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Brian Levine, M.D., Named Chief Academic Officer and Intellectual Property Administrator
ChristianaCare announced Feb. 12 the promotion of Brian Levine, M.D., to chief academic officer, along with his appointment as intellectual property administrator. He will also continue in his role as designated institutional official. As chief academic officer and leader of ChristianaCare’s Department of Academic Affairs, Levine oversees 38 residency and fellowship programs encompassing 315 residents and fellows, along with the education and training of students across the continuum of medical education. He leads the continued growth and strengthening of ChristianaCare’s undergraduate and graduate medical education infrastructure, ensuring that ChristianaCare continues to prepare physicians to care for our community well into the future. In addition, Levine oversees physician assistant education and allied health educational programming, supporting workforce development and long-term community health needs. As the largest academic medical center between Philadelphia and Baltimore, ChristianaCare has been a hub of academic excellence for over a century. ChristianaCare is one of the largest community-based teaching hospital systems in the United States. ChristianaCare also serves as the Delaware Branch Campus for Sidney Kimmel Medical College and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. This unique program allows medical students to complete their third and fourth years of clinical rotations exclusively at ChristianaCare, providing a clear pathway to launch their medical careers in Delaware. Each year, 55 students participate in the Branch Campus program, with many continuing into ChristianaCare’s highly sought-after residency programs and remaining in Delaware to serve local communities. ChristianaCare is a destination of choice for medical students and residents because of its strong patient-centered culture, reputation for excellence, and diversity of clinical experiences that include urban and suburban campuses with a wide range of pathologies. In his newly expanded role as intellectual property administrator, Levine manages and enforces ChristianaCare’s intellectual property policy, ensuring fair and consistent application in alignment with applicable laws and regulations. He also leads the multidisciplinary committee responsible for guiding organizational decisions related to intellectual property valuation, commercialization strategies and revenue distribution. Levine brings deep experience in academic medicine, health system education and scholarly publishing to these responsibilities. An emergency physician, he led the development of widely used clinical reference guides published by the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association. These pocket-sized tools — covering topics such as antibiotic stewardship, orthopedic injury management, and EKG interpretation — are used by thousands of emergency medicine residents worldwide. Levine has held leadership roles at ChristianaCare for nearly two decades. Since 2018, he has served as associate chief academic officer and designated institutional official. Previously, he was program director of the Emergency Medicine Residency program from 2012 to 2018 and associate program director from 2006 to 2012. Levine is a clinical professor of Emergency Medicine at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University and previously served as associate medical director for the LifeNet aeromedical transport program. He earned his medical degree from the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine and completed his emergency medicine residency at ChristianaCare.
Aston University economists say Prime Minister can reduce UK trade vulnerability with China visit
Greenland episode exposed UK’s lack of effective response to economic coercion from allies Research shows tariff retaliation would have cost the average UK household up to £324 per year Economists say China visit is “portfolio risk management” – diversification reduces vulnerability. The Prime Minister’s visit to China – the first by a British PM since 2018 – is an opportunity to reduce the UK’s vulnerability to economic coercion, according to new research from Aston University. A policy paper from Aston Business School’s Centre for Business Prosperity analyses the January 2026 Greenland tariff episode, when President Trump threatened and then withdrew tariffs on eight European countries. The researchers found that the UK had no good options: retaliation would have made Britain worse off, while absorbing the tariffs left Europe without credible deterrence. Director of the centre for business prosperity, Professor Jun Du, said: “The Greenland episode was a wake-up call. When your principal security ally threatens economic coercion, the old assumptions about who is safe and who is dangerous no longer hold. “The PM’s China visit should be framed as portfolio risk management – building diversified trading relationships that reduce the UK’s exposure to any single partner. Just as investors don’t put all their money in one stock, countries shouldn’t put all their trade into one basket. A UK with multiple strong partnerships is harder to pressure, whether the pressure comes from Washington or Beijing.” The research found that coordinated UK–EU tariff retaliation would have cost British households up to £324 per year – the worst outcome modelled. But the authors argue that Europe has untapped leverage elsewhere: the US runs a €148 billion annual services surplus with the EU, and mutual investment exceeds €5.3 trillion. Associate professor of economics and co-author, Dr Oleksandr Shepotylo, said: “Tariff retaliation fails because it hurts consumers and distorts the economy – the retaliator suffers similarly to the target. But Europe has cards it isn’t playing. Services, investment screening, and regulatory access are pressure points where Europe can respond effectively.” UK exports to China fell by 10.4% in the year to Q2 2025, with goods exports down 23.1% – the sharpest decline among major trading partners. The researchers argue that this closes off the UK’s largest alternative market at precisely the moment US reliability is in question. The paper identifies three priorities for UK policy: Recognise the permanent incentives behind US tariffs. US tariff revenue hit $264 billion in 2025. Trade negotiations alone cannot resolve revenue-driven policy. Build UK–EU coordination on non-tariff instruments. Services, investment, procurement, and regulation offer leverage that tariffs do not. Treat China engagement as portfolio risk management. Concentration in any single market creates vulnerability. Diversification is not about picking sides – it’s about resilience. Professor Du added: “The question for the Prime Minister is whether to use this breathing space to build resilience – or wait for the next Greenland.” To read the policy paper in full, click on this link:
What makes the NFL's biggest game so Super?
Why would someone pay $10,000 for a Super Bowl ticket? Why does the big game serve as a reason for a party – perhaps the only event to do so on a national level? How do teams lock in and play their best while the whole world is watching? University of Delaware experts can deliver answers to those and other questions long before the first chip hits the dip. Amit Kumar, an assistant professor of marketing and expert on happiness, said that part of the reason people derive hedonic benefits from buying tickets to sporting events like the Super Bowl is because of the memories they provide and the conversational value they generate. He pointed to his study on consuming experiences, which found that consumers derive more happiness from purchasing experiences than from buying possessions. Kumar can also talk about the benefits of Super Bowl parties and the psychology behind the social connections that take place at sports-related gatherings. Other UD experts who can comment on the Super Bowl include: • Kyle Emich, professor of management: The inner-working of teams, decision-making and how emotions influence cognitive processing. • John Allgood, instructor of sport management: Fan engagement and the economics of sports. • Nataliya Bredikhina, assistant professor of sport management: Athlete branding and event sponsorships. • Tim Deschriver, associate professor of sport management: Topics related to sports economics, finance and marketing. • Karin Sabernagel, professor of physical therapy: Specializes in lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries, sports medicine and tendon injuries (ankle, knee). To reach these experts directly and arrange interviews, visit their profiles and click on the "contact" button. Interested reporters can also contact MediaRelations@udel.edu.
Training champions: University of Delaware experts prepares students Olympic success
University of Delaware students, alumni and experts are very involved with this year's Olympics. The following are available for interview. Alumni Attending Olympic Games Shannon Colleton is a 2022 graduate of UD's Physical Therapy Sports Residency Program heading to the Winter Olympics with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team. She's specifically working as a PT for the women's speed skiing team (Super G and the downhill competitions). Students Covering Olympics Cris Granada, a senior communication major and member of UD's soccer team, has parlayed a summer internship with NBC Sports into a position as a production assistant with the network at the Winter Olympics. Professors with Olympic Expertise Matthew Robinson, professor of sport management in Lerner, is an all-around Olympics expert. He can talk about the host city, Milan, and the IOC's evolving model of hosting games in multiple locations. He can also talk about the idea of sport as a unifier despite what's going on in the world around us. Robinson can also talk about the burden the NHL faces, having to pause its season so players can compete on the world stage. While it's an honor to have an athlete represent their country on the world stage, it's also a risk to the professional team if they get hurt. The NBA feels similarly about the Summer Games. Soccer also pauses for the World Cup. Jeffrey Schneider, clinical instructor of kinesiology and applied physiology, has worked with Olympic figure skaters in the past and can speak as an expert on this sport. Thomas Buckley, professor of kinesiology and applied physiology, is an expert in ice hockey and bobsledding. He can talk about common injuries, risks/benefits. He noted that bobsledding has a surprisingly high rate of concussion and repetitive head trauma due to the speed of the sport. To contact Robinson and Buckley directly, visit their profile pages and click the "contact" button. Interviews for all the experts featured here can also be arranged by contacting mediarelations@udel.edu.
Long proclaimed Italy’s “moral capital,” Milan is renowned worldwide for its significant contributions to fashion, design and the arts. Soon, another point of pride will be added to the city’s storied history, when the regional hub—and partnering town Cortina d’Ampezzo—plays host to the 2026 Winter Olympics in February. Luca Cottini, PhD, is a professor of Italian Studies and an expert on the evolution of Italian culture, particularly through the 19th and 20th centuries. Recently, he shared some thoughts concerning Milan and Cortina’s successful joint bid for the Olympics, the themes and iconography expected to define this year’s opening ceremony and the symbolic significance of Italy’s selection as a host nation. Question: What was the role of past major events in Milan and Cortina—like the 2015 World’s Fair and the 1956 Winter Olympics—in helping to elevate their appeal for these games? Luca Cottini: I’ll start by saying that although people notice world’s fairs less than the Olympics, they are more impactful to a city and country because they generate more revenue, business, political relationships and positive reputation. They are events in which all the world comes together and each country exposes its excellence, while the host nation brings a visibility that it would not carry otherwise. In 2015, Milan hosted the world’s fair, which generated a completely new fairgrounds area and a visibility of politics, industry, technology and modernity in a way that brings the city to a global stage. I would say that is when the ascent of Milan really started, especially as a desirable destination. With Cortina, after the 2015 World’s Fair—and especially after the COVID-19 pandemic—the Dolomites became really a popular region for travelers to visit. Cortina is also symbolic to Olympic history, because it's the site of the first Olympics that took place in Italy, in 1956 during the reconstruction era. That was the Dolce Vita period, in the middle of the 1950s economic boom, and those games were followed by Rome’s Summer Olympics in 1960. They both represented a way in which Italy, coming out of the war destroyed, was reaffirming its rebirth. Over the years, fewer cities have wanted to host the Olympics because they tend to carry a lot of economic burden, financial debt and little return on investment. In this sense, Milan and Cortina, helped by increased popularity after the world’s fair, sold themselves as a sustainable Olympics. Ninety percent of the buildings were refurbished from older buildings, and they will serve purposes after the Olympics. It’s difficult to tell whether it’s economically sound or not, but it is a way to promote two cities that are in big moments of growth. Q: These Olympic Games will be celebrating Milan’s contributions to fashion. What is the city’s significance to the fashion world? LC: Milan is certainly the capital of fashion in Italy, and is one of the capitals of fashion in the world, along with Paris, New York and London. The fashion heritage that the city carries now in iconic brands like Armani, Versace, Moschino and Dolce & Gabbana is the outcome of a process that took shape in the late 1970s. Until then, fashion in Italy was mainly related to Rome, through cinema, and Florence, as that city represented a new Renaissance in the postwar years. But in the 1970s, much of this fashion world moved from those cities to Milan, because there was a conglomeration of labor, skills, capital and creativity that generated a complex productive and cultural system, or the so-called “Sistema Moda.” This is a particular approach to the industry in Italy that coordinates management and creativity around the figures of a big creative director and a big manager who work together in creating not just nice styles, but also sustainable outlets and markets in and outside Italy. In turn, with its reputation, Milan gives the Olympics that seal of grandeur and coolness. The connection with fashion and promotion of uniqueness is part of the national rhetoric that surrounds what we call “Made in Italy,” this idea of luxury, styling, beauty, order and measure that is endowed in the Italian DNA. Q: Andrea Bocelli—who also appeared in Torino’s 2006 closing ceremony—is supposed to sing once again in this year’s opening ceremony. Aside from his popularity, what is the symbolic significance of his selection as a performer? LC: Bocelli is an interesting case. He is a prototypical Italian success story, which is born in the peninsula but is then ratified outside of Italy. As Bocelli became a global sensation in the U.S., he then came back to his roots in Italy, where his voice has become a symbol of national unity, as epitomized in his solo concerto of Milan, during the pandemic, when he sang in front of the empty Piazza del Duomo, facing the city’s cathedral. In his Catholic faith and secular operatic repertoire, he symbolizes Italian culture as a similar piazza or open space where different voices can converge in a temperate balance. When you put together Bocelli, Mariah Carey and whoever else will be part of the ceremony, that same Italian identity will give rise to a new synthesis, as the encounter of tradition and novelty, grounded-ness and openness. Q: The Olympic flames are supposed to be lit in two cauldrons—one in Milan and one in Cortina—each with a design inspired by Leonardo da Vinci. What was da Vinci’s importance to Milan, specifically? LC: Da Vinci is part of the fabric of Milan. He spent 20 years in the city, painting “The Last Supper” and working at Castello Sforzesco, as well as many other places. His footprint is all over Milan, in its design, walls, canal system and more. He is an archetype of the Italian mind in as much as it represents the combination of engineering and beauty. The word Ingenium in Latin, meaning “genius,” overflows in English into the word “engineering” and also “ingenuity,” which reflects the creative mind. Da Vinci represents the synthesis of Italian Ingenium as a combination of aesthetics and problem solving, which you still see in the city today.
Machiavellianism boosts CEO pay, study finds
In an extensive study examining the relationship between personality traits and executive pay, CEOs who exhibit more Machiavellianism, characterized by motivation to achieve personal goals and 'win' social interactions, are more likely to have higher total pay and severance pay and to secure higher pay for those on their top management team. Aaron Hill, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of Florida Warrington College of Business, and his co-authors determined that CEO's who scored higher on Machiavellianism were more motivated and successful in their negotiations. The team used a longitudinal sample of S&P 500 firms to compare compensation data with the executives' personality traits collected by expert clinical psychologists’ analyses of public video recordings. “Broadly, we find that CEO Machiavellianism positively relates to their own pay, their severance pay and the pay of their C-Suite or top management team,” Hill said. “The latter effect – on top management team pay – we find then predicts CEO pay raises. Our findings suggest that in this way, CEOs higher in Machiavellianism may pay their top management team members more to set up their own pay raises.” The team’s research highlights an underlying bias in how this trait can affect pay decisions. In response, those who set pay, such as boards of directors, should work on policies that reinforce the behaviors they want in their executives. They should also place leaders in a position to succeed and accentuate the positive aspects of their innate tendencies. “We all have tendencies that present tradeoffs in terms of having some positive aspects and some negative aspects,” Hill said. “Hopefully, as managers, we can acknowledge those and work to accentuate the positives and limit the potential downsides – in effect, take advantage of the positives and work to mitigate the negatives.” This research is published in the Journal of Applied Psychology.
Professor Ian Maidment is a professor in clinical pharmacy at Aston Pharmacy School His inaugural lecture will explain why patients struggle with taking medication and present possible solutions to the problem Professor Maidment is a former practising pharmacist and an expert in medication optimisation and management in mental health and dementia. Professor Ian Maidment, professor in clinical pharmacy at Aston Pharmacy School, will give a public lecture about his life’s work on 5 February 2025. In his inaugural lecture, Professor Maidment will reflect on his journey from a childhood in Kent to becoming a leading researcher in clinical pharmacy. After more than two decades working in the NHS, in community pharmacy, mental health, dementia care, and leadership roles, he joined Aston University in 2012. His research focuses on the real-world challenges of medication optimisation for patients, carers, and healthcare professionals. The title of Professor Maidment’s lecture is ‘Medication adherence: Why it matters and how we can improve it’. Every year, the UK spends nearly £21 billion on medicines. Yet up to half of people with long-term conditions do not take their medication as prescribed—a problem known as non-adherence. This has profound clinical consequences and significant financial implications for the NHS. Professor Maidment will draw on his experience to explore how factors such as medication burden and side-effects influence adherence, the challenges posed by conditions such as dementia and severe mental illness, the role of pharmacy in supporting adherence and why tackling non-adherence requires a system-wide approach. He will also offer practical solutions to one of healthcare’s most persistent problems. Professor Maidment said: “We need to understand why patients struggle to take their medication and then develop and test solutions that work well.” The lecture on Thursday 5 February 2026 will take place at Aston Business School. In-person tickets are available from Eventbrite. The public lecture will begin at 18:00 GMT with refreshments served from 17:30 GMT. It is free of charge and will be followed by a drinks reception. The lecture will also be streamed online.
Baby, It's Cold Outside… And That's No Joke for Seniors
How cold is it? • It's so cold I saw a dog stuck to a fire hydrant. • It's so cold my words froze mid-air and my neighbour had to thaw them out to hear what I said. • It's so cold, I just saw a politician with his hands in his own pockets. Okay, I'm joking—but just a bit. Because while I enjoy a good cold-weather quip, hypothermia isn't funny. Currently, this severe Arctic blast is gripping Canada and large parts of the United States, dropping temperatures 20–40°F (11–22°C) below seasonal norms across a 2,000-mile stretch of North America. Nearly 80 million people are under winter storm warnings. Power outages are anticipated. Roads could be impassable. Travel is about as appealing as a root canal in a snowstorm. For many seniors on both sides of the border, this isn't just an inconvenience—it's a real safety risk. The Cold, Hard Stats (Brace Yourself) Looking at the research I couldn't believe what I found: Older adults are more than 5x as likely to die from hypothermia as younger adults (Kosatsky et al., 2015). In the U.S., approximately half of all hypothermia deaths are people over 65 according to data from the CDC. In Canada, adults over 75 are more than 5 times more likely to die from hypothermia than younger adults—and 87% of those deaths happen right in their own homes. (StatsCan Health Infobase ) Read that again. Slowly. Not on frozen lakes. Not stranded on highways. Instead, in familiar living rooms. Sitting on well-worn couches. Beneath afghans crocheted by someone who loved them. Why Your Body Becomes a Cold -Weather Traitor Our bodies change as we age, and not in the fun "I've earned every wrinkle" way. The insulating fat layer under the skin thins. Circulation slows. Metabolism drops like your interest in small talk. Certain medications—prescription and over-the-counter cold remedies—can interfere with temperature regulation and awareness. Your body's thermostat? It's on the fritz. Here's the math: Hypothermia doesn't require a blizzard. It can begin indoors when temperatures fall below 65°F / 18°C. And here's the truly dangerous part: hypothermia affects the brain first. Judgment declines before shivering becomes severe. You don't realize you're in trouble. You just feel "a bit chilly" while your core temperature quietly drops. Stop Acting Your Age! (But Also... Dress as if you know your age) I'm all for embracing life at every stage—hiking to Everest Base Camp at 60-something, teaching Zumba, and that MBA thing at 70, refusing to "act your age." But embracing life in this weather requires wisdom, not bravado. Cold weather brings real risks: • Slips and falls on icy surfaces (and no, we don't bounce like we used to) • Increased risk of heart attack and stroke because cold thickens the blood • Respiratory infections that linger far too long • Frostbite on fingers and toes • Hypothermia that clouds thinking before any alarms sound. The Indoor Survival Guide—Keep Up (Yes, You Can Get Hypothermia at Home) Set the thermostat to at least 68–70°F (20–21°C). This is not a time to be a miser. Heating bills can be expensive, but hospital stays are even more costly. And they don't even give you warm blankets anymore. Layer like a pro. This is not the time for fashion minimalism. Think: • Long underwear or thermal leggings • Pyjamas under clothes • Stockings or tights under pants • Two pairs of socks • Warm boots with good tread (essential for any outdoor ventures) • Shirts layered under sweaters When it's this cold, if you still own leg warmers—congratulations. Wear them. The warmth is worth the call from the '80s asking for them back. Hats indoors are permitted. This isn't a fashion show; it's survival style. You lose a lot of body heat through your head. Emulate your inner Elmer Fudd if you need to. Carbon monoxide alarms are essential & in many areas legally required. When temperatures drop, people get creative—and desperate. Space heaters, fireplaces, generators, kerosene heaters, or (please, dear God, don't) using gas ovens for heat. That last one is about as safe as texting while skydiving. And here's an important PSA: Starting January 1, 2026, Ontario's updated fire code mandates a functioning carbon monoxide alarm on every level of homes that have fuel-burning appliances. Remember to test alarms when you change your clocks for daylight saving time—it's easy to do, and not easy to forget. Block drafts like you're defending a castle. Roll towels under doors, seal windows, close unused rooms, open curtains during sunny days, and close them tightly at night. Check your medications. Ask your pharmacist or doctor if any prescriptions or over-the-counter remedies influence temperature regulation or alertness. Knowledge is power—and warmth. Check Food & Other Supplies. If venturing out feels risky, order groceries for delivery. Services like Voilà by Sobeys, Instacart, PC Express, and many local grocers deliver directly to your door. This isn't laziness—it's smart risk management. Most delivery services are free or inexpensive, especially when compared to the alternative: icy sidewalks, falls, broken hips, or getting stranded in extreme cold while wearing inadequate footwear because "it's just a quick trip." Clear Your Snow. Snow and ice hinder movement. Limited movement results in isolation. Isolation worsens depression and cognitive decline. Clear snow isn't just about safety—it's about dignity. Pro Tip: Protect Your Pipes (and Your Wallet). Winter power outages can mean burst pipes and serious water damage. If you expect a prolonged outage: • Know where your main water shut-off is • Turn it off • Open faucets to drain the lines It feels extreme—until it doesn't. Until you're standing in three inches of water at 2 a.m., wearing your emergency leg warmers. Know or Live Near an Older Adult? Here's Your Cold Weather Action Plan Don't ask if they need help—just do it. Clear the porch. Shovel a path. Salt the steps. Think of it as the winter cousin of snow angels: shovel angels. Be one! When people Are Shut In—Go check in with them. For those stuck indoors, reach out by video, not just text or voice. Seeing someone tells you far more than hearing "I'm fine." Use FaceTime, Zoom, WhatsApp, or Google Meet. Do this with older people you know. Because pride prevents people from asking for help. Shame prevents people from being honest—about empty fridges, sleeping in mittens, or wearing coats to bed. Look for these signs: • Confusion or slurred speech • Shivering—or lack of it (paradoxically dangerous) • Pale or bluish skin • Slow movements or lack of coordination • Extreme fatigue Know When to Call for Help If something feels off, err on the side of safety. In Canada: • Telehealth Ontario: 1-866-797-0000 • Quebec: 811 • Other provinces: Know your local health line If you notice any signs of distress—confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, severe cold exposure—or if you're unsure, call 911. Cold-related emergencies escalate rapidly. The Culture Shift We Need—Right Now Cold snaps reveal faults in our systems and communities. This is the time to foster a check-in culture: a call, a knock, a cleared walkway, groceries dropped at the door. Preparation matters. Connection matters more. Winter is temporary. The habits we build to take care of one another are not. Be cool—and stay warm out there, friends. Sue Don’t Retire… Rewire! What are your best winter safety tips? Share them—because staying warm is better when we do it together. Want more of this? Subscribe for weekly doses of retirement reality—no golf-cart clichés, no sunset stock photos, just straight talk about staying Hip, Fit & Financially Free.
Natural defenses: UF researchers use living infrastructure to protect Florida’s shores
Armed with a $7 million grant from the Army Corp of Engineers, University of Florida researchers are working to bolster shoreline resilience and restore troubled wetlands in St. Augustine through nature-based solutions. “The idea of nature-based solutions is to build what we sometimes refer to as green infrastructure, to use living, natural components as the building blocks,” said Andrew Altieri, Ph.D., an assistant professor with the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment and interim director of the Center for Coastal Solutions, also known as CCS. Instead of building man-made structures to protect wetlands, for example, restoration crews can move dredged natural sediment otherwise destined for costly disposal to increase wetlands’ size and elevation, restoring their ability to protect shorelines from storm surge, keep pace with sea-level change, filter toxins, store carbon and provide habitats for wildlife. The project is in concert with the Army Corps of Engineers’ goal to naturally reuse and repurpose at least 70% of dredged sediment into other natural areas to benefit habitats and restoration by 2030. “It is critical to understand, test and model how natural processes can be harnessed and strategically implemented to sustainably meet the challenge of rapidly intensifying coastal hazards while also providing environmental, economic and social benefits,” Altieri wrote in the project’s technical summary. Overall, the multi-disciplinary project closely examines patterns and processes of change in coastal landscapes. That includes wetlands — marshes and mangroves — and beach/dune systems. The project comes as these coastal areas are facing threats both natural and human. These areas are essential to wildlife, air quality, native vegetation, storm protection and the overall health of the ecosystem. A 2008 study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported a net loss of about 361,000 acres of wetlands in the coastal watersheds of the eastern United States between 1998 and 2004 — an average net decrease of 59,000 acres each year, with experts citing sea-level rise as one of the primary factors. “We're trying to understand the patterns of that loss and what's leading to it,” Altieri said. “These systems are essentially the first and sometimes last line of defense against coastal hazards, risks that include storm surges and coastal flooding. They are forming a buffer, this kind of protective layer on our coast. But they're changing, generally for the worse and are in danger of being lost.” With this project, the CCS-led research team plans to advance the science, technology and engineering principles of nature-based solutions. With marshes, the primary concern is elevation loss, which can drown the vegetation critical to the ecosystem. They are sinking, eroding and succumbing to sea-level changes, Altieri said. “The plants are really important for trapping sediment and holding sediment,” he said. “You lose some of the plants, then you get more erosional loss and a lack of the accumulation of sediment.” Sediment is natural muck on the bottom of water bodies. “If we can add sufficient sediment to increase the elevation to a level where the plants thrive, then they will retain that sediment that's been added to hopefully trap more sediment and accumulate more biomass through their growth,” Altieri said. “It’s something that may need to be done periodically. You may stop that decline, but you may even reverse the process of loss and change the trajectory.” As a bonus, this process saves the cost of disposing of dredged sediment, which is usually piped offshore or to a materials-management area. This project is the next step for CCS-led coastal resilience efforts in St. Augustine. In 2024, CCS and WSP Environment & Infrastructure Inc. launched a coastal wetlands-restoration project to keep pace with sea level change and erosion. The 2025 work is a standalone project with separate funding, Altieri said. The current project also has more research disciplines and project partners, including UF researchers from Landscape Architecture, Geological Sciences and the School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatic Sciences. “Storm surges, wave energy, coastal flooding – all of that can be slowed or reduced because of wetlands,” Altieri said. “They are basically like shock absorbers. These wetlands, beaches and dunes can be lost or eroded to some degree, but the upland area behind them is essentially protected.” Researching the resilience of dunes comes with a different set of dynamics. Here, they are looking at the plants that support the dunes – sea oats and panic grass, for example. That vegetation also provides a habitat for animals such as beach mice, turtles and birds. On the beach, the team also is looking at water energy and how grain size affects the stability of dunes. “It’s understanding water movement, water energy. How is that interacting with depositing sediment, moving sediment around, sorting sediment? With water, you tend to carry finer particles further than coarser materials,” he said. What does success look like after the award’s five years end? “We'll have an understanding of what's changing on our coasts and why,” Altieri said. “We'll have an understanding of how we can work within this system to modify the natural components and utilize the natural processes. And we will hopefully be working with partners through additional funding mechanisms to actually apply that towards implementation of solutions to increase coastal resilience.” The team also includes Peter Adams, Department of Geological Sciences; Julie Bruck, Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Landscape Architecture and Planning; Maitane Olabarrieta, ESSIE; Alex Sheremet, ESSIE; Nina Stark, ESSIE; Ben Wilkinson, Geomatics Program, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences; and Xiao Yu, ESSIE.
How to Make Your Experts “AI-Ready"
AI is changing how people discover expertise. Today, journalists, event organizers, researchers, and the public increasingly turn to tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google Search’s AI summaries powered by Gemini. Instead of clicking through pages of links, they expect clear, credible answers—often delivered instantly, with citations. That shift has major implications for organizations. It’s no longer enough for your experts to “rank well.” They need to be understood, trusted, and accurately represented by AI systems. So the real question becomes: When AI talks about your experts, does it get it right? This is where LLMs.txt plays an important role—especially when paired with an ExpertFile-powered Expert Center. What is LLMs.txt (In Plain English)? ...and why is it essential for expert content LLMs.txt is a small, machine-readable file placed on your organization’s website—in the case of your expert content alongside your main Expert Center. Its purpose is simple: to explain your expertise to AI systems clearly and unambiguously. “AI systems don’t just scan for keywords; they look for clear meaning, consistent context, and clean formatting — precise, structured language makes it easier for AI to classify your content as relevant.” Microsoft: Optimizing Your Content for Inclusion in AI Search Answers Rather than forcing AI to infer meaning from scattered pages, LLMs.txt explicitly tells systems: Who your experts are Which pages represent official, curated content How expert profiles differ from articles, Q&A, or research content How your organization’s expertise should be interpreted as a whole Think of it as a table of contents and usage guide for AI —helping large language models understand your site the way a communications professional would. Why This Matters for Visibility and Trust It Establishes Your Organization as the Source of Truth AI systems routinely synthesize information from multiple places. Without guidance, they may rely on outdated bios, scraped content, or secondary references. LLMs.txt provides a clear signal: This is our official expert content. This is what represents us. For ExpertFile clients, this matters because the platform already centralizes and curates expert content—from profiles and directories to Spotlights and Expert Q&A—ensuring that what AI sees is current, governed, and institutionally endorsed. The result: Greater accuracy, stronger attribution, and reduced risk of misrepresentation when your experts appear in the ever growing AI-generated overviews and answer. ahrefs: AI Overviews Have Doubled How It Improves Discovery Across AI Platforms It Makes Structured Expertise Easier for AI to Use ExpertFile is purpose-built to publish structured expert content at scale—content that goes well beyond static bios. LLMs.txt simply helps AI recognize and use that structure correctly. It clarifies the role of key ExpertFile content types, including: Expert Profiles → Canonical identity, credentials, and areas of expertise Spotlight Posts → Timely commentary, thought leadership, and research insights Expert Q&A → Authoritative answers to real-world questions Directories, Research Bureaus, and Speakers Bureaus → Curated collections of expertise by topic or audience This makes it easier for AI systems to: Match your experts to breaking news and trending topics Pull accurate summaries for AI-generated responses Identify the right expert for journalists, event organizers, and researchers Combined with ExpertFile’s extended distribution through expertfile.com and the ExpertFile Mobile App, your expertise is not only published—but actively discoverable across channels used by key audiences . How It Builds Organizational Authority It Connects Individual Experts to Institutional Credibility Without context, AI may treat expert pages as isolated profiles. LLMs.txt helps connect the dots. It tells AI that: Your experts are curated and endorsed by the organization Their insights are part of a broader expertise ecosystem Your institution has depth across priority subject areas This aligns closely with how ExpertFile structures content to support E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust)—not just at the individual level, but across the organization . The outcome: Your organization is recognized not just as a collection of experts, but as an authoritative source of knowledge. How It Works with Google, Gemini, and AI Search Supports AI Summaries, Citations, and Knowledge Panels LLMs.txt helps ensure that when Google’s AI: Summarizes your organization Cites expert commentary Builds “about this topic” panels …it draws from your official, structured ExpertFile content, rather than fragmented third-party sources. This complements ExpertFile’s existing SEO and AI-discoverability foundation, which includes clean code, proper meta data, schema markup, and frequent crawling by both search engines and AI bots. How LLMS.txt Fits with SEO, Meta Tags, and Schema LLMS.txt doesn’t replace SEO—it builds on it. Traditional SEO elements such as page titles, meta descriptions, schema.org markup, and internal linking remain essential for helping search engines index and rank your content. ExpertFile already delivers these fundamentals out of the box, continually testing and evolving SEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) standards as search changes . “Semantic SEO helps search engines understand context... it now helps bridge a critical gap between traditional SEO and newer generative engine optimization (GEO) and AI optimization (AIO) efforts.” Search Engine Land: Semantic SEO: How to optimize for meaning over keywords LLMS.txt adds a layer designed specifically for AI systems: Schema explains individual pages LLMs.txt explains your entire expertise ecosystem In simple terms: SEO helps your content get found LLMs.txt helps AI understand, summarize, and cite it correctly Together, they ensure your experts are not only visible—but accurately represented wherever AI is shaping discovery. Why This Is Especially Powerful on ExpertFile ExpertFile was designed to future-proof expert visibility—offering structured publishing, governance, distribution, inquiry management, analytics, and professional services as part of a continuously evolving SaaS platform . LLMS.txt acts as a multiplier on that foundation: Turning your Expert Center into a machine-readable expertise hub Strengthening AI discovery without adding operational burden Supporting emerging use cases like automated expert matching and AI-assisted research It’s not about chasing new technology. It’s about ensuring your expertise is clearly defined, properly attributed, and trusted—now and in the future. The Takeaway An LLMs.txt file on your ExpertFile organization page helps ensure that: Your experts are found by AI tools, not overlooked Your content is interpreted correctly, not flattened or misrepresented Your organization earns authority and trust in AI summaries, citations, and search results “AI search isn’t eliminating organic traffic. But it is reducing visits to source websites… Measure presence (citations, mentions) alongside traffic to see real impact.” Semrush: AI Search Trends for 2026 & How You Can Adapt As AI becomes the front door to information, LLMs.txt helps make sure that when people ask for expertise, your organization is the answer they get.
