Campus Memorial to honor students who died in the past year

Friends, family members, and campus partners are invited to attend the Campus Memorial, an annual event that honors the lives and accomplishments of student members of the U-M community who have died during this past year. Six students will be remembered this year. The Campus Memorial is scheduled for 2 p.m. April 7 in the Anderson Room of the Michigan Union. A light reception will follow in the Opera Lounge in the Michigan Union. The Michigan experience has been forever impacted by the companionship and contributions of those being honored, and the end of the academic year is a fitting time to offer remembrances and commemorations. The Campus Memorial is sponsored by the Division of Student Life and the Association of Religious Counselors. 

Applications open for RISE Innovator Development Program

RISE (Research. Innovation. Scholarship. Education) is now accepting applications for the Innovator Development Program, a 12-month program that supports faculty, staff and learners in developing and piloting innovative approaches to health sciences education. Participants receive mentorship, join a collaborative community of education innovators, and may apply for project funding and protected time to support their work. RISE is particularly interested in ideas that have the potential to improve teaching and learning, scale across settings or learners, and ultimately strengthen health care practice. Applications are open to all Michigan Medicine faculty, staff and learners. The application deadline is 5 p.m. May 15. RISE will host a virtual information session at 4 p.m. April 15, along with optional 15-minute consultations for prospective applicants. Learn more and apply online at michmed.org/RBN2b.

Detroiters cautious about government use of AI, U-M survey finds

Many Detroiters are still making up their minds about potential government use of artificial intelligence, with 41% of city residents reporting neutral views or uncertainty on whether AI’s benefits to society outweigh its risks. A new issue brief outlines findings from a representative survey of Detroiters fielded by the Detroit Metro Area Communities Study at the University of Michigan. More than 2,100 people responded to the survey between Aug. 6 and Oct. 1, 2025, and survey results are weighted to represent the demographics of the city’s population as a whole. The survey asked Detroiters about their general perceptions of AI as well as their support for specific municipal AI applications, including managing water and wastewater systems, assisting residents in finding government resources, monitoring neighborhood upkeep, identifying crime suspects and identifying missing children. “We wanted to know whether residents think AI can improve efficiency, transparency and accountability in government services as well as whether the technology might increase harm, bias or unfairness in service delivery. We hope city officials will take Detroiters’ views on AI into account as they explore applications of AI in government services,” said Heonuk Ha, U-M postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute for Social Research and an AI fellow at the Institute for Data and AI in Society. Ha co-authored the issue brief with Yucheng Fan, data manager at DMACS, and Mara Cecilia Ostfeld, a faculty co-lead at DMACS.

Caregiving without a net: Poll shows who needs help most

Nearly a third of Americans over 50 provide regular care to an adult relative or friend with a health issue or disability, but many of them don’t know about, or use, local resources that could help them with caregiving, according to a new University of Michigan poll. And about 20% of these caregivers are like highwire acrobats working without a net. They’re taking care of someone else with health needs, but without close friends or family members to pitch in if they needed help with their own health concerns. The new findings from the U-M National Poll on Healthy Aging could inform caregiver-related policy discussions at state and national levels. It also suggests a need for increased awareness of existing programs such as adult day programs and respite care, and local organizations like Area Agencies on Aging, that address the needs of adults 60 and older and their caregivers. Such programs can connect caregivers to services, support and resources that can reduce their burden and improve the day-to-day care they provide. The poll is based at the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation and supported by Michigan Medicine, with additional support for Michigan-specific polling from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. “This is an issue we need to keep our eyes on as our nation continues to grapple with the growing demand for unpaid, untrained caregiving for older adults and for people with disabilities and serious health needs,” said Florence Johnson, assistant professor in the School of Nursing and member of IHPI. “Our poll shows that 23% of all people over 50, including many who are already caregivers for one or more adults, may lack family or friends to help them if they needed support with health needs. But they may not know where or how to find services.”

— Compiled by Jeff Bleiler, The University Record