Much like you have that radio dial set to 24/7 holiday hits, UNLV has its education dial set to nonstop knowledge. The turkeys are out of the oven, but our monthly news highlights continue to cook.
Between expanding our efforts to help guide policy on the growing cannabis market and explaining why F1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix is the most recent example of the city’s newfound sports economy, UNLV keeps looking down the road ahead.
Planning for Tomorrow
UNLV launched the state’s first Cannabis Policy Institute, which will work on developing policy and grow our education opportunities with microcredentials and executive training. Ambitions for the institute include hosting the nation’s first cannabis policy summit in the next year:
Vegas PBS, Las Vegas Sun, KTVN-TV: 2 News, Benzinga, Cannabutter Digest, Marijuana Moment
The UNLV Food Pantry is increasing its ability to combat food insecurity on campus with the addition of a new van. A partnership with Three Square Food Bank and the Molasky family makes this new addition possible, as covered by KLAS-TV: 8 News Now.
Sports media giant ESPN is partnering with UNLV’s International Gaming Institute in an effort to advance responsible sports betting practices and analyze its media impact. The IGI will develop a program with a $200,000 investment from ESPN, which will go toward personnel, research, outreach, and operational needs. IGI executive director Brett Abarbanel’s comments were featured in publications such as Nevada Independent, Gambling Insider, Sports Handle, and Casino.org.
And Rebel football is continuing to build on a massive year, winning nine games for the first time since the 80s and advancing to their first-ever Mountain West Conference championship game. Quarterback Jayden Maiava earned the conference's Freshman of the Year honor, kicker Jose Pizano was named Special Teams Player of the Year, and first-year head coach Barry Odom became Mountain West Coach of the Year. The Rebels are heading to the Guaranteed Rate Bowl December 26 in Phoenix, Arizona. Here are some media highlights of the Rebels' successful season:
Associated Press (twice), Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Nevada Independent, Las Vegas Sun (twice), Mountain West Wire, KVVU-TV: Fox 5, KTNV-TV: ABC 13, Las Vegas Review-Journal
Vroom Vroom
Whether you spent the last few months dodging traffic barrels or you just have the need for speed, you probably have some opinions on F1. The Las Vegas Grand Prix fixated the eyes of the sportsfaring world on Las Vegas for the ritziest, glitziest race ever conceived outside of Mario Kart.
From hotel pricing to the impact on tourism, F1 was covered nationally with the help of UNLV experts, including history professor Michael Green, Center for Business and Economic Research director Andrew Woods, hospitality professor Mehmet Erdem, and tourism researcher Marta Soligo:
CNN, Associated Press, Hollywood Reporter, Forbes, New York Post, Il Sole 24 Ore
UNLV students also got in on the action. KVVU-TV: Fox 5 covered a UNLV College of Engineering class that’s teaching students to build tiny autonomous versions of race cars in preparation of the international F1Tenth competition. And KTNV-TV: ABC 13 highlighted a race committee partnership through which hospitality students diverted food waste away from landfills and back into the community.
Travel and Economy
As United Airlines rolled out a new boarding method, dozens of outlets checked in with astrophysicist Jason Steffen — creator of the “Steffen Method” airplane boarding process — for his thoughts on alternative boarding strategies: Wall Street Journal, News Nation, NBC4 Washington, Jalopnik, iHeartRadio’s Ross Kaminsky Show, KCRW, EuroNews, and the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Aviation historian and former airline pilot Dan Bubb spoke to Best Life and Travel + Leisure (twice) about the quietest seat and safest seats on a flight, as well as why you should never sleep through takeoff or landing.
During the uncertainty surrounding a Culinary Workers Union strike on the Las Vegas Strip, hospitality professor Bill Werner and economics professor Stephen Miller were featured in dozens of outlets, including the New York Times, Fortune, ABC News, and Associated Press.
William S. Boyd School of Law dean Leah Chan Grinvald co-penned a piece for The Conversation that examined the property rights, trade secrets, cybersecurity, data privacy, and consumer rights issues that arise when consumers and their mechanics tap into cars’ data to diagnose and repair.
KVVU-TV: Fox 5 featured multiple UNLV professors as part of the station’s “Ask the Experts” series. Cybersecurity program director Gregory Moody talked about precautions parents should take regarding their children’s information following a Clark County School District hack; historian Michael Green recounted the history of hospitality industry strikes and employee walkouts by Las Vegas Strip employees; the Lee Business School’s Andrew Woods chatted about the impact of sports on Southern Nevada’s economy; and law professor Ruben Garcia discussed the state of labor unions.
Health
Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine dean Marc J. Kahn discussed the advantages of virtual anatomy for medical students with Slate.
Is a psychiatrist or therapist better suited for your mental health needs? Forbes discussed the training and education of psychiatrists with psychiatry expert Lisa Durette.
Fox News interviewed UNLV medical student Kenny Do about the shortage of primary care doctors in Nevada, and what his class is hoping to see change.
The BBC, Radio 4, Vanguardia, and Mirror were among outlets that cited kinesiology expert Janet Dufek on the benefits of walking backward and the unique improvements it can have on both physical and mental health.
Infectious disease expert Brian Labus went over the vaccine precautions being taken for the mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus with Healthline. Labus also spoke to Health regarding an airport surveillance program monitoring the spread of several viruses such as influenza, and to Verywell Health about the trajectory of COVID-19 boosters.
School of Dental Medicine professor Sonal Shah was quoted in a Parade Magazine piece that surveyed dentists about the unexpected habits that lead to cavities.
Several outlets reached out to UNLV for insight on beating those lonely, anxious “holiday blues.” UNLV PRACTICE director Michelle G. Paul talked with The Messenger, while KNPR interviewed social work professor Natasha Mosby and therapist Vaida Kazlauskaite.
Culture
History professor Michael Green joined the New York Times to look back on the life of casino magnate Don Laughlin and his influence on Nevada.
The Boston Globe sought fashion historian Deirdre Clemente’s expertise for a piece on changing workplace dress codes.
The Associated Press and KLAS-TV: 8 News Now talked about the importance of having a process to handle homicide cases involving juveniles with law professor David Tanenhaus.
Research from political scientist Austin Wang was referenced in a New York Times piece about disinformation in the feud between China and Taiwan. He also spoke to Taiwan News and wrote an essay for Wainao on the topic. Meanwhile, Voice of America interviewed Wang about Taiwan’s new representative to the United States.
Reuters featured comments from law professor Jeffrey Stempel regarding any sort of ethics rules the Supreme Court follows.
Law professor Benjamin Edwards published an opinion piece in The Hill about Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Media Matters. Reuters and Wealth Management also picked his brain regarding FINRA.
Communication studies professor Emma Frances Bloomfield was quoted in two Southern California News Group stories — one about Christian churches’ view of climate change and another about navigating difficult climate change conversations at the family holiday dinner table.
