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Category: UW Experts in the News

The World of Luxury Fruit: Does a $156 Melon Taste Sweeter?

The New York Times

Some of the fruits have long been given as gifts, especially in Japan and Korea. That trend is catching on in the United States, as is the taste for flawless berries and melons that travelers may have tried overseas, produce experts said. And as the luxury goods industry has grown, so too has the interest in luxury fruit, said Soyeon Shim, a scholar of consumer and financial behavior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “The market has become much more global,” she said. Ms. Shim added, “you can buy anything you want.”

The Big Winners of This Supreme Court Term

The Atlantic

In a famous 1974 paper titled “Why the Haves Come Out Ahead,” the University of Wisconsin law professor Marc Galanter argued that litigation systematically favors repeat players with the wherewithal to take fullest advantage of the courts. Key to his argument was the point that courts are “reactive”: They only do something when someone asks them to. That favors “the claimant with the information, ability to surmount cost barriers, and skill to navigate restrictive procedural requirements.” And most repeat players, Galanter said, tend to be “larger, richer and more powerful” than single-shotters.

Black Americans’ Responses To Trump’s Notion Of ‘Black Jobs’

Forbes

Inequitable access to high-quality education plays a role in systematically routing young Black Americans into a narrow set of jobs. “Although our schools should be preparing all students for well-paid satisfying work, far too many of our Black and Brown students are relegated to poorly resourced schools,” says Gloria Ladson-Billings, the Kellner Family Distinguished Professor Emerita of Urban Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Wetlands may be the key to saving the Mekong River

National Geographic

But those habitats are often understudied. While the stretch of river in northern Cambodia has been designated a Ramsar site—a wetlands area of international importance—little research has assessed the ecological damage to the flooded forest there. “What we have is basically interviews with people,” says Ian Baird, a geographer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who has studied fisheries across the border in Laos for several decades.

Professor Randy Goldsmith on new technique to unlock a molecule’s “unprecedented detail”

WORT FM

UW-Madison scientists have developed a new technique for identifying and analyzing a single molecule.

The new development, published in the May edition of the journal Nature, is the most sensitive way of identifying single molecules yet. With a variety of applications in a wide variety of scientific fields, it offers a future of “new microscopic perspective of unprecedented detail.”

Could this be the rare debate that changes a presidential race?

Washington Post

As University of Wisconsin at Madison political scientist Barry Burden noted on Thursday, debate viewership has been trending up since the 1990s, though that may be in part because of more investment in partisan identities. That is, people may tune in not to learn more about the candidates but, instead, to root on their team’s representative.

Don’t order ladybugs through the mail. Here’s how Wisconsin gardeners can attract helpful predators

Wisconsin State Farmer

With a population explosion going on in the flowerbeds, what is a gardener to do? UW-Madison entomologist PJ Liesch says gardeners have several options in combating the hungry horde.

“If the population of aphids is not harming the plants or competing with the monarchs, you can just tolerate them. However, if it’s getting out of hand, blast them off with a jet of water (which causes the aphid’s mouthpiece to break off and eventually starve), or you can squish them and wipe them off the plant,” he said.

What First Amendment lawsuit means for designated protest zones at RNC in Milwaukee

Wisconsin Public Radio

Howard Schweber, an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, thinks the judge still has enough time to rule on this case, which he expects will be in favor of the city of Milwaukee.

Schweber spoke to WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” about the First Amendment arguments in the case and the lack of clearly defined legal guidelines on the issue.

In the Race to Artificial General Intelligence, Where’s the Finish Line?

Scientific American

But “intelligence” itself is a concept that’s hard to define or quantify. “General intelligence” is even trickier, says Gary Lupyan, a cognitive neuroscientist and psychology professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In his view, AI researchers are often “overconfident” when they talk about intelligence and how to measure it in machines.

Denied the ‘right to hug’: In many U.S. jails, video calls are the only way detainees can see loved ones

NBC News

Julie Poehlmann, a professor of human development and family studies from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, has studied the impact of incarceration on families and children for 25 years.  “One hug is worth a thousand video visits,” she said. “Young kids, they need that form of comfort and connection in order to have a deep connection with that parent or family member.”

Family of Rachel Morin faces grief as suspect in killing faces judge

Washington Post

“Many politicians, law enforcement personnel and ordinary citizens are nonetheless incensed because this person should not have been in the country and thus capable of committing a crime,” said Michael Light, a sociologist at the University of Wisconsin at Madison who has studied the issue. “This view that the person’s undocumented status is an aggravating factor is also likely a reason why these crimes generate such strong responses.”

Clarence Thomas’ originalist interpretations go too far, even for fellow conservatives

Business Insider

“This is a case where, if you invalidate this statute on the basis of originalism, you go back in time and say, essentially, at the time of the original ratification of the Constitution, domestic violence was tolerated — and therefore, based on originalism, we need to invalidate the statute,” John P. Gross, a professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School who’s also the director of the Public Defender Project, told BI. “And that is, of course, an absurd, horrible result.”

Wisconsin Supreme Court overturns OWI conviction of man who fell asleep at drive-thu

Wisconsin Public Radio

“It’s the idea that law enforcement kind of wears several hats,” said Rachel Burg,  a clinical assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School. “One is monitoring and investigating crime and preventing crime but also protecting people and property and doing welfare checks on folks. So the community caretaker exception allows law enforcement to to take action if they have a concern about the welfare of a person.”

Eradication of insect pests and invasive plants

Wisconsin Public Radio

UW-Madison entomologist PJ Liesch is back. We talk with him about what’s hampering  the spread of spongy moths in Wisconsin. We also talk about how climate change is aiding the spread of joro spiders to northern regions. Then, two WDNR invasive species specialists share success stories from across the state.

US Supreme Court ruling on abortion pills, The murky market for legal weed products, How pagans celebrate summer solstice

Wisconsin Public Radio

With a wave of new hemp-derived THC alternatives hitting the market in Wisconsin, we check in with a cannabis historian about what these products are and how they’re shaping policy discussions around marijuana in the state. Interview with Lucas Richert, professor in the School of Pharmacy at UW-Madison.

UW-Madison sociologist’s new book says women fill gaps in US social programs

Wisconsin Public Radio

University of Wisconsin-Madison sociologist Jessica Calarco believes her profession is an act of “un-gaslighting people.” She said she wants to help others see the challenges they face in their lives as products of large social structures and forces. In particular, she said she wants women to let go of guilt they might feel when they face struggles because of the unfair burden of social structures place on women.

In her new book, “Holding It Together: How Women Became America’s Safety Net,” Calarco said women are often tasked with more of the unpaid or underpaid care work that keeps the economy moving.

See the Photos of the Rare Cicada Emergence

TIME

That slight overlap does not necessarily mean the two broods will breed with one another. “Is there a possibility of interactions and hybridization? That could occur—but given the long life cycles, it’s really hard to study,” PJ Liesch, the director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab, tells TIME.

Wisconsin cows must test negative for bird flu to attend fairs, state says

Wisconsin State Journal

Bird flu has not been found in Wisconsin cows, but voluntary testing has been minimal since late April, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture mandated testing of dairy cattle moving between states and quarantines of herds that test positive, said Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at UW-Madison.

Study on tween screen use shows link between parents and kids

The Washington Post

The study caught the attention of Megan Moreno, professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and co-director of the American Academy of Pediatrics Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health. Moreno, whose expertise is in the field of adolescent health and digital media, says she has been troubled by the widespread message — “almost to the edge of moral panic” — that social media use is causing adverse mental health outcomes for adolescents. “That has been a narrative I’ve been really interested in because I’ve really been wanting to see: Where is that evidence?” she says. “And it hasn’t been there.”

A Bird-Flu Pandemic in People? Here’s What It Might Look Like.

The New York Times

Crucially, no forms of the bird flu virus seem to have spread efficiently from person to person. That is no guarantee that H5N1 will not acquire that ability, said Yoshihiro Kawaoka, a virologist and bird flu expert at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.“ I think the virus is clearly changing its property, because we never saw outbreaks in cows,” Dr. Kawaoka said.

Best student checking accounts

WalletHub

“When looking for a new checking account, students should take their time to identify accounts specifically tailored to their needs – frequently these are promoted on college campuses in the fall,” says Anita Mukherjee, an associate professor in Risk and Insurance Department at the Wisconsin School of Business. “Many banks offer student-specific checking accounts that come with perks such as no monthly fees, lower minimum balance requirements, and free online banking.”

For our children’s mental health: Ban cell phones in Ripon schools (editorial)

Ripon Press

Answering the political science professor’s query was Dr. Jenny Higgins, director of UW Collaborative for Reproductive Equity and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“How do you feel, right now, being here in person?” Higgins asked the audience in the Great Hall of Harwood Memorial Union. 

“I see some nods,” Higgins said. “Now think about trying to communicate that with somebody on your phone or even on Zoom.” 

Wisconsin prisons lag in treating substance use disorders

PBS Wisconsin

“At the time of reentry, we know that rates of returning to use – to substance use – are very high. That in combination with someone having no really no tolerance puts them at super high risk for having an overdose if they return to use,” explained Dr. Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, an addiction medicine physician and professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She treats patients with substance use disorders at UW Health’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Clinic.

Worried about losing Medicaid access in Wisconsin? Here’s what to know

Wisconsin Public Radio

Some people face disenrollment despite still qualifying for Medicaid. So before looking for new coverage, first check on whether you still qualify for Medicaid, said Adam VanSpankeren, navigator program manager for Covering Wisconsin, a University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension program that helps people enroll in publicly funded health care.

The US is losing wetlands at an accelerating rate − here’s how the private sector can help protect these valuable resources

The Conversation

Wetlands aren’t the most eye-catching ecosystems. They include swamps, bogs, fens and other places where soil is covered by water most of the time. But they perform a huge range of valuable services, from soaking up floodwaters to filtering out pollutants and providing habitat for thousands of species of mammals, fish, reptiles, insects and birds.

Professor of Law and Associate Dean, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Women Are America’s Safety Net

The Atlantic

In November 2020, in the thick of the coronavirus pandemic, Calarco, who is an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, told the writer Anne Helen Petersen, “Other countries have social safety nets. The U.S. has women.”

‘Army of hope:’ UW Health opens walk-in clinic specializing in opioid use disorder

Wisconsin Public Radio

The clinic opened in January and specializes in opioid use disorder. It offers walk-in appointments and free services to people with or without insurance. Patients can get prescription medication for opioid use disorder and medical treatment like basic wound care, family planning or hepatitis C treatment.

Wisconsin’s system to block ineligible voters misses some on felony probation

Wisconsin Watch

Ion Meyn, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School, said voter disenfranchisement laws typically affect people of color disproportionately.

“If you take a map of where Black people live, in terms of concentration … and then you map over that rates of incarceration, it maps out exactly,” he said. “And then if you put that same map and put in … the highest disenfranchisement rates — exact same place.”

Groups claim manure digesters contribute to pollution in Kewaunee County

WPR

Researchers, including Brian Langolf of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, say digesters cut greenhouse gas emissions by capturing methane from manure in open lagoons. Around 36 percent of methane emissions from human activities are tied to livestock or agricultural practices, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.