University News and Communications publishes VUToday, a compilation of Vanderbilt mentions in the media, each weekday. Read a selection of Vanderbilt news stories for the week of July 10.
CNN: Solving the problem of sleep in hospitals
A noisy hospital—not to mention interruptions by doctors and nurses and light exposure—can make it difficult to rest when people need it most, according to researchers. And the result of a noisy hospital isn’t just a groggy patient; it can also negatively affect your health, experts warn. Joseph Schlesinger, assistant professor of anesthesiology, is quoted throughout about his research to make hospital alarms smarter and quieter. He also is interviewed in an accompanying video.
NBCNews.com: Six black women at the center of gravity in theological education
This year, several black women have made history in theological education. They are individuals who, for the most part, are already trailblazers in a field where historically, black women are rarely considered authorities on topics from preaching, to pastoral care, to systematic theology, to Biblical Hermeneutics -that’s biblical interpretation. The article features Emilie Townes, dean of the Divinity School and E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of Womanist Ethics and Society, and the following Vanderbilt Graduate School alumnae: Keri Day, PhD’09; Barbara Holmes, PhD’98; and Kimberly Russaw, MA’10, PhD’16.
Smithsonian: Studying ant ‘noses’ could lead to better bug repellents
Ants are known for being able to heft up to 50 times their own body weight, but new research shows their sense of smell might be even more formidable than their strength. Unlike other insects that only have 70 or so odor receptors, ants use over 400 to navigate and interact with one another. Now, a team of Vanderbilt-led researchers are creating a Rosetta stone of insect language they hope will lead to a new class new of insect repellents. Director of the study Laurence Zwiebel, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Biological Sciences, is quoted. Related stories were published by Phys.org and Futurity.
Vox: Study: Cities rely more on fines for revenue if they have more black residents
To stop police from disproportionately ticketing African American communities, more black people must be elected to local government, according to a recent study by Hye Young You, assistant professor of political science, and Michael Sances of the University of Memphis.
The New York Times: U.A.W. says Nissan workers seek a union vote in Mississippi
The United Auto Workers union has waged a long and mostly futile campaign to organize factories in the South, where much of the nation’s auto production has shifted. Now the union sees a breakthrough in sight: On Tuesday, the U.A.W. said a petition for a union election had been filed by employees at a Nissan plant in Mississippi with more than 6,000 workers. They asked for a vote within a month. Daniel Cornfield, professor of sociology, is quoted. A quote from Cornfield is featured in a related story published by Automotive News.