Research News

Michigan State University scientists plan to build a first-of-its-kind outdoor lab to study how solar panels placed alongside crops could save water, improve soil health and support ecosystems, all while boosting farmers’ bottom line and preserving farm production.

The American Nuclear Society (ANS) has named Minami Yoda, Red Cedar Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Michigan State University, as a 2025 Fellow of ANS.

Every time you buckle up, there’s a good chance Michigan State University research is helping keep you safe. With more than 50 faculty across MSU Mobility and the College of Engineering, Spartan researchers are tackling transportation challenges from every angle, including safer roads, stronger vehicles, smarter infrastructure and secure autonomous systems.

The World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS) awarded the 2025 Gold Medal Award to Christopher H. Contag, the James and Kathleen Cornelius Distinguished Chair and professor in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Microbiology, Genetics and Immunology, and director of the Institute for Quantitative Health Science & Engineering at Michigan State University.

The Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC) Advanced Transportation Innovation Hub, funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and working in partnership with the University of Michigan Electric Vehicle Center, has awarded more than $2 million to support 13 promising mobility research projects across Michigan—including MSU faculty member, Dr. Chengcheng Fang's project, which received funding from both MTRAC and the EV Center, as well as fellow MSU faculty member, Dr. Josh Siegel's project, funded solely by MTRAC.

What if a soft robot like Baymax in the Disney animated film Big Hero 6 were real? Xiaobo Tan, MSU Foundation Professor and Richard M. Hong Endowed Chair in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and his team are working to bring that science fiction to life by designing robots made of soft materials that are safer for both human interaction and delicate objects.

MSU Mobility celebrates Mobility Week, a global initiative focused on innovation at the intersection of transportation and technology, taking place Sept. 20-27, 2025. This initiative brings together mobility and transportation technology experts from around the globe to build partnerships and identify opportunities to accelerate innovation.

For a second time, students passionate about the evolving space market had an unparalleled opportunity to learn from experts working on electronics designed to survive the harsh realities of space. And Michigan State University’s Green and White Council stopped in to see the results firsthand.

A wide range of disciplines are adopting artificial intelligence, or AI, at a rapid pace. From science and medicine to the humanities and education, AI is influencing the landscape of how information is accessed and processed. At Michigan State University, the College of Engineering is exploring new ways for AI to improve lives through railway safety, AI security, learning and health outcomes.

Shiqiang “Nick” Zou of Michigan State University has been selected for 2025–27 cohort of Early-Career Research Fellows in the Offshore Energy Safety track of the Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM).