This summer, UNLV has its chef hat on and is serving up an academic BBQ of knowledge. We’ve combined the May flowers and June heatwave to bring you this weightier edition of Newsmakers with a double helping of headlines.
How can you stay safe in this summer heat? Curious how to beat post-sickness blues? Looking to brush up on what your teens are saying at the dinner table? How about keeping yourself current ahead of the presidential election? We’re cooking up everything from the best golf bags to the history of the Mirage hotel.
Here’s a look at the headlines:
Parenting
As Father’s and Mother’s Day approached, media outlets called on several UNLV experts to shed light on the role of child caregivers.
- Brandon Eddy, a researcher in the Couple and Family Therapy Program, explained the evolving roles of dads in the household and was featured in several publications such as: , , , , and .
- Child psychologist Christopher Kearney coached readers on how to explain to curious kids where babies come from.
- Is Mother’s Day just for moms or for grandmothers too? Psychology expert Rachael Robnett chatted about the expectations moms should have during Mother’s Day with , and the story was picked up by local stations including . Robnett also chatted with for a story honoring Mother’s Day and the holiday’s history.
Hip New World
Depending on your 'POV', summer often means spending more time with family and friends. So, it's important that we all understand the lingo to avoid feeling like an 'NPC' during our warm-weather get-togethers.
- Both the and looked to media expert Benjamin Burroughs to tell us what the new, obscure slang phrase ‘fax, no printer’ means. also called upon him to explain how the Peppa Pig cartoon character became a global phenomenon.
- Media expert Benjamin Morse helped TODAY with several stories, explaining why teens say , and . TODAY also talked to him about the .
- Psychology expert Rachael Robnett defined the new derogatory phrases ‘pick-me girl’ and ‘pick-me boy’ with .
Health
- Medical entomologist and go-to mosquito expert Louisa Messenger talked about the safety and effectiveness of bug repellents in and ; the uptick in Southern Nevada mosquitoes and West Nile cases with and the ; the potential danger to pets with ; and how to dodge mosquitoes entirely with the . She also talked with generally about bugs’ winter habits.
- Integrated health scientist Sara Rosenkranz cleared up the importance of electrolytes in an article from the .
- Geriatric psychologist Kate Zhong was a featured guest on the discussing advances in Alzheimer’s treatments.
- Epidemiologist Chad Cross told how to rid our yards of ticks. His lab was also featured in a story about its efforts to track local cases of West Nile in mosquitoes.
- , , and caught up with architecture professor Steffen Lehmann about what can be done about the sweltering heat felt around the world.
- examined how alcohol impacts the performance of athletes with Tedd Girouard, director of the athletic training program.
- , , and covered the benefits of walking backward with health scientist Janet Dufek.
- interviewed clinical psychologist Brenna Renn on how to ease depression symptoms after recovering from a sickness. also learned some healthy eating hacks from nutritionist Samantha Coogan.
- talked to clinical sports psychologist Brad Donohue about improving your mental outlook during a workout.
- Marc Kahn, dean of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, commented on what’s being done to address Nevada’s physician shortage on , , and . He also chatted with about the combined COVID-flu vaccine.
- Psychologist Tanya Crabb joined to talk about overcoming mental health hurdles through the inspiration of super heroes.
- Jefferson Kinney, chair of brain health, shared the latest news in research, patient advocacy, and treatment for Alzheimer’s with .
- asked public health expert Brian Labus about the consequences of a new social media trend where influencers consume raw milk. He also talked to about COVID’s surprising role in the surge of food recalls.
Culture
- Fashion historian Deirdre Clemente appeared in a story revealing what our socks say about us, as well as what our clothing conveys during court appearances via . She also talked to about the safety of corsets featured in the hit show Bridgerton.
- Brett Abarbanel, director of the International Gaming Institute, provided comments on Dave & Buster’s allowing betting on arcade games in an story. She also talked to the about the murky sports betting laws in Georgia, where a fantasy sports company has just moved in.
- Aviation historian Dan Bubb covered a variety of topics on air travel, including the best international aviation museums, the most ideal airports for a layover, FAA safety issues, and what happens if both pilots fall ill during a flight: (), , , , ( ( ). He also teamed with College of Sciences professor Michael Pravica for a story on increasing turbulence.
- Riana Durrett, director of UNLV’s Cannabis Policy Institute, discussed the possible changes that could come from a federal reclassification of marijuana in the , , , and .
- Su Kim Chung of UNLV Libraries’ Special Collections appeared on a episode about Las Vegas restaurant history.
- Gaming expert Alan Feldman and historian Michael Green hearkened back on the Mirage’s history on the Strip in . Feldman joined hospitality professor Amanda Belarmino in coverage of the resort in the . also interviewed Feldman for its story on the property.
Politics
- The asked Nicholas Irwin, research director of the Lied Center for Real Estate, how the current housing crisis in the country could impact the upcoming presidential election.
- Political scientist Rebecca Gill talked to reporters about a variety of election issues. She helped cover recent rhetoric from former president Donald Trump; about Trump’s recent Las Vegas campaign stop; about Nevada’s Senate race; the and about the Supreme Court rulings on abortion and bump stocks; the about Nevada’s importance as a swing state.
- Political scientist Austin Wang authored a piece in the explaining the political strife in Taiwan, leading to protests against a package of bills. His expertise on the matter was picked up by and .
- , , and were among the outlets that tapped political science professor Kenneth Miller for insights on campaign ads, health care, and other election issues.
- Law expert David Orentlicher’s thoughts on Congress’ case against the attorney general were published on .
UNLV Happenings
- UNLV president Keith E. Whitfield provided an update on the Rebel Recovery plan and campus safety to viewers. He also commented on the upcoming Nevada Studios campus project in the .
- Engineering experts Jeremy Cho and Marie-Odile Fortier and geochemistry professor Andrew Martin received a three-year, $2.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a new way of processing steel that generates fewer emissions than a traditional blast furnace, the reported.
Experts Roundup
- Law professor Nancy Rapoport’s insight was featured in Bloomberg Law’s coverage of in Houston, a separate in Silicon Valley, and an ex-judge’s . Additionally, Rapoport appeared in regarding bankruptcy costs, detailing the Purdue Pharma case in front of the Supreme Court, and tracking legal fees.
- Danica Hays, dean of the College of Education, spoke to the about the changing expectations of what the modern college student looks like.
- Social behavioral health expert Jason Flatt discussed LGBTQ+ retirement communities with .
- Chris Cain, director of UNLV’s PGA management program, helped put together a list of the best golf bags with the .
- Tyler Parry, an expert on African diaspora studies, shared historical anecdotes about Juneteenth traditions with the .
- Casino management researcher Anthony Lucas’ findings about the effectiveness of free-play promotions were featured in and .
- College of Fine Arts professor Adam Paul shared his screen acting expertise in a story about the prevalence of ‘method dressing’ in Hollywood.
- Economist Eric Chiang went over the bankruptcy of the Red Lobster restaurant chain with () and .
- Hospitality professor Amanda Belarmino talked about modern tipping practices with .
- Astrophysicist Jason Steffen explained why planes board front-to-back in .