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 5/24/2012
Featured Stories
Los Angeles Times reported that Glenn Dicterow, concertmaster for the New York Philharmonic, and Karen Dreyfus, his wife and a teacher at the Manhattan School of Music, are joining the USC Thornton School faculty. Dicterow will start at USC in fall 2013; when he leaves the New York Philharmonic, he will have been concertmaster there for 34 years, longer than anyone in the orchestra's history. He said that leaving wasn't an easy decision, but that the USC offer was a very attractive situation for the couple at this juncture in their lives. The news was also covered by The Philadelphia Inquirer and WQXR-FM.
KPCC-FM's "On Central" featured the USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative (NAI), an intensive college preparation program for public school students in the USC community. To date 695 students have graduated from the program, and 54 are headed to two- and four-year colleges this fall. NAI students who are accepted to USC receive full-tuition scholarships. "NAI works because we provide the academic rigor every child needs," said Kim Thomas-Barrios, executive director of the initiative. "We bring them to the USC campus to learn math and English in a university setting, where many never thought they had a chance to attend." The program's 100 percent graduation rate has been consistent for a decade.
Public Radio International highlighted a project by USC and other institutions to map air pollution in different Los Angeles neighborhoods. The maps were used to determine which neighborhoods would participate in a pilot project called Clean Up Green Up, aligning environmental interests with those of local businesses.
Fast Company featured Leslie Saxon of the Keck School of USC and her research on how doctors of the near future will be able to monitor patient health using smart phones. As executive director of the USC Center for Body Computing, Saxon helps develop apps that allow both doctors and patients to monitor patients' vital signs. "The sooner in medicine we let [patients] learn themselves and start to look at their data and understand it, the more sophisticated our own dialogue will be," Saxon said.
New Scientist featured work by USC's Institute for Creative Technologies that uses virtual reality simulations to help soldiers deal with post-traumatic stress disorder. Soldiers discussed their experiences while immersed in virtual reality simulations tailored to their memories. Test subjects reported marked reductions in their symptoms.
Reuters reported that the arraignment of two men suspected in the deaths of two USC students has been continued for a month. The news was also covered by Daily Mail (U.K.), The Huffington Post, Voice of America and KPCC-FM's "Patt Morrison."
Business Insider ran a column by Ira Kalb of the USC Marshall School about the Facebook IPO. Kalb wrote that though a "comedy of errors" befell the IPO launch, he is optimistic about the company's future. "Facebook is being run by a very smart kid that has the good fortune of having some very capable adult supervision," he wrote. "It will stumble as it begins to walk and run."
Palladium-Item highlighted "Unplotted," an exhibition of artwork by Ryan Logan of the USC Roski School. For a decade, Logan has worked on creating parts to be used later in collages and small sculptures. "The resulting collages and sculptures seem to be both forming and disintegrating," he said. "They appear to be in a state of constant flux while remaining still."
FishbowlLA featured a DVD made by USC alumnus Randal Kleiser, director of "Grease," about a class he took with the late Nina Foch, then of the USC School of Cinematic Arts. "I had the privilege of taking Foch's directing class at USC in the fall of 2000, just a class or two before these DVDs were recorded," said Paul Debevec of USC's Institute for Creative Technologies. "It is a thrill to be able to return to her classroom through these DVDs, reliving every bit of the delight and awe that one feels taking her class."
The Docklands & East London Advertiser highlighted the USC Trojan Marching Band, which entertained 200 spectators at Canary Wharf. The story noted the band appeared in the opening ceremonies of the 1932, 1984 and 1996 Olympics, as well as the 2002 Winter Games.
Experts Quoted
PBS News' "NewsHour" interviewed Kevin Starr of the USC Dornsife College about the Golden Gate Bridge.
NBC News interviewed Richard Flory of the USC Dornsife College about the transformation of South Los Angeles community churches into "commuter churches."
ESPN interviewed David Carter of the USC Marshall School about the difficulty of comparing NFL and MLB franchises.
Amarillo Globe-News quoted Nicholas Cull of the USC Annenberg School about the Smith-Mundt Act of 1948, which barred U.S.-made propaganda for foreign audiences from being broadcast domestically.
U-T San Diego quoted Leslie Saxon of the Keck School of USC about the potential for smart phones in monitoring health data.
California Watch quoted Dan Schnur of the USC Dornsife College about the potential for third-party group Americans Elect to shake up the 2012 election.
Mother Nature Network quoted Jason Doctor of the USC School of Pharmacy on rewarding doctors for high-quality care.
News at a Glance
The Washington Post highlighted the speech that Maria Shriver gave at the USC Annenberg School commencement ceremony.
American Public Media's "Marketplace" covered research by Richard Easterlin of the USC Dornsife College finding that despite China's economic growth, Chinese citizens don't report increased happiness.
The Economist cited research by John Strauss of the USC Dornsife College about the development of Chinese companies.
The Economist cited research by Calla Wiemer, a visiting scholar at the USC U.S.-China Institute, about consumption lagging behind income in countries' economies.
L.A. Weekly included USC Dean of Religious Life Varun Soni in its list of 10 People Making L.A. a Better Place.
CNN mentioned that Egyptian presidential candidate Mohamed Morsi is a USC alumnus. The story was also covered by Xinhua News Agency (China), Asia Times (China), The Telegraph (U.K.) and The Daily Star (Lebanon).
Providence Journal stated that USC is one of the highly regarded research universities that offer distance learning programs.
Scientific American ran a column by USC student Dawnielle Tellez about the USC Dornsife College's Guam and Palau Program. Scientific American also ran a column by USC student Nicholas Leonard.