UNLV Geoscientist Steve Rowland is studying reptile-like tracks recently discovered on a boulder along the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon after a cliff collapsed. The tracks leave a perplexing trail of footprints left behind by a creature around 310 million years ago. Rowland and other scientists are trying to discover the secrets embedded in the boulder's 28 indentations, which may be among the earliest reptile tracks on Earth.

Communication Studies Professor Jennifer Guthrie provides strategies on how to resolve conflict in the workplace. Although conflict can create physical symptoms and psychological discomfort, it is also an opportunity for growth says Guthrie, who shares her perspective at leadership conferences. Really listening — being curious instead of defensive — can help achieve a positive solution. Realizing that the tone of an email may be misinterpreted and in need of adjustment is a key way to defuse disputes. Finally, recognizing unhealthy conflict and when an objective third party needs to get involved is an important part of resolving workplace problems.

Sixteen School of Dental Medicine faculty and students recently participated in a service mission trip to Bolivia where they treated 30 children and adults who had severe fluorosis. While not common in the United States, fluorosis stains teeth dark green or brown due to extreme flouride levels in drinking water. The seven-day trip, organized by UNLV's Hispanic Dental Student Association, immersed students in a new culture, introduced them to other access-to-care issues, and enabled them to restore their patients' self-confidence by providing healthy smiles. This summer's trip was the second mission sponsored by the student group. 

Women compose more than half of the gaming work force, but very few make it to the very highest levels, which prompted two UNLV professors to study why. They searched for barriers that women might face in the hospitality industry. The glass ceiling is nothing new, but the study by Toni Repetti and Shekinah Hoffman, which included 972 U.S. and Native American casinos, verified that there is gender disparity and silos within the casino industry. Their work is starting important conversations about how and why this is a problem and what can be done.

UNLV researchers have found through ongoing studies that goal setting and recommending specific foods like blueberries and dark-colored vegetables can help pregnant women lower their risk for developing gestational diabetes. This finding is significant because 70 percent of women who have gestational diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes within five to 10 years. Regular contact with nurses and nutritionists, specific goal strategies, and nutrition suggestions have proven to be successful in helping at-risk pregnant women avoid gestational diabetes.