A study conducted by a team of WSU researchers found rats with regular access to cannabis seek more of the substance and tend to show increased drug-seeking behavior when cannabis is absent.
The research—a collaboration of chemists, psychologists, and neuroscientists—is the next step in better understanding cognitive and neural effects of cannabis use in humans. » More …
Each year the WSU Showcase awards recognize the outstanding achievements of faculty and staff. Eight CAS faculty were among those honored in the spring of 2020. These individuals stand among the world’s top scholars, the nation’s most effective and beloved instructors, and the University’s most dedicated and visionary professionals.
The 2020 CAS honorees are: » More …
Inside the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WADDL) on the WSU Pullman campus, three recent Coug alumae—Victoria Fitzpatrick (biology), Sylena Harper (chemistry and biochemistry), and Hannah Wilson (genetics and cell biology)—are busy providing laboratory results that could save lives.
Since last July, the three have been working in shifts to process COVID-19 tests from throughout the Palouse and eastern Washington. To date, the lab has tested over 55,000 samples. » More …
The WSU Office of Undergraduate Research named 12 CAS students as recipients of four different fellowships for 2020-21. Each will receive funding to support of mentored research, scholarship and creative activities for the 2020-21 academic year.
“In addition to the long-established Auvil and Carson undergraduate research awards and the NSF-funded Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP), we received additional support this year from an anonymous donor. This made it possible to support » More …
Meet the college’s newest faculty, whose disciplinary expertise—from origin of life and supermassive black holes to political psychology, ancient economics, and interdisciplinary art—enriches and expands the arts and sciences at WSU. » More …
The WSU Nuclear Science Center, in collaboration with the Department of Chemistry and the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, will acquire a new high-resolution X-ray spectrometer to perform both X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy.
The high-resolution X-ray spectrometer will benefit analytical chemistry and materials science research at WSU by providing the means to perform more accurate measurements of materials found in spent nuclear fuels, nuclear waste forms, and fuel materials. » More …
Ralph Yount has given hope to millions of people who will never know his name. During his 44-year career as a professor of chemistry and molecular biosciences at WSU, Yount’s study of muscle function advanced medical understanding of diseases such as muscular dystrophy, ALS, and myasthenia gravis. His work focused on the way muscles contract, specifically the relationship between a muscle protein called myosin and ATP, the molecule involved in energy transfer. His creation of an ATP analog was critical to work that eventually led to two Nobel prizes and has been cited in more than 4,000 papers.
In the spring of 2020, WSU recognized Yount with an honorary doctorate.
Five CAS faculty members in four academic areas—chemistry, Spanish, humanities, and English—are creating free, open educational resources for their courses with the help of WSU Affordable Learning Grants.
By shifting from traditional textbooks to openly licensed course materials, faculty have saved WSU students more than $1 million savings in textbook costs over the past four years. Students have also reported a very high satisfaction rate with online, affordable course materials versus » More …
From the impact of a Universal Basic Income to safer nuclear fuel, scholarly and creative work by this year’s CAS recipients of New Faculty Seed Grant awards spans a range of topics and disciplines.
The grant program helps junior faculty build a foundation for their research and creative programs. This kick-start funding creates opportunities for professional growth and also provides a basis for » More …
To help chemistry students complete hands-on lab requirements while transitioned to remote instruction due to COVID-19, the Department of Chemistry will provide home lab kits to students taking selected undergraduate chemistry courses during the Summer 2020 term.
“Given the current ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ order in Washington state, we revisited the idea of lab kits as an alternative for in-person labs. Today’s kits have increased in sophistication and are able to » More …