UB in the News

An article in The New York Times reports on a talk Wednesday by the curators of the controversial exhibition "Hide/Seek" in the National Portrait Gallery, which two weeks ago decided to remove an AIDS-themed artwork from the show after it came under attack. The article quotes Jonathan Katz, associate professor of visual studies and co-curator of the exhibition, who called the decision to remove the video "abhorrent."

An article distributed by UPI reports on research conducted by Ash Levitt, a postdoctoral fellow at the Research Institute on Addictions, that showed that couples who drink together say they feel increased intimacy and decreased relationship problems the next day than those who drink apart.

An article on The Next Web about the role social media such as Facebook can play in locating missing children reports that UB graduate students have created a location-based app for Facebook called "AMBER Alert: Project Blue," which notifies users when an AMBER Alert goes out within 50 miles of the city listed on their profile as their current location.

An article in the Montreal Gazette about the hype surrounding a possible breakthrough in treating multiple sclerosis reports that not all researchers have corroborated the findings, including Robert Zivadinov, professor of neurology. An article also appeared in the Ottawa Citizen.

Leonard Epstein, professor of pediatrics and social and preventive medicine, is quoted in an article in The New York Times about research in the current issue of Science that showed the benefits of "imaginary eating," and found that when people imagined themselves eating M&Ms or pieces of cheese, they were less likely to gorge themselves on the real thing. The findings raise intriguing questions for further research, Epstein said.

An article in the Baltimore Sun about a doctor who implanted cardiac stents in dozens of cases where they weren't needed quotes William E. Boden, professor of medicine and preventive medicine and the leader of a major study on stent effectiveness.

An article in the New York Times reports on research conducted by Sargur Srihari, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, to develop a way to mathematically calculate the rarity of a fingerprint, a technology that could be useful to forensic scientists who are trying to determine how valuable a partial fingerprint is as evidence.

Also in the New York Times, an article reviews "Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture," an exhibition in the National Portrait Gallery co-curated by Jonathan D. Katz, associate professor of visual studies. "Clearly the exhibition covers a lot of ground and raises many questions. It also has wonderful art, and the art stays wonderful whether you ask the questions or not," the review says.

An article on Fox News about reality stars like Khloe Kardashian who are comparing the new TSA security pat downs to "public rape," and the outrage rape crisis groups are expressing over the misuse of the word, quotes Elayne Rapping, professor emeritus of American studies. "We all have to go through this and it is pathetic for celebrities to think what is happening to them isn't happening to anyone else," she said. "These are low-profile celebrities probably trying to get attention."

Jonathan Katz, associate professor of visual studies and co-curator of the National Portrait Gallery's exhibit "Hide/Seek: Differences and Desire in American Portraiture," was interviewed on CBC radio about the removal of a video from the show following complaints from Republican politicians and the Catholic League. An article in The Washington Post reports senior Smithsonian officials are meeting with concerned museum staff over fears that removing the video sets an unwelcome precedent, and that the exhibit's curators have been invited to a forum next week.