Each year, USC programs and faculty research are highlighted in print, broadcast and online stories throughout the world. Highlights of recent news coverage are compiled by USC Media Relations.
USC in the News 4/14 to 4/16/2012
Featured Stories
The New York Times highlighted USC's 2012 admissions rate, noting that the school received 46,030 applications and accepted 8,381.
The Wall Street Journal featured research by Gerard Tellis of the USC Marshall School, finding that online user reviews can affect stock prices. Tellis and a colleague examined data from 2006 to 2010 for 15 branded products, including computers, footwear and toys. They found that positive and negative reviews predicted market returns a few days ahead of time, with negative reviews seeming to have more impact on a company's stock.
Los Angeles Times featured the USC Dornsife College/Los Angeles Times Poll, which found that e-reader owners still like paper books. Only 10 percent of e-reader owners said they had abandoned traditional books. The poll also found that young adults aged 18 to 29 read roughly as much as older adults, and that 20 percent of the respondents read for more than 10 hours a week.
Los Angeles Times ran an op-ed by Lisa Schweitzer of the USC Price School about Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's 30/10 transit plan and possible sources of funding for it. Schweitzer wrote that receiving federal funding may be a dream, but turning to California's Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank, the European Investment Bank or the private global capital market may be viable options.
Inside Higher Ed stated that USC is one of the elite education institutions that has seen a significant increase in graduate applications from Chinese students. "You're really coming to the U.S. for an education on how to teach English, and if you go back to China there are going to excellent employment options to put that education to use," said Alex Duke, assistant dean for Enrollment Management and Student Services at the USC Rossier School.
National Geographic featured research by Joseph Miller of the Keck School of USC and colleagues, asserting that the Viking Lander discovered life on Mars in 1976. Miller and his colleagues ran a mathematical analysis of the original findings. "On the basis of what we've done so far, I'd say I'm 99 percent sure there's life there," Miller told Asian News International. He added that NASA could use a microscope to shoot video of bacteria in Martian soil, eliminating the need for a human mission to the planet. The research was also covered by Discovery News, Daily Mail (U.K.), Metro (U.K.), National Post (Canada), Slobodna Dalmacija (Croatia), Index (Croatia), Dalmacija News (Croatia), 24sata (Croatia), O Globo (Brazil), NTV (Turkey), Blesk (Czech Republic), TV Nova (Czech Republic), Iltalehti (Finland), VnExpress (Vietnam), Giornalettismo (Italy), Jurnalul National (Romania), RedOrbit, International Business News, SmartPlanet, TG Daily, Digital Journal, The State Column, The Huntsville Times, Ubergizmo and The Inquisitr.
Forbes featured a project led by Anne Balsamo of the USC School of Cinematic Arts to digitize the AIDS Memorial Quilt, which will be displayed on a 60-inch wide interactive table. In 25 years, the quilt has grown to include the names of more than 91,000 people who have died of AIDS. The digitized quilt is no substitute for the original, Balsamo said. "But what our table will allow you to do is search for a particular [name]. And also get a sense of the scale," she noted. The table will be displayed at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in June.
Los Angeles Times covered the shooting of two USC students (additional links available on request). KPCC-FM reported that USC reassured students of their safety and that crime has decreased in the area where the shooting occurred (additional links available on request). The Chronicle of Higher Education covered a $125,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter. The story was also covered by Associated Press, BBC (U.K.), Daily Mail (U.K.), The China Post (Taiwan), Shanghaist (China), Indo-Asian News Service, Hong Kong Commercial Daily (China), a second Hong Kong Commercial Daily story, Hong Kong Daily News (China), another Hong Kong Daily News story, Sing Pao Daily News (China), another Sing Pao Daily News story, Ta Kung Pao (China), a second Ta Kung Pao story, South China Morning Post (China), a second South China Morning Post story, a third South China Morning Post story, Macau Daily News (China), am730 (China), Apple Daily News (China), China Daily (China), Headline Daily (China), Hong Kong Economic Journal (China), Ming Pao (China), Oriental Daily News (China), Sing Tao (China), Skypost (China), The Standard (China), The Sun (China), Wen Wei Po (China), ATV (China), Cable TV (China), Hangzhou Daily (China), Qianjiang Evening News (China), Herald (Ireland), CBS News Los Angeles affiliate KCBS-TV and ABC News Los Angeles affiliate KABC-TV.
The Atlantic featured a video from the USC Viterbi School called "Wanted: Coach. Companion. Robot," highlighting the potential applications of robots for stroke victims. The video shows a robot that reminds a stroke victim to do exercises and responds to her moods.
The Sacramento Bee featured an experimental online poll by the USC Dornsife College finding that California voters strongly support Gov. Jerry Brown's tax increase initiative. Dan Schnur of the Dornsife College said that the online survey was used to test methodology and ask more in-depth questions than those used in the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll.
The Huffington Post ran an op-ed by Costas Synolakis of the USC Viterbi School on ways to prevent the next Titanic disaster. April 15 was the 100th anniversary of the ship's sinking. Even after a century, shipping companies need to innovate new safety measures, Synolakis wrote. "High resolution mapping of the most traveled routes costs a tiny fraction of the hundreds of millions each sinking costs, much more if there are spills," he pointed out.
Experts Quoted
The Wall Street Journal quoted Costas Synolakis of the USC Viterbi School about the potential for a tsunami disaster in Indonesia, even with an early warning system in place.
The Washington Post ran an interview with Elizabeth Currid-Halkett of the USC Price School about people's fascination with celebrity romances.
The Washington Post, in an Associated Press story, quoted Gary Painter of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate about immigrant homebuyers from Asia and Latin America.
Los Angeles Times quoted Guilbert Hentschke of the USC Rossier School about project-based learning.
Los Angeles Times quoted Robert Saltzman of the USC Gould School, who is a member of the Police Commission, about Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck.
CNN interviewed Mike Chinoy of the USC U.S.-China Institute about the failed launch of a North Korean rocket. Chinoy was interviewed in a second CNN story.
The Standard (China) quoted Daniel Lynch of the USC Dornsife College about political elites in China.
The Huffington Post quoted Sherry Bebitch Jeffe of the USC Price School about former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2004 rescue of a swimmer in distress.
Variety quoted David Carter of the USC Marshall School about NBC Universal's coverage of this summer's Olympics.
The Sacramento Bee quoted Dan Schnur of the USC Dornsife College about former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reinventing himself.
San Jose Mercury News quoted Richard Green of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate about the Bay Area housing market.
Glendale News-Press quoted Karen North of the USC Annenberg School about Twitter accounts based on the exploits of escaped animals.
News at a Glance
U.S. News & World Report stated that the USC School of Cinematic Arts is one of the nation's most prestigious film schools, and highlighted a USC guide to scholarship funds for aspiring film students.
The Washington Post cited the "Easterlin Paradox," based on a study by Richard Easterlin of the USC Dornsife College finding that happiness doesn't continually increase along with a country's average income.
Los Angeles Times highlighted a conference on the music of Woody Guthrie that will be held as part of Visions & Voices: The USC Arts & Humanities Initiative.
Los Angeles Times highlighted two previous Times stories about T.C. Boyle and David Treuer of the USC Dornsife College. Both authors will be participating in the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at USC.
NBC News Los Angeles affiliate KNBC-TV covered a report by the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate predicting that the average Los Angeles County rent will jump nearly 10 percent over the next two years. NPR News San Diego affiliate KPBS-FM also covered the report.
United Press International mentioned that USC is part of an art project called "Play Me, I'm Yours," in which painted pianos are placed in public for anyone to play.
The Trentonian reported that Morten Lauridsen of the USC Thornton School will receive an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Rider University.
Truthdig ran a column by Richard Reeves of the USC Annenberg School about various state campaigns to restrict voting eligibility.
Indian Country Today ran an excerpt from "Rez Life: An Indian's Journey Through Reservation Life," by David Treuer of the USC Dornsife College.
Los Angeles Times reported that Santa Monica College has a good student transfer rate to USC and other four-year schools.
The Orange County Register profiled USC student and football player Marqise Lee, who surmounted numerous challenges in order to attend college at USC with the help of his supportive foster family.
Associated Press featured a social networking site that was developed by USC alumni Brenton Callahan and Kai Soto as their senior project in the USC Marshall School's Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies.