Gary Polakovic
Gary Polakovic is manager of research communications at USC University Communications.
Stories by Gary Polakovic:
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.
Behind the scenes with an earthquake scientist
Sylvain Barbot shares why he studies temblors and what needs to happen before we can forecast quakes.
Thanks to this scientist, doctors have another option for treating a leading cause of infant death
Years of research from USC Dornsife’s Chien-Ping Ko have led to the FDA’s approval of risdiplam, a cheaper and easier-to-administer drug for children with spinal muscular atrophy.
President Folt outlines ambitious yet achievable plans for sustainability
In two high-profile public appearances, the president also detailed USC’s efforts to combat the local — and global — effects of climate change and COVID-19.
From deepfakes to fake news, an array of influences aim to shape voter decisions
As the U.S. prepares for a hugely consequential election, numerous forces are lining up to potentially manipulate voters. USC experts discuss the barrage of influences on today’s voting public.
USC coronavirus research expands to encompass full range of COVID-19 impacts
From locating drive-thru testing sites to conducting antibody testing in disadvantaged households, USC researchers seek solutions to the biggest problems caused by COVID-19.
Superheated rocks deep underground help explain earthquake patterns
By researching tremors under the infamous San Andreas Fault, USC scientists are seeking out what’s brewing beneath a quake’s surface.
Meet the professor who uses computer science to help cure cancer
Inspired by his father’s fight against non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Remo Rohs leads USC’s efforts in studying the molecular nature of cancer.
Predicting drought in the American West just got much more difficult
A new, USC-led study of more than 1,000 years of North American droughts and global conditions found that forecasting a lack of precipitation is rarely straightforward.
For hundreds of years, the mysteries of Mars have fascinated humans
From the authors of classic literature to ancient astronomers, Earthlings have been captivated by Mars for as long as we can remember. USC experts help dissect our attraction to the red planet.
Was there life on Mars? USC experts explore the upcoming NASA mission
With the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover about to launch, USC professors explain what we know about the planet already and what this latest mission can teach us.
USC launches new sustainability research initiative
The initiative’s first three projects will focus on major environmental concerns in Southern California: water management, air pollution and testing for nutrients in soil.
USC cosmologist works to make sense of a confusing universe
Vera Gluscevic studies the deep unknowns of space — including dark matter and dark energy — while pushing to make science more open and diverse.
New approach to police lineups measures the strength of an eyewitness’s memory
A team of scientists from USC and other Southern California research institutions seeks to remove decision bias from the process of identifying suspects.
USC research pivots to meet the coronavirus crisis head on
The university’s six-team research task force brings together experts from across USC to better understand what COVID-19 is and how to treat it.
Cellular mechanism for preventing genetic damage might make matters worse
The new lab study finds an unexpected glitch in a gene that supervises mitosis, one that has important implications for cancer treatment.
Coronavirus vaccines are coming, but when will they arrive?
Humanity has never seen a global research collaboration on this scale — but USC experts note that the vaccine development and approval process remains a long and laborious one.
President Folt’s first year brings renewed energy to USC sustainability
Since her zero-waste inauguration, the president — herself an environmental scientist — has positioned USC to become a leader in sustainable strategies like solar energy.
New flow battery could help unleash renewable energy
USC scientists may have solved the storage problem that has long slowed the spread of renewables.
Urban heat waves imperil L.A.’s most vulnerable communities
New USC research highlights the outsized risk for low-income communities as global warming raises temperatures and our cities become even more crowded.
Why nature, history and American culture all make social isolation difficult
USC experts explain why some people are suffering from extreme lockdown fatigue: it’s a mix of human nature and an American identity that chafes at being “controlled.”
A day in the COVID-19 life of a working mom and USC’s biology lab manager
Gorjana Bezmalinovic has to balance three classes, 20 teaching assistants, 800 students and a loving family. Somehow, she gets it all done.
Disease detectives investigate how COVID-19 spread from animals to humans
The coronavirus may have started with bats, but scientists at USC and beyond are researching how it ended up infecting humans.
Pandemic drives alcohol sales — and raises concerns about substance abuse
As people stay at home and alcohol sales skyrocket, USC experts examine the physical, emotional and mental risks of substance abuse amid the global outbreak.