With the weather warming and the semester winding to a close, we’re only whetting our academic appetites as far as April Newsmakers goes.
What does the future of Alzheimer’s treatment look like? Will there be any consequences for defiling natural history at Lake Mead? What’s the legacy of the recently shuttered Tropicana Las Vegas? And what is the reason why some planes seem to float in place without moving?
If these topics have strummed the chords of your curiosity, all you need to do is take a peek below for the answers you seek.
Health
- The latest findings and updates in Alzheimer’s research were published in this year’s drug treatment pipeline update from Jeffrey Cummings, and were featured in and .
- Research from psychologist Shane Kraus shows a link between sports betting and binge drinking. It was covered in publications such as , , , , , and the .
- Kinesiologist John Mercer gave a rundown of the best walking shoes for women in
Culture
- Law professor Benjamin Edwards provided advice on protecting your retirement accounts from any conflicts in the . He also spoke to the about an investor’s potential role in the presidential election.
- featured the comments of geological science expert Matthew Lachniet regarding the vandalism and destruction of historic rocks around Lake Mead.
- Media expert Ben Morse helped explain teen slang — such as calling someone an “NPC” — to .
- Brett Abarbanel, executive director of the International Gaming Institute, talked to about the consequences of the recent boom in sports gambling.
- As an iconic Las Vegas resort prepared to shut its doors, pinged both David Schwartz and Michael Green for their history knowledge of the Tropicana. Green also flexed his historical muscle with and .
- Fashion historian Deirdre Clemente looked at the staying power of the varsity jacket as a symbol of ‘cool’ with . She was also featured in a story in about White House dress codes and the controversy over a visitor’s dinner attire.
- interviewed architectural psychologist Dak Kopec about the most odd buildings on the planet. The also tapped his expertise on the benefits of repurposing existing office buildings for other uses, such as healthcare.
- Robotics expert Paul Oh spoke to the about a local business investing in lifelike animatronics.
- and shared advice from sustainability coordinator Tara Pike on how Nevadans can increase their recycling output.
Politics
- An opinion piece from law professor David Orentlicher was published by , regarding former president Donald Trump’s ongoing legal troubles.
- The spoke with law expert Frank Rudy Cooper about racial stereotypes that have persisted through the years as a means to justify police violence against Black people.
- Law expert Ian Bartrum’s comments about a federal standoff over grazing cattle on contested land were featured in the .
- Economist Stephen Miller was quoted in an article discussing decreasing international migrant interest in Nevada.
- Political scientist David Damore analyzed how Democrats and Republicans could win their 2024 campaigns in Clark County with .
University News
- UNLV's International Gaming Institute announced the inaugural recipients of its ESPN responsible gaming research fellows: , ,
- Lied Library has been tapped to help preserve relics from the former Tropicana hotel. , , , and chatted with Special Collections and Archives director Sarah Quigley.
- interviewed Oral History Research Center director Claytee White about the Library’s upcoming launch of a new sports-focused project.
- UNLV School of Public Health professor Jennifer Pharr partnered the Raiders on RUSH, a program that encourages sports participation among local girls: ,
- As part of Children's Week, UNLV philosophy students — led by professor Amy Reed-Sandoval — taught students at the UNLV/CSUN preschool about critical thinking behaviors and self-confidence:
- covered a forum that addressed a new campus partnership’s push to alleviate the state’s shortage of mental health workers and resources.
- UNLV Athletics received a $1 million gift to fund a women’s sports careers initiative, reported , , and .
Expert Roundup
- Graduate student Annie Delgado and fashion historian Deirdre Clemente provided background on Clara Bow, a vintage actress who was mentioned in Taylor Swift’s newest album, through an essay they penned for that was picked up by outlets including .
- Psychologist Russell Hurlburt spoke with about what our internal mental conversations say about us.
- and highlighted Nevada Center for Astrophysics postdoctoral research Yihan Wang and astrophysicist Zhaohuan Zhu’s contributions to the study of Jupiter-Mass Binary Objects.
- Aviation historian Dan Bubb described why planes typically fly at 35,000 ft. with . He again joined to tell readers why most planes are painted white. Bubb also talked about how flight crews screen for drunk passengers with , and addressed Congressional scrutiny of Boeing amid safety concerns with .
- called upon Jason Steffen’s astronomy and physics expertise to explain the Southern Hemisphere’s ‘southern lights’. He again joined to explain the phenomenon that sometimes makes planes look like they’re frozen in place.
- Jason Steffen was also featured in a article about how the recent solar eclipse may have affected plants. asked Steffen about the next time we might see another solar eclipse.
- Educational psychologist Nancy Lough commented on celebrity endorsements in car insurance advertisements in a piece from .
- Law professors Danielle Finn and Kathryn R.L. Rand were quoted in articles by the and about tribal law.
- The quoted Graduate College dean Alyssa Crittenden in a piece about improving the population’s educational outcomes. Meanwhile, quoted provost Chris Heavey in a story about the launch of a UNLV employee survey to better understand how university initiatives are supporting minority groups on campus and where the institution could invest resources.
- UNLV Health senior audiologist Jennifer Joy-Cornejo spoke to about preventing ear damage at summer concerts.
- UNLV Cannabis Policy Institute director Riana Durrett talked to and wrote an essay for about legislation.