Election 2020 chatter on Twitter busy with bots and conspiracy theorists
A new USC study finds that — just as in 2016 — automated accounts and foreign interference are infesting social media conversations about the upcoming election.
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California gives rent control another chance on the 2020 ballot
In a state with notoriously high housing costs, voters will consider yet another new take on rent control. USC experts dissect the pros and cons of Proposition 21.
USC community making final push to get out the vote
With less than a week to go until the election, the university is turning two buildings into voting centers and is encouraging the entire Trojan community to exercise their civic duty.
USC collaborates with L.A. city and county to explore use of rapid COVID-19 testing
Researchers are using rapid antigen tests with first responders who volunteered for the study. A second phase will focus on school-aged children, teachers and staff.
Imagine a world where your devices worked all day
Ananya Renuka Balakrishna, a new assistant professor at USC Viterbi, is researching ways to create batteries with longer lifespans.
U.S. News and World Report
Economy and pandemic overshadow climate for young U.S. voters
Even for voters who are concerned about climate change, the issue is often eclipsed by other topics of greater immediate concern, notes Joe Arvai, director of the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies: “Our attention span is limited.”
Time
Women are deciding not to have babies because of the pandemic — and that’s bad for all of us
Birth rates were already on the decline. If hundreds of thousands of millennial women choose to delay pregnancy even longer, “we’re looking at a fundamental and unprecedented change to our population,” says demographer Dowell Myers of the USC Price School of Public Policy.
CNBC
Shopping online too much? How you can cut back
Shopping could be a way of coping with being alone, USC Marshall’s Lars Perner says. To reduce your impulse purchases, he suggests a “cooling off” period after you spot something you want — even just overnight.
U.S. News & World Report
Economy and pandemic overshadow climate for young U.S. voters
Even for voters who are concerned about climate change, the issue is often eclipsed by other topics of greater immediate concern, notes Joe Arvai, director of the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies: “Our attention span is limited.”
USA Today
Health experts doubt NBA can begin next season with fans in arenas
Los Angeles Times
She read 40+ books to study a divided nation. These are her picks
Los Angeles Times
The danger in postponing cancer screenings during the pandemic
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, cancer screenings have dramatically decreased across the country. Caryn Lerman, director of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, notes that early detection of cancer can improve the chances of survival — and that by delaying screening, patients are also delaying treatment and putting their health at risk.
Los Angeles Times
No place to study, hunger and inadequate computers hurt Eastside and South L.A. kids
About three-quarters of families surveyed by researchers from USC and the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools had experienced a pandemic-related loss of income and food insecurity. Yet 1 in 3 families made investments to support online learning, including paying for internet access. “This isn’t a trivial amount of money for our families,” USC Rossier’s Stephen Aguilar says.
CNN
Wildfire-weary Californians consider uprooting their lives
Movement in the U.S. has traditionally been based on economic opportunities. USC Viterbi’s Bistra Dilkina, who has modeled migration patterns from sea-level rise, thinks that’s going to change as the intensity of climate-driven disasters increases.
NBC News
L.A. nurse treats the virus ‘that knows no boundaries’
“We’ve seen so many lives lost, so many families hurting,” says Monica Escobar, an ICU nurse at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center. “But not coming to work is not an option for me.”
Popular Science
The best thing for back pain is actually more movement
The traditional advice — to rest and not stress your back — actually runs counter to what we now understand to be the best course of action, says Eric Robertson of the USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy.
The Washington Post
Uncertainty fuels anxiety — and the pandemic can magnify the angst
Some people view uncertainty as a threat or a loss, while others seem more inclined to view it as a challenge, says USC Dornsife’s Beth Meyerowitz says. But the aspects of the pandemic that can be met as challenges may also provide opportunities for personal growth, she says. (The Washington Post)
Medical school volunteers help those in need during COVID-19
Keck School of Medicine students and faculty formed the COVID-19 Advocacy Group to better assist the elderly, domestic violence victims and asylum detainees.
Fall 2020 update: Late fall community health information
With key events approaching — including Halloween, Election Day and USC football — USC Student Health’s Sarah Van Orman offers an update and reminders to help Trojans stay safe.
Stressed out by the 2020 election? You’re not the only one
Students, faculty and staff: Here’s how you can cope with anxiety in the run-up to the upcoming election (and check out some tips from USC experts).
Gayle Garner Roski, artist, benefactor and namesake of USC art school and eye institute, 79
The USC alumna was a longtime patron of the arts within the university and across Los Angeles.
Two experimental poll questions may point to a Trump victory
New questions recently added to the USC Dornsife Daybreak Poll predict that the popular vote for president could be much closer than most polls are predicting.
Feeling scared about how your kids can enjoy Halloween this year? Have no fear – healthy snacks are here
A USC expert offers simple strategies, meal plans and recipes to reduce children’s intake of sugar.
Metals from Chinese coal plants are ending up in the Pacific Ocean, with uncertain consequences
Though marine life may benefit from the influx of iron, USC scientists reinforce that the pollution from burning coal will have an adverse effect on human health.
USC scientists unlock the evolutionary history of the pituitary gland
New research into the key gland’s development shatters a scientific hypothesis that had been held for decades.
All your COVID-19 vaccine questions, answered
Edward Jones-Lopez, an infectious disease expert at Keck Medicine of USC, answers frequently asked questions on potential vaccines.
Health Sciences Campus to serve as a voting center for the 2020 election
The voting center — at 2001 N. Soto St. — will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Oct. 30 through Nov. 2, and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3. Parking will be free.
Debating the American family: 5 important questions for Trump and Biden
As the final presidential debate approaches, experts with the USC Center for the Changing Family share the questions they’d most like to ask regarding family issues.
Daniel Alejandro Leon-Davis explores activism through art and design
As a 2021 Civic Media Fellow at USC Annenberg, he wants to reinforce the idea that fashion is a form of media.
USC biological imaging innovator Scott Fraser elected to National Academy of Medicine
Provost Professor Fraser is recognized for developing technology that provides “unprecedented views of … live organisms, from embryonic development to old age.”
New clinical trial will test deep brain stimulation as Alzheimer’s treatment
Keck Medicine of USC is now enrolling individuals in a phase 3 clinical trial that will implant electrodes into subjects’ brains to potentially stop the progression of the disease.
Health care and COVID-19 top voter concerns as 2020 election begins
Will Congress eliminate surprise medical bills? Who will be the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine? USC experts examine pressing health issues amid the 2020 election.
USC faculty members named University Professors and Distinguished Professors
The very selective awards recognize significant accomplishments by leading scholars in their fields.
USC Kaufman alums return to teach dance in a virtual world
Three alumni find themselves in a unique scenario: teaching a piece they learned as freshmen to current USC Kaufman students, only this time it’s through Zoom.
Low-income families are struggling to keep up with distance learning
Though many of the issues stem from a lack of technological proficiency at home, a USC study has found that multigenerational efforts can help overcome barriers.
Restricted blood flow in the brain could be tied to Alzheimer’s
A USC research team has found strong evidence that keeping blood vessels healthy can help prevent cognitive decline.
A new approach to determining whether child abuse magnifies COVID mental health risk
The result could increase understanding of who is at greater risk in the context of the pandemic and who may benefit most from enhanced and targeted interventions.
Transfer students’ community provides support system during COVID-19
Despite the distance caused by the pandemic, Trojans who started higher ed elsewhere are building community and encouraging each other to succeed.
Trojan tries her hand at politics with two D.C. internships
As an intern for Nancy Pelosi last spring and the EPA this summer, Kelley Xuereb has watched how laws get made from two different branches of government.
USC joins lawsuit opposing H-1B visa changes
Two proposed rules would restrict career opportunities for H-1B visa holders and make it more difficult for them to retain critical jobs they already hold, with serious consequences for international scholars.
Digital recording uses today’s tech to bring music students together
Lecturer Jason Yoshida shares his expertise in a special USC Thornton class that helps students learn essential skills in a rapidly evolving music world.