I recently wrote my final feature story for this magazine. It describes the work of Rochelle and Dustin Hines (see Page 24), two rising stars in UNLV’s psychology department who are investigating the ways brain cells contribute to disorders like depression and schizophrenia. As I finalized the draft, I found myself marveling—as I have done so often during my time at UNLV—at the incredible insights of our faculty researchers on such a broad range of topics. To find this array of innovative, brilliant folks here on our campus—right in the middle of a town famous for so many attributes other than research productivity—well, it seems just wonderful to me.
Of course, both the university and its community have always been so much more than stereotypes suggest. Few know this better than I. To say UNLV and I go way back is a bit of an understatement. Between two academic degrees and 30 years of administrative posts, I’ve been on this campus most of my adult life. All of this time—and well before—Las Vegas has been my home. The combination of these two biographical details, no doubt, contributed to my recently receiving an offer to lead UNLV’s new Office of Community Engagement.
It’s a great assignment by anyone’s standard. I get to continue singing the praises of the university while supporting existing collaborations and facilitating new ones. I’m jumping in with both feet now, embracing the expanded scope of my new job. Yet, at this moment, I find myself reflecting on the special role research plays in the community. I would be remiss in not offering it a parting nod.
Many before me have noted that the best U.S. cities have Top Tier research universities—institutions that help drive economic progress, bring intellectual and cultural vitality, and enrich citizens’ lives and students’ education. UNLV does all this, but I’m partial to two other benefits.
The first is the most apparent. Research helps solve some of our state and nation’s most intractable problems. Disease, crime, drought, injustice, climate change, addiction, and myriad other ills are being addressed in some form by UNLV research.
The second benefit is more abstract, but I believe it can be summarized by the word “pride.” Southern Nevadans, understandably, want their university to make them proud. UNLV works to this end every day, especially its researchers, who perhaps best understand what most in higher education know well: A university’s prestige is based to a large extent on its production of respected research and scholarly activity.
Our university has much to crow about in this area, as this magazine has shown in its pages for over a decade. Like the two psychologists I mentioned earlier, UNLV’s star is rising because of its research. With it ascends our institution’s reputation—and the pride of our community.
