COVID-19 Resources for Alumni

The spread of COVID-19 has altered nearly every aspect of everyday life. To help alumni and friends continue learning and growing in their lives and careers, the Alumni Association has created this free resource, which collects expertise from across the University on topics ranging from the latest COVID-19 research to health and wellness tips to advice on working remotely. We hope you will visit regularly.  Resources like these are powered by Alumni Association members and donors.  Thank you for your support.  We are #UMNProud of you!

COVID-19 Event Guidelines

The health and wellbeing of our alumni and friends are of the utmost importance to the Alumni Association.  Whether you are on campus or in another city, we want you to be informed and engaged in ways that make the most sense to you and your health. 

The Alumni Association follows guidance from the University regarding COVID-19 protocols for in-person events on any UMN campus.  As of 3/21/22:

  • Masks are not required in any dining setting, common areas, University office workspaces, all sporting events, all entertainment venues, and spring commencement events.
  • Individuals may continue to wear masks at any time, and in any location, as a matter of personal protection
  • It is still strongly encouraged get vaccinated, stay up-to-date on boosters, get tested if feel symptoms or are exposed to COVID-19, wash your hands, and stay home if you are sick to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
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Most Alumni Association network events occur in other locations away from campus.  These events follow their local health department and CDC guidelines.  For information regarding specific events, please visit the event listing found on our events page.  Special requirements or accommodations will be updated on each event listing. 
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If you are sick or feel you are getting sick, we ask that you please not attend events. If you test positive for COVID-19 after attending an event, please contact the event lead immediately.

Research & Updates from the University




Collecting Vital Information about COVID-19

Professor Michael T. Osterholm says it's critical to collect information about the University's response to COVID-19 so that we learn from this experience for the future.

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Vaccinations Required

With the U.S. FDA approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, the U of M will require vaccinations for UMN students for the Fall 2021 semester. Faculty and staff will need have vaccinations or be tested regularly.

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COVID-19 Drug Candidate Derived from Llamas

U of M researchers have developed a candidate drug that was effective in both preventing and quelling SARS-CoV-2 infection in animals, signaling potential in the fight against the COVID-19.

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Jill Foster (left) by the University of Minnesota. Photo (right) by jacoblund from Getty Images.


Talking COVID-19 Vaccines and Children with the U of M

Jill Foster, a professor of pediatrics at the Medical School and pediatric infections diseases physician with M Health Fairview, demystifies some of the concerns for parents of unvaccinated kids.

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Talking How to Safely Attend Large Gatherings

Beth Thielen, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School, discusses how to safely attend large gatherings and events this summer.

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Realities of Race and the Pandemic

Elizabeth Wrigley-Field, a U of M College of Liberal Arts Assistant Professor of Sociology, reckons with and remaps the realities of race and mortality throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

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How Biking Infrastructure has Changed During the Pandemic

Greg Lindsey and his research team are looking at the increases in the use of Minnesota public parks, trails, biking, and walking that have been widely reported during the pandemic.

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Talking about Mental Health and the Pandemic

As people may have nervous feelings as pandemic restrictions have been lifted, Elizabeth M. Martinez with the Medical School talks about the impact of the pandemic on our mental health.

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U of M receives CDC funding to sequence 6,000 COVID samples

The U of M Genomics Center announced that it has received funding from the CDC to conduct genome sequencing on 6,000 COVID-19 samples to aid national and global viral surveillance efforts.

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Live in the Moment

Recent graduate Emma Mulhern shares what she learned from studying abroad in Spain for five months during the pandemic: "Live in the moment and enjoy the experience."

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Socioeconomic Status Non-Factor in Severe COVID-19 Cases

U of M Medical School researchers found that regardless of socioeconomic status, Twin Cities residents of underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds endure worse COVID-19 outcomes.

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Dentistry, Virtually: Teledentistry in Minnesota and Beyond

Though teledentistry has existed in many forms since introduced for military use in the 1990s, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it a household name.

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Polymer 'Wafers' for Vaccine Delivery Developed

A team of researchers, led by UMN associate professor Chun Wang, has developed a polymer "wafer" that, when placed under the tongue, can effectively deliver and preserve protein-based vaccines.

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US Experts Wary of Olympics During Pandemic

Experts say planners for the July Olympic Games in Tokyo and the subsequent Paralympic Games have not taken adequate steps to protect athletes, coaches and support staff from COVID-19.

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Riding the Coronacoaster

UMR faculty, students, and alumni have published a collaborative text, "Riding the Coronacoaster: Learning, Teaching, and Living at a Health Sciences Campus during the COVID-19 Pandemic."

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Real-World Emergency Management Experience

Grace Elmudesi’s experience providing services to the homeless solidified her sense of purpose while she pursued her Health Services Management bachelor’s degree.

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Unhealthy Eating Behaviors During the Pandemic

New research by the Medical School and School of Public Health has revealed correlations between COVID-19 and six unhealthy eating behaviors, such as mindless eating and snacking, and reducing dietary intake.

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The Mental Health Crisis

The last 13 months have brought layers of challenge and stress to college students. As some of the heaviness lifts, the U of M is launching a systemwide initiative designed to improve student mental health.

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Pandemic International Resource Inequity

With the COVID-19 outbreak in India and the World Health Organization urging countries to address inequalities in health, U of M faculty Shailey Prasad and Karthik Natarajan speak about global distribution and supply chain challenges and inequity around pandemic resources.

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Osterholm Update: Mother Nature Strikes Again

In this episode, Dr. Osterholm and host Chris Dall discuss updates from around the globe, learning how to live with this virus, updates on guidance from the CDC and more.

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Survey on Pandemic Learning for PK-12

Minnesota educators, families and students agreed that PK-12 students learned during the first half of the 2020-21 school year, but also that more mental health resources are needed for them.

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The Pandemic's Toll on Women

A Humphrey School team discovered that female workers faced dual vulnerability during the pandemic: Not only were they more likely than men to be laid off, but also a high percentage of BIPOC women worked essential jobs that put them at risk of contracting COVID-19.

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COVID-19 Infographics: Bringing Science and Art Together

Read about the collaboration between the Bell Museum and the Science Communication Lab, and see the resulting informative and graphically interesting videos about COVID-19.

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COVID-19 ECHO Collaborative Advances Preparedness

The U of M and Hennepin Healthcare formed the Upper Midwest Nursing Home COVID-19 ECHO Collaborative to address the pandemic's impact to nursing homes in Minnesota and the region.

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Talking Vaccine Anxiety with the U of M

Sophia Albott, MD, MA, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Minnesota Medical School, discusses these three emerging vaccination attitudes and how to manage them as the vaccine access widens to new populations.

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Delayed Cancer Screenings Have Caused a COVID-19 Ripple Effect

In this article by Minnesota Monthly, Dr. Douglas Yee of the U of M Medical School discusses how telemedicine has potentially helped and harmed the relationship between hospitals and patients during the pandemic.

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At the Speed of 'Pandemic'

Brad Benson, chief academic officer for M Health Fairview, shares three key themes after a year of research during the COVID-19 pandemic that have shaped the future of science between the Medical School and M Health Fairview.

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Mid-Pandemic, UMN Research Guided Changes to Make Classrooms Safer

Early last summer, as the University of Minnesota began to assess how to adapt to COVID-19 and gradually bring the University community back to campus, Facilities Management started making buildings as safe from the virus as possible.

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Pandemic Could Cause People To Delay Cancer Screenings And Treatment

In this article by Fox21 Local News, Dr. Douglas Yee with the University of Minnesota Medical School discusses how a delay in cancer screenings or treatments could affect the diagnosis and how progressed the cancer is.

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Talking Mental Health During the Pandemic with U of M

University of Minnesota Community-University Health Care Center Case Manager Rachel Fuller talks about mental health and substance abuse challenges she is seeing in her practice.

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A Shot in the Arm for Those who Need it Most

Since mid-February, the U of M's Medical Reserve Corps have been deployed to seven Federally Qualified Health Centers (which treat the state's most vulnerable individuals) in the Twin Cities to help administer COVID-19 vaccines.

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A Break in the Clouds

After weathering the COVID-19 storm for more than a year, University of Minnesota and M Health Fairview experts reflect on the pandemic’s silver linings.

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A Year Ago: Turning on a Dime

By mid-March 2020, the University campus had all but emptied out, but School of Public Health faculty and staff were hard at work tackling the challenge of a lifetime: the COVID-19 pandemic.

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OT Alumna Helping COVID Patients

When Michelle Hutchens returned home after being in the hospital for over a month, it was hard for her to walk up and down stairs without being too fatigued. That's where Kelly Holden, an alumna from the U of M's Occupational Therapy program comes in.

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Reflections on the COVID-19 Pivot in Academic Medicine

Several members of the Medical School community who were recognized as part of the Impact Medicine series last spring reflect today on what they have learned and what has changed for the better since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Artistic Antidote for a Pandemic

Three physicians created the Artistic Antidote for a Pandemic, a blog that hosts a curated collection of art of all types—from painting and collage to dance and song to poetry, essay, and film.

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Three Ways to Prepare for the Next Pandemic

Amy Karger, MD, PhD, shares the successes and challenges of the last year and discusses three ways that fellow academic research laboratories can prepare to serve their state for the next pandemic or outbreak.

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Finding Better Ways to Detect Viruses in the Air

SPH professor and study lead Peter Raynor is working to find better ways to detect and measure influenza viruses in the air. Raynor believes that these findings could also apply to many other viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2.

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Prioritizing Patient Care During COVID-19

Edward Cheng and a team of faculty physicians from the Department of Orthopedic Surgery developed an objective tool, backed by science, to more equitably prioritize patient care throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The Future of Health Care is Rooted in Community

Roli Dwivedi is leading the Disparities in COVID Response Task Force, a University-wide collaboration with Minnesota health departments, local and regional health care systems, and communities to increase COVID testing and vaccinations in diverse communities.

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Two New Rapid COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have developed two new rapid diagnostic tests for COVID-19 – one to detect COVID-19 variants and one to help differentiate with other illnesses that have COVID-19-like symptoms.

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How Stress Affects Healthcare Workers

Associate Professor Ryan Demmer is co-leading the study with the School of Nursing to help healthcare systems determine how to best support the health and well-being of employees during the COVID-19 crisis.

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Scientists Uncover New Facts About COVID-19

University of Minnesota Medical School researchers studied SARS-CoV-2 infections at individual cellular levels and made four major discoveries about the virus, including one that validates the effectiveness of remdesivir when treating severe COVID-19 cases.

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Mitigating the Impact of the Pandemic on Sleep

Led by Mustafa al’Absi, PhD, the Stress and Resilience Laboratories publishes a novel analysis, revealing the global experiences of stress and how resilience can buffer effects of social isolation on sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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UMN Medical School Launches COVID-19 Vaccine Trial

The University of Minnesota Medical School will participate in a Phase 3 COVID-19 clinical trial in the fight against the novel coronavirus. The clinical trial will test the safety and effectiveness of an investigational vaccine.

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COVID Through the Eyes of Historians

The coronavirus pandemic will live not only in our memories but also in our history books. College of Liberal Arts faculty reflect on what we can learn from past epidemics and how we might change in response to this one.

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Transportation Networks and Viral Spread

Civil engineering assistant professor Raphael Stern is using transportation data from road traffic and flights to better model COVID-19 spread both locally and nationally.

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Photo Credit: Visivasnc


Counting COVID-19 Pediatric Hospitalizations

New research from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and Carlson School of Management highlights the need to be prepared to treat children for COVID-19 by showing that hospitalization rates for pediatric cases can differ widely by state.

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Where We Go From Here

Dr. Michael Osterholm shares his thoughts about his new role on the COVID-19 Advisory Board, our progress in combating the virus, and what the vaccine will bring.

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Places We've Never Been

In a two-part podcast, Dr. Michael Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss COVID-19 variants and issues around vaccine distribution, side-effects and acceptance.

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The Ethics of Vaccine Distribution

In a Q&A session, Debra DeBruin, PhD, Interim Director and Director of Graduate Studies for the Center of Bioethics, shares her insight on vaccine distribution, including allocation, guidelines, and bioethical considerations.

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A Swift Response

Within weeks of the pandemic, CSE researchers designed three different types of face masks, constructed a low-cost ventilator alternative for physicians to use, and jumped in to address other COVID-related needs in the medical community.

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COVID App Curbs Spread, Not Privacy

A new mobile app could be the best tool to curb the spread of COVID-19 if enough people download it. The app features a number of privacy provisions, as described in this U of M Inquiry article.

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Developing Vaccines and Drugs 101 during a Pandemic

University of Minnesota Assistant Professor Jason Varin with the College of Pharmacy addresses how vaccines and drugs are commonly developed and how the FDA can adapt this process to address public health emergencies, such as the current pandemic.

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More than Just a Mask

Abdennour Abbas and his team at a textile startup company are creating face masks engineered to kill viruses like COVID-19 as soon as they make contact with the material, preventing them from entering a person’s respiratory system.

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Providing COVID Information to Remote Island Residents

Two Humphrey School students collaborated with several partner organizations to create and implement a COVID-19 information campaign for residents on Mfangano Island, in the eastern part of Lake Victoria about 10 miles off the coast of Kenya. And they did it all over Zoom.

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Supporting Health Care at a Distance

The Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center (gpTRAC), housed in the Institute for Health Informatics, is committed to expanding telehealth programs for rural and underserved communities and helping telehealth meet its full potential.

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Studying Asymptomatic COVID-19 Cases

College of Veterinary Medicine faculty are collaborating with School of Public Health researchers to roll out a surveillance study of COVID-19 among asymptomatic populations.

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Coping Strategies for COVID-19 and Winter

Winter weather, COVID-19, and political uncertainty may amplify seasonal mental health difficulties for people this year. M Health Fairview psychiatrist C. Sophia Albott offers tips and coping strategies to safely boost your mental health this winter, while supporting the wellbeing of your family and friends.

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Vaccine Trials for Safety and Effectiveness

UMN Public Health Professor Joseph Koopmeiners explains how the typical three-phase clinical trial works and the ways researchers and the FDA are speeding up development of COVID-19 vaccines.

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Osterholm Joins Biden COVID Team

Dr. Osterholm and host Chris Dall discuss record-breaking case numbers in the US, public trust in science amid the COVID-19 pandemic, expectations for vaccines and the risks associated with gatherings.

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UMN HELPS

COVID-19 has greatly affected the health of Minnesotans and exacerbated the disparities present in BIPOC and immigrant communities. To help address these disparities and more effectively reach communities in need, the University of Minnesota launched an interprofessional mobile health care initiative.

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Talking Holiday Travel with U of M

The holiday season historically is a popular time to travel in the U.S. Although many Americans won’t celebrate the holidays as usual this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a recent survey indicates that 80% of respondents plan to take a road trip for November and December holidays, and one in five will fly.

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COVID Resource Center for Immigrants

With more than $5 million in support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the International Organization for Migration, the University of Minnesota has established the National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants (NRC-RIM) that focuses on COVID-19 prevention, control and mitigation.

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Could Microbes Play a Role in COVID-19 Outcomes for Pregnant Mothers, Infants?

Cheryl Gale, MD, FAAP, in the Department of Pediatrics, received a CO:VID grant to study if and what associations exist between gut microbiomes and COVID-19 health outcomes for pregnant mothers and infants infected with SARS-CoV-2.

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How Can Air Filtration Reduce the Risk of COVID-19 Spreading in Your Home?

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the studying of aerosols. For the past six months, professor Chris Hogan has been studying the impact of recirculating air purifiers on virus aerosols and how they disperse throughout indoor spaces like offices.

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Musical Instruments Don’t Spread Aerosols as Far as You Might Think

University of Minnesota Associate Professor Jiarong Hong is working with the Minnesota Orchestra to find out how aerosols are released and spread via wind instruments.

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U of M Trial Shows Hydroxychloroquine Does Not Prevent COVID-19 in High-Risk Health Care Workers

University of Minnesota Medical School physician researchers studied hydroxychloroquine as a treatment to prevent COVID-19 for health care workers who have a high risk of exposure to the virus.

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To Support Minnesota Families During COVID-19, U of M Team Identifying Best Practices

Katie Loth, PhD, MPH, RD, in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, is leading a study to identify ways that public health practitioners and policymakers can support vulnerable Minnesota families.

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U of M Medical School selected as Capacity Building Center for National Lab Network

The University of Minnesota Medical School’s Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology has been selected to participate in a new national network dedicated to serological, or antibody, sciences as one of four Capacity Building Centers in the country.

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Resilience in a Crisis

U of M mental health specialists developed and deployed the Minnesota Resilience Action Plan (MinnRAP), a first-of-its-kind program aimed at supporting the mental and emotional well-being of frontline health care workers.

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U of M School of Public Health Tests a Combination of Drugs to Treat COVID-19

A new NIH clinical trial is being conducted by the U of M School of Public Health. The trial will test the safety, tolerability and efficacy of a highly concentrated solution of antibodies that neutralizes SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, when given with remdesivir.

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Osterholm Update: Ripple Effects

Hear the latest from UMN infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm as he discusses the latest on role of the CDC, the status of vaccines, indirect health impacts and more.

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Ensuring Vulnerable College Students Have Enough To Eat

A new paper highlights findings from a review of federal bills addressing food insecurity among college students and points to a need to update SNAP eligibility requirements, communication, outreach, and technical assistance to better serve today’s college students.

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Immigrants in COVID America

The U of M has launched the Immigrants in COVID America project, a website that documents the health, economic and social impact of COVID-19 on immigrant and refugee communities in the United States.

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Researchers Develop AI Algorithm to Analyze Chest X-rays for COVID-19

A team of researchers at the University of Minnesota recently developed and validated an artificial intelligence algorithm that can evaluate chest X-rays to diagnose possible cases of COVID-19.

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Study Analyzes if Telemedicine is Efficacious in Treating Opioid Use Disorder

Cuong Pham, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, is analyzing telemedicine’s efficacy for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) during COVID-19, after federal and state agencies have temporarily allowed OUD medications to be prescribed with the use of telemedicine.

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Researchers Develop AI Algorithm to Analyze Chest X-rays for COVID-19

A team of researchers at the University of Minnesota recently developed and validated an artificial intelligence algorithm that can evaluate chest X-rays to diagnose possible cases of COVID-19.

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As COVID-19 Total Tops 34 Million, World Bank Offers Vaccine Plan for Poorer Nations

As the global COVID-19 total tops 34 million cases, an official from the World Bank announced a $12 billion plan to help lower-income countries buy vaccine and as US lawmakers clung to the hope of a still-elusive stimulus bill to limit the pandemic's economic damage to families and businesses.

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Studies Explore Asymptomatic COVID-19 Cases, Racial Inequities

The University of Bern in Switzerland conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of COVID-19 literature, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs studied electronic medical records to determine racial differences in testing and positivity.

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Researchers Study Cortisol Levels, Decision-Making in COVID-19 Healthcare Workers

Alexander Herman, MD, PhD and David Darrow, MD, MPH are studying hair samples from frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic to determine how their cortisol levels might correlate with their responses on a “multi-armed bandit task.”

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How the Coronavirus Spreads Indoors and in Lungs

New studies from the College of Science and Engineering analyze how the coronavirus spreads indoors and in human lungs. This information may help businesses and schools control the spread of COVID-19 and help target medicines to virus particles in the lungs.

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Does Your Genetics Offer Protection, Create Vulnerability to COVID-19?

Christen Ebens, Department of Pediatrics, and Meghan Rothenberger, Department of Medicine, co-lead the U of M site for an international study collecting samples from some of COVID-19’s most unexpected, yet sickest, patients. The research will determine if genetics plays a role in who falls ill with the disease.

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CSE by the Numbers: COVID-19 Innovations

College of Science and Engineering faculty and students are collaborating beyond their disciplines—and across the University of Minnesota—to develop technologies that can help in the fight against COVID-19. Here are a few examples.

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Communicating with At-risk Somali, Latino and Hmong Elders

A U of M team led by Michele Allen, MD, MS, and Maiyia Kasouaher, PhD, in the Medical School's Program in Health Disparities Research, will test different communication strategies, in different languages, to improve communication with at-risk Somali, Latino and Hmong communities in the Twin Cities area.

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18 Ways the U of M is Targeting the COVID-19 Crisis

After the first case in Minnesota was confirmed March 6, donors stepped up to support research and innovation, help frontline health care workers, assist students who lost jobs and couldn’t go home when campus closed, and provide comfort within the greater community.

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COVID-19 and Labor Market Impacts Webinar

Professor Morris Kleiner and 2020 Master of Public Policy graduate Nick Stumo-Langer dissect the impact of public policies, the government, and potential recovery surrounding COVID-19 and the labor market.

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COVID-19 and the Globally Displaced

Refugees International President Eric Schwartz; incoming faculty member Dipali Mukhopadhyay; and Humphrey School Diplomat-in-Residence Mary Curtin explore critical issues affecting refugees and internally displaced people, as well as the global community's response.

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Measuring SARS-CoV-2 infection among a sample of symptom-free Twin Cities health care workers

The results of the study led by Associate Professor Ryan Demmer suggest that the prevalence of active infection at any single point in time is potentially low among health care workers without symptoms.

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U of M Researcher Monitors Duluth Beaches for the Presence of SARS-CoV-2

To study how safe lakes and beaches are during the pandemic, a researcher from the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus is testing the surface water on the shores of eight Duluth beaches for the presence of SARS-CoV-2.

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The Pantry in a Time of Pandemic

The oversized garden that helps supply fresh vegetables for the Nutritious U food pantry is lush and healthy, which will be especially handy this year as college students are suffering from food insecurity issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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COVID-19 Hospitalizations Analysis Shows Significant Disparities

Researchers from the U of M’s Carlson School of Management found significant disparities among racial and ethnic groups after reviewing nearly 49,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations over a two-month period in the 12 U.S. states that report such data for hospital patients.

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Dr. Andrew Thompson ’06 Teaches Medical Students How to Talk about Vaccines

An alumnus, who started at the U of M Medical School, Duluth Campus, gives back to medical students by teaching a vaccination lecture series. He brings his experience from the clinic, which has informed how to talk with families concerned about vaccines or vaccination schedules.

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The Community-University Health Care Center Steps Up During COVID-19

In honor of National Health Center Week, Roli Dwivedi, MD, in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, and fourth-year medical student Alycia Chmielewski, talk about their experience teaching, learning and caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic at the Community-University Health Care Center.

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U of M expands clinical investigation of engineered natural killer cells

The first patient has received treatment in a new clinical trial that has opened at the University of Minnesota to test whether a novel cell therapy currently under clinical investigation as a treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and lymphoma can be effective as a treatment for COVID-19.

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Here's How to Crush the Virus Until Vaccines Arrive

Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the U of M, recently co-authored an article for the New York Times discussing how COVID-19 has ravaged the U.S. so far, and what we could do to slow the spread until vaccines arrive.

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Is COVID-19 in Breast Milk? U of M Researchers Will Soon Know

Erin Osterholm, MD, in the Department of Pediatrics, is leading a study to determine whether or not breast milk can act as a point of transmission for COVID-19. The study will examine if a newborn can contract the virus from their mother through breast milk if she is COVID-19 positive.

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Air pollution in the U.S. declines during the COVID-19 pandemic

The pollution study by Assistant Professor Jesse Berman showed that nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter levels in the U.S. dropped during March and April compared to the same months in previous years.

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Rural areas have higher individual health insurance premiums and fewer plan choices

Professor Jean Abraham led the study and believes that undetermined need and cost for health care during the COVID-19 pandemic will only add to the uncertainty surrounding plan choices and pricing in rural and other markets.

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50,000 Masks and Counting

Student and staff volunteers assembled MNmask Style 3 kits in Anderson Labs under the direction of Laura Bartels, a recent mechanical engineering grad student.

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Anticancer Drug May Be More Effective in Treating COVID-19 than Remdesivir

Ricardo Battaglino, PhD, in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, teamed up with fellow U colleagues to study the use of apilimod in treating COVID-19. Early results, using cell culture work, show that the drug is five times more effective than remdesivir.

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New study explores how coronavirus travels indoors

A new study from the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering analyzes how the coronavirus spreads indoors—information that could help businesses and schools take precautions to reduce the chance of COVID-19 transmission as they reopen.

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Honoring the heroes of COVID-19

As COVID-19 has spread and death tolls have risen, brave men and women have emerged to fight the disease despite personal risk. College of Science and Engineering alumnus Anant Naik saw the need to honor them. So, he wrote and illustrated a book—one that could also educate children and raise money for a good cause.

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Mask making on a pandemic sabbatical

When COVID-19 interrupted Professor Rhonda Franklin’s semester leave, she led an interdisciplinary team to build a general-purpose face mask. Here’s the story behind that production process.

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Osterholm Update: Reopening Schools Part 1

Dr. Michael Osterholm and host Chris Dall discuss considerations for reopening schools in the fall, the concept of superspreaders and their role in the transmission of COVID-19, and recent statements regarding vaccines and masks.

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COVID-19 as a Catalyst for Innovation?

This webinar from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs features a discussion about the changing health care system with a distinguished panel including Blue Cross Blue Shield CEO Craig Samitt, as well as Minnesota State Senators Michelle Benson and Matt Klein.

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Future Services Institute: Impacts of COVID-19 in the Human Service Sector

This webinar from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs features Sook Jin Ong and Henriët Hendriks of the Future Services Institute, who discuss the impacts of COVID-19 in the human services sector. Current student Suriya Vijayasarathy (MPP '21) moderates the conversation.

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For Early Treatment of Mild COVID-19, U of M Trial Shows Hydroxychloroquine Has No Benefit Over Placebo

University of Minnesota Medical School researchers published the results from the first randomized clinical trial testing hydroxychloroquine for the early treatment of mild COVID-19 among persons who are not hospitalized.

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New Three-Credit Course Offered on “The Impact of Covid-19 on Children’s Mental Health”

Professor Gerald August will lead a new special topics course in the Department of Family Social Science this fall that will explore the impacts that the pandemic has had on children and young adults.

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Detection Connections

Abdennour Abbas, PhD, and his team got straight to work when the U of M asked the academic community to donate COVID-19 diagnostics kits. They developed a new RNA extraction kit in less than two months and at a fraction of the cost of producing commercial kits.

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Carlson School Team Helps Mia Prepare to Reopen

How many people, standing 6-feet apart, can you fit into a 400,000 square foot building and safely move them through it? The Mia turned to the Carlson School for an answer as they prepared to re-open since closing the doors in March due to COVID-19.

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CSE Researchers Developing SARS CoV-2 Spike Proteins

College of Science and Engineering professor Wei-Shou Hu and his lab are working with the Medical School to create a cell line that can rapidly produce the spike proteins that allow SARS CoV-2 to infect hosts.

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‘Foundations in Health Equity’: New Course to Address Health Disparities

Taj Mustapha, MD, in the Department of Medicine, received COVID-19 Medical Education Innovation Grant to further her development of a new course that will be used to explore and address racial, gender and cultural biases in healthcare.

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Understanding the Psychological Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Young People’s Mental Health

Kathryn Cullen, MD, in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences has been researching psychological and biological sequelae of COVID-19 in adolescents with and without non-suicidal self-injury.

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U Medical School Studying How to Protect Against Current, Future Strains of the Coronavirus

Geoffrey Hart, PhD, in the Department of Medicine, and Marco Pravetoni, PhD, in the Department of Pharmacology, teamed up to develop a universal vaccine and monoclonal antibodies to protect against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and future emerging strains.

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New Study Examines Long-Term Effects of COVID-19

A recently-funded University of Minnesota School of Nursing study will examine if COVID-19 patients suffer long-term side effects from the experience.

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U Works to Pinpoint How Indoor Spaces, Ventilation Affect COVID-19 Hot Spots

University of Minnesota researchers are studying how air patterns affect the spread of COVID-19 in various indoor settings.

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University of Minnesota Will Not Require SAT, ACT Tests for Fall 2021 Applicants

The University's Twin Cities campus is joining a number of other colleges across the state and country by making the ACT and SAT standardized college entrance exams optional for 2021 applicants.

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Family Deaths May Reduce BIPOC Graduation Rate

The premature death of a parent or sibling makes it about half as likely that a student will finish college, and Black and Native American young people were two to three times more likely to have lived through the death of a close family member than white participants, School of Public Health researchers found.

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Two Humphrey School Alumni Take Lead Roles in COVID-19 Response in Twin Cities

Acooa Ellis (MPP '07) and Tim Marx (MA/JD '83), alumni of the Humphrey School, are playing high-profile roles in the Twin Cities metropolitan area to serve people who need assistance during COVID-19.

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Infant Saliva Samples May Bring New Data to Inform COVID-19 Transmission Theories

Mark R. Schleiss, MD, professor in the Department of Pediatrics, will tap into saliva samples, originally collected from days-old infants to study CMV, to answer two questions—does mother-to-baby transmission of COVID-19 exist, and did the virus arrive in Minnesota earlier than March 2020?

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Capturing a Global Perspective: Stress and Resilience in the Face of COVID-19

Led by Mustafa al’Absi, PhD, the Stress and Resilience Laboratories launched a global study to map out the behavioral and socioeconomic dynamics of how people have adjusted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Regents Approve In-Person Class Plan

The Board of Regents approved steps to implement a fall semester plan featuring in-person classes that is focused on safety and flexibility for in-person and remote instruction. Plans include a tuition and hiring freeze and temporary pay cuts for many faculty and staff.

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Robots are taking over the COVID-19 clean-up job

A Minnesota Robotics Institute team is developing a robot that uses virtual reality technology to clean areas potentially infected by SARS CoV-2 virus.

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Ultrasound may prove to be effective, noninvasive treatment for COVID-19

Biomedical engineering researchers at the U of M, together with clinical colleagues in the University's Medical School, are examining if ultrasound may be an effective treatment for COVID-19.

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Department of Emergency Medicine Trains Medical Students Using Online, Simulated Patient Scenarios

Mary Ann McNeil, MA, NRP, in the Department of Emergency Medicine received a COVID-19 Education Innovation Grant to support the purchase of virtual simulation training in emergency medicine for third- and fourth-year medical students.

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Interdisciplinary Innovation Brings 3D/Virtual Reality Training to Orthopedic Residents

Alicia Harrison, MD, and Mark Tompkins, MD, in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery received a COVID-19 Medical Innovation Grant to expand on well-established simulation models for residents to train on during social distancing due to the pandemic.

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Addressing Social Determinants of Health in the Age of COVID-19

Drs. Alexandra Zachwieja, Kendra Nordgren, and Cathy McCarty on the Medical School’s Duluth campus are leading the way to develop a virtual course addressing the social determinants of health during COVID-19.

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U Blood-Banking Experts Explain How Convalescent Plasma Can Be Used to Treat COVID-19

Claudia Cohn, MD, PhD, and Jed Gorlin, MD, discuss the use of convalescent plasma in treating COVID-19 and how to donate if someone has recovered from the virus.

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Fighting SARS CoV-2 at the molecular level

CSE professors are working with researchers in the U of M’s College of Pharmacy and Medical School to tackle COVID-19 with a molecular strategy.

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Alumna-Inspired Partnership Equips Duluth Hospitals with Face Shields, Masks

Andrea Benson, MD, ’01, inspires unique partnership with Frost River Trading Co. and Cirrus Aircraft to mass produce face shields and masks needed at Duluth hospitals during COVID-19.

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Phone booth-like invention to increase COVID-19 testing capacity and save PPE

A phone booth-like invention, designed by staff in the U of M College of Science and Engineering machine shop, is helping M Health Fairview primary care providers to increase COVID-19 testing while conserving critical personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies.

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Doctoral Candidate Helping to Develop a COVID-19 Vaccine

Morgan Brisse, a PhD candidate in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, talks about her experience in the lab during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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U Researchers Study Cancer Care for Patients in the Context of COVID-19

University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have conducted studies for cancer patients regarding their mental health, well-being and cancer care.

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Magnesium Could Help COVID-19 Patients with Pre-Existing Heart Conditions

Jin O-Uchi, MD, PhD, FAHA, FCVS, and other U of M researchers received a new grant to study if magnesium can make a difference in high-risk patients with COVID-19.

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Medical School Ophthalmologists will Test Tears for COVID-19

Hossein Nazari, MD, in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, leads a team testing whether or not COVID-19 can be diagnosed with tears. If proven, their discovery may lead to a faster, safer and less painful way to test for the virus.

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Students Design Disposable Gowns

Biomedical engineering professor Steven Saliterman and 18 of his biomedical engineering students created a safe, functional disposable gown design that could be rapidly manufactured for use in Minnesota hospitals.

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Addressing COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities

The School of Public Health has issued ways to address COVID-19 racial and ethnic disparities in long-term care facilities.

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Impact Medicine

The Medical School is highlighting individuals who have risen to the occasion to fight COVID-19.

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Trial Shows Hydroxychloroquine Shows No Benefit Over Placebo 

U of M research has found the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine is not an effective treatment for COVID-19.

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Inflammation Markers in Liver May Predict Outcomes for COVID-19 Patients

Two researchers are hoping to collect valuable data for COVID-19 by studying inflammation markers in patients’ livers. The data could help predict liver failure as well as other patient outcomes that are correlated with liver damage.

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Providing Care to Tribal Communities During COVID-19

Mary Owen, MD, assistant professor and director of the Center of American Indian and Minority Health on the Medical School’s Duluth campus, is working with her team to provide resources and care to Native American communities during COVID-19.

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Open-Source Release Allows Coventor to Be Produced Worldwide

The design for a low-cost ventilator created at the University of Minnesota has now been released as open-source, giving manufacturers around the globe a way to help supply care providers during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Podcast: Health in All Matters

A weekly podcast produced by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health to bring more understanding of public health challenges across the globe and close to home. 

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Researchers Study New, Faster Test to Detect COVID-19 Strains

Mark Osborn, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics, and colleagues are working to develop a faster diagnostic test for COVID-19 that does not require specialized reagents or infrastructure and may help detect different strains of COVID-19.

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A Smarter Approach to COVID-19 Testing

In a new report, the U of M's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy proposes a smart testing framework that helps ensure the right test is available to the right person at the right time, with timely test results guiding actions that minimize illness, deaths and disease spread.

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Clinical Trials Test Blood Pressure Drug

University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have launched two new clinical trials to test whether the blood pressure medication losartan can prevent lung injury in people recently diagnosed with COVID-19.

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Testing Wastewater to Track COVID-19 Spread

U of M-Duluth faculty members are testing wastewater in several communities to track the levels of coronavirus in the water, an indication of how the virus is spreading and growing in those communities.

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A New Approach to Averting Inflammation Caused by COVID-19

UMN student Molly Gilligan recently published an article in the journal Cancer & Metastasis Reviews that studied the human body’s robust inflammatory response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is now recognized as a hallmark symptom.

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Uncovering the Evasiveness of COVID-19

In a new study, U of M researchers identified the biochemical mechanism that may explain how the virus infects people efficiently while evading their immune responses.

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Students Invent PPE, Help U Hospitals

University biomedical engineering students jumped into action when the U's medical center and children's hospital were running critically short on protective gowns. The project not only gave students a sense of purpose after weeks of isolation, it ended up providing those gowns within two weeks.

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Telehealth Programs for COVID-19

Typically, it can take months for Brittney Dahlen, BSN ’14, RN, and her team to launch a new remote monitoring telehealth program for patients at Mayo Clinic. But the COVID-19 pandemic meant creating programs specific to the disease within two weeks.

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CIDRAP Outlines Realities, Advises Next Steps

A new report by the University's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy outlines the COVID-19 situation using past influenza pandemics as models and makes recommendations for the likelihood of a lengthy timeline to reach 'herd immunity'.

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U of M Faculty Employs ECMO to Support Severe COVID-19 Patients

Melissa Brunsvold, MD, and other faculty use the life-saving ECMO device to rescue COVID-19 patients with extreme respiratory failure.

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SPH Team Creates COVID-19 Info Sheets and Video for Hennepin County Jail

A team of alumni and students from the School of Public Health have created COVID-19 resources for Hennepin County Jail.

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New Curriculum Equips Medical Students to Support COVID-19 Efforts

When COVID-19 forced most people to stay home, professors at the U of M Medical School realized they needed to continue educating these students and to use their skills to mitigate the burdens facing the frontline healthcare providers in the hospital system.

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Faculty Help Build Resilience in Providers and Staff Using Military Model

The “Battle Buddy” system has been a strengthening tool in the Army for over 15 years, and Dr. McGlinch believes this could be a useful tool for healthcare workers, too. 

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'Transformative' Testing Capacity to Combat COVID-19

Minnesota can now test 20,000 people per day—up from 8,000—for the virus that causes COVID-19, thanks to the work of scientists and public health experts at the University of Minnesota, the Mayo Clinic and the Minnesota Department of Health, Gov. Tim Walz announced last week.

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Portable Virus Detection Device on Its Way

U of M scientists have designed a portable, low-cost handheld device to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus—which causes COVID-19—in blood and respiratory material and deliver results in as little as 10 minutes.

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Regents Set Direction for Post-COVID-19 Challenges

The University's Board of Regents Tuesday set direction for post-COVID-19 planning, creating a set of guiding principles to help address financial and other challenges sure to appear in coming months. The board also voted to approve President Gabel's request to freeze tuition for almost all students next year.

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U of M Creates On-Site Testing Facility for COVID-19

The University of Minnesota has created the state’s fourth on-site testing facility for SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease. 

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U-developed Antibody Test, Key Component in Reopening Minnesota 

A new antibody test developed by the laboratory of Marc Jenkins, PhD, is now in clinical use with the help of Amy Karger, MD, PhD, and the Advanced Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Minnesota.

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Program of Mortuary Science Hosts Virtual Seminars to Improve Funeral Care During COVID-19

With in-person funerals on a hold because of COVID-19, the Program of Mortuary Science at the University of Minnesota Medical School is committed to helping families and funeral service practitioners come up with meaningful ways to commemorate loved ones.

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Our Invisible Guardians: A Modern Story of Public Health

The 30-minute documentary, “Our Invisible Guardians” uses a fresh lens to view the story of public health and the unseen professionals who have been working tirelessly for over a century to save our lives and improve our health.

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U of M's COVID-19 Testing Ready to Increase

The U of M has asked the state for funds to increase COVID-19 testing to 20,000 per day, divided between antibody and active infection tests. Testing at those levels is considered the key to reopening the state.

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Low-Cost Ventilator Developed by U of M

A first of its kind low-cost ventilator developed at the U of M has received FDA authorization. The Coventor is a low-cost backup alternative for physicians to use when regular ventilators are in short supply.

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Pediatric Resident Creates COVID-19 Children's Book

Third-year U of M pediatric resident Holly Belgum, MD, knows how frightening COVID-19 is for kids. That's why she wrote and illustrated a children's book, Piggy & Bunny and the Stay-At-Home Plan, available as a free PDF.

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U of M Medical Reserve Corps Answers the Call

For years, the University of Minnesota Medical Reserve Corps of health professionals, non-clinical personnel and students have been ready to help the community in case of an emergency. They’re answering the call now in impressive fashion, with U of M students at the forefront.

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U of M Begins Planning Virtual Commencement

President Joan Gabel announced Friday that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University's Class of 2020 Commencement ceremony will be online. Plans are underway for "a large, systemwide, virtual celebration for all graduates on Saturday, May 16."

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U of M Launches Hospitalization Tracking Project

Two University of Minnesota research centers have launched an urgent project to better understand state-by-state hospitalization data. The site captures and tracks daily data on the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations along with each states’ hospital bed and intensive care unit capacity.

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Regents Review COVID-19 Budget Challenges

The U of M Board of Regents last week reviewed financial forecasts and potential options for addressing anticipated budgetary challenges, including the possibility of a pay freeze and tuition freeze for the 2020-21 academic year. 

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U of M Extension Helping Rural Minnesota

Watch a KARE-11 report on how a program created by University of Minnesota Extension is helping the state's 250+ small town grocery stores create emergency meal kits to feed rural Minnesota

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Medical Students Lending a Hand to Heroes

Two medical students at the University, faced with cancelled rotations and online classes, founded Mn CovidSitters, a group of students who volunteer to help healthcare workers of all stripes with a multitude of tasks.

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U of M, Mayo Offering Hope

A resource center from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, with news, articles, maps & visuals, and more. The ​Star Tribune​ reports on how scientists at the University and the May Clinic are playing central roles in developing treatments for the deadly disease.

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Osterholm Update: COVID-19 Podcast

Michael Osterholm discusses "how we got here", as well as potential immunity after infection with the coronavirus, testing shortages, and how we can support each other and be good neighbors in this new world.

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COVID-19 Resources from CIDRAP

A resource center from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, with news, articles, maps & visuals, and more.

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COVID-19 Scientific Updates

COVID-19 scientific updates from the Office of Academic Clinical Affairs.

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Alumni-Owned Business Shifts to PPE Production

Alumni-owned Woodchuck USA, a maker of custom wooden products, has shifted up to 50 percent of its production capacity to creating protective face masks for medical workers and first responders dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

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Health & Wellbeing Resources




Easing the pain of long-distance farewells

U of M Program of Mortuary Science teachers are helping funeral directors provide meaningful services to commemorate loved ones.

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Mini Medical School: A 20/20 View of Cancer Virtual Course

Presented online at your own pace in common language for understanding complex topics, a 20/20 View of Cancer is designed to give participants insight into research-centric key cancer concepts and on cancer in Minnesota.

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Sleep and Wellbeing Webinar

Dr. Michael Howell will provide new insights on the role of sleep in promoting health and wellbeing, as well as help individuals recognize their own innate circadian rhythms and how to address common sleep challenges.

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Maintaining Health During COVID-19

Dr. Nancy Sherwood will share insights into how public health practitioners and individuals can encourage healthy behaviors and greater well-being for themselves and their communities through diet and activity.

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At Home HIIT Workout from RecWell

A 45 minute version of a high intensity interval training workout, courtesy of RecWell.

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Mindfulness During Challenging Times

Video from the Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing. Watch the recorded Mindfulness During Challenging Times presentation featuring Mariann Johnson, mindfulness and wellbeing instructor. 

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Getting Outside During Distancing

Ideas from U of M Extension.  Are you practicing social distancing but feeling stressed, worried about cooped-up kids, and wanting to maintain your health through exercise? Here are some ideas for getting out into nature.

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Stay Fit, Stay Healthy, Stay Happy

Tips from RecWell Instructor María Sánchez-Muñiz.  University Recreation and Wellness instructor María Sánchez-Muñiz has compiled this list of ideas to try to stay happy and energized during these days.

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Taking Charge of your Health & Wellbeing

A website from the Earl Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing.  Learn how a holistic approach to wellbeing can help you discover health, contentment, purpose, and connection.

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Bakken Center COVID-19 Information & Resources

University of Minnesota’s Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing has unique resources to offer the University and community during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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Six Ways to Reduce Coronavirus Stress

From making time for projects or planning a garden to hugging pets, U of M Extension has compiled six simple ways to quickly reduce stress.

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"Two for You" Stress Series Videos

The six short videos in the Two for You Stress Series brings tangible practices to improve your wellbeing. Based on positive psychology research, the series is designed to help you live and lead with intention, especially in times of stress.

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UMAA Creates Mask to Fight COVID-19

Maroon & Gold reusable face masks, manufactured by University of Minnesota alumni and sold in Minnesota Alumni Market will be supplied for FREE to medical professionals and others in need.

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Caring for Yourself in Isolation

Eighteen ways you can support your mental health while at home.

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Preparing for Happiness During Pandemic

Philosophy Professor Valerie Tiberius offers ideas on how, even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we might pause and think about the keys to achieving well-being: what our values are, what it means to fulfill them and whether we are living in ways that uphold those values.

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Mindful Cooking for Body and Mind Webinar

Bakken Center Instructor and Professional Chef Jenny Breen discusses basic whole food ingredients to keep in your pantry, talk about seasonal foods that are super nutritious and delicious, practice basic knife and a few other important kitchen techniques, and prepare 2 easy recipes.

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Introduction to Mindfulness Webinar

This webinar, led by Bakken Center Mindfulness and Wellbeing Instructor Mariann Johnson, provides an introduction to mindfulness meditation and is particularly relevant to those new to the practice or simply curious about the possible benefits of a mindfulness practice.

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Refresh and Reset at Winter's Best Kept Secret

Numerous studies show that nature has healing and regenerative powers, both for your physical and psychological health. An arboretum is much more than just a glorified garden, and winter brings a new perspective to this pristine and inspirational landscape.

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Twelve Weeks of Winter Activities

The University of Minnesota Extension has been releasing weekly activities to pass the time this winter. They include: going owling, stargazing, tracking wildlife, feeding birds, taking a walk in the woods, and participate in a citizen science project.

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Career & Family Resources




Enriching the Home Experience with Your Family

Ideas from U of M RecWell Staff.  The University Recreation and Wellness Youth Programs staff offers a list of resources, activities, and creative ideas to help you enrich the home experience and fight off boredom.

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Family Social Science Offers Coping Resources

Unanswered questions, uncertainty and the disruption of family and work life due to COVID-19 causing a pandemic of anxiety and distress. What can help? Pauline Boss, professor emeritus of Family Social Science, says giving it a name is a start.

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#UMNCareerChat

Join your U of M community of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends on Twitter and Facebook Live as we talk about various career topics, tips & strategies that will help you navigate the career world no matter where you are on your journey. 

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Maroon & Gold Network

UMAA's free, online platform for career-related advice, networking, and mentorship. Network with fellow alumni to accelerate your career. Share career advice with current students.

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Coping with Lost Milestones

Pauline Boss, emeritus professor in the Department of Family Social Science, shares ways parents and caregivers can help young people process and manage their feelings during this complicated time.  

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Treating COVID-19 At Home

What does quarantining at home with milder cases of COVID-19 mean in terms of self-care? We asked Dr. Renee Crichlow, an assistant professor of family medicine and community health, to share some insight.

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Keeping Your Pets Happy & Healthy During COVID-19

Concerned about your pets and animals during the COVID-19 virus outbreak? Join Dr. Kristi Flynn, a graduate of the College of Veterinary Medicine and working veterinarian at the Veterinary Medical Center, on an interactive webinar focused on pet wellness during these times.

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Women & Power in the Workplace

Hear an alumnae panel speak on strategies to achieve a prominent role, navigate power structures, influence with/without formal authority, and progress in your career.

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Cocooning During COVID-19

By mid-March, U of M family social science professor William Doherty was already giving talks on dealing with sudden 24/7 togetherness.  Read a few of this recommendations for coping with forced cocooning.

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Sleeping Better During Stay-at-Home

University of Minnesota sleep expert Dr. Michael Howell offers tips for the sleep disruption our sudden change in lifestyle may be causing. 

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A COVID-19 Conversation with Clint Schaff

Watch a video interview with Clint Schaff (B.A. '00) as he talks about life in San Francisco during COVID-19, his role as a vice president at the Los Angeles Times and his tips for working remotely.

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#OperationReadAloud: Library Resources for Children & Families

With schools closed and libraries shuttered, children find themselves sequestered at home. Lisa Von Drasek, curator of the University’s Children’s Literature Research Collections, is aggregating crowd-sourced content for children and families on a Facebook group page. 

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Keeping the Market in Perspective

Economics Professor V.V Chari offers hope and reassurance to worried stock investors: Stay the course, don’t let short-term changes affect your decisions, and don’t try to out-guess the market. “This is a durable country," he says. "We’ve been through a lot worse.”

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Faculty Members Design Informational Resources to Empower Youth During COVID-19

Anna Wirta-Kosobuski, EdD, and Richard Melvin, PhD, have developed informational resources geared for youth, "COVID-19? Answers for Kids" and "A Kid's Quick Guide to Stopping COVID-19" on easy ways to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

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Mindful Parenting In Challenging Times and Beyond

This webinar, led by Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing experts who are also parents and grandparents, will offer practical suggestions in support of parents and children of all ages, hoping to create a healthier and less stressful new normal.

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Leading Small and New Businesses in an Age of Disruption

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a source of disruption for all businesses, but small and new businesses have been especially hard-hit. Daniel Forbes has suggested some practices that may be helpful to entrepreneurs and others as they manage their businesses in the wake of the pandemic.

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Managing Change and Stress in Unpredictable Times Webinar

This webinar will help you have a better understanding of your and others' particular responses to unexpected changes and associated uncertainties, provide more ways to manage your worries, fear, and stress, and give you insight into different ways you can assist others in managing their stress.

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For You & The Community




Welcome 2020 Grads to the Alumni Family

The Class of 2020 is experiencing a final semester unlike any other. The University of Minnesota Alumni Association is here to celebrate this milestone with graduates. 

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Join Fellow Alumni at Upcoming Virtual Events

The Alumni Association and the University of Minnesota offer a variety of virtual resources for career development and personal growth.  Consider attending an upcoming virtual event to stay connected.

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Learn & Grow with Gold Mind

Gold Mind provides focused, content-rich webinars and videos for career development and general learning.  Boost your personal and professional life with fresh thinking and expert insight.

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Free Meals for those in Need

Alumna Anna Wienke is the executive director of the nonprofit "pay what you can" Provision Community Restaurant in Minneapolis, which is offering free meals to people in need during this time.

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Neighbors Doing Good on Nextdoor

Kendra Krueger (B.S. '02) was looking for a way to connect both helpers and neighbors who need help in her area, when she saw that social networking app Nextdoor had done just that, with a handy map included.

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COVID & Cheese Curds

With restaurants and distributors suddenly cutting orders, cheesemaker Alise Sjostrom (B.S. '08) and her Redhead Creamery decided to promote direct delivery of cheese curds and more to customers.  "And it complete exploded," she says.

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Local Foods College

Extension series provides a forum to discuss farmers markets and other models to sell farm foods safely during the unfolding pandemic.

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Learning Virtually, Leading Actively: Resources for Community Leaders

Join Extension's leadership and civic engagement team for a free series with videos, podcasts, articles and conversation.

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Students Reflect on a Semester of Distance Learning

When COVID-19 hit, spring semester took a surprising turn and went online. Now at the end of the semester, students look back on what they learned, how they coped, and what their hopes for the future are.

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Explore the World from your Couch

While we are staying home during this season, the Minnesota Alumni Travel program invites you to combat cabin fever by reminiscing about your favorite travel memories, or by virtually strolling through a museum or watching a live feed of animals in the zoo.

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Experiencing Campus Through Minecraft

College of Science and Engineering junior Khang Lu joined 10 to 20 other U of M students last fall to create a virtual replica of the Twin Cities campus as a joke. But now their creation of the Minecraft server “Goldycraft” has gained special meaning for students as classes moved online.

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Virtual Making and the New Normal

When Molly Sanford accepted the position as fabrication director for the College of Design’s Fabrication Shops, her most urgent problem was a dust collector on the fritz. Two weeks and one global pandemic later, Sanford began working to reframe the crisis as an opportunity for open-hearted collaboration, creative resourcefulness and new beginnings.

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Notes of Hope

Within a week, renowned pianist and piano professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Jacqueline Beihua Tang and leaders from the University’s China Center and the School of Music planned a benefit concert to raise money for U of M infectious disease research and for international students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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A COVID Commencement

While losing out on graduation ceremonies was one of the most difficult consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for many U of M students, for Samira Champlin, it led to a surprise graduation ceremony with her grandfather, Keith S. Champlin, a U of M alumnus and professor emeritus, and her aunt, Michelle Champlin Bergner, an alumna and adjunct professor.

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Tips for Successful Container Gardens

Don't have space for a garden? You can still grow vegetables and herbs in containers! University of Minnesota Extension Educators Annie Klodd and Natalie Hoidal provide several key tips for successfully growing container vegetables this season.

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Personal Patient Care Classes Shift Online

Health sciences students learn in-person patient care remotely with the help of the University of Minnesota (M) Simulation team and individuals from the community who are coached to accurately and consistently recreate the history, personality, physical findings and emotional state of an actual patient.

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Alumnus Directs Video to Thank Nurses

Ian Truitner (B.A. '95) worked with the American Nurses Association to create a "Thank Nurses" video spot featuring numerous celebrities to raise awareness and funds for frontline nurses treating COVID-19 patients.

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Gopher Family Forms Foundation to Help COVID Patients

Linda Geller Axelrod (BA '75, JD), husband Leonard (JD), and daughter Dr. Caron Rodman (DVM '12) formed the Olivia and Howard Geller Foundation for Patient Safety and have provided nearly 300 WiFi-enabled tablets to over 30 Minnesota hospitals for patients affected by COVID-19. The demand for tablets continues to increase. 

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Bell Museum distributes science & nature activity kits through Roseville School District

The Bell Museum staff have been busy packing and distributing science and nature activity kits for 1,350 elementary-aged scholars in the Roseville School District in late May. In partnership with the Roseville School District Nutrition Services Team, these museum-at-home kits were distributed to families alongside their school provided meals.

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Summer 2023 magazine cover with photo of UMN alumnus Shannon Brooks
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