Research

Leah Crenshaw holding a western meadowlark.

Alumna Receives NSF Graduate Fellowship for Avian Conservation Research

August 24, 2023 — For Leah Crenshaw, M.S. ‘23 an active biologist and nature lover, finding harmony between the natural and human worlds is her dream.

title: transgender health subtitle: interdisciplinary research

Novel and Interdisciplinary Research on Transgender Health

June 27, 2023 — Faculty and doctoral students conduct an interdisciplinary and novel research to improve transgender healthcare – También en español

Grad Students Researching Methods to Strengthen Mental Health Training in Rural Schools

October 19, 2022 — Third-year graduate students, Ashley Coburn and Breanna King are on their way to becoming licensed psychologists. Before they earn a Ph.D. from the School of Psychology program, they’re taking a deeper look into a topic affecting youth across the country, especially those living in the rural mountain west – mental health.

Doctoral Students Present Dissertation Projects in Three-Minute Competition

February 18, 2022 — Three minutes and a single presentation slide. That’s the challenge a handful of UNC doctoral students have accepted to describe their dissertation projects, using non-technical language anyone can understand.

Screenshot of Animal Crossings, New Horizons game

Exploring the Relationship Between Social Gaming, Anxiety and Loneliness

June 8, 2021 — Two UNC faculty members and a UNC graduate student published research they hope influences the perspective that social video games can have a positive impact on individuals with higher anxiety.

Scott Franklin and students researching in the river pre-COVID

UNC Faculty Provide Expertise, Student Involvement in Local Environmental Efforts

April 9, 2021 — Community involvement runs deep at UNC where campus community members are often involved in volunteering efforts and more. Four UNC faculty members share current efforts that they are involved in as well as how they involve their students:

SHC nurse holding packs of vaccine needles

UNC Immunology Expert Discusses COVID-19 Vaccines, Debunks Misinformation

March 9, 2021 — Nick Pullen, Ph.D., an associate professor of Biological Sciences at UNC, shares his expertise on the COVID-19 vaccines and debunks some of the conspiracy theories surrounding them.

Patrick Burns working on research as part of the grant in his lab at UNC

U.S. Department of Agriculture Awards UNC Grant to Improve Pregnancy Outcomes in Dairy and Beef Cows

February 8, 2021 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded UNC a four-year, $500,000 grant to improve pregnancy outcomes in dairy and beef cows.

Scott Franklin poses in a burnt area from a previous wildfire

UNC Expert: Wildfires to Become More Common with Longer Seasons

November 3, 2020 — Experts aren’t surprised that devastating wildfires events are occurring, including Scott Franklin, Ph.D., a professor of Biology at UNC. Franklin said that a combination of bark beetles damaging trees, drier and warmer weather events and vast availability of fuel from wood debris has created the perfect storm this fire season.

Photo of money, handcuffs and a judge's hammer

Researchers Improve Bail Risk Assessment Tool in Colorado

September 25, 2020 — Over a period of more than two years, two UNC faculty members have reviewed the Colorado Pretrial Assessment Tool for accuracy when determining risk of new arrest or failing to appear in court for arrested individuals that have posted bond. They discovered room for improvement, resulting in the new Colorado Pretrial Assessment Tool-Revised.

2020 McNair Research Award Winners

September 22, 2020 — The McNair Scholars Program, which prepares students from disadvantaged backgrounds for graduate school through research and other scholarly activities, has announced its 2020 McNair Research Award winners.

A look at certain counties in Colorado regarding COVID-19 earlier this year

Research Indicates Emergence of COVID-19 Spatial Patterns in Colorado

September 8, 2020 — GIS tools were used to investigate the geography of COVID-19 pandemic across Colorado counties, and findings were was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Publish Health over the summer.

Researchers Receive $1 Million Grant to Study Digital Screening Intervention Tool for Adolescents and Young Adults

August 26, 2020 — The Department of Health and Human Services recently awarded the University of Northern Colorado a $1 million grant to collaborate on the project with cliexa, a digital health technology company based in Denver.

Ara Metz conducting research in the field.

Graduate Student Working on Grant-Funded Research with Boulder

July 21, 2020 — An incoming University of Northern Colorado graduate student is hoping to help one Colorado city better maintain its trails and open spaces so people can continue to enjoy the outdoors.

UNC Faculty Land $1 Million Grant to Develop Assessment Tool

May 27, 2020 — The National Science Foundation awarded two University of Northern Colorado faculty a $1.077 million grant to improve teaching in college-level environmental science courses.

Students Ventured Out to Observe Rivers for Class

May 26, 2020 — Students in Sharon Bywater-Reyes’, Ph.D., Geomorphology course made observations of rivers accessible to them during Colorado’s Stay-at-Home order, which were then compiled into a Map Tour online, using ESRI’s mapping tool.

Nick Trujillo documenting artifacts into the online system

Professor Receives $6,500 Grant to Create Digital Archive for Artifacts

May 13, 2020 — In May of 2019, Andy Creekmore, Ph.D., an associate professor of Anthropology at UNC, received a $6,500 grant from the Colorado Statewide Internet Portal Authority Micro-Grant Program.

Tyler Sherman and a screenshot of him defending his dissertation online

Seeing the Silver Lining

May 8, 2020 — A recent Ph.D. student shares his thoughts about UNC and describes how he felt about defending his dissertation online.

Student Receives $5,000 Fellowship from the National Collegiate Honors Council

May 7, 2020 — Gabriela Masztalerz, a junior Honors student majoring in Speech-Language Pathology at UNC, has received the National Collegiate Honors Council’s $5,000 2020 Portz Fellowship for her research project.

GIS Mapping Visualizes Real-Time Data on Coronavirus Outbreak

April 3, 2020 — A number of organizations are producing interactive maps to help people visualize real-time data on coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, and to help track those cases to show the bigger picture of the pandemic.

Parent holding kid's hand in hospital bed

Doctoral Student Recognized for Research Poster at Conference

April 2, 2020 — Alice Wille, a Psychology doctoral student at UNC, was one of five award recipients for her research poster during the 2020 Society of Pediatric Psychology Annual Conference (SPPAC) last month.

Rick Adams teaching students in his class

UNC Researcher Questions Theory of Bats Spreading Coronavirus

April 1, 2020 — One of the most misunderstood animals on Earth, bats are one of several animals that have been blamed as a possible source for the coronavirus. UNC bat expert Rick Adams weighs in.

Crowd of people with connecting dots and lines

Pandemics, Like Earthquakes, Hard to Predict

March 30, 2020 — The way pathogens evolve make it inevitable that a variation such as the SARS-CoV-2 strain of coronavirus will lead to pandemics, says Gregory DeKrey.

Students eating different food at Holmes

With Rise in Food Allergies, UNC Responds with Research, Dining Options

March 2, 2020 — Each semester at UNC, over 50 new students who have food allergies work with Matthew Doyle, the assistant director for board operations and registered dietitian at UNC. What's the cause for the rise of food allergies and how has UNC responded?

People on a train in China wearing face masks

UNC Snake Expert: Not Enough Evidence to Say Coronavirus Spreads to Humans from Snakes

January 24, 2020 — A new study published by researchers in China suggests that the origins of the coronavirus outbreak is due to contact with snakes. However, many researchers are skeptical of these findings including renowned snake-venom expert Steve Mackessy.

UNC Professor Contributes to National Report to Improve Teaching, Learning

January 16, 2020 — University of Northern Colorado Professor Robyn Hess contributed to a recently published national report that provides educators with the top research-backed psychological principles to use for enhancing classroom teaching and learning, particularly in the early grades.

Fall 2019 Research, Dissemination and Faculty Development Program Awardees

December 2, 2019 — The Research, Dissemination and Faculty Development (RDFD) program supports faculty scholarship and professional activity to develop as teachers, researchers, scholars and artists.

Timelapse photo of students walking around high school hallway

UNC Researcher Joins $1-Million Funded Project to Update K-12 Threat-Assessment Tool

October 30, 2019 — UNC Professor Sarah Goodrum is a co-principal investigator on a nearly $1 million grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to evaluate the Colorado School Safety Resource Center’s threat-assessment tool to prevent school violence.

$Student doing math equations on a chalkboard$

UNC Researcher Shares Tips for Coping with Math Anxiety

October 9, 2019 — Molly Jameson, a UNC associate professor of Educational psychology, discusses math anxiety, its prevalence and how to mitigate its effects while dealing with math in this podcast.

Augmented-Reality Sandbox to Help Students Learn About Earth Sciences

September 18, 2019 — UNC has created a sandbox for students, but it’s not your normal, everyday sandbox — it uses augmented reality with the use of an Xbox 360 Kinetic sensor, projector and software to bring the sand to life.

Steve Mackessy using one of his tools in his lab.

Forensics and Snake Venom: Professor Helps Close Case by Analyzing Slithery Evidence

September 5, 2019 — UNC Professor Steve Mackessy, Ph.D., helped close a murder case in Canada that involved analyzing snake venom. Listen to the podcast to learn the science behind his analyses.

Colorado drug treatment programs and resources accessibility area from the research

Examining the Link Between Housing and Mental Health in Colorado

July 22, 2019 — Finding affordable housing in Colorado continues to make headlines and cause headaches for those who live in the state; however, a UNC researcher is investigating affordable housing and physical and mental health issues using GIS-mapping techniques.

UNC students in front of a storm they chased in May 2019.

Chasing Storms Over Seven States in 10 Days

July 11, 2019 — For the second year, a class of University of Northern Colorado students started summer by crisscrossing the Midwest in search of storms capable of producing tornadoes.

A collage of some of the UNC artifacts found on eBay.

Slideshow: Unique UNC Artifacts Found on eBay

July 3, 2019 — Faculty and staff in University Libraries routinely search the online auction site eBay for rare university finds to add to the archives of historical UNC artifacts.

Jen Ruths and Ashley Stumpf pose after graduating with their Au.D.s

Cutting-Edge Hearing Testing Technology Allows for Easy, Low-Cost Testing

June 5, 2019 — Studies by the University of Northern Colorado show that a new portable device can detect hearing loss without the need of a sound booth.

Smith, Stottlemyer and Semak posing with the payload

Up, Up and Away: UNC Students Launch 3D-Printed Vessel into the Atmosphere

May 10, 2019 — UNC Physics and Astronomy recent graduate Rydell Stottlemyer holds onto a payload, a box covered with aluminized mylar and filled with sensors, as it’s being connected to a huge weather balloon. This payload was developed by her and fellow, recent graduate Brian Smith.

Group shot of CDHE visitors and representatives from campus

CDHE Executive Director Tours Campus

March 21, 2019 — UNC welcomed Angie Paccione, executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education, for a campus visit Wednesday. She joined President Andy Feinstein on a tour and met students, faculty and staff at cultural centers and in academic areas.

Peter Smoak outside UNCCRI holding a bottle of kefir.

UNC Receives Grant to Study Benefits of Kefir for Cancer Patients

February 26, 2019 — Earlier this year, uBiome awarded a $7,000 grant to researchers at UNC's Cancer Rehabilitation Institute to understand how kefir impacts the microbiome of cancer survivors who underwent chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment.

Drs. Lee and Ramirez reviewing a map of disease risk in Peru during El Nino.

Tackling El Niño’s Influence on Diseases Through GIS Mapping

February 8, 2019 — A UNC Assistant Professor and colleagues studied how El Niño affected numerous, climate-sensitive diseases there in 1998 using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) mapping technology.

Fall 2018 Research Evening Award Winners

January 4, 2019 — Research Evening provides UNC graduate students the opportunity to present their projects from research classes. Participating graduate students are also eligible for the Hutchinson-Lahman Research Award.

Jacob Fry UNC student granted funds to study nanotechnology

Physics Undergraduate Receives Grant to Study Nanotechnologies

December 3, 2018 — UNC student Jacob Fry received over $1,000 in grants from the Office of Undergraduate Research to compare the chemical make-up of shark teeth using two nanotechnologies as well as to develop lab curriculum on these technologies.

The University of Northern Colorado’s volleyball team is gaining insights on how to improve their off-season training programs with the assistance of three-dimensional motion-capture technology.

Volleyball Team Improves their Game with Biomechanics Technology

November 19, 2018 — The University of Northern Colorado’s volleyball team is gaining insights on how to improve their off-season training programs with the assistance of the Biomechanics Lab's three-dimensional motion-capture technology.

Investments for watershed services podcast

Investing in Watersheds to Prepare for Growing Urban Populations

October 31, 2018 — UNC Assistant Professor in the Environmental and Sustainability Studies program Chelsie Romulo, Ph.D., recently had her research on investments for watershed services published and discusses it in this podcast.

Andrea James's zebrafish eye development research

Grant Awarded for Zebrafish Eye Development Research

October 1, 2018 — UNC Assistant Professor of Biology Andrea James received the Knights Templar Eye Foundation Career Starter Grant to fund her research on zebrafish eye development.

Katie Kage in front of the Bod Pod that analyzes body fat percentage.

Body Fat Percentage and Impacts in Campus Community

September 24, 2018 — UNC Associate Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics Katie Kage, Ph.D., is studying perceived body fat percentage and body image perception of the UNC campus community using a "Bod Pod."

Dr. Steve Mackessy holding one of his nonvenomous snakes in his lab at UNC.

Slither Into the World of Snake Venom Research

September 7, 2018 — In this podcast, UNC Professor of Biology Steve Mackessy, Ph.D., goes into more detail about how he became interested in snake venom, his published and future research and other slithery topics.

UNC is at the forefront of undertaking a project on offering diet and nutrition support from students to UNC's Army ROTC.

Strengthening National Defense with Better Nutrition

September 6, 2018 — The University of Northern Colorado’s Army ROTC program is receiving diet and nutrition support from the UNC Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. Headed by Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics Katie Kage, Ph.D., UNC is at the forefront of undertaking such a project nationwide.

How UNC Researchers are Studying Cannabis

August 23, 2018 — This video series highlights how UNC researchers from various departments and colleges are studying legal cannabis in the areas of recreation and leisure, tax laws, biometrics and many others.

UNC Professor Selected for Antarctic Expedition

August 23, 2018 — Meteorology Professor Cindy Shellito, Ph.D., has been selected to join an international group of 80 female scientists on a three-week expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula. The expedition, departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, Dec. 31, is part of a global initiative called Homeward Bound. The project aims to elevate the status of women in science and empower them to take a leadership role in issues related to climate change and sustainability.

UNC Associate Professor's Research on Dust Influences on Thunderstorms Published

August 15, 2018 — UNC Associate Professor of Meteorology David Lerach, Ph.D., studies the influence that dust has on tornadic thunderstorms using a high-resolution computer model.

UNC Researchers Discover Toxins in Venom of Snake

August 1, 2018 — A study by University of Northern Colorado Professor Stephen P. Mackessy and his colleagues including graduate research assistants identified two toxins in the venom of a species of snake that affect prey differently.

Steven Anderson poses with his graduate student Davitia James over the Kilauea lava lake in Hawaii.

Steve Anderson Answers Questions on Kilauea and Future Research

June 4, 2018 — Volcanologist Steve Anderson knows volcanoes and is especially familiar with the ongoing Kilauea eruption in Hawaii. He answers some questions about recent developments with Kilauea, his love of volcanoes and future volcano research plans.

john tonai photo of his father at Amache

Photographing World War II Japanese-American Camps

June 4, 2018 — John Tonai '90 discusses the Granada Relocation Camp, also known as Amache, where thousands of Japanese-Americans were incarcerated from 1942-45, including members of his family.

Professor Gives Update on Hawaii Volcano Eruption in Interview

May 16, 2018 — Last week, volcanologist Steve Anderson, a professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Science at UNC, was interviewed by Discovery Channel's Daily Planet magazine about his research on the erupting Hawaii Kilauea volcano.

UNC Class Assignment: Find and Chase Storms for 10 Days

May 9, 2018 — A group of 12 students enrolled in a summer-session meteorology class at the University of Northern Colorado will get a unique field experience this month when they spend 10 days chasing severe storms across multiple states.

Sarah Romano at a well with water committee members in Nicaragua

UNC Researcher Earns Fulbright Scholar Grant to Nicaragua

April 25, 2018 — University of Northern Colorado Assistant Professor Sarah Romano has earned a 2018-19 Fulbright Scholar grant to further study water management in rural areas of Nicaragua, where over 2.5 million people reside and are particularly vulnerable in a country susceptible to extreme climate conditions.

UNC Scientist: Female Birds Sing, Too; Help Her Record More Instances

March 14, 2018 — When North American ornithologists hear a bird singing, they’re likely to assume it’s a male. But in many species, the females sing too — and a new commentary co-authored by University of Northern Colorado’s Lauryn Benedict argues that a better understanding of these unappreciated female songs could lead to advances in many aspects of bird biology. Benedict and co-author Karan Odom of Cornell University urge their colleagues to spread the word that female birds sing, to share resources, and to disseminate their findings. You don’t need to be a professional ornithologist in order to help expand knowledge of female song, either — Odom has created a website where any birdwatcher can upload their observations.

UNC One of Two Universities Selected to Partner on National Collaborative

January 26, 2018 — The University of Northern Colorado has been selected as one of two partner universities in the Active Schools national collaborative to address physical inactivity and obesity among youth.

UNC Faculty Author Writes Book on Embracing Culture Shock to Bridge Divides

January 12, 2018 — Contemplative anthropologist and mindfulness teacher Michael J. Kimball has a new book for people who want to bridge cultural divides. It’s called Ethnowise: Embracing Culture Shock to Build Resilience, Responsiveness & Connection.

UNC grad students place dosimeters on sugar mill workers to measure sound levels

UNC Group Joins Multi-University Effort to Establish Hearing Conservation Program in Guatemala

January 10, 2018 — A group of faculty and students led by University of Northern Colorado Professor Deanna Meinke implemented a hearing conservation program at a sugar mill in Guatemala last month.

Faculty Researcher to Appear on Colorado Public Radio

January 9, 2018 —

UNC Researcher’s Winning Bat Photo Takes Internet by Storm

October 10, 2017 — A stunning image of a bat fetus produced by University of Northern Colorado Professor Rick Adams is circulating widely online after placing 15th out of 2,000 entries submitted from 88 countries in Nikon’s annual Small World contest.

Study: Doping in Sports Pervasive

September 7, 2017 — More elite athletes than previously thought are cheating by evading traditional biological drug testing, according to a University of Northern Colorado professor who contributed to groundbreaking research on the topic.

Watch: UNC Student Detector Takes Flight During Eclipse

August 22, 2017 — A device created by UNC students to measure particles in the upper atmosphere went up in a NASA weather balloon during Monday's solar eclipse. Watch the launch, captured in video above by Assistant Professor Charles Kuehn, that took place in Camp Guernsey in southeastern Wyoming.

UNC Student Project Selected to be Aboard NASA Balloon During Solar Eclipse

August 14, 2017 — A unique project conceived and designed by UNC Physics and Astronomy students will be aboard a NASA high-altitude balloon that will be launched during the solar eclipse Aug. 21.

UNC Biology Class, BLM Partner to Protect Endangered Plants

July 25, 2017 — University of Northern Colorado students last week worked alongside Bureau of Land Management botanist Carol Dawson to collect data aimed at protecting two endangered plants: Osterhout's Milkvetch and Fenland's Beardtongue.

Study Led by UNC Researcher Shows Post-Exercise Benefits of Dairy Supplement for Cancer Survivors

July 13, 2017 — "Kefir may be a great way for cancer survivors to enjoy a post-exercise dairy drink in the future," said lead investigator Laura K. Stewart, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Northern Colorado, School of Sport and Exercise Science.