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Mathematicians like Michael Puthawala are few and far between. Thanks to a National Science Foundation program, the �ձ�av��Ƶ assistant professor was able to get better acquainted with a similar mathematician 6,000 miles away. Through a joint program between the National Science Foundation, the primary U.S. agency for funding fundamental science research, and the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science, the counterpart agency in Japan, Puthawala was able to spend the first six weeks of this year in Japan. He spent extensive time with colleague Takashi Furuya of Doshisha University and was able to meet future potential collaborators as well as open doors for potential regular visits.

Claire Mooney’s journey from her Yankton home to her college home at �ձ�av��Ƶ in Brookings has been filled with career-defining side trips. Today the civil engineering major is just weeks away from graduation, which will be followed by another adventure—studying coastal engineering at Oregon State University. The fact that she is even going to studying in the field is the result of one of her side trips. She came to Brookings with an intention of studying civil engineering, but she didn’t know which branch. Following her freshman year, she and a friend decided to follow the example of her friend’s parent a generation ago. They packed a suitcase and headed to Skagway, Alaska, to work at a restaurant at the cruise ship harbor city. Those three months provided her some good spending money, improved her people skills and showed her where she wanted to focus her civil engineering career.

“Eyes in the back of your head.” For moms, absolutely. For construction workers, not so much. But there could be a time when construction workers have them, too. John Akujobi, a senior computer science major, is working on a project to do just that. He is in his second year of an effort to create a wearable device that would alert construction workers to a hazard, such as a sudden drop-off, such as the edge of a roof, or an approaching vehicle. He is working on the project under the supervision of assistant professor Chulwoo Pack as a Future Innovator of America.

On the afternoon of March 13, just before spring break began, Todd Letcher, associate professor of mechanical engineering, was notified that all three of the �ձ�av��Ƶ teams he oversees had qualified for the finals of the Gateways to Blue Skies competition, which is managed by the National Institute of Aerospace on behalf of NASA.

From health care to agriculture to education, artificial intelligence is reshaping the modern world, and college graduates must have the skills, knowledge and tools to meet the challenges and demands AI presents across nearly every industry. To ensure its graduates are ready to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven world, �ձ�av��Ƶ has announced the establishment of the Center for AI Innovation and Emergent Technologies.

The 2026 Midwest American Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting was held March 8-11 in Omaha, Nebraska, bringing together researchers and students from 12 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. “Faculty and students from �ձ�av��Ƶ were highly successful at the Midwest ASAS Annual Meeting, showcasing the strength of the university’s teaching, research and extension programs,” said John Jaeger, Calvin and Mary Hayenga Endowed Department Head of Animal Science.

Thanks to a series of grants, �ձ�av��Ƶ offers a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling with tuition, fees and books all covered — meaning these counselors could get a graduate degree debt-free.

The Midwestern Higher Education Compact has awarded �ձ�av��Ƶ, in partnership with Black Hills State University, a $250,000 Strategic Impact and Innovation Grant to support success for students pursuing careers in health professions.

The Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering at �ձ�av��Ƶ will host the Innovate AI 2026 Symposium, a one-day convening of leaders from academia, industry, government and the startup ecosystem to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming critical sectors of regional and national importance.

American music history will come to life in Brookings as the �ձ�av��Ƶ School of Performing Arts presents “A Sousa Symposium” on April 10-11 at the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center.