Those final few weeks of summer break are a real doozy, as we pause the pool parties and study season begins anew for thousands of students.
While many of us get reacclimated to our books, papers, and backpacks, we’re all embracing another successful school year with the largest-ever incoming class. This includes about 4,600 first-year students starting this fall.
In addition to our growing academic family, the hits kept on coming in the dog days of summer – as UNLV continued sharing knowledge in the headlines. COVID-detecting dogs? Check. Reversing our punishing heat waves? You got it. Bright cosmic blasts changing the way we understand the universe? Of course!
Here are some of the stories that featured UNLV experts in the month of August:
Back-to-School
New semester, new campus tradition! Freshmen got the jump on the new semester a week before other students as they took part in Rebel Ready Week, a new week-long orientation to help them gain a sense of belonging and prepare them for a less-stressful and more successful first year. Incoming Rebels participated in a host of activities and events to connect them with all UNLV has to offer, including support services and resources.
Media outlets also covered upperclassmen move-in day, previewed new classes, and highlighted trends in UNLV enrollment — which is expected to increase over last year and top 31,000.
KLAS-TV: 8 News Now (twice), KTNV-TV: ABC 13, KSNV-TV: News 3 (twice)
Science
School of Public Health epidemiologist Brian Labus spoke to VeryWell Health about dogs being able to detect COVID-19 more accurately than our formal testing practices, and if it’s still dangerous to catch the disease.
Zaijing Sun, professor of health physics, joined Business Insider to talk about the atomic bombs created during the Manhattan Project during WWII. He also chatted with the outlet about the even more powerful blasts of hydrogen bombs that were created after the war, and the story was picked up by outlets including Yahoo! and MSN.
Professor of architecture and urbanism Steffen Lehmann was featured in the Las Vegas Sun and Las Vegas Weekly for his studies into the Heat Island Effect, and how we can slow the warming of our cities. He also discussed the topic with Al Jazeera America.
UNLV Nevada Center for Astrophysics director Bing Zhang commented on the brightest cosmic blast ever seen in National Geographic and how it’s altering our view of the universe in Space Daily.
College of Sciences professors Zhaohuan Zhu, Elisabeth Hausrath, and Arya Udry joined Zhang in a feature from Las Vegas Weekly regarding Mars, planet formation, and beyond.
Las Vegas Weekly went from space to bugs with Chad Cross and Louisa Messenger, professors with the UNLV School of Public Health, who are researching ways to reduce the spread of insect-related diseases. Cross also appeared in a Popular Science piece about tick-borne diseases.
Drug Discovery World, Alzheimer’s News Today, and CompsMag looked at an immunotherapy vaccine breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research, potentially slowing cognitive decline, with Department of Brain Health professor Jeffrey Cummings. His insights on the dangers of mixing Alzheimer’s medication with antidepressants were also featured in Medscape and MedPage Today.
Registered dietitian/nutritionist Samantha Coogan joined First for Women to discuss the benefits of lime juice in blocking the formation of kidney stones.
White House cybersecurity officials visited campus to talk new initiatives to strengthen the industry — including funding for the UNLV College of Engineering to hire 50 paid interns to fuel its free cyber clinic, which will help businesses and train students — during the university’s Cyber Workforce and Education Summit: Nevada Independent and KLAS-TV: 8 News Now.
Economy & Politics
Political science professor Dan Lee was featured in the New York Times for his thoughts on Nevada’s unemployment rate, and turning the economy around.
The New York Times covered the Henry Ruggs sentencing with the help of associate law dean Eve Hanan. She and constitutional law expert David Orentlicher also wrote an opinion piece for CNN on the potentially dangerous precedent set by former president Donald Trump’s indictment on RICO charges.
The New York Post interviewed aviation historian Dan Bubb about the prices of airline tickets. And Aerospace America talked to Bubb about his thoughts on commercial vs. military aviation.
Benjamin Edwards, professor of law, discussed the relationship between student debt and the stock market with the Wall Street Journal. He also wrote an editorial for LexBlog and did interviews with Wealth Management and the Let’s Talk Markets podcast about a court challenge to FINRA’s enforcement authority.
Law professor Nancy B. Rapoport talked to Bloomberg about bankruptcy among big corporations.
Shawn McCoy, director of the Lied Center for Real Estate, talked about rent prices increasing in low-income areas and decreasing in high-income areas with both KLAS-TV: 8 News Now and KTNV-TV: ABC 13.
Economics professor Nicholas Irwin spoke to the Las Vegas Review-Journal regarding affordable housing and apartment construction.
Eileen McGarry, executive director of UNLV Career Services, and Alejandro Chacon, internship coordinator for the College of Engineering, shared their insights with Las Vegas Weekly on keeping graduates working in Nevada.
Political science professor Tiffiany Howard talked to MarketWatch about National Black Business Month and the initiatives that have helped consumers find those businesses.
The Independent covered former president Donald Trump’s absence from the GOP debate with debate expert and communication studies professor Jacob Thompson. ABC News also tapped Thompson for a piece on unforgettable political debate moments throughout history.
Culture
Members of the ‘Ewalu Club, UNLV’s Polynesian student organization, helped raise awareness and support for victims of the Maui wildfires, and were interviewed by KLAS-TV: 8 News Now.
Emory Nihipali — host of “Little Grass Shack,” a weekly Hawaiian music show on KUNV — was included in a Los Angeles Times story about Hawaiians considering moving away from Maui following wildfires that residents fear will drive up gentrification and living costs amid redevelopment.
Family therapist Katherine Hertlein gave the New York Times advice on overcoming the hurdles of a romantic relationship.
Steven Nelson, associate professor of education policy and leadership, helped explain why every school system starts the year at different times with TODAY. He was also included in a KNPR panel discussion about the impact of a Supreme Court affirmative action in education ruling on Nevada schools.
CNN covered gender pay gaps in professional sports, and featured the insight of sports management and marketing professor Nancy Lough.
Hospitality professor Cass Shum's comments about the Las Vegas service industry's difficult recovery were featured in FOX News. She also discussed tipping culture in a post-pandemic world with Axios.
Brett Abarbanel, director of research at the International Gaming Institute, helped the LA Times with a story regarding the growth of esports tournaments.
Psychology professor Shane Kraus talked to Kansas Public Radio about the rise of sports betting in the state and concerns about gambling addiction.
Why doesn’t Clark County have brothels? City Cast Las Vegas checked in with sociologist and sexual commerce researcher Barbara G. Brents on the topic. City Cast also pinged gender and sexuality professor Lynn Comella for a Q&A on the inclusivity of Las Vegas sex shops.
