The summertime commenced with one of the most memorable graduation moments in UNLV’s history — a surprise visit that made headlines from coast to coast. And despite the formal conclusion of another semester and school year, the research must go on – in particular with promising new developments in finding an answer for Alzheimer’s. 

Over the ongoing sunny season, UNLV experts offered commentary on some of the season’s biggest news: Supreme Court rulings, lucrative real estate markets, the incomprehensible openness of space, and how to minimize our exposure to fallout in the event of a nuclear blast. Bring your beach balls and sunglasses along because UNLV has racked up a summer’s worth of hot headlines:

Graduation

Congratulations to UNLV’s largest class of graduates yet! The Las Vegas Sun trumpeted the successes of Mae Ling Catayong, who was formally recognized during the spring ceremony for overcoming significant hardship on her way to a psychology degree, and Citlally Lopez-Flores, a first-generation Latina and aspiring physician-scientist who won a prestigious Pfizer grant to further her cancer research. Additionally, Lopez-Flores’ journey from an undergrad studying organic chemistry to an incoming Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine student this fall was profiled by KTNV-TV: ABC 13.

And then there was the commencement celebration heard ‘round the nation, as master’s graduate Pamela Hernandez received the surprise of her life when her father secretly traveled 30 hours overseas from his U.S. Navy post to greet her on stage: Yahoo, CNN, MSN, ABC, CBS Evening News, Good Morning America, Today Show, USA Today, NY Post, Cheddar News, Now This News, Cafe Mom, KTNV-TV: ABC: 13, KVVU-TV: Fox 5 Vegas 

Alzheimer’s 

There are signs of optimism in the fight against Alzheimer’s, with two new UNLV studies providing fresh insights into the relationship gut health has in the disease and a look at drug therapies and other treatment trends on the horizon. 

The brilliant work of UNLV graduate student Davis Cammann, Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine research professor Jingchun Chen, and Department of Brain Health professor Jeffrey Cummings was featured in outlets including Nature, Scientific American, Associated Press, Psychology Today, Express, KNX News Radio, Being Patient, Times of San Diego, Technology Networks, Asian News International, Fierce Biotech, and Clinical Research News.

Science

• As the water levels at Lake Mead receded because of drought, more of what was beneath the waves started to surface, including bodies. ABC News gave us an eerie look back at the past with the help of anthropology professor Jennifer Byrnes.
• Research findings suggest that there are new ways to predict which athletes are likely to develop CTE, a degenerative brain disease often seen in athletes involved in combat sports. HealthDay, U.S. News & World Report, Medscape, and ScienMag quoted study author and School of Public Health graduate student Brooke D. Conway Kleven about the significance of this data.
• In other neurology news, a team of Washington University scientists discovered that ultrasound brain pulses put mice into a hibernation state – a tactic that may eventually be employed for astronauts on long space voyages. Professor Frank van Breukelen over in Life Sciences offered his take on the study via Science.
• The day and age of nuclear fallout shelters in an otherwise white-picket neighborhood are long gone… or so we thought. With so much uncertainty in the world, Business Insider put together a guide on DIY fallout shelters and turned to nuclear physicist Zaijing Sun for expert commentary.
• We know: one of the reasons you’re even in Las Vegas is because of the lack of mosquitoes. But with such a soggy, precipitous winter, we may have been seeing a few more buzzing around than usual. Healthline checked in with environmental and occupational health professor Louisa Messenger on which soaps can help repel or attract these bothersome bugs.
• Despite that wet winter, the drought is still of concern. California, Nevada, and Arizona agreed to cut back on their use from the Colorado River in exchange for $1.2 billion federal aid. The Associated Press spoke to Bret Birdsong, an environmental law professor, about who will see the biggest cuts.
• The implosion of the Oceangate submersible on its way to tour the Titanic at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean stirred up global attention. KSNV-TV: News 3 localized the story with the help of physics professor Michael Pravica. He was also featured in a Popular Mechanics story about time reflections.
• Marine fossils hold clues to climate change, according to marine conservation paleobiologist Carrie Tyler. She was quoted in a Popular Science piece about how ancient mollusks and other animals show us the health of aquatic ecosystems.
• Psychology professor Stephen Benning sat down with The Guardian to discuss the role heat plays in amplifying road rage in drivers. He also spoke with Psych Central about psychopathic behaviors.
• Effective multitasking is cooling down while working out – enter aqua jogging. Kinesiology professor John Mercer talked about its usefulness with Verywell Health.
• And it wouldn’t be a summer science section without Martians from outer space. A Las Vegas family called police about strange figures in their yard standing over 10-feet tall. This came in the aftermath of an apparent meteor falling through the sky. Inside Edition visited Las Vegas and interviewed astronomy professor Jason Steffen to ask if there’s any truth to the sighting.

Government and Economy

• Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are fueling a pink wave of interest in rose-colored hotel accommodations, thanks to the new ‘Barbie’ movie. Dak Kopec, an environmental psychologist, talked to the Washington Post about the craze.
• When faced with a possible recession, people are looking absolutely everywhere for economic indicators – even hot dog sales. CNN called upon hospitality professor Amanda Belarmino to break down where and how people are budgeting themselves.
• Wildfires in the Southwest spurred on by drought are the topic of research for Shawn McCoy and Nicholas Irwin, who shared their findings with the Las Vegas Sun.
• Inspired by recent social movements, some workers are pushing back against mandatory arbitration in their workplaces. Law professor Jean Sternlight joined Bloomberg to discuss the significance of any potential changes.
• As the United States looks to strengthen relations with both sides of the sovereignty struggle, political science professor Austin Wang lends his insight on the situational seesaw in southeast Asia. He spoke with Voice of America and Barrons about the impact of the U.S.’s political visits.
• After the decision from the Supreme Court to reject affirmative action, Marc Kahn, dean of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, talked about his concern for the future of diverse enrollments in similar medical programs across the country with NPR. He also co-wrote an essay on the shortage of rural physicians for STAT News.
• UNLV research led by political scientist Kenneth Miller discovered that Republicans who received the most corporate cash were less likely to object to the 2020 election results. Business Insider picked up the story.
• Center for Business and Economic Research director Andrew Woods spoke to Voice of America about the impact of falling birth rates on the economy.
• Political science professor Dave Damore spoke about the GOP’s loosening grip on places such as New Mexico with the Los Angeles Times.

University Business

• CNN was among outlets that highlighted a documentary by UNLV’s film and law schools that played a role in the fight for new legislation that’ll allow residents of a historically Black neighborhood to relocate away from the sinking residential area.
• The Las Vegas Review-Journal and KSNV-TV: News 3 helped memorialize late KUNV DJ John Nasshan.
• President Keith E. Whitfield discussed the future of higher education with Las Vegas Mayor Carol Goodman on KCLV-TV 2.
• UNLV announced the launch of several new initiatives this summer.
  • Insurance Journal highlighted the establishment of the Kerestesi Center for Insurance and Risk Management within the Lee Business School.
  • The Las Vegas Review-Journal, Nevada Independent, and CDC Gaming Reports came out during NBA Summer League to cover a press conference on SEI-Con — a partnership with Syracuse University to bring a sports and entertainment convention to the city next year.
  • A donor’s $10 million gift will help expand the UNLV/CSUN Preschool: KSNV-TV: News 3 (twice), KVVU-TV: Fox 5, KTNV-TV: ABC 13, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Sun, Philanthropy News Digest
  • The College of Fine Arts will participate in a program to bring arts courses and experiences to incarcerated Nevada women, Double Scoop reported.
• Legislation recommended by William S. Boyd School of Law students led to modernization of Nevada’s foreign gaming reporting requirements, according to a Nevada Independent report.

Expert Roundup

• Kinesiology expert Janet Dufek gave some pointers to the New York Times on how to make the most of your steps and have a healthier walk.
• The Midwest was hit repeatedly by severe weather, causing flight cancellations and other tech-related heartaches. The New York Times cited the expertise of hospitality expert Mehmet Erdem on the matter. He also offered insight for a Travel + Leisure piece on permissible hotel room souvenirs.
• It’s hot out there and only getting hotter with every building added to the city, according to sustainable development expert Steffen Lehmann, who told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Sydney) and Al Jazeera about ‘heat islands’. He also chatted with KLAS-TV: 8 News Now for a story about the connection between Southern Nevada’s unprecedented heat and allergies.
• Protein shakes are often a key ingredient to any bodybuilding regimen, and registered dietitian/nutritionist Samantha Coogan shared some of the healthiest batches with Sports Illustrated. She also spoke with Healthline about WHO warnings on non-sugar sweeteners.
• The Boston Globe discussed LGBTQ health, and the tendency of that population to lean on friends rather than family, with public health professor Jason D. Flatt.
• Did you know that you should never put your passport in a carry-on? Well, aviation expert Dan Bubb’s got you covered on that (and just about anything else you could think of when it comes to flying). As a frequent commentator for Travel + Leisure, Newsweek, KNX News Radio and other outlets, he also covered phones’ airplane mode, boarding passes, tipping, 5G, why we need to return our seats to an upright position, first-class seating protocol, more on passports, and general safety tips on a plane.
• Flat-Earthers took an ‘L’ after USA Today spoke with physicist and astronomer Jason Steffen, who helped disprove conspiracy theories regarding radar.
• The Washington Post and Popular Science cited anthropology professor William Jankowiak on the origins of kissing among humans.
• Alan Feldman, one of the leading authorities on responsible gambling, talked to a variety of publications about its changing connotation and how those using the marketing phrase may be losing the plot – Vixio, Focus Gaming News, GGR Asia, and the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
• Tipping is becoming more aggressive, as well as prevalent, and many folks are getting tired of it, hospitality professor Marla Royne Stafford told CDC Gaming and the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
• Asian American studies professor Mark Padoongpatt shared some background on the proliferation of Thai food hotspots throughout the U.S.  with the Los Angeles Times, CNN, City Cast Las Vegas, and Hero Mag.
• Astrophysicist Bing Zhang was a major part of the international team that used China’s revolutionarily powerful telescope to spot rapidly spinning, multi-wavelength systems in space, and discussed the findings with the South China Morning Post.
• It was a busy summer for School of Public Health epidemiologist Brian Labus, who joined Today to talk about safety issues surrounding  long mommy nails; Health (twice) to chat about a spike in human metapneumovirus cases and recent norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships; Healthline about a parental warning on measles; and Verywell Health about a frozen food recall due to listeria concerns.
• Swatting is a form of domestic terrorism involving fraudulent 911 calls, sometimes resulting in needless death. Ars Technica spoke to computer science professor Hal Berghel about the increase of these crimes.
• A Las Vegas police officer is accused of stealing $165,000 from casinos – a topic covered by People and the Associated Press. They called upon the expertise of casino and hotel operations expert Mehmet Erdem in their coverage.
• Geoscience research professor Oliver Tschauner took us to the deepest reaches of the planet in a discussion about the Earth’s core with Mashable.
• Two nursing professors and midwifery experts made national headlines. Kate Woeber spoke to Parents Magazine about reading home pregnancy tests. And dozens of Scripps News outlets picked up a Jennifer Vanderlaan interview about maternity care deserts.
• History professor Michael Green chatted with multiple outlets including Fox News about Southern Nevada’s new status as a sports capital and KCBS Radio about the solemn history of Memorial Day.
• Wisconsin governor Tony Evers recently used the state’s unique “partial veto” power to fund schools for centuries to come, according to ABC News. E. Lee Bernick, an expert in public policy, told the media giant about this policy-making tool.
• ESPN reported on a former Aces star being mistreated during her last year with the team, due to speculation about her pregnancy. Workplace law expert Ann McGinley was interviewed about both the case and protections the league has in it.
• Family therapist Katherine Hertlein gave advice on relationships without cell phone boundaries to the New York Times.