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Research Matters: Can Neurons Transmit Light?
Neurons, the cells in brains and spinal cords that make up the central nervous system, communicate by firing electrical pulses. But scientists have found hints that neurons may transmit light as well, which would profoundly change our current understanding of how the nervous system works. Researchers from the University of Rochester have begun an ambitious project to study if living neurons can transmit light through their axons — the long, tail-like nerve fibers of neurons that resemble optical fibers. “There are scientific papers offering indications that light transport could happen in neuron axons, but there’s still not clear experimental evidence,” says the principal investigator, Pablo Postigo, a professor at the university's Institute of Optics. “Scientists have shown that there is ultra-weak photon emission in the brain, but no one understands why the light is there.” If light is at play and scientists can understand why, it could have major implications for medically treating brain diseases and drastically change the way physicians heal the brain. To learn more about Postigo's research, contact him at ppostigo@ur.rochester.edu.
AI-powered model predicts post-concussion injury risk in college athletes
Athletes who suffer a concussion have a serious risk of reinjury after returning to play, but identifying which athletes are most vulnerable has always been a bit of a mystery, until now. Using artificial intelligence (AI), University of Delaware researchers have developed a novel machine learning model that predicts an athlete’s risk of lower-extremity musculoskeletal (MKS) injury after concussion with 95% accuracy. A recent study published in Sports Medicine details the development of the AI model, which builds on previously published research showing that the risk of post-concussion injury doubles, regardless of the sport. The most common post-concussive injuries include sprains, strains, or even broken bones or torn ACLs. “This is due to brain changes we see post-concussion,” said Thomas Buckley, professor of kinesiology and applied physiology at the College of Health Sciences. These brain changes affect athletes’ balance, cognition, and reaction times and can be difficult to detect in standard clinical testing. “Even a minuscule difference in balance, reaction time, or cognitive processing of what’s happening around you can make the difference between getting hurt and not,” Buckley said. How AI is changing injury risk assessment Recognizing the need for enhanced injury reduction risk tools, Buckley collaborated with colleagues in UD’s College of Engineering, Austin Brockmeier, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, and César Claros, a fourth-year doctoral student; Wei Qian, associate professor of statistics in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources; and former KAAP postdoctoral fellow Melissa Anderson, who’s now an assistant professor at Ohio University. To assess injury risk, Brockmeier and Claros developed a comprehensive AI model that analyzes more than 100 variables, including sports and medical histories, concussion type, and pre- and post-concussion cognitive data. “Every athlete is unique, especially across various sports,” said Brockmeier. “Tracking an athlete’s performance over time, rather than relying on absolute values, helps identify disturbances, deviations, or deficits that, when compared to their baseline, may signal an increased risk of injury.” While some sports, such as football, carry higher injury risk, the model revealed that individual factors are just as important as the sport played. “We tested a version of the model that doesn’t have access to the athlete’s sport, and it still accurately predicted injury risk,” Brockmeier said. “This highlights how unique characteristics—not just the inherent risks of a sport—play a critical role in determining the likelihood of future injury,” said Brockmeier. The research, which tracked athletes over two years, also found that the risk of MSK injury post-concussion extends well into the athlete’s return to play. “Common sense would suggest that injuries would occur early in an athlete’s return to play, but that’s simply not true,” said Buckley. “Our research shows that the risk of future injury increases over time as athletes compensate and adapt to small deficits they may not even be aware of.” The next step for Buckey’s Concussion Research Lab is to further collaborate with UD Athletics’ strength and conditioning staff to design real-time interventions that could reduce injury risk. Beyond sports: AI’s potential in aging research The implications of the UD-developed machine-learning model extend far beyond sports. Brockmeier believes the algorithm could be used to predict fall risk in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Claros is also exploring how the injury risk reduction model can be applied to aging research with the Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging. “We want to use brain measurements to investigate whether baseline lifestyle measurements such as weight, BMI, and smoking history are predictive of future mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease,” said Claros. To arrange an interview with Buckley, email UD's media relations team at MediaRelations@udel.edu
Trump Holds Firm on Resolving Trade Deficit with China
Dr. Meena Bose, Hofstra University professor of political science, executive dean of the Public Policy and Public Service program, and director of the Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, was featured on Fox News Radio stations around the country, talking about President Trump’s unwillingness to negotiate with China on tariffs. He said that the United States’ trade deficit with China amounts to more than $1 trillion, and he’s not open to making a deal with them until that surplus is resolved. Dr. Bose appeared on WTVN in Columbus, OH; KFTK in St. Louis, MO; WFRK in Florence, SC; WILS in Lansing, MI; WBAP in Dallas, TX; WJR in Detroit, MI; and WHO Des Moines, IA.
A final disbursement of $8.8 million completes the $17.8 million grant awarded by the Department of Defense (DoD) to Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) Convergence Lab Initiative (CLI). The funding allows CLI to continue advancing research in the areas of quantum and photonic devices, microelectronics, artificial intelligence, neuromorphic computing, arts and biomedical science. “The Convergence Lab Initiative represents a unique opportunity to drive innovation at the intersection of advanced technologies, preparing our students to tackle the critical challenges of tomorrow,” said Nibir Dhar, Ph.D., electrical and computer engineering professor and CLI director. “By combining cutting-edge research in electro-optics, infrared, radio frequency and edge computing, we are equipping the next generation of engineers with the skills to shape the future of both defense and commercial industries.” Working with Industry Partnership is at the heart of CLI and what makes the initiative unique. CivilianCyber, Sivananthan Laboratories and the University of Connecticut are among several collaborators focusing on cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research and workforce development. The lightweight, low-power components CLI helps develop are capable of transforming military operations and also have commercial applications. The Convergence Lab Initiative has 25 collaborative projects in this area focused on: Electro-optic and Infrared Technologies: Enhancing thermal imaging for medical diagnostics, search-and-rescue operations and environmental monitoring. This improves military intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Radio Frequency and Beyond 5G Communication: Developing ultra-fast, low-latency communication systems for autonomous vehicles, smart cities and telemedicine. Accelerating advancements in this area also address electronic warfare challenges and security vulnerabilities. Optical Communication in the Infrared Wavelength: Increasing data transmission rates to create more efficient networks that support cloud computing, data centers, AI research and covert military communications. Edge Technologies: Creating low size, weight and low power-consuming (SWaP) computing solutions for deployment in constrained environments, such as wearables, medical devices, internet of things devices and autonomous systems. These technologies enhance real-time decision-making capabilities for agriculture, healthcare, industrial automation and defense. Benefits for Students College of Engineering students at VCU have an opportunity to engage with cutting-edge research as part of the DoD grant. Specialized workforce development programs, like the Undergraduate CLI Scholars Program, provide hands-on experience in advanced technologies. The STEM training also includes students from a diverse range of educational backgrounds to encourage a cross-disciplinary environment. Students can also receive industry-specific training through CLI’s Skill-Bridge Program, which facilitates direct connections between business needs and academic education. Unlike the DoD program for transitioning military personnel, the CLI Skill-Bridge is open to students from VCU and other local universities, creating direct connections between industry needs and academic training. This two-way relationship between academia and industry is unlike traditional academic research centers. With the College of Engineering’s focus on public-private partnerships, VCU becomes a registered partner with the participating businesses, collaborating to design individualized training programs focused on the CLI’s core research areas. This approach ensures students receive relevant, up-to-date training while companies gain access to a pipeline of skilled talent familiar with the latest industry trends and innovations. “The significance of this grant extends beyond immediate research outcomes. It addresses critical capability gaps for both the DoD and commercial sectors,” says Dhar. “This dual-use approach maximizes DoD investment impacts and accelerates innovation in areas that affect everyday life — from healthcare and environmental monitoring to communication networks and smart infrastructure. Breakthroughs emerging from these collaborations will strengthen national security while creating commercial spinoffs that drive economic growth and improve quality of life for communities both locally and globally. Advances in infrared technology, in particular, will position the VCU College of Engineering as a center for defense technologies and new ideas.”
Are test-optional colleges being straight with students when they say the absence of SAT and ACT scores on an application won’t affect a student’s chances of being admitted? “Colleges are not trying to trick or trap applicants,” says Robert Alexander, who oversees the admissions process at the University of Rochester, where he is a vice provost and the dean of enrollment management. “No one is trying to fool anyone into thinking, ‘I don’t have to submit a test score,’ when that test score is secretly make-or-break.” Much more important in any academic assessment, Alexander says, is and always has been the four years of academic performance detailed in an applicant’s high school transcript. He says most colleges, including Rochester, take a deep dive into the transcript to not only consider the student’s grade point average, but also the rigor of the high school and its curriculum and why the student selected certain courses. “Some students are limited by the opportunities offered at their schools,” Alexander says. “In that case, colleges look for what they have done to utilize their resources and push beyond those limitations.” The University of Rochester has a test-optional policy. The average standardized test score of incoming students has been trending upward, in part because the students who are most likely to submit their scores on their applications are those with strong scores. Alexander says prospective students and their families can use the average test scores at the college or university they’re considering as a barometer, but not the arbiter of whether a student will gain acceptance. “I think admissions officers are being as transparent as possible in telling students what they require,” Alexander says. Alexander is an expert in undergraduate admissions and enrollment management who speaks on the subjects to national audiences and whose work has been published in national publications. Click his profile to reach him.
President Trump Uses Law Enforcement to Access Independent Agencies
Dr. Meena Bose, Hofstra University professor of political science, executive dean of the Public Policy and Public Service program, and director of the Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, is featured in The Washington Post article: “Trump uses power and police to help DOGE access independent agencies.” “It’s a clear strategy of asserting executive power and challenging any willingness or efforts to restrict that power,” said Dr. Bose.
Why generative AI 'hallucinates' and makes up stuff
Generative artificial intelligence tools, like OpenAI’s GPT-4, are sometimes full of bunk. Yes, they excel at tasks involving human language, like translating, writing essays, and acting as a personalized writing tutor. They even ace standardized tests. And they’re rapidly improving. But they also “hallucinate,” which is the term scientists use to describe when AI tools produce information that sounds plausible but is incorrect. Worse, they do so with such confidence that their errors are sometimes difficult to spot. Christopher Kanan, an associate professor of computer science with an appointment at the Goergen Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Rochester, explains that the reasoning and planning capabilities of AI tools are still limited compared with those of humans, who excel at continual learning. “They don’t continually learn from experience,” Kanan says of AI tools. “Their knowledge is effectively frozen after training, meaning they lack awareness of recent developments or ongoing changes in the world.” Current generative AI systems also lack what’s known as metacognition. “That means they typically don’t know what they don’t know, and they rarely ask clarifying questions when faced with uncertainty or ambiguous prompts,” Kanan says. “This absence of self-awareness limits their effectiveness in real-world interactions.” Kanan is an expert in artificial intelligence, continual learning, and brain-inspired algorithms who welcomes inquiries from journalists and knowledge seekers. He recently shared his thoughts on AI with WAMC Northeast Public Radio and with the University of Rochester News Center. Reach out to Kanan by clicking on his profile.
Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University Professor James Sample provided expert constitutional analysis to CNN, ABC News and CBS Radio on recent news of President Trump seeking a potential third term.
University of Delaware's physical therapy program ranked #1 graduate school in the U.S.
The University of Delaware's physical therapy program has been ranked #1 in the 2026 edition of Best Graduate Schools, U.S. News and World Report. The program has revolutionized the use of prosthetics, helped students become trainers for Super Bowl champions and boasts unique specialized training. Darcy Reisman, chair of the program, can talk about the following: Research: One study incorporated walking into daily behavior for stroke patients. Our PT researchers have also revolutionized the use of prosthetics to improve the lives of those who have lost limbs. Professional outcomes: Two of our PT grads were on the Philadelphia Eagles’ training staff during their Super Bowl run. Another is working in Major League Soccer with a Tennessee-based team. Specialized training: UDPT has an accredited Manual Fellowship Program that provides post-professional training for physical therapists in the specialized area of Manual Therapy.Research In total, U.S. news ranked 24 UD graduate programs among the best in the nation. Among those, 13 were in the top 50, including chemical engineering at #8.
In new book, entomologist shows homeowners how to make changes in their yards
They asked, he answered. In his new book, "How Can I Help?: Saving Nature with Your Yard," nationally known University of Delaware entomologist Doug Tallamy addresses the most common questions he receives from homeowners looking to do their part to impact the food web, boost biodiversity and replace invasive plants with native ones. “Change is afoot!” Tallamy writes in the book, which was released today, April 8. “The cultural change from an adversarial relationship with nature to a collaborative one is starting to happen, and it gives me hope about the future of diversity and thus our own future.” Tallamy, TA Baker Professor of Agriculture and Natural Resources, wrote “How Can I Help” to tackle questions he’s received over email and during talks he has given around the U.S. “I get the same questions over and over again,” Tallamy said. “They fall into easily arranged categories: Questions about oaks, questions about ecology, questions about invasive plants. The book almost wrote itself in that sense.” Some of those common questions include: • Why should I care about the food web? • How should I choose the right native plants for my property? • What is the greatest threat to oaks? • How do we prioritize which invasive species to get rid of? • Are bug zappers hurting insect populations? • Is it better to have fewer plants of lots of species or more plants of fewer species? • Is it good to feed the birds? Tallamy is available for interviews to discuss "How Can I Help" or other relevant topics. To reach him directly, visit his profile and click on the "connect" button.
