Student members of EMU APEX (Atmospheric Physics EXploration) traveled to Los Lunas, New Mexico from October 11 - October 15 to launch a high-altitude weather balloon during the October 14 annular eclipse as part of NASA's Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project (NEBP). The students, from the Departments of Physics and Astronomy and Geography and Geology, worked on the balloon payload for the past 6 months in preparation for this event. The goal of this mission was to test several flight sub-systems in advance of a second balloon launch during the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse.

While in Los Lunas, APEX members showcased their project during an event with approximately 500 students at Los Lunas Middle School and participated in an outreach event open to the broader community at the Los Lunas Public Library. The students distributed over 600 sets of eclipse glasses and taught the students and community about solar eclipses. They also showed off various aspects of their science payload while explaining the engineering design and operation of each system and the data they hoped to get during their upcoming missions. The APEX launch on October 14 resulted in measurements of temperature, pressure, and wind speed as a function of altitude, and field test results from the different flight sub-systems.

Members of EMU APEX who participated in the trip were Miles Mercier, Rosie Friend, Hannah Popofski, Hamzah Al Thani, Axel Cartin-Paez, Olivia Tebo, Jacob Morgan, Isaac Thompson, and Nika Beridze. The students were accompanied by Professors Dave Pawlowski and Tom Kovacs. EMU APEX is supported by funding from the Montana Space Grant Consortium, the Michigan Space Grant Consortium, the Game Above Faculty First Initiative, and the Departments of Physics and Astronomy and Geography and Geology.

EMU's 14th Undergraduate Conference in Philosophy (UCiP) welcomed students from across the United States on November 4th and 5th for a lively weekend of philosophical discussion and conviviality. Paper presentations ranged across numerous subfields of philosophy, with topics spanning the phenomenology of PTSD, forgiveness, inclusivity in knowledge production, the ethics of abortion, artificial intelligence, and values in environmental decision-making. The conference continues to be an important event each year for EMU's philosophy community as well as a high-impact learning experience for our students and student presenters from other universities. 

The conference featured 20 anonymously peer-reviewed presentations from students at 15 universities, including Georgia Southern University, Grand Valley State University, Hamilton College, Northeastern University, Oakland University, Oberlin College, The Ohio State University, Pacific University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, UC Davis, U-M Ann Arbor, Washington & Lee University, Wayne State University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Eastern Michigan University. 

The conference is organized by EMU philosophy students, this year led by MA student Edgar Vasquez. Professor John Koolage, the faculty mentor of the UCiP team, could not be more proud of this event and of our students. 

In October, 12 students and 6 faculty members represented EMU at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America in Pittsburgh. Six undergraduates and five faculty presented in oral and poster presentations, covering topics ranging from exploration of deformation in Norway, to the timing of the Laurentide Ice Sheet retreat, to early Paleozoic macroalgal radiation, to the contribution of groundwater versus precipitation to wetland systems, to the crystal chemistry of tourmaline minerals. In addition, a consortium of Michigan colleges and universities co-hosted a group alumni event with an excellent turn-out.

Sociology major Shayla Mostyn has become viral on TikTok, gaining a following of over 240,000 and wrapping up over 10 million likes for her lifestyle videos and inspirational messages for individuals using the platform. 

"I downloaded TikTok with the intent of inspiring people by spreading kindness and positivity," said Mostyn, who is also an E Ambassador, President of Hillel at EMU, and an Eastern Echo reporter. As her follower count increased, Mostyn started producing new video series content, such as Shayla Shares Style, Get Ready with Me, Days in My Life, and Motivational Mondays.

Mostyn also recently took on the role of brand ambassador for the nonprofit The Friendship Circle. The organization is dedicated to providing basic human rights of support, friendship, and inclusion to individuals with special needs. Currently, the nonprofit has provided these resources to 3,000 individuals with special needs and their families. 

"I grew up not only attending the walk, but also volunteering and attending programs offered by the Friendship Circle, such as ballet, basketball, day camp, learning how to ride a bike, and more. Those programs helped me learn how to make life more accessible without letting my disabilities limit my abilities."

Read the full EMU Today story.

Philosophy and Political Science major Jason Folk has been selected to serve on the Michigan Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force. The task force was founded in 2019 by Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to increase youth voter engagement and civic participation.

According to a report by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University, Michigan voters ages 18-29 turned out at a rate of 37% in the 2022 midterm elections, higher than any other state CIRCLE analyzed, and far higher than the national average youth turnout rate of 23%. Michigan was one of only four states where youth turnout was higher in 2022 than in 2018.

"Voting should be accessible for college students, and navigating the electoral systems can be difficult," said Folk. "With the increased voter turnout from the past elections, I am optimistic we can reach even higher rates for the upcoming election in 2024."

Read the full EMU Today Story.

Dr. Chris Gellasch, Associate Professor of Hydrogeology in the Department of Geography and Geology, recently completed his term as Chair of the Geological Society of America (GSA) Hydrogeology Division. His one-year term as Chair ended at the conclusion of the GSA Connects meeting last month in Pittsburgh, PA. Gellasch is serving as the Past Chair for the upcoming year and is in his fourth and final year on the division management board. Under his leadership the division recently updated their bylaws to remove gendered language, added a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion officer to the management board, and also strengthened the role students have in the division. He also served as one of two division chairs on a working group to advise the GSA Executive Director on how to improve the support GSA provides to the scientific divisions.

The GSA Hydrogeology Division is one of the largest and most active divisions within the Society. The Hydrogeology Division emphasizes and focuses on the geologic aspects of hydrogeology, recognizes the role of geology in the hydrologic cycle, and the importance of hydrogeology to society and science. Approximately one thousand GSA members belong to the division and the Hydrogeology Division sponsors dozens of technical sessions at the GSA Connects meeting each year. 

Assistant Professor Peter Blackmer, Africology and African American Studies, is the Producer and Lead Interviewer of a new community-focused oral history project called Voices from the Grassroots. Several EMU students and alumni have contributed to the project, which was designed to document, preserve, and amplify the voices of grassroots organizers in Detroit during the period following the 2013 appointment of an emergency manager, a pivotal chapter in the city's history. Through interviews with longtime activists and organizers, the project explores how Detroiters are organizing their communities to challenge systemic racism and build movements for racial equity and self-determination. According to Blackmer, these stories must be told to prevent the whitewashing of Detroit's history and to preserve important lessons for future generations of organizers.

"The Voices from the Grassroots Oral History Project is important because it amplifies the voices of long-term Black Detroiters and community organizers whose resistance to systemic racism and austerity politics have been marginalized in the decade since emergency management was imposed on the city in 2013," said Blackmer.

"In the Winter 2021 semester, students in my Dimensions of Racism class (AFC244) studied these oral histories and wrote essays profiling the political thought and action of grassroots organizers in Detroit, several of which are featured on the Voices of the Grassroots website. Through this project, students developed critical analyses of systemic racism in the 21st Century, learned about community organizing, and contributed to an important resource for educating, inspiring, and empowering future generations of activists."

Read the full EMU Today story and listen to a WEMU story.

Lolita Cummings, Professor of Public Relations, and Melissa Thrasher, EMU's Executive Director of Media Relations and Social Media, co-host the new EMU visual podcast 'Enlighten U.' Every month, an EMU student sits down with two co-hosts and a noted mental health professional to share their journey and receive insight, strategies, and resources.

"Everyone here at EMU, beginning with President James Smith, is concerned about the mental health of our students," said Dr. Cummings. “We know from research that now, more than ever, students are entering college while struggling with anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. We cannot sit idly by and watch them suffer. 'Enlighten U' is one of the many services EMU offers its students."

The first three episodes can be watched on EMU's YouTube channel:

• Student Mental Health on College Campuses – S1 • E1

• LGBTQ+ Experiences on College Campuses – S1 • E2

• Unpacking Alcoholism & College Students' Mental Health – S1 • E3

Read EMU Today features here and here.

Eastern Michigan University has earned a spot on the 2024 Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges, highlighting the institution's commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability. 

"Eastern Michigan University's inclusion on The Princeton Review's list of Green Colleges is a resounding affirmation of our institution's unwavering commitment to sustainability," said Thomas Kovacs, Professor of Meteorology and Chair of the President's Commission on Sustainability at EMU. "Our collective efforts are making a tangible impact, and we are determined to continue our journey toward a greener and more sustainable future."

One of the standout features of EMU's sustainability efforts is its impressive Green Rating of 87 out of 99, showcasing the university's substantial commitment to eco-conscious practices and policies. 

Read the full EMU Today story and watch the EMU Today TV interview.

Robert Belleman (BS, Public Administration, 1989) took office as City Manager of East Lansing in September. Belleman previously served as the city manager of Bay City from 2003-2013 and as chief administrative officer and controller for Saginaw County from 2013-2023.

"I joke that budgeting isn't as fun as it used to be because since 2008, it's always governments are cutting," Belleman told WKAR's Arjun Thakkar. "How can we partner with other agencies to provide services, leverage that partnership, to continue to provide quality services while living within our means?"

Belleman told East Lansing Info's Dustin DuFort Petty how experiences at EMU led to his career in public administration:

"When I got there, they were like, 'We don't need teachers. Can you pick something else?'" he said.

Belleman's dorm mate was working on his masters degree in Public Administration.

"That's what piqued my interest," he said. "If I can't become a history teacher, I'll go into this."

Mama Sōl (BS, Psychology, 1996) delivered the keynote address for the College of Education's Fall Dean EduTalk on Tuesday, November 14. 

Born and raised in Flint, Mama Sōl has made it her life's work to motivate and assist people, especially in her home community. Mama Sōl obtained her degree in psychology with a minor in sociology in 1996.

"EMU was my launchpad into adulthood," said Mama Sōl. "I learned time management and how to build lifelong relationships with many people from many places, and I've learned the importance of individuality."

Mama Sōl was the voice of the 2021 Detroit Pistons "We Hustle Different" campaign, serving as a powerful message to the city of Detroit, its beloved team, and die-hard fans. As a two-time breast cancer survivor, publisher, and single mother, Mama Sōl speaks profoundly about her life experiences to her audiences. Through her love of lyrics, rhythm, and music, she educates those listening to spread self-love, self-respect, and the importance of individuality.

Read the full EMU Today story.