Research

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

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.

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.

Great Lakes Cannabis Collaboration Conference April 22 at NMU

Great Lakes Cannabis Collaboration Conference logo
Mar. 25, 2025 —
Northern Michigan University will host the 2025 Great Lakes Cannabis Collaboration Conference from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at the Northern Center. The event will showcase developing trends in cannabis education and research, featuring insights from industry leaders and experts at the forefront of the evolving sector. The schedule includes speakers, an NMU alumni panel discussion, a networking lunch and student oral presentations/research posters.

Biology, Culinary Students Spend Spring Break in USVI

NMU biology students on the shore
Mar. 20, 2025 —
Over spring break, 43 Northern Michigan University students and faculty members traveled to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, for immersive field courses in marine and terrestrial ecology, research, and destination catering. The experience provided hands-on learning opportunities in diverse environmental and culinary settings and fostered interdisciplinary collaboration.

Student Scholarship Summit Winners Announced

People's Choice winner Paige Dolph, a psychology major
Feb. 26, 2025 —
The Student Scholarship Summit held Feb. 20 as part of the Peak25 professional development conference at Northern Michigan University offered a new opportunity for NMU students to showcase their research, scholarly activity and creative inquiry through poster presentations. A pool of judges representing academia, community and industry awarded financial prizes to these top three presenters:

NMU Announces 3MT Winners

McNair Scholar 1st place and People's Choice winner Trinity Valentin presents her research before the judges
Feb. 21, 2025 —
Northern Michigan University has announced the winners of its 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. NMU graduate students and McNair scholars presented their original research in only three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience, and with only one static PowerPoint slide. 

NMU Well-Represented in U.P. Moose Study

A U.P. bull moose
Feb. 13, 2025 —
Northern Michigan University faculty, graduate students and alumni are represented on a collaborative research project with the DNR and Keweenaw Bay Indian Community titled “Factors limiting moose population growth in the western Upper Peninsula.” Expanding upon traditional DNR winter aerial surveys used to estimate the moose population, this collaborative initiative will begin by fitting 20 moose with GPS collars this winter, with additional moose being collared next year. The precise location data will help researchers better understand challenges the animals confront that impact their survival.

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.