Research

NMU's $2.5 Million NIH Grant Addresses Addiction, Employment and Poverty

From left: Forrest Toegel, Cory Toegel and grad student Haillie McDonough
From left: Forrest Toegel, Cory Toegel and grad student Haillie McDonough
Dec. 19, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University has assumed oversight of a $2.5 million research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to evaluate an intervention approach that provides wage supplements—contingent upon documented drug abstinence—as a way to combat drug addiction, promote employment and reduce poverty among people living with opioid use disorder. The project is a collaboration involving NMU's Department of Psychological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and REACH, a substance abuse recovery program in Baltimore, Md.
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Improv Training Can Ease Social Anxiety

Felsman (left) doing improv with a house team called Brenda at Pointless Brewery & Theatre in Ann Arbor, which is now closed.
Jul. 7, 2023 —
Some people are apprehensive about participating in improv comedy because of its unscripted format that requires quick thinking to play off unpredictable ideas presented by others on stage or in the audience. But Northern Michigan University assistant professor Peter Felsman is the lead author of a published study providing the first evidence that improv training can significantly reduce a common trait of social anxiety and depression: discomfort with uncertainty.

Researchers Assess Animal Model of Mental Illness

Ottem and Prus
Nov. 29, 2018 —

A chance discovery of unexpected behavioral changes in genetically modified mice prompted two Northern Michigan University researchers to embark on an interdisciplinary project. If their collaboration reveals the mice more closely replicate mental illness in humans than existing animal models, it could lead to increased understanding of human psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and more effective drug treatments. Erich Ottem of Biology and Adam Prus of Psychological Science received a Northern PRIME grant to support their research.

You Receives Future Shocks Challenge Grant

Jongeun You
Dec. 19, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University Assistant Professor Jongeun You has been awarded one of nine Future Shocks Challenge Grants for his case study on the integration of land use and water planning in Colorado. The Future Shocks initiative, led by the IBM Center for The Business of Government and the National Academy of Public Administration, is designed to help governments identify and develop core capabilities critical to building resilience.

Published Study Relays Expert Opinions on Bear Baiting

Alaskan brown bear photo by NMU alumna and paper coauthor Sarah Trujillo
Nov. 25, 2024 —
Bear baiting—a harvest practice authorized in 12 states, two territories and eight provinces in North America—poses several potential risks, and associated mitigation measures have been inadequate, according to a study published in the PLOS One peer-reviewed scientific journal. The article focuses on Alaska, where more than 70% of National Park Service-managed lands and preserves are open to some form of hunting. The authors' goal is to use expert opinion to inform decision-making in that state and other areas where bear baiting is allowed.

You Delivers Harold Hotelling Memorial Lecture

Jongeun You
Oct. 18, 2024 —
Northern Michigan University assistant professor Jongeun You was invited to serve as the 2024 Harold Hotelling Memorial Lecturer at Lawrence Technological University. Named for the accomplished economist, the lecture series marked its 14th anniversary on Oct. 17. It addresses timely and relevant topics in the guest speaker's area of research. Dr. You, who teaches in NMU's Political Science and Public Administration Department, presented “Policy Conflict in U.S. Energy Infrastructure Siting.”

Kumar Attends Research Academy in Nepal

Vikash Kumar
Jun. 19, 2024 —
NMU assistant professor of social work Vikash Kumar recently attended a "Research Academy on Migration, Health & Rights" in Kathmandu, Nepal. He has also been appointed to serve on an advisory committee for the International Consortium for Social Development's (ICSD) 24th Biennial International Conference, and reappointed as director of information technology for the ICSD.

NMU Great Lakes Cannabis Collaboration Conference April 23

Previous Great Lakes Cannabis Conference (NMU stock photo)
Apr. 8, 2024 —
The Great Lakes Cannabis Collaboration Conference will open at 8 a.m. Tuesday, April 23, at Northern Michigan University. It will showcase developing trends in cannabis education and scholarship, share insights from industry leaders and experts at the forefront of the sector's evolving landscape, and summarize the state of the industry. Featured speakers and panels, including one composed of NMU alumni working in the industry, are scheduled throughout the day.

Global Wildlife Study During COVID-19 Shows Rural Animals More Sensitive to Human Activity

Black bear image captured on camera traps from Lafferty's long-term Yooper Wildlife Watch project.
Mar. 18, 2024 —
One of the largest studies on wildlife activity—involving more than 220 researchers 163 mammal species and 5,000 camera traps worldwide—reveals that wild animals react differently to humans depending on where the animals live and what they eat. Northern Michigan University Biology Associate Professor Diana Lafferty is among the coauthors of a paper that was published today in Nature Ecology and Evolution.