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 1/15/2013
Los Angeles Times reported that the nominees for the 25th annual USC Libraries’ Scripter Award are the authors and screenwriters of “Argo,” “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” “Life of Pi,” “Lincoln,” “Perks of Being a Wallflower” and “Silver Linings Playbook.” “Perks” has the same author and screenwriter, USC alumnus Stephen Chbosky. The selection committee — which includes USC School of Cinematic Arts Dean Elizabeth Daley plus Howard Rodman and Leonard Maltin of the USC School of Cinematic Arts — whittled the list of nominees down from 82 entrants. The winners will be announced in a ceremony at Doheny Memorial Library on February 9. Variety and The Wrap also covered the news.
U.S. News & World Report, in a HealthDay News story, featured a study led by Anirban Mitra of the Keck School of USC and a colleague, finding that heavy smokers are more likely to develop aggressive, deadly bladder cancers than are nonsmokers. “We have identified a panel of nine molecular markers that can robustly and reproducibly predict bladder cancer prognosis independent of standard clinical criteria and smoking history,” Mitra told Science Codex. The research was also covered by Europa Press (Spain), Agenzia Giornialistica Italia (Italy), DAPD News Agency (Germany) and ScienceDaily.
ABC News’ “Good Morning America” featured research by Travis Longcore of the USC Dornsife College about the dangers communications towers pose to threatened bird species. The towers kill nearly seven million birds per year, with certain taxonomic classes such as songbirds especially at risk. Smithsonian noted that while many factors contribute to bird deaths, it wasn’t understood how many of the birds claimed by towers belonged to threatened species. “Certain species of birds, including many already in decline, are killed at communication towers in far greater proportions than their abundance would suggest,” Longcore said.
The Hollywood Reporter covered the USC Gould School’s Institute on Entertainment Law and Business forum, which brought 650 entertainment lawyers to campus for a day of panels and presentations. The event was sponsored by the USC Gould School and the Beverly Hills Bar Association, and included Fox Filmed Entertainment CEO Jim Gianopulos, who spoke about technology issues affecting the entertainment industry.
Fast Company highlighted a report by the USC Annenberg School’s Center on Communication Leadership and Policy about how mobile phones are changing the global sex trade. According to the report, inexpensive smart phones with GPS tracking apps are often used to keep tabs on sex workers.
Los Angeles Review of Books ran a Q&A with David Treuer of the USC Dornsife College about his book “Rez Life.” Treuer grew up as a member of the Leech Lake Ojibwe tribe. “I wanted to explore the notion that Indian and non-Indian people live lives apart: that there’s Indian and there’s white and never the twain shall meet,” Treuer said. “That’s the prevailing attitude among non-Native and Native people alike. And I really wanted to destroy that idea.”
The Wall Street Journal quoted Jonathan Chang of the Keck School of USC on how skiing can be good cardiovascular exercise.
Los Angeles Times quoted Sharon Orrange of the Keck School of USC about ways to prevent the spread of flu. A second Los Angeles Times story quoted Orrange.
Los Angeles quoted Philip Ethington of the USC Dornsife College about racially-influenced “safety maps” that were created during the Depression to help determine housing values.
Current TV’s “The War Room” interviewed Edward Kleinbard of the USC Gould School about using scrip — a kind of IOU — to resolve the U.S. debt-ceiling crisis.
La Opinion quoted Morgan Polikoff of the USC Rossier School about the difficulty of comparing teacher evaluations from different parts of a city.
Los Angeles Times covered new security measures at USC. “We hope to create what ultimately will be the safest urban campus in America,” said David Carlisle, captain of the USC Department of Public Safety. The story was also covered by The Huffington Post, three stories on CW News Los Angeles affiliate KTLA-TV (additional links here and here), NBC News Los Angeles affiliate KNBC-TV, CBS News Los Angeles affiliate KCBS-TV, CBS News Los Angeles affiliate KCAL-TV, ABC News Los Angeles affiliate KABC-TV, two Telemundo Los Angeles affiliate KVEA-TV stories (second link here) and Univision Los Angeles affiliate KMEX-DT.
The Huffington Post ran a Q&A by USC Dean of Religious Life Varun Soni with activist Ela Ghandi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi.
LAist highlighted an upcoming lecture by Geneva Overholser of the USC Annenberg School on freedom of the press.
Variety reported that Mary Sweeney of the USC School of Cinematic Arts is the new sitting chair of the Film Independent board.
Gamasutra cited a blog run by Henry Jenkins of the USC Annenberg School.
KCET-TV mentioned that a future blog post will be written by Doug Campbell of the USC School of Architecture.
KCET-TV ran a photo from the USC Libraries’ digital archive.
KPCC-FM ran a photo from the USC Libraries’ digital archive.
VentureBeat mentioned that the USC Marshall School is a client of site-management company Pantheon.