Thanks to Xiaoyang Zhang and Fangjun Li, two faculty members in the SDSU Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences, the National Weather Service at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration now produces current, first-rate forecasts of air quality conditions throughout the entire country. These accurate forecasts have been crucial to protecting millions of Americans from harmful, smoke-filled air this summer. 

Mental health issues—for adults and children—are on the rise in the United States.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published a study stating the number of children diagnosed with anxiety grew by 29% and the number diagnosed with depression grew by 27% between 2016 and 2020. And that’s just the children diagnosed. Thousands more have undiagnosed mental health issues that are left untreated. The South Dakota State University School of Education, Counseling and Human Development’s play therapy program—the Institute for Play Therapy Education—is working to address these challenges.

Steven Wingate, professor in the School of English and Interdisciplinary Studies, has been with SDSU since 2011, having previously spent time teaching creative writing at the College of the Holy Cross and the University of Colorado Boulder. A seasoned author, Wingate has published two novels, “Of Fathers and Fire” and “The Leave-Takers”—his latest book, which was published through the University of Nebraska Press’ Flyover Fiction Series in spring 2021. He was generous enough with his time to sit down for a question-and-answer session about his books, writing process, favorite authors and influences. 

Nicholas Butzin, assistant professor in South Dakota State University's Department of Biology and Microbiology, has been awarded a five-year, $1.3 million grant through the National Science Foundation's Faculty Early Career Development Program. The NSF CAREER award, one of NSF's most prestigious awards, supports early-career faculty members "who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization."