The Academic Minute

On New York University: Do we need to take AI to kindergarten? Cristina Savin, associate professor in neural science and data science, says AI needs to start learning more like humans. CS is an Assoc. Professor in Neural Science and Data Science at NYU and the Director for Graduate Studies (PhD) in the Center for […]

On New York University Week: Not all building-related issues are reported in cities, so how can machine learning help fill the gaps? Daniel Neill, professor of computer science, public service, and urban analytics and Director of the Machine Learning for Good Laboratory, delves into this question. Daniel B. Neill, Ph.D., is Professor of Computer Science, […]

On New York University Week: We're always making decisions in life, so how can we improve our decision-making? Marcelo Mattar, assistant professor of psychology and neural science, uses tiny AI models to find out. Dr Marcelo Mattar is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at New York University. He holds a PhD in […]

On New York University Week: Bird wings aren't just made for flying. David Fouhey, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, examines another benefit. David Fouhey is an Assistant Professor at NYU, jointly appointed between Computer Science in the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Tandon School of Engineering. […]

Treating prostate cancer is challenging, but help may be on the way. Joshi Alumkal, Wicha family professor of oncology at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, explores how. Alumkal spent most of his childhood and early adulthood in Texas. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas with a bachelor's in biology. […]

Our understanding of dementia may need an update. Annemari Kilpelainen, doctoral researcher at the University of Eastern Finland, tells us why. Annemari Kilpeläinen is a neurologist at the Neurocenter of Kuopio University Hospital and a PhD researcher at the University of Eastern Finland. Her clinical interests focus on epilepsy and movement disorders, while her research […]

How can we bring joy into education? Johanna Smith, professor of theater education and entrepreneurship at California State University, San Bernardino, finds a way to incorporate it. Johanna Smith is a Professor of Theatre Education and Entrepreneurship at California State University, San Bernardino. She has served as an artist and educator for professional theatres, museums, […]

Relationships are important to our health, so how do we foster them? Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Scientific Leadership Council Chair and Board Member, Foundation for Social Connection, and Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and Director of the Social Connections Lab at Brigham Young University, details how to get connected. Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad is the founding scientific chair […]

What can our children’s screen time teach us about family relationships? Cecilia Sada Garibay, graduate student in communication at the University of Arizona, observes to find the answer. Before entering her Ph.D. program, Sada Garibay was a professor and researcher at the School of Communication at Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City. There, she taught courses […]

How can we tell when a newborn is in pain? Tina Ho, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of South Florida, helps determine this. Tina Ho joined USF in 2016 as a neonatologist in the Morsani College of Medicine Pediatrics Department, Neonatology Division and the Jennifer Leigh Muma NICU at Muma Children's Hospital at […]

AI takes a lot of energy, so how do we lighten the load? Mosharaf Chowdhury, associate professor of computer science at the University of Michigan, gets computer chips working together toward a solution. Dr. Mosharaf Chowdhury is a computer scientist interested in all facets of efficient systems: from software runtimes to the hardware resources they […]

How we deal with stressful situations may be influenced by who we're with at the time. Alexei Morozov, research scientist with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech University, looks into the social influence. Alexei Morozov, a research scientist with the Virginia Tech's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC. Sex Differences in how Mice […]

If you're feeling depressed, should you get up and move? Silje Steinsbekk, full professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, discusses whether physical activity is the answer. Silje Steinsbekk is a full professor of clinical child- and adolescent psychology, and co-PI of the Trondheim Early Secure Study (TESS) at the Dept. of Psychology, […]

How can employers support employees suffering from mental illness? Emily Rosado-Solomon, assistant professor of management at Babson College, explores this topic with care. Emily Rosado-Solomon is an Assistant Professor of Management at Babson College. She received her PhD at Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations, and previously served on the faculty at California […]

Bed bugs aren't just a nuisance to humans – they annoy bats too. Lindsay Miles, postdoctoral researcher at Virginia Tech, looks at the genetics of these pests. I look through the lens of population genetics and molecular evolution to understand how urbanization impacts organisms. I am co-founder of the urban evolution blog that summarizes urban […]

We still have more to learn about the pituitary cells regulating puberty and reproduction. Karine Rizzoti, research scientist in the stem cell biology and developmental genetics lab at the Francis Crick Institute, examines. Karine Rizzoti completed her Ph.D. at the University Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, France, where she studied cell movements during early embryonic development. […]

Staying ahead of viruses can be challenging. Can AI help? Noor Youssef, Scientific lead of the Predictive Modeling for Vaccine Design group at Harvard Medical School, details why the answer may be yes. Dr. Noor Youssef is a mathematician turned biologist driven by a passion for using mathematics and computer science to tackle pressing challenges […]

How important is a syllabus? Kent Kauffman, associate professor of business law and ethics at Purdue University Fort Wayne, discusses this. Kent Kauffman is associate professor of Business Law and Ethics, and is the MBA Programs Faculty Liaison in the Doermer School of Business at Purdue University Fort Wayne, where he teaches in the undergraduate […]

If you like grapes, there's good news ahead. John Pezzuto, professor and dean of the college of pharmacy and health sciences at Western New England University, details why grapes should be part of your diet. Dr. John Pezzuto is professor and dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Western New England University […]

Text-to-video AI is here, but it's far from perfect. Jiebo Luo, Albert Arendt Hopeman professor of Engineering and professor of computer science at the University of Rochester, identifies a solution to one challenge. Jiebo Luo is the Albert Arendt Hopeman Professor of Engineering and Professor of Computer Science at the University of Rochester. He is a Fellow of […]

Understanding how your body senses muscle movement is essential for balance. Katherine Wilkinson, professor of biology at San Jose State University, examines how it works. Katherine Wilkinson is a Professor of biology at San José State University in San Jose, California. Wilkinson's specialty is studying and understanding proprioception–how our brains understand our physical presence in […]

What factors lead someone to believe a conspiracy theory over the official account of events? Ryan Ceresola, associate professor of sociology and chair of the department of sociology, criminology and human services at Hartwick College, takes a look at this phenomenon. Ryan Ceresola is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Chair of the Department of […]

Pests are evolving to become resistant to genetically engineered crops. Bruce E. Tabashnik, regent's professor and head of the department of entomology at the University of Arizona, looks to stay one step ahead. My research team studies the evolution and management of insect resistance to crops genetically engineered for pest control. Current work focuses on […]

Mindfulness may help to lower anxiety for some, but not all.  How do we know who is who? Resh Gupta, postdoctoral research associate at Washington University in St. Louis, looks into the research. Resh Gupta is a postdoctoral research associate with the Mindfulness Science & Practice Cluster and the Cognitive Control & Psychopathology Laboratory at […]

On Pomona College Week: Did you binge-watch last weekend? Ryan Engley, assistant professor of media studies, examines why we stay up to keep watching. Ryan Engley researches the intersection of psychoanalytic theory and media studies. His current book manuscript, Seriality: Media and the Psychic Form of Everyday Life, casts the notion of seriality as a […]

On Pomona College Week: Natural climate solutions have a role to play in fighting climate change. Charlotte Chang, assistant professor of biology and environmental analysis, explores how. Charlotte Chang is a computational sustainability scientist whose work focuses on finding solutions for nature and people to thrive together. Chang is the inaugural One Conservancy Visiting Science […]

On Pomona College Week: Wildfires in California have a long history. Char Miller, W. M. Keck professor of environmental analysis and history, examines this. Char Miller is the W. M. Keck Professor of Environmental Analysis and History at Pomona College, where he teaches classes on public lands, water, fire, urbanization. Why is California on Fire? […]

On Pomona College Week: What is the Random Forest prediction model? Jo Hardin, professor of math and statistics and Hardison Chair of analytical thinking, explores how it works. Jo Hardin is Professor of Mathematics & Statistics and Hardison Chair of Analytical Thinking at Pomona College. Her research areas include machine learning, methods development for biological […]

On Pomona College Week: Unclaimed deaths are on the rise. Pamela Prickett, associate professor of sociology, examines how some have come together to honor them. Pamela Prickett is an associate professor of sociology at Pomona College and former journalist. She is the author of two books about Los Angeles, including The Unclaimed: Abandonment and Hope in the […]

On Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business Week: E-commerce is a big deal in China. Lizhu Liu, associate professor, discusses why. Lizhi Liu is an Assistant Professor at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business and the author of the award-winning book From Click to Boom: The Political Economy of E-commerce in China (Princeton University Press, […]

On Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business Week: Can algorithms be used to eliminate implicit biases in financial decisions? Francesco D'Acunto, Clark Chair in Global Real Estate and Provost Distinguished professor of finance, determines the possibilities. Francesco D'Acunto is the A. James Clark Chair in Global Real Estate and Provost Distinguished Associate Professor of Finance […]

On Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business Week: Creators want to get paid for their work, but should they also release content for free as well? Ziwei Cong, assistant professor of marketing, says yes. Ziwei Cong is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University. Her research employs econometrics and machine […]

On Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business Week: A lot of our clothes we buy end up in landfills. Vishal Agrawal, Professor and Henry J. Blommer Family Endowed Chair in sustainable business, looks to reduce this. Vishal Agrawal is Henry J. Blommer Family Endowed Chair in Sustainable Business, Professor of Operations and Information Management, and […]

On Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business Week: Cutting costs has benefits, but also hidden costs. Yunan Ji, assistant professor of strategy at the McDonough School of Business, discusses this as it relates to health care. Yunan Ji is an Assistant Professor of Strategy at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. Her research focuses on […]

Angry birds aren't just a videogame; they have a biological reason to be angry in real life too. Sara Lipshutz, assistant professor of biology at Duke University, explores why. Sara Lipshutz is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Duke University. Her lab’s research focuses on the evolution of behavior across weird and wonderfully […]

We're still making new discoveries about pregnancy. Donghai Liang, associate professor of environmental health at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health, examines how exposure to certain chemicals may affect mothers and babies. As an exposure scientist and molecular epidemiologist, Dr. Donghai Liang is particularly interested in characterizing the human exposome and elucidating the molecular […]

Mosquitos and ticks are parts of the summer, so how do we best avoid them? Lee Haines, associate research professor in Medical Entomology at the University of Notre Dame, discusses. Lee Haines is a researcher with a PhD in Tropical Medicine and an MSc in Parasite Biochemistry and Microbiology, who specializes in diseases transmitted by […]

Collaboration can happen anywhere these days and bring lots of benefits. Andrew Osborne, faculty lecturer at Douglas College, explores collaboration in an academic framework. Andrew Osborne is a faculty lecturer in intercultural communication at Douglas College in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. In his intercultural communication teaching practice, Andrew has developed and led six Collaborative […]

On this Student Spotlight: Teens aren't the only ones who should be studied when it comes to social media use. Alison Tuck, Ph. D candidate in clinical psychology at Washington University in St. Louis, researches adult use as well. Alison Tuck is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Washington University in St. Louis. Her […]

Drones can help us with wildfire detection and suppression. Matthew Spencer, associate professor of engineering at Harvey Mudd College, takes a bird's eye view. Matthew Spencer (Member, IEEE) received B.S. and M.Eng. degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2007 and 2008, respectively, and a Ph.D. degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in […]

We think we know what causes mutations in dogs at Chornobyl, right? Megan Dillon, PhD graduate from the Genetics program at North Carolina State University, says that might not be the case. Megan is a recent PhD graduate from the Genetics program at North Carolina State University. Her dissertation work focused on the free-breeding dogs […]

We're still learning about how to best serve those with autism. Catherine Talbot, assistant professor in the school of psychology at the Florida Institute of Technology, discusses how a hormone for social behavior could help. Catherine F. Talbot is an Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology at Florida Tech. After receiving her B.S. in […]

Could the moon of another planet be a source for life as we know it? Antonin Affholder, post-doctoral researcher at the University of Arizona, discusses. Antonin Affholder obtained his PhD from the École Normale Supérieure, in Paris, France, working on developing models of ecosystems on other worlds to assess their habitability and to research biosignatures. […]

Why do meteorites that land on Earth not match their asteroid brethren in space? Patrick Shober, postdoctoral fellow at the Paris Observatory and NASA's Johnson Space Center, watches the skies for answers. Patrick Shober is a planetary scientist who investigates small solar-system bodies—from asteroids and comets to the spectacular fireballs their debris creates in Earth's […]

Early detection is key in preventing parasites invading shellfish. Andrew Davinack, assistant professor of biology at Wheaton College in Massachusetts, takes a practical approach to doing so. I am an aquatic biologist with a strong focus on invasive invertebrates and the parasites which infect them. In particular, I am interested in understanding how human activities […]

We are still learning about all the effects of cannabis use. Raphael Cuomo, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego, explores how it may tie in with one affliction. Raphael E. Cuomo, PhD, is a globally recognized authority in biomedical science and non-communicable disease epidemiology. His research has shaped how scientists and […]

E-cigarette use is declining, but nicotine pouch usage is on the rise. Dae Hee Han, researcher associate in the department of population and public health sciences at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, delves into why. As a behavioral scientist, Dr. Dae-Hee Han specializes in investigating the behavioral and health-related […]

Air pollution has gone down, but wildfire smoke is here to replace it. Nick Muller, professor of economics, engineering, and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, explores how to address this. Nicholas Muller is the Lester and Judith Lave Professor of Economics, Engineering, and Public Policy and works at the intersection of environmental policy and […]

Lung cancer has a high chance of relapse, so how do we get out of ahead of it? Nancy Guo, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor in the school of computing at Binghamton University, discusses technology that helps us do so. Nancy Guo is one of the newest additions to the Binghamton University School of Computing as […]

On University at Albany Week: One community resource is well positioned to help people engage with AI. Maria Gascó-Hernandez, research director at the Center for Technology in Government and Associate professor of public administration and policy, explores. Mila Gascó-Hernandez is the Research Director at the University at Albany's Center for Technology in Government (CTG UAlbany). […]

On University at Albany Week: Problem gambling can affect anyone, especially students. Laura Longo, researcher with the Center for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research, explores how to combat this. Laura Longo is a licensed psychologist and researcher with the Center for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research at UAlbany, as well as a senior […]