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Surgery past 65? Brain health screening can aid recovery
Before surgery, your doctor will order evaluations to identify any health problems that may need to be addressed before the procedure. This typically includes medical histories, laboratory tests and checking blood pressure, heart rate and temperature. There’s one vital sign that is often not on the list, but is crucial for older adults: screening for mental and cognitive health. “There is an overwhelming amount of evidence that presurgical brain health predicts complications after surgery,” said Catherine Price, Ph.D., a professor in the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions Department of Clinical and Health Psychology and the UF College of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology. “For example, individuals with weaknesses in memory and attention and people with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s, have higher rates of confusion and memory complications that affect their recovery from surgery.” Research by Price and others has shown that a patient’s cognitive, memory and mental health status before surgery is an excellent indicator of whether they will experience cognitive problems such as delirium, a common complications in older adults after surgery. Delirium, characterized by confusion, disorientation and impaired awareness, can lead to longer recovery times, increased dementia risk, higher mortality rates and health care costs. Price founded and directs the University of Florida Perioperative Cognitive Anesthesia Network, or PeCAN, a first-of-its-kind, multidisciplinary program that seeks to identify older adults who may be at risk of developing cognitive problems after surgery so that clinicians can intervene. In recent findings published in the journal Anesthesia and Analgesia, Price and her colleagues report on two years of PeCAN patient data. Of the thousands of patients over age 65 who received presurgical screening, 23% were found to have issues with their cognitive performance, yet only 2% of the patients screened had a previous note in their medical charts indicating they had a cognitive impairment. “It’s so important to know when an individual has cognitive complications because that changes their care path,” Price said. “From medication to monitoring, the patient’s care is more complex for the perioperative team and family.” For PeCAN patients identified as being at risk for postsurgery cognitive problems, Price and her team will share tailored recommendations with the patient’s care team before, during and after surgery. These may include more monitoring during anesthesia and medication adjustments, such as using medications for nausea and pain management less likely to contribute to delirium. The PeCAN team also might offer the surgical care team specific communication strategies. For example, health care providers should repeat information several times for patients who have trouble remembering new material and ask them to write it down. Recently published research by Price and colleagues found PeCAN patients reported the focus on brain health improved confidence in their surgical team and care plan. Health care systems are only starting to incorporate preoperative brain health teams like PeCAN. Until they are offered more frequently, Price offers a few steps anyone can take to help protect brain health, including a focus on reducing inflammation in the body prior to surgery. To help achieve this: Optimize nutrition. Reduce your intake of added sugars and refined carbohydrates, like white bread. Get good sleep. Improve sleep hygiene so you are well-rested. “Sleep is essential for the brain for a number of reasons,” Price said. Reduce alcohol intake to limit inflammation and dehydration. Pay attention to your medications. Follow your care team’s instructions. Enlist a family member or caregiver to help you keep tabs on what you’re taking, how much and how often. Practice techniques to limit anxiety, such as visualization and deep breathing. The box breathing method is an easy one to remember: Breathe in slowly for four seconds. Hold your breath for four seconds. Slowly exhale for four seconds. Wait four seconds before inhaling again.
Laura Mauldin's rule of thumb is that if you think you're caregiving, you probably are. The University of Connecticut professor and author has a new book that just been released In Sickness and in Health, where an urgent argument is made that America’s caregiving crisis is not a private family matter, but a structural and political failure. Mauldin isn't just a scholar in the field. She also speaks from personal experience about the impact of caregiving -- as well as how society views and values it -- on both caregivers and those that they care for. It may not have been the birthday present then 32-year-old Laura Mauldin wanted to buy herself, but purchasing long-term care insurance was something she knew she needed. Mauldin, an associate professor in UConn’s Department of Social and Critical Inquiry, had been caring for her sick partner the five years prior, watching as cancer destroyed the promise of a long life. “It’s not about being morbid, rather it’s about recognizing the inevitability of a completely typical, expectable part of life,” Mauldin says of her advanced planning. “Why not just go ahead and in a neutral way have a plan? Then it’s there, you don’t have to worry, and you can feel more prepared.” A detailed account of her caregiving experience is the launching point for her new book, “In Sickness and in Health,” released this month by HarperCollins’ Ecco Press, in which she tells the story of a handful of couples from around the country who she came to know over years of spending time with them, oftentimes days and nights. “I grew to love these people and to care about them,” she says. “Their stories tell us something bigger about our culture, about our society, and about our choices around care policy and care systems. Theirs are the hidden stories that are going on behind millions of closed doors.” In her quest to bring discussions about caregiving to the light of day, Mauldin sat with UConn Today recently to talk about the different forms that caregiving can take, the result of absent social safety nets, and how ableism permeates the culture. February 2026 - UConn Today Drawing from her new book, Mauldin blends her personal experience with sociological research to show how love, marriage, and devotion are routinely forced to compensate for weak public policy, limited Medicaid support, and a culture shaped by ableism. Her work reframes caregiving as essential labor, deeply gendered, largely invisible, and profoundly political, and challenges the notion that “love is enough” in a system that offers far too little support. It’s an old adage: when people get married, they promise to stick together “in sickness and in health.” But that’s easier said than done when you’re caregiving for a spouse or long-term partner, when systemic failures often lead to burnout. In her new book, In Sickness and in Health: Love Stories from the Front Lines of America’s Caregiving Crisis, University of Connecticut professor Laura Mauldin explores the relationships between caregivers and their disabled and sick spouses, and the underlying lack of structural support in the US that makes unpaid care an inescapable feature of most such relationships. The topic is personal for her: Maudlin’s partner’s leukemia came out of remission as they were getting closer in 2006. “Falling in love with J had called upon me to increasingly fill a role that required meeting nearly every one of her needs,” Mauldin writes in her introduction. “This was more than just providing emotional support when the person you love is suffering.” J passed away in 2010. I spoke to Mauldin about crafting this book based on her lived experiences, how systems fail both disabled people and their caregivers, and what is at stake with Medicaid cuts exacerbating the damage to an already broken system. February 2026 - Mother Jones Dr. Laura Mauldin, an associate professor in the Department of Social and Critical Inquiry at the University of Connecticut, blends rigorous scholarship with lived experience to challenge prevailing assumptions about caregiving, disability, and public policy. Her work exposes how cultural norms and policy gaps intersect to offload care onto private homes, obscuring the true costs of care and the human toll of under-resourced support systems. She is available to speak with media - simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.
Expert Q and A: Understanding "Punch," The Baby Monkey That Captured The World's Heart
A tiny Japanese macaque named Punch has unexpectedly become one of the internet’s most talked-about animals. Born at a zoo in Japan and rejected by his mother shortly after birth, the young monkey was hand-raised by staff and given a stuffed toy for comfort—an image that quickly ricocheted across social media worldwide. Videos showing Punch tentatively approaching other macaques, sometimes being pushed away or corrected as he tried to socialize, struck an emotional chord. What began as a local zoo update rapidly turned into international headlines, with audiences from North America to Europe weighing in on what they saw as loneliness, resilience and the universal need for belonging. But experts say the story is more nuanced than a viral clip suggests. The interactions that many viewers interpreted as bullying are, in fact, typical components of macaque social development, part of how young primates learn boundaries, hierarchy and group norms. While Punch’s early maternal separation makes his integration more delicate, gradual acceptance into the troop is a positive sign. As internet users continue to share and comment, the moment has sparked broader conversations about animal emotion, anthropomorphism and the realities of wildlife behavior in managed care settings. Florida Tech's Catherine Talbot offered insight into the complexities of animal behavior. Catherine F. Talbot is an assistant professor in the School of Psychology at Florida Tech and co-director of the Animal Cognitive Research Center at Brevard Zoo. Her overarching research goal has been to study the ultimate (evolutionary) and proximate (behavioral, biological, and developmental) mechanisms underlying sociality. Q: Is it normal for mother macaques to abandon their babies, or is this an unusual occurrence? What circumstances can cause this to happen? It’s not necessarily normal, but also not that uncommon in primates, unfortunately. It’s more common in first time mothers that are inexperienced and sometimes lower ranking mothers. A number of factors can increase the likelihood of abandonment including stress on the mother and unfavorable conditions such as limited resources. Q: How does abandonment affect development in young macaques? Early maternal contact is critical for normal behavioral and emotional development. Infants rely on their mothers for nutrition, warmth, protection and learning how to navigate social dynamics. When infants do not have their mothers during critical developmental periods like infancy, in the short term, they tend to have elevated stress responses and difficulty with emotional regulation. In the long-term, it depends on whether the infant is able to form other types of attachment. In the worst-case scenario, they may have increased aggression, abnormal and/or self-injurious behavior, digestive issues and may lack social skills. But primates are resilient, and with social support and gradual integration into a troop, Punch can form new attachments, learn socially appropriate behavior and ultimately live a fairly normal monkey life. Q: Is it obvious to the rest of the troop when a young macaque has no mother? How does this affect integration? Japanese macaques have really complex social worlds, so they are really in tune with the relationships they have with one another and recognize the relationships between other individuals. That can certainly make it more difficult for Punch to be accepted back into the troop – he needs to find some friends and possibly even a surrogate parent. With social support, he should be able to recover from the absence of a mother. It’s really great to see that the care staff stepped in to support Punch as he begins to recovery from the stress of this experience. It’s even more important that Punch is around other monkeys of the same species so that he can continue to learn from them and respond appropriately to social communication cues. I’m thrilled to see that Punch is now making friends. Q: Punch is obviously attached to his stuffed orangutan. We can understand how this happens from our own human experience, but can you explain, on a biological level, how he bonded with this stuffed animal? Primates, including humans, are neurobiologically wired to form strong social bonds with a caregiver very early in life. In many primate species, infants are born highly dependent on their mother. Punch’s attachment to the stuffed orangutan reflects this need for attachment. That physical touch – warmth, softness, graspable limbs, a stable physical presence – can partially activate those same calming biological pathways, including the release of oxytocin which regulates stress and promotes feelings of safety. Without activation in those pathways, Punch would likely experience stronger feelings of separation or loneliness and ultimately social withdrawal. These biological pathways are crucial to proper social and emotional development of any primate species. Any way we can help mitigate those effects for Punch is crucial for successful integration back into his troop. Q: How does sociality among Japanese macaques compare to that of similar species? Japanese macaques live in large multi-male, multi-female social groups that can range from roughly 50 to 150 individuals. Like many macaques species, they form stable, female-bonded societies. Females remain in their natal group (or the group they were born into) for life, inherit their mother’s rank, and form strong kin- based alliances whereas males emigrate to a new group at adolescence. Their societies are organized around matrilines or extended female family lines in which rank is very important. They have strong dominance hierarchies and generally high levels of aggression, but levels of aggression and tolerance can vary a good amount from group to group. Entire matrilines can outrank others, which dictates access to food, grooming partners, and coalitions. Within a single troop, you often see multiple matrilines with long-standing dominance competitions. I sometimes compare it to a Romeo and Juliet-style Montague and Capulet dynamic, where beneath the surface of daily grooming and foraging is a complex political landscape structured by kinship and status. Q: What behaviors can Punch expect from the rest of the monkeys as he continues to integrate with the troop? What behaviors can the troop expect to see from him? As Punch continues to integrate into his troop, I would expect to see some social testing by other members of the group to see how Punch responds- they may use mild aggression like open mouth threats or direct stares (which arethreatening is macaques), brief chases, and displacement from resources like food/resting spots. These will help clarify Punch’s rank and help form and maintain a stable hierarchy. Therefore, I hope to see Punch make at least a few strong social bonds (friends), to help defend him against more intense aggression. As long as he makes a few friends, he should begin to receive more affiliative behavior. Integration is usually gradual as these bonds form and strengthen and these skills develop. I would expect to see more play and grooming with conspecifics and less reliance on his stuffed orangutan as real social bonds start to form. Grooming is especially important for forming and maintaining social bonds and there are already videos showing Punch receiving some grooming from older monkeys, which bodes well for him. He also needs to respond in socially appropriate ways, like grooming others and showing submission to higher ranking individuals. Essentially, he needs to understand and follow the rules of Japanese macaque society. Q: What message do you have as people continue to root for Punch? It's uplifting to see how much support Punch has gained across the world. And while Punch is clearly adorable and so vulnerable that you just want to love him and give him (or other monkeys like him) a home, it’s important to remember that more than anything else, he needs to live with other monkeys so that he can live a life that is true to his species and nature. Unfortunately, many people still have monkeys as pets. The illegal wildlife trade is a multi-billion-dollar industry, ranking as the fourth largest illegal trade after drugs, arms, and human trafficking. Within the United States, it is estimated that there are more than 15,000 nonhuman primates living in unsuitable conditions. Primates are intelligent, sentient beings that need complex communities and relationships to thrive. There currently is no federal legislation that protects primates from private ownership, but the Captive Primate Safety Act (H.R.3199/ S.1594) has been proposed to prohibit the private possession of nonhuman primates and the sale or transportation of nonhuman primates for the wild pet trade. If you're interested in connecting with Catherine and learning more about animal behavior, let us help. Contact Adam Lowenstein, Assistant Vice President for External Affairs at Florida Institute of Technology, at adam@fit.edu to arrange an interview today.
Exploring everyday finance, gender, and the future of pensions
Money in everyday life For Dr Hayley James, finance isn’t just numbers on a balance sheet - it’s woven into the realities of everyday life. From saving and borrowing to the challenge of long-term pension planning, her work at Aston University’s Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing (CPFW) explores how financial decisions are shaped by family, gender, life stage, and stability of income. Her research stems from her PhD, which examined how people make decisions after being automatically enrolled into workplace pensions - a starting point that sparked her continuing focus on pensions and everyday financial behaviour. “Finance is often portrayed as objective, but in reality, our money decisions are tied up with all the other meaningful factors in our lives.” – Hayley James At CPFW, Dr. James and her colleagues have observed a shift in policy and industry thinking. Where once the focus was on pushing people to act in “rational” financial ways, attention is now turning to redesigning systems that reflect how people actually manage money. Gender and the pension gap A key focus of Dr. James’ research has been pensions, particularly how gender and life events shape saving habits. She has found that parenthood has very different impacts on men and women’s retirement planning: Motherhood often discourages pension saving - reducing both capacity and perceived importance. Fatherhood often encourages saving - reinforcing traditional financial roles. While many assume household specialisation balances out, reality shows otherwise: separation or divorce often leaves women financially disadvantaged. These insights underpin her book Pension Saving in a Gendered Lifecourse (2025), which argues for pension systems that move beyond gender neutral models to become gender friendly - systems that acknowledge the very different realities men and women face across their life course. Tracking real lives: the “Real Accounts” project Beyond pensions, Dr James has led research into how people actually manage day-to-day finances. In the Real Accounts project, she and colleagues followed UK households for 10 months, recording income and spending in real time. The findings reveal how income volatility — sudden drops, irregular hours, unexpected bills — creates stress and undermines financial stability. These insights are helping policymakers and providers rethink how products like pensions, credit, and debt advice are designed. Collaboration and impact Dr. James’ work bridges academia, policy, and practice. Partnerships include: Nest Insight – public-benefit research centre, co-leads on Real Accounts. Glasgow Caledonian University – joint research on household finances. Christians Against Poverty – literature review on measuring the impact of debt advice, aimed at improving frontline support for the most vulnerable. Through these collaborations, her findings are already shaping practical change in how organisations design support for households under financial strain. Looking ahead With her British Academy Innovation Fellowship concluding, Dr. James is turning to new questions: How do diverse households — across sexuality, ability, ethnicity, and household structure — navigate finance? How can financial systems evolve to reflect real lives, not abstract models? Her book sets out a roadmap for rethinking pensions through a gendered lens — offering policymakers, providers, and households a new way to understand and prepare for later life. Selected publications For readers who want to explore her research in more depth, here are a few recent publications: • James, H. (2022). Everyday finance and the politics of financial subjectivity. Review of International Political Economy. • James, H. (2022). Financial wellbeing and the lived experience of income volatility. New Political Economy. • James, H. (2023). Household finance and the gendered lifecourse: Reframing pensions research. In Handbook on Everyday Finance (Edward Elgar). Available via RePEc. ⸻ About Dr. Hayley James Dr. Hayley James is a Senior Research Fellow at Aston University’s Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing. Her research spans pensions, household finance, and the social context of money. She has published widely and works closely with policy and community partners to translate research into action. To explore more of the Centre’s work and access project reports, visit the CPFW Projects page at Aston University. Connect with Hayley by clicking the profile icon below.
Why Nick Cave’s First Public Outdoor Sculpture Found Its Home at Meijer Gardens
The permanent installation of Amalgam (Origin), Nick Cave’s first public outdoor sculpture in the world, marks a major moment for contemporary art in the Midwest and a defining milestone for Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. As the curator who guided the project from concept to completion, Suzanne Ramljak offers essential insight into why this work matters now, how it fits within Cave’s evolving career, and what it signals about the growing role of public art in shaping cultural identity. The sculpture’s installation in October coincides with a pivotal period in Nick Cave’s career. On Feb. 13, he debuted “Nick Cave: Mammoth,” a monumental new body of work on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum through Jan. 3, 2027. Not only is it Cave's first solo exhibition in Washington, D.C., but it is the museum’s largest ever single-artist commission. And this spring, the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago opens with a major, immersive installation by Cave, placing his work at the center of a national cultural moment. Against this timely backdrop, Meijer Gardens’ installation stands as a quiet but powerful first: the artist’s inaugural permanent outdoor public sculpture. Understanding the Significance of Nick Cave's Work The sculpture reflects the evolution of Nick Cave’s artistic practice, rooted in his groundbreaking Soundsuits series, a body of work first developed in response in the wake of Rodney King’s 1991 assault by police and designed to challenge viewers’ perceptions of identity, race, and community. Over decades, Cave’s work has moved from wearable performance art into public sculpture, allowing his socially engaged visual language to occupy shared civic space. The permanent presence of Amalgam (Origin) at Meijer Gardens highlights the institution’s commitment to showcasing art that resonates with broader cultural dialogues about resilience, protection, and collective identity. “Nick Cave’s art is deeply rooted - in his family, in community, in craft, and in nature. His work is also grounded in concerns of social justice. The power of Amalgam (Origin) stems from this fertile mix; a blend of the personal and communal, exceptional and traditional.” Suzanne Ramljak, Vice President of Collections & Curatorial Affairs, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Suzanne Ramljak is Vice President of Collections & Curatorial Affairs at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park where she oversees the acquisition, siting and curation of engaging sculptural exhibitions. View her profile The timing also highlights Cave’s deep Midwest ties. He lives and works in Chicago and earned his master's degree at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The Meijer Gardens installation connects those regional roots to a global artistic trajectory, reinforcing the Midwest’s influence on contemporary art at the highest level. Media Attention, Coverage and Cultural Momentum Since the installation was announced and unveiled, the sculpture has drawn significant regional, national and arts-focused media attention, underscoring its cultural weight and public resonance. Coverage has highlighted the work’s monumental scale, its distinction as Nick Cave’s first permanent outdoor public sculpture, and Meijer Gardens’ role as a national destination capable of supporting ambitious and timely contemporary art. Media narratives consistently framed the installation as both a major moment for Grand Rapids’ cultural landscape and a signal of Meijer Gardens’ growing influence within the national arts conversation. The range of coverage points to interest from music, arts, lifestyle, and cultural outlets, suggesting the installation’s appeal to a variety of audiences. That level of attention reflects not only the significance of the work itself, but also the curatorial vision guiding its placement and permanence, a process led by Suzanne Ramljak. Expert Insight: As Curator of Collections and Senior Curator of Sculpture, Ramljak brings expert perspective on: Why Meijer Gardens was the right home for Cave’s first outdoor public sculpture How this work fits within Cave’s broader artistic practice, particularly his engagement with performance, movement, and public space What permanence means in contemporary art, especially for works often associated with temporality and performance How landscape, scale, and audience interaction shape the experience of outdoor sculpture Her expertise situates the installation within both Cave’s career arc and Meijer Gardens’ long-standing commitment to presenting ambitious contemporary sculpture in dialogue with nature.
When individuals sign up for direct-to-consumer genetic testing, the extent to which they ever think about their genetic data is likely in the context of the service for which they paid: information on predisposition to a genetic illness, or confirmation of an ethnic background, for example. But that data doesn’t just sit on a shelf, and while the most mainstream concern for such services is the privacy of your data, there is also the question of what else the companies do with it, and how. Ana Santos Rutschman, SJD, LLM, professor and faculty director of the Health Innovation Lab at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, is particularly interested in the latter. In June 2025, she co-authored an amicus brief centered on data protection and patient’s interests amid genetic testing company 23andMe’s bankruptcy proceedings. In December, many of those same co-authors published a paper in Nature Genetics, highlighting 23andMe’s bankruptcy as “an inflection point for the direct-to-consumer genetics market,” especially as it pertains to the broader corporate use of individuals’ scientific data. The reason? “How that data is used all depends on the policies of the individual companies,” she said. Genetic Testing Companies Use Your Data For More Than The Services You Pay For Those who utilize genetic testing companies—for any reason—are likely also consenting, often unknowingly, to other unrelated items. This includes acknowledgment of information related to how your data might be further used or monetized. “Most people don't think about secondary and tertiary uses of their data,” said Professor Rutschman. “[What they consent to] is displayed on the website somewhere, but it’s not easily understandable and accessible. It’s fine print.” Such companies often operate beyond the traditional “fee for a service” relationship with consumers. Yes, they will give you the information you paid for—finding out whether you have German ancestry or are predisposed to certain genetic disease—but instead of that genetic data just being stored somewhere, it’s often sold for research purposes. Today, in the age of AI big data, that might look something like this: The company puts your data in a box with parameters, along with thousands of others. Perhaps they are then able to observe a pattern that, until all that data was compiled, was previously unknown. They come up with a diagnostic or a medicine and patent it. That patent is licensed to somebody else, and the company makes money on the product. The use of that data for scientific purposes—even ones that turn a profit— is not problematic in itself, says Professor Rutschman. “Some people may even choose a company that allows scientific research over one that doesn’t. Many people may not care, but some will. The uses are not common knowledge, and that is worrisome. The public should be well-informed about what’s happening.” Deeper problems may arise when they aren’t informed of those potential uses of their data. Professor Rutschman cited the infamous Henrietta Lacks case, in which Lacks’ cells were, and continue to be, one of the most valuable cell lines in cancer research. Neither Lacks nor her family were paid for the widespread use of her genetic material until a settlement was reached long after her death. “When you have biologics involved, a concern is that if you have something potentially valuable, you may not see any money from it.” Bankruptcy Can Cause Policy Upheaval To understand the role bankruptcy can play in all of this, one needs to refer back to the power of individual company policy in this space. There are no external laws that dictate how these companies can further monetize their data, says Professor Rutschman, as long as they don’t violate other laws, such as privacy laws. That means that when a company like 23andMe goes bankrupt, as was the case in 2025, new ownership could enact completely different corporate policies for use of their property. In their specific case, the company was essentially bought back by 23andMe founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki’s non-profit, all but ensuring policies would remain the same. But that is exactly why Professor Rutschman and others are highlighting this specific case. “Bankruptcy is bad in the sense that there's a lot of uncertainty,” she said. “In this instance, the person coming in was the person who was there before, so the policy is likely to continue. But that's very rare. There are a roster of companies with access to biological materials. 23andMe is a good example of something not going horribly wrong, but with the understanding that it absolutely could.” Ways in which that could happen could be new ownership undermining the original intent of the data use by cessation of the company’s previous policies, or charging exorbitant prices to other entities to use that data for scientific research. “Because there is no law, these new owners can essentially do as they please with their proprietary data, unless they do something incredibly careless that amounts to the level of illegal,” Professor Rutschman said. “And that is concerning.” Onus Falls to Companies to Enact Safeguards To ensure a worst-case scenario for such companies does not unfold in a bankruptcy situation, Professor Rutschman points to a number of safeguards they could enact to protect their original commitments, ensure equitable access to data for scientific research and promote fair trade. One of which is implementing a company policy stating that commitments from a previous iteration of the company need to be honored if ownership is transferred. Those could include, as the authors recommend, policies “honoring original research-oriented commitments under which the data were collected,” as well as not “enclosing the dataset for exclusive commercial use.” She also highlights the need for Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) voluntary licensing commitments, which are inherently more science and market friendly. “Companies in many sectors have committed to this approach, and we are saying it should apply in this space as well. You’ll charge your royalty, but it can’t be a billion dollars for a data set, nor would it be done by exclusively selling to one entity. You can get that billion dollars by selling to 15, 50 or 100 companies, and from a scientific research perspective, that’s what we want. Otherwise, you have a monopoly or duopoly. “There are a lot of different models that can be used, but ultimately what we are arguing is leaving this unaddressed is a really bad idea. It leaves everything exposed, and something bad is more likely to happen.”
A future in pharmacy, made possible by support and mentorship
A freshman chemistry major from Hinesville, Georgia, Geovanii Pacheco already has his sights set on a career in pharmacy. His ambition is rooted not just in a love for science, but in personal experience. Growing up, his family spent countless hours navigating prescriptions and insurance coverage for his older brother, Devin, who has autism. During those moments, one pharmacist consistently stood out. This was someone who advocated for his family, helped them through paperwork and made sure Devin got the medication he needed. “It really resonated with me,” Pacheco said. “As a pharmacist, I’d like to embody what she did for us, for others as well.” That goal brought Pacheco to Georgia Southern University where he is now supported by the National Science Foundation’s S-STEM Scholarship Program Award. This is a nearly $2 million grant designed to support Pell-eligible students pursuing degrees in biochemistry, biology, chemistry, geosciences, mathematics, physics or sustainability science. For Pacheco, the program has been nothing short of life-changing. “I can say that I’m not going to college with any financial stress,” he said. “I have no money coming out-of-pocket.” Administered through Georgia Southern’s College of Science and Mathematics, the federally funded program provides last-dollar scholarships that cover remaining costs after Pell Grants and other aid are applied. In addition to financial support, the program pairs students with dedicated faculty mentors and offers structured programming aimed at retention, professional development and long-term success. Sara Gremillion, Ph.D., professor of biology and principal investigator on the grant, said the goal is to ensure that students don’t just enroll in college, but that they also thrive once they arrive. “They may not have a strong expectation about what to expect in college,” said Gremillion. “This program not only removes financial barriers, but it also surrounds students with the support they need to navigate college and plan for their future.” Pacheco has felt that impact from day one. Thanks to the program, he moved into his residence hall a week early to attend a one-week Basebamp program to jump start his college experience. There, he met fellow scholarship recipients and connected with his faculty mentor before classes even began. His mentor, Shainaz Landge, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry, has helped connect Pacheco with opportunities from joining the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society to learning about upcoming pre-pharmacy organizations and undergraduate research. “Students such as Geovanii serve as prime examples of the fulfillment derived from mentorship and teaching,” said Landge. “Their growth and engagement highlight the critical role that effective mentorship plays in fostering both academic development.” That blend of mentorship and financial support is exactly what the grant was designed to provide. Over five years, the program will serve dozens of students in eligible majors such as chemistry, biology, biomedical science, biochemistry, physics, mathematics, sustainability science and geoscience. Each student receives individualized scholarship support, up to $15,000 per year, based on need, along with a faculty mentor who stays with them throughout their undergraduate journey. For Pacheco and his family, the scholarship brought immediate relief. He vividly remembers opening the acceptance email with his mother and scrolling down to see the financial aid details. “She was tickled, let me tell you,” he said. “It lifted so much stress off her shoulders. It was life-changing.” Applications to be part of the next cohort of COSM S-STEM Scholars are open until Feb. 1, 2026. Eligibility requirements, necessary documentation and other information can be found at this webpage. Looking to know more about Georgia Southern University or the National Science Foundation’s S-STEM Scholarship Program Award? Simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Do Teens Secretly Want Phone Boundaries More Than Adults Think?
Ask a parent about phones and teens, and you’ll hear the same story: “They’re glued to that thing and don’t care.” But when you ask teens themselves, a different picture emerges. A recent Pew Research Center study found that about 95% of U.S. teens have access to a smartphone — and around 4 in 10 say they spend too much time on it. (Pew Research Center) Coverage of the same data notes that over 70% of teens say they feel happiness or peace when they’re not tethered to their device, even as they rely on it for social life. (KTUL) Psychotherapist Harshi Sritharan, MSW, RSW, who works with teens and young adults on digital dependency, sees that ambivalence every day. “I have 12- to 15-year-olds who come in and say, ‘I know I’m kind of addicted to my phone,’” she says. “When a teenager says that, I’m relieved — it means we have something to work with.” She stresses that most young people don’t actually want to be left alone with endless scrolling — they want help making sense of it. Teen Limits Work Better Than Parents Think New data suggests that reasonable limits can help and that many teens benefit when parents set them thoughtfully. A tool parents can use is collaborative problem solving. This involves parents and teens working together to come up with a plan for the best strategies that combat everyone’s concerns while compromising. A 2024 Springtide Research Institute survey of 1,112 13-year-olds found that teens whose parents limit their screen time are less likely to be heavy users: only 32% of those with limits use their phone 5+ hours a day, compared with 55%of those with unlimited time. Just 24% of teens with limits said they’d felt like they had a mental health problem, versus 32% with no limits.(Springtide Research Institute) In other words, boundaries are mildly protective, not cruel, especially when they’re explained instead of imposed. Sritharan cautions against “no phones ever” rules that ignore school and social realities: “We can’t make blanket statements of ‘no screens’,” she says. “We shape how kids use devices so they can still get things done and spend more time engaging with their family.” That might mean agreeing on tech-free windows (like family dinners or the hour before bed) and tech-friendly ones (like a 45-minute bus ride where a teen can listen to music or message friends). Teens Are Leading a Quiet “Cutback” Movement Parents often feel like the only ones craving less screen time, but surveys show Gen Z is already trying to dial things down. A global survey cited by Tech Times and ExpressVPN found that about 46% of Gen Z are actively taking steps to limit their screen time, more than older generations.(Tech Times) Another U.S. poll commissioned by ThriftBooks found half of respondents are cutting back on screens, with Gen Z and millennials leading — and 84% adopting analog habits like printed books, paper planners and board games.(New York Post) Reporting on the “board game revival” among Gen Z echoes the same trend: young people are consciously seeking offline, face-to-face ways to connect.(Woke Waves) For Offline.now experts, this adds up to a simple message: teens aren’t fighting all boundaries — they’re fighting feeling controlled or misunderstood. Parents as Co-Pilots, Not Phone Police Executive Function Coach Craig Selinger, M.S., CCC-SLP says the real leverage point isn’t just new rules; it’s how parents model and co-create them. “If you want behavior change in kids, start with the parent model,” he says. “A 12-year-old will not put their phone away at dinner if their parents won’t.” He encourages families to focus on “little moments” where phones quietly block connection — especially car rides and in-between times when kids might naturally open up: “In the car, your kid is trapped with you,” Selinger says. “That’s when they start talking. If they’re on their phone the whole time, you lose those big conversations hiding in the boring moments.” Both experts emphasize co-designing boundaries with teens: agreeing together on tech-free times and how late-night scrolling affects mood and school performance. When teens feel heard — and see adults following the same rules — boundaries feel less like punishment and more like shared protection. For journalists, the story isn’t “teens vs phones” or “parents vs teens.” It’s that both sides are quietly overwhelmed, and many young people are more open to limits than adults realize — if those limits are built with them, not against them. Featured Experts Harshi Sritharan, MSW, RSW – Psychotherapist specializing in ADHD, anxiety, insomnia and digital dependency. She helps teens and young adults understand dopamine cycles, distinguish passive vs active tech use, and build realistic phone boundaries that support sleep, school and mental health. Craig Selinger, M.S., CCC-SLP – Executive Function Coach and child development specialist (Brooklyn Letters). He focuses on how tech use shapes learning, attention and family dynamics, and how parents can model healthy habits and co-create screen rules that actually stick. (Expert interviews can be arranged through the Offline.now media team.)
“Give Me My Phone Back!”: Why Parent–Teen Phone Fights Miss the Real Problem
If it feels like every other night ends with “Give me my phone back!” you’re not alone. A recent Pew Research Center report found that about 4 in 10 teens and parents (38%) say they argue about phone time, and nearly half of parents admit they spend too much time on their own phones. Executive Function Coach Craig Selinger, M.S., CCC-SLP says those blow-ups often miss the real issue. “If you want behavior change in kids, start with the parent model,” he says. “It starts at the top: kids are watching how you use tech.” He notes that conflict usually shows up in the “in-between” moments — after school, in the car, at breakfast — when a phone becomes an invisible wall between parents and kids. “Those little moments are actually big moments,” Selinger explains. “If you can pull out tech during those kind of banal, whatever moments, that’s when kids start talking to you.” Research shows the stakes go beyond eye-rolling. A 2025 CDC analysis of U.S. teenagers found that higher non-school screen time is linked with irregular sleep, less physical activity, more depression and anxiety symptoms, and weaker social support.(CDC) And yet, many families don’t have clear, consistent rules: Springtide Research Institute’s 2024 survey of 13-year-olds found that only about half say their parents limit screen time, but when limits exist, teens are less likely to be heavy users and report slightly better mental health.(Springtide Research Institute) For Selinger, the takeaway is simple: filters and confiscation can’t replace family systems. What works better: Parents go first. Phones out of bedrooms at night, off the table at meals, and away during key “micro-moments” sends a stronger signal than any lecture. Agree on the rules together. Teens are far more likely to respect boundaries they helped design, for example, “no phones at dinner and after 11 p.m. on school nights” than rules dropped on them mid-argument. Link boundaries to what teens care about. Sleep, sports, grades, mood and friendships are all directly affected by late-night and all-day screen time; making that connection reduces the sense that rules are “random.” Instead of asking “How do I make my teen stop?” Offline.now’s experts encourage parents to ask, “What are we modelling and what shared routines would actually make life better for everyone in the house?” Featured Experts Craig Selinger, M.S., CCC-SLP – Executive Function Coach, CEO of Themba Tutors and child development specialist. He focuses on how phones reshape learning, sleep and family dynamics, and helps families build “digital sunset” routines and mealtime/bedroom rules that stick.
You Can’t Reconnect with Family Through a Screen You Won’t Put Down
When families say, “We never really talk anymore,” the holidays are supposed to be the fix, the one time of year everyone gets under the same roof, sits around the same table, and finally catches up. But in 2025, most people arrive at those gatherings with a second guest in tow: their phone. New behavioral data from Offline.now, a digital wellness platform founded by author and CEO Eli Singer, shows 8 in 10 people want a healthier relationship with technology, yet more than half feel too overwhelmed to know where to start. That makes the holidays a natural “reset” moment; if parents and other adults are willing to change their own habits first. Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Gaea Woods says phones have quietly become the “third party” in many households: “Phones are killing interpersonal relationships - not because tech is evil, but because we use it unconsciously at the moments connection matters most. When you’re scrolling at dinner, you’re sending the message, ‘My phone is more interesting and important than you.’” Research on “phubbing” aka phone snubbing backs this up, linking partner and family phone use during conversations with lower relationship satisfaction and more conflict. Offline.now’s experts see the same pattern: when screens show up at the table, intimacy and meaningful conversation drop. Executive Function Coach Craig Selinger argues that the real leverage point isn’t screen-time rules for kids; it’s modelling by adults: “If you want behavior change in kids, start with the parent model. A 12-year-old will not put their phone away at dinner if their parents won’t. Kids copy what you do, not what you say.” When kids see parents physically turn phones face-down and set them aside, it creates permission, even relief. Over a few days of holiday visits, those small moments can add up to something families say they miss most: unhurried conversations, shared jokes, and the feeling that the people in front of you are more important than the feed on your screen. For journalists covering holiday family dynamics, tech and relationships, or digital wellness, Offline.now can offer expert interviews on: How to design realistic, family-wide phone rules for gatherings Why parental modelling matters more than any app setting Simple scripts parents can use to set expectations without shaming kids Featured Experts Gaea Woods, MA, LMFT – Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist specializing in digital dependency, intimacy, and communication in modern relationships. Craig Selinger, M.S., CCC-SLP – Executive Function Coach and child development specialist focused on how tech impacts learning, attention, and family systems. Expert availability can be arranged through Offline.now’s media team.
