An astounding laser light produced at the Extreme Light Laboratory and an astounding increase in the number of Great Plains wildfires were among the topics that generated about 30 national news stories about University of Nebraska-Lincoln research and activities during the month of June.
The Extreme Light Laboratory, led by Donald Umstadter, physics and astronomy, produced the brightest light so far in the solar system, which allowed scientists to observe changes in the very behavior of photons and electrons. After their research was reported June 26 by Nature Photonics, nearly two dozen science news outlets from around the globe filed stories, including Motherboard, Seeker, Wired and The Week.
Findings by Victoria Donovan, agronomy and horticulture, that wildfires in the Great Plains have tripled during the past three decades generated coverage in the June 16 Washington Post. Her research, co-authored by Dirac Twidwell and Carissa Wonkka, agronomy and horticulture, was covered by several other outlets, such as Climate Central, Grist and Harvest Public Media.
Other June coverage highlights:
The National Drought Mitigation Center was quoted by Politifact June 5 to vet statements by former U.S. vice president Al Gore that more than 70 percent of Florida was in drought. Gore had attributed the drought to climate change. The story also appeared in the Miami Herald and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The drought center also was cited in stories about weather conditions in North Dakota, Minnesota, Colorado and South Dakota.
The New York Times published an op-ed from Jennine Capó Crucet, English, on June 3. It described her experience learning to herd cattle on a ranch shortly after her move from Miami to Lincoln.
Wheeler Winston Dixon, film studies, discussed the vanishing drive-in movie theater in a June 17 USA TODAY report that was carried by numerous affiliates nationwide.
ABC News, the Seattle Times and the Associated Press were among outlets that quoted Paul Johnsgard, biological sciences emeritus, about the potential impact of the Keystone XL pipeline on whooping cranes, an endangered species. Johnsgard’s testimony to the Nebraska Public Service Commission also was reported by the Daily Caller.
USA TODAY carried a June 29 report on workplace bullying research by Kathleen Krone, communication studies, and her colleague, Stacy Tye-Williams of Iowa State University.
ABC News, U.S. News & World Report and Fox News U.S. carried a June 10 Associated Press report on efforts by Lincoln’s Yazidi refugees to establish a national cemetery near Malcolm. The story quoted Stephen Lahey, classics and religious studies, about the cemetery’s importance to the Yazidi community.
A forecast that the state’s farm incomes would bottom out in 2017 was carried in dozen of outlets across the country after the Associated Press distributed it June 9. The forecast was produced in part by the Bureau of Business Research, led by Eric Thompson, economics.
Mario Scalora, Public Policy Center and psychology, was quoted in the June 13 Durango Herald in a story about a year-long Associated Press investigation in student sexual assault. He also was cited in a June 5 Communities Digital News report on how to fight anxiety about terrorism.
In a widely carried story, the Associated Press reported June 29 on a wheat virus epidemic in the Panhandle. The report quoted Stephen Wegulo, plant pathology.
Faculty, administration, student and staff appearances in the national media are logged here. If you have additions to this list or suggestions for national news stories, contact Leslie Reed, the university’s national news editor, at lreed5@unl.edu or 402-472-2059.
