Research

Kate Brown, History, Wins Environmental History Book Prize

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History Associate Professor Kate Brown has won the 2014 George Perkins Marsh Prize for her book, Plutopia: Nuclear Families, Atomic Cities, and the Great Soviet and American Plutonium Disasters (Oxford University Press, 2013). The award is given by the American Society for Environmental History (ASEH) for the best book in environmental history. Brown received her prize March 15 in San Francisco at the annual ASEH conference. Last fall, Brown presented a Social Sciences Forum on Plutopia which explored the work and research behind her book. More information can be found here.

Robert Provine, Psychology, on BBC News Website

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A new Duke University study finds that contagious yawning is linked more closely to a person’s age than their ability to empathize, and it shows a stronger link to age than tiredness or energy levels. Psychology Professor Robert Provine was interviewed for a BBC News article about the study and said it was “unique” because it marked the first time a link between ageing and contagious yawning had been demonstrated. The scientific study of contagious behavior, including yawning and laughing, was conducted in Provine’s lab at UMBC and the new Duke study involved application of his previous methods for examining contagious… Continue Reading Robert Provine, Psychology, on BBC News Website

UMBC Psychology Research Cited in TES Magazine

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A study conducted by researchers at UMBC and the University of Maryland, College Park was featured in a recent Times Educational Supplement article in TES Magazine. The article, titled “To help the little darlings out, let their parents in,” focuses on the study which found that two-thirds of parents think their children are brighter and higher-achieving than their classmates. The research was conducted by Susan Sonnenschein, an associate professor of psychology, Shari Metzger, a graduate student in the Applied Developmental Psychology program and Laura Stapleton, an associate professor of measurement, statistics and evaluation at the University of Maryland, College Park.… Continue Reading UMBC Psychology Research Cited in TES Magazine

Dave Marcotte, Public Policy, on The Kojo Nnamdi Show

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Monday’s winter storm forced school systems across the region to cancel school for yet another day, adding to what were already high snow day totals for many. With classroom instruction disrupted again, WAMU’s The Kojo Nnamdi Show decided to look into the question of “the snow day effect” and how it can impact classroom performance. Public Policy Professor and Graduate Program Director Dave Marcotte was a guest on Monday’s show and discussed a multi-year study he conducted to look into winter weather’s impact on schools in several states. One of the key findings was that a week’s worth of snow days… Continue Reading Dave Marcotte, Public Policy, on The Kojo Nnamdi Show

Anne Brodsky, Psychology, Receives SCRA Award for Distinguished Contributions to Theory and Research in Community Psychology

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Anne Brodsky, psychology professor and associate dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, has received the 2014 SCRA Award for Distinguished Contributions to Theory and Research in Community Psychology. The award was announced by American Psychological Association (APA) Division 27. The announcement from the Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA) states: Dr. Brodsky’s contributions cover various topics of central importance to community psychology. The award refers to both theory and research and she has significant contributions in both areas (theory- resilience, PSOC; research – qualitative methods). Her contributions regarding research relate not only to engaging in excellent… Continue Reading Anne Brodsky, Psychology, Receives SCRA Award for Distinguished Contributions to Theory and Research in Community Psychology

Carlo DiClemente, Psychology, on New Books Network

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New Books Network recently interviewed Carlo DiClemente, presidential research professor and professor of psychology, about his co-authored book Substance Abuse Treatment and the Stages of Change: Selecting and Planning Interventions (Guilford Press, 2013). The network, a consortium of author-interview podcasts designed to enhance public conversation on given topics, interviewed DiClemente as part of its “New Books in Alcohol, Drugs and Intoxicants” series. In a comprehensive interview, DiClemente discussed the stages of change model as it relates to substance abuse and drug addiction treatment, as well the need for careful consideration of stage status and the complexities surrounding substance abuse. “The message in the book is… Continue Reading Carlo DiClemente, Psychology, on New Books Network

Dave Marcotte, Public Policy, in The Atlanta Journal Constitution and Bloomberg Businessweek

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Many school districts up and down the East Coast and in the Midwest have been forced to cancel several school days this winter, and some districts in the Northeast have already announced students will forgo part of their spring breaks to make up for lost time. Public Policy Professor and Graduate Program Director Dave Marcotte was cited in two recent articles in The Atlanta Journal Constitution and Bloomberg Businessweek for a study he did on the impact of winter weather on schools. “Dave Marcotte, in a 2010 online article for Education Next, found that each additional inch of snow reduced the percentage of third-,… Continue Reading Dave Marcotte, Public Policy, in The Atlanta Journal Constitution and Bloomberg Businessweek

Joan Shin, Education, Receives Ben Warren International House Trust Prize

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Education Professor of Practice Joan Shin has received the 2013 Ben Warren International House Trust Prize for her book Teaching Young Learners English (National Geographic Learning/Cengage Learning, 2013). Shin coauthored the book with JoAnn Crandall, Professor Emerita and former Director of the Language, Literacy and Culture Ph.D. program. The prestigious award is given annually to the author or authors of the most outstanding work in the field of language teacher education. The Ben Warren International House Trust was created as a memorial to the work and life of Ben Warren, who was a leader in developing the world’s leading language teaching organization. Shin’s book was… Continue Reading Joan Shin, Education, Receives Ben Warren International House Trust Prize

Jason Schiffman, Psychology, in The Daily Beast

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An article published February 9 in The Daily Beast titled “What Military Base Shootings Reveal about the Mental Health Debate” examines if better mental health screening can prevent future tragedies from occurring. Psychology Associate Professor Jason Schiffman was interviewed for the story and is currently a staff member at Maryland’s Center for Excellence on Early Intervention for Serious Mental Illness. In the article, he argues early treatment for people experiencing symptoms of psychosis and schizophrenia can help prevent them from causing harm to themselves or others. “Studies show one in 5 people in their early phases of psychosis will have a suicide attempt, which… Continue Reading Jason Schiffman, Psychology, in The Daily Beast

Ann Christine Frankowski, Center for Aging Studies, in The New York Times

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In a recent article in The New York Times blog “The New Old Age,” author Paula Span wrote about the Office of Inspector General’s report on Medicare payments for vacuum pumps. The report stated Medicare was paying “grossly excessive” prices for the devices. Ann Christine Frankowksi, senior research scientist for UMBC’s Center for Aging Studies in the department of sociology and anthropology, was quoted in the article commenting on ageist perceptions of sexuality. “The general concept is that older people are asexual, that they don’t have, or shouldn’t have, any thoughts about sex,” said Frankowski, whose research has included sexual behavior and policies in… Continue Reading Ann Christine Frankowski, Center for Aging Studies, in The New York Times

Robert Provine, Psychology, in American Psychological Association Monitor

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As part of its February 2014 Monitor on Psychology, the American Psychological Association (APA) published a feature titled “Why we cry.” The article examines recent research that helps answer what human tears mean through psychological, social and neuroscientific perspectives. Psychology Professor Robert Provine is quoted in the article when the author references a study he conducted with other UMBC researchers. “Tears add valence and nuance to the perception of faces,” Provine says. He also notes tears are a type of social lubricant and help people communicate. Provine is also quoted in the article when the author analyzes recent insights by… Continue Reading Robert Provine, Psychology, in American Psychological Association Monitor

Dawn Biehler, Geography and Environmental Systems, on WHYY Philadelphia

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Entomologists believe bed bugs have started making a comeback in places like Philadelphia in recent years. A report that aired on WHYY in Philadelphia January 17 examines the city’s battle with bedbugs and how it has evolved. Dawn Biehler, assistant professor of geography and environmental systems, was interviewed for the story and commented on the history of bedbugs in the United States and how they appeared consistently up until the 40s and 50s. “It was almost kind of an accepted condition of urban life that every once in a while, you were going to get bedbugs,” Biehler said. “Some people had… Continue Reading Dawn Biehler, Geography and Environmental Systems, on WHYY Philadelphia

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