USC Media and Public Relations

The Washington Post, in an Associated Press story, highlighted research by the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration at the USC Dornsife College on newly naturalized citizens and their impact on the 2012 election. During the past decade, this group of voters has registered at higher numbers, increasing their voting power, said CSII director Manuel Pastor. The research revealed that there are 7.8 million people of voting age who have been naturalized since 2000, or 3.6 percent of all potential voters. There are high concentrations of these voters in swing states such as Florida, Nevada, Virginia and Colorado. The Washington Post ran another Associated Press story about the study.

BBC (U.K.) featured the USC Body Computing Conference, which brings together leaders in digital health and highlighted the Keck School of USC's Center for Body Computing. The story interviewed Leslie Saxon of the Keck School of USC, the Center's executive director, about its work using digital technology to monitor and improve people's health.

The Guardian (U.K.) featured the first of six articles about Hispanic voters in the U.S. produced by seven journalism students at the USC Annenberg School. Directed by Marc Cooper and Alan Mittelstaedt of the Annenberg School, the students studied regions in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington state to see what political representation this demographic has. "The students' dispatches provide a fascinating snapshot of the American Latino population as we approach the November presidential election," the story said.

American Public Media's "Marketplace" ran Q&As with people representing different aspects of the American economy, all of which were conducted by journalism students studying under Gabriel Kahn of the USC Annenberg School. They interviewed unemployed single parents, small business entrepreneurs and others about the struggle to find jobs. In a second American Public Media "Marketplace" story, the students interviewed potential employers to see how the recession has affected them, including their trouble filling "highly skilled" positions.

Pacific Standard featured "Self Comes to Mind," a new book about consciousness by Antonio Damasio of the USC Dornsife College. Damasio, director of the USC Brain and Creativity Institute, wrote the book to lay out the framework for how and why consciousness developed in human beings. "A brain exists for managing life inside a body," Damasio wrote.

Daily Journal ran an op-ed by Dan Simon of the USC Gould School about the Los Angeles District Attorney's office and its record on faulty criminal prosecutions. "False convictions shatter the lives of innocent people," Simon wrote. He recommended the office adopt internal conviction integrity units and several reforms to investigative procedure that have proven to reduce erroneous prosecutions in other district attorney offices around the country.

Tampa Bay Times featured Ashley Rhodes-Courter, a student graduating from the USC School of Social Work's online masters program this December. Rhodes-Courter spent nine years in 14 foster homes, and is now a child welfare activist running for a Florida state senate seat. "My story isn't unique and it won't get any better unless someone starts standing up for these kids," Rhodes-Courter said.

Fox News interviewed Susan Estrich of the USC Gould School about the vice presidential debate.

KPCC-FM quoted Selma Holo, director of the USC International Museum Institute, about art curator Paul Schimmel opening his last show before leaving the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art.

KTVK quoted Valerie Folkes of the USC Marshall School about more obese people appearing in ads.

Inside Higher Ed mentioned that the USC Marshall School is starting a master of business for veterans program to help active duty military and veterans apply their skills to business careers.

NBC News Spokane, Wash. affiliate KHQ-TV highlighted research by Rob McConnell of the Keck School of USC and colleagues finding that at least eight percent of more than 300,000 cases of childhood asthma in Los Angeles County can be attributed to traffic-related pollution.