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UF professor to expand proven disease-prediction dashboard to monitor Gulf threats

After deploying life-saving cholera-prediction systems in Africa and Asia, a University of Florida researcher is turning his attention to the pathogen-plagued waters off Florida’s Gulf Coast. In the fight to end cholera deaths by 2030 – a goal set by the World Health Organization – UF researcher and professor Antar Jutla, Ph.D., has deployed his Cholera Risk Dashboard in about 20 countries, most recently in Kenya. Using NASA and NOAA satellite images and artificial intelligence algorithms, the dashboard is an interactive web interface that pinpoints areas ripe for thriving cholera bacteria. It can predict cholera risk four weeks out, allowing early and proactive humanitarian efforts, medical preparation and health warnings. Cholera is a bacterial disease spread through contaminated food and water; it causes severe intestinal issues and can be fatal if untreated. The US Centers for Disease Control reports between 21,000 and 143,000 cholera deaths each year globally. Make no mistake, the Cholera Risk Dashboard saves lives, existing users contend. His team now wants to set up a similar pathogen-monitoring and disease-prediction system for pathogenic bacteria in the warm, pathogen-fertile waters of the Gulf of America. “Its timeliness, its predictiveness and its ease of access to the right data is a game changer in responding to outbreaks and preventing potentially catastrophic occurrences.” - Linet Kwamboka Nyang’au, a senior program manager for Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data Closer to home Jutla is seeking funding to develop a pathogen-prediction model to identify dangerous bacteria in the Gulf to warn people – particularly rescue workers – to use protective gear or avoid contaminated areas. He envisions post-hurricane systems for the Gulf that will help the U.S. Navy/Coast Guard and other rescue workers make informed health decisions before entering the water. And he wants UF to be at the forefront of this technology. “If we have enough resources, I think within a year we should have a prototype ready for the Gulf,” said Jutla, an associate professor with UF’s Engineering School Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment. “We want to build that expertise here at UF for the entire Gulf of America.” Jutla and his co-investigators have applied for a five-year, $4 million NOAA RESTORE grant to study pathogens known as vibrios off Florida’s West Coast and develop the Vibrio Warning System. These vibrios in the Gulf can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills. One alarming example is Vibrio vulnificus, commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria, a bacterium that often leads to amputations or death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported increases in vibrio infections in the Gulf region, particularly from 2000 to 2018. The warm and ecologically sensitive Gulf waters provide a thriving habitat for harmful pathogens. “The grant builds directly on the success of our cholera-prediction system," Jutla noted. "By integrating AI technologies into public health decision-making, we would not only lead the nation but also become self-reliant in understanding the movement of environmentally sensitive pathogens, positioning ourselves as global leaders.” Learning from preparing early Jutla’s dashboards are critical tools for global health and humanitarian officials, said Linet Kwamboka Nyang’au, a senior program manager for Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data. “Its timeliness, its predictiveness and its ease of access to the right data is a game changer in responding to outbreaks and preventing potentially catastrophic occurrences,” Kwamboka Nyang’au said. Over the last few years, Jutla and several health/government leaders have been working to deploy the cholera-predictive dashboard. “Our partnership with UF, the government of Kenya and others on the cholera dashboard is a life-saving mission for high-risk, extremely vulnerable populations in Africa. By predicting potential cholera outbreaks and coordinating multi-stakeholder interventions, we are enabling swift action and empowering local governments and communities to prevent crises before they unfold,” said Davis Adieno, senior director of programs for the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data. The early warnings for waterborne pathogens also allows the United Nations time to issue early assistance to residents in the outbreak’s path, said Juan Chaves-Gonzalez, a program advisor with the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “There are several things we do with the money ahead of time. We provide hygiene kits. We repair and protect water sources. We start chlorination, we set up hand-washing stations, train and deploy rapid-response teams. At the community level, we try to inject funding to procure rapid-diagnostic tests,” he said. “We identify those very, very specific barriers and put money in organizations’ hands in advance to remove those barriers.” Eyes on the Gulf In the United States, hurricanes stir up vibrios in the Gulf, posing a high risk of infection for humans in the water. There has been a nearly 200% increase in these cases over the last 20 years in the U.S., according to the CDC. “After Hurricane Ian, we saw a very heavy presence of these vibrios in Sarasota Bay and the Charlotte Bay region. Not only that, but they were showing signs of antibiotic-resistance. Last year, we had one of the largest number of cases of vibriosis in the history of Florida,” Jutla said. Samples from 2024 hurricanes Helene and Milton are being analyzed with AI and complex bioinformatics algorithms. “If there is a risky operation by rescue personnel, not using personal protective equipment, then we would want them to know there is a significant concentration of these bacteria in the water,” Jutla said. “As an example, Navy divers operating in contaminated waters are at risk of infections from vibrios and other enteric pathogens, which can cause severe gastrointestinal and wound infections.” Safety and economics “Exposure to vibrios and other enteric pathogens,” Jutla added, “can disrupt economic activities, particularly in coastal regions that are dependent on tourism and fishing. And vibrios may be considered potential bioterrorism agents due to their ability to cause widespread illness and panic.” In developing the Vibrio Warning System, Jutla noted, he and his team want to significantly enhance public health safety and preparedness along the Gulf Coast. By leveraging advanced AI technologies, satellite datasets and predictive modeling, they plan to mitigate the risks posed by environmentally sensitive pathogenic bacteria, ensuring timely interventions and safeguarding human health and economic activities. “Hospital systems and healthcare providers in the Gulf region will have a tool for anticipatory decision making on where and when to anticipate illness from these environmentally sensitive vibrios, and issue a potential warning to the general public,” he said. “With the potential to become a leader in environmental pathogen prediction, UF stands at the forefront of this critical research, poised to make a lasting impact on local, regional, national and global health and safety.”

Chasing followers makes crypto traders perform worse on social investment sites

Whether excited about gaining new followers or desperate to win back lost subscribers, investors who saw changes to their subscriber count performed worse than before their subscribers changed, according to a new study. The research tracked performance on social investment sites, where individuals can trade assets like cryptocurrency while attracting audiences based on their performance — like YouTube, but for investments. Both gaining and losing followers led investors to make more frequent, riskier trades. The upshot is that traders performed about 10% worse in the weeks after their subscriber counts changed. “If the number of followers increases a lot, it creates an overconfidence effect. You are more aggressive in trading, and your future trading performance will be worse,” said Liangfei Qiu, Ph.D., a professor in the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business and co-author of the new study. “So logically we thought that if more followers leads to worse performance, then if we reduce the number of followers, it will reverse the effect, reduce overconfidence and lead to higher trading performance,” Qiu said. “But that’s not what we found. If we reduce the number of followers, they trade even more aggressively and their trading performance becomes even worse.” Qiu and his collaborators at the University of Maryland and University of Washington worked directly with an anonymous social trading platform to examine the impact of gaining or losing followers on traders’ cryptocurrency trading behavior and performance. The research revealed the power of social pressure. This study was focused on cryptocurrency, which is highly volatile and may exacerbate the risk of social trading. But social trading also exists for traditional investments like stocks and bonds, and chasing followers could hurt these types of investments, too. The researchers say that both platforms and investors should guard against the downsides. “If platforms emphasize the social functions too much, it might backfire. Eventually it will hurt the long run performance of the platform,” he said. “The investors should realize their inherent bias and make sure their trading strategies are not too affected by social attention.”

Why Insomnia May Hold the Key to Treating Depression, According to MCG Research

William Vaughn McCall, MD, professor emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, is leading a new multi-year clinical trial aimed at addressing insomnia and depression together — two conditions that frequently occur side by side. The Assessing Improvements in Mood and Sleep (AIMS) Trial, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is exploring whether treating sleep problems through psychotherapy can also reduce lingering symptoms of depression, particularly in older adults. McCall has served as professor and Case Distinguished Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at Augusta University since 2012. His research interests include depression, electroconvulsive therapy, quality of life, insomnia, and suicide. His research has been continuously funded by the National Institute of Mental Health since 1995, and he is the author of more than 400 publications, including more than 180 peer-reviewed journal articles. View his profile McCall’s work builds on decades of research examining how disrupted sleep contributes to mood disorders. While previous studies often focused on medication-based approaches, this trial takes a different direction by testing non-pharmacological therapies that target insomnia itself. The research team, which includes collaborators from multiple universities, is evaluating whether improving sleep quality can meaningfully lower depression symptoms for patients who remain symptomatic despite antidepressant treatment. “Ultimately, the hope is to find other avenues to reduce the risk for depression and depression symptoms,” McCall says. The trial is currently recruiting adults aged 55 and older who are experiencing both insomnia and depression, with options for both in-person and remote participation. For journalists covering mental health, aging, sleep science, or emerging clinical research, McCall is a key expert offering informed perspective on how sleep-focused interventions could reshape the future of depression treatment. The full article 'New MCG trial targets insomnia and depression symptoms' is available below: And if you're interested in talking with William Vaughn McCall, MD, simply click on his icon now  to arrange a time for an interview today.

With the MOMitor™ app, Florida mothers have better maternal care right at their fingertips

A program spearheaded by University of Florida physicians recently expanded to improve care for new mothers throughout the state, using tools they have right at home. Five years ago, a team of obstetricians and researchers at the UF College of Medicine launched MOMitor™, a smartphone app that allows new mothers to answer health screening questions and check vitals like blood pressure in the comfort of their own homes, using tools given to them by their health care providers. Depending on the data, the clinical team can then follow up with patients as needed for further medical intervention. Now, the app is expanding beyond North Central Florida — where nearly 4,400 mothers have participated in the program — to other areas in the state. Clinicians are also teaming up with data scientists at the College of Medicine who are using artificial intelligence to study data and identify trends that can lead to more personalized care. Program expansion Thanks to funding from the Florida Department of Health to support the state’s Telehealth Maternity Care Program, MOMitor™ has recently expanded for use in Citrus, Hernando, Sumter, Flagler, Volusia, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties, said Kay Roussos-Ross, M.D. ’02, MPAS ’98, a UF professor of obstetrics/gynecology and psychiatry who is leading the program. “The Florida Legislature was really motivated and interested in improving maternal morbidity and mortality, and through this program we’re touching additional parts of the state and helping patients beyond North Central Florida,” she said. Maternal mortality is a serious concern in the United States, with more than 18 deaths recorded per 100,000 births in 2023, according to the latest data available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a much higher rate than most other developed countries, Roussos-Ross said. Common factors that may lead to maternal mortality, which is measured from pregnancy through the first year after giving birth, include infection, mental health conditions, cardiovascular conditions and endocrine disorders. Many of these complications can go unnoticed or unmonitored, particularly if at-risk mothers are not reporting complications to clinicians. A 2025 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that up to 40% of women do not attend postpartum visits. “By leveraging AI, we have the opportunity to target moms and moms-to-be who might be at greater risk of complications ... and encourage them to participate in the program to mitigate these.” — Tanja Magoc, Ph.D. “Whereas we’re used to seeing patients pretty routinely during pregnancy, after delivery visits quickly drop off and some women don’t make it back for postpartum care, so we may not have an opportunity to continue supporting them,” Roussos-Ross said. “This can often be because of barriers such as housing, transportation or food insecurity. We offer referrals to help with some of these services.” With MOMitor™, patients can let their clinician know how they are recovering without visiting the clinic, improving access to care in situations where that is not always an easy option for new mothers. “It’s a way to be proactive,” Roussos-Ross said. “Instead of waiting for a patient to come to us when they haven’t been doing well for a while, we connect with them through the app and follow up when they initially begin not doing well, so we can address concerns more quickly.” Studying data to personalize care Roussos-Ross’ team is collaborating with data scientists from the College of Medicine’s Quality and Patient Safety initiative, or QPSi, to determine how AI can assist in finding ways to further improve processes. “By leveraging AI, we have the opportunity to target moms and moms-to-be who might be at greater risk of complications, such as developing postpartum depression or hypertension, and encourage them to participate in the program to mitigate these complications,” said Tanja Magoc, Ph.D., the associate director of QPSi’s Artificial Intelligence/Quality Improvement Program. David Hall, Ph.D., a QPSi data scientist, said his team is working alongside the clinical team to analyze data that can be used to create recommendations for patients. “Everything we do comes from information supported in the patients’ charts,” Hall said. “We also make sure the data upholds compliance standards and protects patients’ privacy.” “We’re interested in finding out what areas might be hot spots and determining what makes them this way, so we can ... better identify areas where there may be high-risk patients and provide interventions to those who need it most.” — David Hall, Ph.D. The teams aim to intervene before patients encounter postpartum complications, addressing potential issues before they become significant problems. After taking into account a patient’s personal and family medical history, the team looks at information such as geolocation, drilling down to areas much smaller than the ZIP code level in order to find points of potential concern. “We’re interested in finding out what areas might be hot spots and determining what makes them this way, so we can study these patterns throughout the state and better identify areas where there may be high-risk patients and provide interventions to those who need it most,” Hall said. Roussos-Ross said she is proud of the work her team has done to improve patient outcomes through the program so far and is excited to empower more patients. “Every year, the participants give us recommendations on how to improve the app, which we love. But they also say, ‘This is so great. It helped me think about myself and not just my baby. It helped me learn about taking care of my own health. It made me remember I’m important too, and it’s not just about the baby,’” Roussos-Ross said. “And that is so gratifying, because women are willing to do anything to ensure the health of their baby, sometimes at the expense of their own care. This is a way for us to let them know they are still important, and we care about their health as well.”

AU scientists advance understanding of Nobel-winning immunology research

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine recognized the discovery of regulatory T cells, which are immune cells that maintain tolerance and prevent autoimmunity. At Augusta University, scientists have built upon that foundational work, uncovering how these cells function, fail and evolve across diseases like cancer and atherosclerosis. Regulatory T cells, or Tregs, are essential for controlling immune responses and preventing the body from attacking its own tissues. Early discoveries by Shimon Sakaguchi, MD, PhD, who identified the CD25 marker and later the transcription factor FoxP3, revealed how Tregs suppress immune activation. Sakaguchi, a distinguished professor at Osaka University in Japan, shared the Nobel Prize with Mary E. Brunkow, PhD, Princeton University, and Fred Ramsdell, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles. Sakaguchi once shared lab space with Nicholas Gascoigne, PhD, now a professor at AU’s Immunology Center of Georgia, where he studies T-cell signaling and differentiation — a connection that ties the global history of Treg research to the university’s ongoing expertise. Gascoigne’s research continues to illuminate how Tregs differentiate and signal, critical steps in ensuring immune tolerance to self. “Drs. Sakaguchi, Brunkow and Ramsdell have made enormous contributions to our understanding of how immunological tolerance works, so this prize is very well deserved,” Gascoigne said. “I was happy I could help Drs. Shimon and Noriko Sakaguchi when they needed lab space back in the early ‘90s. They were wonderful to work with.” At Augusta University, David Munn, MD, co-director of the Pediatric Immunotherapy Program of the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, made seminal discoveries showing that Tregs are not always stable. Munn’s team demonstrated that these cells could lose their suppressive identity and become “exTregs,” adopting pro-inflammatory characteristics under certain conditions. Munn also uncovered an entirely distinct tolerance mechanism through indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, a pathway independent of FoxP3 that regulates immune balance through tryptophan metabolism. “In particular, the work of Shimon Sakaguchi and Fred Ramsdell was profoundly influential on our early work, as we were just starting out to explore how the immune system is regulated in pediatric cancers,” Munn said. “The work of these Nobel laureates helped transform the scientific understanding of how the immune system responds — or fails to respond — in the setting of tumors.” Catherine “Lynn” Hedrick, PhD, co-director of the Immunology Center of Georgia, further expanded this understanding by showing that Tregs can convert into follicular helper T cells, offering new insight into how immune regulation can shift toward antibody production in chronic inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. “Understanding how regulatory T cells can shift identities helps explain why the immune system sometimes loses balance in chronic disease,” Hedrick said. “By tracing how Tregs convert into other helper cells, we’re uncovering new therapeutic targets to restore immune harmony in conditions like atherosclerosis.” Building on these advances, Klaus Ley, MD, co-director of IMMCG, and his team have investigated how exTregs contribute to cardiovascular inflammation, identifying them in human tissues and clarifying their role in atherosclerosis. His lab also recently discovered human exTregs, providing the first direct evidence of these cells in people. Two postdoctoral fellows in Ley’s lab, Qingkang Lyu, PhD, and Smriti Parashar, PhD, continue this work, exploring how regulatory and ex-regulatory T cells influence chronic disease progression. Additionally, Dimitrios Moskofidis, MD, PhD, a professor based in the Georgia Cancer Center, contributed key early insights into immune tolerance and memory, defining how effector T cells persist or are deleted following infection. “Together, these discoveries place Augusta University and the Immunology Center of Georgia at the forefront of modern immunology, connecting molecular mechanisms of tolerance to real-world diseases and therapies,” Ley said. To connect with any of the experts or researchers in this article - simply contact AU's External Communications Team mediarelations@augusta.edu to arrange an interview today.

New AI-powered tool helps students find creative solutions to complex math proofs

Math students may not blink at calculating probabilities, measuring the area beneath curves or evaluating matrices, yet they often find themselves at sea when first confronted with writing proofs. But a new AI-powered tool called HaLLMos — developed by a team led by Professor Vincent Vatter, Ph.D., in the University of Florida Department of Mathematics — now offers a lifeline. “Some students love proofs, but almost everyone struggles with them. The ones who love them just put in more work,” Vatter said. “It just kind of blows their minds that there’s no single correct answer — that there are many different ways to do this. It’s very different than just doing computational work.” Building the tool HaLLMos was developed by Vatter, as principal investigator, along with Sarah Sword, a mathematics education expert at the Education Development Center; Jay Pantone, an associate professor of mathematical and statistical sciences at Marquette University; and Ryota Matsuura, a professor of mathematics, statistics and computer science at St. Olaf College; with grant support from the National Science Foundation. The tool is freely available at hallmos.com. The team’s goal was to develop an AI tool powered by a large language model that would support student learning rather than short-circuiting it. HaLLMos provides immediate personalized feedback that guides students through the creative struggle that writing proofs requires, without solving the proofs for them. The tool’s name honors the late Paul Halmos, a renowned mathematician who argued that the mathematics field is a creative art, akin to how painters work. Students using HaLLMos can select from classic exercises — such as proving that, for all integers, if the square of the integer is even, the integer is even — or use “sandbox mode” to enter exercises from any course. Faculty can create exercises and share them with students. Vatter introduced HaLLMos to his students last spring in his “Reasoning and Proof in Mathematics” class, a core requirement for math majors that is often the first time students encounter proofs. “They could use this tool to try out their proofs before they brought them to me. We try to identify the error in a student’s proof and let them go fix it,” Vatter said. “It is difficult for faculty to devote enough time to working individually with students. Our goal is that this tool will provide the feedback in real time to students in the way we would do it if we were there with them as they construct a proof.” Helping professors and students excel “I think every math professor would love to give more feedback to students than we are able to,” Vatter said. “That’s one of the things that inspired this.” The next steps for Vatter and his colleagues include getting more pilot sites to use the tool and continuing to improve its responses. “We’d like it to be good at any kind of undergraduate mathematics proofs,” he said. Vatter also intends to explore moving HaLLMos to UF’s HiPerGator, the country's fastest university-owned supercomputer. “It’s our goal to have it remain publicly accessible,” Vatter said. This research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education.

UC Irvine’s Daniele Piomelli provides expert view on federal reclassification of cannabis

As the White House moves to reclassify cannabis under federal law from a schedule I to a schedule III, questions remain about how the change could affect medical use, public health, research, and regulation. UC Irvine’s Daniele Piomelli, PhD, an internationally recognized cannabis researcher, is available to comment on the implications of the policy shift. Piomelli is a distinguished professor of anatomy and neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine, the Louise Turner Arnold Chair in the neurosciences, and director of the UCI Center for the Study of Cannabis. Piomelli has more than 30 years of experience studying cannabis, THC and the endocannabinoid system, with research spanning basic neuroscience, pharmacology and translational science. He is editor in chief of Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research and has testified before the U.S. Senate on cannabis-related research and policy. He can provide perspective on: • What federal reclassification may change for medical cannabis and scientific research • Differences between THC, CBD and other cannabinoids • Potential public health benefits and risks of cannabis legalization • Cannabis exposure and the developing brain, including adolescence • Regulatory and research challenges tied to cannabis policy Piomelli is available for interviews or background conversations. Email: piomelli@hs.uci.edu

Tales of Christmas Past: Preserving Your Family History During the Holidays

During past family Christmas gatherings, many of us remember when older relatives regaled everyone with tales about their fascinating life stories, firsthand experiences as an eyewitness to history or simply sharing how favorite family traditions started. So how do you preserve those precious family memories during the holidays? Baylor University oral historians Stephen Sloan and Adrienne Cain Darough have recorded and preserved the oral history memoirs of thousands of individuals through their work with Baylor’s renowned Institute for Oral History, home of the national Oral History Association. Together, the historians share seven simple best practices to help family members begin oral history conversations that enrich recollections of the past and capture your family memories. “The holiday season brings about the opportunity to spend time with family members, especially those you may not be able to see on a frequent basis,” Cain Darough said. “This presents the perfect opportunity to conduct oral histories to capture the stories and experiences of your family and loved ones, to learn more about them, the history of your family, traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation and more.” Seven best practices for preserving your family’s oral history 1. Ask first! Make sure your family member wants their story to be documented or recorded. That is the first – and most important – question to ask, said Adrienne Cain Darough, M.L.S., assistant director and senior lecturer with the Institute for Oral History. Ask first. “Many oral historians have run into the spot where someone says, ‘Oh, my grandpa would be great for that topic,’ and you get there and it's, ‘Grandpa does not want to talk to you.’ So first, make sure they want their story recorded,” she said. 2. Determine the type of recording equipment you want to use. Decide if you want to record your interview with an audio recorder or use a video recording device. It all depends on your needs and comfort level with the technology. For family members who are unable to travel this holiday season, you can include them by capturing their stories using a remote recording platform like Zoom, which became a vital tool for oral historians when COVID struck in 2020. Helpful resources from Baylor’s Institute for Oral History include: How to choose the right digital recorder Oral History at a Distance webinar on the dynamics of conducting remote oral history interviews Remote Interviewing Resources guide (Oral History Association) 3. Research your family member’s life and their timeline to help you formulate your questions. Recording a family member’s oral history is more than just putting down a recorder in front of them and saying, “Talk.” If you’re recording an oral history over Christmas with a family member, are there specific things that you want to know that are related to the holiday? For example, what was Christmas morning like for them as a child? How did your favorite family traditions start? What is their favorite holiday dish? (Maybe they could even share the recipe. “You can finally learn why Nana’s banana pudding doesn’t even have bananas in it,” Cain Darough said.) “Doing your research to try to form those questions will help you get around the reluctance to talk sometimes,” Cain Darough added. “The favorite thing that I love to hear is, ‘Oh, I don't have much to say,’ or ‘I'm not that important.’ And then you sit down with them, and you listen to their stories, and your mind is just blown by the things that they've seen and experienced.” 4. Start with the basics: “Where are you from?” When Baylor oral historians conduct an interview, they generally begin with some life history of the subject, providing important context for historians. “Ask questions early on that are easy for them to answer: a little bit of the backstory, a little bit of where they're from, where they grew up,” said Stephen Sloan, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Oral History, executive director of Oral History Association and professor of history at Baylor. “I want to understand the lens through which they experienced events, and the only way I can do that is, who was this? What was formative in their life growing up? Who spoke into who they were? What did they learn? Where did they go? What did they do? Those are the sorts of things that I would be exploring early in the interview.” One of the questions Cain Darough enjoys asking is, “What did you want to be when you grew up?” “You want to give them something that's very easy and comfortable to talk about,” Cain Darough said. “What was your favorite subject in school, just to see if that was something that continued on in their life. If there's a certain hobby or something that you know that they're affiliated with, when did you learn about that? Tell me more. What's your interest with this? And then they'll get to talking.” 5. Ask open-ended questions – without making any assumptions. With oral history, it is important that you don’t go into the interview with a specific agenda or try to lead anyone to a certain conclusion. “We can do this very subtly by assuming information, but you can't assume anything about their experience with the topic,’” Sloan said. “If we assume information, it could be very far from how they encountered whatever event that may have been. Allow them to relate the ways in which they lived these experiences.” 6. Listen closely. Listening is an important facet of gathering oral history. But historians say you are not only listening for what they're saying, you're also listening for what they're not saying. “Are there things that are being skipped around?” Cain Darough said. “For example, sometimes when you're talking to veterans about their combat experience, it may be the first time that they're reliving or retelling these stories. They need time, and you just have to be prepared for that.” 7. Be patient. It might take your subject some time to warm up to the conversation. “If you're talking to someone who is 80, 90 or even 100, that's a lot of memories that they have to go through, so patience is important,” Cain Darough said. Looking to know more or arrange an interview? Simply click on Stephen's icon or contact: Shelby Cefaratti-Bertin today to connect with  Adrienne Cain Darough.

A year in the spotlight: University of Delaware’s most notable media mentions of 2025

In 2025, the University of Delaware had many exceptional media mentions. Here are some of the most notable.  Science coverage dominated  Where will the next big hurricane hit? Ask the sharks. (The Washington Post) – Aaron Carlisle, a marine ecologist, was featured for his revolutionary work using sharks to predict major weather events. Scientists could soon lose a key tool for studying Antarctica's melting ice sheets as climate risks grow (NBC News) – Carlos Moffat, an associate professor and oceanographer, spoke about the national budget and how it's impacting climate research.  These Katrina Survivors Feel Overlooked. Now, They’re Using TikTok to Tell Their Stories (Rolling Stone) – Jennifer Trivedi, a disaster researcher, spoke about why Hurricane Katrina was such a major story.  Malala Yousafzai, Migration and Sustainability (Forbes) – Saleem Ali, a professor of energy and environment, contributed regularly to Forbes on environmental topics.  Scientists went hunting for freshwater deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean. What they found could have global implications (CNN) – Holly Michael, a professor of Earth sciences and civil and environmental engineering, spoke about the history of freshwater.  Engineering Professor Answers Electric Car Questions (WIRED) – Willett Kempton, a professor of engineering, joined WIRED to answer the internet's most interesting questions about electric cars. Plastic shopping bag policies are actually working, a new study suggests (CNN) – Kimberly Oremus, associate professor of marine science and policy, was featured in several major outlets on the effectiveness of plastic bag bans.  Insects are dying: here are 25 easy and effective ways you can help protect them (The Guardian) – Douglas Tallamy, an entomologist, was featured in dozens of outlets for his expertise.    Political news coverage was front and center  U.S. Chamber of Commerce sues Trump administration over $100,000 H-1B visa fees (NPR) – Daniel Kinderman, a political science professor, was interviewed for his expertise on a lawsuit involving changes in work visas.  The government shutdown is over, but expect more fights and higher insurance prices to come (Delaware Public Media) – David Redlawsk, a political psychologist, discussed the recent government shutdown and what an end to it signals.  Wrestling Over Charlie Kirk’s Legacy and the Divide in America (The New York Times) – Dannagal Young, a communications professor, commented on how media reacted to the death of Charlie Kirk.  Consequences for colleges whose students carry mountains of debt? Republicans say yes (NPR) – Dominique Baker, associate professor of education, was quoted in multiple national outlets for her education expertise.   General expertise came in clutch  Why the U.S. struggles with passenger service despite having the most rail lines (NPR) – Allan Zarembski, a professor of railroad engineering, was featured in dozens of national publications for his expertise.  From folklore to your front porch: The history of the jack-o'-lantern (NPR) – Cindy Ott, an associate professor of history, detailed the history of this autumn staple in multiple outlets.   Nexstar Media Group buying Tegna in deal worth $6.2 billion (AP) – Danilo Yanich, professor of public policy, noted the ways the media giant duplicates work across networks.  Warren Buffett hired Todd Combs to take over Berkshire's portfolio one day. Here's what close watchers say about his surprise exit. (Business Insider) – Lawrence Cunningham, director of UD's Weinberg Center, was featured throughout the year for his business and economic expertise.  Enlighten Me: How to make your holidays truly happy (Delaware Public Media) – Amit Kumar, a professor of marketing, discussed strategies for finding happiness during the holidays throughout the winter season.  Students and their stories shined throughout the year Networking: Is it what you know or who you know? (The Chronicle of Higher Education) – UD's career-development office, which assists students on their job journeys, was featured.  U of Delaware Creates Yearlong Co-Ops for Business Students (Inside Higher Ed) – A new partnership with the state of Delaware connects business students to local employers, with the goal of reducing brain drain in the region was featured.  Wilmington’s 'STEM Queen' earns national Obama–Chesky honor (The News Journal/Delaware Online) – Jacqueline Means, a management information systems major, was featured for earning a national recognition. Vita Nova Restaurant Gives Culinary Students Hands-on Training (Delaware Today) – The student-staffed restaurant, Vita Nova, was featured.  Delaware professor transforms writing class by teaching students to use AI as the technology reshapes the workforce (WHYY) – Matt Kinservik, a professor of English, was featured for teaching students to use AI responsibly, exploring its capabilities and fact-checking tools. Pop culture experts weighed in 'Stranger Things' expert at UD chats about Netflix show's appeal (The News Journal/Delaware Online) – Siobhan Carroll, an associate English professor, sat down with a reporter to discuss the latest season and how the horror genre is often a mirror of our real world. “Horrendous And Insulting”: Backlash Erupts Over “Misrepresentation” In 2026 Wuthering Heights (Bored Panda) – Thomas Leitch, an English professor, said that “literal adaptations of classic novels are exceedingly rare, maybe impossible.” Major changes at UD highlighted University of Delaware appoints interim president to the permanent post (The Philadelphia Inquirer) – News of UD's new president, Laura A. Carlson, was covered throughout the region. Retiree learning center gets boost with $1M gift for downstate OLLI classes (Spotlight Delaware) – a large donation to the southern Delaware chapter of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, was featured. To speak with any of these experts in 2026 on these stories or others, please reach out to MediaRelations@udel.edu. Happy holidays and cheers for a bright and healthy new year! 

New book from Aston University academic shows that Christmas tasks mostly fall on women

New book by Dr Emily Christopher shows differences in how household tasks are divided by men and women Book highlights that women tend to buy the Christmas presents and send cards Men often see women as being more thoughtful or having better knowledge of what people would like. A new book from Aston University’s Dr Emily Christopher reveals that when it comes to sending Christmas cards and buying Christmas presents, women are still mostly doing the work as they are perceived to have better knowledge of what people would like. Dr Emily Christopher, a lecturer in sociology and policy at Aston School of Law and Social Sciences, has recently published her book Couples at Work: Negotiating Paid Employment, Housework and Childcare, which look at how household tasks are divided by men and women and the reasons behind these divisions. The data for the book has been collated over an eight-year period with couples being interviewed twice to provide a robust set of results. It looks at how different sex parent couples combined paid work, housework and childcare. The research revealed how gender norms continue to shape how certain daily household jobs are divided. Women were more likely than men to clean the house, especially bathrooms, wash clothes and put clothes away. Men still tend to do tasks like mowing the lawn and DIY but now are also more likely to do the cooking and the grocery shopping. The research shows that the key to understanding how household tasks are divided lies in the meaning they hold for partners. With the festive season upon us, the book reveals that woman are largely responsible for the Christmas present buying and sending cards with 100% of those taking part in the research saying that women mostly carried out these tasks. This also included buying for the male partner's relatives. In instances where men had a 'helping' role in these tasks, this included being involved in the discussion or consulting on choice of presents, especially for children, with only a small minority buying presents for their own family. The data revealed that where women didn't choose and buy presents for their partners family, they were still involved in reminding their partners that this needed to be done or advising on choice of gifts, showing that women were still taking on the mental load of planning for the festive season. The book reveals that when men were questioned about why they didn't get involved in present buying, they drew on gender norms. Women were often described, by the men, as being more thoughtful or having better knowledge of what people would like. Men often described how family members wouldn’t receive presents at all if it relied on them. Although much of the gift giving and organising represented love and affection for the women, which many found enjoyable, many still saw it as work and expressed that they would like their partners' to be more involved. Dr Christopher said: “This book takes an in-depth look at the way in which everyday roles around the household are divided between men and women. “The research shows that over a period of eight years fathers increased their role in childcare tasks but this did not always extend to housework. “The pandemic was an opportunity to change how couples share housework but women were still more likely to carry out tasks like cleaning, washing clothes and putting clothes away and overwhelmingly remained responsible for the mental orchestration of family work.”