Christine Kirchhoff, Associate Professor and Castleman Professor of Engineering Innovation in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, has had her research on toxic algae published in the September 30 issue of Nature Sustainability. You can view the UConn Today article discussing this research here.

Christine Kirchoff pictured above. 

Grace Seymour

Researchers of NIST project in the lab pictured above.

STORRS - The University of Connecticut has been granted $1 million from The National Institute of Standards and Technology to continue its two-year-long research project on crumbling concrete. The areas of Northeastern Connecticut and south-central Massachusetts are struggling with premature deterioration in concrete foundations due to a mineral known as Pyrrhotite.

Pyrrhotite, pronounced (PEER-o-tight,) is found in sedimentary rocks that are common in New England and are mined to produce the aggregate that makes up concrete. The use of such aggregate from local quarries in previous decades now impacts hundreds of homes in the region, as the pyrrhotite reacts and causes expansion and cracking of the concrete foundation.

Last year, NIST awarded UConn $768,000 to begin its crumbling concrete research after the federal grant was secured by Conn. Congressman Joe Courtney. The purpose of the research is to study the factors that cause expansion and develop a risk assessment framework that will predict the extent and time frame for damage. Currently, the only solution available is to lift the entire structure and replace the entire foundation for a cost upwards of $250,000 per home. The purpose of the research team is to help prioritize homes at the highest risk for extensive damage, while others may remain safe for decades to come, with appropriate maintenance measures.

This year, Congress authorized another $2 million to NIST to support the research, $1M of which will continue to support the UConn research team.

Kay Wille, an associate professor at UConn who has been working on this project, explained some of the benefits that refunding this research will give to the public: “As of right now, concrete testing in an average-sized home costs close to $2,000. But with this federal funding, people in our area can now fill out an application to get concrete testing for free if they are dealing with premature crumbling,” said Wille.

This funding will also not only help aid homeowners in this testing and repair, but it will also assist with the evaluation of public structures such as schools, churches, and bridges that may be impacted by pyrrhotite. If you are a homeowner who is dealing with crumbling concrete and believe it can be an effect of Pyrrhotite, UConn has created a request form on its engineering webpage to get a discounted or free test of your home’s concrete.

The AAASI and CEE INCLUDE program are teaming up to bring the insights of Asian and Asian American studies to all students to support a responsive and inclusive learning environment. 

Flyer text below:

This series of three workshops is aimed at supporting the wellbeing of all students. Inspired by Asian American art and culture, these wellness journeys provide a space for healing, reflection, and mutual support for everyone.

Please join the AAASI for a workshop that challenges the conventional wisdom on wellness by addressing histories of racism and microaggressions rather than distractions and escapism.

Register here.

Please read ACT's 1st Annual Report HERE to see an overview of ACT and breakdown of the year's survey responses. 

A Black college president on importance of STEM: 'I never heard of engineering until college'

The following text is from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Read more here.

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Equity for women and underrepresented minorities in STEM: Graduate experiences and career plans in chemistry

The following text is from PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences).

Significance:

On June 10, 2020, as part of the Black Lives Matter movement, scientists in the United States and throughout the world paused to consider how systematic racism affects the scientific enterprise. As a result, many academic departments are now assessing policies and practices that may contribute to this situation. This paper provides evidence of the nature of inequities related to race–ethnicity and gender in graduate school experiences and career plans of PhD students in one science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) discipline, chemistry. The results can help promote understanding of the problems and guide efforts toward equity within STEM and, potentially, other academic areas. In turn, these changes can strengthen the scientific enterprise and the well-being of society.

Read more here.

How bystanders can shut down microaggressions

The following text is from How bystanders can shut down microaggressions.

How can you effectively intervene when you see someone being targeted for an aspect of their identity? Psychologists studying intergroup relations and perspective-taking offer this advice.

If you overheard one of these statements, what would you do?

“Your English is very good.”

“You’re pretty for a Black girl.”

“What do gay people think about the state of marriage equality?”

“You’re so brave—I could never live with a disability.”

Microaggressions, subtle everyday interactions that convey bias toward a marginalized group, are often disguised as compliments or innocent questions. Though some are meant to cause harm, many are unintentional. But targets of such comments suffer psychological distress, including an increase in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and can face backlash if they speak up (Torres, L., & Taknint, J. T., Journal of Counseling Psychology, Vol. 62, No. 3, 2015; Abdullah, T., et al., Traumatology, online first publication, 2021).

Read more here.

BE ANTIRACIST with Ibram X. Kendi

The following description is from Be Antiracist Podcast — IXK. (ibramxkendi.com).

Be Antiracist imagines what an antiracist society might look like and how we all can play an active role in building one. Dr. Ibram X. Kendi is the author of How to Be an Antiracist, the book that spurred a nationwide conversation redefining what it means to be antiracist, and in this podcast, he guides listeners how they can identify and reject the racist systems hiding behind racial inequity and injustice. Alongside notable guests, Dr. Kendi continues his journey towards building a just and equitable world and proposes how we can all help create it with him.

Listen here.