Featured Post from University of Delaware

Climate change research trailblazer elected to prestigious list of AAAS Fellows

Apr 26, 2024

1 min

University of Delaware professor Rodrigo Vargas has been elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) — one of the largest scientific societies in the world and publisher of the Science family of journals.

The new class of AAAS Fellows includes 502 scientists, engineers and innovators across 24 disciplines, who are being honored for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements.

Vargas, professor of ecosystem ecology and environmental change in UD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, is recognized "for distinguished contributions to carbon dynamics across the terrestrial-aquatic interface, development of environmental networks, novel data analysis tools and his leadership in creating a more diverse scientific workforce."

Deborah Allen, who retired from UD in 2019 as a professor of biological sciences, was also names as a fellow. She was cited “for transformational contributions to STEM education nationally and internationally, particularly for developments in problem-based learning and faculty development.”

Vargas is an ecosystem ecologist who studies how nature-based solutions can help address global environmental change in both terrestrial and coastal ecosystems, Vargas uses a variety of research methods, including data mining, machine learning, remote sensing, measurements of greenhouse gas fluxes and modeling techniques for forecasting applications.

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Aug 26, 2026

1 min

How Trade Wars Are Reshaping Fashion and Apparel

Trade disputes and tariffs have become an increasingly common part of the global economic landscape, with the fashion and apparel industry often caught in the crossfire. University of Delaware professor Sheng Lu can explain how these disruptions reshape sourcing decisions, supply chains, prices and the products ultimately available to consumers. Lu can discuss: • How new tariffs, including those on Canadian jackets and wool products, could affect consumers, fashion companies and apparel supply chains. • How tariffs can affect apparel prices and product availability for U.S. consumers. • Why fashion and apparel supply chains are particularly vulnerable to trade policy changes. • The impact of trade disputes on fashion companies and retailers in the U.S. and abroad. • What previous trade disputes can tell us about the potential consequences of tariffs. To arrange an interview, visit Lu's profile and click on the “contact” button. Interested reporters can also email MediaRelations@udel.edu.

Aug 25, 2026

1 min

Epidemiologist Available to Discuss Measles, Vaccination and Infectious Disease Outbreaks

As measles cases continue to rise in the United States, University of Delaware epidemiologist Jennifer Horney is available to discuss measles outbreaks, vaccination, vaccine hesitancy and the challenges of preventing the spread of highly contagious infectious diseases. The deaths of two unvaccinated Pennsylvania residents from measles — the first measles deaths in the state in 35 years — underscore the continuing public health risks posed by the disease. Horney, a former member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Board of Scientific Counselors, is an experienced epidemiologist who studies infectious disease outbreaks and public health preparedness. Horney can discuss: • Measles outbreaks and transmission: Why measles is among the most contagious infectious diseases and how outbreaks spread. • Vaccination: The effectiveness of the MMR vaccine and the importance of maintaining high vaccination rates. • Vaccine hesitancy and misinformation: What influences vaccination decisions and how public health messaging affects perceptions of vaccine and infectious disease risks. • Measles prevention and treatment: Why outbreaks can reemerge when vaccination coverage falls, and the role and limitations of vitamin A and other treatments. • Outbreak response and preparedness: How public health officials investigate and respond to measles and other infectious disease outbreaks, and what can be learned from previous outbreaks. To reach Horney directly and arrange an interview, visit her profile and click on the “contact” button. Interested reporters can also email MediaRelations@udel.edu.

Aug 10, 2026

1 min

Experts on earthquake response, community recovery and building safety

The shaking from a major earthquake may be over in minutes, but its consequences will last for years. University of Delaware experts can address emergency response, distributing aid, assessing damaged buildings, helping vulnerable communities and planning for long-term recovery. Their expertise is particularly relevant as communities across Latin America respond to major earthquakes, including the deadly magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Colombia. Tricia Wachtendorf, co-director of UD’s Disaster Research Center, offers expertise on how governments, nonprofits, emergency responders and community groups coordinate following a major disaster. Her research examines the role of spontaneous or “emergent” groups, humanitarian aid and donations, and how communities and organizations respond in the aftermath of disasters. Jennifer Trivedi, associate professor of anthropology and Disaster Research Center faculty member, specializes in disaster vulnerability and why some communities are more severely affected than others. She also addresses the long-term recovery needs and planning that emerge after the immediate crisis. Michael Chajes, professor of civil and environmental engineering, provides expertise on the structural damage caused by earthquakes, why some buildings collapse while others withstand the shaking and how engineers assess damaged structures and improve earthquake resilience. To arrange an interview with one of these experts, visit their profiles and click on the contact button. Interested reporters can also email MediaRelations@udel.edu.