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Why homelessness is more than a housing issue for students

More than 4,400 students in Delaware were identified as experiencing homelessness during the 2022–23 school year, a number that continues to rise.  Ann M. Aviles, associate professor in the University of Delaware’s College of Education and Human Development, studies education equity, social policy and services for children and families. She is co-author of a new book, "Serving Students Who Are Homeless: A Resource Guide for Schools, Districts, Educational Leaders, and Community Partners", which offers practical guidance for educators navigating the challenges of student homelessness. Nationwide, more than 1.3 million school-aged children experience homelessness annually. While housing instability is often viewed as a social services issue, research shows it has direct and profound consequences for student learning, engagement and well-being. Housing instability affects every aspect of a student’s daily life. Students may be worried about where they will sleep, whether they will have food or how they’ll get home after school. That uncertainty makes it much harder to focus on learning, Aviles said. A key recommendation in Aviles’ new book is stronger collaboration between schools and community organizations. She encourages districts to develop community resource maps that identify local food pantries, shelters, health providers and other support services. She also emphasizes the importance of public understanding of homelessness as a systemic issue shaped by policy, affordability and access to services. To speak with Aviles further, email mediarelations@udel.edu. 

Tracking rain patterns will improve hurricane forecasting, UF researcher finds

Studying the precipitation patterns in hurricanes may be key to predicting future storm patterns and their potential strength, a University of Florida researcher has found. Supported by a four-year, $212,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, Professor of Geography Corene Matyas, Ph.D. has identified the patterns of rain rates within storms and studied the moisture surrounding these storms. “We are hoping that, if we have a better prediction of moisture availability, that might help us forecast rain events with greater accuracy,” Matyas said. “The more we know about how storms develop, the more we can predict their path and magnitude.” The ideal stage for the perfect storm The potential for devastating high winds, storm surge and flooding poses an annual threat to Florida and its residents. With 1,350 miles of coastline and relatively flat geography that juts out to separate the warm waters of the southeast Atlantic and the Gulf, Florida creates the ideal stage for the perfect storm. Last year broke records with 18 named storms, including 11 hurricanes in the Atlantic basin and three major hurricanes making landfall along Florida’s coast. Early predictions are crucial to hurricane preparedness, allowing for increased response time and resource allocation, and hurricane modeling is essential for understanding these somewhat unpredictable storms. Advances in technology, data collection and the use of artificial intelligence in hurricane modeling have significantly impacted the ability to predict a storm’s path and strength more accurately. Artificial intelligence helps researchers understand hurricanes Matyas has completed two studies on this topic. The first study processed 12,000 images of rain rates from tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic, using a machine learning algorithm called a convolutional autoencoder. Similar in use to image recognition software, the encoder broke the rain rate images down and simplified the patterns. Six main types, or clusters, of rainfall patterns for tropical cyclones were identified. At a presentation of the work to forecasters at the National Weather Service office in Jacksonville, the forecasters confirmed that one of the patterns matches what they typically see when late-season storms make landfall over Florida’s Gulf Coast. The second study used the autoencoder to process 4,600 images that represent the amount of moisture in the atmosphere extending 1,000 kilometers away from each hurricane. “We looked for commonalities in the patterns and found four dominant patterns of moisture that accompany Atlantic basin hurricanes,” Matyas said. “We found the biggest storms with the most moisture make the most landfalls, typically in the Caribbean and even in southern Florida. They also have a large moisture pool, giving them a bigger chance of heavy rainfall.” According to Matyas, three of the moisture patterns found in the second study were strikingly like those found in the earlier study that used fewer observations in a statistical analysis. With this use of AI, researchers can now recognize and understand these moisture patterns better, which can improve predictions about a storm’s intensity, its size and the amount of rainfall that will result from it. Early, accurate storm predictions allow Floridians time to prepare Rapid intensification – when, in a 24-hour period, a storm experiences a sudden drop in pressure and a dramatic increase in wind speed – creates much more of a challenge for forecasters. “We tend to boil down a hurricane to a set of coordinates which track the middle of a storm,” Matyas said. “And the fastest winds do focus there, but the moisture gets pulled from thousands of kilometers away and the system forces the moisture up. That moisture must go somewhere. So, the outer edges of the storm need to be understood more as well.” Matyas hopes these studies will help scientists classify rain patterns more accurately and consistently. Continued funding for research at public universities from federal agencies, such as the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is essential for helping researchers develop tools to detect and predict severe weather events. Matyas is one of two UF faculty members among 18 national researchers named to the 2025 class of fellows by the American Association of Geographers. Matyas and UF Geography Department Chair Jane Southworth, Ph.D. were honored by the organization for their contributions in biogeography, geospatial analytics, soil science, community geography, climatology and other areas related to geography. “I look forward to this opportunity to contribute to the mission of the AAG in a more formal capacity, continuing to research how weather shapes our spaces and share knowledge of earth systems beyond the classroom and the written word to promote an inclusive society,” Matyas said.

“Designing Her Own Future: A Georgia Southern MBA Story”

After earning her Master of Business Administration from Georgia Southern University, one graduate is charting a path that blends creativity with business discipline. With a background in dressmaking, she entered the MBA program already skilled in her craft, but looking to strengthen the operational side of her work. “So much goes into dressmaking,” she explained. “From developing the pattern to the fabric you use, getting the right measurements, and so on. You have to make sure your stitches are clean, that the zipper is sitting properly.” While her technical skills were well developed, she quickly recognized that sustaining and growing her work required more than creative talent alone. “I didn’t have that business background,” she explained. “So I wanted to find a university program that could teach me how to structure and operate my business efficiently. So I started doing my research.” That search led her to Georgia Southern’s MBA program, where she immersed herself in coursework focused on strategy, leadership, and practical decision-making. Through the program, she gained the tools to think more systematically about her business—learning how to plan, organize, and scale her operations with confidence. Her experience reflects how graduate business education can empower entrepreneurs and creatives alike, transforming passion into sustainable practice and helping graduates design futures that work both artistically and professionally. Want to learn more about Georgia Southern's Master of Business Administration program? Simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

Venezuela: Why Regime Change Is Harder Than Removing A Leader

With global attention on Venezuela following the U.S. removal of Nicolás Maduro, one of the central questions is whether taking out a leader actually changes the political system that put him in power. Two University of Rochester political scientists — Hein Goemans and Gretchen Helmke — study different sides of this issue, and can shed light on why authoritarian regimes often survive even when leaders fall and what the U.S. intervention means for Venezuela and the world order. Goemans specializes in how wars begin and end, regime survival, and why so-called “decapitation strategies” — removing a leader without dismantling the broader power structure — so often fail to produce stable outcomes. His research draws on cases ranging from Iraq and Afghanistan to authoritarian regimes in Latin America. In a recent interview with WXXI Public Media, Goemans warned that removing Maduro does not resolve the underlying system of military and economic control that sustained his rule. Without changes to those institutions, he said, power is likely to remain concentrated among the same elite networks. “The problem isn’t just the leader,” Goemans explained. “It’s the structure that rewards loyalty and punishes defection. If that remains intact, the politics don’t fundamentally change.” Helmke, a leading scholar of democracy and authoritarianism in Latin America, emphasizes that legitimacy, not just force, determines whether democratic transitions take hold. Her research helps explain why democratic breakthroughs so often stall after moments of dramatic change, and why outside interventions can unintentionally weaken domestic opposition movements by shifting power toward regime insiders. “When the institutions and elites remain in place, uncertainty — not democratic transition — often becomes the dominant political reality,” she said. For journalists covering the fast-moving situation, Goemans and Helmke are available to discuss why removing leaders rarely brings the political transformation policymakers expect and what history suggests comes next. They can address: • Why regime-change operations so often backfire, even when dictators are deeply unpopular • What sidelining democratic opposition means for legitimacy • Whether U.S. claims that Maduro is illegitimate hold up under international and U.S. law • How prosecuting a foreign leader in U.S. courts could reshape norms of sovereignty • The risks the U.S. intervention poses to the rules-based international order and NATO • How interventions affect international norms, including sovereignty and the rule of law, and why short-term tactical successes can create long-term strategic risks. • Why treating global politics as a series of “one-off” power plays misunderstands how states actually enforce norms over time • How competing factions inside the U.S. administration may be driving incoherent foreign policy Geomans also brings rare insight into the internal dynamics of U.S. policymaking, having taught and observed Stephen Miller, one of President Donald Trump’s closest aides who is helping shape the administration’s worldview. (Goemans taught Miller at Duke University in 2003.) Click on the profiles for Goemans and Helmke to connect with them.

Why Greenland Matters: The History and Strategic Importance of the World’s Largest Island

Often viewed as remote and sparsely populated, Greenland has long played an outsized role in global strategy. Settled by Inuit peoples for thousands of years, Greenland later became part of the Danish realm in the 18th century and today exists as an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Its location—bridging North America and Europe—has consistently drawn the attention of major powers, especially during moments of geopolitical tension. That attention intensified during the Cold War, when Greenland became a critical asset in Arctic defense. The United States established military installations on the island, most notably what is now known as Pituffik Space Base, to support missile warning systems and transatlantic defense. Greenland’s position along the shortest air and missile routes between North America and Russia made it indispensable to early-warning networks—and that strategic logic has not faded with time. Today, Greenland’s importance is growing rather than shrinking. Climate change is reshaping the Arctic, opening new shipping routes and increasing access to natural resources such as rare earth minerals, hydrocarbons, and freshwater reserves locked in ice. These developments have renewed global interest in Greenland from NATO allies and rival powers alike, as control over Arctic infrastructure, data, and mobility becomes central to economic and security planning. At the same time, Greenland’s own political future—balancing autonomy, Indigenous priorities, and external pressure—adds another layer of complexity. Greenland’s story is ultimately one of geography shaping history. What once made the island strategically valuable for defense now places it at the center of debates about climate, security, energy, and sovereignty in the 21st century. As Arctic competition accelerates, Greenland is no longer a peripheral actor—it is a focal point where global interests converge. Journalists covering geopolitics, Arctic security, climate change, Indigenous governance, or global resource competition are encouraged to connect with experts who study Greenland’s past and its evolving strategic role. Expert insight can help explain why this vast island continues to matter—and why it is likely to play an even larger role in the years ahead. Our experts can help! Connect with more experts here: www.expertfile.com

Georgia Southern professor re-elected to board of world’s largest scientific society

Professor of chemistry and chair of the Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Physics Will Lynch, Ph.D., has been re-elected to the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) board of directors. This marks his second three-year term on the board. With ACS serving as the largest science organization in the world, Lynch says the society’s work impacts lives every day. “We support the scientific enterprise by advocating for everything from research funding to laboratory safety,” said Lynch. “That work strengthens scientific integrity that ACS champions and ultimately shows up in the things that people rely on daily. Bottled water, medicines, cellphones and computer screens all come from chemistry. Many people do not realize how deeply science shapes their world.” With a budget of nearly $900 million and a global community of over 200,000, planning is essential to the success of ACS. Lynch is proud to have chaired the committee that created the society’s next five-year strategic plan. He hopes that his work will continue to put the society’s vast resources to use helping advocate for scientists around the world. “My focus now is implementing ACS’ strategic plan, which envisions a world built on science and setting up the indicators to measure our success,” said Lynch. “We want to make sure we support chemists whether they are in academia, industry, government labs or retired.” Serving in a leadership role for a world-renowned scientific organization is part of Lynch’s calling to help others. He began his service with ACS over 40 years ago when he volunteered at a regional meeting while pursuing his bachelor’s degree. He started making connections immediately and grew his professional network from the local to the national level. Forming friendships in the scientific community and witnessing the ways their work changed lives inspired Lynch to continue to grow his own knowledge so he could do more for others. “Getting to do research as an undergraduate pulled me in, and I knew that chemistry was where I could make a difference. I realized I had a path to help society through science and I never looked back.” Looking to know more about Georgia Southern University or connect with Will Lynch? Simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

Is Maduro Ouster In Line with Trump’s “America First” Mantra?

In an article about the U.S.-led ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, Dr. Meena Bose told Newsday that President Donald Trump’s foreign policy positions have undergone an “evolution” between his first and second terms. “When he first ran for president and started campaigning in 2015, he was very much opposed to U.S. intervention abroad,” said Dr. Bose. “His America First policy was very much against the Iraq War. He called for … economic U.S. primacy in the world, but to also kind of step back from direct engagement. And yet, we’ve seen multiple efforts from the first term and the second where the administration has been engaged in airstrikes and military action abroad.”

Always On, Never Present: How Work Takes Over Your Life

In many workplaces, being “good at your job” has quietly become synonymous with being constantly reachable. Slack on the laptop, email on the phone, DMs on every platform and a creeping expectation that you’ll answer “just one more thing” at night, on weekends, and even on vacation. Psychotherapist Harshi Sritharan, MSW, RSW and Offline.now founder Eli Singer say this culture is pushing knowledge workers into a state of continuous partial attention: always connected, never fully present. “Most of my high-performing clients don’t have a time-management problem,” says Sritharan. “They have a boundary problem — and their phones are the device enforcing it. Every ping is a tiny dose of dopamine and a tiny spike of stress, and their nervous system never really shuts off.” Research on digital and media multitasking backs up what she sees clinically. Studies have linked frequent task-switching between apps and notifications to: Reduced sustained attention and working memory Slower task performance and more errors Greater mental fatigue and perceived stress Neuroscience and cognition papers also describe how multitasking conditions the brain to seek novelty and micro-rewards, making it harder to tolerate the “boredom” of deep work — exactly the kind of focus most knowledge jobs actually require. Singer argues that the issue isn’t just individual burnout; it’s organizational self-sabotage. Offline.now’s behavioral data show that people now spend about 10 of their 16 waking hours on screens — roughly 63% of the day — and that 8 in 10 want a healthier relationship with tech but feel too overwhelmed to know where to start. “We’ve built workplaces that confuse constant availability with value,” Singer says. “But when you look at the cognitive science, an always-on culture is actually an anti-productivity policy. ‘Do Not Disturb’ isn’t a luxury — it’s the competitive advantage most teams are missing.” The term “continuous partial attention” coined to describe the state of being perpetually attuned to the possibility of new information has been linked in emerging research and commentary to chronic stress, shallow thinking, and emotional exhaustion in modern knowledge work. “The moment you stop treating rest and focus as perks and start treating them as infrastructure, everything changes,” Singer says. “Teams ship better work, people make fewer mistakes, and employees don’t feel like they have to burn their nervous system to keep their job.” For journalists covering work culture, productivity, burnout, or the future of work, this story connects the dots between work apps, multitasking science and mental health and offers a concrete alternative to the “always on” norm. Featured Experts Harshi Sritharan, MSW, RSW – Psychotherapist specializing in ADHD, anxiety, burnout and digital dependency. She helps high-achieving professionals understand how constant notifications, late-night work and screen habits disrupt dopamine, sleep, and emotional regulation — and what sustainable boundaries actually look like. Eli Singer – Founder of Offline.now and author of Offline.now: A Practical Guide to Healthy Digital Balance. He brings proprietary behavioral data on digital overwhelm, the Offline.now Matrix framework, and case examples of organizations reframing “Do Not Disturb” as a strategic asset, not a sign of disengagement. Expert interviews can be arranged through the Offline.now media team.