From STEM to social impact: U-M scholars go global with Fulbright awards
Grant and Award Announcement
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 21-Jun-2026 18:15 ET (21-Jun-2026 22:15 GMT/UTC)
Twenty-seven University of Michigan students and faculty scholars have been awarded Fulbright grants for the 2025-26 academic year, putting the university among the top-producing institutions in the country.
Associate Professor Yuji Ogihara of Aoyama Gakuin University reviews empirical studies examining temporal changes in the frequency of (un)common first names and demonstrates that uncommon names increased over time in many nations: Germany, the U.S., the U.K., France, Japan, China, and Indonesia (Figure 1). He reveals that an increase in uncommon names is observed more generally, not locally in some limited nations.
Previous research has shown that uncommon names are increasing in some nations. However, these findings have been reported separately by nation, making it unclear whether the phenomenon is observed more globally or more locally in some limited nations.
Therefore, he reviews empirical studies that examine temporal changes in the frequency of (un)common names. In addition, he summarizes the information of research on (un)common names and naming behaviors for uniqueness, including study periods, indicators, and sample characteristics.
Accumulated evidence has demonstrated that uncommon names increased over time in Germany, the U.S., the U.K., France, Japan, China, and Indonesia. Moreover, this trend has been found in diverse cultural zones: European, American, and Asian cultures. Therefore, giving uncommon names is a more global trend. This increase in uncommon names reflects broader sociocultural changes toward greater emphasis on individuality and distinction from others, contributing not only to our understanding of naming practices but also to a deeper understanding of society and culture.
These findings were published on 25th November, 2025 in the international journal Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-06156-1).New research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) shows how many tropical cities are predicted to warm faster than expected under 2°C of global warming.
Cities are often warmer than rural areas due to a phenomenon known as the urban heat island, which can be influenced by various factors, such as regional climate and vegetation cover. This can lead to increased heat-related health risks for some urban populations.
Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the study combined state-of-the-art climate change projections with machine learning models to show how these urban heat islands can be amplified in many tropical and subtropical cities under climate change - mostly in monsoon regions such as India, China and Western Africa.
A new study conducted at Tel Aviv University introduces an innovative approach to treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generating particular interest in light of the sharp rise in the number of individuals coping with the condition following the events of October 7 and the Iron Swords War. According to the study’s preliminary findings, treatment using noninvasive brain stimulation succeeded in significantly reducing intrusive memories, such as flashbacks and intrusive thoughts, which are considered among the most severe and treatment-resistant symptoms of PTSD.
A new genetic study has revealed that the people of Deep Mani, who inhabit one of the remotest regions of mainland Greece, represent one of the most genetically distinctive populations in Europe, shaped by more than a millennium of isolation. The findings, published today (4 February) in Communications Biology, reveal that many lineages can be traced back to the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman period of Greece.
A study involving Instagram users unveils the mental processes that are key to overcoming resistance to drinking recycled tap water