UB in the News

An article in Grist magazine, an environment news and commentary magazine, about "food deserts," low-income sections of cities that lack easy access to grocery stores selling healthy food and fresh produce, quotes Samina Raja, associate professor of urban and regional planning. "Planners did not actively try to make neighborhoods underserved Â… but by certain planning decision, the end result was the same," she said.

An article in the Orlando Sentinel reports a new study conducted at UB shows that people who get less than six hours of sleep a night are more likely to develop diabetes. The article quotes Lisa Rafalson, a National Research Service Award Fellow in the Department of Family Medicine. An article also appeared in the Los Angeles Times.

Michael Poulin, assistant professor of psychology, was interviewed live on MSNBC about the trapped Chilean miners and the physical and mental effects of being confined underground for more than two months.

An article on AOL Health reports that UB scientists have developed adult stem cells that can continue to grow in a laboratory culture without aging or losing their ability to multiply, and quotes Techung Lee, associate professor of biochemistry and biomedical engineering. The research also was reported on in Britain's International Business Times.

Steven Kurtz, professor of visual studies, is quoted in an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education about Ricardo Dominguez, assistant professor of visual arts at the University of California at San Diego, that looks at this work with the b.a.n.g. lab, a research collaborative he directs at the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology. "The thing you need to understand about Ricardo is that he is always performing," Kurtz said.

An article on Gather, a media outlet with more than 9 million readers around the world each month, reports Techung Lee, associate professor of biochemistry and biomedical engineering, has engineered adult stem cells that scientists can grow continuously in culture. The research also is the subject of an article distributed by Asian News International news service, which appeared on Daily India and Daily News & Analysis. Science Daily and DailyTech also carried stories.

An article in Discover magazine about how climate change has shaped humanity reports Ezra Zubrow, professor of anthropology, is launching a project in areas of Russia, Finland and Canada aimed at understanding how the people in those locations adapted to a rapid temperature rise that occurred about 5,000 years ago.

Roger D. Woodard, Andrew V. V. Raymond Professor of Classics, is quoted in an Associated Press article about an initiative to record audio of the Babylonian language, one of the world's first civilizations and producer of some of the earliest pieces of literature. The audio files will be helpful because most students who study ancient languages are only exposed to texts and do not get a chance to hear how the language actually sounds, he said. The story received broad coverage in the U.S. and Canada, with article appearing in the CTV, Fox News, Los Angeles Times, BusinessWeek, CBS News and The Washington Post.

An article on Smart Planet, a CBS Interactive website that focuses on the intersection of technology, business and life, reports UB is developing one of the only facilities in the world where researchers can study volcanic properties on their own terms, and interviews Greg Valentine, professor of geology and director of the Center for Geohazards Studies. An article also appeared on Big Think.

Jerry Newman, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Organizations and Human Resources, is quoted in a Wall Street Journal article about how McDonald's is considering dropping its health plan due to new regulations. "The packages maybe could be better, but for a start, they're quite good," he said. "For those who didn't have health insurance through their spouse, it was a lifesaver." Newman worked undercover at McDonald's to write "My Secret Life on the McJob." CBS Radio and KMOX news radio (St. Louis) also interviewed Newman.