. We really wanted to remove barriers in our community and give everyone the opportunity to learn from their fellow students.

One of the things I try to emphasize in all the classes I teach is that anyone can do science. Everyone can learn how to approach a problem analytically, think critically about it, break it down, and solve it. I focus a lot in my classes on problem solving, and I consider it a win when students walk away feeling like they can figure out problems in their day-to-day life.

You don’t have to be in science to think critically and problem-solve. That’s applicable in every career. Science isn’t just a set of content — it’s a set of skills that everyone can learn and use to better their own lives. Making sure everyone has access to those skills and training without being alienated is important.”

— Gail Zasowski is Associate Professor of Physics & Astronomy and hails from East Tennessee. This story was developed by Ethan Hood and originally appeared in @ The U.

 

Trailblazing with Earth & Environmental Science

Trailblazing with Earth & Environmental Science


June 4, 2025
Above: Ryker Ray (left) and Hunter Hastings

One of the newest majors available for undergraduate students at the University of Utah is Earth & Environmental Science (EES).

The program fuses principles from atmospheric science, geology, and ecology to address key questions about the environment — including freshwater availability, the effects of extreme weather, and ecosystem resilience, among other topics. Students in the program join a faculty research stream — studying in a campus lab or out in the field — to acquire valuable experience.

Utah is known worldwide for its geological attributes and abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities. From the Wasatch Mountains to Zion National Park, the state serves as a natural classroom for EES students to study a variety of research topics, including snowfall dynamics, watershed health, aerosol chemistry and much more.

EES students study together in small cohorts, supported by faculty mentors, to develop practical skills for fruitful careers like environmental consulting, resource management, policy, among others. Students can also supplement their studies with a Sustainability Certificate. 

Among the first graduating EES students are Ryker Ray and Tucker Hastings.

Ryker Ray

Ryker Ray

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience these past two years in the EES major,” says Ray, reflecting on his experience. “A brand-new major can be a little rough around the edges at times, but overall my classes were interesting and challenging." 

One of the biggest draws for Ray to study EES was its interdisciplinary focus, reflected in the variety of his research work in the Science Research Initiative. He initially investigated the links between air quality and wildfires in atmospheric scientist Gannet Hallar’s Aerosol Research Lab. Later, he transitioned to biologist Austin Green’s Wildlife-Human Interaction Lab to engage in fieldwork and ecological data analysis. It was there that Ray developed a particular interest in studying carnivores.

"I am evaluating how certain extreme climate variables, which mirror future climate change conditions, are affecting the spatial and temporal behavior of small to large carnivores," says Ray. He focused on developing a framework for wildlife and land management, with the hope of influencing policy.

"We still lack an understanding of the degree to which our urban development affects the behaviors and populations of carnivores across the world," he adds.

Through his research, Ray benefited from a strong mentorship bond with Green. "I have never had such a compassionate and helpful mentor. Austin has always made time for me and the other students in the lab, even when working across two different organizations and caring for a new baby," says Ray.

Beyond the classroom, Ray, who hails from Park City, Utah, co-founded and served as Vice President of the Utah Students for Conservation Club, inspired by his studies and a reforestation internship in Costa Rica. Additionally, he contributed writing and photography to the environment-focused Wasatch Magazine.

Looking ahead, Ray hopes to work in fire ecology. "I want to begin repairing and building a bridge to work with the many Native American tribes and nations who have been using fire to maintain the health of the Western U.S." He hopes to pursue this ambition by founding his own company dedicated to public education and environmental awareness on the issue.

Tucker Hastings

Tucker Hastings

Originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico, William "Tucker" Hastings graduated with a double major in EES and Spanish, along with a minor in atmospheric sciences. As a member of the inaugural EES cohort, he valued the program’s interdisciplinary collaboration. "I enjoyed being able to connect with professors and students in the three different disciplines,” says Hastings. “The major’s emphasis on holistic perspectives and practical experience were also highlights." His EES studies were a particular highlight of his undergraduate career, and he eagerly engaged in research, labs and cross-disciplinary connections.

Hastings’ research focused on Utah's landscapes, stemming from his childhood adventures exploring the state’s wild places. His interest was sparked by a pivotal Science Research Initiative field trip to Costa Rica, where he met with biologists and conservationists. This led to his work in the Şekercioğlu Lab, assisting with trail camera image identification and conducting biodiversity surveys in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

For this project, he collaborated with the Aparecido Lab in the School of Biological Sciences to study the impact of invasive species. He compared areas invaded by Russian olive trees to non-invaded sites to build a model of biogeographic trends. Hastings highlighted a significant knowledge gap: "Despite its long history in Utah, Russian olive has gone largely unstudied in the United States. The work of my lab [was] some of the first to investigate its impacts."

Following graduation, Hastings plans to continue his studies in ecology by pursuing a Ph.D., ideally in desert ecology. His core aspiration is "to use science to promote conservation, as well as community engagement in science and ecology."


by Ethan Hood

Students interested in the Earth & Environmental Science major at the University of Utah can learn more here.

 

 

New data suggest need for revision of earthquake hazard models

earthquake hazard models


June 4, 2025
Above: The 1896 Sears mansion in Salt Lake City’s Liberty Wells neighborhood sustained major damage in the Magna Earthquake and was later demolished. Photo credit: Brian Maffly.

 

The sediments underlying the Salt Lake Valley are thicker in places than previously thought, indicating that current seismic hazard models likely underestimate the amount of shaking Utah’s population center could experience in future earthquakes, according to new research led by University of Utah seismologists.

Fan-Chi Lin

Five years ago, the valley trembled during the magnitude 5.7 Magna Earthquake, causing millions in damage to dozens of masonry structures in Salt Lake City and the town of Magna, a few miles to the west. Utah’s urban centers, such as Ogden, Salt Lake City and Provo, lying along the Wasatch Front, remain at risk of future seismic events. The last major earthquake exceeding magnitude 7 to hit the Wasatch Front occurred between 1,200 and 1,300 years ago. With an average recurrence interval of 900 to 1,300 years, Salt Lake City’s geologic clock could be close to striking midnight once again.

In the new study, U researchers utilized seismic data to present a refined three-dimensional seismic velocity model—an essential tool for mapping the geologic structure of the Wasatch Front and identifying seismic hazard sites.

“For this particular study, we are trying to understand the sedimentary structure within the Salt Lake area and how that might differ from previous results,” said study leader Fan-Chi Lin, an associate professor of geology and geophysics. “One of the biggest questions we had was why our observations didn’t agree with previous studies.”

The Wasatch Front community velocity model is currently the leading reference for assessing future seismic activity. However, it has been largely informed by borehole drilling and gravity data—useful indicators, but ones that come with limitations such as private land restrictions, inconsistent documentation and limited sampling scope.

To overcome these constraints, an extensive network of seismic data probes and geophone arrays was deployed across the Salt Lake Valley—even in the backyards of private residences. Many were deployed in the month following the Magna quake in the spring of 2020 to take advantage of a steady parade of aftershocks.

“This community is incredibly supportive and happy to help. I want to emphasize that none of this would have been possible without community support, the Utah Geological Survey and the many students in our department who helped deploy hundreds of stations,” Lin said.

For this study, the research team analyzed seismic waves from only distant earthquakes, using interferometry analysis—comparing measurements of the same signal from two different stations—and conversion phase analysis—comparing the incident P-wave and the S-wave converted at the base of the sediment. This analysis gleaned insights into the subsurface structure of the Salt Lake Valley, which was once the bed of ancient Lake Bonneville that covered northern Utah as recently as 14,000 years ago.

The goal wasn’t to predict strong earthquakes but to predict the severity of ground motion they could produce. The team was also pursuing academic questions.

“We are interested to understand how the tectonic forces or tectonic movements form the basin itself,” Lin said. “Why there’s a basin here? What controls the depth of the basin?”

by Ethan Hood
Read the entire article on @ The U.

Humans of the U: Sydney Brooksby

Humans of the U: Sydney Brooksby


May 27, 2025
Above: Sydney Brooksby in competition on archery range. Credit: USA Archery

People only get brave when they have nothing to lose. Be brave anyway.

As I entered college, I was in renal failure and had two choices: Return home and enjoy the rest of my declining life, or make one last effort to achieve my childhood dream. I chose the latter. I received an auto renal kidney transplant, picked up my textbook and asked myself this question, ‘How far are you willing to go?’ I’m willing to go farther than anyone has before me.

My disease drove me to pursue a degree in biology. It’s been incredible to be in a position, as a student, where I can exercise my own ambition by drafting a gene-editing research proposal to mitigate the effects of my own disease, Turner Syndrome (TS). I was born with Mosaic TS, a genetic mutation that causes one of a female’s X chromosomes to be incomplete or completely missing.

Throughout my undergraduate experience, eliminating the uncertainty of my condition was aided through studying genomics. I was able to take authority over my own health care. It made every surgery, procedure and supplemental diagnosis easier to comprehend and overcome.

All the while I continued competing in archery as a member of the U.S.A. RED Team with a goal of qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

My favorite biology course has been Gene Expression (BIOL 5120), taught by Prof. Michael Werner of the School of Biological Sciences. In this class, I learned how to translate my excitement for genomics and genetic engineering into a research proposal. With chromosomal mutations like Turner Syndrome, recovering lost genetic information is at the core of any real solution. My proposal outlined how gene-editing technologies—such as CRISPR-Cas9homology-directed repair (HDR) and mRNA delivery—could be used to ‘copy and paste’ missing genetic content onto a fragmented X chromosome. I focussed on the SHOXa gene with the goal of recovering genetic function in female hormone secretion and physical growth of patients with Turner Syndrome. Understanding the science, specifically gene-editing technologies, offers real hope for addressing TS and other genetic diseases.

I’ve been very blessed with my medical condition, and also with the knowledge I’ve gained during my undergraduate studies that allows me to theorize actionable solutions. I hope to one day attend medical school and specialize in hepatobiliary (kidney/liver) transplant surgery with a supplemental focus in chromosomal abnormalities!

What I would say to my freshman self and undergraduates just beginning their journey at the U, ‘People only get brave when they have nothing to lose. Be brave anyway.’”

by Sydney Brooksby

Sydney is majoring in biology with an emphasis in genomics/genetics, and minoring in medical humanities. U.S.A. RED Team member (archery) and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics hopeful.

This story was developed and edited by Tanya Vickers, School of Biological Sciences
and originally appeared in @The U. 

Migratory songbirds’ fall feather molt

migratory songbirds’ fall feather molt


May 27, 2025
Above: The wing of a violet-green swallow displaying it second prebasic plumage that was actively molting its flight feathers, on Aug. 25, 2024 at the U’s Bonderman Field Station at Rio Mesa. Credit: Kyle Kittelberger.

As climate warms, migratory songbirds’ fall feather molt advances by a day every year. Data from 22,000 songbirds captured at Bonderman Field Station reveal changes in how they replace their feathers.

Kyle Kittelberger holding a rare Connecticut warbler. This was only the third time this species was caught in Utah and first ever at Bonderman.

Birds regularly shed and regrow their body and wing feathers in a process, called molting, that is critical for flight, migration, insulation, breeding and survival.

A new study by University of Utah biologists examined molt phenology, or the timing of feather replacement, in response to climate change and made some startling discoveries.

Using 13 years of bird-banding data collected at the university’s field station in southeastern Utah, the research team led by graduate student Kyle Kittelberger documented how molt has shifted for birds, particularly in relation to climate factors such as El Niño. Their findings suggest that molt may be becoming more flexible and climate-sensitive in the fall, with implications for avian survival, migration and reproduction.

“In the fall, we found that birds are shifting both their body and their flight feather molt earlier over time across the 13 years at a rate of about one day earlier per year,” said Kittelberger, who is wrapping up his doctorate in biology professor Çağan Şekercioğlu’s lab. The shift is likely a response to climate-driven changes in the birds’ migration and breeding.

“Molt is a really fundamental component of a bird’s lifecycle. It’s one of the main elements that a bird does, one of the main activities in addition to breeding and migrating,” Kittelberger said.  “It allows for the replacement of old, worn and damaged feathers. If you have poor feather quality that could impact, for example, your migration. You might not be able to fly as well. It could also in the spring impact your ability to attract a mate.”

Yet changes in molt phenology have not previously been closely studied in North America. Kittelberger’s study, to be published in next month’s edition of The American Naturalist and available now online, is based on data recorded from 22,072 birds, representing 134 species, captured from 2011 to 2024 at the U’s Bonderman Field Station at Rio Mesa outside Moab.

Şekercioğlu’s Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology Lab oversees a seasonal mist net program that captures mostly migratory songbirds in the spring (early April to early June) and fall (August through early November) as the birds travel between their wintering grounds in the south and summer breeding areas to the north. The station’s 16 nets are up for six hours a day most days, depending on weather, starting 30 minutes before sunrise.

During capture seasons, the nets are checked every 30 minutes. Species, sex, age, molt stage, feather and body conditions and other data are collected from each bird pulled from the nets before it’s released to continue its biannual journey. Bonderman posts weekly and annual banding reports.

“We didn’t see any shift at the community level for spring body molt,” Kittelberger said. “Some of the reasons for that might be birds tend to migrate much faster in the spring because it’s more of a direct shot getting back to their breeding grounds so that they can start preparing for the breeding season, whereas in the fall, it’s a slower and more meandering process.”

Read the full article by Brian Maffly in @ The U

Not just a major. It’s a mission

not just A Major. It's A Mission.


May 21, 2025

“When people ask us what it’s like to be a mining engineering student at the University of Utah, we tell them that it’s like being part of a family,” wrote four U undergraduate mining engineering majors in the Salt Lake Tribune in May.

Michael Gough

Eliza Watson

“We may be a small department, but that’s part of what makes it so special. We know each other. We support each other. And because of that, we thrive — both as students and as future professionals.

The opinion piece penned by Trey Robison, Michael Gough, Eliza Watson and Travis Bach was in response to a recent U and Utah System of Higher Education discussion about cutting smaller academic programs. “Unfortunately,” wrote the students, “our department — mining engineering — was mentioned by name as an example of a discipline that could be subject to review under proposed enrollment thresholds.”

The concerned students took the news as an opportunity “to tell our story and to highlight what it really means to be a mining engineering student,” intoning that more than a major, the degree program was a “mission.”

Mining engineering majors at the U are immediately thrust into inter-disciplinary study that includes geology, engineering design, environmental stewardship, safety systems and more. Unlike perhaps other majors in the College of Science/College of Mining and Earth Sciences, mining majors experience hands-on training at mine locations that they are likely to land full-time positions at before graduation.

From the Wasatch Front to Australia

Some of these sites include aggregate pits like Kennecott Utah Copper along the Wasatch Front, coalfields in central Utah, goldfields in Nevada, trona mines in western Wyoming and “even remote mining camps in Australia.”

Trey Robison

Travis Bach

Mining majors at the U, which have quadrupled in annual enrollment since 2022, are the only thing you might consider “small.” Everything about mining is out-sized — not just the gigantic, complex operations in open-air pits and underground, but in the vaulting demand for materials to build a sustainable and secure future in the U.S. and beyond.

The students reminded us that mining is also an essential aspect of a green economy: without lithium and other critical and rare earth minerals, our lives and lifestyle would come to a screeching halt. To keep up with green economy demands, Denee Hayes BSME’02 has explained elsewhere that the world “will need to mine the same amount of copper between now and 2030/40 as we have in all of humanity.” And that is an example of just one metal. More than half of the periodic table goes into producing and running a cell phone. Furthermore, she reminds us, “anything in the periodic table needs to be mined.”

Post-graduation

Salaries for a newly graduated mining engineer at the U are impressive as well. According to a 2020 ranking from GradReports, the Mining Engineering program earned an impressive salary score of 93 based on a median alumni salary of $78,970 in the year after graduating. This salary score compares the median alumni salary for Mining Engineering alumni at the U to the median alumni salary for the same program at other schools. The same ranking showed that 95% of mining engineering students were employed after graduation.

On more of a personal note, the students who authored the Tribune piece were keen to paint a picture of how being at the U in a small cohort of undergraduates quickens their group cohesion, a cohesion that immediately has global implications.  “Recently, we launched a student mine rescue team — a multidisciplinary effort that brings students from across campus together to learn about emergency response in industrial settings.

 “Think of where the materials came from to construct the device on which you may be reading this,” concluded the mission-driven students. “[T]he foundation of the building in which you sit, the fertilizer that was used to grow the food you eat, your favored mode of transportation … the list goes on and on.

 

By David Pace

You can read the Salt Lake Tribune opinion piece (paywalled) here.

 

Computational Math Meets National Momentum

Computational Math Meets National Momentum


May 22, 2025

As the National Science Foundation marked its 75th anniversary, a national meeting on computational mathematics held at the University of Utah offered a glimpse into the next 75 years of discovery.

Yekaterina Epshteyn

Hosted on campus the same week NSF celebrated its legacy of research leadership, the CompMath meeting brought together nearly 250 researchers from across the country. Through advances in modeling, algorithms, and high-performance computing, the gathering highlighted how universities like the U remain essential to building the future of science — one breakthrough at a time.

Solving Complex Problems at Scale

Organized by the U’s Yekaterina Epshteyn, James Adler (Tufts University), Alexander Alekseenko (CSUN) and Lars Ruthotto (Emory University), the meeting featured diverse presentations — everything from the design of robust algorithms for various solutions of mathematical models to computational mathematics advances of data science and artificial intelligence (AI).

Presenters discussed, among many other topics like quantum computing, the development of digital twins, virtual, dynamic models of physical systems that are constantly updated with real-time data. These models are used for prediction, monitoring and control of the physical system, offering significant advantages in various applications working toward the solutions of pressing scientific, engineering and societal problems.

Why Computational Mathematics Matters

Computational mathematics is foundational to nearly every field of modern research. By combining mathematical insight with algorithms and high-performance computing, it transforms raw theory into action—solving problems that are too massive, too complex, or too fast-moving for humans to tackle alone.

Some of those algorithms are being developed to improve medical device design like vascular stents, drug delivery devices, implanted devices and medical diagnostic equipment for cancer detection.

Other areas of inquiry include optimizing tracking devices of the contaminants in hydrological systems and creating data-driven methods and tools to detect faults in structures such as bridges and nuclear plants.

“As one of the organizers of the meeting,” says Epshteyn, “I was really impressed by how diverse the topics were, and how detailed the presenters were, from the U and across the nation, in explaining their research.”

National Relevance, Shared Purpose

The National Science Foundation is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering.

Supported by the National Science Foundation, gatherings like this reflect more than academic collaboration — they demonstrate the kind of foundational work needed to address complex challenges at scale. As highlighted in the ASPI Two-Decade Critical Technology Tracker, accelerating progress in areas like AI, modeling, and quantum computing is essential to sustaining long-term scientific, technological, and societal advancement.

The rich tapestry of research in the computational mathematics space, on display at the U conference, demonstrated the real potential for making our world more efficient, safer, kinder and more livable all while growing the economy. “Making the connection between high-level research with real-life, day-to-day outcomes can elude all of us at times,” Epshteyn acknowledges. Not so at the NSF’s CompMath meeting. During the conference, it became self-evident that we are on the cusp of innovations in many closely connected areas, such as engineering and the deployment of next generation materials to design, for example, robust techniques for cryo-electron microscopy. “It’s exciting to see how research in applied and computational mathematics leads to all of these advancements,” says Epshteyn.

Mentoring Future Workforce

The conference also fielded several engaging panel discussions which provided beneficial mentoring to early-career participants — the students, post-doctoral researchers and junior researchers who make up the newest crop of skilled scientists and engineers.

In all, the NSF CompMath Meeting 2025 brilliantly showcased the state-of-the art developments in research and education in the computational mathematics field. It created a supportive and engaging atmosphere for new interactions and collaborations among participants while fostering a greater sense of community for computational mathematicians.

“It was not only a wonderful and productive event for those who attended,” concludes Epshteyn of the event. “It was a gratifying accomplishment for all the work supported by the NSF Division of Mathematical Sciences Computational Mathematics program, for the university and for the future of Utah.”

 

by David Pace

To read more about the conference and view additional photos click here.

 

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Urgency and hope at 2025 Wilkes Climate Summit

Urgency and hope at 2025 Wilkes Climate Summit


May 22, 2025
Above: Wilkes Scholar and Geology & Geophysics undergraduate Autumn Hartley presents research at the Wilkes Climate Summit. Credit: Todd Anderson

“Let’s start with the three pillars of urgency. Climate change—it’s here, it’s us, and it’s damaging,” said William Anderegg, director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy at the University of Utah. “There are also three companion pillars of hope—it’s solvable, we’re making progress, and the benefits of solving it are enormous.”

Conor Walsh, assistant professor at the Columbia Business School, delivering his keynote address.

Anderegg’s message resonated with his audience of scientists, policymakers, business leaders and others gathered at the third annual Wilkes Climate Summit, hosted by the Wilkes Center on May 15 at the Cleone Peterson Eccles Alumni House on the U’s campus.

This year’s theme—innovation, science and solutions—was manifest in the day’s keynote addresses, panel breakout sessions, and presentations from the seven finalists vying for the $250K Wilkes Climate Launch Prize.

“When [the Wilkes Center] was set up a number of years ago, the dream was to bring immediate innovation to the problem of climate,” said U President Taylor Randall, speaking of Clay and Marie Wilkes whose $20 million donation launched the Wilkes Center in 2022. “[They] fundamentally believed in science and science’s ability to create scalable change and create scalable solutions…When I see individuals [here] dealing with this problem, I leave with nothing but hope and optimism.”

The Wilkes Center’s mission is to accelerate climate solutions through research, education and innovation, goals especially important during these tumultuous times.

“Many of the cuts to science and research that those of us around the country are worried about will hinder America’s prosperity, economic growth, competitiveness and global leadership,” Anderegg said in his opening remarks. “We need science and innovation more than ever.”

Anderegg outlined the four core questions guiding everything the center does, which capture the spirit of discussions happening throughout the summit:

  • How can we accelerate solutions to yield a global, downward trend in greenhouse gas emissions?
  • How can we get the best science into the hands of decision- and policymakers?
  • How can we train the next generation of leaders?
  • How can we foster innovation to develop, deploy and scale these climate solutions?

“The scientific understanding is really crystal clear; the 2020s are a pivotal decade for climate action,” Anderegg said. “We have a rapidly closing window to avoid the impacts of dangerous climate change and chart a sustainable and prosperous future for everyone here in Utah, around the U.S. and around the world.”

Clean energy transition and the global rise of solar power

The summit kicked off with a morning keynote by Conor Walsh, assistant professor at the Columbia Business School studying the economics of the energy transition. You can read the four highlights from his talks, reports on the seven Wilkes Prize finalist presentations as well as other expansive coverage in the remainder of this article by Lisa Potter in @ The U.