UNLV Newsmakers 2022: July | University of Nevada, Las Vegas – UNLV NewsCenter

How are you spending your summer vacation? 

At UNLV, students and researchers are using the time to inspire the next generation of scientists and healthcare heroes; they’re tackling tough topics like climate change and gun violence through scientific inquiry and policy solutions; and they’re digging deep to stay a step ahead of emerging COVID variants and to get a handle on the emerging threat of monkeypox. 

Throughout July, UNLV’s newsmakers shared their expertise to add context to issues making local, national, and international headlines. 

Read on to learn more in the latest edition of UNLV Newsmakers. 

Health is Wealth

It was a busy month for UNLV’s School of Nursing. 

Gun Deaths

Barely six months into 2022, the U.S. surpassed 300 mass shootings. Meanwhile, controversy surrounding police shootings and other gun violence continued to loom large in the headlines. Several UNLV experts weighed in on the debate.

Climate Crisis

Concerns surrounding global warming reached a fever pitch in July. A global heat wave sent temperatures soaring into the triple digits in cities with historically mild summers. Daily trips to the metaphorical sauna also caused water sources across the U.S. West to continue drying up — leading to the discovery of a third set of human remains at Lake Mead. UNLV experts offered historical context and possible solutions. 

Social Justice News

From sports and politics to health and history, issues surrounding race and ethnicity were prominent topics in July. 

• Renowned architect Paul Revere Williams’ achievements transformed the landscape of Nevada but were obscured by racism, the New York Times reported. UNLV Oral History Research Center director Claytee D. White weighed in.
• Asian and Asian American Studies professor Constancio Arnaldo spoke to Slate about the impact of race on figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi’s legacy, and about the history of Asians in sports with The Good Men Project.
• Mother Jones featured UNLV Immigration Clinic director Michael Kagan’s insights on ways former President Donald J. Trump’s border policy and the U.S. Supreme Court impacted immigrants.
• African American and African Diaspora Studies professor Tyler D. Parry was interviewed by HITC and MadameNoire about the wedding tradition of jumping the broom.

University Business

• A class on the lawyering process and legal writing pushed Boyd Law up in national rankings: Vegas Inc.
• Two College of Sciences professors have received grants. Yahoo! reported on life sciences professor Kelly Tseng partnering with a company for tissue regeneration research. The National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy awarded physicist Qiang Zhu a $1.3 million grant to jumpstart his efforts to accelerate new materials discovery, per ASM International.
• The Las Vegas Sun highlighted one UNLV program that’s helping athletes hone their mental health to take performance to the next level.
• Students chimed in on UNLV’s diversity for a Las Vegas Sun report on a new initiative to collaborate with other Hispanic-serving research institutions on upping Latinx enrollment and faculty.
• Higher Ed Dive checked in on UNLV’s development and retention efforts amid the Great Resignation.

General Roundup

• Comments by Mark Lenker, a professor and university librarian who has written about political outrage, were featured in The Hill, and the story was picked up by outlets including Yahoo! and NewsNation.
• Forbes sought Couple and Family Therapy professor Brandon Eddy’s insights on selecting the right professional and treatment options. Meanwhile, HuffPost and Yahoo! cited his research on postpartum depression in new dads.
• Is Sin City sex positive? ​​Greenspun College of Urban Affairs professor Rebecca Bosetti talked to City Cast Las Vegas about her new course, “Sexual Behavior & Society: The Good, the Bad, and the Controversial,” and why Las Vegas needs more sex-positive social workers.
• Mugglehead Magazine reported on the recent launch of psychology professors Rochelle and Dustin Hines’ new company dedicated to advancing psychedelic therapies. The neuroscientists were also quoted by High Times and Healthline (twice) about the impact of psilocybin and other psychedelics on mental health, and by Las Vegas Weekly for a story on state cannabis board requirements surrounding DUIs and pot lounges. 
• Astrophysicist Jason Steffen’s airplane boarding method was featured on CNN (twice) and he additionally provided the Las Vegas Sun with commentary on new images from the James Webb Telescope.
• Dozens of outlets picked up a KVVU-TV: Fox 5 story featuring Sports Research and Innovation Institute co-director and Title IX expert Nancy Lough’s thoughts on the significance of the Las Vegas Raiders hiring the first Black woman team president in NFL history.
• Social media researcher Mary Blankenship’s examination of disinformation surrounding the Russia invasion of Ukraine and the related dissemination of propaganda in Africa was featured in Forbes and The Statesman.