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Meet Baylor’s nationally recognized expert on spirituality and pop culture
Why is U2 so popular across the globe? How much of our idea of heaven and hell is actually from the Bible? And why are we so obsessed with zombies? Garrett’s unique, critical look at religion and pop culture has garnered the attention of media such as Christianity Today, Austin Monthly, and even overseas in the Irish Times. If you’re someone who searches to deepen your faith and study how it fits into daily life, it’s worth taking a look at a Greg Garrett book for yourself. Source:
Baylor DACA Expert Comments on Trump's Decision to Continue 'Dreamers' Program
Professor Laura Hernández’s legal scholarship has focused on issues facing recent immigrants to the United States. She is a recognized expert on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Hernández is also the founder of the Baylor Law Immigration Clinic. To date, students volunteering at the clinic have assisted approximately 300 Waco area residents with their immigration needs. Regarding President Trump's decision to continue the Obama-era program, Hernandez said: "While it is laudable that President Trump has recognized all of the benefits that the DACA program has brought to America, it would be most reassuring if he committed that decision to an Executive Order, or even a presidential memorandum. President Trump should also consider adopting the broadened DACA program put forth in 2015, which allows more children to qualify for this invaluable prosecutorial discretion. It is time to allow these children , educated in the United States, to contribute to our country in the fullest manner possible." Source:
People who are phone snubbed – or “phubbed” – by others are, themselves, often turning to their smartphones and social media to find acceptance, according to new research from Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business. Building on their earlier study that phubbing can damage relationships and lead to depression, researchers Meredith David, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing, and James A. Roberts, Ph.D., The Ben H. Williams Professor of Marketing, have found that the circle nearly completes itself as the offended parties frequently jump online to find affirmation in the likes and shares and positive comments of social media. Their study, “Phubbed and Alone: Phone Snubbing, Social Exclusion, and Attachment to Social Media,” is published in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research. The research investigates the relationship between phubbing, social media attachment, depression, anxiety and stress. “When an individual is phubbed, he/she feels socially excluded, which leads to an increased need for attention. Instead of turning to face-to-face interaction to restore a sense of inclusion, study participants turned to social media to regain a sense of belonging,” said David, lead author of the study. “Being phubbed was also found to undermine an individual’s psychological well-being. Phubbed individuals reported higher levels of stress and depression.” “We’re looking online for what we’re not getting offline,” Roberts said. “It’s a vicious cycle.” As part of their research, David and Roberts surveyed more than 330 people across two studies. They found: * Nearly half of those who were phubbed reported spending more than 1.5 hours on their phone each day. In addition, one-quarter of those phubbed reported spending more than 90 minutes per day on social media sites. * More than one-third of phubbed individuals indicated that they turn to social media to interact with new people. * More than half of individuals who said they were phubbed indicated that social media enhances their life and makes their life better. The majority reported that people’s comments on their social media posts makes them feel affirmed and more accepted. “Although the stated purpose of technology like smartphones is to help us connect with others, in this particular instance, it does not,” David said. “Ironically, the very technology that was designed to bring humans closer together has isolated us from these very same people.” Source:
World Oceans Day and #OceanOptimism
Today, people around the globe are celebrating World Oceans Day, and discussing how we can all work together to make them cleaner, healthier and more sustainable. On Monday, a five-day long United Nations conference kicked off in New York. Rising sea levels, marine resources, pollution, sustainable development, and ocean degradation were just some of the key issues being discussed. Can our oceans recover? How bad is it and how did it get to this point? That’s where the experts at Cedar Crest College can help. John A. Cigliano is a Professor of Biology and an expert in marine conservation. Recently, he delivered a lectured titled "#OceanOptimism: Why It Is Not Too Late." Dr. Cigliano says despite the issues currently facing our oceans, he doesn't believe they are doomed. He can draw on success stories from around the world as well as his own research conducted with Cedar Crest College students to illustrate that point, and to outline what we can all do to help. Dr. John Cigliano is available to speak with media regarding World Oceans Day or any topic related to marine conservation, ecology and the ocean. Simply click his icon to arrange an interview. Source:
Prior to seeing the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, audiences are introduced to a flurry of previews for upcoming films -- big-budget sequels centered on blockbusting standards: warring apes, animated cars, web-slinging and hammer-bearing superheroes, and space-based lightsaber battles between forces of good and evil. Chris Hansen, M.F.A., independent filmmaker and chair of the film and digital media department in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences, is available to talk about the market for big-budget sequels and the challenges for original screenplays. Is there any hope for the original story? “One of the biggest considerations in determining which movies get made, from the studio’s perspective, is marketing,” Hansen said. “That process is made much easier if the intellectual property already exists in the minds of the general public. People know who Batman is. People know who The Avengers are. Half or more of the marketing work is done. When the intellectual property is original, the studio’s marketing arm has to spend a lot more time and money acquainting viewers with the concept and generating interest.” “It’s hard to say what people are really interested in seeing. They say one thing, but they often vote differently with their box office dollars. This sometimes comes down to an economic decision for audience members. They have less disposable income than they used to, so they see fewer movies in the theater. And if they’re going to have to choose between several movies to see in an actual theater, they’ll often choose the one that has more spectacle, because there’s a feeling that it’s more ‘worth it’ to see something like that on the big screen, and that smaller movies won’t suffer from being seen on the TV in your living room.” Source:
Q&A: Baylor Professor and Author Talks about ‘Living with the Living Dead’
Quick, before it’s too late! May is Zombie Awareness Month — so it’s high time for people to prepare for a zombie pandemic. But that’s more than a heads-up for those who are passionate about zombies. Those who yawn at the notion of zombies also have reason to take notice, suggests pop culture critic Greg Garrett, Ph.D., of Baylor University. To answer the question of “Why should we care?” when it comes to zombies, he advises looking deep inside ourselves. Garrett is author of the new book “Living with the Living Dead: The Wisdom of the Zombie Apocalypse” — one of three trade books featured in the United States for 2017 by Oxford University Press, one of the world’s largest academic publishers. Garrett, professor of English in Baylor’s College of Arts & Science, shared some of his thoughts about zombies past, present and future in this Q&A Source:
Diabetes Canada’s 20th Annual Professional Conference Comes to Edmonton
Diabetes Canada and the Canadian Society for Endocrinology and Metabolism (CSEM) will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their Professional Conference and Annual Meetings at the Shaw Centre in Edmonton from November 1 to 4, 2017. The event, which brings together thousands of health-care professionals and researchers focused on diabetes care, is the biggest of its kind in the country. Registration for the event opens today. “The treatment and management of diabetes continues to evolve, making it more and more critical to bring together inter-disciplinary health-care teams to discuss the latest discoveries in diabetes care and prevention. I know this year, as we mark this important milestone, we will be pulling out all the stops to provide health-care professionals with the best information, including a sneak peek at the Diabetes Canada 2018 Clinical Professional Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada.”Rick Blickstead, President and CEO, Diabetes Canada. “The Professional Conference is of extraordinary benefit to health-care professionals who attend because of the opportunity to learn about the newest advances in clinical practice and about new data and interpretations. This is also an opportunity to engage and interact face-to-face with colleagues, including world leaders in research.” Dr. Bruce A. Perkins, clinician-scientist at the Leadership Sinai Centre for Diabetes, Conference co-chair Source:
Mission to Mars – Pack Light on Materials and Heavy on Innovation
On Tuesday May 09, the Humans to Mars Summit kicks off in Washington D.C. This will be a meeting of some of the most powerful, brilliant, creative, scientific and corporate minds on earth. Together they are working on a way that someday soon we will visit Mars. Since 2010 this expanding group is realizing that exploring the red planet is within their grasp and possible during our lifetime. To get there, it will take innovations in science, technology and engineering like we have not seen in generations. Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Engineering is part of a team that is making this trip a reality. The NASA-sponsored multidisciplinary Space Technology Research Institute (STRI) is working on new a composite material that makes use of engineered carbon nanotubes and will be much lighter—but much stronger—than what is currently available. Space craft need to exit and re-enter atmospheres. To do so, they need to be strong or the results are disastrous. Space travel and the concept of exploring other planets is high science and not easy for most earthly mortals to comprehend. That’s where the experts at VCU’s School of Engineering can help. Ibrahim Guven, Ph.D., assistant professor in the VCU School of Engineering Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, is an expert on peridynamics, a branch of mechanics that looks at the effect of deformities and fractures. Peridynamics is essential to planning for space travel and to understanding what it takes to get from Earth to Mars. He can explain these concepts in a simple manner and is available to speak with media. Simply click on his profile to arrange an interview. Source:
Are you one of the Canadians most likely to get a tax audit this year?
Every year, Canadian taxpayers fear the worst - a notice from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) informing you that you’re going to be audited. You should always prepare and file your income tax return under the assumption that your return will be looked at and scrutinized. The reality is, there very few are actually checked by the CRA - but that does not do you any good if you are the one. Apart from a random selection process there are many reasons why your return might be pulled for review or audit. If this is the case, the best advice we offer is to get your accountant involved immediately. Far too often our clients will start the process alone, answering a few questions that they think are simple and straightforward only to find they have simply provided the auditor with reasons to further pursue his or her review of your taxes. This is not to suggest that the questions are misleading. We are simply pointing out that you might not be aware of the implications of your answers and you can do yourself a disservice by providing an answer that simply leads to more questions. If you have prepared your return yourself go over it with a professional as soon as you receive your letter from CRA and let that individual deal with the CRA representative going forward. If you used a professional to prepare your return - get them involved immediately. Michael Burch is a managing partner at Welch LLP in Ottawa and is an expert in the fields of business, corporate/personal taxation and finance. He is an excellent speaker and is available to talk with media regarding this important topic. Simply click on Michael’s icon to arrange an interview. Source:
Cedar Crest Adds Advanced Degrees as Need for Nurses Grows
Cedar Crest College is celebrating National Nurses Week as it launches new advanced nursing degree programs. The new Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs will launch this August, with the Doctor in Nursing Practice (DNP) to follow. The decision to establish the DNP and add new MSN programs was based on both internal and external demand in the field. Internally, nearly 68 percent of the college’s nursing students indicated that they planned to pursue an advanced degree after earning their BSN. Externally, chief officers from major health care networks in the region encouraged Cedar Crest to pursue this program due to the high demand for nurse practitioners. In 2010, the Institute of Medicine issued a report calling on the country to double the number of nurses with doctorate degrees by 2020. Cedar Crest College’s nursing department prides itself in preparing students to make a difference for their patients, community and world. In 2017, the College’s Registered Nursing Program was ranked number two in the nation by the Community for Accredited Online Schools. Our experts can talk about the industry demand for nurses with advanced degrees and the career outlook for nurses. Source: