Latest News from: University of Vermont

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Released: 25-Sep-2018 9:25 AM EDT
Adoption of Green Stormwater Infrastructure Likely to Increase After Floods
University of Vermont

Residents and property owners are more likely to adopt some green stormwater infrastructure practices if they have experienced flooding or erosion on their property or in their neighborhoods, according to new research from the University of Vermont. With the number of extreme weather events rising, more people may seek ecologically friendly practices to manage stormwater.

27-Aug-2018 11:30 AM EDT
Global Warming: More Insects, Eating More Crops
University of Vermont

Rising global temperatures are expected to significantly increase crop losses from insects, especially in temperate regions, a new study finds. Losses for three top staple grains (wheat, rice, maize) are projected to rise by 10-25% per degree of warming. A 2-degree rise in global average temperature would result in crop losses of approx. 213 million tons.

Released: 22-Aug-2018 1:05 PM EDT
New Book: Entertainment Media Shape Our Politics More Than We Know
University of Vermont

A new book argues that entertainment media like Game of Thrones shape our beliefs, in way we aren't aware of, about social justice, crime and terrorism, tolerance and diversity, the benefits or dangers of technology, and the characteristics of leadership. The author, a political science professor at the University of Vermont, based his conclusions on 13 separate studies and experiments.

13-Aug-2018 12:30 PM EDT
How Forests Improve Kids' Diets
University of Vermont

A first-of-its-kind global study shows that children in 27 developing countries have better nutrition—when they live near forests.

   
Released: 10-Jul-2018 3:05 PM EDT
Why Nanowires Lose Their Superpowers
University of Vermont

Scientists uncovered the microscopic process by which metal wires can lose their superconductivity. The ability to control this transition in nanowires could lead to a new class of energy-efficient information technologies based on tiny superconductors.

Released: 29-Jun-2018 4:05 PM EDT
Study: Lack of Inquiry-Oriented Instruction by Eighth-Grade Science Teachers Without Educational Backgrounds in Science Offers Insight Into Why U.S. Students Lag Behind Global Peers in Scientific Literacy, Stem Jobs
University of Vermont

A new study shows that eighth-grade science teachers without an educational background in science are less likely to practice inquiry-oriented science instruction, a pedagogical approach that develops students’ understanding of scientific concepts and engages students in hands-on science projects. This research offers new evidence for why U.S. middle-grades students may lag behind their global peers in scientific literacy. Inquiry-oriented science instruction has been heralded by the National Research Council and other experts in science education as best practice for teaching students 21st-century scientific knowledge and skills.

Released: 29-Jun-2018 3:30 PM EDT
GE, Harvard Professor Advocate for More College-Corporate Partnerships to Build Workforce of Tomorrow
University of Vermont

For the first time in two decades there are more job opening in the United States than unemployed Americans. A lack of college-educated workers, however, could result in 20 million high-paying jobs going unfilled over the next decade. Leaders in business, education and philanthropy met at a summit at CFES Brilliant Pathways in Essex, NY, to address this critical economic and social justice issue by identifying strategies for helping students from underserved urban and rural areas become ready for the workforce of tomorrow.

24-Jun-2018 9:00 PM EDT
Mandatory Labels Reduce GMO Food Fears
University of Vermont

As national regulators work to develop mandatory GMO food labels, new research by UVM’s Jane Kolodinsky finds that consumer opposition to GMOs dropped significantly after Vermont adopted mandatory labels.

Released: 12-Jun-2018 7:05 AM EDT
Making Quantum Puddles
University of Vermont

A team of physicists at the University of Vermont have discovered a fundamentally new way surfaces can get wet. Their study may allow scientists to create the thinnest films of liquid ever made—and engineer a new class of surface coatings and lubricants just a few atoms thick.

Released: 5-Jun-2018 4:25 PM EDT
Vermont Start-Up’s Small Packets a Big Deal for Energy Industry
University of Vermont

The innovative products developed by the University of Vermont spinoff company Packetized Energy take a new approach to helping utilities tap the power of renewables. The rapidly growing company is being watched by the utility industry as demonstration projects with two Vermont utilities play out in 2018.

Released: 5-Jun-2018 4:05 PM EDT
Surprising Recovery of Red Spruce Shows Value of Clean Air Act
University of Vermont

Surprising new research shows that red spruce are making a comeback—and that a combination of reduced pollution mandated by the 1990 Amendments to the Clean Air Act and changing climate are behind the resurgence.

Released: 29-May-2018 12:05 PM EDT
New Map Shows Many Old-growth Forests Remain In Europe
University of Vermont

A team of researchers created the first map of Europe’s last wild forests. The map identifies more than 3.4 million acres in 34 European countries, showing that more old growth remains than previously understood.

13-Apr-2018 11:00 AM EDT
People Waste Nearly a Pound of Food Daily
University of Vermont

Americans waste nearly a pound of food per person each day, but the exact amount of food we trash differs by how healthy your diet is, new research finds. Annually, food waste corresponds with the use of 30M acres of land (7% of total US cropland) and 4.2 trillion gallons of water. Surprisingly, higher quality diets were associated with higher levels of food waste.

Released: 3-Apr-2018 10:00 AM EDT
What Lies Beneath: “Cognitive” Ground Penetrating Radar Could Vastly Speed Construction Site Inspection in Cities
University of Vermont

A “cognitive” ground-penetrating radar system could radically change the construction inspection process in cities, saving big money in the process. Using augmented reality goggles, a construction or utility worker will be able to peer six to 12 feet down on a dig site to see the welter of obstructions underneath – water, sewer and gas pipes, electric lines and electric generators – some dating to the 19th century, radically speeding the permitting process, which can 18 month or more now.

Released: 30-Mar-2018 9:00 AM EDT
New Study Confirms Racial Disparities in Vermont Traffic Stops, Searches
University of Vermont

More complex statistical analysis of data used in a 2017 study that drew some criticism confirms the earlier conclusions that Black and Hispanic drivers in Vermont are stopped and searched more frequently than White drivers and are less frequently found with contraband. No Black and Hispanic drivers who were stopped and searched were found with heroin, opioids, or cocaine, compared with 39 White drivers who were found with those substances, suggesting that images of drug traffickers in the state are stereotyped.

Released: 28-Mar-2018 9:00 AM EDT
Study: Parental Conflict Can Do Lasting Damage to Kids
University of Vermont

New research published in the current issue of the Journal of Personal and Social Relationships shows that the emotional processing of children whose parent argue frequently can be adversely affected, with potentially long term adverse consequences.

Released: 21-Mar-2018 2:05 PM EDT
A New Angle on Gerrymanders
University of Vermont

A University of Vermont mathematician has developed a new tool to identify gerrymandered voting districts. The research shows Pennsylvania, Ohio and North Carolina strongly gerrymandered for Republicans, while Maryland’s and California’s voting districts have been strongly tipped in favor of Democrats. The new tool could be important in the wake of two Supreme Court cases now being considered that might outlaw certain partisan gerrymanders.

Released: 12-Mar-2018 10:05 AM EDT
Mexico Well Ahead of U.S. in LGBT Rights
University of Vermont

Caroline Beer has spent her career researching comparative data between Latin American countries and the United States that often debunks false stereotypes. Her latest study showing Mexico as more progressive than the U.S. when it comes to LGBT rights, especially in the recognition of same-sex relationships, is no exception.

6-Mar-2018 12:30 PM EST
Marine Charities Net More Than Iconic Fishery: Massachusetts
University of Vermont

Massachusetts boasts one of the most iconic fisheries in the U.S., but new research suggests that protecting marine coastlines has surpassed commercial fishing as an economic driver. The study is the first to calculate the economic value of coastal preservation in Massachusetts. The research finds these efforts contributed $179 million to the state’s economy in 2014, more than finfish landings ($105 million) and whale-watching ($111 million). To calculate the value of marine stewardship, researchers pioneered a new method that accounts for the millions in donations and volunteer time flowing to marine conservation nonprofit organizations. Quantifying how humans value the environment can be challenging. By highlighting the economic might of marine conservation, Roman hopes to show that environmental groups deserve a place at the table when discussing ocean economies.

Released: 28-Feb-2018 4:55 PM EST
New Invention Could Save Food Producers Thousands Annually
University of Vermont

A recently invented device that measures relative humidity more accurately than current products could save producer growers an average of $6,500 annually and cheese producers up to $10,000 a year.

Released: 14-Feb-2018 2:05 PM EST
Genetic Limits Threaten Chickpeas, a Globally Critical Food
University of Vermont

Scientists have discovered an extreme lack of genetic diversity and other threats to the future adaptability of domestic chickpeas, the primary source of protein of 20 percent of the world's people. But they also collected wild relatives of chickpeas in Turkey that hold great promise as a source of new genes for traits like drought-resistance, resistance to pod-boring beetles, and heat tolerance.

Released: 2-Jan-2018 4:30 PM EST
UVM Study Ranked Among 2017's Most Popular
University of Vermont

A University of Vermont research study, which discovered Instagram photos hold clues to aid in the early detection of depression, was one of the 20 most popular pieces of academic research in all of 2017, according to a new ranking.

21-Nov-2017 12:00 PM EST
To Address Hunger Effectively, First Check the Weather, Says New Study
University of Vermont

Understanding the climate context is important is determining how to best respond to food insecurity, according to a study of nearly 2,000 smallholder farms in Africa and Asia. Rainfall patterns determined whether financial supports or agricultural inputs or practices were the most effective intervention.

Released: 7-Nov-2017 1:05 PM EST
Employee Volunteerism? Only if You Think Your Boss is Ethical
University of Vermont

A new study shows that people who perceive their employer as committed to environmental and community-based causes will, in turn, engage in green behavior and local volunteerism, with one caveat: their boss must display similarly ethical behavior.

Released: 2-Nov-2017 3:20 PM EDT
UVM's Sustainable Innovation MBA Ranked No. 1 Best Green MBA in America by 'The Princeton Review'
University of Vermont

Six years ago when Sanjay Sharma took over as dean of the Grossman School of Business, he set his sights on an ambitious goal: to become the top MBA program in the country for sustainable innovation. That dream became reality on Oct. 31 when The Princeton Review ranked the University of Vermont Grossman School of Business’ Sustainable Innovation MBA program No. 1 on its 2018 list of “Best Green MBA” programs.

   
15-Oct-2017 5:00 AM EDT
New Amazon Threat? Deforestation From Mining
University of Vermont

Sprawling mines caused roughly 10% of Amazon deforestation between 2005 and 2015 - much higher than previous estimates. Roughly 90% of this deforestation occurred outside the mining leases granted by Brazil’s government.

Released: 12-Oct-2017 12:05 PM EDT
Warming Seas Could Lead to 70 Percent Increase in Hurricane-Related Financial Loss
University of Vermont

Financial losses could increase by more than 70 percent by 2100 if oceans warm at the worst-case-scenario rate predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, according to a new study. The study used hurricane modeling and information in FEMA's HAZUS database to reach its conclusions.

5-Oct-2017 5:00 AM EDT
Global Kids Study: More Trees, Less Disease
University of Vermont

A study of 300,000 children in 35 nations says kids whose watersheds have greater tree cover are less likely to experience diarrheal disease, the second leading cause of death for children under the age of five.

Released: 6-Oct-2017 9:00 AM EDT
Beyond Bullying: Study Shows Damaging Affects of Multiple Forms of Victimization On School Climate
University of Vermont

School officials focused exclusively on bullying prevention efforts might want to consider the findings of a new study showing the highly damaging effects of multiple forms of victimization on school climate.

22-Sep-2017 9:35 AM EDT
Discovery: Bernie Sanders Spider
University of Vermont

Students and a scientist at the University of Vermont have discovered 15 new species of 'smiley-faced' spiders--and named them after, among others, Barack Obama, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Bernie Sanders.

Released: 19-Sep-2017 8:05 AM EDT
Study Showing 70 Years of Improving Campus Climate For LGBTQ Students Raises Concerns About Trump Policies
University of Vermont

The author of a new study showing slow but consistent progress in the experiences of LGBTQ students on college campuses over the past 70 years is concerned that for the first time since 1944, that trend may be reversing.

Released: 5-Sep-2017 4:25 PM EDT
Study Identifies New Metabolic Target in Quest to Control Immune Response
University of Vermont

A surprising discovery that immune cells possess an internal warehouse of glycogen used to activate immune responses could help to increase immune activity in vaccines or suppress immune reactions in autoimmune disease or hyper-inflammatory conditions.

Released: 31-Aug-2017 9:00 AM EDT
University of Vermont, Partners Receive NEH Grant to Update Popular Image of Vermont Farmer
University of Vermont

A new $180,000 Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to a consortium that includes The University of Vermont and three partners aims to paint a more nuanced picture of who is farming in Vermont today -- beyond dairy stereotypes.

4-Aug-2017 7:05 AM EDT
When You’re Blue, So Are Your Instagram Photos
University of Vermont

A new study shows that Instagram photos can be examined by a computer to successfully detect depressed people. The computer results are more reliable (70%) than the diagnostic success rate (42%) of general-practice doctors. The approach promises a new method for early screening of mental health problems through social media.

     
Released: 18-Jul-2017 10:05 AM EDT
Study: Health Insurance Costs Threaten Farm Viability
University of Vermont

According to a new U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded study, 64 percent of American farmers report having pre-existing conditions. Lack of access to affordable health insurance is one of the most significant concerns facing farmers, the survey found.

Released: 29-Jun-2017 12:05 PM EDT
GPS for Cell "Highways"? 3D Model System Illustrates How Molecular Motors Navigate
University of Vermont

New research explains navigation in the fundamental cargo transport process that occurs in every cell in the human body and may point to therapeutic targets for a host of diseases like cancer.

Released: 19-May-2017 3:05 PM EDT
Trump Budget Could Be a Climate Cooker
University of Vermont

A new white paper estimates the climate impacts of the budget request President Trump is expected to make on May 23. Analyzing Trump’s Budget Blueprint, the study finds the changes in federal spending would produce 1.8 million metric tons of additional GHG emissions in 2018.

Released: 17-May-2017 9:00 AM EDT
New Biography Unveils Washington's Most Secretive Man
University of Vermont

In early 20th century Boston, the path to political power required one of two backgrounds: Yankee Boston or Irish Boston. The former demanded a Pilgrim or Puritan ancestor and a degree from Harvard. The latter called for an Irish-born father, a widowed mother and younger siblings that you helped raise in poverty. John W. McCormack, the 44th U.S. Speaker of the House from 1962-70, possessed neither of the Yankee requirements, and had no Irish ancestry. He did, however, grow up in extreme poverty in South Boston, and used that as a basis to fabricate his personal history when he ran for the Massachusetts House in 1920.

Released: 2-May-2017 6:05 AM EDT
Encyclopedic Cheese Reference Wins James Beard Award
University of Vermont

An authoritative cheese reference book, The Oxford Companion to Cheese, has won a prestigious James Beard Award in the reference and scholarship category. Published in November 2016, the book contains 855 entries from 325 contributors in 35 countries. The editor worked with an international, 12-member editorial board that selected many of the contributors and solicited entries, which are signed. The goal was to commission entries from experts passionate about the cheeses of their region.

Released: 24-Apr-2017 11:05 AM EDT
Study: Medicare Recipients Who Utilize Rehabilitation Services Report Major Functional Improvements
University of Vermont

A new study showing significant patient-reported functional improvement among Medicare recipients who utilize rehabilitation services offers hope for America’s 65-and-older set, which is expected to double by 2050. That’s assuming Medicare – the nation’s largest federal health insurance program for seniors – survives recent talk of its demise.

Released: 11-Apr-2017 7:05 AM EDT
New Study Offers Hope for More Effective Treatment of Leukemia
University of Vermont

The discovery of a protein signature that is highly predictive of leukemia could lead to novel treatments of the leading childhood cancer, according to new study showing that competition among certain proteins causes an imbalance that leads to leukemia.

4-Apr-2017 10:05 AM EDT
For New Carbon Markets, Try Old Growth
University of Vermont

A fifteen-year study in Vermont shows that imitating old-growth forests enhances carbon storage in managed forestland far better than conventional forestry techniques.

Released: 29-Mar-2017 1:05 PM EDT
Discovery: Stretchy Silver for Flexible Phones
University of Vermont

A team of scientists has discovered that silver wires, between about 10 and 40 nanometers wide, have an amazing combination of super-strength and stretchiness. The discovery holds promise for the creation of flexible touchscreens and other technologies.

Released: 24-Mar-2017 3:05 PM EDT
Electrical “Switch” in Brain’s Capillary Network Monitors Activity and Controls Blood Flow
University of Vermont

New research has uncovered that capillaries have the capacity to both sense brain activity and generate an electrical vasodilatory signal to evoke blood flow and direct nutrients to neurons.

Released: 14-Mar-2017 10:00 AM EDT
New Study Links Opioid Epidemic to Childhood Emotional Abuse
University of Vermont

A study by researchers at the University of Vermont has revealed a link between adult opioid misuse and childhood emotional abuse, a new finding that suggests a rethinking of treatment approaches for opioid abusers.

   
21-Feb-2017 9:05 AM EST
Book Reveals Why Support of U.S. Global War on Terror Has Been Lukewarm
University of Vermont

If President Donald Trump’s administration hopes to pressure Muslim states into supporting the U.S. Global War on Terror, they would be wise to consider the findings in a new book showing showing historically weaker counterterrorism support from countries where the religion-state balance leans toward the former.

Released: 13-Feb-2017 1:05 PM EST
How Many Calories in That Tweet?
University of Vermont

A team of scientists have invented an instrument for measuring calories in social media. This "lexicocalorimeter" gathers tens of millions of geo-tagged Twitter posts from across the United States and presents a portrait of each state's calorie balance based on food and activity words. The results correlate closely with traditional measures of well-being and the approach could become a new remote-sensing tool for public health officials. The results were published in PLOS ONE.

Released: 10-Feb-2017 2:05 PM EST
Stressed Out Interferons Reveal Potential Key to Alternative Lupus Treatment
University of Vermont

New research has identified a previously unknown mechanism involved in the immune response of lupus patients that could provide an alternative therapy target for the estimated 1.5 million Americans and five million-plus people worldwide suffering from this disease.

Released: 1-Feb-2017 8:05 AM EST
Banks Hold Major Information Advantage Over Other Investors
University of Vermont

Maybe Gordon Gekko was right when he said that information was the most valuable commodity of all. A new study showing major investment advantages for banks in countries where public economic data is scarce seems to support that claim by the fictional corporate raider in the 1987 movie Wall Street.



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