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UNLV Newsmakers 2021: February

A collection of news stories highlighting the experts and events at UNLV.

February is always a month full of commemorative events: Valentine’s Day, Black History Month, sometimes the Super Bowl, and people start gearing up for tax season. For UNLV this year, February brought notable events including the historic landing of NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover – whose future work will be assisted by two university geoscientists – and full accreditation for our School of Medicine. University experts also continued to offer insight as an end to the pandemic came into view. Below are a few highlights from the professors, students, and UNLV making history in February.

UNLV School of Medicine Gains Accreditation

The UNLV School of Medicine gained full accreditation before the charter class of medical students graduates in May. Approved by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the accreditation certifies the university’s standards for structure, function, and performance. The three-step process began in 2016, a year before the first class entered the program in July 2017. The accreditation is yet another milestone as the School of Medicine projects to finish construction on its permanent facility in 2022.

Black History Month

February marked Black History Month – a celebration of renowned African-American leaders, landmarks, and culture, as well the recognition of struggles African-Americans faced throughout our nation’s history. This year, new and ongoing crises, such as COVID-19 and structural racism, have overwhelmed the second largest minority in the country. UNLV professors, students, and staff addressed the dilemmas and identified positive steps for change.

UNLV and the Mission To Mars

Hearts stopped this February as the world watched NASA’s rover, Perseverance, finally land on planet Mars. The mission: Collect rock samples and seek any signs of ancient Martian life. UNLV geoscientists Arya Udry and Elisabeth (Libby) Hausrath were selected by NASA to identify and research the rock samples — and in February they answered questions about their work with the rover and research on Martian geology.

Super Bowl Stories

The 55th annual Super Bowl arrived amid worries of a COVID-related cancellation.The nation’s most beloved sporting event came with a series of questions, such as the pandemic’s influence in sports betting and the safety measures behind gatherings. Nonetheless, the Super Bowl brought solace to Americans as the nation inched toward a year-long quarantine. UNLV experts and a notable UNLV student found ways to make the most of the Super Bowl during the height of the pandemic.

  • Gaming historian and associate vice provost for Faculty Affairs David G. Schwartz explained the impact of COVID-19 on the Super Bowl and sports betting to the AP.
  • The Los Angeles Times, KTNV-TV: ABC 13, and KVVU-TV: FOX 5 highlighted UNLV student Christian Shelton’s fame as the voice of a Super Bowl ad.
  • Michael Gardner, vice dean for Clinical Affairs at the UNLV School of Medicine, encouraged KTNV-TV: ABC 13 viewers to host virtual gatherings during the Super Bowl. 

Vaccines, Double-Masking, and More

February brought yet more hurdles surrounding the coronavirus. While the number of vaccinated Americans increased, so did the dangers of the virus as several new COVID-19 strains arose throughout the country. UNLV experts talked about local vaccine distribution, as well as the extra safety measures that can be taken when engaging with the outside world.

General Expert Roundup

Topics:

newsmakers

Campus Units:

Couple and Family Therapy Program,  School of Dental Medicine,  Department of Economics,  College of Education,  Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education,  Department of Environmental and Occupational Health,  Department of Geoscience,  Division of Health Sciences,  Department of History,  Honors College,  William F. Harrah College of Hospitality,  Department of Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies,  William S. Boyd School of Law,  College of Liberal Arts,  University Libraries,  Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV,  School of Nursing,  Department of Political Science,  School of Public Health,  College of Sciences,  Office of Executive Vice President and Provost,  Center for Business and Economic Research,  Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach,  Center for Health Disparities Research,  International Gaming Institute,  The Lincy Institute,  Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine,  Oral History Research Center,  UNLV Health General Surgery

Related Experts:

Stephen D. Benning ,  Johan C. Bester ,  Alan Feldman ,  Michael Green ,  Elisabeth (Libby) Hausrath ,  Katherine M. Hertlein ,  Tiffiany Howard ,  Dak Kopec ,  Deborah Kuhls ,  Brian Labus ,  Francine J. Lipman ,  Bradley Marianno ,  Erika Marquez ,  Stephen Miller ,  Edwin Oh ,  Tyler D. Parry ,  Tyler D. Parry ,  Nancy B. Rapoport ,  Robert Rippee ,  David G. Schwartz ,  Melva Thompson-Robinson ,  Arya Udry ,  Claytee D. White ,  Keith E. Whitfield

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