Research at ISU

New @ISUMilnerLib tool helps #RedbirdScholar researchers find information about potential #OpenAccess publishing opportunities. More info: news.illinoisstate.edu/2026/…

Dr. Logan Miller, professor of anthropology, recently helped the Project XV Museum in El Paso solve a mystery that's been more than a century in the making. Using ground-penetrating radar, Miller located the burial sites of David A. Strother—the first Black man to vote in Illinois—and his family members in Evergreen Cemetery. Strother cast his ballot in 1870, and his story is now preserved at the voting rights museum that stands where his barbershop once operated. Miller's work provided a tangible piece to that legacy. "We've been able to understand more about what transpired when he took that leap of faith to vote," said Linda Foster, M.S.W. '16, a Project XV board member. "In the 1800s it was important to him, and it should be just as important to us today." Read the full article: go.illinoisstate.edu/discove…

With the support of @ISTCoalition and in collaboration with @OSFHealthCare, @IllinoisStateU faculty and student researchers are helping drive the future of healthcare innovation through a newly recognized partnership with Healthy Tray, an Illinois-based digital health startup that is transforming how hospitals measure and manage patient nutrition. news.illinoisstate.edu/2026/…

.@ISUResearch and @CeMaST_ISU will co-host two EnergySense Resilience Center events on Wednesday, November 4, offering students, faculty, and staff opportunities to explore emerging work in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate resilience: news.illinoisstate.edu/2026/…

.@IllinoisStateU undergraduate and @ISUGradSchool students are invited to submit their work for the 2027 Image of Research Competition. Submissions will be open through Friday, November 13, 2026. More details: news.illinoisstate.edu/2026/…

Learn how @UGalleriesISU is connecting @IllinoisStateU students with artists and the professional art world through its new Creative Practice Lab: about.illinoisstate.edu/news… Photo credit, second image: Kendra Paitz @ISUfinearts @artschoolisu

.@ISUGradSchool student Maria Sanso Font is studying how dialect prejudice can push people to change the way they speak and, in some cases, hide parts of their identity. Her research examines Southern students navigating Northern universities and the pressure to conform to dominant speech patterns. Dr. Montserrat Mir, professor of Spanish and applied linguistics, said the researcher’s work stands out for how it applies to everyday life. “Maria’s research humanizes scientific inquiry. She captures lived experiences in rich detail, moving beyond the limits of quantitative approaches.” Read the latest issue of #RedbirdScholar to learn about the hidden cost of sounding different: news.illinoisstate.edu/2026/…

The @artschoolisu M.F.A. cohort will host an open house at their studios in Eastland Mall during Saturday of #RedbirdHomecoming. Details: news.illinoisstate.edu/2026/…

Illinois State engineering student Isaiah Kerr is researching how small changes in design can make mechanical components stronger and safer. As the College of Engineering's first FIREbird grant recipient, Kerr worked with Dr. Hafizur Rahman to test different notch designs using 3D-printed components and computer simulations. “I planned to do research at some point in my college career,” said Kerr, a mechanical engineering major from Normal. “I didn’t think I would get the opportunity until I was in my third or fourth year. So when Dr. Rahman offered me this opportunity, I accepted, because I was like, ‘Oh, I like this. This is manufacturing. It’s what I want to do.’” Computational analysis showed that replacing sharp-edged notches with rounded geometries, or implementing a patterned notch configuration instead of a single notch, reduced maximum von Mises stress by approximately 40%. Experimental analyses further showed a nearly 25% enhancement in load-bearing capability. “These findings suggest that careful geometric design, particularly the use of curvature at stress risers, can substantially enhance structural performance and delay failure under applied loads,” Kerr’s research abstract states. Read the latest issue of #RedbirdScholar to learn how Kerr is gaining hands-on research experience as Illinois State’s engineering program takes shape: go.illinoisstate.edu/4ywDnqL

What happens when cultural heritage meets contemporary fashion design? Franklin Akuoko-Frimpong, an @ISUGradSchool fashion design and merchandising student in @ISUFCS @ISUSciTech, is showing us. He has had his work, Adinkra Reimagined: Cultural Memory in Transition, accepted by the International Textile and Apparel Association. His design challenges how culturally significant symbols are used in fashion—moving beyond surface embellishment to let symbolic meaning shape the garment's actual architecture. Read more: news.illinoisstate.edu/2026/…