WFU in the news: May 1-7, 2023

FEATURED NEWS

Limiting greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel power plants – A new EPA initiative
By Cheryl V. Walker | Wake Forest News
In the next week, the Biden Administration is expected to propose a new set of regulatory limits on carbon emissions from fossil-fueled electric power plants. What is the potential impact of the new rules? “The short answer is that it depends on what the courts do. The long answer is that it would accelerate both the growth of renewables and potentially the deployment of CCS technology for natural gas plants,” said executive director of Wake Forest’s Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability Stan Meiburg. – 5/04/2023

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Discriminatory policy pinned on wall should shock all prosecutors
By Ronald Wright, Kay Levine, Marc Miller | Bloomberg Law
Law professor Ron Wright co-authored this opinion piece. “It recently came to light that prosecutors in Jefferson County, Fla. have a policy to offer people of Hispanic origin harsher plea deals than people of other ethnicities. This policy hangs on the wall in the office. The whistleblower who revealed this office policy should be honored. The Jefferson County court should require new trials or pleas for all defendants who have been affected.” – 5/04/2023

Debate brings many benefits to students
By VOA Learning English | Voice of America (VOA)
After 12 debates over four straight days, the Wake Forest team won the 2023 National Debate Tournament. Ana Bittner, a debater from Wake Forest, thinks she is “more well-read than other students” and that debate has improved her ability to quickly process large amounts of information. For example, Bittner said she quickly looked through a 550-page book in about one hour to find information to support her debate arguments. – 5/06/2023

How improvisational movement and dance affect the brain
By Zoe Lintzeris | artsandmindlab.org
New research shows great potential for improvisational movement to help older adults and individuals with perceived memory loss and neurodegeneration; benefits include improved balance, improved balance confidence and improved mood. In this Q&A, Wake Forest medical school researcher Christina Hugenschmidt and dance professor Christina Soriano talk about their partnership and how movement impacts the brain and wellbeing. – 5/02/2023

REGIONAL & TRADE

Wake Forest tops best part-time MBA program in North Carolina
By Lillian Johnson | Triad Business Journal
Wake Forest University has been declared the best part-time MBA program in North Carolina in the newly released graduate program rankings by U.S. News & World Report. The University also appeared in several U.S. News rankings that were newly updated for 2024. Wake Forest’s business school beat out nine other North Carolina business schools in the part-time MBA ranking, taking the No. 28 spot nationwide. – 5/05/2023

Pay for play is on the way
By Dwayne Ballen | The Assembly
Law professor Timothy Davis, one of the nation’s leading authorities on sports law, views the issue as a question of fairness. “Advocates for athletes, as well as the public, see the enormous amount of revenue that is generated by college sports, primarily men’s basketball and football,” he said. “They think it’s unfair, out of balance. The sense is they should share in some of the revenue.” – 5/01/2023

Time may be short for Democrats
By Paul Johnson | High Point Enterprise
“When the North Carolina legislature draws new congressional district maps this summer, legislators are almost certain to change dramatically the boundaries of the current 6th District in a way that would give a Republican candidate a much better chance of winning the district,” said politics professor John Dinan. – 5/03/2023

LOCAL

Business Milestones
Winston-Salem Journal
Chemistry professor Abdou Lachgar has been selected as a 2023-2024 Fulbright U.S. Scholar for Namibia. Lachgar will conduct research and teach in the materials science department at the University of Namibia. “I plan to establish collaborations in the development of materials and technologies for two critical applications: sustainable production of hydrogen using solar energy, and conversion of biowaste to biofuel,” he said. – 5/07/2023

WAKE FOREST NEWS

Three WFU scholars awarded NSF grants for graduate studies
By Kim McGrath | Wake Forest News
Wake Forest seniors Ashley Peake and Malindi Whyte and chemistry doctoral candidate Scott Dawson have been awarded Graduate Research Fellowships from the National Science Foundation. The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship supports outstanding graduate students in STEM by providing three years of financial support to those pursuing research-based degrees. – 5/04/2023

Debate team honored by City of Winston-Salem for national wins
By Keri Brown | Wake Forest News
During the Winston-Salem City Council meeting on May 1, Wake Forest debaters, coaches and staff received a resolution by the City of Winston-Salem for their historic national title wins this year. Mayor Allen Joines issued the honor on behalf of the City Council and Mayor Pro Tem D.D. Adams presented the large, framed resolution to the team. “Winston-Salem could not be prouder,” said Adams. – 5/02/2023