The Academic Minute

On University of Southern California Dornsife Week: Excessive eating can have many harmful effects. Scott Kanoski, professor of biological sciences, tries to understand the mechanisms behind these effects. Professor of Biological Sciences at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Scott Kanoski’s research focuses on behavioral neuroscience, ingestive behavior, energy balance, neu...

On University of Southern California Dornsife Week: We’re still seeking to better understand dark matter in our universe. Vera Glusevic, associate professor of physics and astronomy, examines one way to do so. Vera received her B.Sc . from University of Belgrade (Serbia) in 2007, and her Ph. D. from Caltech in 2013. After completing a postdoctoral fellowship […] This is a public episode. If...

On this Student Spotlight during University of Southern California Dornsife Week: What does your brain learn from rejection? Begüm G Babür, Ph. D student in social psychology, analyzes the results. Begüm is a Ph. D. student in the Social Connection Lab at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. She received her B.A. in Psychology […] This is a public episode. If you would like to...

On University of Southern California Dornsife Week: What happens in childhood has an impact – especially when it comes to money. Deborah Finkel, research professor at the center for economic and social research and department of psychology, examines why. Deborah Finkel is a research professor (50%) at CESR. She earned her PhD in behavior genetics from the […] This is a public episode....

Two places on the globe that seem far apart may have more in common than previously thought. Jenna Grace Sciuto, professor of global anglophone literature at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, explores a couple. Jenna Grace Sciuto is a professor of English at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. She received her BA from […] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss...

If we can catch early signs of dyslexia and dysgraphia, we can get children the care they need. Venu Govindaraju, SUNY distinguished professor in the department of computer science and engineering at the University at Buffalo, looks at how to do so. Venu Govindaraju is vice president for research and economic development at the University […] This is a public episode. If you would like to di...

Keeping tabs on sharks could help conservation, and AI may be able to help. Francesco Ferretti, assistant professor of fisheries management and conservation at Virginia Tech, dives in. Dr. Francesco Ferretti is a quantitative computational ecologist specialized in research synthesis. He combines ecology, statistical modeling, and data science to approach questions on animal abundance, species [&#8...

How do we replace stigma with compassion for lung cancer patients? Timothy Williamson, assistant professor of psychological science at Loyola Marymount University, discusses this issue. Timothy J. Williamson is an assistant professor of psychological science and director of the Psychosocial Risk & Resilience in Stress & Medicine (PRRISM) Research Laboratory in the Bellarmine College of Lib...

What if a student sues a professor because of a bad grade? Kent Kauffman, associate professor of business law and ethics at Purdue University Fort Wayne, looks into this. Kent Kauffman is associate professor of Business Law and Ethics, and is the MBA Programs Faculty Liaison in the Doermer School of Business at Purdue University […] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this...

On New York University: Do we need to take AI to kindergarten? Cristina Savin, associate professor in neural science and data science, says AI needs to start learning more like humans. CS is an Assoc. Professor in Neural Science and Data Science at NYU and the Director for Graduate Studies (PhD) in the Center for […] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subs...

On New York University Week: Not all building-related issues are reported in cities, so how can machine learning help fill the gaps? Daniel Neill, professor of computer science, public service, and urban analytics and Director of the Machine Learning for Good Laboratory, delves into this question. Daniel B. Neill, Ph. D., is Professor of Computer Science, […] This is a public episode. If you...

On New York University Week: We’re always making decisions in life, so how can we improve our decision-making? Marcelo Mattar, assistant professor of psychology and neural science, uses tiny AI models to find out. Dr Marcelo Mattar is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at New York University. He holds a PhD in […] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss th...

On New York University Week: Bird wings aren’t just made for flying. David Fouhey, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, examines another benefit. David Fouhey is an Assistant Professor at NYU, jointly appointed between Computer Science in the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Tandon School of Engineering. […] This...

On New York University Week: Eliminating bias in AI will require work. Meredith Broussard , professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, examines strategies to do so. Faculty Bio: Data journalist Meredith Broussard is a professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University, research director at the NYU Alliance for Public Interest Technology, and the author of se...

Treating prostate cancer is challenging, but help may be on the way. Joshi Alumkal, Wicha family professor of oncology at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, explores how. Alumkal spent most of his childhood and early adulthood in Texas. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas with a bachelor’s in biology. […] This is a public episode. If you would like to discu...

Our understanding of dementia may need an update. Annemari Kilpelainen, doctoral researcher at the University of Eastern Finland, tells us why. Annemari Kilpeläinen is a neurologist at the Neurocenter of Kuopio University Hospital and a PhD researcher at the University of Eastern Finland. Her clinical interests focus on epilepsy and movement disorders, while her research […] This is a public...

How can we bring joy into education? Johanna Smith, professor of theater education and entrepreneurship at California State University, San Bernardino, finds a way to incorporate it. Johanna Smith is a Professor of Theatre Education and Entrepreneurship at California State University, San Bernardino. She has served as an artist and educator for professional theatres, museums, […] This is a p...

Relationships are important to our health, so how do we foster them? Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Scientific Leadership Council Chair and Board Member, Foundation for Social Connection, and Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and Director of the Social Connections Lab at Brigham Young University, details how to get connected. Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad is the founding scientific chair […] This...

What can our children’s screen time teach us about family relationships? Cecilia Sada Garibay, graduate student in communication at the University of Arizona, observes to find the answer. Before entering her Ph. D. program, Sada Garibay was a professor and researcher at the School of Communication at Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City. There, she taught courses […] This is a publi...

How can we tell when a newborn is in pain? Tina Ho, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of South Florida, helps determine this. Tina Ho joined USF in 2016 as a neonatologist in the Morsani College of Medicine Pediatrics Department, Neonatology Division and the Jennifer Leigh Muma NICU at Muma Children’s Hospital at […] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss th...

AI takes a lot of energy, so how do we lighten the load? Mosharaf Chowdhury, associate professor of computer science at the University of Michigan, gets computer chips working together toward a solution. Dr. Mosharaf Chowdhury is a computer scientist interested in all facets of efficient systems: from software runtimes to the hardware resources they […] This is a public episode. If you would...

How we deal with stressful situations may be influenced by who we’re with at the time. Alexei Morozov, research scientist with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech University, looks into the social influence. Alexei Morozov, a research scientist with the Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC. Sex Differences in how Mice […] This is a public episode....

If you’re feeling depressed, should you get up and move? Silje Steinsbekk, full professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, discusses whether physical activity is the answer. Silje Steinsbekk is a full professor of clinical child- and adolescent psychology, and co-PI of the Trondheim Early Secure Study (TESS) at the Dept. of Psychology, […] This is a public episode. If y...

How can employers support employees suffering from mental illness? Emily Rosado-Solomon, assistant professor of management at Babson College, explores this topic with care. Emily Rosado-Solomon is an Assistant Professor of Management at Babson College. She received her PhD at Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations, and previously served on the faculty at California […] T...

Bed bugs aren’t just a nuisance to humans – they annoy bats too. Lindsay Miles, postdoctoral researcher at Virginia Tech, looks at the genetics of these pests. I look through the lens of population genetics and molecular evolution to understand how urbanization impacts organisms. I am co-founder of the urban evolution blog that summarizes urban […] This is a public episode. If you woul...