ATE Series

A woman wearing headphones and a yellow sweater sits in a comfortable chair with a laptop in her lap.

Ask the Expert: How Americans Are Learning About Judaism and Religion Through Art and Culture

September 29, 2026

A growing number of Americans are religiously unaffiliated, according to the Pew Research Center, but those broader shifts don’t necessarily mean Americans’ religious lives are disappearing. To understand what religion looks like in 21st-century America, scholars like Michigan State University Associate Professor Laura Yares are asking different questions. Yares co-authored the recent book “Judaism Mediated: Learning About Jewishness through the…

A performer sits cross-legged at center stage with palms raised upward, illuminated by cool blue lighting and circular projections. Two dancers stand behind holding flowing blue fabric.

Faculty / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / Michigan Impact / News / Programs / Student

Ask the Expert: How Arts and Humanities Drive Michigan’s Economic Future

July 29, 2026

Higher education plays a key role in educating Michigan residents as well as supporting the state’s economy, workforce, and culture. Michigan’s 15 public universities generate nearly $45 billion in annual economic impact with Michigan State University supporting $9.7 billion, according to the Michigan Association of State Universities Economic Impact Report released in 2026. Additionally, MSU educates more Michigan residents than…

A man with gray hair and a beard wearing a gray polo shirt.

Faculty / Faculty / News / Religious Studies / Research / U.S. Impact

Ask the Expert: How William Billings’ Music Became the Soundtrack of the American Revolution

July 1, 2026

Familiar figures such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin are receiving renewed attention as the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, when the American Colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. According to Michigan State University Professor David W. Stowe, another figure deserves a place in the story: William…

A women with long dark hair that's dyed purple at the ends wearing a striped shirt and beaded necklace. The background is a wood paneled hallway.

Faculty / Faculty / Michigan Impact / News / Religious Studies / Research / U.S. Impact

Ask the Expert: How Indigenous Science Fiction Expands the Genre

June 16, 2026

Science fiction remains an enduring touchstone of pop culture, but it’s broader than spaceships and aliens like you see in the recent “Project Hail Mary” movie — no offense, Ryan Gosling. Science fiction is also an area researched by scholars exploring what it says about our current culture, collective past, and the varying viewpoints of its creators. Michigan State University…

Alejandra Márquez, Assistant Professor of Spanish at Michigan State University, wears an orange shirt and glasses. She sits in from a wall with wallpaper that shows green, blue, and yellows leaves.

Faculty / Faculty / News / Spanish / U.S. Impact

Ask the Expert: The Super Bowl Goes Spanish With Bad Bunny’s Halftime Performance

January 30, 2026

Perhaps you’ve heard him featured on Cardi B’s 2019 hit “I Like it.” Maybe you’ve seen him host Saturday Night Live. You might have even seen his name during the Grammys, in recent headlines, or come across songs from his most recent album, "Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” on your music streaming app of choice.Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny,…

A woman in a black headscarf, MSU Assistant Professor Nareman Amin, stands by a globe sculpture in the MSU International Center in East Lansing, Michigan.

Faculty / Faculty / International Impact / News / Religious Studies / Research

Ask the Expert: How Ideas of Democracy and Religion Have Changed Since the 2011 Egyptian Revolution

January 13, 2026

In early 2011, Egyptians calling for “bread, freedom, and social justice” took to the streets to protest the 30-year authoritarian rule of Hosni Mubarak. Jan. 25 marks the 15th anniversary of the Egyptian uprising and the first taste of democracy in Egypt following Mubarak’s subsequent resignation Feb. 11. Michigan State University Assistant Professor Nareman Amin’s research focuses on contemporary Islam…

A crowd carries rainbow flags in a parade.

Research

Ask the Expert: How Pride Month Has Evolved and What That Means for LGBTQIA+ Representation

June 6, 2025

The first Pride march was held in New York City June 28, 1970, on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. The Stonewall Uprising started with a raid on the gay bar, the Stonewall Inn in New York City and resulted in six days of protests and fighting between police and the LGBTQIA+ community. In 1969, homosexuality was considered a…

A DJ behind a sound mixing board creates music for a crowd of dancing people in a warehouse setting. Photo credit: Doug Coombe

English / Exhibition / Faculty / Faculty / Lansing-East Lansing Impact / Michigan Impact / News / Research

Ask the Expert: How Detroit and Its People Are Integral to the Rise of Techno Music

May 19, 2025

The story of techno music often focuses on a global narrative without acknowledging that it began in Detroit, Michigan — a place where Black people for decades have harnessed sound and music to reflect their experiences. During the 1970s and 1980s, techno was explored and celebrated by Black and queer communities across radio waves and in warehouse spaces around the…

MSU Assistant Professor Megan Dean wearing a blazer and glasses leans against the doorframe of a hoop house. Behind her are leafy green vegetables growing in rows.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion / Faculty / Health / News / Philosophy / Research / U.S. Impact

Ask the Expert: Making Holiday Meals More Welcoming

November 13, 2024

Holidays and celebrations often involve eating together with family and friends. But what does it mean to eat well together? How can food allergies, restricted diets, and even certain medications make sharing a meal more challenging for guests as well as hosts? Megan Dean, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Michigan State University, explores the ethics of eating and brings to…

Kelly Salchow MacArthur, a two-time Olympic rower and graphic design professor at Michigan State University, rowing in her boat on a body of water with green trees in the background.

Faculty / Faculty / Faculty Stories / International Impact / News

Ask the Expert: How Do the Olympics Connect People, Athletics, and Art?

July 11, 2024

The modern Olympics continue to highlight athletic excellence and a spirit of teamwork even after more than 125 years since their inception in Athens, Greece. Now, every two years, the Olympics — with either the Summer Games or Winter Games — connect people and cultures in peaceful competition. Roughly 10,500 athletes from around the world will compete at the 2024…