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Measuring how teachers' emotions can impact student learning
University of Delaware professor Leigh McLean has developed a new tool for measuring teachers’ emotional expressions and studying how these expressions affect their students’ attitudes toward learning. McLean uses this tool to gather new data showing emotional transmission between teachers and their students in fourth-grade classrooms. McLean and co-author Nathan Jones of Boston University share the results of their use of the tool in a new article in Contemporary Educational Psychology. They found that teachers displayed far more positive emotions than negative ones. But they also found that some teachers showed high levels of negative emotions. In these cases, teachers’ expressions of negative emotions were associated with reduced student enjoyment of learning and engagement. These findings add to a compelling body of research highlighting the importance of teachers’ and students’ emotional experiences within the context of teaching and learning. “Anyone who has been in a classroom knows that it is an inherently emotional environment, but we still don’t fully understand exactly how emotions, and especially the teachers’ emotions, work to either support or detract from students’ learning,” said McLean, who studies teachers’ emotions and well-being in the College of Education and Human Development’s School of Education (SOE) and Center Research in Education and Social Policy. “This new tool, and these findings, help us understand these processes more precisely and point to how we might provide emotion-centered classroom supports.” Measuring teacher and student emotions McLean and Jones collected survey data and video-recorded classroom observations from 65 fourth-grade teachers and 805 students in a Southwestern U.S. state. The surveys asked participants to report their emotions and emotion-related experiences — like feelings of enjoyment, worry or boredom — as well as their teaching and learning behaviors in mathematics and English language arts (ELA). Using the new observational tool they developed — the Teacher Affect Coding System — McLean and Jones also assessed teachers’ vocal tones, body posturing, body movements and facial expressions during classroom instruction and categorized outward displays of emotion as positive, negative or neutral. For example, higher-pitched or lilting vocal tones were categorized as positive, while noticeably harsh or sad vocal tones were categorized as negative. Overall, McLean and Jones found that teachers spent most of their instructional time displaying outward positive emotions. Interestingly though, they did not find any associations between these positive emotions and students’ content-related emotions or learning attitudes in ELA or math. “This lack of association might be because outward positivity is the relative ‘norm’ for elementary school teachers, and our data seem to support that,” McLean said. “That’s not to say that teachers’ positivity isn’t important, though. Decades of research has shown us that when teachers are warm, responsive and supportive, and when they foster positive relationships with their students, students do better in almost every way. It could be that positivity works best when done in tandem with other important teacher behaviors or routines, or it could be that it is more relevant for different student outcomes.” However, they did find that a small subset of teachers — about 10% — displayed notable amounts of negative emotions, with some showing negativity during as much as 80% of their instructional time. The students of these teachers reported reduced enjoyment and engagement in their ELA classes and reduced engagement in their math classes. “We think that these teachers are struggling with their real-time emotion regulation skills,” McLean said. “Any teacher, even a very positive one, will tell you that managing a classroom of students is challenging, and staying positive through the frustrating times takes a lot of emotional regulation. Emotion regulation is a particularly important skill for teachers because children inherently look to the social cues of adults in their immediate environment to gauge their level of safety and comfort. When a teacher is dysregulated, their students pick up on this in ways that can detract from learning.” Recommendations for supporting teacher well-being Given the findings of their study, McLean and Jones make several recommendations for teacher preparation and professional learning programs. As a first step, they recommend that teacher preparation and professional learning programs share information about how negative emotions and experiences are a normal part of the teaching experience. As McLean said, “It’s okay to be frustrated!” However, it is also important to be aware that repeated outward displays of negative emotion can impact students. McLean and Jones also suggest that these programs provide specific training to teachers on skills such as mindfulness and emotion regulation to help teachers manage negative emotions while they’re teaching. “Logically, these findings and recommendations make complete sense,” said Steve Amendum, professor and director of CEHD’s SOE, which offers a K-8 teacher education program. “After working with many, many teachers, I often see teachers' enthusiasm or dislike for a particular activity or content area transfer to their students.” McLean and Jones, however, emphasize that supporting teacher well-being can’t just be up to the teachers. Assistant principals, principals and other educational leaders should prioritize teacher wellness across the school and district. If teachers’ negative emotions in the classroom result in part from challenging working conditions or insufficient resources, educational leaders and policymakers should consider system-wide changes and supports to foster teacher well-being. To learn more about CEHD research in social and emotional development, visit its research page. To arrange an interview with McLean, connect with her directly by clicking on the contact button found on her ExpertFile profile page.
A Bumpy Ride Ahead for HigherEd
A confluence of political, economic, and social challenges is threatening the very fabric of US universities. In both red and blue states, the political and economic headwinds facing institutions are fierce, public skepticism is high, and social media has become a polarizing battleground of filter bubbles filled with mis/disinformation. Universities find themselves squeezed by funding cuts, scrutinized by lawmakers, and caught in cultural crossfire. This presents a unique challenge for communications professionals. In this era of declining trust and “alternative facts,” they need to be hyper-informed, adapt quickly, and boldly emphasize the critical value institutions have in society. Communications should function as a vital link, bridging this growing divide between town and gown. In red and blue states, the political and economic headwinds hitting higher education are fierce, public skepticism is high, and social media has become a polarizing battleground of filter bubbles filled with mis/disinformation. It's important to note that throughout history, universities often emerge stronger and more deeply connected to the public during times of turbulence. Universities played a key role in partnering with the government to implement Roosevelt's New Deal, helping with emergency relief and agricultural programs. They helped democratize education with the GI Bill after World War II. They responded to societal demands during the civil rights era. Most recently, they played a key role in public health amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Campus communicators have a unique set of skills and a vital responsibility to steer their institutions through these tough times. But the road ahead will be hard. The New Reality for Campus Communicators Cuts to Research Funding The lifeblood of academic innovation—research dollars—is under threat. The new political regime in Washington is looking to cut billions in federal research funding. A sudden cap on NIH indirect costs (slashed to 15% from an average of 28%) will have a profound impact on programs. Many researchers report that major grants are frozen or are expected to shrink. This “budget axe” isn’t theoretical for research universities—it’s biting right now. Communicators must convey what’s at stake: essential contributions such as groundbreaking science, community health programs, and innovation pipelines that fuel the economy hang in the balance as money gets tighter. Increasing State Oversight & Regulation In state capitals, politicians are muscling into campus affairs like never before. Republican-controlled statehouses are overhauling higher education governance, introducing over 150 bills in 35 states aimed at tightening control over public institutions. Even tenure is threatened. In the past year, lawmakers in seven states moved to eliminate or curb tenure and impose stricter post-tenure reviews – an unprecedented encroachment on academic freedom. New laws and proposals are creating oversight committees, mandating changes to the curriculum, and even threatening funding for programs out of political favor. The message from some state capitols is clear: “We’re watching you.” This surge in oversight and regulatory meddling means university communicators must navigate an increasingly fine line, demonstrating transparency and accountability at every turn to appease regulators while fiercely defending their institution’s academic autonomy. Political Pressure and DEI Backlash Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are under open attack. What began as partisan rhetoric has evolved into concrete threats – and actions – against campus diversity efforts. Dozens of states have passed or proposed laws to defund DEI offices, ban diversity training, or restrict teaching about race and gender. The result? An “inconsistent and confusing landscape” for colleges as they respond to swelling political pressure. The campaign against campus DEI has dramatically accelerated in 2025, turbocharged by signals from the Trump administration pushing to eliminate DEI efforts across government and higher ed. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education 270 campuses in 38 states have already scaled back or dismantled some DEI programs under this pressure. For communications teams, the DEI backlash creates a messaging minefield. They must affirm institutional values of inclusion and support for marginalized groups, even as those very programs face hostile scrutiny from powerful critics. Threats to the Federal Department of Education In Washington, the unthinkable is suddenly on the table: the U.S. Department of Education itself is in the crosshairs. President Trump has made good on campaign promises by signing an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education. While outright abolition requires Congress, the administration has already laid off nearly half of the department’s staff and moved to strip the agency to its bare bones. “We’re going to shut it down… it’s doing us no good,” Trump declared. This unprecedented move could upend federal support and guidelines for universities – from financial aid administration to civil rights enforcement – leaving states to fill the void. Communications professionals must reassure students, faculty, and the public that education won’t grind to a halt if federal oversight wanes. It’s a communications tightrope: acknowledging the potential for massive change while conveying stability in the university’s core mission. After all, even if Washington pulls back, universities still answer to accreditation bodies and the public trust. The Misinformation Deluge on Social Media The information ecosystem has never been more chaotic – or more dangerous. Universities are grappling with viral misinformation and disinformation that can ignite campus controversies overnight. In the age of TikTok rumors and politicized Twitter (or “X”) feeds, false narratives spread like wildfire before facts can catch up. Recent campus incidents have shown how quickly truth gets muddled: one university saw fake reports about a protest spread widely. At the same time, another dealt with a gross misinterpretation of a student gathering that went viral. Photos and videos are routinely ripped out of context or deliberately edited with misleading labels. The public, meanwhile, is “bombarded with misinformation” online and growing distrustful of experts. For higher ed communicators, countering misinformation means fighting a two-front war: rapidly correcting falsehoods about their institution and proactively pushing out accurate, compelling content to capture attention before the rumors do. Economic Uncertainty and Budget Turbulence. Even aside from targeted funding cuts, universities are feeling economic whiplash. Inflation, endowment fluctuations, and post-pandemic enrolment dips have collided to squeeze campus finances. Many institutions face structural deficits and tough choices about programs and staffing. In fact, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, two-thirds of colleges now show at least one sign of financial stress – a startling statistic that underscores how widespread the budget crunch has become. From flagship public universities to small private colleges, hiring freezes and spending cuts are the order of the day. Every dollar is scrutinized by trustees and legislators alike. Communications pros must now operate in a climate of fiscal anxiety, where messages about any new initiative or expense can trigger questions about priorities. The task at hand is to highlight the university’s economic stewardship and continued value to students and the community, even as belts tighten. It’s critical to communicate that the institution is navigating the storm responsibly—protecting its academic core and maximizing the impact of every precious dollar. Demands to Prove Real-world Impact “What is higher ed really doing for society?” In 2025, that question echoes from state capitols, donors’ boards, and kitchen tables across America. Universities are under intense pressure to demonstrate the real-world value of their research and teaching like never before. Lawmakers openly discuss ROI (return on investment) for degrees and research grants, seeking data on graduates’ earnings and innovations spawned per taxpayer dollar. Public confidence in higher education has been shaken – a recent Gallup survey found Americans’ confidence in colleges has plummeted to 36%, down from 57% in 2015. Many believe in personal value (a college degree for better jobs) but doubt that higher education delivers for the greater good. In short, the public is skeptical whether campus research and scholarship are worth the cost. University communicators must do more than publicize exciting discoveries – they must connect the dots for people. Every media release, story, or tweet should answer: Here’s how this university’s work benefits you, your community, and the world. Whether it’s a medical breakthrough, a tech startup from the lab, or a student project solving a local problem, the mandate is clear: show impact or risk losing support. In my next post, I'll provide a detailed blueprint to help communications professionals proactively plan and organize their teams for the road ahead. This actionable framework will help you better identify where you can add value for your institution where it needs it the most and confirm your critical role as a trusted resource. To your success! Upcoming Speaking Events April 23 PRSA Virtual Workshop "Cutting Through the Noise: What Thought Leadership Strategies are Working in Today’s Environment” Register Here June 8 IABC World Conference, Vancouver “The Thought Leadership Blueprint: Why & How to Build a High-Impact Program” Register Here Sept. 12-13 PRSA East Central Conference, Cleveland “The New Comms Leadership Skillset” Register Here About ExpertFile ExpertFile is revolutionizing how organizations connect their experts to journalists, podcasters, and conference organizers who need to find credible experts on tight deadlines…fast. Featuring experts on over 50,000 topics, our free Apple and Android mobile app is the go-to resource for journalists at media outlets such as the New York Times, CNN, NPR Radio, Fox News, BBC, The Guardian, ABC News, CBC, AXIOS and Time Magazine. For over a decade, our award-winning software platform has been helping marketing departments better manage and promote their online thought leadership to reach a wider audience. Clients include Carnegie Mellon University, ChristianaCare Health, Villanova University, Aston University and Emory University. Learn more at: expertfile.com/getstarted
Teaching the Dangers of Snow Squalls
Dr. Jase E. Bernhardt, associate professor of geology, environment, and sustainability and director of meteorology, was featured on WPSU/Pennsylvania Cable and on The Weather Channel’s Weather Geek podcast about his VR research that demonstrates the danger of driving in a snow squall and the science behind these dangerous bursts of weather.
Exploring the ripple effect: How teachers' emotions impact student engagement and learning outcomes
The classroom environment is a dynamic ecosystem where the emotional state of educators can significantly influence students' engagement and learning outcomes. In a new article published in Contemporary Educational Psychology, University of Delaware Associate Research Professor Leigh McLean offers a new tool—the Teacher Affect Coding System—for measuring teachers’ emotional expressions and studying how these expressions affect their students’ attitudes toward learning. With co-author Nathan Jones of Boston University, McLean uses this tool to gather new data showing emotional transmission between teachers and their students in fourth-grade classrooms. In the study, McLean and Jones, found that teachers displayed far more positive emotions than negative ones. But they also found that some teachers—about 10%—displayed notable amounts of negative emotions, with some showing negativity during as much as 80% of their instructional time. The students of these teachers reported reduced enjoyment and engagement in their ELA classes and reduced engagement in their math classes. Given the findings of their study, McLean and Jones make several recommendations for teacher preparation and professional learning programs. As a first step, they recommend that teacher preparation and professional learning programs share information about how negative emotions and experiences are a normal part of the teaching experience. As McLean said, “It’s okay to be frustrated!” McLean is available for interviews on the study, the tool and how teachers can help mitigate this effect. Click on her profile to contact her.
University of Delaware experts exploring Black and brown history and topics all year long
While Black History Month officially ended on Friday, the topic is one that is always top of mind for many professors and experts here at the University of Delaware. Below are a small list of these experts and the areas they explore throughout the year. Click on their profiles or email mediarelations@udel.edu to connect. Roderick Carey, associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, can discuss the importance of gender and race diversity in teaching. Ann Aviles and Ohiro Oni-Eseleh, both professors in the College of Education and Human Development, can share resources for displaced families and guidance for parents, educators and other community members who want to support them. Yasser Payne, professor of sociology, examines notions of resilience, structural violence and gun violence with Black Americans.
Babies whose mothers took kale or carrot capsules when pregnant responded more favourably to these smells The research shows that the process of developing food preferences begins in the womb, much earlier than previously thought The research follows up on an earlier study Babies show positive responses to the smell of foods they were exposed to in the womb after they are born, according to a new study. The findings, led by Durham University, UK, could have implications for understanding how healthy eating habits might be established in babies during pregnancy. The research included scientists from Aston University, UK, and the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) and University of Burgundy, France. It is published in the journal Appetite. Researchers analysed the facial expressions of babies who had been repeatedly exposed to either kale or carrot in the womb after birth. Newborns whose mothers had taken carrot powder capsules when pregnant were more likely to react favourably to the smell of carrot. Likewise, babies whose mothers had taken kale powder capsules while pregnant reacted more positively to the kale scent. Research co-lead author and supervisor Professor Nadja Reissland, of the Fetal and Neonatal Research Lab, Department of Psychology, Durham University, said: “Our analysis of the babies’ facial expressions suggests that they appear to react more favourably towards the smell of foods their mothers ate during the last months of pregnancy. Potentially this means we could encourage babies to react more positively towards green vegetables, for example, by exposing them to these foods during pregnancy. “In that respect, the memory of food the mother consumes during pregnancy appears to establish a preference for those smells and potentially could help to establish healthy eating habits at a young age.” This study is a follow-up to a 2022 research paper where the researchers used 4D ultrasound scans at 32 and 36 gestational weeks to study foetal facial expressions after their pregnant mothers had ingested a single dose of either 400mg of carrot or kale capsules. Foetuses exposed to carrot showed more “laughter-face” responses while those exposed to kale showed more “cry-face” responses. For the latest study, the researchers followed up 32 babies from the original research paper – 16 males and 16 females – from 36 weeks gestation until approximately three weeks after birth. Mothers consumed either carrot or kale capsules every day for three consecutive weeks until birth. When the babies were about three weeks old, the research team tested newborns’ reactions to kale, carrot, and a control odour. Separate wet cotton swabs dipped in either carrot or kale powders, or water as the control, were held under each infant’s nose and their reaction to the different smells was captured on video. The babies did not taste the swabs. Scientists then analysed the footage to see how the newborns reacted and compared these reactions with those seen before the babies were born to understand the effects of repeated flavour exposure in the last trimester of pregnancy. The research team found that, from the foetal to newborn period, there was an increased frequency in “laughter-face” responses and a decreased frequency in “cry-face” responses to the smell the babies had experienced before birth. Humans experience flavour through a combination of taste and smell. In foetuses, this happens through inhaling and swallowing the amniotic fluid in the womb. Research co-lead author Dr Beyza Ustun-Elayan carried out the research while doing her PhD at Durham University. Dr Ustun-Elayan, who is now based at the University of Cambridge, said: “Our research showed that foetuses can not only sense and distinguish different flavours in the womb but also start learning and establish memory for certain flavours if exposed to them repeatedly. This shows that the process of developing food preferences begins much earlier than we thought, right from the womb. By introducing these flavours early on, we might be able to shape healthier eating habits in children from the start.” The researchers stress that their findings are a baseline study only. They say that longer follow-up studies are needed to understand long-term impacts on child eating behaviour. They add that further research would also need to be carried out on a larger group of infants, at different points in time. They say that the absence of a control group not exposed to specific flavours makes it challenging to fully disentangle developmental changes in the babies from the effects of repeated flavour exposure. Future research should also factor in post-birth flavour experiences, such as some milk formulas known to have a bitter taste, which could impact babies’ responses to the smell of bitter and non-bitter vegetables. The research involved the children of white British mothers, and the researchers say that future studies should be widened to explore how different cultural dietary practices might influence foetal receptivity to a broader array of flavours. Research co-author Professor Jackie Blissett, at Aston University’s School of Psychology, said: “These findings add to the weight of evidence that suggests that flavours of foods eaten by mothers during late pregnancy are learnt by the foetus, preparing them for the flavours they are likely to experience in postnatal life.” Research co-author Professor Benoist Schaal, National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)-University of Burgundy, France said: “Foetuses not only detect minute amounts of all types of flavours the mothers ingest, but they overtly react to them and remember them while in the womb and then after birth for quite long times. In this way, mothers have an earlier than early teaching role, as the providers of the infant’s first odour or flavour memories.” Visit https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2025.107891 to read the full research paper in Appetite.
The ethics of using AI in academic writing: Opportunities and challenges in education
A major topic buzzing around educational circles right now is the use of AI in academic writing. With AI tools becoming more sophisticated, students and educators find themselves navigating a new academic landscape. It’s both exciting and daunting. Joshua Wilson, an associate professor of education at the University of Delaware, can discuss this landscape. Drawing on his research in automated writing evaluation (AWE), Wilson explores how AI tools – particularly generative AI – can transform the teaching and learning of writing by supporting critical thinking and knowledge transformation. He emphasizes that AI can help writers overcome lower-level constraints, such as grammar and organization, enabling deeper reflection and metacognitive engagement. Additionally, AI tools hold promise for helping students structure their thoughts and ideas, serving as valuable aids in organizing ideas before they begin writing. Thus, making writing more accessible and less intimidating for learners at all levels. However, he cautions that the value of AI depends on its thoughtful integration into educational practices, alignment with learning theories, and addressing challenges such as equity, feedback accuracy, and ethical use. He provides actionable insights for educators, researchers, and policymakers on how AI can enhance writing instruction, critical thinking and accessibility while avoiding potential pitfalls. Wilson has appeared in publications including The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun and The Philadelphia Inquirer. To speak with Wilson further about AI and writing, click on his profile.
The Rev. Randall Meissen, LC, Florida Tech’s chaplain and director of the Catholic Campus Ministry and an adjunct faculty member of the College of Psychology and Liberal Arts, has published a new book chapter, “Contemplating Bats and Bees,” in the academic compendium, “In The Dominicans in the Americas and the Philippines (c. 1500-c. 1820),” edited by David Thomas Orique, Rady Roldán-Figueroa and Cynthia Folquer. The book was published online in August by Routledge. Meissen’s chapter examines the man credited with preserving the only surviving Mayan language texts, Friar Francisco Ximenez, and examples of the influences of Dominican spirituality on natural history. He conducted research in the rare book archives of Guatemala and Spain, and the chapter developed from a presentation Meissen gave at the International Conference on the History of the Order of the Preachers in the Americas several years ago. Ximenez was an 18th century Dominican priest and missionary linguist known for his preservation of the Maya–K’iche’ creation myth the Popol Vuh. He also had a keen interest in the plants and animals of Guatemala during his ministry, Meissen highlights, and recorded observations in his manuscript, “La historia natural del reino de Guatemala.” Meissen’s chapter examines Ximenez’s observations of nature and explores the cultural factors inspiring Ximenez’s research of the region. Those include: “the Dominican tradition of collecting anecdotes about animals as exempla for use in preaching, the expansive highland Mayan vocabulary for naming native organisms, the Mayan religious myths about animals in the Popol Vuh, the practice of using mission churches as spatial reference points and the material need of the Order of Preachers in Guatemala for items such as beeswax,” the abstract reads. Meissen’s research also connects back to the classroom. He is teaching a World Religions course this spring. If you're interested in learning more or a reporter looking to speak with Father Randall Meissen - simply contact Adam Lowenstein, Director of Media Communications at Florida Institute of Technology at adam@fit.edu to arrange an interview today.
Astrobiologist Manasvi Lingam, assistant professor of aerospace, physics and space sciences at Florida Tech, authored a new astrobiology textbook to serve as a resource for the rapidly growing multidisciplinary field. “From Stars to Life: A Quantitative Approach to Astrobiology,” published by Cambridge University Press, is primarily geared toward upper-level undergraduate and graduate students studying astrobiology, Lingam says. Co-authored by astrophysicist Amedeo Balbi (University of Rome), the book’s 15 chapters cover topics from the Big Bang theory to planetary habitability to the future of humankind. The book also includes practice problems that involve modern developments like GenerativeAI (e.g., ChatGPT). Lingam explained how he came up with the new textbook and why it can help shape astrobiology programs like Florida Tech’s. What inspired this textbook? Manasvi Lingam: [Florida Tech] was the first university in the whole world to start an undergraduate astrobiology major. We have a strong connection to the field. But it turns out, every time I teach the subject, I don’t have a textbook to use. I have my first book, which is “Life in the Cosmos,” but it’s 1,100 pages. It’s for graduate students. It’s not going to work for them. Every time I was trying to cobble together resources from different places. My co-author has the same problem except that he’s been teaching [astrobiology] for even longer, for 20 years. He doesn’t have a textbook either. There’s this old saying in English: if you want something done right, do it yourself. We decided, well, might as well just try to write it ourselves. That’s how it came to be. How does this textbook bridge the gap between introductory readings and graduate-level material? ML: Right now, there’s pretty much only one class of textbooks for astrobiology, and those are written for freshman- or sophomore-level undergraduates. There’s this emphasis on a broad overview but at an extremely qualitative level and sometimes offering somewhat weak explanations for various specific phenomena, such as, “Why did Mars lose its atmosphere? It just got eroded over time.” These kinds of limitations. Graduate literature is very specialized, oriented towards whatever subfield one is studying in astrobiology. You can have a whole book on the origin of life. You can have a whole book on just Mars. You can have a whole book on Titan and so on. The aforementioned introductory textbooks that exist are very broad, but they don’t really offer a tool to actually get started doing research in the more specialized field. There was this vital need to bridge the gap. That’s what this book is meant to do. How did you decide what content to include and what not to include? ML: This field begins almost with the Big Bang – the start of the universe – which is when the first elements were formed, including elements that are widespread in life like hydrogen. This tale begins almost with the beginning of the universe. It is a tale that is still ongoing and is going to unfold for trillions of years into the future. But, there was so much material to include in principle. We had to be quite selective about what topics to include. There are a number of courses that are taught around the world on this topic. We looked at dozens of them to find the common core within all of them, and then expanded on that core. That’s what constitutes our table of contents. While writing the textbook, how did you grow as a researcher and an educator? ML: There’s this implicit understanding in academia that if you can write something down clearly, and if you can articulate something clearly, that’s when you can really say you understand it. Often you can’t articulate what you need to say coherently and succinctly if it’s something very big. That’s what, of course, astrobiology is. In the process of writing the book as an educator, I think I was really able to see how various domains linked to each other. For instance, modulations of, say, the Earth’s climate that were driven not just by changes on Earth (including life itself!), but also by changes in the sun, by changes in the orbits of other solar system planets, but also phenomena that were taking place hundreds of light years away in the galaxy. You really see that everything is connected – there are hidden links to each other. I think that helped me discover the magic of the universe, so to speak, even more. From a research standpoint, there were some areas that I have not worked in a lot, but by writing this book, I’ve gotten a better understanding of those areas, like, say, Mars, and also certain microbiological and astrophysical aspects as well. I think that has provided new ideas that I hope to explore in the future. What do you want readers to learn throughout the book, and what should they walk away with? ML: What we want to do is build a holistic integrated understanding of different phenomena pertaining to life in the universe, but at a quantitative level, and still retain breadth without sacrificing depth in the process. It won’t necessarily make students ready for research because it’s still primarily an undergrad textbook, but it will give them a comprehensive understanding of how various processes are intertwined with each other. We want people to see the big picture without missing out on the detail, and to appreciate the beauty of life, Earth, the solar system, the Milky Way and the universe. Lingam plans to start teaching from this textbook in Spring 2025. The textbook is available for purchase on Amazon. Looking to know more about Astrobiology and the work Manasvi Lingam is doing at Florida Tech? Then let us help. Astrobiologist Manasvi Lingam, assistant professor of aerospace, physics and space sciences at Florida Tech and author is available to speak with media regarding this and related topics. Simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview.
Image Credit: Petrovich9/Getty Images Plus Although time is a set duration of hours, minutes and seconds, the perception of time can vary dramatically based on the individual and especially during times of high stress and uncertainty such as disasters, recessions and most recently the COVID-19 lockdown. For example, ask anyone when a specific event occurred during the pandemic and they are likely to respond with, “That happened three months ago. Or did that happen three years ago?” While there have been studies on the feeling that there is not enough time or experiencing time as moving too slowly, Baylor University sociologists Matthew Andersson, Ph.D., and Paul Froese, Ph.D., investigated this sense of multifaceted time perceptions during the pandemic and their effects on mental well-being. Their findings – using national Gallup data collected in spring 2021 in the middle of the pandemic – were published in the journal Time & Society. “We know from existing research that people often experience time in altered ways whenever disasters strike, and we wanted to see if that was true during the pandemic as well,” Andersson said. The Baylor researchers found that Americans during the pandemic generally reported some degree of feeling rushed while also perceiving multiple types of time distortion involving slowness, quickness and days and weeks blending together. This disorientation also was frequently reported alongside other pandemic-related stressors, including economic strain, working from home, homeschooling a child and severe household conflict. Together, they complicated how people perceive time by disrupting routines and creating experiences of trauma, adding to the decline in mental well-being and an increase in feelings of loneliness. Time disorientation and mental well-being The top three findings of the study all demonstrate the connection between altered time perception and the mental states of an individual. “If time does not seem to be moving ‘normally,’ it is generally related to lower levels of mental well-being, such as increased depressive, anxiety symptoms or a lessened sense of control,” Andersson said. “We think this is because people tend to feel grounded or calm when they feel like time is moving as it should.” Secondly, the researchers found that individuals can often experience these time disorientations in multiple and contradictory ways, which can be related to even lower well-being. “Feeling rushed and feeling that time is slow are kind of opposites, but they are both related to having this sense of multifaceted blending of time,” Froese said. “We can show very clearly how these new stresses that were brought on by the pandemic created heightened senses of disorientation in terms of time.” More importantly, they found these time disorientations were affected by social, familial, physical and work situations, which created lower levels of mental well-being. “Specific forms of stress we were seeing during the pandemic, such as financial hardship, homeschooling, working from home and severe household conflict, all had relationships to experiencing different kinds of time distortions,” said Andersson. This was more evident in younger people “because it [lockdown] probably upended their daily routines in a much more dramatic way than it would have in somebody who's retired,” said Froese. Experience of time The rushed pace of industrialized society existed before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the stressors associated with the pandemic added to the feelings of time being out of control. “Our approach to capturing experiences of time rests on the assumption that individuals relate to time in complex ways,” Froese said. “We found original evidence to suggest that experiences of quickness, being rushed, slowness and indistinct boundaries of days all coincide, and that these multiple disorientations each relate to diminished mental wellbeing, to objective work and family demands, and to widespread exposures to pandemic-related stressors.” The survey was conducted as part of the Baylor Religion Survey, one of the most extensive national surveys of American religious beliefs, values and behaviors that produces unique data concerning religion, health and community in America today. The 2021 data collection by Gallup contained a section devoted to how the pandemic affected Americans’ activities, including how the pandemic changed the emotional lives of Americans. Looking to know more? We can help. Dr. Paul Froese is a professor of sociology and a research fellow for the Institute for Studies of Religion. He has been teaching and researching at Baylor since 2002. Dr. Matthew Andersson’s research focuses on health inequality as it unfolds across the life course. Specifically, he researches educational and socioeconomic inequalities in mental and physical well-being as they relate to childhood, adolescent and adulthood factors. Both experts are available to speak with media about this important topic - simply click on either expert's icon to arrange an interview time today.
