Barbara Rigg retires from SSRI
SSRI Research Operations Manager Barbara Rigg recently retired after 35 years of service to Penn State. Barbara started at Penn State in 1991, working as a clerk accounting secretary in the Center for Cell Research, College of Science. She served in various research administrative roles in the…
Dispensaries are recommending cannabis for pain and sleep — with no evidence, UCSF study finds
The work of SSRI cofund Louisa Holmes, associate professor of geography & demography, was recently featured in this article published in the San Francisco Chronicle.
By Catherine Ho, Staff Writer, for the San Francisco Chronicle
Cannabis dispensaries in the Bay Area often recommend…
Structural issue believed to be the cause of Welch Building incident
As most of you are aware, an incident occurred in Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building last Wednesday which prompted the evacuation of all occupants. We want to reassure you that everyone in SSRI is safe, and that no one was injured during the incident. Please be patient with us as we locate…
Q&A: Can drinking tap water reduce how many calories children drink?
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Drinking beverages sweetened with sugar can lead to obesity, cardiovascular disease, cavities, diabetes and other health problems. More than 20 years of public health campaigns significantly reduced the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by U.S children, but that…
SSRI faculty recognized for research impact
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences recognized exceptional achievements in research during its fourth annual Research Awards Ceremony held Oct. 28 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.
SSRI cofunded faculty member Ryan Thombs, assistant professor of rural…
Shared decision making with child’s physician less common for immigrant parents
For people who grew up in the United States, navigating health care can be complicated and intimidating, according to Sawsan Salah, a doctoral candidate in biobehavioral health at Penn State. Those complications may be magnified when a person is unfamiliar with the culture of medical care in the U.…
Discussion approach improves comprehension for 4th, 5th graders, study finds
Small-group discussions designed to help elementary students engage in conversations that promote critical analytic thinking, reasoning and deeper understanding of the content they read increased critical thinking over time for fourth- and fifth-grade students, according to a new study by a team…
Pennsylvania counties face tough choices on spending $2B opioid settlement fund
In this piece written for The Conversation, authors Halie Kampman, Brian King, SSRI Affiliate Glenn Sterner, SSRI cofund Kristina P. Brant, and Maya Weinberg explain how a Penn State research project is exploring how six PA counties are utilizing opioid settlement funds.
Sorokina featured in WalletHub's recent article
SSRI Affiliate Nonna Sorokina, assistant professor of business at Penn State Scranton, was recently featured in WalletHub's article "Best Comprehensive Car Insurance":
What drivers should purchase Comprehensive Insurance?
Every driver should consider purchasing comprehensive insurance, especially…
Why Social Science? - Because How Would We Understand the World Without It?
This month's Why Social Science? post comes from Lisa Schamess from the American Association of Geographers (AAG) about celebrating Geography Week and how geography is essential to our daily lives.
By Lisa Schamess (American Association of Geographers)
When I was in elementary school, the…
New film highlights researcher’s work on empathy
A new short film explores the unique challenge of connecting people with the deep sea to develop empathy for creatures rarely seen. Daryl Cameron, a Penn State researcher who studies empathy and moral decision-making, made an appearance in the film "Deep Dive: Face Value" by the Global Foundation…
Child welfare system involvement may improve diagnosis of developmental delays
Children who are mistreated at a young age are more likely to experience a wide range of developmental delays and health problems, according to Christian Connell, Ken Young Family Professor in Healthy Children and professor of human development and family studies at Penn State. To combat these…
Veterans’ mental health forged beyond the battlefield, researchers find
New research shows that veterans’ mental health after leaving the military is shaped by more than just combat, with childhood trauma, deployment experiences and gender all influencing post-9/11 veterans’ well-being, according to a team at Penn State.
“Many veterans manage the transition to civilian…
Two Penn State faculty named fellows of the National Academy of Kinesiology
Two Penn State Department of Kinesiology faculty members, Lacy Alexander, professor of kinesiology, and Danielle Symons Downs, professor of kinesiology and obstetrics and gynecology, were recently named fellows of the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK).
Alexander and Downs were two of 12…
Counting bites with AI might one day help prevent childhood obesity
The faster a child takes bites during a meal or snack, the greater risk they have for developing obesity, according to researchers in the Penn State Department of Nutritional Sciences. But research into this association is often limited to small studies in laboratory environments, largely because…
Q&A: IST faculty named digital cultures fellow at the University of Queensland
SSRI Affiliate Kelley Cotter, assistant professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), was awarded the Tom O’Regan Visiting Fellowship by the University of Queensland (UQ).
According to the UQ’s School of Communication and Arts website, the…
New EIC Podcast on policing, recovery, and crime reduction
The Social Science Research Institute’s Evidence-to-Impact Podcast returns with its 25th episode, split into two parts, “ Bridging the Gap: Community Policing’s Role in Recovery and Crime Reduction Part 1 and Part 2.”
The episode features moderator Michael…
Why Social Science? - Because Research-Informed Policy Strengthens Children and Families
This month's Why Social Science? post comes from the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) about what they're doing to continue to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and the connections between policymakers and researchers.
By Suzanne Le Menestrel, Juan Romero-Casillas, and…
Keesler Graham Professorship accepting applications
The Dr. Frances Keesler Graham Early Career Professorship provides supplemental funding to social and behavioral science faculty members at Penn State whose research is focused on relationships between the human brain and human behavior (psychological and brain science). The deadline to apply…
Penn State to co-lead national brain health and dementia prevention initiative
Scientists at Penn State, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the University of Southern California and other institutions have formed a new research network to detect the earliest signs of dementia years before symptoms emerge. The Open Measures Network Initiative for Alzheimer’s Disease and…
Downs inducted as fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology
Danielle Symons Downs, professor of kinesiology and SSRI associate director, was recently inducted as fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK). Symons Downs was among 12 distinguished scholars honored on September 13 during the Academy’s 94th Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh.
Downs was…
$3.6M NIH grant to study brain patterns in children with ADHD, behavior problems
Approximately 7 million children in the United States between the ages of three and 17 have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. Up to 50% of children with ADHD also have severe problems with impulsive…
Not all heart attack patients receive the same type of care, researchers find
While acute myocardial infarction — commonly referred to as a heart attack — remains a leading cause of death in the United States, deaths have decreased significantly over the past two decades in part due to improved treatment methods, according to Charleen Hsuan, associate professor of health…
Clinical and Translational Science Institute awards four pilot grants
Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute, with co-sponsorship from the Center for Medical Innovation, has awarded $200,000 in grants to support four interdisciplinary, multi-investigator pilot research projects. The projects were awarded under the Bridges to Translation Pilot…
Cameron featured on podcast about empathy
On WPSU's "Reach" podcast, Daryl Cameron explains empathy as sharing feelings, perspective-taking, and compassion. It’s flexible, can be learned, and sometimes causes challenges like burnout. His research shows empathy isn’t limited; people can grow empathy for both humans and animals, emphasizing…