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Never mind the winter chill. UNLV experts were hot on the scene this January as they fielded hundreds of interview requests from media on topics including finance, the friendly skies, health, hunger, artificial intelligence, and outer space.

Read on for details on these accomplishments and more.

University Happenings

• U.S. News & World Report ranked the UNLV School of Nursing’s online master’s programs the 10th best in the nation: , , ,
   
• UNLV’s Rebel Girls & Company won two national dance championship titles: , , , ,
   
• Several UNLV International Gaming Institute (IGI) celebrations made headlines.
   
  • The , , , , , , and were among outlets that reported on longtime research director Brett Abarbanel’s promotion to executive director.
     
  • IGI also partnered with the Gaming Society on a program to research women bettors and women’s sports: , , ,  
• Research professor Kristen Averyt was appointed director for drought and Western resilience for the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality: , , () ()
   
• highlighted a UNLV psychology program that’s assisting local residents navigate bipolar disorder.
   
• The hospitality program cooked meals for low-income elementary students:

Business & Economy

• Several outlets called on consumer behavior expert Amanda Belarmino. She spoke to about inflation’s effect on holiday sales; about the revenue impact of a Virginia casino’s decision to allow smoking; about recovery of the Las Vegas convention industry; and about projects opening in Las Vegas amid recession worries.
   
• Belarmino, along with responsible gaming expert Alan Feldman, spoke to outlets about a class-action lawsuit alleging price fixing by Las Vegas Strip hotels: , , , , , ,
   
• Feldman, hospitality professors Mehmet Erdem and Scott Morrow, and historian Michael Green helped answer questions surrounding a rash of casino cage robberies: , , .
   
• Erdem also shared tips for guests navigating hotel reservation problems with .
   
• Stephen MIller, research director for the Center for Business and Economic Research, shared local economy predictions with . He also spoke to the about California businesses moving to Las Vegas.
   
• IGI executive director Brett Abarbanel offered insight for an story about record-setting wins at Nevada casinos and on sports wagering apps. 

Health

• Recovering from surgery? Architecture professor Dak Kopec chimed in via on the health benefits of a hospital room with a view. He also was featured in a piece about aging in place and accommodations for senior living.
   
• Following an NFL player’s on-field medical emergency, reached out to athletic training expert Tedd Girouard for insight on the importance of medical personnel at both local amateur and professional sporting events.
   
• Nursing researcher Jinyoung Kim chatted with about white noise and improved sleep.
   
• CAPS psychologist Luke R. Allen offered insight to about the links between mental health and gender-affirming hormone therapy for non-binary and trans youth.
• Epidemiologist Brian Labus talked to the about Nevada’s low rate of COVID-19 infections, the about pandemic lockdown protocols, and about home tests for RSV and flu. 

Science

• Multiple outlets including , , and checked in with geologist Simon Jowitt to fact check an internet rumor about electrically charged rocks in Congo. He also chatted with about recycling rare earth elements, about cobalt mines, and about catalytic converter thefts.
   
• interviewed astrophysicist Jason Steffen and mechanical engineering professor Brendan O’Toole about UNLV’s role in NASA’s Mars and moon research. Steffen was also featured in a piece about the James Webb Telescope’s observations of ice in space.
   
• As NASA prepares to send astronauts to the moon, School of Integrated Health Sciences professor Francis Cucinotta spoke to and about the threat of space radiation to human explorers.
   
• School of Life Sciences professor chatted with about human-wildlife interactions in light of residential neighborhood coyote sightings.
   
• The joined microbiologist Brian Hedlund and his students on an outing to a natural spring for a feature on their research into microscopic bacteria and other organisms.

Expert Roundup

• Kendall Hartley, an educational technology expert, spoke with , , , and about the rise of artificial intelligence website ChatGPT and its impact on school cheating.
   
• Tax expert Francine Lipman commented on former president Donald Trump’s finances following the release of his tax returns via the , , , and . She also penned an essay for the about child poverty and pandemic tax relief.
   
• Airline expert and former pilot Dan Bubb helped answer readers’ questions about the mysteries behind flight rules. He also talked to and about an FAA system outage that grounded dozens of flights.
   
• Journalists reached out to UNLV experts with racial and police protocol questions surrounding the law enforcement killing of Tyre Nichols. Criminal justice professor William Sousa spoke to the and , while law professors Addie Rolnick and Anthony Cabot spoke to .
   
• Law professor Nancy B. Rapoport spoke to and about an FTX bankruptcy case, as well as with regarding an NHL player’s bankruptcy filing.
   
• The sought gender psychology researcher Rachael Robnett’s expertise on the impact of potential name change for divorcing lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene.