An innovative smartphone app that helps law students track their progress on key career skills was among nearly 60 national news stories that mentioned University of Nebraska-Lincoln experts, research and initiatives during July 2016.
Meanwhile, hot and dry conditions in various parts of the U.S. kept the National Drought Mitigation Center in the news; newly published research that confirmed forms of HIV can jump from chimpanzees to humans received international coverage; and Pokémon Go generated national coverage of a law professor’s observations of its legal implications, as well as of an event allowing game fans to hunt monsters inside Memorial Stadium.
Highlights of July news coverage:
Law.com, the web site of the National Law Journal, spoke to Richard Moberly and Molly Brummond, law, as well as second-year student Megan Meyerson, in a July 20 story about the new “Build Your Character” smartphone app. The app will be unveiled to students during orientation beginning Aug. 19.
Denise Gutzmer, National Drought Mitigation Center, was interviewed by the Louisville Courier-Journal for a July 7 report on that city’s efforts to use its good quality water supplies as an economic development marketing tool. The story was one of more than a dozen that mentioned the National Drought Mitigation Center as drought began to affect a number of states, including Massachusetts, New York and New Hampshire.
A study led by Quingsheng Li and Zhe Yuan, biological sciences, that confirmed simian immunodeficiency viruses, or SIV often easily move to humans was carried by United Press International, Science Daily and the Indo-Asian News Service, leading to coverage around the world.
The Associated Press reported July 13 that the Athletic Department opened Memorial Stadium to Pokémon Go players. A number of other national outlets reported on the event, including the Houston Chronicle and SBNation. Adam Thimmesch, law, got in on the fun, writing an analysis of the legal issues posed by the game. Law.com reported on his thoughts and the Surly Subgroup, a tax law blog page, published his post analyzing the wildly popular smartphone game.
Harvest Public Media interviewed Tom Clemente, plant science, for a July 11 article on how outdated biotech regulations hamper research. The story was carried by several NPR outlets in Missouri.
A DTN/Progressive Farmer story featured Sebastian Elbaum and Carrick Detweiler, computer science and engineering, discussing their efforts to develop drones that can be used to set prescribed burns.
Wheeler Winston Dixon, film studies, discussed the growing popularity of documentary films – and how much they edit the truth – in a July 7 Deseret News piece that also was carried by affiliated news outlets in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and other states. He also was among experts quoted in a July 9 story in the Christian Science Monitor about a growing market for “clean” comedy.
On Point, produced at WBUR in Boston and syndicated to NPR stations nationwide, interviewed Shane Farritor, engineering, for a July 5 story on telemedicine. Farritor described his work to develop miniature surgical robots.
A new study by Patricio Grassini, agronomy and horticulture, that found a new way to accurately forecast crop yields, was featured in the High Plains Journal on July 1.
The Washington Post quoted Ari Kohen, political science, for a July 12 article on why people today are hungry for heroes.
Research by Mario Scalora and Brandon Hollister, psychology, was featured in Campus Safety Magazine July 5. In a recent study, Scalora and Hollister found that students often won’t report when they see people engaging in “pathway behaviors” that could lead to acts of violence or terroristm.
Joe Luck, biological engineering, said the full potential of agricultural data is not being used in a July 8 Agri-View story about the Agricultural Data Coalition.
Frans von der Dunk, space law, was among experts interviewed for a July 27 Forbes op-ed on why the Moon should not be terraformed.
PBS NewsHour carried a July 1 national report on state legislation governing drones. Matthew Waite, drone journalism laboratory, was quoted in the article, which originated with Stateline and was carried by numerous outlets across the country.
Faculty, administration, student and staff appearances in the national media are logged here. If you have additions to this list or suggestions for national news stories, contact Leslie Reed at lreed5@unl.edu or 402-472-2059.
