Scholars across the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at KU turn up every single day determined to make discoveries that will uplift society. They question the status quo, experiment with new ideas and products, and propose solutions that address the challenges we all face. From discovering a new species, to recommending the best ways to find love, to exploring the potential impact of real-life death stars, check out just a few of the many KU discoveries from the spring of 2017 in our highlights reel below.

Speaking to Korbin Painter, you are instantly struck by his love for learning about the past. He's curious about how and why people lived, and the ways they were affected by seismic political changes. These interests led Korbin to a honors thesis researching the lives of lesbian women living under the Nazi regime in Germany, investigating their struggles and resistance. How and why did he pursue this topic? Korbin always wants to gain a deep understanding of the worlds he studies, and takes an entrepreneurial approach to his research. When he encounters new questions, he seeks the classes needed to answer them from across the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

To mark Black History Month, we have compiled a list of books, research videos and projects from across the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at KU that recognize the central role of African-Americans in U.S. history and celebrate the achievements of black Americans. The list is organized chronologically. Have a project or publication that we missed? Please send it our way.

Part of Craig Marshall’s job as an associate professor of geology is to play with lasers. He’s a specialist in Raman spectroscopy, which involves using lasers to determine the molecular makeup of matter. Marshall frequently employs this technique to analyze minerals and crystals. One application he’s studying is whether Raman spectroscopy could help scientists find evidence of life on Mars.