Wayne State University’s Department of Chemistry has been rated third in the country for its percentage of female faculty by the Open Chemistry Collaborative in Diversity Equity (OXIDE). For years, STEM fields have been a male-dominated, but with help from OXIDE, a diversity equity initiative co-funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of […]
Researching cancer from a different perspective
After her 11-year-old brother was diagnosed with Wilms tumor, a type of kidney cancer, Athraa Hannawa, 22, decided to use her passion for sociology to understand why certain populations are more likely to get cancer. “We already know how cancer forms. I want to figure out why. There are so many theories out there — […]
Seeing Detroit as a microcosm of the world
Sociology chair explores the city’s importance Jeffrey Kentor, Ph.D., possesses a unique perspective of Detroit and brings his fresh outlook and passion for research to Wayne State’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, where he has served as the chair of the Department of Sociology since the beginning of this year. Born in Pittsburgh and […]
Nutrition and food science student helps homeless
After encountering homeless people in Detroit, nutrition and food science major Alyssa Washeleski, 19, decided to take action. “I didn’t have anything to give them. I wanted to do something to help, but wasn’t sure how,” said Washeleski. After some research, Washeleski came across the idea for blessing bags. Blessing bags are filled with various […]
Abbass Berjaoui – Helping Detroit overcome health disparities
Abbass Berjaoui, a second-year student pursuing a bachelor’s in biology, is no stranger to the consequences of health disparities. It’s the reason he was compelled to create MedEq: Medical Equity at Wayne State. MedEq is a nonprofit student organization that aims to reduce health disparities and promote equity in the health care system. Berjaoui, 20, […]
Poetry in prison led by criminal justice student
Leah Ouellet, who is currently working toward a master’s in criminal justice at Wayne State University, spends her Monday evenings hosting a writing circle with inmates at a local correctional facility to aid in the efforts of restructuring the prison system. Ouellet, 25, got involved with the Prison Creative Arts Project after spending time working […]
Q&A with anthropology student Kaitlin Carter
Kaitlin Carter, 21, a senior anthropology student at Wayne State University, has been working alongside assistant professor Julie Lesnik to educate people about entomophagy, or the practice of eating insects. We spoke with Carter about her experiences in the field and working on Eating Insects Detroit, the first international entomophagy conference in the U.S. What made […]
Urban planning student works to alleviate food scarcity
Jared Talaga, 26, is a graduate student working toward a master’s in urban planning at Wayne State University. He is working alongside Growing Hope, an agricultural focused nonprofit in Ypsilanti, Michigan, to assess their local food system this summer. Through his data collection and assessment, Talaga hopes that he can help persuade people to grow […]
Keep Your Cool During Crunch Time
With finals approaching, all of your due dates are piling up. Stay in control by getting organized now. Finals are quickly approaching, which means your due dates for all major assignments, projects, and papers are likely all stacked together neatly on the calendar. Before cursing your professors for ganging up on you, and before breaking […]
Rescue, Not Retail
Five common misconceptions people have about adopting a dog from a shelter. Spring is here, the weather is warming up, and soon you will see countless new puppies strolling down the streets with their new owners. If you’re anything like me, you don’t get baby fever, you get puppy fever, and this is flu season. […]