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Gee Mail: Welcome to a new semester at WVU

West Virginia University President Gordon Gee welcomes students, faculty and staff to campus for the start of the fall 2022 semester with a special message and video.

Two female hikers approaching a scenic overlook in Coopers Rock State Forest with forested mountains ahead of them and a wooden fence with stacked stone pillars framing the entrance.

WVU studies link between pregnancy, sedentary behavior, disease risk

Being sedentary is a cardiovascular-disease risk factor that’s distinct from not getting enough exercise. Prolonged bouts of sitting can cause cardiovascular harm, even in healthy people. Bethany Barone Gibbs, a researcher with the WVU School of Public Health, is studying how sedentary behavior and pregnancy may raise a woman’s cardiovascular-disease risk.

Six female scholarship recipients are shown in a grid. Some women are wearing a cap and gown and others are in regular clothes. The women will use their scholarship funds to attend a graduate program.

WVU honors six emerging leaders with Hazel Ruby McQuain Graduate Scholarship

Dedication to bettering the Mountain State earned six West Virginia residents the Hazel Ruby McQuain Graduate Scholarship helping them to continue graduate study in their chosen fields. The scholarship program, administered by the West Virginia University Office of Graduate Education and Life, honors the legacy of its late namesake — Hazel Ruby McQuain.

A big crowd with hundreds of people faces a stage with video screens on both sides and white lights. Blue sky is visible above the stage.
A small vehicle on four wheels sits in the middle of a brown landscape with barren trees in the background. The machine includes a thick antenna with a green piece on the back.

WVU space robotics research helps Mars rovers find their footing  

West Virginia University scientists have developed a way for extraplanetary rovers to use nonvisual information to maneuver over treacherous terrain. This will help to prevent future losses of expensive equipment like that of the Martian exploration rover Spirit, which ceased communications after its wheels became trapped in invisibly shifting sands in 2010.

A black microscope is at the top of the screen focused on a spotted ball perched on top of a green surface.

WVU researcher making sense of brain circuits with $1.6M NSF grant

The National Science Foundation is awarding a $1.6 million grant to Kevin Daly and collaborator Andrew Dacks, both biology professors in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, to study how the brain coordinates movement and sensory function in animals. Its practical applications could shed light on human disease and human performance.

A blue charter bus with a gold Flying WV sits on the street in front of the Mountainlair. In the background is E. Moore Hall.

WVU Foundation records second-best year with more than $213 million in contributions

For the fiscal year from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, WVU Foundation data shows 20,206 donors – including 9,360 alumni – made 39,347 gifts totaling $213.8 million. This total is second only to $270.1 million donated in fiscal year 2021. The gifts will benefit education, health care and prosperity to make a positive impact across the Mountain State and beyond for years to come.

Against a blue backdrop, a fish is held between two hands. The fish is green with brown splotches.

WVU and citizen scientists go fishing for answers on blotchy bass syndrome

West Virginia University researchers will have a chance to better understand blotchy bass syndrome with data collected by citizens through a mobile app. With a grant from the U.S. Geological Survey totaling $314,975, the team plans to look into the prevalence, distribution, seasonality and potential risks and impacts that are still unknown.

A hand is visible holding a white button that says 'Y'all means ALL.' On the button ALL is in rainbow colors. Woodburn Hall is blurry in the background.

Prevalence of gender-diverse youth in rural Appalachia exceeds previous estimates, WVU study shows

The prevalence of gender diversity is largely unknown, especially in rural areas. To fill that knowledge gap, researchers at WVU with colleagues at other institutions surveyed junior high and high school students in rural Appalachia about their gender identity. More than 7% of young people surveyed shared a gender identity that did not fully align with the sex they were assigned at birth, findings that appear in JAMA Pediatrics.

Vehicles parked outside of university dorms with people taking out bags and luggage

Service, semester preps, celebration intertwine for WVU’s Welcome Week

The return of FallFest highlights a packed Welcome Week at West Virginia University which begins Thursday, Aug. 11, and continues through the start of the fall semester Wednesday, Aug. 17. New events include a pool party for all students at the Student Rec Center Aug. 13 and a service project to benefit the West Virginia United Way Collaborative during Monday Night Lights for first-year students Aug. 15.