Cornell News Wrap

Weekly updates featuring Cornell research and experts in the news.

Cornell Media Relations Office

Cornell Media Relations Office

245 Day Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
607-255-6074
After hours: 607-227-0767
pressoffice@cornell.edu
mediarelations.cornell.edu

About The Media Relations Office

The Cornell Media Relations Office is the university's representative to local, regional, national and international media organizations. The office is responsible for issuing press releases, arranging and facilitating media coverage, assisting members of the Cornell community in their interactions with the media and reporting the university's news coverage through Cornell in the News.

About the Media Relations office

Press Releases

VIEW PRESS RELEASES ISSUED BY THE CORNELL MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE

Please contact the Media Relations Office if you are interested in finding an expert on any topic or to schedule an interview using the university's television and radio studios.

News wrap for May 16-23, 2013

Go Big Red – It was a great week for Big Red Sports. Most notably, although the news broke just as this report was being prepared, broad media coverage of wrestler Kyle Dake being named Sport Illustrated’s College Athlete of the Year is already under way, including a report on WSYR-TV. At the same time, Cornell lacrosse heads to the NCAA national semifinals this weekend and star player (and Dyson School student) Rob Pannell is featured in a New York Times Sports Section piece.

Still boldly going – Meanwhile, Cornell’s Astronomy team continues to make headlines, with Professor Steve Squyres quoted in Space.com coverage of a Congressional hearing on future missions to Mars, USA Today coverage of the Mars rover “Opportunity” setting an off-Earth travel record and a Science Daily report on the same rover examining water-altered rocks. Fellow Professor Peter Thomas was also featured in a New Scientist piece on Saturn’s egg-shaped moon Methone.

Big view – And there was good news closer to home, with both the Cornell and Ithaca communities reacting with enthusiasm to the removal of temporary means-restriction fencing from most of the bridges on and around campus. Coverage included pieces by YNN-TV, The Ithaca Journal, the Cornell Daily Sun and local news web portal 14850 Today.

New deal – Cornell University’s new partnership with nonprofit MOOC provider edX drew national coverage and wide praise, with pieces in several major outlets including The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed and the Washington Post.

Miscellaneous –

  • This month’s Inside Cornell media luncheon in New York City earned swift coverage following its Tuesday session, with Engineering graduate researcher Nick Cheney’s work on evolving robots being covered in Tech News Daily, the International Business Times and LiveScience.
  • Dr. Ana Krieger of Weill Cornell Medical College’s Center for Sleep Medicine was quoted in an article in the New York Times about how parents and caregivers can cope with active children.
  • A new study by Policy Analysis and Management Professor John Cawley on the inverse link between obesity and attending gym class in school continued to gain traction throughout the week, with coverage appearing in multiple outlets including the Los Angeles Times and Science Daily and the Times of India.
  • Communications Professor Jeff Neiderdeppe’s work on mass media marketing campaigns for medicines was featured in the Washington Post.
  • Early advice for college seniors was handed out in the Huffington Post by English Literature Professor Daniel Schwarz.
  • Johnson School Finance Professor Maureen O’Hara and Arts & Sciences Economics Professor David Easly warned of a “big data” crash for financial markets in an op-ed for CNBC.
  • Behavioral biologist Tom Seeley’s work was cited in a Wired feature on swarming and the battle against cancer.
  • Fiber Scientist Juan Hinestroza had his research and his voice featured in an international Wired story on the future of wearable technology.
  • Food Science Professor Randy Worobo warned readers of Fox News “M” magazine of the dangers of chopped beef, uncooked bean sprouts and raw milk.
  • Sarah Kreps and Gustavo Flores-Macias, both assistant professors of Government, penned an op-ed on China’s trade policies for The Diplomat.
  • Hotel School marketing and branding expert Chekitan Dev was quoted in a USA Today article on increasingly personal hotel wake-up calls.
  • And viticulturalist Tim Martinson talked about cold-weather wine grapes with NPR’s David Greene.

News wrap for May 8 - 15, 2013

Medical wisdom – It was a very strong week for media coverage of Weill Cornell Medical Center researchers, led by a new study that demonstrated success for a unique “anti-cocaine” vaccine. The work by Dr. Ronald Crystal, chairman of Genetic Medicine at WCMC, was covered in almost 100 media outlets worldwide, from CBS News Radio reports in New York and Los Angeles, to online and print coverage in the Huffington Post, the Voice of America, the London Sunday Daily Mail, Russia Today and the Times of India. Also prominent this week was Dr. Rache Simmons, breast surgery chief at WCMC, who talked to with the media about actress Angelina Jolie’s decision to have a preemptive double mastectomy. Simmons was quoted by the Associated Press which led to media hits in Newsday, AM New York and more than 20 television stations across the country.

Still shopping – Dyson Professor and Food and Brand Lab leader Brian Wansink and his team continued their strong run in the media this week, with the new study on going food shopping while hungry appearing in more than 100 news outlets around the world, including Fox News, Men’s Health magazine and the New York Times. Other work by Brian on diet, nutrition and human behavior was featured as well, including reports on the failure of short-term food depravation in dLife, and a new look at mindless eating in Weight Watchers magazine.

Still making noise – Cornell University’s lead role in explaining the emergence of the 17-year cicada in the Northeast this year continued, with several voices getting into the story. Entomologist Cole Gilbert, who was featured in last month’s Inside Cornell NYC, was quoted by MSN News. Fellow entomologist (and spouse) Linda Rayor took part in a Huffington Post Live video conference. Extension entomologist Chris Logue spoke to Albany area viewers through CBS6, and Walter Koenig, a senior scientist at the Lab of Ornithology, commented on how the insect affects bird populations in the New Scientist. Even the College of Veterinary Medicine got into the news on this, commenting for the media on why it’s not a good idea to let your pets eat fallen cicadas.

Brothers Remembered – Noted Cornell alumnae Joyce Brothers died this week, and news of her passing and reflections on her pioneering career were featured in more than 1,000 news outlets worldwide, including the New York Times as well as our own Cornell Chronicle and the Cornell Daily Sun, which included comments by Human Development Assistant Professor Jane Mendle.

Miscellaneous –

  • The Wall Street Journal featured several other Cornell voices this week, including ILR Professor James Gross on clothing factories in Bangladesh, Dyson Professor Eswar Prassad on the Chinese economy, a review Lab of Ornithology researcher Tim Gallagher’s new book, “Imperial Dreams,” and Law School Professor Lynne Stout on shareholder behavior at KPMG.
  • The Johnson Graduate School of Management was featured twice this week in BloombergBusinessweek, including articles on applications surging at business schools, and singling out Johnson for its leadership in promoting diversity.
  • The New York Times carried a fresh opinion piece by Johnson’s Robert Frank on setting value in an economy, and quoted microbiologist Ruth Ley in a Times Magazine cover feature about germs.
  • On the tech side, the Cornell Cup engineering competition sponsored by Intel saw feature-length coverage in the Huffington Post, Cornell NYC Tech Dean Dan Huttenlocher was interviewed on WNYC-FM, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor Hod Lipson’s work on 3D printing was featured on local ABC News affiliate WENY-TV and in a Bloomberg View piece on the dangers of that technology.
  • Some press-captivating physics theory work returned to the media fore, with Reuters Television and Scientific American highlighting our science of mosh pits research.
  • Economist Richard Burkhauser warned of a Social Security Disability Insurance crisis in a Real Clear Markets opinion piece.
  • Human Nutrition and Psychology Professor David Levitsky explained the challenges of dining out to ABC News.
  • Cornell research and viticulturalist Tim Martinson were featured in a North Country Public Radio-NPR piece on cold weather wines.
  • And last, but not least, the public value of the Lab of Ornithology’s Macaulay Library was a topic this week in a piece on the CBS Evening News.

News wrap for May 2 - 7, 2013

Science Times – For shear wow factor, the best media hit of the week may go to Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future co-director Drew Harvell, who through perseverance, good research and great writing parlayed her success with the New York Times Scientist at Work blog in January and February into authoring a full-page, section-front feature in Tuesday’s Science Times. The online version also has interactive graphics to allow readers to explore unique glass sculptures or rare underwater creatures Drew is working to protect.

Food and Brand – Never to be out done, Brian Wansink and his Food and Brand Lab had two pieces of research draw major media attention this week. Leading the way, Brian was featured on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer and ABC News.com on Monday for new research about bad habits people fall into when shopping hungry. This story also founds its way in many forms to more than 500 media outlets, including NBC News, the Huffington Post, the London Daily Mail, Fox News, the LA Times, Reuters, US News & World Report and Yahoo! News. In their second major hit of the week, the Lab’s research on the benefits of preordering school lunches landed in scores of outlets, including Time, Health Magazine and MSN.

Cornell Tech – Of course, the great news that plans for Cornell Tech won City Council approval on Wednesday earned great coverage as well, including Crain’s New York Business, the New York Daily News, the Wall Street Journal and WCBS-TV.

Miscellaneous –

  • CALS Communication postdoc Erick Baumer’s research into why people quit Facebook continued to get coverage, with almost 100 media hits this week including NBC News, ABC News Radio and Yahoo! News worldwide.
  • The Cornell Cup, our engineering competition sponsored by Intel that’s now in its second year, drew increased media attention with coverage from Engadget, Yahoo! Tech, AARP, and the Huffington Post.
  • The appointment of World Bank economist Prabhu Pingali to lead effort to help reduce poverty and malnutrition in India through the support of the Tata Trusts was covered in the Business Standard and The Hindu.
  • CUPD’s new bomb-sniffing dogs were featured on YNN television news throughout the state.
  • The April Inside Cornell in NYC on emerging cicadas continued to create news, with reports this week in Salon, Bloomberg News, NBC News and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • A presentation by Fiber Science Professor Juan Hinestroza in NYC drew coverage from international news service LiveScience and others.
  • A team of researchers from CALS Natural Sciences was featured on the PBS Nature episode “The Private Life of Deer.”
  • Weill Cornell Medical College senior lecturer Elaine Heffner authored an op-ed for Fox News on motherhood.
  • And CALS/Atkinson Professor Chris Barrett has an opinion piece published on CNN.com about how the U.S. should handle global food aid.

News wrap for April 25 - May 1, 2013

Meteors hit Saturn's rings - With the sun in just the right position, Cornell's Matthew Tiscareno and the NASA Cassini team were able to capture stunning photos of space rocks crashing into Saturn's rings. The resulting study is receiving attention from National Geographic, the Los Angeles Times, the Weather Channel, and Science. According to NBC News, these findings could help scientists understand the nature of space rocks in the solar system at large. The study also received international attention, including from the U.K. Daily Mail.

Chile earthquake report - Cornell geologist Richard Allmendinger and his team have found that major earthquakes (with a magnitude 7 or higher) have caused the crust in Northern Chile to crack permanently. While the report received attention from major U.S. publications like the Christian Science Monitor, NBC News and the Verge, it's receiving considerable coverage from international publications like India Today, the French Tribune, I Love Chile, the Latin Times, and the Economic Times of India.

Tracking moods after Boston Marathon - The day of the Boston Marathon bombings was the saddest recorded day in five years, according to a measure of global happiness created by using Twitter data. Cornell Ph.D. candidate Scott Golder talked to LiveScience about the data following his 2012 study of global mood trends using similar techniques. His quotes were also used by Discovery News, NBC News, Huffington Post, Yahoo! News, and Mother Nature Network.

Food Aid - The Obama administration wants to overhaul its $2 billion in food aid programs, pushing to transfer authority over the spending from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the U.S. Agency for International Development. Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Business Insider, and the Economist quoted agricultural economist Christopher Barrett, who says the aid system isn’t very efficient, pointing out that of every U.S. taxpayer dollar spent on food aid, only about 40 cents on average goes toward food.

Miscellaneous -

  • Ph.D. student Erin Spottswood published a study finding that the more past romantic relationships people have had, the more interests they list in their Facebook profiles.  The study was covered by Malaysian Insider.
  • Greatist.com has named Cornell one of its top 10 healthiest colleges, and USA Today picked up the story.
  • Cornell astronomer extraordinaire and NASA principal investigator, Steve Squyres, comments on the search for life on Mars for Christian Science Monitor.
  • Kate Bronfenbrenner, director of labor education research at Cornell, talks to the Wall Street Journal about the battles that occur between different unions.
  • Chris Anderson, government, is quoted in this BBC article about the use of numerical analysis in soccer. Professor Anderson is a former semi-pro soccer player and author of "The Numbers Game: Why Everything You Know About Football Is Wrong."
  • Listen to political scientist Suzanne Mettler and economist Rich Burkhauser talk about tax expenditures on American Public Media's Marketplace.
  • Law professor Robert Hockett talks to Forbes about mortgage seizure proposals.

News wrap for April 18 - 24, 2013

Jacobs’ gift – This one speaks for itself, and did so in the media very well in the New York City and international arenas, as well as being received very positively in the Ithaca region. Leading coverage of the Jabobs’ gift of $133 million to help create the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Technion-Cornell Innovation Institute included the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, Time magazine, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the Associated Press and the New York Daily News. Globally the story carried from the Times of Israel and the Jewish Press to as far as the Cambodian Times and the Beijing News. In this region, same-day coverage came from the region’s Gannett news outlets in Ithaca, Binghamton and Rochester, as well as the Syracuse Post Standard and WENY-TV.

AP Twitter hack – For about 15 minutes Tuesday, the markets were in free fall after an official Associated Press tweet announced the White House had been bombed and President Obama was injured. In those minutes, $200 billion in asset value evaporated, and did not recover until the AP followed that tweet with another announcing it was hacked. Within a few hours of that event, Communication and Computer and Information Science Professor Jeff Hancock was out to the media with his view that it’s time to take Twitter seriously. His speed there resulted in Jeff being featured in a front-page feature story in Wedneday’s USA Today, as well as almost 150 other news outlets around the world including MSNBC, Silicon Beat, Mobile Tech Today and (for those who read German) DerWesten.

Seeing stars – A study of the very early universe published in the journal Nature and lead by Astronomy Professor Dominik Riechers with the European Space Agency drew international attention this week as well, shifting accepted cosmology theory with evidence of massive star factories forming shortly after the big bang. Coverage included feature pieces by the Los Angeles Times, McClatchy News Service, MSN News, BBC World Radio News, London’s Space Daily, Der Spiegel and Radio Francophone, as well as The Kenyan Star, The Australian and AFP Asia.

More good (NY) Times – Cornell answered the Science Section’s reader question again this week, with Lab of Ornithology evolutionary biologist Irby Lovette explaining why birds sometimes mate across species. Extension plant pathologist Margery Daughtrey explained the danger of mildew to ornamental plants (she did the same for the Chicago Tribune as well). Cornell’s Hip Hop collection was featured in the N.Y./Region section. And two Cornell faculty members, Weill Cornell’s Robert Abrams and Human Ecology’s Karl Pillemer, were featured in a recent Health Section piece on how therapy can help senior citizens.

Miscellaneous –

  • The must see video of the week comes from Discovery Canada’s Daily Planet show, which came to Ithaca to build a very dynamic broadcast segment on Fiber Science Professor Huiju Park’s use of 3D imaging to design lighter and better firefighting gear. Note Environmental Health and Safety staffer Leah Stoner as the featured Cayuga Heights volunteer firefighter.
  • Brian Wansink, David Just and the Food and Brand Lab at the Dyson School continued to draw media attention, getting coverage for tips on portion control on USA Today and the Indianapolis Star, on strategies for eating at a buffet in the Philadelphia Inquirer, and on a new study that says slicing fruit may be the key to getting kids to eat it in Yahoo! News.
  • New Soil Sciences faculty member Cathelijne Stoof is receiving coverage for her Geophysical Letters study on wildfires and soil conditions that may help firefighters and forest agents save lies and restore growth.
  • The Lab of Ornithology’s “hawk cam” off Tower Road is gaining attention for the second year in a row from YNN-TV, LiveScience and even Fox 5 New York City as red-tailed hawk chicks start to emerge.
  • Soil and Water Management Professor Harold van Es has been helping journalists understand what might have happened at the fertilizer plant that exploded in Texas, with interviews by USA Today, Reuters, The Chicago Tribune, The Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News.
  • Meanwhile CALS nutritional toxicologist Dan Brown helped Scientific American readers understand the roots and dangers of ricin.
  • Law School Professor and physicist Oskar Liivak explored gene-patenting issues in Forbes.
  • Lastly, fellow Law School Professor Stephen Yale-Loehr continued to be cited as an expert on U.S. immigration reform, including reports on CNN, the Brazilian newspaper O Globo Mundo, and, closer to home, in the New York Daily News (the latter with Government Professor Michael Jones-Correa).

News wrap for April 11 - 17, 2013

Pulitzer Prize - It’s been a strong week for Cornell University in the media, but two stories beg for first mention. Top honor, however, goes to Fred Logevall, professor of international studies, director of the Mario Einaudi Center and incoming vice provost for international relations, was honored this week with the Pulitzer Prize this week for his 2012 book, “Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America's Vietnam." Media coverage included Inside Higher Education, History News Network and the Christian Science Monitor. Coverage is ongoing, with Cornell’s Media Relations Office and “Embers” publisher Random House coordinating efforts to push Fred and his work.

Cornell Tech - A second gem of the week, after months of cooperation and anticipation, the New York Times multi-part package on the fledgling Cornell NYC Tech campus was published. It includes a massive Sunday feature on the campus, “Building a Better Tech School,” which explores Cornell Tech’s goals, its progress its challenges and its student; as well as a companion piece, “The Technion: Israel’s Hard Drive.” This package and the Times news syndicate led to news stories and new versions of the Times piece in news outlets around the world, including a the Financial Post. This heightened attention should set the stage will for more news to come.

Troubled week - There were several troubling breaking news stories this week around the nation and the globe. A potentially devastating earthquake on the Iran-Pakistan border caused less damage and few casualties that first feared, and Cornell Geophysicist Rowena Lohman told the world why through an AP story datelined from Tehran. Just in the U.S. more than 200 distinct news organizations used Rowena's insight, with Google finding the story repeated more than 3,870 times worldwide as of Thursday morning. Just a few top-shelf hits include the Huffington Post, NPR, The Washington Post, Yahoo! News, CBS News and USA Today; and, of course, the New York Times and its International Herald Tribune. The Ricin threat in Washington D.C. saw media comment from Science and Technology Studies Professor Kathleen Vogel, one of the nation's leading experts on bioterror threats, as well as CALS ricin expert Dan Brown. Interviews were requested and/or set up with the New York Times, BBC, the Talk Radio News Network, and local NBC TV affiliate WETM. Cornell's ricin expertise was also cited in national stories by Decoded Science, USA Today and the Huffington Post.

Miscellaneous -

  • Several faculty members found their way to National Public Radio, with Law Professor Jeff Rachlinski interviewed on Morning Edition about tension between states and the federal government over gasoline additives, Enologist Chris Gerling spoke with NPR’s The Salt about U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer’s efforts to promote the hard cider industry, and Crop and Soil Sciences Professor Harold Van Es explaining to WNYC’s Leonard Lopate Show the science behind fertilizers.
  • Dyson Economist David Just was once again featured in national stories about the battle over large sugary drinks, including the Los Angeles Times, CBS News and the McClatchy News Service.
  • Coverage of Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments on patenting human genes feature regular issue expert WCMC’s Christopher Mason in the Chicago Tribune and The Huffington Post, with patent expert and Law School Professor Oskar Liivak quoted by Yahoo! News in several countries.
  • The appointment of new Arts & Sciences Dean Gretchen Ritter was covered in Ithaca and Texas.
  • History Professor Barry Straus wrote a column for the Wall Street Journal on the accuracy of the television series “Spartacus.”
  • Food Science Professor Terry Acree’s work on taste and perception was featured online at National Geographic and several other outlets.
  • And, at New York Times Dot Earth blogger Andrew Revkin’s invitation, Communications Professor Jonathon Schuldt offered commentary on a post about political party affiliation and perception of climate change.

News wrap for April 4 - 10, 2013

Environment and sustainability - As the world increases its focus on the environment and sustainability issues leading up to the annual Earth Day celebration, Cornell researchers are raising their profile on these issues as well. A Cornell-Stanford study co-led by Bob Howarth and Tony Ingraffea from the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable future got national exposure through an Associated Press feature, hitting more than 100 news outlets including Newsday, the Huffington Post, MSN Money, the Albany Times Union, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and even Yahoo! News Singapore. Some new voices entered the media conversation as well, with Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Professor Rowena Lohman quoted in national coverage of increased seismic activity linked to oil and gas drilling, and Natural Resources professor Rebecca Schneider getting international attention through a China Daily feature on her anti-erosion work in Ningxia Province.

Good Times - Cornell also had a strong week in the New York Times, with several experts either featured our quoted in section-leading coverage. Food Science Professor Rui Hai Liu was featured on the Science section cover explaining the nutritional differences between raw and roasted nuts. Jack Goncalo, a professor of organizational behavior in ILR and an expert in mass psychology, jumped onto the Fashion & Style page by explaining why the online universe seems to hate actress Anne Hathaway. Computer Science Professor Emin Sirer was quoted in a Times piece on evaluating tech startups, international agriculture expert Norman Uphoff commented on way to increase food production in India, ILR professor and “Debtor Nation” author Louis Hyman talked about how historians treat capitalism, and Cornell Population Center graduate researcher Ankita Patnaik’s work was noted in a Times Magazine report on gender roles and the economy.

Miscellaneous -

  • Work by the Food and Brand Lab on the “halo effect” of organic food was featured in several outlets, including Yahoo! News.
  • Communication Professor Jonathon Schuldt’s research on using green labels to change the perception of food continued to draw coverage, including trade leader Food & Drink.
  • Dyson School Professor Eswar Prasad was featured internationally on Japan’s banking moves, including the Los Angeles Times.
  • Plant breeding and genetics researcher Martha Mutschler-Chu’s work on “dual resistant” tomatoes was featured in several reports.
  • Food Science Professor Martin Wiedmann spoke with NPR about e coli and frozen foods.
  • ILR Professor Kate Bronfenbrenner was featured on Salon’s coverage of a New York City fast food workers strike.
  • Johnson School economist Robert Frank criticized President Obama’s planned cuts to Social Security benefits on CNBC.
  • Weill Cornell Medical College faculty member Christopher Mason was featured in several reports about the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court argument over who owns human genetic information.
  • And, topping all Cornell voices this week, established U.S. Postal Service expert and Policy and Analysis Professor Rick Geddes appeared in more than 100 news outlets about the continued struggles of that agency.

News wrap for March 28 - April 3, 2013

Same-sex marriage - Law Professor and former U.S. Supreme Court clerk Michael Dorf has been among the leaders in explaining the challenges and dynamics on the Court's two cases on this issue heard last week. The New York Times gave Dorf the last word in its piece about what to expect from the court when a decision comes, and Business Insider turned to Dorf to explore what gay marriage could mean for the corporate world. Regional media as well, led by WBNG-TV, have been relying upon Dorf for commentary.

International affairs - Cornell faculty did not limit their expert comments to the United States. Allen Carlson, professor of government, penned an op-ed for The Diplomat that looked at China's Tibet policy. George Lewis, a senior research associate at the Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, sat down for a Q&A on events on the Korean peninsula with the Newark Star-Ledger. Sociology professor Mabel Berezin was also featured in a Voice of America piece on the cultural roots of the banking crisis in Cyprus.

Secret scientist revealed - Information science professor Tanzeem Choudhury saw the complete set of her Secret Life of Scientist and Engineers video post to the Nova website on PBS. The four-video set include the previous 30-Second Scientist outtake reel, as well as two pieces on what brought Choudhury to her field and a 10-question Q&A interview.

Miscellaneous -

  • Atkinson Center researcher and Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Professor Charles Greene continued to get coverage of his Arctic ice and super storms research, including hits in The Japan Times, News24, and the global AFP News.
  • Astronomy Professor Rachel Bean helped Time magazine readers understand the significance of new data on the Big Bang.
  • Policy Analysis and Management Professor Rich Burkhauser was featured in an NPR interview with All Things Considered host Robert Siegel on cycles of poverty
  • John Sipple from Development Sociology, argued against the move toward school consolidation in a budget-season op-ed in the Albany Times Union.

News wrap for March 21 - 27, 2013

Facebook and feeling good – Frequent media superstar Jeff Hancock, a professor of Communication and of Computing and Information Science, made an international impression with his latest research that found Facebook improves self esteem.

Memory patterns – Sociology Professor Matthew Brashears saw his latest research on the patterns on human memory draw wide media coverage.

Stretching fiber – Her opinion on the Lulelemon yoga pants scandal earned Fiber Science and Apparel Professor Margaret Frey a spot in a Wall Street Journal report on the resurgence of polyester.

Easy being green – Communications Professor Jonathon Schuldt’s research into using green on food labels to influence consumers’ perceptions of how healthy a product is continued to gain national attention.

Spring will come – The Cornell-based Northeast Regional Climate Center sent word out this week to a chill-fatigued nation that spring would indeed soon come.

3D mania – Very much worth noting is that sometime this morning, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor Larry Bonassar will have his work on 3D printing of human body parts featured on NBC’s Today Show. Here’s a look at what he does from his portrait on CornellCast. His colleagues at Cornell’s Fab@Home team also made the news, in a Popular Science piece about the future of food printing.

Mosh pit science ­– Physics graduate students Matt Bierbaum and Jesse Silverberg continued their phenomenal media run on their “mosh pit” dynamics research, with coverage this week on NPR and affiliated stations nationwide, as well as in Inside Science.

More CALS voices – Several College of Agriculture and Life Sciences voices were featured in a USA Today College piece on the bright prospects for Ag graduates. Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, our Long Island-based entomologist who’s famous for bed bugs branches out for comments on WNYC-FM and NPR’s All Tech Considered on cicadas. Crop and Soil scientist Tony DiTommaso helped CNBC put some perspective on the notion that modern humans could forage for their food. Mike Van Amburgh, animal science professor who specializes in dairy management, explained to readers of the Syracuse Post-Standard why someone might pay $170,000 for a Jersey cow. The Albany Times Union featured several Cornell University voices this week, including fruit crop physiologist Terrence Robinson on wind power and the fruit industry, Uihlein Forest Director Michael Farrell on the future of the state’s maple industry,

Opinion makers – David Patel, assistant professor or government, argued for the inevitability of U.S. military intervention in Iraq in a Gannett op-ed piece tied to the 10th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War. An op-ed ran today in the Albany Times Union from Development Sociology Professor John Sipple on education funding and the coming state budget. History Professor Holly Case authored a piece on the depth of current troubles in Turkey for The Nation.

And, of course, Cornell President David Skorton and Vice President for University Relations Glenn Altschuler penned a blog for Forbes on the transformative value of prisoner education programs. Skorton also had a post in the CNN Schools of Thought blog on how students can find the best value for themselves in higher education.

Secret lives ­– Tanzeem Choudhury, an Information Science researcher who has a secret life to reveal, is among a handful of scientists being feature by PBS/NOVA this week in a series of online videos. Her first, part of the “30 Second Science” page, was posted this week. More will soon follow.

Space – This planet’s leading expert on Martian geology, Astronomy Professor Steven Squyres, was quoted in a BBC piece explaining, not surprisingly, Martian geology and recent rover discoveries. Fellow Astronomy Professor Rachel Bean’s view on new data about the origins of the universe were featured in Space Daily.

Veterinary success – A celebration of heroic companion animals who overcame grave illness at the Cornell University Veterinary Specialties facility in Stamford, Conn. Was covered by several outlets, including the Stamford Patch and News12 Connecticut. Robin Radcliffe, a doctor of veterinary medicine and the director of the Cornell Conservation Medicine Program had his work with endangered rhinoceroses featured last week on a primetime PBS Nature program “The Loneliest Animals.”

Miscellaneous – Research by Cornell and the Boyce Thompson Institute into ways to modify corn to allow the food crop to grow in soils once thought toxic made waves in the Ag trade press, with coverage in Ag Professional, Western Farm Press and The American Agriculturist.

Policy Analysis and Management Professor Rick Geddes continued to be the go-to voice on the U.S. Postal Service, featured this week in a Bloomberg BusinessWeek article on the job of postmaster general.

Law Professor Michael Dorf commented to WBNG-TV on the same-sex marriage cases before the U.S. Supreme Court this week.

News Wrap for March 13 – 20, 2013

Immigration Reform – President David Skorton’s open letter to college and university presidents calling for a higher education-wide rally April 19 to call for immigration reform kept collecting media attention, including an on-air interview this past week in the Bay Area.

New Census Data – The U.S. Census Bureau released new population data this week and Jan Vink from the Program of Applied Demographics became the go-to expert for journalists in New York.

Green labels - New research from CALS Communications Professor Jonathon Schuldt into how the color of foods labels affects people’s perception of the food itself is drawing media attention.

Atkinson Center – Cornell University’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future had several fellows enter the media on national energy policy changes being debated in Washington, D.C.

Infrastructure – Policy Analysis and Management Professor Rick Geddes continued his leadership of the national dialogue on our sagging infrastructure, including interviews on Minnesota Public Radio, Newsday and an op-ed in The Hill.

Brain science – National media coverage continues for Human Development Professor Nathan Spreng and his research into using brain scans to tell who a person is thinking about.

Miscellaneous – People still struggle with how to tip people in the dining and hospitality industry, so the Hotel School’s Michael Lynn continues to get coverage for his work. Dan Litchter from PAM was quoted in a widespread Associated Press article about the rise of the U.S. Latino population. CALS/Atkinson professor Charles Greene’s work on Arctic Ice and the intensity of Atlantic storms continues to get coverage, including stories in the Asbury Park Press and Climate Progress.

Plant Breeding and Genetics Professor Mike Mazourek earned attention from national agriculture publications on the potential impact of the federal sequester. Cornell experts continued to be cited in the national debate over sugary drinks, including Nutritional Sciences’ David Levitsky, and Food and Brand Lab’s Brian Wansink. CALS yogurt specialist Tristan Zuber was cited on yogurt and school lunches in the American Agriculturalist.

A notable national media hit came from Cornell economist Richard Burkhauser, who was quoted in an NPR Morning Edition piece on the Earned Income Tax Credit; while international economics expert Steve Kyle helped explain the Cyprus banking crisis to readers north of the border through the Toronto Star.

News Wrap for March 6 - March 12, 2013

Immigration Reform - Cornell's efforts to encourage other universities to join the push for immigration reform was covered this week by:

Tipping – Michael Lynn, hotel, is a leading expert on tipping etiquette, and was quoted in various stories this week relating to a pizza delivery person whose small tip went viral, and the trend of tipping with credit cards.

Queen bee phenomenon – Peggy Drexler, Weill, continues to receive media coverage this week for her research of the queen bee phenomenon – intolerance among women in the workplace.  Also, Wendy Williams, human development, was quoted about the gender gap in Nature, and Francine Blau, economics, was quoted in the Journal Gazette.

Brain scans reveal thoughts – New research from Nathan Spreng, human development, proves it’s possible to successfully decode which person test subjects are thinking about.

Hotels - CNN published a pair of articles this week quoting professors from Hotel Administration. This article tackles the hotel towel dilemma: Replace or reuse?  And this article details how hotels are attempting to cater accommodations to female business travelers.

Climate change hits elderly – After presenting to a group of reporters in New York City, Elaine Wethington, human development, gained media attention for her research of how climate change and natural disasters affect the elderly.

March madness – It’s March madness for bball fans and birders alike, as the Lab of Ornithology begins its annual bird bracket. The Lab was also recognized by the Washington Post this week for its Merlin app, and the New York Times and Discovery News cover the recent discovery of the Gunnison sage-grouse.

Auto industry – Art Wheaton, ILR, is quoted on auto industry sales and innovations in several media outlets this week.

Ovarian cancer – Cornell researchers have discovered the likely origin of epithelial ovarian cancer.

NYC sugar ban – David Just, behavioral economics, and Brian Wansink, Food and Brand Lab, are quoted in multiple media outlets this week as a NYC court temporarily blocks Mayor Bloomberg’s ban on large sugary drinks.

Miscellaneous – Dan Schwarz, English, pens this op-ed for the Huffington Post about the editorial direction of the New York Times. Nobel winner Toni Morrison discussed her craft at Cornell last week and Gannett was there. Science Magazine published a pair of articles this week, one from Michael Macy, sociology, as he reviews “The Emergence of Organizations and Markets,” and one with Paul McEuen, physics, about technologies to enable mapping of neural circuit activity.

If you can understand Russian, Anindita Banerjee, literature, was interviewed by Radio Free Europe about her new book “We Modern People.” The Albany Times Union quoted Rebecca Schneider, natural resources, about post-Sandy reconstruction. It’s Oreo’s 101st anniversary, and Joe Regenstein, food science, was quoted by the Huffington Post about the cookie’s Kosher properties.

William Trochin and Maria Fitzpatrick, policy analysis, both appear in this Wall Street Journal article about assessing preschool payoff. And the Cornell Dairy Bar gets a shout out from the New York Times this week.

News Wrap for Feb. 27 - March 5, 2013

Op-eds - President David Skorton and VP Glenn Altschuler ask "do we really need more guns on campus" in this op-ed for Psychology Today. The piece was originally published last week by Forbes.  Caren Cooper, research associate at the Lab of Ornithology, penned her own op-ed for Scientific American about citizen science in the "zooniverse."

3D printer - Watch professor Hod Lipson impress CBS This Morning hosts Rebecca Jarvis and Anthony Mason as he makes them a coffee mug using a 3D printer.

Carbon Taxes - Economist Robert Frank appeared on Full Court with Bill Press this week to discuss carbon taxes and the sequester.

Government cuts - Francine Blau, economics, was quoted this week about trailing employment gains for U.S. women, and how government cuts will augment the problem.

Slate - Two interesting articles from Slate this week: The first is a look at the form for donating a brain to Cornell's Wilder Brain Collection. Also, mathematician Steven Strogatz is quoted in this article about computers explaining scientific discoveries that humans can't comprehend.

Queen bee phenomenon - Peggy Drexler, a psychologist at Weill Cornell Medical College, is researching the "queen bee" phenomenon in business.

Natural gas - Professor Robert Howarth is consistently in the news for his research of natural gas. This week was no exception.

Miscellaneous - In this Salon article, Eli Friedman, a professor of international and comparative labor, says Apple received great PR when its Chinese supplier unveiled a new worker policy, but the full story's more complicated. Entomologist John Losey is quoted in this National Geographic article about citizen science and his Lost Ladybug Project. Brian Wansink of the Food and Brand Lab is quoted in this ABC News article about candmakers fighting obesity regulation. Health economist John Cawley chats with Minnesota Public Radio about health insurance rates for smokers and the obese.

News Wrap for Feb. 21 - Feb. 26, 2013

3D Ear Printing - Larry Bonassar and his biomedical engineering team made major headlines this week after publishing research that shows the possibility of creating an ear using a 3D printer and grafting it to a human.

Postal Service - Rick Geddes, policy analysis, continues to be a go-to expert for journalists writing about the U.S. Postal Service and its financial problems. This week he comments on proposed reforms.

Wansink In The News - Brian Wansink, Food and Brand Lab, finds his way into multiple media outlets this week by providng healthy eating tips and research.

Mosh Pits - Doctoral student Jesse Silverberg's research into the science of mosh pits continues to gain media interest.

Cornell Tech - Various media outlets mention Cornell Tech as they reflect on Mayor Bloomberg's strategy to grow New York City's technology sector.

Robert Richardson - Nobel leureate and physics professor, Robert Richardson, passed away this week at the age of 75.  His contributions to the world of science weren't forgotten, as hundreds of media outlets ran obituaries.

Lab of Ornithology - The Lab continues to have a news presence following its release of rare footage of the spoon-billed sandpiper and the commencement of the 2013 Backyard Bird Count.

Flowers' Electric Energy - Thomas Seeley, neurobiology and behavior, says he's intrigued by a new study finding the possibility that electric fields may facilitate rapid and dynamic communication between flowers and pollinators.

Miscellaneous - President David Skorton and VP Glenn Altschuler ask "do we really need more guns on campus?" in their latest blog in Forbes. There was a pair of faculty making NPR appearances this week. John Cawley, economics, talked to Morning Edition about monetary incentives for losing weight, while Kelly Musick, policy analysis, talked to All Things Considered about her research of family meals.

There were three notable op-eds this week: One from Travis Gosa, Africana studies, in Ebony Magazine examining the continued impact of racism on the mental health of African Americans, and one from Allen Carlson, government, who discusses why it's not in China's best interest to provoke a war in Foreign Affairs.  Andrew Mertha, government, also discussed China - in light of a recent hacking scandal - with KGO radio. The third guest blog came from Steven Kyle, economics, who argues at CNBC.com that the sequester cuts will hurt the U.S. economy.

Maria Fitzpatrick, policy analysis, continues her media presence in USA Today and Yahoo! News, both of which published a FactCheck.org article on President Obama's call for more pre-K programs. Terence Turner, anthropology, was quoted by the Smithsonian about controversial anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon. Peter Hirtle of the Cornell Library was quoted in an article from The Economist about copyright issues surrounding the character Sherlock Holmes.

 

News Wrap for Feb. 14 - Feb. 20, 2013

Christopher Dorner - Following the death of ex-LAPD officer and former fugative Christopher Dorner, Travis Gosa, Africana, helps explain the state of race relations in the U.S. and the reasons why some sympothized with Dorner.  Gosa also published on op-ed in the Chronicle of Higher Education about the emergence of hip-hop studies at universities.  He will also be appearing on an upcoming episode of ClearChannel's New Inspiration for the Nation.

Jumping Robot - One of Cornell's newest faculty, Robert Shepherd, mechanical engineering, is gaining some media attention for his robot, which uses methane to propel itself into the air.

Lab of Ornithology - The Lab was everywhere in the news this week as it continues to promote a slew of research projects - everything from the Backyard Bird Count and the Macaulay Library, to rare footage of the spoon-billed sandpiper and a new owl species.  Here are just some of the hundreds of news pieces:

Moshpits - Doctoral students Jesse Silverberg and Matt Bierbaum received quite a bit of attention this week for their research of mosh pits. They examine the physics and special characterists behind them, and then simulate the crowd movements with computers.

Pre-K Research - Maria Fitzpatrick, policy analysis, discusses the problems and misconceptions related to pre-K programs in light of President Obama's call to expand such education.  Fitzpatrick was also consulted by NPR Morning Edition's science correspondent.

3D Printing - 3D printing has always been hot in the media, but much of this week's news has been spurred by the realization that the technology could be used to print weapons.  Some of these articles mention Hod Lipson's  new book, “Fabricated: The New World of 3D Printing.

Burkhauser - Rich Burkhauser, policy analysis, was quoted in several media outlets this week as he explains his research of why raising the minimum wage is a job killer.  He's also quoted on his research of the U.S. health care system.

Marriage Advice Project - Karl Pillemer continues to receive media attention for his Marriage Advice Project - a spin-off of his Legacy Project.  He's looking for elders to share their wisdom and advice for a long, lasting marriage.

Miscellaneous - Bloomberg cited a study by Michael Lovenheim and Emily Owens, policy analysis, examining the relationship between drug laws and education. Bloomberg and the Philadelphia Inquirer quoted Steven Carvell, dean of academic affairs at the School of Hotel Administration, on the proposed merger between US Airways and American Airlines.  Bloomberg also quoted Brian Wansink, Food and Brand Lab, on why portion sizes have such a large effect.

Robert Gravani, food science, was interviewed by NPR's Talk of the Nation about the uproar over what critics call "pink slime."  Drew Harvell writes about her adventures swift diving in Bali for her last New York Times Scientist at Work blog. Rick Kline from the Spacecraft Planetary Imaging Facility sat down with WENY-TV to talk about the recent meteorites in Russia.

Ed Baptist, history, was the featured Academic Minute on 50+ NPR member stations this week as he explores the cultural and economic importance of cotton in antebellum America.  The piece was also posted by Inside Higher Ed.  Anindita Banerjee’s, (comparative literature) new book “We Modern People" was featured by Times Higher Education.  The Lab of Ornithology and Daily Revolution remind you of a great last-minute gift idea: adopt an elephant.

News Wrap for Feb. 6 - Feb. 13, 2013

End of Saturday Mail - Rick Geddes, policy analysis, was featured all over the news this week as he continues to share his solutions for saving the U.S. Postal Service. Geddes also testified in front of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Wednesday, which you can watch here.

Klondike, the Puppy - One of the first dogs born from a frozen embryo, Klondike is making headlines for the College of Veterinary Medicine. The research has important implications for preserving endangered species.

Backyard Bird Count - The 2013 Backyard Bird Count is almost upon us. The four-day annual event run by the Lab of Ornithology was mentioned in hundreds of local media outlets around the country this week. Here's a look at some of the national coverage, along with a nice article on the Lab's Birds of Paradise project in New Scientist.

New Grape Names - Cornell has selected the official names of its two new grape varieties. The names are important since there are 7,000 existing varieties.

Owning a Dog - Are you prepared to own a dog? Dr. Brian Collins, who supervises veterinary students' appointments and surgeries at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, helps answer the question.

Cemeteries as Parks - Following his Inside Cornell event in NYC, Aaron Sachs, history, begins to see some media attention for his research of how cemeteries can teach us lessons about environmentalism and land preservation.

3D Printing - Cornell's Fab@Home team consistantly makes headlines as it pioneers 3D printing technology. This week's media coverage includes an assortment of hits, some international.

Blame in on Barney - Research from Cornell paleontologists Warren Allmon and Robert Ross show that fictional depictions of the T. rex are outdated and are leading to misconceptions about the dinosaur.

Life Lessons from Elders - Karl Pillemer continues to garner attention for his Legacy Project and has become the go-to scholar for journalists seeking answers about elder wisdom. This week he reacts to a Superbowl ad and shares some advise on relationships just in time for Valentine's Day.

Chocolate Craving Study - Continuing its success from last week, a study of chocolate cravings from Brian Wansink of the Food and Brand Lab is once again in the news.

King Richard III - Paul Hyams, history, is quoted about the discovery of King Richard III's remains.

Chekitan Dev, hotel, provides an alternative to those pricey hotel rooms in this USA Today article. USA Today also explores the world of online reviews using some Cornell research. Andrew Mertha, government, comments on Chinese computer hacking for MSN NZ. Katherine Howe, history, tells us what Dowton Abbey can teach us about the history of domestic service in this piece from Slate. Stephen Yale-Loehr, law, is quoted by NBC News regarding immigration reform.

Cornell Tech received some shine this week from New York Daily News, which refers to the collegen as the "genius school." New York Daily News also mentioned the campus in this Mayor Bloomberg profile. Cornell economist Robert Frank is quoted in this New York Times article about modern connoisseurship. David Levitsky, nutrition, is quoted about Governor Christie's appearance on the David Letterman Show in this Star-Ledger article.

And this age-old question finally receives a professional answer in Digital Trends thanks to ornithologist Kevin McGowen: Which would you rather fight, a horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?

News Wrap for Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2013

Scarecrow Gene - Cornell University researchers have discovered a gene that could lead to new varieties of staple crops with 50 percent higher yields. The research comes from A&S's Thomas Slewinski, a postdoctoral researchers in the lab of plant biologist Robert Turgeon.

Immigration - Stephen Yale-Loehr, law, continues to receive heavy media attention this week as the debate over immigration policy continues to heat up.

Postal service - Rick Geddes, policy analysis and management, authors this CNN op-ed using his ideas to save the U.S. Postal Service.  Geddes was also interviewed by CNN television for a piece to be aired at a later date.  In light of the news that the USPS will be dropping its Saturday service, Geddes will be featured in a number of media hits next week.

Killer cats - Bruce Kornreich, a veterinarian at Cornell's Feline Health Center, weighs in on a new study finding that cats kill billions of birds every year – a surprisingly high number compared to previous estimates.

Cornell in Forbes – Cornell's AguaClara program receives a mention in this article about the world's best sustainability ideas, while insurance tax credit research from professor Rich Burkhauser, policy analysis, is mentioned in this article.

Evolving robots/computers – Hod Lipson is consistently in the media for his various research projects.  This week, National Geographic features the computer network he created to simulate evolution.  Also, Fast Company features several robots from his Creative Machines Lab that have gained the ability to learn – video included.

Sassler study — Media outlets have taken several different angles on Sharon Sassler's (policy analysis) latest study of how cohabiting couples split household chores.  This week, several outlets point to her data indicating doing chores may mean less sex for married men.

NPR Coverage — Talk of the Nation talks to Weill's Dr. Richard Friedman about how patients balance their careers with their psychosis. Weekend Edition features the Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library, which has received heavy media attention over the last several weeks.  And All Things Considered talks to nutritionist Rebecca Stoltzfus about the role of microbes in malnutrition.

Chocolate Research — Brian Wansink, director of the Food and Brand Lab, reminds us that half a bar of chocolate can be just as satisfying as a full one.  With Valentine's Day approaching, his new study finds it's all about portion control.

Homing Pigeons – Geophysicist Jon Hagstrum attributes his time at Cornell to his discovery of a new theory on how homing pigeons find home.  In an unrelated article, The New York Times talks to geneticist Adam Boyko about pidgeon evolution.

Reef Research - Drew Harvell, associate director for environment at the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, returns with another New York Times blog on her research of coral reefs.  Harvell is writing regularly for the Scientist at Work blog, so check back often.

Mars Recipe – Following last summer's media frenzy over Cornell's roll in researching and simulating a flight to Mars, Chef Rupert Spies of the Hotel Admin School provides one of his favorite Mars recipes to Science Friday.

Punxsutawney Phil vs. the NRCC – The groundhog saw his shadow this week, but as Cornell's Northeast Regional Climate Center points out, he's not always on point when it comes to predicting the arrival of spring.

Robo-Fluffy – Daniel Fletcher of the Vet School has been getting attention for his creative inventions – Robo-Jerry II and Robo-Fluffy. The robotic mannequins help veterinarians and students practice surgery on dogs and cats.

Bob Harris - Africana's Bob Harris found his way into the news this week with several projects he's working on. The Albany Times Union features an exhibit of New York's African American history. The Ithaca Journal mentions his upcoming talk on Black History Month. And WENY interview Harris for a special on Martin Luther King, Jr.

Beautiful Math Equations - Several Cornell mathematicians are quoted in these articles about the 11 most beautiful math equations.

News Wrap for Jan. 16 - 22, 2013

Cornell NYC Tech – Classes have officially begun at Cornell Tech. Below is a look at coverage from this week, including an article from the New York Times and a report from WNYC. Aside from these features, Cornell Tech also received additional mentions from the Wall Street Journal and WNYC.

Animal Sound Archive - After extensive national media coverage last week, the Lab of Ornithology’s online animal sound archive continues to make headlines. Among the outlets praising the Macaulay Library is Gizmodo, which described the collection as “…more or less like the grown-up, nerded-out scientist version of those spinny roulette toys you had as a kid…”

Mali Islam Extremists - With Islamist militants gaining ground in Mali and Algeria, professor of government, Nic van de Walle, weighs in with his expertise. This week he was quoted by Reuters in an article that was heavily syndicated, especially internationally. He also conducted an interview with Congressional Quarterly for an article yet to print.

Floating Ice on Titan - After extensive national media coverage last week, Jonathan Lunine, professor of astronomy, is back in the news for his recently published study - as part of NASA's Cassini mission - finding that blocks of hydrocarbon ice might decorate the surface of existing lakes and seas of liquid hydrocarbon on Saturn's moon, Titan. "One of the most intriguing questions about these lakes and seas is whether they might host an exotic form of life," Lunine told the Weather Channel.

Dr. Ana Kreiger on CBS This Morning - Dr. Ana Krieger, medical director of the Weill Cornell Center for Sleep Medicine, gives advice on how to get a great night’s sleep on CBS This Morning. Watch here:

Sleep position: How to improve comfort in bed
CBS This Morning

FOX Business News - FBN quoted two professors this week. Thomas Gilovich, professor of psychology, is quoted about his research of what brings true happiness to people. "Probably the biggest force in happiness is our remarkable capacity to adapt to things," he says. “People think 'It'll be a total blast if I have a BMW,' and at first it is. Then it becomes the new standard, and you don't notice it as much."

When You Can (and Can’t) Buy Happiness
Fox Business News

Charles Whitehead, professor of law, is quoted in this article about a potential deal to make Dell a private company. He says that in these types of management buyouts, “There’s always an incentive for management to low ball it. That’s the basic conflict.”

Dell buyout raises awkward conflict of interest questions
Fox Business News

Firefighter Gear Research - Following a Gannett feature and attention from every firefighter magazine/website in the country, fiber science professor Huiju Park sees his research featured by NPR’s Innovation Trail, which is shared by 30+ radio stations in New York. Park is using 3-D motion sensor technology to improve gear for firefighters.

Researcher looks to make firefighters’ work a bit easier
Innovation Trail

Rooks Op-Eds - Noliwe Rooks, professor of Africana studies, is a frequent contributor to TIME. This week she asks “is Obama’s cabinet too male?” She argues that “…instituting policies that make employment and wage discrimination illegal in the U.S. will move us closer to a level playing field than will adding more female Cabinet appointments.” In a second op-ed, Rooks reminds us on MLK Day that problems of racial segregation in housing and education still exist.

Is Obama’s Cabinet Too Male?
TIME

MLK Day: It’s Time for a Second Emancipation Proclamation
TIME

Cold Snap - In an AP article circulated by 80+ publications, Art DeGaetano of the Northeast Climate Center reminds us that the cold snap this week is typical for upstate New York winters, saying, "it just seems cold because it's been two to three years since we've seen something along these lines."

Arcadian America - Aaron Sachs, history, is the author of a new book and this op-ed for the Boston Globe. The piece features the history and importance of garden cemeteries, which Sachs will discuss as the featured guest of an Inside Cornell on Feb. 5.

Mt. Auburn’s farsighted message
Boston Globe

Postal Service – Rick Geddes, professor of policy analysis and management, is a media favorite when it comes to analysis of the bankrupt U.S. Postal Service. This week, Geddes points Salon and the UK Guardian to some important statistics.

Miscellaneous - ILR's Lee Adler weighs in on the NYC bus strike for Transportation Nation. Jeff Hancock, communications, talks about the Manti Te'o scandal with Network World. The BBC frequently mentions Hod Lipson when discussing 3-D printing, just as theNew York Times favors Trevor Pinch when covering Amazon reviews. Lee Humphreys was quoted in a syndicated article about archiving America's tweets. Government's Allen Carlson is fequently interviewed by Voice of America, this week he talks about the rising tension between China and Japan. And Greg Eels of the Gannett Center is quoted as a national expert on mental health in thisWall Street Journal article.

 

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