In the News
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March 14, 2025
“Sleepmaxxing,” a collection of activities, products or “hacks” used simultaneously to optimize sleep quality and quantity, can be beneficial, said Anita Shelgikar, clinical professor of neurology, but it can backfire “if it turns what should be a restorative process into a high-pressure chore. For some individuals, being overly attentive to sleep optimization and sleep patterns every night can increase stress and worsen sleep over time.”
CNN -
March 14, 2025
“When our emotions are triggered out of proportions, that’s akin to me trying to play a Stradivarius violin. It can cause enormous pain for both the player as well as those around us. Now, we can all learn to play that instrument effectively. It takes practice. I genuinely believe that the same is true when it comes to our emotions. We can all learn to manage our emotions more effectively,” said Ethan Kross, professor of psychology and of management and organizations.
National Public Radio -
March 14, 2025
Research shows that consumers often end up bearing the cost of tariffs paid at the border by U.S. importers, yet the impact on prices of individual goods from taxes like tariffs can surpass even the headline rate, says Nirupama Rao, assistant professor of business, economics and public policy: “This is a golden opportunity to raise prices and blame the tariffs.”
Bloomberg -
March 13, 2025
Research by Alexis Handal, associate professor of epidemiology, and Lisbeth Iglesias-Ríos, research investigator in epidemiology, found that farm work presents specific difficulties for women. “We are finding exploitative conditions that are unique for women farmworkers around issues of sexual harassment, exposures during pregnancy, challenges with obtaining and having access to proper hygiene and sanitation, and also really important aspects of work-life balance and child care issues that women farmworkers in particular face,” Handal said.
Michigan Public -
March 13, 2025
Cutting federal workers indiscriminately will “substantially damage the economy,” says Matthew Shapiro, professor of economics and research professor at the Institute for Social Research: “When there’s a bank failure, we have federal employees who — as we saw a few years ago with the Silicon Valley Bank — will close it on a Friday and make sure it’s open Monday morning so that depositors can be paid. There’s a huge amount of federal services delivered by a very small and quite effective federal workforce.”
Marketplace -
March 13, 2025
Lindsey Mortenson, executive director of University Health & Counseling and chief mental health officer, said “the perfect storm is coming” in the world of sports betting among college students, thanks to a combination of “assertive marketing” tactics, increased feelings of loneliness and social isolation, and young people’s developing executive function and impulse control.
The Chronicle of Higher Education -
March 12, 2025
Layoffs at NOAA could leave residents exposed to harmful algal blooms, interrupt forecasts that shipping companies depend on, and undermine the health of the Great Lakes, says Mike Shriberg, associate director of the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research: “The scientists at NOAA and EPA are the drivers behind keeping us safe and keeping the lakes healthy. … Restoration of the Great Lakes is not meaningful if we’re actively degrading our ability to protect the lakes.”
Planet Detroit -
March 12, 2025
“Using Title VI to obfuscate obvious differences in the intent and impact of racial classifications is intellectually dishonest. There are clear and morally justifiable reasons for the use of racial classifications in nondiscriminatory ways. Racial classifications can be used to promote a sense of belonging that is so important for the well-being and achievement of Black and other minoritized students,” wrote Kevin Cokley, professor of psychology.
Diverse: Issues In Higher Education -
March 12, 2025
“If we want any hope of sustainable water systems by the end of this century, we have to start getting the early adopters to look at innovative solutions now,” said Nancy Love, professor of civil and environmental engineering, whose research has found that using urine instead of standard synthetic fertilizer reduces greenhouse gas emissions and requires around half the amount of water.
BBC -
March 11, 2025
“Psychedelics are still highly regulated by federal laws that prohibit their manufacture, distribution and use. At the same time, psychiatry is now looking at them through a new lens. Psychiatrists are researching their potential as treatments for psychiatric disorders and as probes to learn more about the brain by understanding their mechanisms of action,” wrote Monica Starkman, associate professor emerita of psychiatry.
Psychology Today
