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Expert available to discuss Holmes trial verdict
Elizabeth Holmes, founder of the failed blood testing start-up Theranos, was found guilty Monday of four of 11 charges of fraud, after a closely watched trial that lasted nearly four months. A jury determined that she deliberately misled investors. Todd Haugh, associate professor of business law and ethics and the Arthur M. Weimer Faculty Fellow in Business Law at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, is available to comment on the verdict and future sentencing. Haugh’s research focuses white collar and corporate crime, business and behavioral ethics, and federal sentencing policy, exploring the decision-making processes of the players most central to the commission and adjudication of economic crime and unethical business conduct. He can discuss: • The size of the potential sentencing and the calculation the judge will make in determining it (the statutory maximum is high -- 20 years; the sentencing guideline will be very high -- maybe life imprisonment; but the actual sentence will be much, much lower); • The impact the acquitted conduct will have on the sentence (none -- the law allows the judge to consider all conduct, even counts she was acquitted of) • The impact of Holmes going to trial versus pleading guilty (significant because she loses cooperation credit, for example); • The larger business ethics and compliance implications of the case, which Haugh believes are significant, given the high profile nature of Theranos and Holmes, the culture of Silicon Valley, and the rarity of a criminal trial in a case like this); Haugh can be reached at thaugh@indiana.edu and 812-855-6539
The Day the Universe Changed: A Conversation With Scott Engle, PhD
In the opening to last week's 60 Minutes episode, host Scott Pelley remarked, "this December 22 may become known as the day the universe changed." December 22, today, is the day the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launches the James Webb Space Telescope, the largest and most expensive instrument ever flown. A hundred times more powerful than the Hubble Space Telescope, Webb can see back in time to the formation of the earliest galaxies in the universe in order to study how our solar systems have evolved. Villanova University's Scott Engle, PhD, is an expert in the field of astrophysics and planetary sciences. He recently joined us to answer a few burning questions: Q: 60 Minutes pegged this as "the day the universe changed." Do you think that's overstated or accurate? Dr. Engle: Well, it's mostly accurate. They naturally want to keep it concise, so it sounds a bit better, but it's definitely going to be the day when our understanding of the universe started to change. Webb's capabilities and the quality of data it promises to deliver are going to at least refine, but in the end likely redefine, several theories about the universe. Q: Relatedly, from your knowledge, what do you think are the impacts this type of project will have? DE: The satellite has its primary science goals, but I'm sure a project this large will wind up impacting all areas of astronomy. Theories and models are continually improving, and pairing any of them up with some of the best data possible is always going to produce exciting results and advances in the field. Q: Had you or anyone else in the department (that you're aware of) applied for any research as a part of this project? DE: I don't believe that anyone in the department has applied to Webb yet, but I'm looking to during one of their future calls for proposals. Q: As an astrophysicist, is this something that can be a 'superfan' moment? Is this comparable to any other experiences or projects in your career? DE: There's simply a lot of anticipation and nerves. They've done rigorous testing, so it should all go to plan, but at this point I'm just waiting to see that everything has gone well and observations are underway. After that, it's incredible every time a new satellite is launched and you see the great data it can produce and the new studies that data is allowing astronomers to carry out. It makes me think of when the Kepler satellite first started producing data. It sounds simple enough—Kepler simply stared at thousands of stars and repeatedly measured how bright they were—but the data it produced was a huge leap forward. The number of stars it was observing, the continuous measurements and their excellent precision all combined to produce a dataset that I was amazed to see. Q: What else are you looking forward to about this initiative? Certainly, seems like it was a long time coming. DE: One area of results I'm personally looking forward to are the exoplanet studies and what Webb can tell us about the atmospheres of planets orbiting other stars.
Georgia Southern University has established a new research and outreach center, the Institute for Water and Health, to investigate the complex interactions between water and human activities, and protect and restore public health in a changing environment. As part of the University’s focus on public impact research, the center will foster collaboration among scientists, government agencies, industry, nonprofit organizations and communities. Coastal Georgia is the perfect location for such an institute to conduct interdisciplinary research because it lies at the intersection of many social, economic and ecological issues. The center supports the region through research, workforce training for students, and actively involving communities in water resource management decision-making process, said Asli Aslan, Ph.D., associate professor in Georgia Southern’s Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences. Now also director of the Institute for Water and Health, Aslan is a water microbiologist, and her research program bridges ecosystem and human health. She has ongoing funded projects on tracking sources of water pollution and assessing health risks associated with exposure to chemical and microbial contaminants. She works with local communities and nonprofit organizations to encourage water stewardship behaviors. Aslan has served in various federal and state agencies and organizations as an adviser, reviewer, scientific committee member and affiliated faculty. She is also the founder and currently the co-chair of the Water and Health Committee of the American Public Health Association. “We want to create a nationally recognized institution that provides meaningful solutions for community needs,” said Aslan. “Our immediate plan is to develop a coalition with all stakeholders in the region to address issues related to increased water demand, impact of sea-level rise on water resources, and potential emerging contaminants in our urban and rural water infrastructure. We are in the process of establishing a community advisory group consisting of scientists from academic institutions, representatives from local and state governments, community leaders, non-profit organizations and businesses to identify and prioritize community needs in water research and education.” For example, she said, although one in every six households in Georgia has a private well, few residents realize any water testing, treatment or well maintenance is the sole responsibility of the property owner as per the Safe Drinking Water Act. Aslan said the Institute for Water and Health will work with the homeowners to help them recognize potential risks and provide solutions that will keep families safe in the long term. “We also look at sources of contaminants using state-of-the-art-methods. And if you know where the pollution is coming from precisely, it’s easier to go fix that problem once and for all, which has a direct impact on the decision-making process to protect water resources.” she said. These new techniques allow researchers with the institute to provide test results within a few hours, which helps end-users to be informed the same day instead of days where most water testing methods currently take about 48 hours. The implications of these methods are broad, as they can be used to identify pathogens in storm water or in household drinking water pipes; assess how new sustainable water treatment technologies efficiently remove contaminants, or provide same-day results for recreational beach monitoring. “We can do all this fancy research in the lab, but it will be very important for us to go out into the community and talk to people, ask them what their immediate needs – our goal is to involve communities from the very beginning of our research so that we co-develop meaningful solutions that will improve the quality of their everyday lives,” Aslan said. “Our group at Georgia Southern consists of established researchers from multiple disciplines such as environmental education, public health, social and behavioral sciences, environmental and computational engineering, coastal ecology, and we are growing everyday”. Carl L. Reiber, Ph.D., Georgia Southern’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, said the center will pull together faculty from across the University, many of whom have already established themselves as water experts within their own discipline. He expects the center to take a very visible role for the University and is renovating space in Savannah near the Armstrong campus to house the center and its labs. “The Institute for Water and Health will bring to southeast Georgia an awareness of the importance of water quality, water management and how tightly these areas are aligned with our health,” Reiber said. “The public impact of this institute is immeasurable and will ultimately increase the quality of life in our community.” If you're a journalist looking to know more about this topic or are looking to cover - then let us help. Asli Aslan, Ph.D., is a water microbiologist, and her research program bridges ecosystem and human health. She has ongoing funded projects on microbial source tracking, health risk assessment of water resources, and the ecology of pathogens in the aquatic environment. She is available to speak with reporters – simply click her icon now to arrange an interview today.
Striking a chord! New Savannah museum tells the storied history of Gretsch instruments
Drums, guitars, history, business and education have come together in a spectacular new interactive museum and exhibit in downtown Savannah that will pique the interest of any music lover. That Great Gretsch Sound! museum is a new destination where Georgia Southern University helps tell the story of a family-owned company that is still regarded as one of the music industry’s most influential and innovative instrument manufacturers. The permanent display of music memorabilia, highlighting more than 135 years of Gretsch instruments, is featured in District Live’s new lobby and performance space on the banks of the Savannah River. The museum is the latest addition to the Plant Riverside District. The museum’s opening was recently featured in Premium Guitar : The exhibit space highlights some of the most popular and unique pieces of Gretsch's historic catalog. The museum lobby features some of the most iconic instruments the company has produced, including the White Falcon™, the Chet Atkins® Country Gentleman®, a Brian Setzer Signature G6120, and a vintage 1963 Jet™ Firebird popularized by AC/DC's Malcolm Young. In the District Live performance hall, visitors will be treated to a visual timeline that will allow them to explore the evolution of Gretsch instruments dating back to the 1920s. Approximately 100 guitars are on display in the exhibit, 48 of which were recently on display in Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame. The museum was developed through a special partnership between the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music at Georgia Southern University and The Kessler Collection. In addition to the instruments that line the performance hall and upper section of the lobby, the museum features three sound dome displays with original videos that highlight Gretsch history, instrument production, the worldwide community of past and present Gretsch artists from Chet Atkins and George Harrison to Phil Collins, and the family's storied commitment to music education. Several other display cases take guests on a visual journey from Gretsch's beginnings as a local manufacturer of calf-skin drums, banjos, and accordions to one of the most popular and sought-after producers of guitars and drums during the height of the Rock & Roll era. Downtown Savannah is now helping tell that Gretsch story. The Gretsch museum includes Gretsch instruments and storyboards with QR code links to detailed narratives. "We hope this new museum will preserve the long history and legacy of the Gretsch Family and the Gretsch Brand," Dinah Gretsch said. "It is wonderful to share our history with the city of Savannah, the loyal Gretsch fans and all the tourists that will visit the museum." The museum's artifacts were curated and installed by Aaron Phillips, Georgia Southern's project curator for the Fred and Dinah Gretsch Artifacts Collection. Through his research to prepare the museum, he is confident that the Gretsch Museum will provide a unique musical experience. "My goal was to create a space that is expressive, inspirational, and true to the roots of the Gretsch family and community," Phillips said. "I am in awe of how this turned out!" To learn more – the full media release from Georgia Southern is attached below: If you’re a journalist looking to cover That Great Gretsch Sound! – then let us help. Aaron Phillips, Georgia Southern's project curator for the Fred and Dinah Gretsch Artifacts Collection is available, simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Recently, the expertise of Georgia Southern University’s researchers was featured in an in-depth piece by Business Insider Magazine. U.S. oncology company OncoTEX has made a significant leap in the future of cancer treatment. A part of the bioscience development portfolio The iQ Group Global, OncoTEX has licensed a gold compound platform technology, AuraTEX, that helps destroy cancer cells by using the body’s immune system. The gold-based compounds enter cancer cells and attack them from the inside. Through this process, the tumours are disrupted, and cancer cells are made visible, causing the human body’s immune response to kick in. With the immune system and gold compounds working together, killer T-cells and the drug destroy the remaining cancer. The futuristic technology was developed in collaboration with the University of Texas at Austin, Georgia Southern University, and Wright State University, before being licensed to OncoTEX. In the coming months, OncoTEX and the University of Texas at Austin will test the gold compounds in rigorous studies to learn more about the treatment and its potential in fighting various forms of cancer. December 16 - Business Insider The full article is attached. And, If you’re a journalist looking to cover this new research that Georgia Southern is a major part of - – then let us help. We have experts available to answer your questions - simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Hats off to the 2,100 graduates at Georgia Southern
Last week, approximately 2,100 undergraduate and graduate students from Georgia Southern University’s Statesboro, Armstrong and Liberty campuses received associate, baccalaureate, master’s, specialist and doctoral degrees in three Fall 2021 Commencement ceremonies. Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero welcomed the graduates and their families to the University’s Fall Commencement ceremonies, held at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah on Dec. 11, and the Allen E. Paulson Stadium in Statesboro on Dec. 13 and 14. He commended the graduates on their achievements and tenacity. “Graduates, I don’t need to tell you about your unique college journey, which has been challenging for all of us,” said Marrero. “I am very proud of how, together, we have persevered allowing us to have a successful semester and today, our commencement ceremony. You, our graduates, deserve great recognition.” During the Savannah ceremony, Georgia’s 2022 Teacher of the Year Cherie Dennis (Armstrong ‘10), who teaches English to Speakers of Other Languages at Hesse K-8 School in Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools, addressed the packed house with a call for kindness. “My hope for you is that you go out into the world with your eyes and your hearts wide open,” she said. “That you go out into the world and make something beautiful out of its cracks and imperfections. A world that is bound together by the irrefutable strength and integrity of kindness. Be the repairers of the world; the menders of the world; the bridge builders; the constructive, contributive citizens who nurture communities large and small. And that may sound daunting, but really it all starts with something so very simple, something so very possible and within your reach. Something you knew how to do even as a child. Just being kind.” Sachin Shailendra, chair of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents and president of SG Contracting, Inc. in Atlanta, spoke at the first ceremony in Statesboro. “Georgia Southern – which in a few minutes will be your alma mater – is one of the shining stars among our 26 institutions,” he said. “It ranks as one of Georgia’s best comprehensive universities, with a growing reputation for research that impacts not only vital industries but the environment and our communities. The degree you earned lets everyone know you learned from outstanding faculty, top staff and talented fellow students. “The opportunities ahead of you are many. I know this because of my own experience. I was born in Georgia, but my father was not. I am only a generation away from the farmers my family were in India. Education has been a game changer for both me and my family, and I know it’s a major accomplishment for many of you. I hope your degree will inspire you to take the next steps in building your future. So go out into the world and create a worthy future, not only for yourselves, but one that will represent Georgia Southern, our entire university system, and this state as well…Your education has already changed you. It also has the power to change your community, and move our state forward in exciting ways.” To read the full release please see the attachment below. This is a great moment for Georgia Southern University and if you are looking to learn more about this year's graduating class or the school - then let us help. Simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu with your questions or to arrange an interview today.
Can oily fish, cherries or milk help you sleep? Here’s what the evidence shows
Almost one in five British people report they don’t get enough sleep each night. The problem is so bad that in total the UK public are losing around a night’s worth of shut-eye each week. There are a lot of popular beliefs about foods and drinks helping people get a good night’s rest, but many of them are not based on scientific evidence. Here’s what we know. Chemistry of food and sleep Our diet has an influence upon sleep patterns by affecting the sleep hormone melatonin. For example, foods rich in the essential amino acid tryptophan are commonly cited as helping sleep, as tryptophan helps produce melatonin. Additionally, some vitamins and minerals may help sleep, such as vitamin D, magnesium and zinc. Oily fish: Evidence suggests the more oily fish, such as salmon or herring, you eat the better you sleep. Oily fish contain healthy fats such as omega-3 oils which have been shown to improve sleep in children and are involved in serotonin release. Serotonin, a brain chemical linked to mood, also regulates the sleep-wake cycle which may also explain how eating oily fish can help. Tart cherries: A number of studies have looked at consumption of tart cherries, usually in the form of a drink, and sleep. Evidence suggests that tart cherries improves sleep in older adults, probably due to their ability to increase melatonin levels. And tart cherries are also rich in nutrients, including magnesium, which also may improve your sleep. Kiwi fruit: The evidence for kiwi fruit helping you sleep is mixed. One study suggested four weeks of kiwi fruit consumption improved multiple sleep measures, while another, admittedly in sufferers of insomnia, found no effect. Based on these findings it is not clear yet that eating kiwi fruit will benefit sleep for most people. Oysters: In 1888 W F Nelsom wrote “He who sups on oysters is wont on that night to sleep placidly…”. There is some evidence to back up this statement, with zinc-rich foods, including oysters, being reported to benefit sleep. However, on balance eating oysters before bedtime is unlikely to be beneficial to your night’s sleep. Alcohol and other drinks Alcohol causes brain activity to slow down and has sedative effects that can induce feelings of relaxation and sleepiness> But consuming alcohol is actually linked to poor sleep quality and duration. Although drinking alcohol may cause more rapid sleep onset, this can affect the different stages of sleep, decreasing overall sleep quality. If you want a good night’s sleep, avoiding alcohol is sound advice. But are there any non-alcoholic drinks that might help? Warm milk: Research conducted in the 1970s suggested that a glass of warm milk before bed could improve sleep quality. This research was performed in a very small group however, and little research has been done since. Drinking milk does increase melatonin levels which could help. But there isn’t enough evidence to support the claim that a glass of warm milk definitely makes you nod off. Bone broth: Bone broth commonly crops up in online articles as a food that can aid sleep. This may be due its high content of the amino acid glycine. Glycine has been shown to improve sleep in rodents and humans, possibly by lowering body temperature. There are however no studies specifically looking at bone broth consumption and sleep. Herbal teas: The range of herbal teas aimed at the sleep market has grown and grown. Evidence for valerian, a common ingredient, to aid sleep is inconclusive. Decaffeinated green tea has been reported to improve sleep quality, which might be linked to the relaxing qualities of L-theanine, an amino acid it contains, but in general, avoiding caffeinated teas is a wise choice. If you like herbal teas, then they can be part of a relaxing pre-bedtime routine – but they are unlikely to improve your sleep quality. A bedtime routine Having a bedroom environment and daily routines that promote consistent, uninterrupted sleep are important. These include keeping to the same time to head off to bed, making your bedroom free of disruptions and having a relaxing pre-sleep routine. But many of the foods that have claimed benefits for sleep have little or no evidence behind them, to the point there are no legally recognised health claims for food assisting sleep approved in the UK or Europe. If any one of these things helps you to sleep well, there’s no reason to stop. But just remember the other basics of a good nights sleep too, including relaxing before bed and avoiding too much blue light from electronic devices.
Parents who struggle to encourage their children to eat vegetables can now play a more influential part at their mealtimes – concludes a study by psychologists in the College of Health and Life Sciences at Aston University. The recent study, which was published in the journal Appetite, was carried out by doctoral researcher Katie Edwards, who found that children watching adults eat a green vegetable with positive facial expressions tasted and consumed more than double the amount of that vegetable. The team recruited 111 British children between the ages of four and six years old and played each of them one of three videos. In two of the videos, the children were shown unfamiliar adults eating raw broccoli with either a positive or a neutral facial expression. The third video, used as a control, was not food related. The researchers then assessed the children’s willingness to try raw broccoli. This was measured using a seven-point scale from turning away from it to both swallowing and accepting it. Their intake of the vegetable was measured by the number of grams of raw broccoli consumed, and the number of tastes of raw broccoli was examined. The findings could help children become more accepting of less popular vegetables like raw broccoli and generally facilitate healthier eating in children. The research mainly focused on young children who had never tried broccoli before. The team found that children who were exposed to video clips of adults enjoying eating broccoli had more tastes of, and ate, on average, more than twice as much of the food in comparison with the kids in the control group — specifically, 11 g (0.4 oz) rather than 5 g (0.2 oz). Katie Edwards, PhD researcher at Aston University, said: “One explanation for the beneficial effect of positive facial expressions whilst eating could be that conveying food enjoyment gives the observer information about the safety and palatability of food. “Raw broccoli was novel for most participants. Thus, children may have eaten more broccoli after watching adults enjoy eating it, because they believed it was enjoyable to eat.” The researchers were surprised to find, however, that seeing adults enjoying raw broccoli did not impact the children's initial willingness to try the vegetable. The results showed that after watching adults enjoying eating raw broccoli, children ate more than double the amount of raw broccoli than children who had seen a non-food related video. This suggests that smiling while eating green vegetables can encourage children to taste and eat more of that vegetable. Katie added: “Further work is needed to determine whether a single exposure [to adults enjoying broccoli] is sufficient and whether these effects are sustained over time.” The full findings of the study were published in the journal Appetite.
Experts in the Media – Learn how UMW is doing its part to preserve Indigenous history
The members of Virginia’s Rappahannock and Patawomeck tribes can trace their roots back to the times before the first European contact. For hundreds of years, their people fished the rivers and inhabited the area near the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers. It was a rich history and today the efforts to preserve the stories and records of those times are being bolstered by UMW students and faculty. The work was recently featured in a piece by NBC-4 in Washington, D.C. Professor Lauren McMillan and her students are helping with that mission. King George County economic development officials approached her with an idea to create a Native American heritage trail, hopeful that it would drive ecotourism and draw visitors to public access points. “The first step that we did was say we need to consult with the tribes whose stories we’d be telling," McMillan said. Then the class did a deep dive. "We then started diving into the archives, the historical records, oral histories and the archaeological record as well,” McMillan said. They’ve created signs that will go up in seven different locations in King George. Each one tells a different story about the local tribes, spotlighting the past and present. “When you learn Virginia history, you learn about a lot of stuff that happened in Jamestown and that’s kind of the last place you learn about Indians in Virginia history, but we've been here all along,” Brad Hatch, a member of the Patawomeck Tribe, said. “We’ve been preserving our own culture and heritage and it's here for everybody to see." The students worked hard to put that heritage and culture on full display. They also envision their project inspiring others to do some research of their own about Virginia’s first residents. December 07 - NBC News Indigenous history is a fascinating topic – and one being covered more and more by media. And if you’re a reporter looking to know about the work UMW is doing with of the Rappahannock and Patawomeck tribes or other topics – then let us help. Lauren McMillan is the University of Mary Washington's resident historical archaeologist and an expert on middle-Atlantic American history. Dr. McMillan is available to speak with media – simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.
Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? If not – waiting for last minute deals or just pushing off the pain of navigating a jam-packed shopping mall might result in some failed efforts, unhappy kids and even the potential for coal in your own stocking for letting some loved ones down. Recently, John Talbott, the director of the Center for Education and Research in Retailing at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business was interviewed on the IBJ podcast to explain how supply chain woes may be creating chaos this Christmas. Experts expect shoppers to drop a record amount of money this holiday season. The National Retail Federation forecasts sales for November and December to grow between 8.5% and 10.5% over the same months in 2020. In total dollars, that would be between $843.4 billion and $859 billion. At the same time, the supply-chain issues that have plagued commerce since the start of the pandemic are expected to complicate gift buying and limit stock for some products. The answer is to get your shopping done as soon as possible, because you might not get a second chance, says John Talbott, the director of the Center for Education and Research in Retailing at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. In the latest edition of the IBJ Podcast, Talbott explores other big questions with host Mason King. Does Indy’s status as a leading U.S. logistics hub give Hoosiers a leg up on gift availability? What role might inflation play in this year’s shopping season? Why are gift cards even more valuable than usual this year? How can we avoid cybercrime? And are there any blockbuster, must-have gifts for this season? November 28 – IBJ Podcast And if you’re a journalist looking to know more or covert this subject – then let us help. John Talbott is the Director for the Center for Education and Research in Retail at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. He’s an expert in the areas of retailing, relating marketing activities to financial outcomes, and new media communication. John is available to speak with media regarding this important topic – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.