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March brought the hot weather, while UNLV researchers brought a cold discovery about a new form of ice. Experts also continue to explore trends in wastewater that is linked to the virus that causes COVID.

The Russia-Ukraine war has been top of mind for everyone, but even more so for one student researcher raised in Ukraine who is studying misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda associated with the conflict. While Mary Blankenship, a researcher for Brookings Mountain West, makes a difference in sharing ways to combat Russian propaganda, another student across campus is making strides in the fight against cancer. During Women’s History Month, Citlally Lopez’s contributions to cancer research and her quest to diversify science made headlines locally. 

Read all this and more in the latest edition of UNLV Newsmakers.

A Cool Discovery

UNLV scientists have discovered Ice VIIt, a new form of ice that could provide clues for our understanding of distant, water-rich planets. The team of physicists working in UNLV’s Nevada Extreme Conditions Lab also created a new method for measuring the properties of water under high pressure. The research was led by UNLV Ph.D. student and physicist Zach Grande, with contributions by student John Boisvert and professors Ashkan Salamat, Oliver Tschauner, and Jason Steffen.

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Lady Rebels Hold Court

Fans throughout the campus and Las Vegas communities cheered as UNLV’s women’s basketball team served up a Women’s History Month marvel and headed to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years. The team’s meteoric rise helped boost the popularity of women’s basketball and proved that female athletes have a major role in Southern Nevada’s revamp into a sports mecca.  

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Wastewater Surveillance Dashboard Collaboration

UNLV, the Southern Nevada Health District, Southern Nevada Water Authority, and Desert Research Institute are partnering on an online dashboard to beef up tracking that allows the agencies to detect early increases of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) and other variants in Southern Nevada found through wastewater surveillance. The effort continues research by UNLV Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine professor Edwin Oh into links between wastewater, coronavirus and the new BA.2 variant, and the impact on Nevada.

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Russia-Ukraine War

In late February, Russia invaded Ukraine and, weeks later, the world continues to watch events unfold with bated breath. Media outlets in Nevada and around the world turned to UNLV experts for  input on the situation.

• Political scientist Christian Jensen participated in a roundtable discussion about the ways the U.S. might assist those affected by the invasion. 
• The interviewed political science professor Steven T. Landis on the likelihood of Nevada becoming a Russian nuclear target. 
• Stephen Miller, a research professor with the Lee Business School’s Center for Business and Economic Research, explained to viewers how the war impacts the U.S. economy.
• Travel expert and Honors College professor Dan Bubb explained to , , and   why the war — and decreased access to Russian oil supplies and air space — will increase gas prices and air travel costs. 
• and showcased the debut of a new Ukrainian crisis class taught by history professor Paul Werth. also covered the course, as well as a panel organized by history professors to explore the war’s origins.
• Taras Krysa, a Ukrainian-born conductor who serves as director of orchestras for UNLV’s Department of Music, shared his thoughts on the conflict and organized a local benefit concert: , , , , , , ,  

Stellar Students

• Pushing back on propaganda  was the focus of Brookings Mountain West graduate student researcher Mary Blankenship, a Ukraine native and social media disinformation expert who is researching “information pollution” surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war. Since February, she has filtered through around 36 million tweets. Throughout March, Blankenship spoke with more than a dozen media outlets around the globe to help everyday citizens understand the implications of information pollution on the ever-evolving conflict and its eventual outcome, why Russia is creating propaganda, how different regions of the world are responding in real-time to social media disinformation, and strategies to combat it.
  
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• Citlally Lopez, a Mexican-American first-generation student and undergraduate studying organic chemistry, became the first student in UNLV history to receive the prestigious Pfizer Diversity Research Fellowship in Chemistry. Lopez, under the direction of College of Sciences professor Jun Yong Kang, will use the $20,000 award to further her research in developing a drug that could decrease the growth of cancer cells. The aspiring physician-scientist told journalists that she was inspired by her own loss of family members to cancer, and a desire to break down cultural and gender barriers in the male-dominated field of science.
  
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University Business 

New month, new UNLV! That appeared to be the university’s motto as new programs, facilities, rankings, faculty hires, and student achievements were debuted.

• The Public Education Foundation and UNLV have partnered to create a program that helps stem the Clark County School District teacher shortage by preparing aspiring educators. President Keith E. Whitfield explained to , , and how the partnership will bring together teacher licensure candidates and experienced licensed educators to ensure future teachers have mentorship and other support they need to complete their degree and enter the classroom.
• Students with the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine’s Class of 2022 learned where they’ll spend their residencies during the university’s second annual match day reveal celebration. and highlighted key moments from the March Madness-themed festivities.
• The medical school also received a Nevada Department of Public Safety grant, led by Dr. Deborah Kuhls and project director Laura Gryder, to continue research aimed at reducing traffic fatalities and injuries: , ,  ()
• UNLV Nursing was in the news this March with an apprentice program that gives nursing students real-world experience in local hospitals - helping to relieve the chronic nurse shortage while also racking up valuable experience. , , and all covered the story. 
• The UNLV Immigration Clinic has opened a new satellite office in downtown Las Vegas in an effort to make its free legal services more accessible to campus community members, adults in detention, and unaccompanied children facing deportation:, , , , , Las Vegas Patch
• The William S. Boyd School of Law’s new dean, Leah Chan Grinvald, will start her role on July 1. She is the first Asian American named to the post:, , National Jurist
• and the spoke to a group of UNLV law students who got an insider look at the Senate confirmation hearing for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson.
• The covered the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, which placed 23 UNLV graduate and professional programs among the top 100 in their respective fields.

General Roundup

• The and featured comments by Sports Research and Innovation Initiative co-director Nancy Lough about gender equity, fan interest, and media coverage surrounding the NCAA Final Four and other women’s sports.
• Kate Martin, the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine’s associate dean for graduate education, told about a new Down Syndrome program she’s launching. 
• Dr. Marc J. Khan, dean of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, was interviewed by about the future of the two-year long pandemic. 
• College of Sciences entomologist Allen Gibbs spoke to about giant hornets.
• UNLV climate scientist Kristen Averyt talked about Nevada climate change and a drought during a segment.
• International Gaming Institute director of research Brett Abarbanel and Alan Feldman, IGI’s distinguished fellow in responsible gaming, were quoted in about the use of artificial intelligence to help cut down on problem gambling.
• History professor and Women’s Research Institute of Nevada director Caryll Dziedziak helped highlight local female trailblazers as part of a Women’s History Month segment, which also featured IGI chief executive in residence Jan Jones Blackhurst and UNLV president emerita Carol C. Harter.
• spoke to hospitality professor Amanda Belarmino about hotels’ creative strategies to attract summer guests.
• Physics Today, , , , , and showcased a new study by astrophysicist Bing Zhang and an international team of scientists that identifies polarization as key trait that may reveal the origin of the powerful millisecond-long cosmic radio explosions.
• Political scientist Tiffiany Howard spoke to the (), , and about election violence; with the about campaign extremism; and with about Indian refugees in Russia.
• Labor and employment law professor Ruben Garcia spoke to , the , the , and the about topics ranging from unions to class action suits over 401k plans.
• Sociology professor Bridget Longoria outlined barriers and resources for struggling single mothers during a segment.
• Asma Tahir, supervisor of the School of Public Health’s Pollen Monitoring Program, spoke to the and about the start of allergy season.