UB in the News

An article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports musicians who imbibe energy drinks may also be more susceptible to binge drinking, alcohol-related social problems and misuse of prescription drugs, according to a study conducted by UB's Research Institute on Addictions.

An article in the Hartford Courant about the number of research studies that have been spurred by the Harry Potter series of books and movies quotes Shira Gabriel, associate professor of psychology, who used the books to explore how closely people identify with fictional narratives.

An article in The New York Times about the debate over whether alcoholism and other addictions should be treated as a disease rather than a personal weakness reports 10 medical schools, including the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, have introduced the first accredited residents programs in addiction medicine.

An article in England's Daily Mail reports a study conducted at UB has found that like humans, rhesus monkeys have a sense of "self-agency" that traces thoughts and actions to the existence of "me." The article quotes Justin Couchman, a doctoral student who led the research. Articles also appeared on Science Daily, the Irish Independent, The Scotsman, PhysOrg and ScienceBlog.

Jordan Troisi, a psychology graduate student, was interviewed on Viewpoints, a contemporary radio magazine produced by Media Tracks for a podcast about "What makes comfort foods comforting?" Comfort foods remind people that they are close to others, he said.

An article in The New York Times about a summer camp that aims to teach children money skills quotes Lewis Mandell, professor of finance and dean emeritus of the School of Management. He suggested, jokingly, that these camps should put on a theatrical show called "Foreclosure: The Musical" if they really want to teach children about money. "It would show them just how wrong decisions you make that seemed like great ideas worked out really badly."

Vasiliki Neofotistos, assistant professor of anthropology, was interviewed on Public Radio International's "The World" for a story about a 30-ton bronze statue of Alexander the Great that was installed in Skopje, Macedonia, as a symbol of national pride. The idea is that this is the birthplace or a cornerstone of civilization, said Neofotistos, who studies identity politics in that Balkan nation.

An editorial in the Globe and Mail about Canada's decision to participate in clinical trials of a potentially revolutionary treatment for multiple sclerosis notes a UB study casts doubt on the theory that vein blockages contribute to the disease, but the authors of that study also said, "It behooves the clinical research community to carefully pursue [the theory] to its end. We should neither jump on the bandwagon as it passes through town, nor assiduously miss the parade." An article in the Toronto Star also looks at UB's study.

An editorial in the Buffalo News praises passage of the NYSUNY 2020 bill and all the individuals and institutions that contributed to the legislation. "It's been a long road, first surveyed several years ago by [UB]. Now all of upstate will benefit from the leadership of the Western New York delegation and that of the entire community. And, in the end, the governor's leadership. This is a success story that should be celebrated," the editorial notes.

Elayne Rapping, professor emeritus of American studies, is quoted in an article on Politico about President Barack Obama's loss of "coolness." "The persona that Obama likes is when everyone sees him as this very hip guy shooting hoops and all that," she said. "Now he's playing golf with John Boehner, which is about the most uncool thing there is." The article also appeared in the Seattle Post Intelligencer.