We’re fast approaching the end of an exciting fall semester at the University of Idaho. Our mission has always meant success in the classroom; in research, scholarship and creative work; and in connections with our communities. While I can’t give every example of Vandal excellence without turning this letter into a book, I want to highlight some representative examples of the good things happening here in Vandal country. Our students continue to shine, making the most of a high quality academic experience. Last month a team of U of I undergraduates won the 2018 Montana Mathematical Modeling Challenge at Carroll College, in Helena. Our Honors Program students have continued to excel. Vandals are forging exciting futures in everything from commodities brokerage to architecture. They’re embarking on meaningful work opportunities, such as with our Fenway Group information technology partnership on campus; taking charge and designing their own spaces, as with the remodel of the Albertson Building’s basement; and participating in groundbreaking research, such as analyzing artifacts during archaeological research alongside faculty mentors. The university’s exemplary research enterprise continues to produce impact for Idaho and the world. A University of Idaho team led by environmental chemist Greg Moller, soil scientist Dan Strawn and mechanical engineer Martin Baker became one of four finalists for the $10 million George Barley Water Prize for producing clean water by removing phosphorus. U of I researchers also contribute to the advancement of clean energy, recently earning $2.6 million from the U.S. Department of Energy's Nuclear Energy University Program to develop nuclear energy innovations for changing energy needs across the globe. U of I astrophysicist Jason Barnes was part of a team whose published research based on data from the international spacecraft Cassini revealed giant dust storms on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. We’re also focused on connecting with communities. U of I is a statewide institution – Idaho is our campus, I often say. This fall we added a behavioral health track to the promising Project ECHO program, a service delivered by our Idaho WWAMI Medical Education Program. That addition complements an addiction and abuse program that focuses especially on the opioid epidemic. We’re proud of how this initiative can help build capacity for tackling healthcare challenges by bringing expertise into the hands of people in the community who need it. This fall represented a change for our Vandal Football program in our return to the Big Sky Conference. It didn’t always show up in the win-loss tally, but our Vandals competed hard in some well-attended games that generated excitement for our fans and for our rivals in the region. This move back to the Big Sky had no shortage of controversy and polarized our fan base. I certainly get that. But in retrospect, I’m confident that we made the right decision, and that our student-athletes are in a position to succeed on the field in the future and represent our university with the pride and passion we all expect from our Vandals. I also want to congratulate our Vandal Volleyball team for reaching the conference tournament finals — a strong season in which the team displayed a lot of heart and character. Our alumni and friends mean so much to the success we enjoy across our mission. Thank you for contributing to an outstanding semester at this great institution. We’ll continue to build on the positive results that we’re seeing for students, for our state and for our world. | | Go Vandals! Chuck Staben President | | | Honoring Clem Parberry with Scholarship Support Lawrence ’61 and Anne Parberry continue growing the Clem Parberry Memorial P.E. Scholarship Fund. Originally established in 1979 by Viola Parberry, Clem’s wife, this scholarship provides important financial support to undergraduate students studying physical education at the University of Idaho. Clem earned his Master of Education from U of I in 1957 after joining the university in 1953 as the head coach for baseball, freshman football and freshman basketball. In 1975, Parberry retired as chair of the Men’s Physical Education Department. His legacy of positively affecting the U of I experience continues in the opportunities created by this scholarship. The College of Education, Health and Human Sciences is grateful to Larry and Anne Parberry for continuing to make a difference for students with their most recent and generous IRA Charitable Rollover gift. For more information on supporting student success in the college, contact Stacy Rauch at 208-885-7053 or srauch@uidaho.edu. For information on the IRA Charitable Rollover benefit, contact Sharon Morgan at 866-671-7041 or giftplanning@uidaho.edu. | | 11th Tribe Signs on to U of I Native American Collaboration Agreement The University of Idaho has signed an agreement with an 11th Native American tribe to collaborate on improved educational opportunities for Native American students. U of I and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation in Oregon signed the agreement this month to establish formal collaborations to advise the university and President Chuck Staben on educational and service issues aimed at bolstering university-tribal relations. “This latest agreement will build upon U of I’s strong relationship with the region’s tribal nations and will help promote collaborations among Native students, tribes and the university,” said Yolanda Bisbee, U of I’s chief diversity officer and executive director of tribal relations. “We look forward to working with the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation to further promote these efforts.” Under the long-standing agreement, U of I recognizes the sovereign status of Northwest tribes and provides in-state tuition to tribal members in tribes that have signed the agreement. | | Short and Sweet Talks Highlight Global Reach The Office of Research and Economic Development’s next round of the popular Short and Sweet Talks event will take place 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4, in the IRIC Atrium, with cushioned overflow seating in the IRIC Step Auditorium, Moscow. The theme for this semester's SAS engagement is global reach, highlighting the diversity of research, creative and scholarly activity that has propelled the University of Idaho onto the world stage. Nine speakers will present on a variety of internationally focused research projects. Each talk will include 20 easy-to-understand slides timed to 20 seconds each, resulting in an informative, accessible presentation in less than seven minutes per talk. For those unable to attend live, the SAS Talks will also be webcast via UI Live. | | Forest Fire Smoke Focus of U of I Study Forest fire smoke contains living microbes, and the types of microbes living in smoke differ from the types in nearby non-smoky air, according to a team of scientists led by University of Idaho Associate Professor Leda Kobziar. “Fires have probably been moving microbes around for millions of years, but we’ve never quantified it,” Kobziar said. “Our study indicates that fire may play a significant role in the distribution of microbial life on earth. Fire could be influencing biodiversity in ways we’ve never considered.” Kobziar and her team published their findings in the journal Ecosphere. Airborne microbes can benefit or harm human and plant health and can influence ecosystem processes where they land. Researchers have previously found that large wind events like wind storms and dust storms can transport living microbes but didn’t know whether they moved with forest fire smoke the same way. The team included U of I College of Natural Resources undergraduate Shelby Green and former U of I postdoctoral fellow Melissa Pingree, as well as colleagues at the U.S. Forest Service and the University of Florida. | | | | |