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The Research Magazine of BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY

ISSUE 2021

‘Blue Turf Thinking’ propels Boise State forward

Boise State has a thriving culture of innovation that can be seen all across campus. We are developing research that positively impacts lives; structures that transcend disciplines so researchers and students can collaborate on big problems; and spaces — like our new Micron Center for Materials Research — specifically devoted to innovation.

We sometimes call our innovative mindset Blue Turf Thinking. While we recently have been nationally recognized for it, it isn’t new at Boise State — it drives all that we do. We invite our entire community to engage in our culture of innovation, and are capturing their wonderful ideas to continue to drive us forward.

Features

Project Launchpad: an effort to bring universities together
Predict and protect: anthropology student maps cultural heritage sites
Real solutions for an ever-changing world
The Idaho Whey: BUILD-ing up the state’s dairy innovators
Warm, warmer, getting hot: researcher discovers concerning trends in dry-hot extremes
Boise State booms as a cybersecurity hub for Idaho
Don’t Shoot! Study finds illegal killing of protected Idaho wildlife more widespread than previously known

Boise State’s history of materials science begins new chapter

Materials shape our lives. The aluminum can of soda sweating in its cupholder, the composite wood flooring beneath our feet, the tablets we watch our favorite movies on. Everything we interact with is a material, whether we stop to think about it or not. At Boise State, innovation drives the research, development and implementation of new materials every day.

Boise State has a history of diving into the extraordinary world of materials. Since the founding of the university’s materials science program in 2003, there have been remarkable changes — growing from a small interdisciplinary minor to the largest STEM-based PhD program in Idaho, achieving a 331% increase in research in the last five years, and reaching 41% female representation in the undergraduate program, which positions Boise State among the nation’s best for female enrollment.

Most recently, the university celebrated the opening of the new $50 million Micron Center for Materials Research.

A glimpse inside

Orb-weaving spiders catch light, sound and snacks on Boise Greenbelt bridges
Boise State and University of Idaho collaborate on surging glacier research in Alaska

Boise State builds up certified COVID clinical lab on campus
Community Comes First
Hometown Challenge: Accepted
Project Scientia spreads science, celebrates Spanish
Secretary of State awards $500,000 to Boise State faculty to establish Idaho Election Cybersecurity Center
Path-breaking ASSERT program empowers faculty to transform research
Comprehensive review shows federally-funded school meal programs positively impact students

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