2017 Annual Report

Enhancing Great Lakes landscapes for healthy pollinators

Tiny but mighty pollinators are an essential contributor to many of Michigan’s high-value fruits and vegetables. In the past 10 winters, however, American beekeepers have lost a high proportion of their colonies.

Solving the phosphorous pollution puzzle to improve water quality in the Great Lakes region

Researchers at Michigan State University are implementing strategies that start at the source of the phosphorous pollution issue in the Great Lakes — farmers’ decision-making on fertilizer use.

Tiny invasive insect attacking hemlock trees in Michigan

A tiny insect threatens more than 170 million trees in Michigan, and the cascading ecosystem effects could be catastrophic. MSU researchers are working to stop it.

Collecting, analyzing and processing 'big data'

The world of environmental modeling and monitoring provides complex tools and systems built to handle staggering amounts of digitized information and technologies that empower people to make sense of even the most complex systems.

Synthetic biology may hold key to answering some of the most difficult science questions

An emerging field — synthetic biology — is attempting to broadly address the need for more nutritious food, improved prevention and treatment of diseases, renewable energy sources and protection for the environment.

Estimating effects of genes: One size may not fit all

Animal scientist Rob Tempelman, recognized in 2017 for his contributions to animal breeding, is endeavoring to learn more about genetics and its impact on traits such as milk production, body weight and feed efficiency.

Developing new cropping systems to help Michigan vegetables survive extreme weather

Daniel Brainard, associate professor in the MSU Department of Horticulture, is undertaking a range of research projects to build resiliency in vegetable crops.

Preserving hardwood diversity through new management

MSU researchers are working to preserve hardwood diversity, which protects the forest ecosystem from threats such as pathogens and insect predation.

Using communication to reduce food waste

New research from the Michigan State University shows that people from the United States and China respond differently to mass media and social media campaigns related to food waste.

Reducing antibiotic use and mastitis occurrence through employee training

A research team led by MSU researchers is working on a way to help lower the incidence of mastitis on dairy farms through a relatively simple concept: employee training.

Understanding, preventing transport of plant pathogens in water

Researchers Mary Hausbeck and Wei Zhang are developing water-recycling technologies that filter out pathogens in greenhouse systems.

Lupus: Preventing onset from an environmental trigger

Symptom relief and management are currently the primary strategies for dealing with autoimmune disorders such as lupus, but MSU researcher James Pestka wants to know more about the underlying causes in an effort to curb disease development.

Contributing to clean energy needs through cellulosic biofuels

Researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center are investigating the possibilities of sustainable biofuels, which are hoped to be a step toward cleaner energy, especially for transportation.

Flint water crisis: Hearing the community's concerns

Steven Gray, an assistant professor in the MSU Department of Community Sustainability, conducted a series of sessions in which Flint residents could share their concerns and ideas for potential solutions.