The Academic Minute

With money, trust is key. So how did Benjamin Franklin stop counterfeiters when paper money was so easy to fake? Khachatur Manukyan , research associate professor at the University of Notre Dame , looks into the past to find out. Faculty Bio: Khachatur Manukyan is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Nuclear Science Laboratory at the University of Notre...

Why do some bumblebee larvae become queens while others do not? Etya Amsalem , associate professor of entomology at Penn State University , looks for the answer. Faculty Bio: Etya Amsalem is an Associate Professor of Entomology at Penn State University. She earned her M.Sc. and Ph. D. in Zoology from Tel Aviv University, Israel, and completed postdoctoral training at Penn State University and the...

Being an influencer has become a popular career goal for young people. Matt Simoneau , professor of career and technical education at the University of Wisconsin-Stout , explores why. Faculty Bio: Dr. Matt Simoneau is a professor of Career and Technical Education at the University of Wisconsin–Stout. His research explores how young people develop career aspirations, with a particular focus on the...

How has our society’s view of hunger and response to it changed over time? Claire Strom , professor of history at Rollins College , explores the history. Faculty Bio: An agricultural historian, Claire Strom is a history professor and the Rapetti-Trunzo Chair of History at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Her areas of specialization include: Agricultural history; the American South; and the...

The fourth wave of the opioid crisis may be receding, but progress is still uneven overall. Joseph Friedman , resident physician at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine , examines this. Faculty Bio: Joseph Friedman, MD, PhD, MPH joined UC San Diego School of Medicine as a Psychiatry Research Medical Resident from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he completed hi...

On Houston Methodist Research Institute Week: Are you a pickleballer? Andrew Lee , professor of neuro-ophthalmology, looks at the rise of the sport and the injuries that come with it. Faculty Bio: Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery at Houston Methodist. Dr. Lee received his first faculty appointment in 1994 as an Instructor in the Department of Ophthalmology,...

On Houston Methodist Week: A simple blood draw alongside imaging could benefit cancer patients in the future. Maen Abdelrahim , chief of gastrointestinal medical oncology, explains why. Faculty Bio: Dr. Abdelrahim earned his PharmD, followed by a PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology, and subsequently an MD from Texas A&M University. He completed his residency at Baylor College of Medicine and a fell...

On Houston Methodist Week: Is epilepsy more prevalent in certain regions of the country? Weichuan Dong , assistant research professor of cardiology, examines whether it is. Faculty Bio: Dr. Weichuan Dong is a scientist in spatial epidemiology, population health, and machine learning, with a focus on how environmental and social factors shape chronic disease risk and outcomes. Dr. Dong’s work integ...

On Houston Methodist Week: What are free radicals, and how are they affecting our cells? John P. Cooke , professor of cardiovascular sciences, discusses this. Faculty Bio: Dr. John P. Cooke is the Chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at the Houston Methodist Research Institute, Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, and Medical Director of the RNA Therapeutics Progra...

On Houston Methodist Week: Where do you live? Your answer may affect your health. Jad Ardakani , clinical research fellow, explores why. Faculty Bio: Dr. Jad Ardakani is a medical doctor and clinical research fellow in preventive cardiology at the Houston Methodist, where he works under the mentorship of Dr. Sadeer Al-Kindi and Dr. Khurram Nasir. His research focuses on the environmental and socia...

Is film photography dead? Not so fast. Rotem Rozental , lecturer in critical studies at the Roski School of Art and Design at the University of Southern California , explores the unlikely rebirth of this photographic medium. Faculty Bio: Dr. Rotem Rozental is Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Los Angeles Center of Photography and lecturer in Critical Studies at USC Roski School of Art an...

Why do we evaluate male and female beauty differently? Eugen Wassiliwizky , senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Empirical Aesthetics , looks for an answer. Faculty Bio: Eugen Wassiliwizky has an interdisciplinary background in neuropsychology, classics, and musicology and has conducted research in Germany, Canada, and Norway. His work examines the neural and evolutionary foundations o...

Student work can serve a larger purpose than simply earning a grade. Christian Martinez , adjunct lecturer at Brooklyn College, City University of New York , tells us how. Faculty Bio: Christian A. Martinez is a graduate instructor at Brooklyn College, City University of New York, where he teaches reproducible research and data science. His work focuses on open science, civic open data, and design...

What are ‘teen takeovers’, and do we need to curb them? Krista Mehari , associate professor of public health at Michigan State University , says teens themselves can be part of the solution. Faculty Bio: Krista Mehari is a licensed clinical psychologist and an Associate Professor in the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health in Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine. Her w...

How do we beat the heat in cities going forward? Katherine Mach , professor and chair of environmental science and policy at the University of Miami , explores some tools that can help. Faculty Bio: Katharine Mach is professor and chair of the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, & Earth Science. During Spring 2025, she...

On Florida International University Week: Sleep disorders may be changing your brain. Matthew Sutherland , associate professor of psychology, explores how. Faculty Bio: Matthew Sutherland is a cognitive neuroscientist and associate professor of psychology at Florida International University. His research uses brain imaging to better understand how conditions such as substance use, sleep disorders...

On Florida International University Week: How much salt is in your drinking water? Rajiv Chowdhury , chair and professor of global health, explores this question. Faculty Bio: Dr. Rajiv Chowdhury is chair of the Department of Global Health at FIU’s Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work. An internationally recognized global health researcher and educator, he previously held faculty...

On Florida International University Week: Using generative AI in creative work may come at a cost. Joel Carnevale , assistant professor of management, examines how your reputation could be affected. Faculty Bio: Joel Carnevale is an assistant professor of management in FIU Business’ Department of Global Leadership and Management whose research examines the interpersonal dynamics that shape how peo...

On Florida International University Week: We’re learning more about how to treat blood cancers. Charles J. Dimitroff , professor of cellular and molecular medicine, explores new approaches. Faculty Bio: Charles J. Dimitroff, Ph. D. is a global leader in the study of sugars, known as glycobiology, and is highly motivated to translate glycobiological findings to help cure diseases and improve the ov...

On Florida International University Week: First responders at Ground Zero on 9/11 are aging. What effects could their exposure be having on their brains? Roberto Lucchini , professor of environmental health sciences, looks into this. Faculty Bio: Dr. Roberto G. Lucchini is a professor of environmental health sciences at FIU. A physician specializing in occupational medicine, his research examines...

Artificial intelligence can be a boon to conservation science. Daniel Thornton , associate professor of wildlife ecology at Washington State University , details why. Faculty Bio: Dr. Thornton studies the spatial ecology and conservation of mammals, with an emphasis on mammalian carnivores. His work spans the Americas, and integrates a variety of partners from agencies, NGOs, and communities. Dr....

What are the long-term impacts of rocket launches on nearby communities? Whitney Coyle , associate professor of physics at Rollins College , examines this. Faculty Bio: Whitney L. Coyle , PhD is an Associate Professor of Physics and Coordinator of the Pre-Engineering Program at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, where she serves as Chair of the college’s Department of Physics .At Rollins, Co...

Academic freedoms may be under attack, but professors have legal protections as well. Kent Kauffman , professor of business law at Purdue University Fort Wayne , discusses this. Faculty Bio: Kent Kauffman is Professor of Business Law, and MBA Programs Faculty Liaison, in the Doermer School of Business at Purdue University Fort Wayne. He is the author of “Navigating Choppy Waters: Key Legal Issues...

What can ivermectin teach us about health misinformation? Dannell Boatman , assistant professor of cancer prevention and control at West Virginia University , takes a look. Faculty Bio: Dannell Boatman, EdD, MS, is an Assistant Professor and health communication researcher in the Department of Cancer Prevention and Control at the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Medicine. She conducts her...

Deleting cookies isn’t enough to stop online tracking. Phu Phung , associate professor of computer science at the University of Dayton , explains why. Faculty Bio: Dr. Phu Phung is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Dayton. He is the founder and director of the Intelligent Systems Security Lab , where his team developed MyWebGuard, a system for detect...