News

Tyler Faith(anthropology) explained, that during the Ice Age, “Instead of mammoths and mastodons, fire became the ultimate herbivore.”

For her new book How the Other Half Eats: The Untold Story of Food and Inequality in America, sociologist Priya Fielding-Singh talked to 75 Bay Area families from a variety of backgrounds about their everyday food choices.

The Neanderthals are probably our most famous cousins: short, stocky humans who went extinct around 40,000 years ago, with some surprising theories as to why. Less-well known but equally relevant are the Denisovans

Anu Asnaani(psychology) said, "it’s not realistic to expect people to stay still when an animal is attacking them — especially if they are scared of dogs or have been bit in the past."

“Ambivalent relationships” may be a useful thing too. The phrase refers to partnerships that are as tension-inducing as they are productive. This would include frenemies.

Laura Gamboa(political science) is among 100 scholars and experts warning the Republican Party is putting American democracy in danger by pushing the falsehood that the 2020 election was rife with fraud.

During the pandemic, domestic violence cases and deaths have increased dramatically. Sonia Salari(family & consumer studies) stated “It certainly is a preventable situation that our society needs more help with, I think.”

Tom Cova(geography) stated, "In order to save lives, researchers found the need to rely on many elements that are not used right now, including improvising and neighbors helping neighbors"

Ilse DeKoeyer(psychology) addresses the biggest challenges facing new moms today and the solutions. In Utah, between 2017 and 2019, about 43% of new moms experienced anxiety or depression — and this was before the pandemic.

Sonia Solari(family & consumer studies) noted, "Already in 2021, we are looking at about 422,000 [gun background checks], and the year isn't even half over yet."

Summer Rupper(geography) addressed the concern by developing a model that differentiates between ice and snow that were deposited on the region during alternating seasons.

Baodong Liu(political science) explained, “Ranked-Choice Voting Delivers Representation and Consensus in Presidential Primaries.”

Marshall Steinbaum(economics) explained that the unions have latched onto sectoral bargaining as a quick fix in a moment where the labor movement is weak, hoping that a deal can bring numbers and ward off total war.

Lisbeth Louderback(anthropology) iterated, “What Tribal members have said all along is that you don’t just preserve the archaeological site.”

Experts discussed the pandemic, how it changed our economic systems and how the policy response will shape our recovery.

It was a chorus of boos that put Utah on the national radar — boos that filled the Maverik Center in West Valley City when Sen. Mitt Romney took the stage in front of nearly 2,000 Republican delegates.

Marshall Steinbaum(economics) explained "taking away debt could boost the economy by freeing people up to spend that money on other things"

Daniel L. Carlson(family & consumer studies) stated, “What I hope to see most in Biden’s plan is a generous, gender-neutral paid parental leave program that compensates adults at close to full pay for up to three months annually.”

McKenzie Skiles(geography) explained, "Such stations offer key insights to researchers studying how dust impacts the timing and intensity of snowpack melt."

David Stuart Curtis(family & consumer studies) explained, "Acknowledging that their mental health may be harmed by high-profile incidents of racial violence is important."

For the third time in less than five years, a U.S. Interior secretary has traveled to Utah’s San Juan County to investigate where to set the ever-fluid boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument.

The United States and China are the two largest economies in the world. A panel discusses what to expect of U.S.-China relations during the Biden administration

Natalie Gochnour(economics) stated, "We’re seeing pent-up demand, excess savings, rising consumer confidence and a boatload of federal stimulus money coming into the state."

Nicholas Wolfinger (family & consumer studies) explained, “Most people want to be married; an even larger majority aspires to some sort of intimate relationship. Furthermore, Americans are having fewer children than they’d like.”

Kim Korinek(sociology) explained that this project will be a way to measure the effects of war on those who may not have had direct contact with the conflict -- an area, she said, that's gone largely unstudied.

Dan Carlson(family & consumer studies) stated, “You need to take stock of what is needed in your home — what your children need, what your partner needs — and you need to step in.”

Like many industries, there’s a long history of gender inequality in the Tequila business, Marie Gaytán(sociology) says, but the role that women played in mezcal, pulque and other agave distillates is nuanced.

As the Democratic-controlled Congress prepares to pass President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package a sticking point in the negotiations is an amendment that would gradually raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025.

The ugly brown snow that fell over much of Utah got everybody’s cars dirty. But it can also have an impact on spring runoff from the Wasatch Mountains.

Baodong Liu(political science) explained that this voter trend in Utah matches what’s going on across the nation, as the GOP reckons with its party identity and tensions between traditional conservatives and Trump followers.

In the new Pew research, 6 in 10 women say they do more household chores than their partner and just 6% say the man does more.

Ted Tatos(economics), joined the conversation about the recent Supreme Court case NCAA vs. Alston. This new case examines the relationship between the NCAA and its student athletes.

Laura Gamboa(political science) explained that the differing view of Guaidó’s status clearly “weakens America’s ability to make the effort seem more multilateral.”

Tim Chambless(political science) says, “One political party loses control of the executive branch, the White House, and a new party comes into power. This causes concern in the minds of many."

With the Senate split 50-50 and Vice President Kamala Harris casting any tiebreaking votes, “Romney is going to be an important player,” added James Curry(political science).

James O'Connell(anthropology) stated, “The results echo and extend the time range for previously reported Late Pleistocene imagery from Sulawesi.”

James Curry(political science) explained, if impeached, "[President Trump] would lose the pension and other monetary benefits, but not the Secret Service protection.”

Daniel McCool(political science) stated, “The hardest thing to do in American politics is to withdraw a right.”

While Trump pushed an energy dominant agenda, Biden clearly takes global warming more seriously, Matt Burbank(political science) added. “Any efforts to have a strong extractive energy policy will be seen through the light of the concern over global warming.”

Religious men tackle household tasks like cooking and grocery shopping at even higher rates than nonreligious, progressive men.

James Curry(political science) explained, “In recent years we have seen people increasingly use the term “banana republic” to describe a democracy in decline, or a government in chaos or disorder."

James Curry(political science) stated, “Unified government isn’t enough to let a party pass their legislative dreams into reality.”

Simple economics indicate that if people in southwest Utah paid more for their water, they would use less. Gabriel Lozada(economics) explained, "Water use in Utah is subsidized, mostly by property taxes."

In prehistoric times, the theory goes, grandmothering led to the spread of genes corresponding to slower aging in women relative to their predecessors, which increased expected lifespans in general.

James Curry(political science) wrote, “The hard truth about the U.S. political system is that very little legislation gets enacted without bipartisan support.”

"If we think about the pandemic in the same way...that because of the crisis they’ve had to take on more, it’s likely their contributions will remain higher than what they were before the pandemic,'' Dan Carlson says(family & consumer studies).

Alan Rogers(anthropology) stated, "This continues the story that we've been seeing in studies throughout the past decade: There's lots more interbreeding between lots of human populations than we were aware of ever before."

Marshal Steinbaum(economics) elaborated that most labor-related antitrust lawsuits concern things like anti-poaching agreements or disputes between companies, not workers suing employers.

While the issue has deep roots in American discourse, this year’s countrywide demonstrations over racial and civil inequality sparked by the police killing of George Floyd have highlighted the ongoing struggle over the meaning and legacy of these public monuments.

Marshal Steinbaum(economics) explained, “Cancelation is the thing that everyone’s waiting for, so why are we making them wait? Why don’t we just recognize that these are bad loans and eat them now?”

Sara Grineski(sociology) stated, "There are so many studies showing us that air pollution damages our brain's cognitive processing ability."

Peter Philips(economics) explained, "promises won’t change very much of today’s realities because there are many speedbumps between that promise and an actual implementation of a vaccine.”

Panel looks at how this public health crisis has affected nearly every level of public health and discusses how our current situation could have been avoided. Brent Steele(political science) moderated the discussion.

Andrea Brunelle(geography) emphasized "the next really important step is getting this into the hands of water managers or land managers or whoever it is that makes the plans and lays out the policies for the future.”

Nicholas Wolfinger(sociology) stated, "other education efforts to make sure couples succeed are varied, ranging from premarital classes taken by devout Catholics to endeavors by legislatures in some states."

Matt Burbank(political science) stated, “a lot will depend upon the personalities of those people involved, since we're not talking about hundreds of members of the Legislature.”

Kristen Hawkes(anthropology) wrote that menopause “is not new and it is not due to support for the elderly. Rather, grannies have a lot to offer their grandchildren.”

Jim Curry(political science) explained, “there’s still a whole lot of votes to be counted, and there’s still a whole lot of states that haven’t been called.”

In regards to voting by mail Baodong Liu(political science) stated, “We are not just putting everything together at the last minute, and we certainly have much more psychological assurance about using it in this state."

Baodong Liu(political science) explained, “Owens is running as a candidate primarily appealing to white voters and Trump voters.”

As Utah prepares for winter in the coming months, the ongoing threat and prevalence of COVID-19, a respiratory disease, will only bolster the health hazards posed by the anticipated inversion.

David Strayer(psychology) stated, "Not only is learning outside safer during the pandemic, but spending time outdoors also is better for mental health, focus and creativity."

Daniel Carlson(family & consumer studies) explained “The most helpful policy would be to provide subsidized universal child care. Child care costs rival cost of tuition at 4-year colleges in the U.S. and the average worker spends 25% of their annual income on child care."

Matthew Burbank(political science) said, Trump’s positive diagnosis does have the potential to shape attitudes of Utahns, but that might depend on the president’s experience with the disease.

There are plenty of examples of how factors outside of a debate — things like news stories, the economy or legislation — that can lead to a candidate’s bumps or dips in polls after a debate concludes, which is what clouds whether a debate performance or outside factor led to change.

Jackie Chen(psychology) explained “In general, people like to think that the system they live in is fair.”

Matthew Burbank(political science) said Henderson’s call for a mask mandate in Utah County may be a case of the gubernatorial ticket “trying to play both sides” of the issue.

Nicholas Wolfinger(family and consumer studies) stated, “I would contend that the increase in loneliness is definitely a product of the fact that more Americans aren’t married, cohabiting or dating.”

Daniel Carlson(family & consumer studies) was on a research team that surveyed 1,060 U.S. parents residing with a partner of the opposite sex to examine how divisions of housework and child care may have changed since March 11.

Daniel Carlson(family & consumer studies) says just half of the couples who used the "divide up the tasks" method actually found their arrangement to be fair.

Tim Chambless(political science) remembers being told as a young boy in Houston that he could be president. He doesn’t hear parents tell their kids that often these days. He thinks there’s been an erosion of trust in government over time.

Philip Dennison(geology) explained, “fires in California are moving faster and growing larger” because of the hotter climate, lengthening the fire season.

Biden’s care proposal also directs some funding to shorten the wait for home and community health services that are provided through Medicaid. Some people wait for years for those services, according to Biden’s campaign material.

Many experts have pushed for a far-reaching, universal federal leave policy, but they say this is finally a start.

Eunice Han(economics) found that when more teachers are members of their professional association, students learn more, they perform better on standardized tests, and the most vulnerable students see the greatest results.

University of Utah Marshal Steinbaum(economics) co-wrote a letter to Congress that states how Uber and Lyft drivers should be classified as employees.

The National Science Foundation has awarded a five-year grant to a research team led by Jeff Munroe(geology). They will be studying how mineral dust from deserts is transported through the atmosphere to various locations and the impacts of the exported dust.

Tyler Faith(anthropolgy) explained, massive herbivores like these rhinos were slow to breed and it wouldn’t take a “catastrophic slaughter” for humans to make a dent in the population.

“He’s not your typical candidate,” said Matthew Burbank (political science). “A former governor, he’s been elected, he’s been reelected. He’s very well-known in the state, obviously, and somebody with a lot of resources.”

Economist Thomas Sowell declares war on teachers unions in his highly publicized new book, Charter Schools and Their Enemies.

A walk in nature is a walk back to our very home where our soul finds peace and comfort. Nature inspires us to keep going. Nature gives us hope and during this time of uncertainty, we need all the hope we can get.

The homeowners association that governs the South Jordan planned community of Daybreak apologized Tuesday after residents received notices to remove their Black Lives Matter yard signs.

Daniel L. Carlson(family & consumer studies) stated, “even if kids are less likely to die and to have negative health impacts now, there are residual effects that stem from economic hardships. We’re in a bind.”

Catherine Ruetschlin(economics) explained, “public health solutions are what are going to drive our economy and our behavioral expectations back to normalcy.”

At least 275 people have been the victims of gun crimes in Minneapolis during the first seven months of this year, surpassing the entire annual totals of all but two of the past ten years.

In the months since widespread shutdowns over coronavirus concerns, the state has started to reemerge out of a slump faster than other states in the U.S.

Catherine Ruetschlin(economics) stated, "The decline of unions has had a significant impact on the inequality."

In Utah, "COVID has reshaped the politics'' of the still very conservative state, says Phillip Singer(political science).

David Strayer stated, "The best place to [rest] is in a park, or you can go on a hike in the bush, where you can kind of get away from it all."

Daniel Carlson(family and consumer studies) explained "In these times, focusing on the division of labor and understanding what factors shape it is important."

Like just about everything else in Utah’s entirely by-mail primary election, candidates’ watch parties are being affected by COVID-19.

Ted Tatos(economics) expressed, "My concern is what's going to drive this is not science but that -- as Mike Gundy said -- they need to run money."

A panel discussion on the gender wage gap in Utah—the causes that drive it, its consequences for women and the economy and what policies are effective in addressing the discrepancy.

Stephen Bannister(economics) stated, “We’re not going to get a healthy economy until we get a healthy population, including one that’s willing to go out.”

Human beings constantly seek narratives to help weave their past, present, and future together through their goals and expectations — and that’s where astrology comes in.

Matthew Burbank(political science) noted that Cox, as well as former Gov. Jon Huntsman and former Utah GOP Chair Thomas Wright, generally try to keep quiet about President Trump

Daniel L. Carlson(family & consumer studies) stated, "Men are torn between the breadwinning role and parenting,"

Daniel Carlson(family & consumer studies) stated, "Right now people are quarantined, and families have lost important supports that enabled them to work."

Matthew Burbank(political science) explained, “In terms of fundraising, that tends in all honesty, to be the most kind of personal aspect of politics.”

Ted Tatos (economics) said "If there's no NCAA Tournament next year… I think then there has to be a breakaway from this model."

In a study of couples, Lisa Diamond(psychology) observed minor withdrawal-like symptoms, such as irritability and sleep disturbances, along with an increase in cortisol in subjects after they were separated four to seven days.

Natalie Gochnour(economics) stated, "the most important thing we can do is follow the color-coded health guidance that returns this economy to normal."

One of the most important things kindness can do is ease our reaction to stress. Bert Uchino(psychology) wrote, "simply having potential access to support is sufficient to foster adaptation to stress.”

In a study of 174 public schools in Salt Lake County researchers found that air quality on “poor” and “moderate” days was worse at schools with more minority students.

Ming Wen(sociology) explained, "no one has experienced this before and we’re all processing what’s going on here.”

Matt Burbank(political science) stated, “given the fact that we also have this pandemic going on...it’s hard to know what the turnout is going to look like.”

Jonathan Butner(psychology), leads the analysis team and models the data to see if they can identify stable, low-risk, and high-risk patterns that signal impending binge or purge episodes.

Pam Perlich(geography) stated, “We’re projecting it to reach about a half a million people in the next 50 years.”

For most people, a credit card with great rewards on groceries is more beneficial than one with great rewards on travel. That is because almost everybody needs to buy groceries often, but most people do not travel as often.

Daniel Carlson's(family & consumer studies) survey found that men reported doing more than women said they did. The survey also found that mothers were primarily responsible for home schooling.

Morgan Lyon Cotti(political science) explained, “No elected official wants to deal with two emergencies — an earthquake and a pandemic — in their first 100 days."

Every part of the country will feel the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis, but the small and isolated rural areas that lagged during the economic boom may fare better. Those places tend to be less tied to global and financial markets.

Marshall Steinbaum (economics) explained, if the federal government pays for Uber and Lyft drivers’ unemployment insurance it could incentivize “states to side with the platforms on employment status."

Lisa Diamond (psychology), provided additional context on the history of bodies, shame, and sexual gratification, pushing her students to ask questions.

Natalie Gochnour (economics) explained, "If we provide a ... direct plan that Utah businesses and households around the state will be able to plan their lives with more clarity and certainty."

In tandem with the human and health care costs of the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 disease, economies are impacted as consumers, workers and markets react to a public health threat.

On Feb. 27, the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences gathered to honor its distinguished alumni, an annual tradition since 2003. For the college’s 50th anniversary, it honored an alum from each of the past five decades.

As we all deal with COVID-19, Dean Cynthia Berg brings resources and thoughts about what social scientists know about dealing with these sorts of events.

Matt Burbank (political science) explained, “I think progressives in the party said, ‘This is our chance,' There was a sense of ‘he’s one of us.'”

To celebrate the founding of the University of Utah in 1850, the Alumni Association each year recognizes alumni and honorary alumni who have excelled professionally, served the local and national communities and supported the university in its mission. Learn more about political science alum Kathy Loveless!

Richard Fowles (economics) has reanalyzed data on increased pretrial releases in Cook County, Illinois (the Chicago area), and found that the releases lead to increased crimes.

Morgan Lyon Cotti (political science) fully expects that Trump will do better in Utah this year than he did in 2016, but he have to work to win over Latter-day Saint women in particular.

Alan Rogers (anthropology) explains, “We’ve never known about this episode of interbreeding and we’ve never been able to estimate the size of the super-archaic population.”

Kathleen Nicoll (geography) explains, “Southwestern Libya is presently an inhospitable place—it is among the most arid locations in the Sahara—so it is really extraordinary.”

Nicholas Wolfinger (family and consumer studies) suggests that church attendance among couples tends “to connect men and women to networks of friends who are living family-centered lives, and is also associated with a spiritually intimate behavior.”

In the U.S., 38% of the population lives in highly concentrated zip codes, where they have access to very few or no higher education institutions.

Matthew Burbank (political science) said "Bloomberg’s big spending on advertising has boosted his profile enough to earn him more support than what’s expected for someone who entered the race late in the cycle."

Anthropology and Psychology alumna Marsha Gilford and husband Gordon LaFleur recently created a scholarship for students who can articulate how their efforts will improve the quality of life in the future.

Pervasive loneliness "has widespread effects," says Bert Uchino(psychology), a professor who studies relationships and health.

Craig Byran(NCVS) was a guest speaker on a new weekly podcast from Military Times examines the alarming rate of military and veterans suicide.

Dave Buhler (political science) explained, “Over the years as they've grown, their influence is also growing.”

Danielle DelPriore(psychology) had 120 heterosexual women read a short story about a young woman who is preparing for a job interview with a male manager.

U researchers have authored Utah’s first statewide plan to address homelessness. The plan’s title reveals its sweeping ambition: “To make homelessness in all of Utah rare, brief and non-recurring.”

The inversion struck the Wasatch Front early this year, and its pollution affects residents in unexpected and dangerous ways. One of our Solutions Scholars, Katie Workman, wrote an article for KSL about the inversion in SLC.

Barbara Brown(family and consumer studies) explained, "Compared to the other causes of bird deaths — climate change, habitat loss, outdoor cats — the window problem is easier to solve."

Lori Kowaleski-Jones(family and consumer studies) and Norman Waitzman(economics) lead Team Connect to Collect to the finals in the 2019-2020 American Dream Ideas Challenge!

Matthew Burbank (political science) explained, "The possibility of so many candidates in various races getting on the ballot raises the issue of being able to win a party’s nomination with only a plurality of votes rather than a majority."

A panel of scientists — and Olympic athletes — tackle the question. Speaking on the panel: McKenzie Skiles(geography).

"Go out and look at sources of information that you may not agree with. We are here to learn how to think critically. And we’re here to try to be better people in our society." Paul White, associate professor, psychology department

The term “antitrust”—for some maybe a dimly held memory from a high school U.S. history class—has come into focus recently as tech companies have come under scrutiny for their business practices.

Craig Bryan (NCVS) stated, “We often ask questions like ‘How do you typically store your guns?’ and ‘Why do you store your guns that way?’”

Marshall Steinbaum (economics) explained, “Higher education is an engine of enabling citizens to achieve in life independently of where they started — having those engines in life makes society health."

Chris Fagundes, an associate professor of psychological sciences at Rice University, is the recipient of the American Psychosomatic Society’s 2020 Herbert Weiner Early Career Award.

This federal grant is to improve how the University responds to cases of stalking and dating and domestic violence on campus.

Those who believe in a strong revival of antitrust, and a return to its anti-monopoly roots, have a duty to specify what, exactly, they mean, in concrete, legal detail.

NEXUS recently hosted a team of scholars who gathered to award fellowships for an NSF-funded program designed to enable the next generation of disaster researchers.

Kristen Hawkes (anthropology) exclaimed, “It’s very cool that these long-lived cetaceans have what looks like a postfertile life stage!”

Women in Economics is committed to creating a space where women can feel more included in the Economics major, which is currently only 20% female.

David Strayer (psychology) explained, “As the screens get bigger, they also tend to inherit more functions and features.”

Matt Burbank (political science) explained, “The primary goal here is to send a message to McAdams, ‘We’re targeting your race. Here’s what’s going to happen.’”

Nelson Lotz, an Econ/Poli-Sci major, had a guest editorial in the Salt Lake Tribune on homelessness and the homeless shelter transition.

McKenzie Skiles (geography) stated, "The global average temperature has increased about 1 degree Celsius since the Industrial Revolution. But some locations — including high elevations — are warming even faster."

Most of Park City’s service jobs pay $15 to $20 an hour, and that doesn’t support the cost of living in the Park City-area.

Norman Waitzman explained, “Increasing gestational age even by a few weeks would reduce adverse consequences and save a lot.”

Since the late 1990’s, more deadly wildfires have swept the western US. Tom Cova (geography) exclaimed, “It’s been really stark raving mad, a real out-of-control madhouse!”

According to new research from Jasmine Norman and Jacqueline Chen (psychology), questions such as “What are you?” and other experiences of discrimination are related to mixed race people’s identification as multiracial.

Anu Asnaani (psychology) explained, "People react to horror on a spectrum. There are folks who avoid it at all costs. There are those who run towards it, and for them getting scared delivers a kind of high."

The last time Steffanie Robinson was in school she was in her early 20's and studying nursing. Now, about 25 years later, she’s returning to the U to finish what she started.

Stephen C. Bannister (economics) reported, “We passionately support the voluntary right of women and couples to choose their family size.”

Marshall Steinbaum (economics) explained, “The EITC was supposedly the perfect income-support policy because it got the incentives right.”

Lisa Diamond (psychology) stated, "It’s really hard for me to believe that amendments such as these would not be interpreted by some clinicians as license to continue pushing their particular version of health and well-being on vulnerable youth."

It’s proven that social interaction, now readily available through online connectivity in video games, leads to better health outcomes.

James Curry (political science) explained, “Trump has never been the type of president who has tried to appear above the fray, ever. You can make the argument that part of what’s made him successful with Republicans is his willingness to be competitive.”

Lisa Aspinwall (psychology) went on UPR to further explore how to get people who are at risk of skin cancer to stay out of the sun.

Tyler Faith (anthropology) published his paper titled "Early Humans Evolved in Ecosystems Unlike Any Found Today" in the prestigious journal Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences.

Jim Curry (political science) stated, "McAdams was already facing a hard reelection in 2020, which makes it difficult to predict how the impeachment issue will impact his standing in the race next year."

Without changes, the state’s gender wage gap won’t close until 2106, one researcher said. Without mandates or changes to state law, others said, businesses won’t take steps that would help it close sooner.

Steve Bannister (MIAGE) warns, “There’s a very high correlation between proximity to bad air quality, especially in schools that are close to major transportation arteries."

Matt Burbank explained, "I think for many Utah voters, and particularly I think Utah voters who are active members of the LDS church, there was a sense that this guy just isn’t the kind of person I think of when I think of a president.”

Th Department of Family and Consumer Studies and the U’s College of Education are collaborating to reinstate and revive the Early Childhood Education Teaching Program to graduate more teachers who specialize in the education of our youngest children.

The biggest challenges now facing the world do not have isolated academic boundaries. Perspectives from multiple disciplines are needed.

Marshall Steinbaum (economics) told Jalopnik that the implications of a ruling against Uber “would be profound—a nationwide injunction against Surge Pricing.”

David Strayer (psychology) said the distraction of Drivetime likely falls between listening to a book on tape, and talking on a hands-free cell phone.

Matt Burbank (political science) described, "Utah has 'tended to have fewer competitive elections,' with Republicans generally winning the state’s gubernatorial and congressional spots."

According to Acting Dean of CSBS Cathleen Zick, the research is clear: A four-year degree offers exceptional value, both personally and to society at large.

David Strayer (psychology) explained, "Going into nature changes how the brain works, with the parts associated with being mindful and in a meditative state becoming more active."

The companies’ relationship with drivers “gets at exactly the question at the heart of the platform business model, which is how to exercise maximum control at the same time as being minimally responsible," explained Marshall Steinbaum (economics)

According to Liz Conradt (psychology), studies showed those with prenatal exposure to methadone had higher fear, aggression and anxiety, and lower attention.

Craig Bryan (NCVS) explained that suicide by gun should be considered a public safety problem, not a mental illness issue. He compares safe storage practices to wearing a seat-belt when we drive.

Nick Wolfinger (sociology) analyzed four decades of data for a 2018 study and found that empty-nest parents ages 50 to 70 were more likely to report being happy.

Matt Burbank, (political science) explained that municipal elections are important because if there's a specific candidate that you want to win, this is one way to make it happen.

Craig Bryan (NCVS) explained, "We’re certainly concerned, but a lot of times the anxiety we feel is not sort of reliving or re-experiencing of the event so we would not consider that to be PTSD."

Matt Burbank (political science) noted, "It's fairly surprising when you see an incumbent Republican getting these kind of poll results in a place like Utah."

A new study that included Lisa Aspinwall (psychology) investigated whether genetic testing would motivate people who are at risk of developing skin cancer to change their behavior.

What will Brexit’s impact look like for the EU and the UK? Panelists: Tobias Hofmann, Marjorie Castle, John Francis, and Brent Steele (political science) answer this question and more.

Larry Bench (sociology) received funding through Romero's appropriation request for a reproductive health education program for female inmates.

Marshall Steinbaum, (economics) found that more debt cancellation would have bigger effects in reducing the racial wealth gap.

A panel of scientists — including McKenzie Skiles (geography)— tackle this question.

Tim Chambless (political science) explained, “It will go nowhere in the Senate. What we have is, by definition, divided government."

Bethany Everett (sociology) expressed, “It is important that we recognize the stigma women who have abortions and abortion providers face..."

Jennifer Follstad Shah (ENVST) clarified that, “It already is an engineered river. I would say that we’re not going to get away from that.”

Mitchell Power (geography) described that, "If the climate doesn't get you, it might be the thousands of bodies that show up to feed because extreme drought forced them out of their homelands."

Summer Rupper (geography) says, "What we're able to do using spy satellites is to cross the entire Himalayan range, [and measure] hundreds of glaciers of all different types and sizes, over a much longer period of time."

Matthew Burbank (political science) explained, “I think a number of people in Utah said, ‘Well, he is president; I’m going to support him. He’s a Republican.’"

Kael Weston (alum) has been assigned as a political adviser to the Marines and is author of "The Mirror Test."

Ivan Mendieta-Muñoz (economics) received the International Network for Economic Research (INFER) Best Paper Award for his paper "Are long-run output growth rates falling?"

Craig Bryan (NCVS) is doing studies where he takes veterans and active duty service members out into nature for two-week retreats.

Jerry Basford (family & consumer studies) warned, "Don’t get caught in the trap of using the card to buy clothes, concert tickets and beverages."

Dr. Craig Bryan (psychology) emphasized, “There’s been an increase in the ‘every-man-for-himself mentality. There doesn’t seem to be as strong a sense of ‘We’re all in this together.’"

Nicholas Wolfinger (family and consumer studies) explains, “All couples fight. If your parents stay together, they fight and then you realize these things aren’t fatal to a marriage. If you’re from a divorced family, you don’t learn that message..."

Some have collected the numbers, but few have published their findings, and none have used the same format, so there’s no easy way to make comparisons. From her own experience, Theresa Martinez (sociology) knows that data would be valuable.

Matthew Burbank (political science) reported, "It looks like the undercount problem has become a bigger problem over time."

Barbara Brown (family & consumer studies) said, “We are moving away from the word ‘exercise.' Exercise is that thing you do where you have to wear funny clothes, and you have to go to the gym and buy a membership, and you have to sweat for an hour. Some people love that, but many don’t.”

Brent Taylor (political science) was awarded posthumously with a doctorate degree, and the creation of a scholarship in his name was announced.

James Curry (political science) says, “The different branches pull these elected officials apart and partisanship can pull them back together. These two forces are constantly in collision with each other.”

Nadia Mahallati (political science) stated, “People are saying, ‘Why do we need parties if we can just get signatures and skip all of that insider politics?’”

Craig Bryan (psychology) said, “On active duty, I was always worried patients were lying to me because they are afraid of what was going to happen if they admitted they were having issues. Speech analysis could potentially solve that problem.”

Matthew Burbank (political science) said making sales taxes a more stable revenue source by taxing at least some services remains the likely path. Burbank said, especially if that's made more palatable by some tax cuts.

Levi Pace (MPP program) said "Tech and the life sciences industries are big users of space, by the nature of the work they do. The study did a great job in pointing out that tech is growing faster than other industries..."

James Curry (political science) said "I cannot recall a cycle where Democratic primary candidates were campaigning in states like Utah or other later states like they are this early in the process."

Richard Medina (geography) and Emily Nicolosi (geography), along with the DIGIT Lab, developed an app that allows people to report incidents of hate.

Ed Diener (psychology) stated: "It is the responsibility of both...Government policies can certainly foster economic prosperity, but citizens each individually must work hard, and if they are lazy or irresponsible they will probably not flourish."

Craig Bryan (psychology) told USNI News “Suicide is best understood if we look at it from a decision paradigm and less than a mental health paradigm.”

Dr. David Strayer (psychology) was interviewed by the Utah Education Network for a locally produced segment.

Lauren Thurgood (psychology) won the top award in visual art for her piece, “Vulnerability.”

Ken Smith, director of NEXUS, stated “NEXUS will leverage our ability to identify, use and link large data sets, such as the Utah Population Database and existing data from state agencies, to address problems.

Ann House's (family & consumer studies) proposal for a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program in support of low income households has been funded by the Professors off Campus program for 2019-20.

Günseli Berik (economics)stated "Utah women tend to be more crowded into fewer occupations than nationally."

Kayla Lee (psychology and political science student) "many people believe that admitting to mental health issues means something is wrong, broken, and/or unworthy about the person open about their battle with their demons."

“Taking the incumbent out really opens this up,” said Matt Burbank (political science). Even with Biskupski's exit, the upcoming mayoral race will be jam-packed.

The University of Utah Academic Senate met Monday, March 4, 2019, and approved a new dual degree.

University professors participated in the Eric Moerer Memorial Lecture Series and increase recognition of anxiety and depression across the lifespan.

Paula Williams (psychology), a clinical health psychologist who studies sleep here at the University stated that there are an “amazing amount of gaps” in our scientific knowledge of sleep.

Duncan Metcalfe (anthropology) will review the ongoing archaeological, paleoenvironmental and experimental research being conducted at the Range Creek Field Station.

Sara Grineski (sociology) says the results aren’t surprising, and “while policy decisions are often framed as a trade off between jobs and the environment, this new paper shows that black and Hispanic communities are not ‘benefiting’ in terms of jobs from the industrial facilities in their neighborhoods.”

Madison's Nagel's (political science student) stance on recent ballot initiatives: "Our Utah representatives are not representing us."

A panel of professors discussed how those struggling with thoughts of suicide can get help. Some of those professors that were a part of that panel were Liz Conradt (psychology) and Sonia Salari (family and consumer studies).

Howard Lehman (political science) provided a commentary for the Salt Lake Tribune about Rep. Chris Stewart and socialism.

David Strayer's (psychology) lab was highlighted in a recent article about a bill to protect pedestrians and cyclists. According to the Applied Cognition Laboratory, "the odds of having a collision while texting are eight times higher than driving while not distracted."

National emergencies came about in 1976 when the National Emergencies Act was signed into law. It’s only been used a few dozen times since then. Tim Chambless (political science) said “These have almost always been acts of god so to speak, tornadoes, earthquakes.”

East High students learned about the history of human rights and of the United Nations thanks to the Tanner Center for Human rights. They then participated in discussions designed to deepen their understanding of human rights around the world, locally and personally.

Sara Grineski (sociology & environmental and sustainability) stated: "not everyone has the same opportunities to protect themselves in terms of where they live or work. It doesn’t matter if it is a red air quality day—landscapers (for example) have to be outside working."

Craig Bryan (psychology) who studies veteran suicides stated: "There are some VAs that are out of date. They are depressing. Others are stunning and new, and if you walk into one that's awe-inspiring, it gives you hope."

Kristen Hawkes (anthropology) found that with the help of grandmothers, mothers are enabled to have more children, women who had the genetic makeup for longer living would ultimately have more grandchildren carrying their longevity genes.

According to Matt Burbank (political science) "legislators tend to make technical tweaks to initiatives, rather than amending them until they’re unrecognizable"

According to James Curry (political science), while America’s political discussions have become more supportive of climate policies in recent years, actual laws passed by Congress have not.

James Curry (political science) said "To resolve this kind of impasse requires votes from both parties, which means that you need to have things in a final deal that both sides can point to and claim victory on."

Nicholas Wolfinger (family and consumer studies and sociology) broke down the stats based on the number of sex partners respondents had before they got married, things got interesting—and a little murky.

Everyone wants to know if the amount of sex they’re having is normal. Dan Carlson (family & consumer studies) says: “In the U.S., we don’t talk about it a lot.”

Professor Edmund Fong (political science) participated in a panel discussion that examines the obstacles in place that make it challenging for communities to access the ballot box.

The University of Utah was ranked in the top 25 of the best traditional, on-campus early childhood education (ECE) degree programs!

Danielle DelPriore (psychology) of the University of Utah and her colleagues at Texas Christian University  wondered whether appearance enhancement might come with a social penalty.

Ken Smith (family and consumer studies) said this underscores the importance of high-quality family trees that “allow us to observe complete life-spans of individuals over generations and in diverse locations."

McKenzie Skiles (geography) analyzed the impact of dust in the Wasatch Mountains and found that dust accelerated snowmelt by five days.

Lisa Diamond (psychology) deconstructs the "born this way"argument and shows why it doesn't advance LGBT equality.

“It’s not a good sign that people are willing to come out this early and say, ‘I’m going to run for mayor of Salt Lake City,’” says Matthew Burbank (political science).

December 10th was celebrated as Human Rights Day. Erika George (Tanner Center) says the declaration calls on everyone to promote these fundamental rights and freedoms.

“There has been an average loss of 30 to 40 percent of the honeybee colonies every year due to climate change,” says Emily Martin (ENVST).

Claudio Holzner (political science) discusses the election of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador the new president of Mexico.

A study by J. Tyler Faith (anthropology) finds that our human ancestors are not to blame for the large mammal extinction but rather environmental change.

Students from an environmental and sustainability capstone class embarked in a project to tackle excessive light use in the Special Collection area of the Marriott Library.

“Studies have shown climate change has worsened droughts, downpours and heat waves, such as the Russian one in 2010, that have killed thousands of people," says Philip Dennison (geography).

Nicholas Wolfinger (family and consumer studies and sociology) says tribalism plays a role in identities people cherish, especially politics.

A purple U on the hill brought awareness and conversation to Saturday night's rivalry football game. Casey Mullen (sociology), says “I hope people realize we don’t have to be divided on this."

Samantha Brimhall (ENVST) discusses the growing need for Utah communities to get involved and take on climate change.

Barbara Brown (family and consumer studies) and students (ENVST and biology) tackled the growing issue of window strikes killing birds around campus.

Research conducted by Lisa Diamond (psychology) and others reveals woman can experience same sex attraction regardless of their overall orientation.

Scientists, professors and wildfire experts continue to look at the reasons behind California's wildfires. Read what our CSBS professors have to say.

"Gardner Commons is an investment, that will touch lives for generations" said Cynthia Berg (Dean CSBS). The University of Utah celebrates the addition of Gardner Commons and the many new areas this will bring to campus.

Remains of Brent Taylor, MPA Graduate and Mayor of North Ogden are scheduled to arrive to the United States.

Steven Johnston (political science) and team of experts discuss american politics and the violence and tragedy that characterize it.

Associate professor of political science, Matthew Burbank address public opinion on Proposition 2 and cannabis legislation

Psychology professor Lisa Aspinwall explores the meaning of positive psychology and how people respond to life's stressors.

Thomas Brussel (geography) and collaborators found that as wildfires burned more frequently, the forest shifted from having more fire-sensitive traits, such as short heights, to more fire-adapted traits, such as taller heights.

Karen Kramer (anthropology) has been selected to present the XLVII Journal of Anthropological Research (JAR) Distinguished Lecture at the University of New Mexico.

Megan Huff (sociology), forward for the women's basketball team, joined with teammates and Playworks Utah to encourage students to be active and decrease bullying.

At the recent economics conference, Joseph Stiglitz explained in his keynote address that unlike other sciences the laws of economics do change, because people change.

Lisbeth Louderback (anthropology) and her research team rediscovered an ancient potato that modern-day diners sampled earlier this week during the second annual Indigenous Dinner.

At a recent Campus Community Dialogue Series hosted by Political Science, the top 10 finalists of the challenge were announced.

Research conducted by Elisabeth Conradt (psychology) and others reveals that breastfeeding changes the activity of a gene in infants that regulates their physiological response to stress.

The divorce rate has dropped 18%. One reason may be the average age people get married now: 27 for women, 29 for men. Research by Nicholas Wolfinger (family and consumer studies), could explain the connection.

"We're getting surprised not just by the time of a fire in terms of the time of year, but also fires going into areas that you wouldn't traditionally even think were wildfire prone," says Tom Cova (geography).

Norman Waitzman and Rudiger von Arnim (economics) say that in some ways, Utah is not well-positioned for the economic and social scourges rendered by growing inequality.

Claudio Holzner (political science) and Kim Korinek (sociology) recently received a $6.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Graduate students from Psychology's Outreach Committee presented to 11th graders at SUCCESS Academy high school. Due to positive feedback, the committee will send another group to other rural locations in the state.

Dapeng Li (geography) is helping emergency managers to better determine when to call for evacuations due to a wildfire.

Clark Ivory (political science), CEO of Ivory Homes, and his wife, Christine are some of the leaders involved with these new awards.

Gabriel Lozada (economics), says local governments would need to raise its water rates by 678 percent to generate enough revenue to repay the state.

“Right now, this is not good news for her,” said Matthew Burbank, (political science). “But it is certainly not in any way kind of an indication that she’s doomed and she could never hope to run again or something like that.”

In a study led by Andrew Linke (geography), researchers found that people who have relocated are consistently more likely to experience violence than the general population,

The newly opened Gardner Commons building, which replaced Orson Spencer Hall, was designed with sustainability at its core. Here are five of its green features.

Samantha Joel (psychology) and her fellow researchers say people are “intrinsically motivated to consider the needs of other people, even anonymous strangers.”

On September 9, Jesse Craig, economics and english graduate (class of 2018), will compete for the title of Miss America.

Our new Criminology degree was featured in @theU! "Students passionate about social justice can now pursue a criminology degree at the University of Utah."

Adrienne Cachelin, associate professor (lecturer) of environmental and sustainabilty studies, has been named the Bennion Center's first Community Engaged Teaching fellow!

Beluga whales and narwhals are the latest known addition to the ranks of menopausal mammals. The grandmother hypothesis, developed by Kristen Hawkes, distinguished professor of anthropology, may hold the answer to why they do.

Associate professor of political science, Matthew Burbank, says the use of trackers is common in today's politics, but claiming to be a reporter for BuzzFeed "goes beyond the pale."

Sarah Leetham, recent graduate from the Department of Family and Consumer Studies, says Utah school districts need to do their part to identify youth at risk for suicide.

“Gardner Commons is a significant upgrade from OSH,” said Lori Kaczka, project manager for Gardner Commons.

"There seems to be something about the darkness that is like a blanket that ties people together," said professor of anthropology, Polly Wiessner.

Elise Scott, political science and communications double major, advocates for lowering the age limit to run for public office.

For the past year, the Utah Neurodiversity Workforce Program has collaborated with students, faculty and businesses to develop career pathways into STEM fields for students with differently abled minds, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder. A new grant will allow the program to expand to other universities.

Thanks to Swoop, the Department of Family and Consumer Studies celebrated a new grant in style. Professor Zhou Yu, director of the department’s Financial Planning Program, accepted a $50,000 NextGen RIA grant from TD Ameritrade Institutional on behalf of the school.

Health care workers may be contaminating themselves and their work environments by neglecting to use personal protective equipment and follow preventive protocol, according to a study from researchers at the University of Utah and the University of Michigan.

Housed under CSBS, the new Wasatch Front Research Data Center will provide qualified researchers throughout the Intermountain West with access to a wide range of extensive restricted-use data collected by federal and state agencies.

Erika George, Samuel D. Thurman professor of law, will serve as the interim director of the Tanner Center for Human Rights during the 2018-2019 academic year. We look forward to working with Erika while Thomas Maloney, professor of economics and current director, takes a sabbatical.

In 1929, Reed Smoot, Republican Senator, co-sponsored trade legislation that imposed tariffs on hundreds of imported goods. “At that time it was really motivated around concerns about incomes in agriculture,” said Tom Maloney, professor of economics. “Farmers' incomes were weak and this was maybe a way to protect them and improve their economic position."

Women ‘switching sides’ – or crossing sexual boundaries – relatively late in life has been in the public eye more than ever recently. Lisa Diamond, associate professor of psychology and gender studies, has spent decades studying sexual fluidity and confirms that this common assumption that all late-life lesbians must have been in the closet is not correct.

Lawns in the Salt Lake Valley up to 100 years old are not yet saturated in the nutrient nitrogen, which is added by fertilizer, according to a new study. The result is surprising, since previous studies suggest that fertilized soil would become saturated within a few decades.

Logan Hastings, a junior double majoring in geography and environmental and sustainability studies, voiced her concern about recent legislation for public lands in Utah. "This bill is a step in the right direction, but it falls short."