Tens of thousands of B.C. public school students are embarking on new tech-based projects thanks to $150,000 from Simon Fraser University aimed at transforming classroom experience.

The 2025 Cmolik–SFU Grant Program supports classroom, school, and district-based science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) projects. Administered by Simon Fraser University’s Faculty of Education through the Cmolik Endowment Fund, the program empowers educators to design initiatives that build critical thinking skills, foster curiosity, and create equitable opportunities for students from kindergarten to Grade 12. 

Bedding choice is a crucial factor in both cow comfort and udder health, and dairy farms in the Midwest are increasingly turning to recycled manure solids (RMS) as a cost-effective and readily available option. But because RMS originates from manure, questions remain about whether it can harbor mastitis-causing bacteria or other pathogens. A new cross-sectional study in JDS Communications, published by Elsevier, explores how different processing methods affect pathogen levels, giving producers clearer insight into the benefits and limitations of RMS bedding.

In an increasingly electrified society, the widespread use of batteries to power tools, toys and gadgets fuels an ever-expanding need to produce more batteries and the rapid accumulation of spent batteries. Attempting to solve this crisis, two Boston College researchers discovered a unique bacterium feeds on spent battery “waste”, making it a promising new method for self-sufficient battery recycling, they reported recently in the journal ACS Sustainable Resource Management.

MIT research shows users make assumptions about the social context of data visualizations based on design elements. These inferences can impact the degree to which users trust the data that visualization depicts. The researchers hope the work leads to better strategies for scientific communication.