USC Board of Trustees’ Executive Committee and C. L. Max Nikias announce transition in leadership
A letter from Rick Caruso, subcommittee chairman of the Executive Committee, notifies the community of a search for a new USC president.
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USC Dornsife/L.A. Times poll shows voters aren’t pumped about gas tax
Californians waver on high-speed rail amid cost concerns but support Prop. 13 change.
Most concussion patients get no care after leaving hospital
Only 44 percent saw a physician or other provider within three months of their injury, a critical period for care, national study finds.
BigThink
The one thing A.I. needs is the one thing we likely cannot program
USC Dornsife’s Antonio Damasio argues that feelings are the basis for consciousness and lead to the development of cultures. If this is the case, the consciousness pursued for artificial intelligence is not the same as human consciousness.
The Hill
Effects of historically low birth rate will reverberate for years to come
An op-ed by USC’s Dana Goldman and colleagues argues that a 30-year low in the birth rate could have devastating impacts on Social Security and Medicare, and is well below the level needed to maintain existing population levels.
Inside Higher Education
Teaching evaluation shake-up
USC eliminated student evaluations of teaching this spring. Students will still evaluate their professors, with some adjustments, including a new focus on students’ own engagement in a course. But those ratings will not be used in high-stakes personnel decisions.
The Washington Post
The demise of the white majority is a myth
Rumors of white America’s demise over lost status have been greatly exaggerated, according to an opinion piece by USC’s Dowell Myers and Morris Levy. That’s because the prevailing definition of whiteness is stubbornly stuck in the past.
NPR
As 13 Reasons Why returns, high schools try to help pupils who are thinking of suicide
A study by Ron Avi Astor of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and colleagues that found 1 in 5 teens surveyed said they had seriously considered suicide.
The Hollywood Reporter
Pulitzer finalist Hitler in Los Angeles optioned as feature film
The true story by USC history Professor Steven J. Ross details how an amateur spy ring foiled Nazi plots in Hollywood, including one to assassinate Charlie Chaplin and other stars.
The Washington Post
The U.S. is losing the most important tech contest since the space race
Quantum systems promise to upend just about everything, writes USC President C. L. Max Nikias — but, like in the days after the Soviets launched Sputnik, America has some catching up to do.
Geek.com
Are video games really better when you play as yourself?
Apparently not: Research by Gale Lucas of the USC Institute for Creative Technologies and colleagues found that photorealistic avatars — ones that look like the players — have little effect on players’ performance.
The Conversation
Regulating social platforms has dangers, like punishing content creators
USC Annenberg’s David Craig and a colleague argue that regulation of content on social platforms must not stifle new voices and perspectives.
VentureBeat
USC Games Expo shows off more than 80 games
The USC School of Cinematic Arts’ Interactive Media & Games Division and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s Department of Computer Science join together for the first-ever event, which drew more than 1,000 visitors.
Pacific Standard
Air pollution linked to delinquent behavior among children
Underprivileged kids growing up in congested cities must overcome many handicaps. A new USC study suggests one of them is the very air they breathe.
Daily Journal
USC Gould among California leaders in JD-graduate job placement
Dean Andrew Guzman attributes the results in part to enhanced investment in career services and a strategic effort to expand the geographic reach for students seeking work.
Graduate’s global upbringing shaped his USC journey
A high school education in Nigeria set the tone for a collegiate life devoted to service, medicine and engineering.
Looking for a good summer book? Here’s what Trojans will be reading
This year’s USC summer reading list is another eclectic assortment, from ancient inspiration to contemporary intrigue.
USC’s first online master’s in nursing students graduate
The Department of Nursing aims to develop advanced practice nurses whose holistic approach to health is augmented by the expertise of social work.
Es Tiempo campaign raises awareness of cervical cancer prevention among Latinas
USC’s efforts in the community include help from health care professionals who already work with residents.
Medical student seeks to ensure access to preferred contraceptive methods
Lauren Maldonado will use a new skill set to take on global challenges that can lead to positive change.
USC Dornsife/L.A. Times poll reveals large lead for Gavin Newsom in race for governor
A majority of all Californians think that things in California are going in the right direction.
Why you should care about this 130-million-year-old fossil
The ancient find, unearthed in Utah, bridges the transition from reptiles to the beginning of mammals and changes our view of continental drift, too.
Social media posts may signal whether a protest will become violent
USC study also finds that people are more likely to condone using violence to defend their beliefs when they think others share their moral values.
Washington Post publisher and USC trustee inspires graduates at law school commencement
Alumnus Fred Ryan notes key responsibilities facing lawyers and journalists in the current “fake news” environment.
Learning yoga helps inner-city kids overcome stress
With an alumna’s gift, USC Dornsife’s Joint Educational Project is expanding its Little Yoginis program for neighborhood students, helping them find tranquility in the midst of chaos.
Bilingual mom offers care as physician assistant in underserved communities
Jessica Flores will work alongside doctors at a clinic, providing much of the care her patients need without a translator.
A future in student affairs was right in front of her all along
How a black and Native American transracial adoptee in a white family came to embrace the path she was already on.
Cancer registry managed by Keck School of Medicine of USC receives $43.7 million award
The Los Angeles Cancer Surveillance Program has improved the understanding, prevention and control of cancer.
With comic book styling, biology grad Kella Vangsness paints stem cells as superheroes
‘Stem Cells: The Heroes of Disease’ depicts stem cells waging a war against the villainy of disease.
In memoriam: Larry Friend, 54, former USC point guard
A three-time winner of USC’s Best Defensive Player award, he set school records for assists in a game, season and career.
USC Annenberg’s León Krauze, Mexico presidential debate moderator, talks politics
On Sunday, he’ll be the first Mexican journalist living in the U.S. to moderate such a debate. He discusses what’s at stake for the candidates — and the Mexican voters.
A budding surgeon fascinated by the untapped potential of stem cells
After seeing his father survive cancer, graduate Malcolm Gebauer found value in using stem cells as therapeutic agents in numerous diseases.
Short USC courses take students to New Orleans, Paris and beyond
The short, intense courses give students a chance to explore a new subject — and perhaps do some traveling. Paris or Shanghai, anyone?
First graduates from online doctorate program turn theory into practice
The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work degree affirms their skills as social work scholar-practitioners.
Particle shows promise to prevent the spread of triple-negative breast cancer
Like a smart bomb, the potential treatment delivers a cancer-fighting drug directly to cells, deterring metastasis to the lungs.
USC Libraries celebrate scholarly success of 2018 graduates
Phi Kappa Phi, Sidney Harman Academy and Wall of Scholars all pay tribute to top USC scholars.
In Africa, visiting Trojan pursues computer science by day and traditional dance at night
Passions for dance and programming fused into a memorable adventure for a USC student in Botswana.
Digital journalist jumped on multiple opportunities at USC Annenberg
Sebastian Vega worked on both sides of the multimedia news business, as a content creator and a manager.
USC’s latest Fulbright Student Grant recipients take their educations global
USC is regularly among the top producers of students in the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange effort.