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Survey: Americans struggle with science; respect scientists

By Guest PostFebruary 23, 2014General, Scienceamericans, earth, john besley, michigan state university, respect scientists, Science, struggle, survey, technology museum, united states

While most Americans could be a bit more knowledgeable in the ways of science, a majority are interested in hearing about the latest scientific breakthroughs and think highly of scientists.

This is according to a survey of more than 2,200 people conducted by the National Science Foundation, one that is conducted every two years and is part of a report – Science and Engineering Indicators – that the National Science Board provides to the president and Congress. (more…)

New scientific field looks at the big picture

By Guest PostFebruary 15, 2014Sciencebig data, big picture, carol fergus, data intensive science, data mining experts, dave schimel, environmental problems, field of ecology, geographic information system, john wingfield, macrosystems ecology, michigan state university, new scientific field, nsf, pang ning tan, patricia soranno, statistical modeling, tools

Big data is changing the field of ecology. The shift is dramatic enough to warrant the creation of an entirely new field: macrosystems ecology. (more…)

Not so ‘evil’: Finance study makes case for hedging

By Guest PostFebruary 10, 2014Economybrattle group, ceo, economic system, finance study, francisco perez gonzalezshow, hayong yun, hedging, investor, journal of finance, michigan state university, not so evil, stanford university, stock, time bombs, Warren Buffet

The overuse of financial contracts known as derivatives – which were designed to help companies hedge against risk – was widely blamed for triggering the economic crisis of 2008. None other than Warren Buffet has attacked derivatives as “time bombs – both for the parties that deal in them and the economic system.”

But now, for the first time, researchers have found that hedging can increase firm value. (more…)

Weapons tied to repeat domestic abuse

By Guest PostFebruary 5, 2014Generalamy bonomi, britton trabert, domestic abuse, initial abuse incident, journal, mary kernic, melissa anderson, michigan state university, poor urban neighborhoods, united states, university of washington, victoria holt, violence against women, weapons

Women are up to 83 percent more likely to experience repeat abuse by their male partners if a weapon is used in the initial abuse incident, according to a new study that has implications for victims, counselors and police.

Michigan State University researcher Amy Bonomi and colleagues studied the domestic abuse police reports of nearly 6,000 couples in Seattle during a two-year period. An estimated one in four women in the United States experience domestic violence at least once in their lifetime. (more…)

Nighttime smartphone use zaps workers’ energy

By Guest PostFebruary 3, 2014Health, Technologyamericans, christopher barnes, energy, job, klodiana lanaj, knowledge based work, michigan state university, negative effect, nighttime smartphone, recovery function, russell johnson, smartphone usage, university of florida, university of washington, worker

Using a smartphone to cram in more work at night results in less work the next day, indicates new research co-authored by a Michigan State University business scholar.

In a pair of studies surveying a broad spectrum of U.S. workers, Russell Johnson and colleagues found that people who monitored their smart phones for business purposes after 9 p.m. were more tired and were less engaged the following day on the job. (more…)

Kicking the habit among mentally ill

By Guest PostJanuary 31, 2014Healtha eden evins, bipolar disease, cognitive behavioral therapy, eric achtyes, habit, health risk factor, mental disorder, mentally ill, michigan state university, schizophrenia, smoking cessation drug, varenicline

A new study, co-authored by Eric Achtyes from Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine, shows that people with serious mental illness have better luck quitting smoking and avoiding relapse through extended treatments using varenicline, a smoking cessation drug, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

The study was recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (more…)

Great Lakes evaporation study dispels misconceptions, points to need for expanded monitoring program

By Guest PostJanuary 22, 2014Environmentandrew suyker, ann arbor, arctic blast, christopher spence, climate change, climate variability, environmental consulting firm, evaporation study, glisa, granite island, great lakes, great lakes evaporation, great lakes ice, high evaporation rate, impact, indicator, john anderton, john lenters, lake michigan, lake superior, lake water balance, light station, limnotech, michigan state university, peter blanken, solar radiation, stannard rock light, university of michigan, water level, weather station, white shoal light

ANN ARBOR — The recent Arctic blast that gripped much of the nation will likely contribute to a healthy rise in Great Lakes water levels in 2014, new research shows. But the processes responsible for that welcome outcome are not as simple and straightforward as you might think.

Yes, extreme winter cold increases ice cover on the Great Lakes, which in turn reduces evaporation by preventing water vapor from escaping into the air. But this simplistic view of winter ice as a mere “cap” on Great Lakes evaporation is giving way to a more nuanced conception, one that considers the complex interplay among evaporation, ice cover and water temperature at different times of year. (more…)

‘Hip-hop’ students unfairly targeted, study finds

By Guest PostJanuary 20, 2014Culture, Generalacademic performance, black, cultural behaviors, discrimination, hip hop students, latino, michigan state university, minority students, muhammad khalifa, obama administration, zero tolerance policy

Black and Latino “hip-hop” students are disproportionately punished in urban schools, finds a two-year study that sheds light on some of the unfair disciplinary practices newly targeted by the Obama administration.

Muhammad Khalifa, a Michigan State University assistant professor of education, found that students who identified with hip-hop culture were often removed from school because of their cultural behaviors and dress. His paper is published in the research journal Multicultural Learning and Teaching. (more…)

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