School of Arts and Sciences

Faculty in the News - Academic Year 2020-2021

Summer 2021

Unfortunately, I Care About Power Lines Now
Jul 28, 2021
The Atlantic
This article cites findings from Assistant Professor of Economics Steve Cicala’s recent research on long-distance electricity transmission.

Republicans poised to rig the next election by gerrymandering electoral maps
Jul 27, 2021
Yahoo News
Moon Duchin, professor, Department of Mathematics, of the MGGG Redistricting Lab at Tisch College is quoted about the software tools now available that allow the general public to create electoral maps that help inform the process and combat gerrymandering. A link to the MGGG’s “districtr.org,” tool is included. 

Could A Surfside Building Disaster Happen On The NY or NJ Coast?
Jul 26, 2021
Gothamist
Andrew Kemp, assistant professor, Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, is among the experts quoted in this piece about the risks to buildings along the New York and New Jersey coastline including erosion and rising sea-levels.

Recent Decline of the Monarch Butterfly Linked to Climate Change
Jul 26, 2021
Nature World News
Elizabeth Crone, professor, Department of Biology, comments on a new study examining the biggest factors, including climate change, impacting the decline of monarch butterfly populations.

Scientists Try to Save Migratory Western Monarch Butterflies as a Mystery Unfolds
Jul 23, 2021
CBS SF Bay Area
Elizabeth Crone, Department of Biology, appears in this news segment on efforts to understand and restore declining monarch butterfly populations. Crone's first comments at the 2:58 mark.

'No way to win': School Leaders Face Unsettling Year of Public Outrage
Jul 22, 2021
The 74
Sarah Sobieraj, professor, Department of Sociology, comments on the public outrage and threats that U.S. school leaders are facing during the pandemic, noting that women have borne the brunt of the backlash.

Anima and manga will take center stage at the Olympics. It could fuel a boom in interest.
Jul 22, 2021
The Washington Post
Susan Napier, Goldthwaite Professor of Rhetoric, Department of International Literary and Cultural Studies, predicts that Japan’s anime and manga, which are being highlighted at the Tokyo Olympics, will receive a boost in popularity with young people around the world. 

As Supreme Court Weighs Harvard Admissions Case, Two Asian Americans Speak Out And Allege Bias
Jul 22, 2021
WGBH
Natasha Warikoo, professor, Department of Sociology, comments in this radio news segment exploring the lawsuit--under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court--in which Asian-American students allege discrimination by Harvard admissions. Warikoo, who is the author of "The Diversity Bargain," begins speaking at the 1:49 mark.

Is Gerrymandering Forever? - Gerrymandering guarantees undemocratic elections. Activists in Wisconsin are organizing to win an uphill battle for a fairer process.
Jul 22, 2021
In These Times
Moon Duchin, professor, Department of Mathematics, who leads the Metric Geometry and Gerrymandering Group Redistricting Lab, says that gerrymandering is an ​“equal opportunity activity,” used by both Democrats and Republicans.

Scientists Can Predict and Design Single Atom Catalysts for Important Chemical Reactionss
Jul 21, 2021
TodayHeadline
Charles Sykes, professor, Department of Chemistry, highlights the benefits of new collaborative Tufts research that found single-atom alloy catalysts are highly efficient in producing propylene.

This city vision starts with a fallacy and ends with the towering phallus
Jul 10, 2021
The Sydney Morning Herald
This opinion piece references new research from Justin Hollander, professor, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, on the conscious and unconscious human response to architecture and the built environment.

Makeup for men wants to defy the gender binary -- but does it really? 
Jun 15, 2021
Mic
Kareem Khubchandani, Mellon Bridge Assistant Professor, Department of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, is quoted throughout this article about the gendered marketing of make-up towards men.

Building Back Severed Communities
Jun 9, 2021
The American Prospect
Julian Agyeman, professor, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, weighs in on President Biden’s proposed Reconnect Communities Act, which will remove infrastructural barriers that impede development in communities across the U.S. and allow for development of urban spaces.

New Research: The Built Environment Impacts Our Health and Happiness More Than We Know
Jun 7, 2021
The Dirt
Justin Hollander, professor, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, is quoted from an American Planning Association’s 2021 virtual conference presentation about his research on cognitive architecture. 

Let's Reminisce: Persuading the human body to regenerate its limbs
Jun 3, 2021
Herald Democrat
This article highlights Distinguished Professor of Biology Michael Levin’s research exploring bioelectricity and regeneration. 

NBA Arenas Have Been Opening - With A Rash of Fan Incidents Toward Players
Jun 2, 2021
National Public Radio
In this “All Things Considered” radio segment and accompanying article, Samuel Sommers, professor, Department of Psychology, offers possible reasons why a number of fans have lashed out at players during the NBA playoffs. Sommers, the author of "This Is Your Brain on Sports," begins speaking at the 2:03 mark.

Analysis suggests climate policy in Ohio could save the world as much as $1 trillion
Jun 2, 2021
Energy News Network
This article references Professor Gilbert Metcalf and Assistant Professor Alan Finkelstein Shapiro’s new economic model that found a carbon tax would reduce carbon emissions by 35 percent and would help meet the U.S. Paris Agreement climate targets.

What's behind the anti-Semitism surge in the US
Jun 2, 2021
VOX
This article highlights findings from Associate Professor of Political Science Eitan Hersh’s collaborative survey of U.S. adults regarding anti-Semitic attitudes. Hersh is quoted. 

Why are dreams so weird?
Jun 2, 2021
The Boston Globe
Erik Hoel, research assistant professor, Department of Biology, is quoted about his AI-inspired “overfitted brain hypothesis” on why the brain dreams. 

Is Gerrymandering About to Become More Difficult
May 27, 2021
Politico
Moon Duchin, professor, Department of Mathematics, is featured in this interview about the future of “extreme” gerrymandering, drawing voting districts, and enforcing Voting Rights Act provisions. Her ongoing work with the Redistricting Lab of the Metric Geometry and Gerrymandering Group using math to analyze gerrymandering issues is also referenced. 

Fans in NY and Philadelphia Barred for Spitting at Trae Young and Pouring Popcorn on Russell Westbrook
May 27, 2021
The New York Times
Sam Sommers, professor, Department of Psychology, comments on the slew of inappropriate fan interactions at NBA games in recent weeks.

Economists Tout Positive Short- And Long-Run Gains From Carbon Tax
May 27, 2021
Inside EPA
A&S economists Gilbert Metcalf and Alan Finkelstein Shapiro have co-authored a new economic model finding that a carbon tax that would reduce carbon emissions by 35 percent and would help meet the U.S. Paris Agreement climate targets.

The racial hunger gap in American cities and what to do about it
May 20, 2021
The Conversation
Julian Agyeman, professor, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, participates in this The Conversation Weekly podcast to discuss how to address hunger by also addressing racist urban planning. Agyeman’s segment begins around the 15:52 mark. 

Spring 2021

Step Into Frida Kahlo's Garden at a Lush New San Antonio Exhibit
May 17, 2021
Texas Monthly
Adriana Zavala, associate professor, Department of History of Art and Architecture, quoted throughout this piece about the exhibit “Frida Kahlo Oasis,” a rendition of the artist’s iconic blue home, Casa Azul, at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. Zavala curated a 2015 Kahlo exhibition at the New York Botanical Garden.

Fight for fair maps heats up
May 15, 2021
wisconsinexaminer.com
Moon Duchin, professor, Department of Mathematics, discusses her work to help Wisconsin with its redistricting efforts through the MGGG Redistricting Lab at Tisch.

Our Weird Dreams May Help Us Make Sense of Reality, AI-Inspired Theory Suggests
May 15, 2021
Science Alert
Erik Hoel, research assistant professor, Department of Biology, is quoted from a new paper on his AI-inspired “overfitted brain hypothesis,” which helps explain the biological function of dreams. Hoel’s theory suggests that the brain developed dreaming to introduce random stimuli to help improve our understanding and perceptions of the real world.

Scientists Try To Understand How One-Celled Life Forms Learn
May 14, 2021
mindmatters.ai
Michael Levin, Distinguished Professor, Department of Biology, is quoted from a Scientist article exploring single-cell learning and how cognition comes to be with or without a brain structure.

Persuading the Body to Regenerate Its Limbs
May 3, 2021
The New Yorker
An in-depth profile of Michael Levin, Distinguished Professor, Department of Biology, and his body of research exploring bioelectricity and regeneration. Levin, Associate Professor of Biology Kelly McLaughlin, and Daniel Dennett, University Professor, Department of Philosophy, are quoted.

Ann Sussman and Justin Hollander: Architecture and the Unconscious Mind
May 3, 2021
Strong Towns Blog 
Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning Justin Hollander joins this episode of “Strong Towns Podcast” to discuss the conscious and unconscious human response to architecture and the built environment. He is co-author of the news book “Urban Experience and Design: Contemporary Perspectives on Improving the Public Realm.”

A New Customer Bill of Rights: Affordable Utility Services
May 3, 2021
NRDC Worldview
This blog post references Assistant Professor of Economics Steve Cicala’s analysis of utility data in Illinois that found a disproportionate rate of electricity disconnections and deferred payments among minority households and appears in one additional media outlet.

Can Single Cells Learn?
May 1, 2021
The Scientist
Michael Levin, Distinguished Professor, Department of Biology, discusses his research on the evolution of memory within gene regulatory networks in this article exploring single-cell learning and how cognition comes to be with or without a brain structure.

Carbon Taxes Cut Emissions, Not Jobs or Economic Growth
Apr 29, 2021
Bloomberg
Data from a 2020 paper coauthored by Gilbert Metcalf, John DiBiaggio Professor of Citizenship and Public Service, Department of Economics, on the impact of Europe’s carbon taxes are cited in this article, which appears in four additional media outlets.

What Makes Music University - Issue 99: Universality
Apr 29, 2021
Nautilus
Ani Patel, professor, Department of Psychology, discusses some of his research findings on the evolution of music.

Closing The Gap on Transportation: 'Just Sustainabilities' In Cities
Apr 27, 2021
WBEZ
Julian Agyeman, professor, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning,  joins “Reset” to discuss his research on “just sustainabilities” or how to improve quality of life and welfare through integration of social justice and environmental sustainability.

Off the grid: A flood of federal aid often fails to reach America's poorest families
Apr 15, 2021
The Washington Post
This article highlights Assistant Professor of Economics Steve Cicala's analysis of utility data in Illinois that found a disproportionate rate of electricity disconnections and deferred payments among minority households. 

How UVM researchers revamped their groundbreaking 'living robots'
Apr 14, 2021
WCAX
This news segment features research by A&S biologists Michael Levin, Distinguished Professor, and Doug Blackiston, in collaboration with University of Vermont researchers, to develop the next generation of Xenobots.

Why NFTs Matter to Urban Planning
Apr 14, 2021
Planetizen
Justin Hollander, A96, professor in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, examines the role that non-fungible tokens (NFTs) could have in urban planning.

Natalie Shapero's poetry: Popular Longing and the "look outward"
Apr 13, 2021
World Socialist Web Site
A review of Professor of the Practice of English Natalie Shapero’s latest poetry collection, “Popular Longing.”

Meet the Xenobots: Living, biological machines that could revolutionize robotics
Apr 12, 2021
Digital Trends
A&S biologists Michael Levin, Distinguished Professor, and Doug Blackiston, in collaboration with University of Vermont researchers, have developed the next generation of Xenobots that can self-assemble a body from single cells, do not require muscle cells to move, and can record information.

An interactive visual database for American Sign Language reveals how signs are organized in the mind
Apr 6, 2021
The Conversation
Ariel Goldberg, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, co-authors this piece about the research and development of ASL-LEX, an interactive, visual lexical database for American Sign Language.

Interview with Erik Hoel, author of The Revelations
Apr 6, 2021
The Qwillery
An interview with Erik Hoel, research assistant professor, Department of Biology, about his new novel "The Revelations,” an exploration of cutting-edge science, consciousness, and human connection. 

Cells Form Into Living 'Xenobots' on Their Own
Apr 4, 2021
WIRED
A&S biologists Michael Levin and Doug Blackiston, in collaboration with University of Vermont researchers, have developed the next generation of Xenobots that can self-assemble a body from single cells, do not require muscle cells to move, and can record information. Levin is quoted, and video and images from Blackiston are included.

It's illegal to pick jurors based on race, so why does it happen all the time?
Mar 31, 2021
Business Insider
Sam Sommers, professor, Department of Psychology, is quoted about racial biases and diversity within the jury selection process. 

Not Heading To Paris This Summer? The Louvre Has Digitized 482,000 Artworks
Mar 30, 2021
wwno.org
Andrew McClellan, professor, Department of the History of Art and Architecture, comments on the digitization of the Musée du Louvre’s collection, which is available to the public and researchers for free. 

My company is cutting commuter benefits because of covid. Can I get them back?
Mar 25, 2021
The Washington Post
Assistant Professor of Economics Steve Cicala’s research that found an increase in-home electricity consumption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is referenced in this column. 

Cosmic Inflation Was Likely Not A One-Off Event, Says Astronomer
Mar 24, 2021
Forbes
Alexander Vilenkin, Leonard and Jane Holmes Bernstein Professor in Evolutionary Science, Department of Physics and Astronomy, is quoted in this piece examining the Inflation Theory to explain the rapid expansion that happened during the early stages of the creation of the universe.

Sesame Workshop Is Talking More Explicitly About Race--and Welcoming Two Black Muppets
Mar 23, 2021
Time
Calvin Gidney, associate professor, Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development, “applauds” the introduction of two Black puppets on Sesame Street and says in part, “I think it’s super important that white families also learn how to model talking about race with their kids.”

Don't Ditch the Laptop Just Yet: Replication Finds No Immediate Advantage to Handwriting Notes
Mar 22, 2021
Psychological Science
Heather Urry, professor, Department of Psychology, is quoted about new research she led, replicating a 2014 study, finding no evidence that handwritten note-taking improves information retention as compared to typed or digital notes.

World's Largest American Sign Language Database Makes ASL Even More Accessible
Mar 22, 2021
Mirage News
Ariel Cohen-Goldberg, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, is among the collaborators on the development of the ASL-LEX 2.0 Project, an updated large-scale, interactive, lexical database for American Sign Language. 

U.S. drillers, miners would be out billions if paid climate, health costs: study
Mar 22, 2021
Reuters
Gilbert Metcalf, John DiBiaggio Professor of Citizenship and Public Service, Department of Economics, comments on a new study estimating the monetary benefits earned by U.S. fossil fuel companies stemming from implicit subsidies that absolve them from paying for environmental and health damages caused by their products. 

Fed expects to keep its key rate near zero through 2023
Mar 18, 2021
Times News Online
Brian Bethune, lecturer, Department of Economics, comments on how the Federal Reserve, which expects the economy to quickly accelerate this year, "is not concerned about inflation right now." 

COLUMN: As elite college applications soar, legacy admissions still give wealthy and connected students an edge
Mar 18, 2021
Hechinger Report
Natasha Warikoo, professor, Department of Sociology, comments in this editorial on legacy admissions. Warikoo is the author of "The Diversity Bargain."

Fed expects to keep its key rate near zero through 2023
Mar 17, 2021
Associated Press
Brian Bethune, lecturer, Department of Economics, comments on how the Federal Reserve, which expects the economy to quickly accelerate this year, "is not concerned about inflation right now."

Armenian Assembly of America Hosts Successful Virtual Advocacy Conference
Mar 17, 2021
Armenian News By MassisPost
Christina Maranci, Arthur H. Dadian and Ara Oztemel Professor of Armenian Art and Architecture, participated in a panel on the threat to Armenian cultural heritage sites, as part of 2021 Armenian Assembly of America’s National Advocacy Conference.

How urban planning and housing policy helped create 'food apartheid in US cities
Mar 9, 2021
The Conversation
Julian Agyeman, professor, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, examines the factors behind--and the impact of--inequitable food access in Black and Latino communities, and he provides examples of how urban planning can be a solution to the problem.

At Fuller Craft, Artist Michelle Samour Transcends Borders And Boundaries
Mar 1, 2021
WBUR
Michelle Samour, professor of the practice, School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts, from the "Mapping Borders and Boundaries" exhibit, on view at Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton through September 19. 

Working From Home Is Driving Up Our Energy Costs. Should Employers Foot the Bill?
Feb 26, 2021
TIME
Steve Cicala, assistant professor, Department of Economics, discusses his research that found an increase in home electricity consumption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

A brain researcher on what Freud got right
Feb 26, 2021
The Washington Post
Jess Keiser, assistant professor, Department of English, reviews the new book The Hidden Spring: A Journey to the Source of Consciousness.  

Brookline's Task Force to Reimagine Policing pitches new agency
Feb 23, 2021
Wicked Local
Brian Schaffner, Newhouse Professor of Civic Studies, Department of Political Science, conducted a survey of 25,000 selected Brookline residents to gauge perspective on policing in the town as part of the town's Task Force to Reimagine Policing in Brookline. Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, is a Task Force member and presented the results at a recent public hearing.

Elon Musk: 'My top recommendation' for reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a carbon tax
Feb 12, 2021
CNBC
Gilbert Metcalf, John DiBiaggio Professor of Citizenship and Public Service, Department of Economics, is quoted in this article about Elon Musk's recent comments about decreasing carbon dioxide emissions. 

One way forward after Trump's COVID debacle: Attack racial disparities in health care head-on
Feb 11, 2021
New York Daily News
Alecia McGregor, assistant professor, Department of Community Health, is co-author of this opinion piece calling for policy actions to address racial disparities within the U.S. healthcare system. McGregor is among the authors of "Public Order and Health in the Trump Era," a study assessing U.S. health policies under the Trump administration published in The Lancet.

'Conservatives' may be more liberal than they let on
Feb 8, 2021
The Academic Times
This article highlights new research published in Public Opinion Quarterly by Professors of Political Science Deborah Schildkraut, Jeffrey Berry, and James Glaser, who is also the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. 

Opinion: Why is the fossil fuel industry trying to kill jobs for its laid-off workers?
Feb 3, 2021
Houston Chronicle 
Gilbert Metcalf, John DiBiaggio Professor of Citizenship and Public Service, Department of Economics, co-authors this opinion piece with Amy Myers Jaffe, Research Professor at the Fletcher School, about how energy regulation and carbon prices do not actually lead to long term job losses. 

There's 'significant risk' of mass utility disconnection soon -- but these Americans may feel it most
Feb 2, 2021
Market Watch
Steve Cicala, assistant professor, Department of Economics, is quoted about his new analysis of utility data from 2018 and 2020 finding a disproportionate rate of electricity disconnections and deferred payments among minority households in Illinois. 

Senate Confirms Buttigieg as Transportation Secretary
Feb 2, 2021
The New York Times
Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, says that Pete Buttigieg’s role as U.S. Secretary of Transportation is “a huge opportunity” to build his profile for a future presidential run.

Exploring the Microbial Life of Sourdough
Jan 27, 2021
Technology Networks
New collaborative A&S analysis of 500 sourdough bread starters across four continents presents news insights into the microbial diversity of this fermented food. Co-lead author GSAS biology graduate student Elizabeth Landis and co-author Benjamin Wolfe, Aptman Family Assistant Professor of Biology, are quoted. 

CityLine: Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021: Dr. Adolfo Cuevas, Tufts Uni.
Jan 24, 2021
WCVB-Ch. 5
Adolfo Cuevas, assistant professor, Department of Community Health, discusses reasons why government and health care systems lack trust from communities of color, and how this must be overcome to ensure widespread COVID-19 vaccination. 

Capitol invasion opened the door for sensible climate policy
Jan 22, 2021
The Hill
Gilbert Metcalf, John DiBiaggio Professor of Citizenship and Public Service, Department of Economics, is co-author of this opinion piece about why he believes U.S. Congress has "a rare window in which we can join together" to implement a carbon tax to help mitigate climate change. Metcalf's research examining the impact of carbon taxes in Europe is also cited.

'Political Hobbyism' Is Turning Government Into Entertainment -- and It's Hurting Our Country
Jan 20, 2021
NBC Boston
Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, defines political hobbyism and compares it to political engagement in this news segment, which appears on six additional NBC affiliates.

President Biden Prepares to Navigate First 100 Days Leading a Nation in Crisis
Jan 20, 2021
NBC Boston
Deborah J. Schildkraut, professor, Department of Political Science, appears in this news segment on the significance of President Joe Biden's first 100 days in office. (Schildkraut's segment begins at the 1:09 mark.)

Debate over special elections heated -- and complicated
Jan 19, 2021
CommonWealth Magazine
Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, is quoted about the ongoing debate in some Massachusetts cities about special mayoral elections, and urges cautions about changing laws too quickly.

The grisly trials that gave poison to prisoners
Jan 18, 2021
Nature Research
Associate Professor of History Alisha Rankin’s new book, “The Poison Trials: Wonder Drugs, Experiment, and the Battle for Authority in Renaissance Science,” is reviewed. 

Cumulus Prohibits Claims of Election Fraud
Jan 11, 2021
The New York Times
Sarah Sobieraj, professor, Department of Sociology, is quoted about how recent political events are presenting opportunities to reexamine the spread of news and information via “hyper-ideological spaces.” 

Bacon's Rebellion: America's First Armed Insurrection
Jan 11, 2021
history.howstuffworks.com
James Rice, Walter S. Dickson Professor of English and American History and chair, Department of History, is quoted throughout this article about the historical impact of Bacon’s Rebellion, a 17th century uprising in Colonial Virginia. Rice’s 2014 paper “Bacon's Rebellion in Indian Country” is also cited.

Vaccinate the youngest first
Jan 11, 2021
The Boston Globe
Justin Hollander, A96, professor in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, coauthors this opinion piece on why vaccinating the youngest first would maximize efficiency and minimize the spread of COVID-19.

US loses 140,000 jobs, first monthly drop since spring
Jan 8, 2021
Associated Press
Brian Bethune, lecturer, Department of Economics, comments on the January 8 job-loss report, noting that "the leisure and hospitality industries are still getting whacked.”

This Lawmaker Wants Mass. to Have an Official State Dinosaur. Here's Why
Jan 5, 2021
NECN
Noel Heim, lecturer, Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, is quoted in this segment about efforts to designate a Massachusetts state dinosaur.

Georgia's Billion-Dollar Bonfire
Jan 5, 2021
The Atlantic
Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, is quoted in this article about the billions of dollars in donations to the campaigns of the candidates in Georgia’s two U.S. Senate runoff races. 

Fall 2020

California voters failed to repeal ban on affirmative action. What signal does that send the rest of the nation?
Dec 30, 2020
USA Today
Natasha Warikoo, professor, Department of Sociology, comments on California's Proposition 16, which would have repealed a ban on affirmative action. 

Canada urged to investigate the death of Baloch human rights activist
Dec 30, 2020
Public Radio International
Ayesha Jalal, Mary Richardson Professor of History, Department of History, comments on why Balochistan is a troubled part of Pakistan.

Asian families say they feel invisible in dealing with BPS
Dec 29, 2020
The Boston Globe
Natasha Warikoo, professor, Department of Sociology, is quoted regarding access and equity related to exam school admissions testing in Boston.

1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America
Dec 28, 2020
crosstalk.cell.com
Ayanna Thomas, professor, Department of Psychology, is highlighted among Cell Press’ 1,000 inspiring black scientists.

Black, Latina and immigrant mothers are losing jobs as COVID-19 child care crisis grows
Dec 28, 2020
USA Today
Research by Felipe Dias, assistant professor, Department of Sociology, examining how the COVID-19 pandemic-related recession is impacting working, Latina moms is referenced in this article. 

The Lasting Lessons of John Conway's Game of Life
Dec 28, 2020
The New York Times
Daniel Dennett, University Professor and Fletcher Professor of Rhetoric, Department of Philosophy, is among those quoted about the enduring influence of mathematician John Horton Conway’s “Game of Life.”

The Zong and the ocean's voice
Dec 27, 2020
Jamaica Gleaner
Kris Manjapra, chair, Department of Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora, and associate professor, Department of History, discusses crimes committed on the slave ship Zong during its 1781 passage to Jamaica in this guest column for the “Reparation Conversations” series.

The shadowy spirits that helped advance science
Dec 24, 2020
The Washington Post
Jess Keiser, assistant professor, Department of English, reviews the new book “Bedeviled: A Shadow History of Demons in Science,” by Jimena Canales.

Sonja Spears to give online talk on social justice
Dec 23, 2020
Wicked Local
On January 5, UEP’s Sonja Spears will give a virtual talk as part of “10th annual Newton Inspires: A Celebration of Ideas and Community.”

2020: the historians' verdict
Dec 18, 2020
History Extra
Kerri Greenidge, Mellon Assistant Professor, Department of Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora, is among the BBC History Extra's expert panelists discussing the ways history has shaped the year 2020.

Agents of Change
Dec 18, 2020
The New York Times
Kerri Greenidge, Mellon Assistant Professor, Department of Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora, joins the New York Times’ “Book review” podcast to discuss two new historical books examining how Black Americans, despite being enslaved and oppressed, have had a strong influence on national politics in the U.S. leading up to the Civil War.

Few Kidney Patients Can Access Palliative Care or Hospice. Why?
Dec 18, 2020
Scientific American
Keren Ladin, assistant professor of occupational therapy, comments on difficulties associated with a lack of prognostic indicators when treating kidney failure patients. Research by Ladin is also cited.

Tufts Professor Brings Grandparents Into The Classroom Via Zoom, And Gives Everyone A Lesson In Staying Connected
Dec 18, 2020
WGBH
In this news segment, Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, discusses how inviting his grandfather to participate in one of his Zoom classes led to some of his students inviting their own grandparents to join as well. The grandparents of second-year A&S student Sarah Kaplan also appear in this video.

How to Move In With Your Parents (and, Eventually, Move Out)
Dec 17, 2020
www.nytimes.com
Tama Leventhal, Professor, Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development, is quoted in this article offering guidance to young adults who move back to their parents' homes.

How Trump is fueling the alarming growth of QAnon
Dec 16, 2020
CNN
Brian Schaffner, Newhouse Professor of Civic Studies, Department of Political Science, is quoted about his research, in collaboration with the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, examining the relationship between QAnon and conspiracy beliefs in the United States. 

Armenians displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh fear their medieval churches will be destroyed
Dec 15, 2020
The Conversation
Christina Maranci, Arthur H. Dadian and Ara Oztemel Professor of Armenian Art and Architecture, pens this piece about medieval Armenian monuments that are at risk of being destroyed in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

To the Brain, Reading Computer Code Is Not the Same as Reading Language
Dec 15, 2020
Science News
Eliot-Pearson researchers are among collaborators on a new study finding that reading and learning computer code activates the general-purpose network within the brain. 

U.S. agency sidesteps listing monarch butterflies as endangered
Dec 15, 2020
Science
Elizabeth Crone, professor, Department of Biology, is quoted in this article about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to exclude monarch butterflies from its endangered species list. 

The Season Of Giving: How COVID-19 Has Changed Charity
Dec 11, 2020
WGBH
In this "Under the Radar" segment, Laura Gee, associate professor, Department of Economics, discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting charitable giving in the U.S. this year.

The medieval Armenian monuments in Nagorno-Karabakh must be protected
Dec 9, 2020
Apollo Magazine
Christina Maranci, Arthur H. Dadian and Ara Oztemel Professor of Armenian Art and Architecture, discusses the significance of some of the medieval Armenian monuments that are at risk of being destroyed.

How Has Boston Gotten Away with Being Segregated for So Long
Dec 8, 2020
Boston Magazine
Robert Terrell, lecturer, Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, is quoted throughout this in-depth piece on racial segregation in the city of Boston.

Part Robot, Part Frog: Xenobots Are the First Robots Made From Living Cells
Dec 8, 2020
Discover Magazine
A&S biology research, in collaboration with the University of Vermont, developing living, programmable robots (xenobots) created with skin and heart cells from African clawed frogs is spotlighted

Even Before COVID 2,600 People a Week Were Leaving NYC...
Dec 5, 2020
Bloomberg
Justin Hollander, A96, professor in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, is quoted about New York City’s population decline, which began well before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Why We're Giving Thanks To Microbes For Stinky Cheese
Nov 27, 2020
Science Friday
Benjamin Wolfe, Aptman Family Assistant Professor of Biology, and postdoctoral scholar Casey Cosetta discuss their research that found communication between fungi and bacteria is key to creating distinct aromas, flavors, and quality during the ripening of cheeses. 

A way out of Trump's continuing crisis: a President Pence
Nov 25, 2020
The Hill
Justin Hollander, A96, professor in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, writes this opinion piece on why he thinks President Trump could resign and inaugurate Vice President Mike Pence to carry out the duties of the presidency until January 20, 2021. 

Why Is This Happening?: Highlighting the problem of political hobbyism with Eitan Hersh
Nov 25, 2020
NBC News
Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, discusses political hobbyism and its implications in this "Why Is This Happening?" podcast. 

How a coalition of women won it for Joe Biden
Nov 23, 2020
Financial Times
Brian Schaffner, Newhouse Professor of Civic Studies, Department of Political Science, is quoted about his collaborative Co-operative Election Study research on how voter attitudes about racism and sexism influenced the 2016 election and new analysis of these same factors on the 2020 election.

This choir sings in harmony from their cars to keep everyone safe
Nov 22, 2020
The Today Show
Jamie Kirsch, lecturer, Department of Music, and director of choral activities, is featured on this Today Show segment with his choir Chorus pro Musica, which has moved its practices outdoors with members singing in their cars during the pandemic. 

Biden could tap state pols for Cabinet
Nov 13, 2020
Gloucester Daily Times
Jeffrey Berry, John Richard Skuse, Class of 1941, Professor of Political Science, comments on some possible Biden administration nominees from Massachusetts, which he says "is full of very talented and highly educated and politically experienced Democrats."

Rage-Donating Only Made Democrats Feel Better
Nov 12, 2020
The Atlantic
Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, outlines why long-term campaign strategies are needed to ensure that donor money is spent effectively. 

Could COVID-19 provide a windfall to utilities from shifting demand? Report says yes, but it's complicated
Nov 12, 2020
Utility Drive
Steve Cicala, assistant professor, Department of Economics, is quoted about his research on the increase in-home electricity consumption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Why the 2020s Could Be as Dangerous as the 1850s
Oct 30, 2020
The Atlantic
Brian Schaffner, Newhouse Professor of Civic Studies, Department of Political Science, comments on how changing attitudes about race and misogyny will affect support for Trump in the 2020 election. Schaffner's collaborative research on these factors in the 2016 election is cited.

How a demon slaying film is drawing Japan back to the cinemas
Oct 30, 2020
BBC News
Susan Napier, Goldthwaite Professor of Rhetoric, Department of International Literary and Cultural Studies, comments on the role of escapism in the popularity of the film "Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train" in Japan. 

Why did Modi say that Indias road to progress has always been led by Bengal and not Gujarat?
Oct 29, 2020
scroll.in
Brian Hatcher, Packard Chair of Theology, Department of Religion, examines modern India’s religious “enlightenment” through the figures of Rammohan Roy and Sahajanand Saraswati. Hatcher is the author of Hinduism Before Reform.

Podcast Transcript 297: Just Sustainabilities with Julian Agyeman
Oct 29, 2020
The Overhead Wire
Julian Agyeman, professor, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, appears in this "Talking Headways" podcast to discuss his work on equity, justice, and environmental sustainability in transportation and urban planning. 

A Cutting-Edge Tactic to Get Out the Vote in 2020: Handwritten Letters
Oct 28, 2020
The New York Times
Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, is quoted about the effectiveness of personalized political messaging, like hand-written letters, noting that "people are moved by genuine, heartfelt communications."

U.S. voter info has always been public -- but now it's getting weaponized
Oct 27, 2020
NBC
Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, is quoted in this piece about how political campaigns communicate with and target voters. Hersh is author of the book Hacking the Electorate: How Campaigns Perceive Voters.  

How Religion Can Help Put Our Democracy Back Together
Oct 28, 2020
The Washington Post
Sarah Sobieraj, professor, Department of Sociology, is quoted from a 2018 New York Times opinion piece about the rise of liberal cable media consumption. 

What if Only White Men Voted?
Oct 23, 2020
The New York Times
In this opinion piece exploring the gender gap in politics, Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, notes that women "are way more active right now.” Hersh is the author of “Politics is for Power.” 

No Grumpy Old Men in the Chimp World
Oct 22, 2020
The New York Times
This article highlights Usen Family Career Development Assistant Professor Zarin P. Machanda's research into relationships among male chimpanzees as they age. Machanda is director of long-term research at the Kibale Chimpanzee Project in Uganda. 

Company One production of "Downtown Crossing" explores undocumented life in Boston
Oct 22, 2020
www.baystatebanner.com
Lecturer in the Department of English David Valdes' new play "Downtown Crossing" is streaming live from October 22 to 25. The production is supported in part by the Center for the Humanities at Tufts.

Nearly 1.2 million people have already voted in Massachusetts. The disparities are stark
Oct 21, 2020
The Boston Globe
Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, comments on possible factors that have led to a surge in early voting in Massachusetts.

Wall Street Is A Big Source Of Campaign Cash For Democrats
Oct 21, 2020
National Public Radio
Brian Schaffner, Newhouse Professor of Civic Studies, Department of Political Science, is quoted in this "Morning Edition" segment about the industries that are top donors to the Democratic and Republican presidential candidate campaigns.

Activists work to create a culture of voting
Oct 19, 2020
The State House Flag
Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, is quoted about the Knight Foundation's The100 Million Project, which he advised on, a survey of habitual nonvoters in the United States, examining issues they care about and reasons why they don’t vote. Data from Tisch College's CIRCLE research, showing a 54% decline in youth voter registration in Indiana in August 2020 versus November 2016, is also cited. 

The pandemic is destroying energy efficiency
Oct 19, 2020
Axios
This article references findings from Steve Cicala, assistant professor, Department of Economics, on the increase in home electricity consumption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Microbes in Cheese Use Those Funky Smells to Communicate
Oct 19, 2020
www.labroots.com
New A&S research has found that communication between fungi and bacteria is key to creating distinct aromas, flavors, and quality during the ripening of cheeses. Corresponding author Benjamin Wolfe, Aptman Family Assistant Professor of Biology, and postdoctoral scholar and first author Casey Cosetta are both quoted.

To win crucial Pennsylvania, Trump leans heavily on unfounded fears of massive voter fraud
Oct 16, 2020
The Boston Globe
Jeffrey Berry, John Richard Skuse, Class of 1941, Professor of Political Science, comments on President Donald Trump’s efforts spreading mistrust about voter fraud during the 2020 election, saying “Americans have been very trusting of elections — this really runs against the grain of American electoral history.”

The Making of Malcolm X
Oct 15, 2020
The Atlantic
Kerri Greenidge, Mellon Assistant Professor, Department of Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora, reviews "The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X," a new biography by Les Payne and Tamara Payne.

How the long fight for slavery reparations is slowly being won
Oct 6, 2020
The Guardian
Kris Majapra, chair, Department of Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora, and associate professor, Department of History, has written this piece for the Guardian.  

Will my kid learn anything this school year? Experts take on the most worrisome questions
Oct 1, 2020
The Boston Globe
Eliot-Pearson's Richard Lerner, Sarah Johnson, Calvin Gidney, and Marina Bers, as well as Natasha Warikoo, professor, Department of Sociology, are all quoted in this article addressing pandemic-related challenges that students and parents face in the coming school year. 

Black Americans are leaving their homes to start their own all-Black communities
Oct 1, 2020
MSN
Kendra Field, associate professor, Department of History, comments on historical reasons why Black Americans have started their own communities. 

New research shows 15-40% of land use approvals are being impacted by use of "bots" (robots)
Sep 23, 2020
Lambda Alpha International - Keynotes
Justin Hollander, A96, professor in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, was profiled in an article in Lambda Alpha International's publication "Keynotes." the article reports on his research with collaborators at Cardiff University (UK) and Queen's University (Canada), in collaboration with UEP graduate student Minyu Situ and Tufts undergraduate students Rachel Herman, Anna Yuen, and Alex Seto. 

Empowering Families to Teach Coding at Home
Sep 20, 2020
www.gettingsmart.com
Marina Bers, professor and chair, Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development, suggests ways for families to collaborate with schools to teach coding concepts to their children during distance learning. Bers is the author of the book Coding as a Playground: Programming and Computational Thinking in the Early Childhood Classroom. 

The road to the White House: How Donald Trump wins, and how Joe Biden prevails
Sep 19, 2020
The Globe and Mail
Jeffrey Berry, John Richard Skuse, Class of 1941, Professor of Political Science, is quoted about the polarization of U.S. voters in the 2020 presidential elections. 

Secret Mind of Slime
Sep 17, 2020
PBS
Michael Levin, Distinguished Professor, Department of Biology, appeared in this "NOVA: Secret Mind of Slime" episode to discuss his research on physarum polycephalum, an intelligent slime mold that can communicate memories and behaviors.

Why the bottom hasn't dropped out for Trump
Sep 15, 2020
CNN
Brian Schaffner, Newhouse Professor of Civic Studies, Department of Political Science, is quoted throughout this piece on how attitudes about demographic, cultural and economic changes in the U.S. are shaping voters' choices for the 2020 elections. Schaffner's research on how voter attitudes about racism and sexism influenced the 2016 election is also cited. 

Heritage and history found along the journey with the African American Trail Project
Sep 13, 2020
The Boston Globe
Kendra Field, associate professor of History and Africana Studies, and Kerri Greenidge, Mellon Assistant Professor, Department of Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora, discuss the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy's African American Trail Project, which was developed from their research tracing the historic African-American sites in Massachusetts. 

Health care workers need to engage on politics. It's the only way to fix mounting problems.
Sep 11, 2020
USA Today
Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, co-authors this opinion piece on the need for the healthcare workforce to "vote in unprecedented numbers" to move public policy forward.

Who You're Reading When You Read Haruki Murakami
Sep 11, 2020
The Atlantic
Hosea Hirata, professor, Department of International Literary and Cultural Studies, comments on an example of censoring in an English translation of a novel by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami.

Entrepreneur donates brain-computer company to Tufts
Sep 10, 2020
The Boston Globe
Alumnus Jeff Stibel has donated his company BrainGate and its patented brain-computer interface to Tufts. A&S Dean Jim Glaser and Michael Levin, Vannevar Bush Professor, Department of Biology, are quoted in this article covering the gift.

Have we forgotten our inheritance [Part 1] In Sight
Sep 10, 2020
Armenian Weekly
This article highlights Christina Maranci, Arthur H. Dadian and Ara Oztemel Professor of Armenian Art and Architecture, work researching Armenian's art and architecture.

Senior GOP senator wants US to retaliate against Putin over Alexei Navalny poisoning
Sep 9, 2020
Washington Examiner
Oxana Shevel, associate professor, Department of Political Science, comments on the motivation for attacking Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. 

A Stateless Poet Finds Her Home and Identity in Literature
Sep 9, 2020
Al-Fanar Media
Alexandra Chreiteh, Mellon Bridge Assistant Professor, Department of International Literary and Cultural Studies, comments on the work of poet Mona Kareem.

Smart shrinkage: the alternative use of abandoned urban spaces
Sep 8, 2020
Domus
Justin Hollander, A96, professor in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, discusses his collaborative research on "smart shrinkage" as an approach to revitalizing neighborhoods that have experienced population and economic declines.

Meat production is brutal for animals and humans alike. It's time for it to end
Sep 8, 2020
The Guardian
Alex Blanchette, associate professor, Department of Anthropology, co-authors this piece examining how "COVID-19 has made clear that the system that produces meat is fragile and brutal, but its programs predate and will outlast the pandemic unless there is fundamental change."

Why Facebook's political-ad ban is taking on the wrong problem
Sep 8, 2020
When And How
Eitan Hersh, associate professor, Department of Political Science, comments on the "layers of errors" that accumulate when political campaigns make assumptions about the audience of their ads in this MIT Technology Review reprint.

Plaschke: Success of Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers bittersweet for shutout L.A. fans
Sep 4, 2020
Los Angeles Times
Sam Sommers, professor and chair, Department of Psychology, comments on sports fans' loss of community due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sommers is the author of This Is Your Brain on Sports.

Auchincloss declares victory; Mermell hasn’t conceded
Sep 4, 2020
CommonWealth Magazine
Jeffrey Berry, John Richard Skuse, Class of 1941, Professor of Political Science, comments on Jake Auchincloss' appeal as a candidate for the Massachusetts 4th Congressional District House seat.

Kennedy Loss in Massachusetts May Mark End of ‘Camelot' Era
Sep 3, 2020
NECN - Top Stories
Jeffrey Berry, John Richard Skuse, Class of 1941, Professor of Political Science,  comments on the defeat of Rep. Joe Kennedy III by Sen. Ed Markey in the Massachusetts U.S. Senate primary election.

A strange form of life could flourish deep inside of stars, physicists say
Sep 2, 2020
sott
Collaborative 1988 research by cosmologist Alexander Vilenkin, Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, on cosmic, superconducting light strings is mentioned as the foundation of new research examining the creation of life forms within stars.

US Stocks-S&P 500 hits record high on Amazon boost
Aug 18, 2020
Reuters
Brian Bethune, lecturer, Department of Economics, is quoted about recent stock market gains, saying "the economy, generally speaking, is doing better than what people had expected."

Pandemic Electric Bills Are Searing Hot, As Families Stay Home
Aug 17, 2020
National Public Radio
Steve Cicala, assistant professor, Department of Economics, is quoted about the increase in home electricity consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Zealand delays election amid COVID-19 outbreak | The World from PRX
Aug 17, 2020
Public Radio International
Jeffrey Berry, John Richard Skuse, Class of 1941, Professor of Political Science, discusses New Zealand's decision to delay its upcoming national elections, noting the differences between the political systems in New Zealand and the United States. 

California progressives' mantra for Democratic convention: 'Challenge Biden'
Aug 16, 2020
San Francisco Chronicle
Newhouse Professor of Civic Studies Brian Schaffner's analysis of voters who cast ballots for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primary and then Donald Trump in the presidential election is referenced in this article. 

Honey bees can't practice social distancing, so they stay healthy in close quarters by working together
Aug 14, 2020
The Conversation
Philip Stark, associate professor, Department of Biology, co-authors this piece with Rachael Bonoan, AG18, on how honey bees work collectively to keep colonies healthy. A video shows hives on the Cummings School campus that were used for research.  

Brian A. Hatcher on his book Hinduism Before Reform
Aug 12, 2020
Rorotoko
Brian Hatcher, Packard Chair of Theology, Department of Religion, was interviewed about his new book Hinduism Before Reform (Harvard University Press, 2020). 

Environmental Racism: Why Does It Still Exist? 
Aug 12, 2020
impakter.com
Julian Agyeman, professor, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, is quoted throughout this article on environmental racism in the UK.