WFU in the news: Feb. 19-25, 2024

FEATURED NEWS

What happens when a wind farm comes to a coal town?
By Michael Levitt, Kat Lonsdorf, Tinbete Ermyas, Ari Shapiro | NPR: All Things Considered
Economist Mark Curtis has studied this shift in the workforce. “We found that of workers that were leaving fossil fuel jobs, certainly less than 2% ended up in a renewable energy job. So it’s not a lot. And in a place like West Virginia, it was even smaller than that. Approximately 0.25% of workers that left fossil-fuel jobs were going to renewable energy jobs.” – 2/16/2024

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

Would Sam Altman’s $7 trillion ask really secure our future?
By Merav Ozair | Cointelegraph
“Innovating responsibly and making sure that AI systems are — safe, secure, and trustworthy will secure our collective future. This may not be Sam Altman’s way, but it’s the right way,” writes Wake Forest School of Business financial technology & analytics faculty Merav Ozair. – 2/21/2024

How one tech startup aims to disrupt the market for illegal rhino horns
By Juliana Kim | KERA News (Dallas, TX)
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about in terms of creating confusion in the market for rhino horns using the synthetic horns,” said economics professor Fred Chen, who shared that the confusion caused by synthetic rhino horns could bring the value of the real horns down. “Or maybe if I do decide to buy something because I’m not certain it’s the real thing, maybe I don’t want to pay as much.” – 2/22/2024

China’s foreign minister still starts the year with a trip to Africa
By Mia Nulimaimait | Yahoo! Finance
When Qian Qichen, then China’s foreign minister, visited Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania in January 1991, he set the ball rolling for what Chinese state media called an “unstoppable trend. “Since then Chinese foreign ministers have chosen African nations as their first overseas stop each year. Politics and international studies professor Lina Benabdallah said one of the most appealing aspects was “precisely the continuity and the track record of the tradition.” She added, “This has established a narrative of stability and of continuous prioritizing of China-Africa relations.” – 2/19/2024

Dr. Mandy K. Cohen to inspire Wake Forest graduates
By Maria Alejandra Trujillo | BNN Breaking
Dr. Mandy K. Cohen, known for her leadership in public health, will inspire graduates at Wake Forest University with a message of hope and service. Learn more about her impact and the importance of Pro Humanitate in her career. – 2/22/2024

W. Clark Goodman has been inducted into the Marquis Who’s Who Biographical Registry
Business News Articles
Mr. Goodman also applies his experience as a dispute resolution attorney in his capacity as an adjunct professor at Wake Forest University School of Law, where he teaches courses in domestic and international arbitration. – 2/23/2024

REGIONAL & TRADE

Quirky works for answering unusual college essay questions
By Margo Bartsch | The Charlotte News
When asked an unusual question, it is OK to give an unusual answer. With tens of thousands of college applicants, a quirky essay prompt encourages students to set themselves apart from the competition. The 2023-24 college application season had an abundance of unexpected essay questions with different word counts. Four colleges rose to the top of asking uncommon prompts within a set word limit – among them is Wake Forest University. – 2/22/2024

Changes in inflation by city
Life and Health Advisor
“While there is uncertainty about how effective interest rates are, there is consensus among economists that raising interest rates does lower inflation somewhat. However, interest rates are a blunt tool and rising interest rates can have widely varying impacts on households and businesses depending on their financial situation. For example, someone who wants to buy a house in early 2024 with a 7% mortgage rate is severely disadvantaged relative to someone who bought a house in 2021 with a 3% mortgage rate,” said economics professor Aeimit Lakdawala. – 2/20/2024

LOCAL

Piedmont Federal Bank removes ‘savings’ from name in brand refresh
By Richard Craver | Winston-Salem Journal
The rebranding should help the financial institution broaden its appeal, said marketing professor Roger Beahm. “By having previously been positioned as a savings bank through its name, Piedmont Federal may not have been viewed as competing for the same broader audience of banking customers as commercial banks — particularly in the area of loan origination. Brands are perceived based on what you tell them you are.” – 2/20/2024

Innovation Quarter phase II construction underway in Winston-Salem
By Justin Lundy | WGHP-TV (High Point, NC)
Innovation Quarter Vice President Jason Kaplan says it’s anchored by Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the several mixed-use buildings surrounding Bailey Park for phase one. “We did a study in 2022 that Innovation Quarter is a $1.6 billion impact on Winston Salem,” Kaplan said. Kaplan also says phase one brought 4,000 jobs to the area. He expects that number to double once phase two is complete. – 2/22/2024

Biden allocates $361M for NC’s essential water infrastructure
By Chaewon Chung | Winston-Salem Journal
Stan Meiburg, executive director of Sabin Family Center for Environment and Sustainability at Wake Forest University, described the allocation as a “lifetime opportunity” for North Carolina. “In my own career, I’ve never seen the kind of money that was available in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for this purpose,” Meiburg said. “It’s just good news all the way around.” – 2/23/2024

NC’s landmark climate targets face challenges as Duke Energy seeks slower transition to cleaner energy
By Chaewon Chung | Winston-Salem Journal
North Carolina’s policy targets for carbon emission reduction are expected to face challenges as Duke Energy seeks to postpone its originally proposed goal by five years. “The argument is largely about timing and speed. If the question is: is it going to make a difference getting to 70% reduction by 2035, as opposed to 2030? That’s a very hard question to answer, because it depends on the context and in the context of total global emissions,” said Stan Meiburg, executive director of Sabin Family Center for Environment and Sustainability. – 2/23/2024

Students in Winston-Salem will meet CDC Director Mandy Cohen
By Carolyn Conte | WXII-TV (Winston Salem, NC)
Cohen has dedicated her career to improving health and wellbeing in North Carolina and nationwide,’ said Wake Forest President Susan R. Wente. “As a physician and leader, Dr. Cohen has dedicated her career to improving health and wellbeing in North Carolina and nationwide,’ said Wake Forest University President Susan R. Wente in a press release. “Our graduates are called to embody Pro Humanitate in the world. Dr. Cohen’s life and career demonstrate a commitment to this same calling.” – 2/22/2024

Who’s speaking at Wake Forest’s commencement? Hint: She was on TV a lot during the pandemic
By Richard Craver | Winston-Salem Journal
Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and former N.C. health secretary, will deliver Wake Forest University’s commencement address on May 20. The ceremony will take place on Hearn Plaza and begins at 9 a.m.While Cohen served nearly six years as North Carolina’s health secretary, during the initial 21 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, she became the calming face of the state’s response, in particular during Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s press conferences. – 2/21/2024

Director for the CDC, Dr. Mandy K. Cohen, to deliver 2024 commencement address
Yes! Weekly
Baccalaureate speaker will be Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics Rev. Gary Dorrien(Winston-Salem, N.C. – Feb. 21, 2024) –One of the nation’s top health leaders, Dr. Mandy K. Cohen, will deliver Wake Forest University’s commencement address on Monday, May 20. The ceremony will take place on Hearn Plaza and begins at 9 a.m. Dr. Cohen is the Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. – 2/21/2024