WFU in the news: Dec. 19 – Jan. 1, 2023

FEATURED NEWS

Through Public Health AmeriCorps at Wake Forest, students learn and help community
By Tim Clodfelter | Winston-Salem Journal
Since fall, 15 members of the Wake Forest University community have had a chance to explore public health issues in a real-world context as part of Public Health AmeriCorps. The federally-funded program is designed to improve lives, strengthen communities and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. “Students are able to gain first-hand experience in public health fields and deepen their understanding,” said Marianne Magjuka, executive director of the OCCE and assistant dean of students. – 12/29/2022

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

The amazing Archerfish nabs its prey by shooting jets of water
By Aditi Bora | Upworthy
Although she has researched archerfish behavior, biology professor Miriam Ashley-Ross was not engaged in the most recent study. “It’s a pretty ambitious study,” she said in an email. She added, “It would be great to know if there are similar mouth morphologies in the widely separated fish taxa that can all make underwater jets.” – 12/30/2022

Should Congress extend bonus depreciation?
By Thomas Brosy | Tax Policy Center
Proponents often argue that increased investment has positive effects on employment, especially in an economic downturn. The idea: Firms with more capital also hire more workers. A recent study by economics professor Mark Curtis and colleagues finds bonus depreciation led to higher employment but not higher wages in the early 2000s. – 12/29/2022

Is drumming like singing? A focus on woodpeckers
Science Connected Magazine
In a recent study, scientists led by biology professor Eric Schuppe screened seven bird species of vocal non-learners for the presence of specialized circuitry in the brain. They found that woodpecker brains contain specialized circuitry, similar to the circuitry found in vocal learners, that was activated during drumming. – 12/28/2022

Experts doubt size of Texas’ illegal sports betting market
The Dallas Morning News
In the push to legalize mobile sports betting in Texas, a powerful pro-gambling group says Texans spend a whopping $8.7 billion annually on illegal wagers. “By definition, if you’re studying an illegal market, it’s hard to know the market’s size,” said economics professor Koleman Strumpf, who has studied the sports betting industry. – 12/27/2022

Are caskets dated?
By Maggie Severns | Grid
“We are right now undergoing I think the most dramatic change in death practices certainly in American history, and probably the history of Western civilization,” said law professor Tanya Marsh, who teaches a course on funeral law. Marsh scrutinizes the rules around funerals — and how to change them. – 12/28/2022

China-Global South Relations with Lina Benabdallah
By Jonathan Fulton, Joze M. Pelayo, Ahmed Aboudouh | Atlantic Council
Key takeaways in this podcast with politics professor Lina Benabdallah include an overview of China’s influence on the Global South, the different perspectives of China between Western and Global South countries, and the position of Africans in U.S.-China competition.  –12/21/2022

Fewer gifts this year? Give kids more love
The Central Virginian
Parents hit hard by the struggling economy might wonder how to explain to their children why there aren’t as many presents under the tree this year. “The problem is, we often express love through gifts,” said psychology professor Christy Buchanan, who studies parent-child relationships and teaches courses on effective parent-child relations. “We worry they won’t feel loved if we don’t provide material things.” – 12/22/2022

Getting weird, with Eric G. Wilson
By Mike Carlon | Marketing Podcast Network: Uncorking a Story
Thomas H. Pritchard Professor of English Eric Wilson teaches creative writing and British Romantic poetry. He recently joined the Uncorking a Story podcast to talk about his career and latest book, “How to Be Weird: An Off-Kilter Guide to Living a One-of-a-Kind Life.” – 12/23/2022

The Netherlands decides to stop paying subsidies to untruthful biomass firms
By Justin Catanoso | Mongabay
Activists have pressed hard for years to put a biomass discussion on the agenda at annual UN climate summits, to no avail, but are encouraged by events in The Netherlands and Australia. They say they remain hopeful that actions by policymakers will soon match growing public opposition to using forest wood for energy in a climate crisis, writes journalism professor Justin Catanoso. – 12/23/2022

Australia rejects forest biomass in first blow to wood pellet industry
South Africa Today
Australia became the first major economy worldwide to reverse itself on its renewable classification for woody biomass burned to make energy. Under the nation’s new policy, wood harvested from native forests and burned to produce energy cannot be classified as a renewable energy source, writes journalism professor Justin Catanoso. – 12/25/2022

The past year’s crisis will weigh on Sri Lanka for years to come
By Neil DeVotta | East Asia Forum
Sri Lanka’s economy contracted by 9.2% in 2022. It is slated to contract another 4.2% in 2023. The upshot is that Sri Lanka will have lost nearly a decade of growth by the time it overcomes this economic crisis. The worst may be yet to come, writes politics and international affairs professor Neil DeVotta. – 12/27/2022

Russia with an anti-Western confrontation approach goes after African leaders
By Kester Kenn Klomegah | Modern Diplomacy
In an article published in Foreign Affairs, politics professor and China-Africa relations expert Lina Benabdallah, noted that Beijing began to invest in Africa as part of a project called the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). By 2021, 39 African countries had joined the BRI. “When Beijing approaches negotiations with African countries, it is looking to them as partners with whom it can expand business opportunities, rather than as charity cases,” she said. – 12/24/2022

4 questions to ask yourself before applying to B-School
By Cole Claybourn | U.S. News & World Report
An MBA is a significant commitment that requires time, money and energy. Even part-time programs may be more intensive than people expect, said Kevin Bender, executive director for MBA enrollment management and recruiting at Wake Forest’s School of Business. “It’s important to understand the time commitment required.” – 12/19/2022

Karen Wong and Derek Wiggins design a better blueprint for the art world
Cultured Magazine
ArtCities, a program that delves into American locales in order to spotlight overlooked artists, debuted with the first regional initiative focused on Winston-Salem and Greensboro. “We know the art world cares about five art schools,” founder Karen Wong explains. “But there are almost 300 art departments across the country.” In collaboration with Wake the Arts, the North Carolina edition of ArtCities features artists Krystal Hart, Ashley Johnson, Lakea Shepard, Mariam Aziza Stephan, and Antoine Williams. – 12/19/2022

Haters hate, but why? A new book explores haters and their motives
By Marybeth Gasman | Forbes
Law professor and psychologist Gregory S. Parks has penned a new book titled “Haters.” In his book, he traces the development of hate as it relates to jealousy and envy. Parks explores who haters are, what motivates them, and most importantly how to navigate them. – 12/19/2022

REGIONAL & TRADE

WFU business professor receives high honor in information systems discipline
Association for Information Systems
Professor of Management Information Systems Stacie Petter is a 2022 recipient of the AIS Fellow Award presented by the Association for Information Systems. She received the award for her significant global, national and regional academic contributions to the information systems discipline. The accolade acknowledges individuals who have demonstrated excellence in research, teaching and service. It is one of the highest honors within the discipline. A total of 12 fellows were selected this year. – 12/28/2022

National Civil Justice Institute announces Civil Justice Scholarship Award Winners
TortsProfBlog
The Institute recognized with High Distinction law professors Jonathan Cardi and Gregory Parks for their article, “Do Black Injuries Matter?: Implicit Bias and Jury Decision Making in Tort Cases.” After conducting one of the first comprehensive experimental examinations of how race affects judgments on personal injuries, the authors found that the dollar awards for the injuries suffered by black plaintiffs in hypothetical cases were lower than awards for the same injuries experienced by white plaintiffs. – 12/28/2022

Discovery of endogenous nitroxyl as a new redox player in Arabidopsis thaliana
By co-author S. Bruce King | Nature
Nitroxyl (HNO) is the one-electron reduced and protonated congener of nitric oxide (•NO), owning a distinct chemical profile. Based on real-time detection, we demonstrate that HNO is endogenously formed in Arabidopsis. – 12/23/2022

LOCAL

Literary Bound: Friends make it their mission to give new life to old books
By Chanel Davis | Yes! Weekly
What started off as a creative Christmas gift has grown into an enterprise between friends binding them, and their customers’ love of books, together. Diana Goldstein and Rosalind Tedford met at Wake Forest University where they were undergraduate roommates. Tedford was born and raised in Winston-Salem and works at the University’s library as a research librarian. – 12/21/2022

Business Milestones
Winston-Salem Journal
The Wake Forest University Center for the Study of Capitalism has announced that Mark Brucker will join the executive advisory committee. Brucker is the chief risk officer for consumer and community banking at JPMorgan Chase and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wake Forest University. – 12/25/2022