Story Pitches

West Virginia University School of Medicine students can compete for a spot in the new Mountaineer Accelerated Track to Enter Residency, or MATTER program, which provides a fast-track curriculum option— allowing students to graduate earlier and with less debt. Beginning with the Class of 2022, entering in August, medical students can shave one semester off the four-year program. The program is aimed at getting medical professionals into patient care sooner to meet the state’s health needs and to help minimize student loan debt.

West Virginia University, students and faculty from the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources and the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences had the unique, hands-on experience of building and testing elements of Simulation-to-Flight 1 or STF-1, the state of West Virginia’s first satellite. The spacecraft’s payload includes three experiments from WVU.

West Virginia University continues fulfilling its land-grant mission by helping state communities maintain their most important infrastructure—water systems. WVU’s Chapter of Engineers Without Borders recently traveled to McComas in Mercer County to conduct an assessment of an abandoned water system.

For years, a team of West Virginia University researchers has been working alongside West Virginia Division of Natural Resources to restore and protect native brook trout in the state’s watersheds. Most recently, the WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design provided access to its aquaculture facilities at Reymann Memorial Farm in Wardensville, allowing DNR scientists to successfully hatch fertilized native brook trout eggs collected from breeding-sized fish. WV Division of Natural Resources will release native brook trout into an Eastern Panhandle watershed that lost its population years ago Friday (May 25).

Despite subzero temperatures this winter, ticks—and the pathogens they carry—are still a concern for West Virginia residents as warm weather settles in around the state. West Virginia University Extension Service entomology specialist Daniel Frank recommends using an integrated approach to help limit tick exposure this season. Some easy steps for protection include dressing appropriately, managing the landscape around the home and using insecticides, if necessary.

Inspired by the state’s diverse cultural expressions, West Virginia University musicology professor Travis Stimeling has published Songwriting in Contemporary West Virginia: Profiles and Reflections, a new book in WVU Press’ Sounding Appalachia series. With its contents arranged geographically, Songwriting in Contemporary West Virginia is a guidebook to the professional musicians living and working across the state.

As West Virginia seeks to re-imagine its future both economically and culturally, West Virginia University is creating the structure for more flexible doctoral degrees in the humanities. The WVU Humanities Center is working along with the Departments of History and English and the Office of Graduate Education and Life to create interdisciplinary initiatives that will generate new directions in an ever-changing workforce.

West Virginia University’s Donna Hoylman Peduto, executive director of the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative, has been named a Remake Learning Day Community Champion by Remake Learning, a network that ignites engaging, relevant and equitable learning practices in support of young people navigating rapid social and technological change. Remake Learning will hold events ¬¬– including creating a robot, building a telescope, mazes and Mars simulations – throughout West Virginia May 17-25.

The West Virginia University’s Center for Excellence in Disabilities’ Mentoring and Oversight for Developing Foster Youth Project is highlighting successful West Virginia foster youth during May, National Foster Care Month. of all ages transitioning out of the foster care system this month. More than 6,000 children are in West Virginia’s Foster Care System.

The West Virginia University School of Design and Community Development will host its annual Day of Design on April 25, giving students in the landscape architecture program and fashion, dress and merchandising program an opportunity to showcase their work and learn from prominent design practitioners who will provide critique and serve as guest lecturers.