In the News

• Deseret News Wednesday, Apr. 02, 2025

  Meet Sage, the USU police dog who is connecting the campus

  On the top floor of Utah State University’s Aggie Recreation Center, a dozen young women gathered for a self-defense class led by two members of the university’s public safety department. One of the instructors, USU Police Department officer Shane Nebeker, had his friendly K-9 partner Sage along with him.

  Nebeker let Sage off her leash and allowed the dog to roam freely throughout the room. The 18-month-old English Labrador retriever wandered around the room, greeting members of the class while carrying her leash in her mouth, and occasionally trying to sneak out and escape down the hall.

  Due to the nature of the class, where young women are taught how to address potentially traumatic situations they may find themselves in — or have already found themselves in — emotions can run high. On this day, one student was visibly upset and spent the first few minutes of the demonstration sitting against the wall, softly crying.

• Deseret News Sunday, Mar. 30, 2025

  Judge Thomas Griffith tells students 'we must not be enemies' in America

  “Never once” in his 15 years of serving on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit did Judge Thomas B. Griffith “see any of these people who had been appointed by presidents from Carter through Trump” cast a vote driven by “partisan priors.”

  “No one was in there saying, I want to win one for Trump. … Judges don’t think that way … I’m standing as a witness,” said Griffith before an audience of students and faculty at Utah State University Tuesday.

  “Now, pundits think they do. Senators think they do. Presidents think they do, but I’m telling you, they don’t. I never saw it once, OK?”

  Griffith’s comments came as part of the USU President’s Forum on Conflict and Conflict Transformation, which aims to “foster a culture of respect, open-minded inquiry and thoughtful dialogue.” Griffith titled his remarks, “Navigating Political Polarization: A Call to Constitutional Action.”

• The Herald Journal Saturday, Mar. 29, 2025

  USU forging path to becoming first four-year veterinary school in Utah

  Utah State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine is one step close to becoming the first four-year veterinary program in the state of Utah, following an announcement Thursday, detailing the college’s assurance of provisional accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education.

  A process started in 2012, when USU entered into a partnership with Washington State University, creating a “two-plus-two” program wherein students could complete their first two years of school at USU, before heading for Pullman, Washington for the final two years, has nearly reached completion.

  Dirk Vanderwall, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, spoke with The Herald Journal Thursday, about what this means for the university, the state, and prospective students.

  
   

• Phys.org Tuesday, Mar. 25, 2025

  Utah ecologists confirm that the 'Beehive State' lives up to its name

  Wildlife conservation is critical to sustaining the planet's biodiversity and health. But putting together a conservation plan is a tall order. First of all, you need to determine what species you're conserving, along with their numbers, habitat needs, threats and how they fit into a complex ecosystem.

  As pollinators for native plants and food crops, bees play a pivotal role in our ecosystem, according to Utah State University ecologist Joseph Wilson. He and undergraduate researcher Anthony Hunsaker took on the herculean task of documenting Utah's bee species using online occurrence records from the Symbiota Collection of Arthropods Network, along with specimen records housed at the USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect Research Unit located at USU's Logan campus.

• KSL Saturday, Mar. 22, 2025

  Utah State claims first-ever Mountain West gymnastics title

  SAN JOSE, Calif. — A year after Boise State claimed the inaugural Mountain West championship on their home floor — edging the host school for the title by 0.050 points — Utah State got its revenge a year later.

  The Aggies used a strong showing on uneven bars in the third rotation to lift the team past Boise State and the rest of the field to claim its first Mountain West title with a 196.100 score at the Provident Credit Union Events Center in San Jose, California.

  Boise State finished in second with a 195.950 score, followed by host San Jose State (195.350) and Air Force (195.150).

  "Incredibly proud of this team," Aggies head coach Kristin White said. "We bought into the PZF (Prepare. Zealous. Finish) mentality, and it paid off. The women deserve this. They have battled all year long and tonight it became a reality. Thank you to our staff and fans for your loyal dedication to this team. The future is bright for Utah State."

• St. George News Friday, Mar. 14, 2025

  Can Pando survive?

  Fishlake National Forest's Pando, touted as the world's largest tree, is at the center of a new online documentary, as scientists consider the organism's future and unique nature.

  PBS Digital Studio collaborated with Atlas Obscura and Nature to create Untold Earth, which is geared toward "unpacking the stories behind North America's strangest, most unique natural wonders," according to the PBS website. Season 2 kicked off in February with "This Is Not a Forest," a 10-minute episode featuring the Pando clone. 

  The episode opens with an aerial view of the tree in autumn -- an expanse of golden leaves shimmering from their stems, all growing from the same root system. The tree was given its nickname, "Pando," which is Latin for "I spread," by scientist Michael Grant in a 1992 Discover Magazine article due to how it spreads across the landscape, St. George News previously reported.

• Yahoo! Wednesday, Mar. 12, 2025

  USU grad designs a sock to keep toes warm in harsh weather

  LOGAN, Utah — Winter weather is heading to Utah.

  Whether this coming storm means you’ll be hitting the slopes, shoveling the driveway or building a snowman with the kids, cold toes are likely to make an appearance. However, one Utah State University graduate’s invention could be the key to keeping your toes warm during those activities. 

  “Do you want to take a picture and show me?” Jack Danos asked his friend, and employee, who was holding an infrared camera. Danos wanted to see how warm his toes were after standing in the snow for roughly 10 minutes with nothing on his feet except a pair of ColdSlayer socks.

• MSN Wednesday, Mar. 12, 2025

  We got rid of acid rain. Now something scarier is falling from the sky.

  In the 1970s, acid rain was one of the most serious environmental threats in North America and Europe. The air was so laden with pollution from coal power plants and cars at the time that it turned the rain toxic. Downpours killed fish, destroyed forests, eroded statues, and damaged buildings, sparking public outcry. 

  “Acid rain is a particularly alarming demonstration of the simple adage that what goes up must come down,” former Colorado Senator Gary Hart said in 1979. “With acid rain,” he said, “what comes down is much worse than what went up — worse in its potential damage to trees and crops, worse in its potential damage to fresh-water lakes and fish and tourism.”

  A few decades later, acid rain had largely disappeared. 

• KSL Friday, Mar. 07, 2025

  USU researcher focuses on keeping 'forever chemicals' out of our water, food

  LOGAN — A research project at Utah State University is targeting so-called "forever chemicals" that often end up in our groundwater and ultimately in some food sources.

  The harmful compounds are more commonly known in the science community as polyfluoroalkyl substances. Ryan Dupont, a professor in civil and environmental engineering, said PFAS are found just about everywhere.

  "You don't have to be in a highly industrialized community in order to see them in the wastewater," Dupont said. "They come from nonstick pans, they come from fast food containers, because they have properties that keep the grease from getting into the containers."

  Researchers on Dupont's team are targeting the sludge that wastewater treatment plants often turn into compost. He said the compost, in turn, feeds plants that animals eat, which then end up in our food chain. The PFAS also seep into our groundwater, making them unavoidable. Dupont points to studies that show that even very small amounts of the compounds can negatively impact liver function and how our bodies take in vaccines.

• Cache Valley Daily Thursday, Mar. 06, 2025

  USU online Psychology Bachelors Degree ranked nationally

  LOGAN - The online Psychology Bachelor’s Degree is one of the most sought after online degrees at Utah State University and last month was recognized nationally.

  U.S. News & World Report announced it’s annual rankings of the nation’s top online bachelor’s degree programs in February and USU was listed 21st. In 2024 this online program served a total enrollment of 3,041students including 200 full-time online psychology majors and 793 psychology majors enrolled in multiple instruction modes.

  The USU Department of Psychology is a division of the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services and has produced a top-notch online bachelor’s degree program.

• The Herald Journal Thursday, Mar. 06, 2025

  Utah State University Launches Redesign of Statewide Enterprise

  As Utah’s land-grant university, Utah State has started a redesign project of its Statewide Enterprise to modernize and optimize its Statewide system to better serve and address Utahns needs across the state.

  “We are shaping a future where connection drives impact — where our communities and students have greater access to transformative learning opportunities and resources,” stated Ken White, vice president of Utah State’s Statewide Enterprise. “By expanding educational pathways and empowering individuals to thrive wherever they are, we are building a stronger, more agile university — together. We highly encourage students, faculty, staff and our community members across the state to share your input to help shape Utah State’s future.”

  The project focuses on optimizing and modernizing Utah State’s 30 statewide campuses, centers, extension offices, gardens and small business development hubs, which serve all 29 counties across the state. The goal is to enhance academic excellence, accessibility and community impact to better meet the educational and economic needs of Utah.

• KSL Monday, Mar. 03, 2025

  USU researcher focuses on keeping 'forever chemicals' out of our water, food

  LOGAN, Utah — A research project at Utah State University is targeting so-called ‘forever chemicals’ that often end up in our groundwater and ultimately in some food sources.

  The harmful compounds are more commonly known in the science community as polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Dr. Ryan Dupont, a professor in civil and environmental engineering, said PFAS are found just about everywhere.

• The Herald Journal Saturday, Mar. 01, 2025

  USU students reflect on presenting at Capitol

  Utah State University sent 30 undergraduate students from seven different colleges to present research projects at the Utah State Capitol Feb. 20, as part of USU’s Year of Undergraduate Research.

  Four of those students spoke with The Herald Journal, sharing overviews of their research, as well as what it meant to showcase their work to their public.

  Rebecca Elwood, who recently got her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in health communication, advocated for a codified law ensuring recess for K-12 students.

• Cache Valley Daily Monday, Feb. 24, 2025

  USU research team will measure abuse in college sports

  LOGAN - Within Utah State University’s Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, associate professor Travis Dorsch and two doctoral students are conducting research to collect data on abuse in sports not only at the collegiate level but also in intramural, extramural and recreational play in young adult programs.

  Dorsch said USU’s contract with Lasso Safe will allow the school to provide the non-profit with reliable data collection that will keep Lasso Safe at the front of the safeguarding space.

  Safeguarding in sports involves protecting the best interests of coaches with their athletes.

• The Salt Lake Tribune Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025

  Alan L. Smith will be USU's interim president

  A renowned researcher and dean at Utah State University will serve as interim president while the search starts to find a replacement for Elizabeth “Betsy” Cantwell, who announced her sudden departure last week.

  Alan L. Smith will take the helm of the Logan school in the coming weeks, with Cantwell slated to leave quickly — starting a new position as president of Washington State University on April 1.

  Smith has been at USU since 2021 and currently oversees the College of Education and Human Services. In a statement Wednesday, he said he wants to “ensure stability and continued momentum as the search for the next president moves forward.”

• Cache Valley Daily Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025

  Report highlights USU's role in fueling N. Utah's innovation and economy

  LOGAN — Utah State University (USU) is playing a crucial role in shaping Northern Utah’s economic landscape, serving as a catalyst for innovation and industry growth. A recent study on Utah’s innovation ecosystem highlights the university’s contributions in human capital development, research and development (R&D), and commercialization of new technologies.

  According to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, USU is a leader in aerospace and defense research, energy innovation, and life sciences, making significant contributions to the state’s economy. As an R1 research institution, USU has consistently attracted federal funding, with its Space Dynamics Laboratory securing major contracts with NASA and the Department of Defense.

• Cache Valley Daily Thursday, Feb. 06, 2025

  Harvard scientist to speak at USU Commencement

  LOGAN - Plans are complete for the 138th Utah State University commencement in Logan. Activities will unfold over three days in late April and early May.

  The academic procession and commencement ceremony will begin Wednesday, April 30, at 6:30 in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. College convocations and hooding ceremonies will follow May 1-2. Graduation ceremonies at USU’s statewide campuses are schedule from April 17-26 at USU Uintah Basin, Tooele, Brigham City, Blanding, Eastern, Moab and Southwest.

  Receiving an honorary doctorate degree and serving as USU’s Logan commencement speaker will be M. William Lensch, a USU alum who is the associate provost for research at Harvard University. “Willy” Lensch is a 1991 USU graduate in biology who went on to earn a doctorate degree in molecular and medical genetics from Oregon Health Sciences University.

• KSL Thursday, Feb. 06, 2025

  How drones could be the future in boosting Utah's precipitation

  SALT LAKE CITY — Utah has experimented with cloud seeding for decades, using ground devices and airplanes to disperse silver iodide and liquid propane to pad moisture statistics in one of the nation's driest states.

  These efforts have helped boost precipitation by about 6% to 12% over the past 30 years, Jonathan Jennings, meteorologist and cloud seeding coordinator for the Utah Division of Water Resources, explained to lawmakers and others gathered outside the state Capitol Thursday.

  "(It) might not seem like a lot, but when you cover the entire state of Utah and then expand it over a decade, that's an additional half-year to a year of precipitation," he said, adding that it's produced as much as 200,000 acre-feet of additional water flowing in Utah's streams.

• Hoodline Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025

  USU Alumna Sandra McDougall Honoring Memories with Gifts to USU

  Utah State University alumna, Sandra McDougall has made a mark not only as an educator in Brigham City, Utah but also as a significant benefactor to USU's future. McDougall, whose career spanned over three decades in elementary education, is ensuring her and her late husband's legacy continues through planned gifts to the university, according to USU Today.

• Cache Valley Daily Monday, Jan. 27, 2025

  USU engineering professor named 2025 IEEE Fellow

  LOGAN - Each year the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (or IEEE) confers the grade of Fellow to one-tenth of one percent of the organization’s 460,000 members.

  The grade of Fellow is conferred on IEEE members with extraordinary records of accomplishments in the technical fields.

  A Utah State University professor since 2012, Regan Zane, is among the newly-elected IEEE Fellows. It is the highest grade of IEEE membership and an important career achievement. He is a member of the IEEE Power Electronics Society and is one of seven members of that group elevated to Fellow.

• The Herald Journal Friday, Jan. 24, 2025

  USU's experts provide update on moisture, weather

  Thanks to serviceable amounts of mountain snowfall around Cache Valley, the low total on the valley floor is not immediately concerning to local experts, though the forecast of a relatively dry winter could change that, if it holds.

  Casey Olson, a climate data analyst for Utah State University, provided updates on mountain snowpack and the outlook for the rest of the winter, as of now.

  “We are below normal right now,” Olson said. “We can’t write off the rest of the winter yet. Although, there is some concern… looking ahead into the seasonal outlook because it’s continuing to favor a dryer-than-average spring and late-winter.”

• Cache Valley Daily Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025

  Aggies Walk the Walk honors Martin Luther King, Jr.

  LOGAN - Wednesday on the Utah State University campus USU Athletics, partnering with several campus organizations, invites the community to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day by joining the second annual Aggies Walk the Walk at 6 p.m.

  The community walk begins from the east entrance of Old Main to the Wayne Estes Center to hear speeches by USU leaders and students related to Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

• Cache Valley Daily Friday, Jan. 17, 2025

  USU declares 2025 the year of undergraduate research

  LOGAN - The Utah State University Undergraduate Research Program was created in 1975.

  Since this is the 50th year of the program at USU — and because it is the second oldest such program in the nation after MIT — USU has declared 2025 the Year of Undergraduate Research.

  The program strives to help students find, fund, and present research that the students feel passionately about. Undergraduate research enhances student learning through mentoring relationships with faculty and develops understanding of research methodology.

• Cache Valley Daily Friday, Jan. 17, 2025

  USU student recognized with award by the Board of Trustees

  LOGAN — The Utah State University Board of Trustees recently recognized a student for his exceptional involvement in the USU community, academics and personal growth.

  Andrew Hunting, a senior at Utah State University studying economics, data analytics, and mathematics was recognized at a USU Board of Trustees meeting Friday, Jan. 10 with a prestigious award known as a Resolution of Commendation.

  "Andrew exemplifies the very best of our Aggie spirit, rooted deeply in the legacy of USU," said USUSA President Matthew Richey, who presented the award. "A proud fourth-generation Aggie, Andrew has continued a family tradition of excellence at Utah State, enriching the university through his leadership, scholarship, and service."