Pullman
16 stories filed under Pullman on Wazzu. The newest of them: “Washington wine didn't happen by accident. Cougs helped build it”, “Tanzanian dogs stay safer with WSU's smarter shot schedule”, and “Nearly half the nursing students at WSU are first-gen and they're built different”. You don't have to dig deep into Washington wine country to taste the Cougar in the glass. You know what's worse than a sick dog? The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every Pullman story on Wazzu, newest first.
Washington wine didn't happen by accident. Cougs helped build it
You don't have to dig deep into Washington wine country to taste the Cougar in the glass. That's because WSU didn't just show up to the harvest, it helped plant the roots. For decades, the university has worked shoulder-to-shoulder with growers and producers across the state, turning what could have stayed a scrappy regional hobby into an economic powerhouse. That's not luck, and it's not happenstance. It's the result of patient, hands-on work in the vineyards and the labs, the kind of quiet persistence that doesn't make for flashy headlines but sure makes for a good bottle. The wine industry here doesn't owe everything to Pullman, but it owes a lot. And it's worth saying plainly: Cougs built this, and we're not shy about it. The same spirit that drives our ag research, the kind that makes the Palouse a little smarter every season, shows up in the vines. If you want to see how that same practical innovation plays out elsewhere, our piece on WSU's smarter corn fields is worth a click. But today, raise a glass to the growers, the researchers, and the decades of grit that made Washington wine a name you actually hear outside the state. It didn't happen by accident. It happened because Cougs showed up, got their hands dirty, and stayed. Go Cougs.
Tanzanian dogs stay safer with WSU's smarter shot schedule
You know what's worse than a sick dog? A sick dog you thought was fine. For three years, WSU researchers ran a smarter vaccination schedule in Tanzania, and the results are pretty clear: annual campaigns aren't cutting it. The new approach kept more dogs protected against disease, which matters when those dogs live alongside people. It's not flashy. It's a shot schedule. But it works. This is the kind of work that makes you proud to be a Coug. Not because it's headline-grabbing, but because it's practical. WSU went to Tanzania, did the study, and found a way to keep more dogs safe without asking for more resources. That's the Palouse way: figure out what works, then do it. If you want another example of WSU researchers getting their hands dirty, check out "WSU digs into Alaska dirt and finds soil warming faster than we thought." Different continent, same stubborn curiosity. The point is, our people are out there, not sitting in an office guessing. So next time you're walking your dog on the Palouse, maybe think about the Cougs in Tanzania who made a few more pups safer. It's a small thing. But small things add up. Go Cougs.
Nearly half the nursing students at WSU are first-gen and they're built different
Nearly half the nursing students at WSU are first-gen, and they're built different. That's not just a nice stat for a brochure. It means the College of Nursing now holds the highest percentage of first-generation students at the entire university. Think about that for a second. These are students walking into one of the toughest programs on campus without a parent who already knows the ropes. No one at home can tell them how to pick a clinical rotation or what to say in a lecture hall. They figure it out anyway. That kind of grit is pure Coug. It's the same stubbornness that gets a kid from a small town through organic chemistry at 8 a.m. and then back to a part-time job. WSU has always been a place where hard work matters more than where you came from, and this data proves it's still true. The university isn't just admitting first-gen students, it's graduating them as nurses. That matters in a state that needs more rural healthcare workers, and it matters in Pullman, where a lot of these students will stay and serve. If you want to see how WSU keeps showing up for people who show up for themselves, check out our story on the Global Campus rankings. Same mission, different zip code. Go Cougs.
A baby's skin microbes might tip off Coug researchers to early allergies
That tiny human smell? It's more than just cute. Turns out, the microscopic ecosystem living on a baby's skin might be telling us something important long before that first sneeze or rash appears. WSU researchers found that the microbes on infants could tip us off to early allergies before they ever take hold. That's the kind of work that makes you proud to be a Coug, not just because it's smart, but because it's useful. We're talking about catching something early enough that maybe, just maybe, you can do something about it before your kid is miserable every spring. Pullman punches above its weight in this stuff, and it's worth paying attention to. If you want to see how that same kind of sharp, practical science plays out in other corners, check out our coverage of the WSU-led coastal pollution study. Different problem, same Coug instinct: find the place where your effort actually matters. This allergy work is still early, but it's the kind of lead that makes you feel like we're finally getting ahead of something. Go Cougs.
Pullman lab aims nanoparticle at endometriosis, human trials in sight
A Pullman lab has a nanoparticle aimed directly at endometriosis, and human trials are actually in sight. That is not a headline you read every day. For the roughly one in ten women who deal with this condition, treatment has mostly meant managing symptoms or surgery. This is different. The therapy uses a nanoparticle to deliver drugs straight to the disease site instead of flooding the whole body. That is the kind of targeted work that makes you stop and think about what is happening in those labs on the hill. We have covered a few WSU studies lately, and they share a theme: researchers here are not afraid to ask simple, stubborn questions. Our piece on the weed placebo trial showed that sometimes what you believe matters as much as what you inhale. That one is worth a read if you missed it. Back to the nanoparticle. The researchers are hoping to move toward human trials. That is a big step, and it means the work has passed some serious hurdles already. Pullman is not a place that chases headlines. It is a place where people solve problems that nobody else has cracked yet. This story is still early, but it is the kind of news that makes a Coug proud to say they came from here. Go Cougs.
WSU study finds the right tone makes AI fact-checks actually stick
Not everyone wants a robot to talk to them like a robot. WSU just proved it with a study on AI fact-checks. Turns out, the tone matters as much as the truth. Some people want neutral, no-nonsense corrections. Others need a little empathy before they'll actually listen. That's not soft stuff, that's strategy. If you're trying to correct bad info, the delivery is half the battle. WSU researchers found that matching the tone to the person makes the fact-check stick. Neutral for the logic-first crowd. Empathetic for the folks who need to feel heard before they'll reconsider. It's obvious when you think about it, but it's the kind of obvious that nobody bothered to prove until now. This is classic WSU work. Practical. Grounded. Not chasing headlines, just solving real problems. It fits right alongside the kind of research we've been covering, like that study on Tanzanian dogs staying safer with a smarter shot schedule. Different subject, same ethos: test the assumption, prove what works, and put it to use. The takeaway here is simple. Facts alone don't change minds. The right tone does. Go Cougs.
WSU's old reactor know-how is writing the next chapter
The old WSU nuclear reactor in the basement of the Dodgen Research Facility hasn't been critical since the early 2000s, but its brain trust never really left the building. Now that brain trust is writing the next chapter. Washington State University is stepping back into the nuclear conversation, this time with the kind of know-how you only get from decades of hands-on work. The reactor may be shut down, but the expertise isn't. WSU will help shape what comes next for nuclear energy, building on a foundation most schools can't claim. This isn't a flashy pivot. It's a return to something Pullman has always done well: work that matters, quietly, and then suddenly everyone notices. It fits a pattern across this university. The WSU College of Nursing just reported that nearly half its students are first-generation, and they're built different. That's not a coincidence. WSU pulls from communities that show up ready to work, whether it's in a hospital or a research lab. The nuclear story deserves your attention. It's not about nostalgia for the old reactor. It's about what that experience makes possible now. When the country needs answers on clean energy, WSU already has the people who know the questions. Go Cougs.
New WSU study: Cannabis ads are shaping how young adults think about sex
A new WSU study found that cannabis ads are doing exactly what you'd expect: shaping how young adults think about sex. The research suggests these advertisements, which link weed with intimacy and romance, are influencing people's intentions to use the drug before sex. That has real implications for sexual decision-making and consent. It's not a shocker, but it's good to have the data. WSU researchers are asking the kind of questions that matter in the real world, not just in a lab. This isn't the only Coug research looking at how everyday stuff affects our bodies. Another recent WSU study found that the microscopic organisms on a baby's skin might tip off researchers to early allergies. Two different studies, same instinct: pay attention to what's really going on beneath the surface. As for the cannabis-and-sex study, we all know advertising works. That's why companies spend billions on it. But when the product being sold can mess with your judgment in intimate situations, the stakes get higher. The study doesn't tell you what to do. It just lays out what's happening. Read it, think about it, and maybe look twice at the next ad that makes a joint look like a love potion. Go Cougs.
WSU digs into Alaska dirt and finds soil warming faster than we thought
Alaska is warming faster than most of the planet. That much we knew. But WSU researchers just dropped a number that should make you sit up straighter in your chair: the soil up there is heating up even quicker than we thought. That dirt isn't just frozen ground. It holds more carbon than all the trees on Earth combined. When it thaws, that carbon doesn't stay put. It becomes methane and CO2, which makes the planet warmer, which thaws more soil. You see the loop. This is the kind of work that doesn't make a highlight reel, but it matters more than most touchdowns. WSU has been digging into Alaska for years, and this latest research confirms what some of us feared: the permafrost timeline is tighter than we hoped. It's not a future problem. It's happening now. If you want to see how WSU scientists do this kind of gritty, ground-level work, check out our piece on how they're fighting to save honey bees from collapse. Same stubborn attention to detail. Same refusal to look away from a hard problem. Pullman is a long way from the Yukon, but the science coming out of this place reaches every frozen corner of the map. That's worth a pause. Go Cougs.
Rural schools swap diesel for sun, and the whole town breathes easier
A school district in rural America looked at its diesel bill, looked at the sun, and made a choice. Now the whole town is breathing easier. A program is swapping diesel generators for solar panels in rural schools, cutting costs and keeping money in communities that cannot afford to lose a dime. It is not a pilot project or a grant that runs out in two years. It is a real shift in how these towns power the place where their kids learn. That matters more than most people realize. Pullman knows something about energy that does not come from a pipeline. Washington State University has been deep in nuclear research since before most of us were born, and that old know-how is writing the next chapter. If you want to see how that legacy connects to the work coming out of land-grant schools, we have a piece on WSU's reactor history that is worth your time. This is not a story about one school getting a grant. It is about a model that works. Fewer fumes. Lower bills. Stronger towns. That is the kind of win you do not need to spin. Go Cougs.
Your smartphone pics just helped WSU track grass genetics
You took a picture of a pretty field on a hike, and somewhere in a lab on the Palouse, a scientist just used it to map grass genes. That is not a joke. WSU researchers took genetic data from switchgrass fields and cross-referenced it with photos posted by nature lovers, your smartphone pics, essentially, to track how flowering times change with the seasons. It is the kind of work that sounds too simple to be real science, but it is real, and it is clever. Switchgrass matters for bioenergy, but tracking its bloom across the country takes boots on the ground or, in this case, cameras in pockets. The researchers figured out that the public already had the data they needed. They just had to ask. This is the kind of story that makes you proud to be a Coug. It is not flashy. It is not a football highlight. It is a bunch of people looking at the world differently and sharing what they find. WSU does that a lot. If you want to see more of that same stubborn, practical problem-solving, check out our piece on how rural schools are swapping diesel for sun, the whole town breathes easier when the bus fleet goes solar. Same spirit, different field. Go Cougs.
Riley's Third Year Brings 11 Road Games and a Jan. 3 Tip in Fresno
David Riley's third season is here, and the schedule is a doozy. Eleven nonconference games away from Pullman. That's the most since 1973-74, and it tells you exactly what athletic directors and coaches are dealing with in this new Pac-12. Money matters. You don't stack that many road games unless you have to. The conference slate starts Jan. 3 in Fresno. That feels weird, but it's real. And for the first time since 1917, there is no regular-season game against Washington. None. They'll play an exhibition in Seattle on Oct. 25, which is better than nothing, but it's not the same. There are bright spots. Gonzaga comes to Beasley on Jan. 6, a Wednesday during winter break. That's a weird time for a game, but it's still Gonzaga in Pullman. And the Cougs host Kirkland on Nov. 14, their first non-D-I opponent at home since 2015. That's a rarity worth noting. The middle of the schedule is a grind. Three of four on the road, including trips to Boise State, Colorado State, and Utah State. Then a brutal February stretch with Gonzaga and San Diego State on the road in the same week. That's a gut check. If you want a different kind of Cougar story, check out "For the Leaupepetele brothers, Sunday dinner looks a lot different now." It's a good reminder that the people around this program are as interesting as the scores. Go Cougs.
For the Leaupepetele brothers, Sunday dinner looks a lot different now
Jirah Leaupepetele called his brother Jonah this week, not to talk trash for once, but to fish for intel. Jonah, Fresno State's starting right guard, wasn't giving anything up. Fair enough. The problem? Jonah's listed as questionable and isn't expected to play Saturday when the Cougs host the Bulldogs. So the first-ever on-field matchup between these two brothers will have to wait. That doesn't mean this weekend is meaningless. Far from it. Their parents, Tony and Rhonda, are driving up from Apple Valley with the other five kids and a whole mess of grandparents, nieces, and nephews. Jirah made it clear what colors they better be wearing. The Leaupepetele family has earned this moment. Jirah transferred in from Eastern Washington and has become a force on the interior of WSU's defensive line, notching his first sack as a Coug last week against Arizona. Jonah earned the starting job at Fresno State as a redshirt freshman before the injury. Even if they don't line up across from each other, they'll share the same field. That's enough for a family that watched these boys grow up sharing a bedroom, one yelling at video games, the other trying to sleep. This is the kind of story that reminds you why Cougar football matters beyond the score. For more on how this weekend is shaping up, check out our piece on how the Cougs stared down the Dawgs and didn't flinch. Go Cougs.
WSU study: hedgehog virus jumps to cats but spares humans
A hedgehog sneezes in a Pullman lab, and a cat somewhere else catches something. That is not a joke. That is a new WSU study tracking how a virus common in hedgehogs made the jump into domestic cats. The good news for us two-legged types: it does not appear to pose much of a threat to humans. The research team figured out the mechanism of the crossover, which is the kind of science that sounds dry until you realize it means we understand a little better how diseases move between species. Hedgehogs are not exactly rare around here, and cats are everywhere. So knowing this one is not coming for us is a relief. But it is also a reminder that the animal world is always talking to itself, and sometimes we are just eavesdropping. If you want to see where else WSU researchers are poking at real-world problems, check out the piece on the Pullman lab aiming a nanoparticle at endometriosis. That one is closer to human trials. Different disease, same stubborn refusal to let a hard problem sit. Go Cougs.
How Wazzu Alumni Turn a Pullman Return Into a Proper Tailgate
You roll into Pullman for a game, and within an hour you've seen three people you haven't talked to since graduation. That's the whole point. For Wazzu alumni, coming back isn't just about the scoreboard. It's about parking the car in the same dusty lot, cracking a can, and picking up a conversation that started five or ten years ago. The tailgate is the real reunion. There's a ritual to it. Someone brings the grill they bought at Dissmore's in 2014. Someone else shows up with a cooler full of something local. You stand in a circle, talk about the game, then talk about everything else. The town hasn't changed much, and neither has the feeling. That's what makes it work. We wrote about how Dean Khosla recently made the case that the land-grant mission still means something. That mission is part of Pullman's soul. When you come back for a tailgate, you're not just visiting a campus. You're standing on ground that was built for people to return to. The town stays small, the research stays big, and the people keep showing up. A proper Pullman return tailgate is simple. You bring food. You bring stories. You remember why you left, and why you keep coming back. Go Cougs.
Pullman researchers test your weed placebo theory: turns out, maybe
So you bought the expensive weed, convinced the fancy terpene profile was melting your stress away. Pullman researchers just called your bluff. In a human trial, participants reported the same levels of stress reduction whether they vaped real cannabis or a placebo. Same relief. Same chill. The only difference was in their heads. Let that sink in before you text your buddy who swears by the $60 eighth. This is the kind of work that makes you proud to be a Coug, even when it busts your bubble. WSU researchers aren't afraid to ask the uncomfortable questions, and they do it with real science. No hype. No marketing spin. Just a clean result that tells us more about how our brains work than we might want to admit. It also fits right alongside other WSU studies that prove good research doesn't need a flashy headline. If you liked our piece on how the right tone makes AI fact-checks actually stick, you'll appreciate this one too. Same honest approach. Same willingness to follow the data where it leads. So next time you roll one up for stress, know this: the ritual might matter more than the plant. That is not a bad thing. It just means you are paying for the experience, not the chemistry. And honestly, that is still a pretty good deal. Go Cougs.