Jenesse Miller
Jenesse Miller is a senior communications manager with the USC Price School of Public Policy and a former media relations specialist with USC University Communications. She previously worked in communications for health and environment organizations, and earned a Master’s in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley.
Stories by Jenesse Miller:

New ‘Segregation Index’ shows U.S. schools remain highly separated by race, ethnicity and economic status
USC and Stanford researchers say the index — a public resource for tracking segregation — signals an “urgent need” to address rising segregation in large school districts.

‘Like a stick of dynamite’: USC scholars reflect on legacy of 1992 L.A. uprising and police beating of Rodney King
USC experts remember the events that led up to the violence and protests, and consider more recent violence against Blacks including George Floyd and Eric Garner and fatal confrontations between vigilantes and Black citizens.

Wake up and smell the habit: Study finds we overlook the influence of habits — like drinking coffee
Coffee drinking and other daily behaviors are habitual, but people strongly discount the influence of habits when explaining their behavior, USC researchers find.

Senate confirms Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court in historic vote: USC experts react
Political and legal specialists share their thoughts on the first Black woman Supreme Court justice in history.

The Women of Troy: How USC’s female student-athletes are using their voices and making history
As Women’s History Month wraps up and the 50th anniversary of Title IX approaches, USC Athletics’ Julie Rousseau discusses the role of women student-athletes in the fight for equality.

Q&A: COVID shook the scaffolding for working women, exposing need for better family policy
In Dreams of the Overworked, USC Professor Christine Beckman and her co-author examine what it means to live, work and parent in a world of increasing — and increasingly impossible — expectations.

Study finds some of the world’s lowest dementia rates in Amazonian indigenous groups
Research adds to evidence that healthier pre-industrial lifestyles may hold clues to preventing Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

On International Women’s Day, a USC researcher explains intersection of global health and women’s rights
Laura Ferguson believes that attention to human rights can lead to better health. The director of research at the USC Institute on Inequalities in Global Health draws inspiration from women who are pushing for greater equality around the world.

As Women’s History Month begins, USC researchers reflect on women’s achievements and challenges
USC experts highlight the continuing struggle for women’s equal rights and the legacy of the trailblazing women who have transcended gender barriers to contribute to a more perfect — and equal — union.

Study finds older Americans are largely unaware of new Alzheimer’s drug
Among older Americans surveyed in the weeks after FDA approval of aducanumab, few could correctly answer true or false questions about the first new Alzheimer’s drug in decades.

Among young Latino adults, noncitizens are at greater risk of death than naturalized and U.S.-born citizens
Young Latino immigrants have a 40% higher mortality rate than their U.S.-born counterparts, USC research shows.

Black History Month: health, wellness and a generous dose of joy
USC experts examine Black health and wellness, the national theme for Black History Month 2022. It shifts the public mindset to a more positive and mindful perspective.

‘Playing a long game’: How a historian views USC’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
As Black History Month begins, Christopher Manning offers insight as USC’s first chief inclusion and diversity officer.

Hate speech on social media is fueled by users’ shared values and moral concerns
People whose moral beliefs and values align closely with other members of their online communities — including those on social networks Gab and Reddit — are more prone to radicalization, according to USC research.

USC steps up to help LAUSD students by providing teacher scholarships
The USC Rossier School of Education takes on a critical teacher shortage at LAUSD by offering full scholarships for master’s students to work in L.A. public schools.

With the clock ticking on climate disaster, USC experts see ways to respond
Scientists and researchers discuss how humanity will respond to climate change as the 26th U.N. Climate Conference and two weeks of negotiations kick off this week.

Dropping fat and calories to simulate fasting helps mice live a longer life
USC researchers are digging into the underexplored effects and benefits of short, periodic cycles of fasting on obesity and heart health.

Food insecurity returns to pre-pandemic levels, but more than 1 in 10 Angelenos are still struggling
Nearly 1 million Los Angeles County residents are still food insecure, according to a new report spearheaded by USC Dornsife’s Public Exchange.

Social safety net can become a web for low-income L.A. families who start to earn more
USC researchers say increased transparency and more robust benefits for low-income families are needed — particularly when it comes to housing — even after their wages go up to help avoid “plateaus” and “cliffs.”

New USC Price dean shares how better policies can transform people’s lives
“I want to see them change the world for the better,” says Dana Goldman, who on Tuesday will be installed as head of the public policy school.

USC studies show that clean air matters for a healthy brain
Researchers say their studies on air pollution and cognitive decline — one involving humans and one with mice — provide evidence that cleaner air may reduce risk for Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

USC professor records the Latinx voices missing from the COVID conversation
Laura Isabel Serna is committed to making sure that Latinx stories become part of the pandemic’s historical record.

Will Californians recall their governor? Election on Sept. 14 will decide
It’s just the second gubernatorial recall vote in state history; 18 years ago voters ousted Gray Davis and seated Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Back to school: Educators and families confront learning loss and mental health challenges
USC experts offer insight into the complications teachers and students may face upon returning to the classroom full time.