Faculty

THC lingers in breastmilk with no clear peak point

When breastfeeding mothers in a recent study used cannabis, its psychoactive component THC showed up in the milk they produced. The Washington State University-led research also found that, unlike alcohol, when THC was detected in milk there was no consistent time when its concentration peaked and started to decline. Importantly, the researchers discovered that the […]

Closeup of an infant breastfeeding with cannabis plants superimposed in the background.

Cross-campus graduate course addresses infrastructural racism in east Pasco

A new cross-campus course between Washington State University Pullman and WSU Tri-Cities is enabling history and architecture graduate students to bring rarely told stories about east Pasco’s racial history to life. The spring 2024 course “Issues in Architecture” (Architecture 542) examines infrastructural racism by studying how the built environment shapes communities in relationship with discrimination. […]

Students touring historical sites in east Pasco.

Geology, music, physics research advances with seed grants

The Office of Research awarded three College of Arts and Sciences faculty with 2024 New Faculty Seed Grants. The grant program supports junior faculty in developing research and scholarly or creative programs and allowing them to effectively seek out extramural funding and providing them opportunities for professional growth. “This institutional investment is crucial funding,” said […]

Washington State University.

Awards honor outstanding faculty, staff, and students

Undergraduate awards Twenty-three outstanding seniors, each representing a degree program offered in the College of Arts and Sciences at WSU Pullman, will be honored at a separate medallion ceremony on Friday, May 3, the day before commencement. By College of Arts and Sciences for WSU Insider.

Group photo of College of Arts and Sciences award winners on stage.

Growth mindset messages can close grade gap for first-generation students

Just two emails, at the right time with the right message, can make a big difference for students who are the first in their families to go to college.      A recent Washington State University study highlighted the power of an instructors’ growth mindset — the belief that abilities are not innate but can be […]

Over the Shoulder Footage of a Female Student Taking Down Notes in a Notebook, Sitting in College Auditorium on a Lecture. Young Woman with Short Hair Wearing Glasses and Studying in University

Canada lynx historic range in US likely wider than previously thought

A broader past could mean a brighter future for Canada lynx in the U.S., according to recent research. The study, published in the journal Biological Conservation, indicates that lynx might do well in the future in parts of Utah, central Idaho and the Yellowstone National Park region, even considering climate change and the lack of lynx […]

A Canadian Lynx in the wild.

Heat, cold extremes hold untapped potential for solar and wind energy

Conditions that usually accompany the kind of intense hot and cold weather that strains power grids may also provide greater opportunities to capture solar and wind energy. A Washington State University-led study found that widespread, extreme temperature events are often accompanied by greater solar radiation and higher wind speeds that could be captured by solar […]

The sun rises behind a field of wind turbines..

Colombian women’s rights pioneer got her start in Pullman

When Paulina Gómez Vega traveled to Pullman to study at Washington State College in 1921, it was because women in her country, Colombia, were barred from a university education. Gómez Vega’s experience in Pullman set her on a path that made her an education leader and an influential voice for women’s rights back home. “Everything […]

Research on issues of violence receives recognition

Melanie-Angela Neuilly, associate professor of criminology, is among 14 researchers who recently received a Distinguished Scholar Award for 2024 from the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation. The Distinguished Scholar Awards are granted to individuals in the natural and social sciences whose work will result in creating understanding around the causes, manifestations, and control of violence and aggression. […]

Melanie-Angela Neuilly.

Genes identified that allow bacteria to thrive despite toxic heavy metal in soil

Some soil bacteria can acquire sets of genes that enable them to pump the heavy metal nickel out of their systems, a study has found. This enables the bacteria to not only thrive in otherwise toxic soils but help plants grow there as well. A Washington State University-led research team pinpointed a set of genes […]

A mostly green hill with a strip of barren rock and soil.