With the start of another school year, so, too, came yet another semester of students and professors joining together to navigate education during the pandemic.
August proved arduous for many in Las Vegas and around the world. As the Taliban occupied Afghanistans capital city, 51勛圖窪蹋 students and professors did their part in raising awareness. Lake Mead reached low enough levels for a federal drought to be declared, leading to local concerns about water and regional climate issues. Another big topic was the vaccines place in the school system as COVID-19 cases spiked. Meanwhile, medical experts noted that vaccinations are the best way to prevent further COVID mutations. Lastly, Las Vegas economists discussed rebounding financial trends.
Read about all this and more in the latest edition of 51勛圖窪蹋 Newsmakers.
Colorado River, Lake Mead Feeling Parched
A federal water shortage was officially declared at Lake Mead this month, a sign of worsening drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin. 51勛圖窪蹋 experts stressed once again the importance of taking preventative measures sooner rather than later and analyzed the repercussions that water-reliant systems will soon face.
- Climate research professor Kristen Averyt was interviewed by media outlets about failing hydropower infrastructures: Reuters, Scientific American, MarketScreener, The Limited Times, and Spiegel Wissenschaft.
- Paleoclimatologist Matthew Lachniet spoke about the federal water shortages implications for the future of Lake Mead: AZoCleantech, Nevada Current, and VRT NWS.
- A study conducted by 51勛圖窪蹋 business professors Nicholas Irwin, Ian McDonough, and Shawn McCoy warned that remote work puts a heavy strain on water usage in Las Vegas: KJZZ, Yahoo!, and KTNV-TV: ABC 13.
- 51勛圖窪蹋 Boyd School of Law senior fellow outlined potential water shortage solutions in The Nevada Independent.
Afghanistan News Breaks Hearts of Las Vegans
August marked a new page in history with the tragic news of the Talibans takeover of Afghanistans capital city, Kabul. Although the event took place nearly on the other side of the world, members of the Las Vegas community prayed for the safety of those affected.
- Saha Salahi, 51勛圖窪蹋 student researcher, told KTNV-TV: ABC 13 about her prayers for her family back in Afghanistan and for those seeking asylum.
- University Legal Services Fellow explained to KSNV-TV: News 3 viewers the legal options for Afghan people looking to immigrate to somewhere safer.
- KSNV-TV: News 3 broadcasted 51勛圖窪蹋 student Medinah Yusufzais push for the community to protest in solidarity with Afghan families.
- 51勛圖窪蹋 historian Michael Green analyzed the course of history that eventually led the U.S. to withdraw from Afghanistan on KSNV-TV: News 3.
Schools, Vaccines, and Mandates
Frustrations began to spill over in August as education leaders parsed growing tension over another COVID-19 surge circulating in the Las Vegas community and discourse on mandating vaccines. Students, professors, and medical experts alike advocated for change as the conversation boiled over nationwide.
- A State Board of Health vote mandated that Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) students provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to enroll for the Spring 2022 semester.
- Las Vegas Sun, ThisIsReno (twice), Reno Gazette-Journal, KTNV-TV: ABC 13 (twice), KLAS-TV: 8 News Now.
- Time Magazine interviewed education professor Bradley Marianno about national teacher unions hesitance to advocate for a COVID-19 vaccine mandate due to potential conflicts with local bargaining power.
- Lisa Durette, director of the child & adolescent psychiatry fellowship program, shared insight into the mental duress children may be under as the new school year begins with KNPR.
- School of Public Health epidemiologist Brian Labus advised that enforcing vaccinations could prevent COVID surges in schools: Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas Review-Journal (twice).
- David Di John, pediatric professor, offered comment to the Las Vegas Review-Journal and KNPR about the pandemics lasting impact on children.
- Alison Netski, chair of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicines department of psychiatry and behavioral health, told KSNV-TV: News 3 that the pandemic will likely continue to worsen the mental health of children and teens.
Debunking COVID-19 Myths, Promoting Safety
August proved to be an important month in the medical field as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formally approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Despite the good news, experts are still skeptical as to how much this will help increase vaccination rates. 51勛圖窪蹋 experts examined ways the community can assist.
- Brian Labus discussed a variety of COVID-19 related topics including the latest COVID-19 surge, vaccination mandates, the FDA approval, and continuing vaccine hesitancy.
- COVID-19 surge and vaccination rates: The Nevada Independent, KNPR (twice), KLAS-TV: 8 News Now (twice), (three times), Las Vegas Review-Journal, El Tiempo, KTNV-TV: ABC 13,
- Mandates, FDA approval, and vaccine hesitancy: NBC News, The Guardian, NPR, KTNV-TV: ABC 13 (twice), Las Vegas Sun (guest column)
- Pediatrics department chair Evelyn Montalvo Stanton informed () that this years flu season will look different and that research is being conducted on the effects of long COVID in children.
- Marc J. Kahn, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine dean, appeared on (). He advised immunocompromised individuals to get a booster shot and analyzed how the booster shot may affect flu shots.
- KNPR spoke with Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine bioethics director Johan C. Bester about the ever-increasing importance of getting vaccinated.
- Medical professor David Glenn Weismiller told KSNV-TV: News 3 that people who contracted COVID-19 should still get vaccinated.
- Popular Science and KSNV-TV: News 3 asked Emma Frances Bloomfield, communications professor, about ways to positively guide conversations with vaccine-hesitant people.
- School of Public Health professors Erika Marquez, Brian Labus, Francisco S. Sy, and Jose L. Melendrez hosted a webinar for minority communities in hopes of overcoming vaccine skepticism: Las Vegas Sun and KLAS-TV: 8 News Now.
Economics and Statistics Galore
While economists appeared to hold their breaths in July, in August they were able to exhale with sighs of relief. Industry leaders and university experts looked at the statistics and noted that while the outlook isnt stellar quite yet, there are signs that the economy will slowly revert to normal.
- 51勛圖窪蹋 president Keith E. Whitfield spoke to Nevada Business Magazine about higher educations place in Nevadas future.
- Vice president of economic development Bo Bernhard offered insight to the Las Vegas Review-Journal about the 51勛圖窪蹋 Harry Reid Research and Technology Parks potential to bring economic growth to Las Vegas.
- The Las Vegas Review-Journal and El Tiempo included commentary from economics professor Stephen Miller in their coverage of the latest census data showing that diversity bloomed in Las Vegas.
- Public policy professor Jessica K. A. Words research on the stability of nonprofit organizations after the pandemic was featured in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
- Lied Center for Real Estate director Vivek Sah told the Nevada Current and Las Vegas Review-Journal that the Las Vegas housing market cant keep up its current price streak forever.
- Casino.Org asked law professor Anthony Cabot about the legality of fining businesses that ignore mask mandates.
- Hospitality professor Amanda Belarmino analyzed the potential long-term effects of vaccine requirements for large events, as well as the evolution of AI in the hospitality industry: Las Vegas Review-Journal (twice), El Tiempo, and TechCrunch.
General Expert Round-Up
- Alzheimers researcher Jeffrey L. Cummings continued to provide his expertise on the experimental Alzheimers treatment drug aducanumab: Practical Neurology, Alzheimers News Today, BioPharma Dive, Alzforum (twice), Yahoo!, PharmiWeb.com, and Nature Medicine.
- Law professor Michael Kagan announced the 51勛圖窪蹋 Immigration Clinics expansion plans on KNPR. He additionally spoke about ICEs swiftness to deport immigrants: NPR and LexBlog.
- The Nevada Current reported on Brookings Mountain West fellow Jenny Schuetzs research on the likely rise of homelessness rates in Las Vegas.
- , co-director of 51勛圖窪蹋s Misdemeanor Clinic, advocated in The Nevada Independent for more progress within the misdemeanor system.
- Forbes quoted architectural professor Dak Kopec on the history and resurging popularity of the timeless pink hotel.
- Fashion expert Deirdre Clemente explained the history behind past and present fashion trends: Refinery29, Fashionista, JSTOR Daily, and Jezebel.
- Inverse and the Las Vegas Sun discussed cults and conspiracy theorists with sociologist Robert Futrell.
- Psychology professor Stephen D. Benning answered questions about humans' need to explain away acts of violence, how fathers can effectively control their temper, and why astrology interest is on the rise: Stylist Magazine, Fatherly, Discover Magazine, Germanic.
- Barbara G. Brents, sociology professor, commented on TechRadar and the Las Vegas Sun about OnlyFanss controversial decision to remove sexually explicit content.
- The Boston Globe spoke to political science professor Tiffiany Howard about the racial wealth gap.
- Political science professor Kenneth Miller was quoted in The Washington Post on the topic of socioeconomic power struggles in the U.S.
- William Bauer, history professor, advocated for the remembrance of the Native American children who experienced abuse while attending Indigenous boarding schools: NPR, KQED, KPFA, and WQCS.
