Featured MSU Engaged Scholars
- David M. Kramer, Ph.D.
- Hannah Distinguished Professor in Photosynthesis and Bioenergetics
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Director, MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory
- College of Natural Science
New Hardware and a Social Media Model Create Opportunities for Shared Learning
David Kramer wants to answer big questions about the state of photosynthesis on our planet. Answering these big questions requires a lot of data, and, in the past, gathering this information was not easy: The technology for taking key plant measurements has been expensive, and researchers at different institutions have had no good way of sharing data.
Kramer and his colleagues have overcome these two obstacles with the development of the MultispeQ device—an affordable handheld tool for taking vital plant measurements—and the PhotosynQ software, which makes it possible to upload these measurements into "the cloud" where they can be shared and analyzed by researchers everywhere, to give greater insights into how plants work and how to make them better. The impact of this scholarship provides critical information for scientists, plant breeders, and others to improve the productivity and security of crops in communities around the world ...
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- Pat L. Crawford, Ph.D.
- Associate Professor, Landscape Architecture
- Associate Director, School of Planning, Design, and Construction
- College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Collaboration Brings Fresh Ideas for Michigan's State Parks
With 102 state parks and recreation areas, Michigan has one of the largest state park systems in the country. Millions of guests visit these properties each year, and understandably, local businesses that rely on tourism count on these sites to attract millions of dollars as well. While the Recreation Passport program—instituted in 2010—has increased revenue for the parks, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources still operates on a tight budget, one that is unable to address hundreds of millions of dollars in needed capital improvements. The DNR has been called on in recent years to assume responsibility for new properties such as the state's historic parks and Belle Isle in Detroit.
In 2012, MSU's School of Planning, Design, and Construction (SPDC) and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) launched a program that addresses some of the most pressing needs for Michigan's state parks. It is called the MSU-DNR Sustainable Park Planning Partnership, and aims for collaborative learning that puts students to work tackling projects as diverse as trail development and conference center design. The plans they have created have led, so far, to roughly $600,000 in improvements to the park system ...
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MSU Priorities
Community and Economic Development in the 21st Century
- Cheri DeClercq, Ph.D.
- Assistant Dean, MBA and Professional Masters Program
- Sanjay Gupta, Ph.D.
- Acting Dean
- Eli Broad College of Business
Applying Business Expertise to Area Nonprofits Helps Build Local Capacity
A new course in the MSU Eli Broad College of Business Executive MBA program challenges students to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world experience by collaborating with nonprofit organizations across Michigan to address pressing needs. Although working their way through an intense 20-month cohort program, and busy with families and careers of their own, these students have shown that they are more than up for this challenge.
Cheri DeClercq, assistant dean for the MBA and Professional Masters Programs, developed and organized the Social Impact Project course near the end of 2013 as a way for students to enhance their education by contributing to the community. "I wanted our students to have the opportunity to give back," said DeClercq. "They were given a lot and a lot should be expected." ...
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