USC Media and Public Relations

International Business Times ran several stories about the USC Global Conversation in London, including an interview with Lord John Eatwell of the USC Dornsife College, who is also a House of Lords spokesperson for Treasury and Economic Affairs. Eatwell spoke about regulatory changes in the U.K. “In the UK, we have failed to properly think about the financial system we want and how we are going to get there,” Eatwell said. Another story interviewed Mohammad Pesaran of the USC Dornsife College about the Eurozone crisis and Greece. “The only way we can resolve the situation with Greece is debt forgiveness, which is already being called a 'haircut' or by many other names; everything other than 'default'," he said. Yet another story interviewed Jack Straw, former leader of the House of Commons, about the potential for a two-tier European Union forming. “I predict that over the next decades, we are likely to see two EUs - a core around the Eurozone and a periphery, non-Eurozone, whose basis of cooperation will be the single market, such as Sweden Denmark, Norway,” Straw said. Still another story profiled Olympic medalist Rebecca Soni, a USC alumna who competed in both the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics. If it were a country, the story noted, USC would be ranked sixth in the overall Olympic medal table at London 2012. Trojan Olympians won 25 medals in total: 12 gold, nine silver and four bronze. “USC is prized with Olympic success because the level of support you receive during and after your studies,” Soni said. “There is a very diverse population of students and being able to give something back by helping coach the team means I am still very much involved with USC, and it is an honor to have such a level of involvement there.”

Daily Mail (U.K.) featured research by Mona Sobhani, a grad student at USC’s Brain and Creativity Institute, as well as Lisa Aziz-Zadeh, Glenn Fox and Jonas Kaplan of the Institute, finding that whether we like someone or not affects how our brain processes movement. Study participants were shown two groups of men – one group who they were told were neo-Nazis, and another group who they were told were open-minded. When they watched the first group moving, their brain had a different pattern of activity than the second. “Even something as basic as how we process visual stimuli of a movement is modulated by social factors, such as our interpersonal relationships and social group membership,” said Sobhani, lead author on the paper. The story was also covered by Asian News International, Europa Press (Spain) and Suddeutsche Zeitung (Germany).

The Chronicle of Higher Education included USC in an index of library investment for university research libraries.

Los Angeles Times reported that actor James Franco will be teaching a film production class at the USC School of Cinematic Arts next spring. Franco will teach the class alongside business partner Vince Jolivette, and require students to direct a short film of no more than 10 minutes. Ultimately, the eight shorts will combine into one longer film. Vanity Fair also covered the story.

International Business Times profiled producer Peter Samuelson, founding managing director of the USC Media Institute of Social Change. Samuelson has produced socio-political films such as “Arlington Road,” “The Libertine” and “Revenge of the Nerds,” and set up charities like the Starlight Children’s Foundation.  “As far as I am aware, no one has seriously and comprehensively taught, studied, researched and propagated pro-social media at a world-class university like USC,” he said. The story noted Samuelson received support from Dean Elizabeth Daley of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, co-founding the institute with Michael Taylor, also with the School of Cinematic Arts.

Glendale News-Press reported on grad students from the USC School of Social Work, who will assist Glendale High School with counseling services this year. The three interns will counsel students at no cost to the district, earning hours for their program while offering mental health services to students. “They can relate to the younger kids, but they can also understand where the parents are coming from,” said Suh Chen Hsiao of the USC School of Social Work.

Associated Press feature research by the USC Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration underlining the growing voting power of newly naturalized citizens. The research found that there are high concentrations of these voters in swing states that could be critical to the 2012 election. CBS News Las Vegas affiliate KLAS-TV highlighted the research, noting that newly naturalized citizens represent 5.1 percent of Nevada’s total voting-age population. The research was also highlighted in another Associated Press story and Univision Indio, Calif. affiliate KVER-CA.

Forbes ran an op-ed by Edward Lawler of the USC Marshall School about executive compensation in corporate America. “At least at the CEO level, there is little evidence that an efficient market for talent exists that is based on compensation levels,” Lawler wrote.

ABC News Honolulu KITV-TV featured research by USC and the University of Hawaii Cancer Center tracking women from five ethnic groups and their development of breast cancer. The study has been running since 1993, and looks at a variety of factors contributing to breast cancer, with obesity being an especially crucial factor.

Los Angeles Times cited a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll finding levels of support between Gov. Jerry Brown's Proposition 30 and Molly Munger's Proposition 38. East Bay Express also cited the poll, noting that Proposition 36 has wide support.

La Opinion quoted Jody Agius Vallejo of the USC Dornsife College about diversity on music reality shows increasing as networks target bilingual Latinos.

The Telegraph (U.K.) quoted Howard Hodis of the Keck School of USC about hormone replacement therapy.

The Fiscal Times quoted Edward Kleinbard of the USC Gould School about tax reform.

San Francisco Chronicle quoted Sherry Bebitch Jeffe of the USC Price School about the intentions of Molly and Charles Munger in bankrolling Proposition 38. Dan Schnur of the USC Dornsife College was quoted about Gov. Jerry Brown's Proposition 30.

San Jose Mercury News quoted Dan Schnur of the USC Dornsife College about Propositions 34 and 36.

Courier-Journal quoted Glenn Melnick of the USC Price School about health care costs.

NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" interviewed Arnold Schwarzenegger, who spoke about the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy's bipartisan mission. The Morning Sun mentioned the institute as well.

Associated Press mentioned qualifying rounds for an international video game championship held at USC's Galen Center.

The Huffington Post ran an op-ed by Javon Johnson of the USC Dornsife College about achievement in the African-American community.

Tehelka (India) ran an op-ed by Jay Desai of the Keck School of USC about the need to end stigmatization of those needing psychiatric care.

SmartPlanet highlighted an op-ed by Richard Little of the USC Price School about the privatization of water.

Digital Journal mentioned that Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi is a USC alumnus.