Now that we’ve gotten the pollen and egg hunts out of our systems (maybe), it’s time to buckle down with a basket full of study materials. Finals are almost here and, for many students, the next major milestone coming our way is commencement.

But before congratulating our upcoming graduates, we wanted to spread the wealth a bit by acknowledging some of the top news headlines highlighting the bright minds at UNLV.

What is the historical context behind the federal policy moves being made? What’s the future of F1 racing in Las Vegas? Is it cheaper to remodel your home, or move into a new one? And how much can a clogged airplane toilet impact your flight plans?

So unfurl the picnic blanket, unwrap some leftover chocolate eggs, and enjoy the most pastel edition of Newsmakers yet…

Diabetes Distorts Memory

A team of UNLV researchers, headed by psychology professor and neuroscientist James Hyman, found that high blood sugar levels appear to weaken function in a key part of the brain, mimicking Alzheimer’s. He collaborated on the study with student and faculty scientists within UNLV’s Department of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, and Department of Brain Health.

Fox News, Newsweek, Women’s Health, Washington Times, Las Vegas Review-Journal, KSNV: News 3, KNPR, Medical Xpress, SciTechDaily 

Health & Science

• Daily Mail and KLAS: 8 News Now highlighted the recent breakthrough autism research from College of Sciences professor Łukasz Sznajder.
• CDC Gaming and KSNV: News 3 covered work from psychologist Shane Kraus, showing a link between sports betting and binge drinking.
• Psychiatry expert Lisa Durette commented on the effects of probiotics on mood in Healthline.
• Drug Discovery News’ story about an oral vaccine for norovirus included comments from infectious disease expert Brian Labus. KNPR also shared Labus’ comments on Nevada’s low immunization rates.
• Mechanical engineering expert H. Jeremy Cho’s atmospheric water harvesting work was covered in Brighter Side of the News.
• School of Integrated Health Sciences professor Kara Radzak talked to Health about new research showing some sports bras may be bad for your spine.
• SurreyLive interviewed nutrition sciences expert Sara K. Rosenkranz about drinks to cut from your diet to avoid kidney damage.

Culture

• Cosmopolitan’s chronicling of the showgirl in Las Vegas history includes insight from Special Collections and Archives curator Su Kim Chung.
• Salon weighed the pros and cons of moving vs. remodeling with economist Nicholas Irwin.
• WalletHub evaluated the commercialization of Easter with hospitality expert Amanda Belarmino.
• Futurity featured a study from social work researcher Garrett Pace about strengthening the relationships between fathers and their children.
• Tourism researcher Marta Soligo participated in KNPR’s discussion about extending F1’s contract with Las Vegas.
• Fashion historian Deirdre Clemente joined Harper’s Bazaar in celebrating 100 years of The Great Gatsby.

Politics

• Tax law expert Francine J. Lipman commented on legality of the IRS’s use of protected tax records for deportations in The New York Times. The Nevada Independent and Slate also covered the story with help from Lipman.
• The Washington Post spoke to immigration attorney Alissa Cooley Yonesawa about the current federal administration’s welfare checks on migrant children (picked up by MSN).
• Lied Library and the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs hosted their latest installment of the “We Need to Talk” series, this time focused on facts and fear surrounding federal immigration policy changes. Yonesawa was among panelists included in KVVU-TV: Fox 5 event coverage. 
• Immigration law expert Michael Kagan talked to USA Today (picked up by MSN) regarding the government’s next moves for deportations, and appeared in NPR’s story concerning the historical precedents for the policies being enacted today.
• Historian Michael Green told Mother Jones about the U.S. Marshals Service and its duties.
• Psychologists Michelle Paul and Daniel Allen talked about federal funding cuts to several UNLV child mental health community initiatives, as well as a Nevada Legislature bill that seeks to increase the availability of mental health resources across the state and help alleviate the provider shortage: Nevada Current (twice), KVVU: Fox 5, Yahoo
• Economist Nicholas Irwin provided his thoughts on the recent stock market reactions to President Trump’s tariffs, along with the fears of recession in stories from KSNV: News 3.
• The Nevada Independent pinged political scientist Ken Miller about the lack of disclosure of rental incomes from local legislators. He also chatted with Axios about the changing nature of White House media access.

University News

• Chris Heavey, a longtime faculty member and administrator, was appointed Interim President of UNLV. The tenured professor of psychology had been serving as officer in charge at UNLV since early March, and previously held several leadership roles, including executive vice president and provost. His appointment was covered in news outlets such as:
  
  Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Sun, KVVU: Fox 5, KSNV: News 3
• NuScale Power Corporation, a nuclear technology company, launched its latest Energy Exploration Center at UNLV’s College of Engineering. The partnership will help develop a nuclear-ready workforce through hands-on student experiences with power plant operation. The effort was co-funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy University Program.
  
  Nuclear Engineering International Magazine, Associated Press, Business Wire
• Artwork from area students, including from UNLV, will have their art periodically displayed on the Sphere, showcasing their work to the entirety of the Las Vegas Strip. The Earth Day-themed art will be shown throughout the summer, with some students winning educational prizes of $10,000 for their work.
  
  USA Today, Las Vegas Review-Journal (twice), KLAS: News 8, KSNV: News 3
• Professor and finance department director J. Daniel Chi talked to KSNV: News 3, KLAS: News 8, and Univision about the importance of financial literacy as they covered the President’s Investment Challenge, a university-wide competition hosted by the Lee Business School to empower students to explore investment strategy, portfolio management, and financial decision-making in a real-world setting.
• The William F. Harrah College of Hospitality’s 50th celebration of its signature UNLVino scholarship fundraising event was featured in Las Vegas Weekly and KSNV: News 3. 

Experts Roundup

• Aviation historian Dan Bubb was prominently quoted in a variety of stories about airplane toilets, pilots’ meals, disappearances in the so-called “Nevada Triangle,” and tariffs:
  
  The Washington Post, Travel + Leisure, Reader’s Digest, Jalopnik, Marketplace, AFAR, Casino.org
• Gaming expert Scott Morrow provided his thoughts on the case involving a casino payout — or lack thereof — surrounding big-time sports betting in CBS News.
• Communications professor and circus industry culture expert Laura V. Martinez spoke of the physical strain acrobatic performers endure with CityCast Las Vegas.
• Historian Michael Green and hospitality professor Amanda Belarmino both talked about the future of the north end of the Strip with the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
• Film professor Adam Paul spoke of stoking nostalgia in order to resurrect old TV shows and movies in Beyond the Meeting Room Magazine.