Month: July 2014
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Preview: The University of Hong Kong
The Academic Minute is proud to welcome a new institution into our family of contributors. We are very pleased to be featuring some great faculty members from The University of Hong Kong. Located in Pokfulam, Hong Kong, HKU was founded over a century ago in 1911. The 10 academic departments of this public research institution…
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Denise Dearing, University of Utah – Pikas Adapting to Climate Change
“They may be more resistant to climate change than we thought” says Dr. Denise Dearing in an article that originally appeared on University of Utah News Center website. She’s talking about pikas. These rabbit-like mammals are being forced to adapt to the changing climate. Denise Dearing is studying the evolution of pika diet and observing…
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Holly Bik, UC Davis – Diversity of Microbial Life
When you think “big-data,” you may not immediately think of the genetic contents of the deep sea. But, Holly Bik, a post-doctoral researcher at the UC Davis Genome Center, does! Her research analyzes sea-water in an effort to “barcode the sea.” Dr. Holly Bik obtained her Ph.D. in the United Kingdom, working at the Natural…
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Jason Kalirai, Johns Hopkins University – Exploring Exoplanets
As increasingly powerful telescopes improve, so does our ability to study the vastness of the galaxy. Jason Kalirai, associate researcher at the Center for Astrophysical Sciences at Johns Hopkins University, specializes in the deepest of deep space studies. Dr. Jason Kalirai is a research scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Astrophysical Sciences and…
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Jorge Zuluaga, University of Antioquia – Debunking “Pandora”
With the announcement of a series of sequels, now is a great time to discuss the scientific viability of the Avatar world. Jorge Zuluaga, an astronomer at Colombia’s Universidad de Antioquia, wants to emphasize the “fiction” in science fiction. In his Academic Minute, Dr. Zuluaga discusses the physical viability of Pandora, a moon set in…
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David Henard, NC State University – What Makes a Hit Song?
What do: loss, desire, aspiration, breakup, pain, inspiration, nostalgia, rebellion, jaded, desperation, escapism and confusion have in common? According to a North Carolina State University researcher, these concepts are thematic in a large majority of hit songs. David Henard, Poole Board of Advisors Professor of Business Management & Professor of Marketing at North Carolina State…
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Behind the Scenes: Producing The Academic Minute
Here’s another look behind the scenes at The Academic Minute! Dr. Lynn Pasquerella delivers an AM introduction as WAMC Program Director Katie Britton listens in!
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Matt Taylor, Washington State University – Knowledge Transfer
Computers are very useful in the classroom, but in the near future, they might be conducting the class! Matt Taylor, assistant professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Washington State University, is teaching computers how to teach. Matthew E. Taylor is Washington State University’s Allred Distinguished Professor in Artificial Intelligence and…
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Thomas Albrecht-Schmitt, FSU – The Power of Californium
Research from Florida State University might change the way we build and store radioactive waste. Thomas Albrecht-Schmitt, the Gregory R. Choppin Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry at Florida State University, is working with atomic element number 98: californium. Professor Thomas E. Albrecht-Schmitt received his B.S. in chemistry from Southwest Minnesota State University in 1993. He…
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Geoff Ball, University of Alberta – Metabolically Healthy Obesity
UAlberta research shows: a study of 181 children with obesity aged eight to 17 years old showed that up to a third could be classified as “metabolically healthy,” meaning they’re not imminently at risk of developing insulin resistance—a precursor to Type 2 diabetes—high blood pressure, high cholesterol or other obesity-related diseases. This study was originally…