Featured Post from University of Delaware

Small island states forging climate legacy

Dec 14, 2023

2 min

Comprising nations that are often overshadowed by larger counterparts on the economic stage, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) has become a formidable presence in shaping the discourse around climate change. Despite their limited economic clout, the AOSIS group wields influence by virtue of their vulnerability to the frontlines of climate impacts, making them pioneers in advocating for climate justice.

Now at the heart of global climate negotiations, the AOSIS group has successfully spearheaded the establishment of a breakthrough in climate justice: A dedicated fund geared towards assisting less developed nations in bolstering their adaptation and resilience efforts.

Kalim Shah, associate professor of energy and environmental policy at the University of Delaware, can comment on AOSIS and its role at The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (also known as UNFCCC). He makes the following points:

The AOSIS group, which is the negotiating body for small island developing states (SIDS) in The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), has emerged over the last decade as a major force in the global negotiations (even though the group comprises of small island nations which are typically not significant economic powerhouses=). They continue to lead on a number of key components of the UNFCCC climate agreement and wield this power largely because small islands are on the frontlines of climate impacts like seal level rise and are among the first to be impacted, even as they hold "no responsibility" for global warming.

Small island states have now successfully led the negotiations for and approval of acknowledgement of "loss and damage" and a specific new loss and damage fund. This fund is dedicated to helping less developed countries with their adaptation and resilience building needs. “Loss and damage” is a general term used in UN climate negotiations to refer to the consequences of climate change that go beyond what people can adapt to, or when options exist but a community doesn’t have the resources to access or utilize them.

This could be a turning point for the Alliance of Small Island States, since over 70% of climate funds to date have been allocated or distributed to climate mitigation efforts and very little to the SIDS. Since SIDS do not account for massive amounts of Greenhouse gas emissions, this was of little real help to them. But now the global consensus is understanding that the 1.5 degrees threshold of the Paris Accord will be passed and more efforts on the adaptation side must be available for the most vulnerable, such as SIDS to cope with climate impacts that are inevitable.

To set up an interview with Professor Shah, visit his profile and click on the "contact" button.

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Kalim Shah

Associate Professor, Energy and Environmental Policy

Expert in public policy, governance and institutional analysis for sustainable development in small peripheral economies and jurisdictions.

Public PolicyEnvironment, Social, Governance (ESG)Institutional TransformationSmall Island Developing StatesEnergy Security and Transition

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Jun 8, 2026

1 min

World Cup: Hall of Fame heading expert can talk about concussions

With a focus on concussion research, the University of Delaware's Thomas Kaminski serves as the sole U.S. representative on the FIFA Heading Expert Group, putting UD on the world soccer stage. Kaminski's contributions to the sport earned him a place in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame. Kaminski, professor of kinesiology and applied physiology at UD's College of Health Sciences, has studied heading in soccer and concussion risk for nearly three decades. It's just one of the many topics he can discuss in relation to the upcoming World Cup: • Concussion risks, prevention strategies and sports-related mild traumatic brain injuries. • Ankle instability and how evolving safety standards are influencing the modern game. • Purposeful headers in interscholastic and intercollegiate soccer. Kaminski will be inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Hall of Fame at the 77th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo on June 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. The award represents the profession’s highest honor and honors members who have dedicated their lives to service and left a lasting impact on the profession. “I’m honored and humbled to join such a distinguished group of athletic training pioneers – people who have shaped and pushed the profession forward to where it is today,” Kaminski said. To reach Kaminski directly and arrange an interview, visit his ExpertFile profile and click on the "connect" button. Interested members of the media can also email mediarelations@udel.edu.

Jun 4, 2026

2 min

NBA Finals: Pricey tickets have fans debating the value of a memory

With the NBA Finals back in New York and San Antonio, some fans holding pricey tickets face an emotional and financial decision: Savor a major life memory or cash out for big money to spend on something else? The University of Delaware's Amit Kumar has conducted research on these types of choices. Kumar, an assistant professor of marketing and psychological & brain sciences, says that it may come down to a choice between material possessions that people often buy because they think those things are going to make them happy and a satisfying experiential purchase that tends to "last" in a psychological sense. The Spurs haven't been to the Finals since 2014. It's been 27 years for the Knicks – and 53 years since the team hoisted the championship trophy. So, in this case, the decision comes down to a large lump of money to spend on, say, a kitchen remodeling project or a new watch; versus the memory of witnessing a rare NBA Finals home game. "If there's a consumer deciding between buying antique living room furniture to replace the set they already have in their house or instead spending that money on the experience of seeing the Knicks play the Spurs, they are likely to derive more enduring satisfaction from the memories of being at the game, the stories they tell about going and having been there, and the social interactions they have as a result," Kumar said. He added that the lesson for people's everyday lives is really to tilt their spending in a way such that they spend a bit less on material goods and a bit more on experiences. To connect with Kumar directly and arrange an interview, visit his profile and click on the "contact" button. To reach him directly, send an email to mediarelations@udel.edu.

Jun 2, 2026

2 min

Nurse-midwife master’s program addresses maternal healthcare shortages

Counties across the U.S. are seeing an increase in “maternity care deserts” – areas that completely lack OB/GYNs, midwives or birthing facilities. The University of Delaware's School of Nursing will join the effort to address this shortage by launching the state's first nurse-midwife master’s program and post-graduate certificate this fall. Amanda Watson, director of the nurse-midwife program and assistant professor of nursing at UD's College of Health Sciences, can talk about the issue both on a national scale and at the hyper-local level. In Delaware, for example, 67 percent of pregnant women in Kent County and nearly half of pregnant women in Sussex County who experienced a stillbirth or infant death have late or no access to prenatal care, according to the Maternal and Child Death Review Commission (MCDRC). “The program is in direct response to workforce needs and healthcare shortages in the state and aligns with our mission in the School of Nursing to promote nurses at the earliest levels to the advanced practice level,” said Elizabeth Speakman, chief nurse administrator and senior associate dean of SON. She added that current nursing students wanted to see a program like this. “We’ve had undergraduate students tell us they want to continue their experience as a Blue Hen through a nurse-midwife program, so we expect this program to be quite popular, especially with our direct admission pathway,” Speakman said. The full-time, two-year program is being supported by a $1 million investment from the state of Delaware. It will be led by Watson and launch this fall with an eight-student cohort that will complete clinical rotations at Christiana, Bayhealth and Beebe hospitals, as well as The Birth Center in Newark. “We will prioritize students living and working in Delaware to make a quicker impact on the workforce shortage,” Watson said. The pipeline strategy is central to the program, said Dr. Meena Ramakrishnan, a consultant and epidemiologist with the MCDRC. “More nurse-midwives who train here, know Delaware and its resources, make connections and stay here to practice, is an important step toward improving outcomes,” Ramakrishnan said. Watson said the program reflects what makes change possible in Delaware’s healthcare system. “I saw a flawed healthcare system in this state, and I’m blessed to be in a state small enough that people who want to fix the problem are given opportunities to affect change,” she said. To connect with Watson directly and arrange an interview, visit her profile page and click the "contact" button. Interested reporters can also send an email to mediarelations@udel.edu.