May 2023 WMU News

Dr. Hope Gerlach-Houck is co-principal investigator on a National Science Foundation project aimed at creating voice-activated technology that is accessible to people who stutter.

Artificial intelligence has allowed Dr. Alessander Danna-dos-Santos to ramp up the impact of his work, which focuses on human movement and control—especially related to degenerative diseases and traumatic events.

Dr. Kecheng Li, chair of the Department of Chemical and Paper Engineering, was awarded the University's inaugural Paper Technology Foundation Endowed Professorship during the spring 2023 semester.

Known by his social handle @theplantprodigy, Jacob Soule started sharing his obsession with house plants on TikTok in 2020, posting videos about his own plants and answering people’s questions about how to properly care for theirs. Today, Soule’s plant-powered TikTok is one of the most beloved on social media, with nearly 27 million likes and one million followers.

Through his planned gift, David Sluyter, MA ’69, EdD ’80, will fund scholarships for students interested in becoming sustainability leaders in business.

With a $1.37 million grant, a team of researchers from Western Michigan University, WMed and the University of Michigan is laying the groundwork for a new technology that could make a big difference in the world of prehospital care for children. 

Dr. Bryan Abendschein and Drs. Chad and Autumn Edwards are studying how people interact with technology—specifically soft, furry robotic animals—and the implications for providing emotional support and stimulation.

Steve Denomme, BS ‘00, has weathered the impacts of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, recession and pandemic on the airline industry to thrive as a captain.

The handbook was written by a collective of international experts in the field of organizational development and change and offers innovative and practical information to aid in the successful implementation of research methodologies.

It’s no longer a sci-fi plot line; artificial intelligence is rapidly working its way into everyday life. Western’s AI experts explore how generative technology is opening up a new world of possibility as well as ethical concerns for our future.

2023 Fulbright Specialist Dr. Azim Houshyar shared his expertise in industrial and systems engineering with numerous universities in Uzbekistan through the Republic Design Institute's "UzEngineering" program.

Dr. Wanda Hadley, associate professor of educational leadership in higher education, was a featured panelist on the PBS television show, “A World of Difference" on May 6. She discussed the challenges students with learning disabilities face when transitioning to higher education. 

Accountancy student Noah Hahn recently won the Michigan Accountancy Foundation Final Year Scholarship. Recognized for his achievements as an excellent student and committed leader, he is now pursuing his Master of Science in Accountancy at WMU. 

Whitney Lewis, elementary education student, received the Young Women of Achievement Award at the YWCA Kalamazoo's 2023 Women of Achievement Event.

Discover hidden stories of Kalamazoo's vibrant past at one of 16 historic walks hosted by Lynn Houghton, regional history curator at Western's Zhang Legacy Collections Center, this summer. 

The Bronco Challenge for Sustainable Impact tasked interdisciplinary teams of students with identifying and solving challenges related to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Winning teams came up with concepts related to urban gardening, aquaponics and sustainable stadium lighting.

Members earned points for their first- through 20th-place finishes at the 2023 NIFA SAFECON nationals at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

MBA student Natalie Tice has a passion for lifelong learning. Her desire to increase her knowledge and grow in her career led her to pursue an MBA at Western with a graduate certificate in business analytics.

Students from the event management program at WMU helped plan the Kalamazoo Promise's Post Secondary Signing Day event.

In a stroke of inspired effort, this year’s winner of the Disability Services for Students Faculty Advocate Award, Dr. Jean Kimmel of the economics department, went above and beyond to accommodate and advocate for her students.

Dr. Elina Gertsman, professor of medieval art and Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan Professor in Catholic Studies II at Case Western Reserve University, is the winner of the 2023 Gründler prize for “The Absent Image: Lacunae in Medieval Books.”

Nutrition and dietetic students baked their way to success with their research on date sugar being used as an alternative sweetener in baking.

The undergraduate jazz studies students secured the awards in what’s considered the most prestigious competition in jazz education.

With the launch of the region's only graduate certificate in tribal governance, Western Michigan University is giving students the chance to expand their knowledge of Indigenous culture, government and sovereignty while also establishing a closer relationship with the local Indigenous tribes of southwest Michigan.

Led by founding director Dr. Benjamin Ofori-Amoah, Western Michigan University’s new School of Environment, Geography and Sustainability will be established in the College of Arts and Sciences after being approved by the Board of Trustees. This new school will combine the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and the Department of Geography, Environment and Tourism.

The 2023 Bronco Pitch competition showcased student entrepreneurs from Western Michigan University who delivered three-minute pitches to panels of judges. The winning team was made up of three engineering students who created an atmospheric water generator called SELPE, to alleviate the daily task of watering plants.

James Rhodes has wrapped up his student journey at Western, earning six academic degrees over the past four decades.

Western senior and supply chain standout Ally Resa joins a select group of 20 recipients to receive the award this year, and she is just the third WMU student to receive the scholarship that helps women in supply chain management develop their talent through mentorship and programming. 

Two teams of digital marketing students from Western Michigan University took second and third place among 217 undergraduate student teams from across the world in the Digital Marketing Competition hosted by Purdue University Northwest. 

Students in Western's TRIO Future Educator Success Program explored the outdoors and challenged themselves during their annual trip to Pretty Lake Camp this spring semester.