Featured MSU Engaged Scholars
- Irving E. Vega, Ph.D.
- Associate Professor, Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine
- College of Human Medicine
Fighting Alzheimer's Disease in the Latino Community
Irving Vega studies cell changes in neurodegenerative disorders. Recruited from the University of Puerto Rico, Vega's emphasis on Alzheimer's disease, translational research, training, and community-based interventions made him a solid addition to the College of Human Medicine expansion. He joined the University in September 2014, and is based in the new MSU Grand Rapids Research Center.
As a native of Puerto Rico, Dr. Vega is particularly interested in the high rate of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that affects Latinos, and the extra stressors it adds to those immigrants in the United States. His research has identified biomarkers that appear to be associated with Alzheimer's, and he is committed to translational research that has practical applications for communities ...
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- Vashti Sawtelle, Ph.D.
- Assistant Professor, Physics Education
- Lyman Briggs College
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
- College of Natural Science
Can Physics Educators Create a More Encouraging Environment for Black, Latino, and Native American Science Students?
Vashti Sawtelle is a physics education researcher who is deeply interested in ethnic, racial, and gender equity. Her work during the past ten years has focused on how students from diverse backgrounds experience science.
It is a topic that Sawtelle considers timely, as well as imperative. There are not enough minorities or women in the field of physics, and the statistics are dispiriting.
The American Institute of Physics (AIP) tracks the data via its Statistical Research Center, which is the source for information about education and employment in physics, astronomy, and other physical sciences ...
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- Joseph P. Messina, Ph.D.
- Professor, Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences
- Associate Dean for Research
- College of Social Science
Using Satellite Data to Help Communities on the Ground
Joe Messina is known in many quarters for his work using geographic information to map tsetse fly habitat in Africa, putting an important tool in the hands of governments seeking to curtail the spread of the parasites that cause sleeping sickness. With geographic information systems (GIS) (computer systems that a researcher uses to gather, organize, and display geographic data) and remote sensing (extracting information without being in direct contact with the subject, often using satellites or drones), Messina has been very successful in identifying actual and potential tsetse fly habitat.
Messina is more than the "tsetse fly guy," however, as he and his graduate students continue to work with governments, communities, and researchers around the world, applying geographic data to important local issues—from agricultural resilience in the face of climate change in Southeast Asia to determining whether a community should build a new hospital in southeast Michigan. Their work illustrates how a constellation of relationships and partnerships propels research forward ...
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