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UNCW Business School Students Travel to Prague for Real-Life Consulting Experience by Robert Burrus
This article was contributed by Kestrel Smoot, International Programs Coordinator for UNCW’s Cameron School of Business. During the most recent spring semester, 33 upper-level finance and marketing students from the UNCW’s Cameron School of Business traveled to Prague, Czechia, to participate in an intensive international consulting project. Unlike traditional study-abroad programs, the Prague consultancy project focuses on real client engagement. Each year’s project is entirely new, designed through collaboration between faculty and industry partners to identify a current business challenge that students will address. This year, students worked with MAMS-Champi, a Czech non-alcoholic beverage company that is seeking to expand into other global markets. Throughout the first half of the semester, students attend class at UNCW and prepare for their time abroad by conducting preliminary research, developing analytical frameworks, and organizing themselves into specialized teams responsible for tasks such as marketing strategy, industry analysis, consumer segmentation, and competitive evaluation. The course emphasizes independence and teamwork, requiring students to take ownership of their work, manage deadlines, and collaborate across functional groups. Additionally, faculty serve as advisors, allowing students to navigate the complexities of the project much as they would in a professional consulting environment. Once in Prague, students met with company leadership, toured facilities, and refined their recommendations based on real-time feedback. The in-person component is widely regarded as the most transformative aspect of the program because students must synthesize weeks of work into a cohesive presentation and deliver it to the client, demonstrating professionalism, strategic thinking, and adaptability. Beyond the consulting work, students participated in cultural and educational activities that broadened their understanding of global business environments. They explored Prague’s historic districts, learned about Czech culture, and engaged with local professionals. These experiences helped students understand how economic, regulatory, and social factors shape market opportunities. The Prague consultancy project stands as a defining example of the Cameron School of Business’s commitment to experiential learning, consistently strengthening students’ confidence, enhancing their resumes, and serving as a focal point in job interviews. Employers recognize the value of the hands-on experience and transferable skills students gain, underscoring the program’s role in preparing industry-ready graduates for today’s fast-moving business landscape.
Erie County Fair highlights new attractions, entertainment, food & family value for 186th event
The Erie County Fair is preparing to welcome guests back, Aug. 12-23, for its 186th year, bringing together agricultural traditions, family attractions, live entertainment, new food and beverage offerings, and affordable fun for all ages.
Global Health program builds future nursing leaders through clinical immersion in Zambia
Students from the UT San Antonio School of Nursing gaining a global perspective on health and cross-cultural care.
What Mamdani is doing with city-run stores is illegal and irresponsible, small business owner says
Multicultural Business Coalition Chairman Frank Garcia says the mayor did not want to meet with his group over concerns about the city-run grocery store project on ‘The Bottom Line.’
Immigrant Business Owners Preparing to Sue NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Over Supermarket Plan
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani‘s plan to open taxpayer-funded supermarkets is angering some immigrant business owners. The New York Post reported on Tuesday, July 28, that the Multicultural Busine...
Scientists advance space agriculture for future moon and Mars missions
Space isn't known for rich soil or ideal agricultural conditions anywhere in the solar system. Yet amid extreme temperatures and vast distances, multidisciplinary teams at USF's Aerospace: Science, Technology, ...
How Community Safety is Grounded in Access to Mental Healthcare
Law enforcement is often the default response to a mental health crisis. This approach to crisis response, however, is leaving communities without the support systems they truly need. Communities greatly benefit when mental and behavioral health services and alternative response options are prioritized. This Minority Mental Health Month, the Center for Policing Equity examines what it takes for every person to receive the appropriate care they need, from investments in equitable access to healthcare to expanding affordable and culturally responsive care.
In Good Health: The cultural argument over testosterone
We sit down to separate fact from fiction.
The Science Behind the AI Panic Is Shakier Than You Think
A column by Sascha Lobo Is AI making us dumb? So asked DER SPIEGEL on its cover a while ago. After a few weeks of recovery and a therapeutic intervention with the help of my AI, I feel able to respond. That’s a bit unfair, of course; the article itself is more nuanced than the loud cover, the image of a schoolkid with dull prompt questions, or the subtitle: “AI is conquering the schools, and educators fear a disaster.” The short answer to “Is AI making us dumb?” is: no. The long answer is more interesting, and even carries a preliminary glimmer of the spectacular. Unfortunately, it requires a detour into the sphere of artificial intelligence, into the mogul-field terrain of technology assessment, the attention economy, and the destructive virus of cultural pessimism. Along with narrowing the scope to AI’s effects on education and work rather than on intelligence. Because the honest version of the question would be: Does AI help us learn and work, or not? Generative AI, which set off the still-ongoing hype with ChatGPT, has only existed in relevant distribution since late 2022, early 2023. For a technology-driven transformation of people and society, that is extremely short. For that reason alone, research is still in its infancy. And technology assessment is not a fast discipline anyway. Prominent voices from Elizabeth Eisenstein to RAND to Tom Wheeler say we still cannot conclusively judge the consequences of the printing press. Its invention is a mere 580 years back, and some scholars would rather not circulate assessments that might have to be retracted in two or three hundred years. We’re Going Through Growing Pains A phenomenon that already caused upheaval in social media research makes serious assessment of AI’s consequences even harder: the “moving target” problem of LLM-ology, as the linguist Sean Trott called it in 2025. AI develops so quickly and so unpredictably that researchers often end up studying snapshots of the past. There are concepts, from morphological analysis to anticipatory governance, for keeping research, planning, and regulation halfway meaningful anyway. But even with those, universally valid statements are rare. DER SPIEGEL - The German View is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe We should therefore treat findings about the interplay between humans and AI as far more procedural and situational. Unfortunately, this challenge comes at the worst possible time. We are going through growing pains: AI’s everyday impact has grown very large very fast, and with it the longing for guidance. Annoyingly, the body of solid knowledge has not exploded along with it. Experts cannot be moved to broad consensus on even banal statements about AI. Sascha Lobo, born in 1975, is an author and strategy consultant focusing on the internet and digital technologies. Together with Jule Lobo, he explores the debates of the day in the podcast “Feel the News – Was Deutschland bewegt” (”What Moves Germany”). Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says software developers are dying out. Bill Gates considers coders one of only three professions that will survive the AI tsunami. Top tech economists find virtually irrefutable arguments both for and against an AI bubble. The same naturally applies to the structurally youth-hostile debate over whether AI is good or bad for young people. The gap between the demand for insight and the supply of solid knowledge creates an orientation vacuum. This vacuum of AI cluelessness is filled, as the attention economy described by Georg Franck in 1998 would have it, with half-knowledge (funnily enough, often AI-generated), marketing, and self-marketing. After all, infinite money is at stake, along with academia’s best current shot at global fame. But this iridescent froth of interpretation operates more by the algorithmic principles of the digital public sphere than by seriously earned insight. That is why dramatized, fear-feeding claims about AI are so promising. It tempts parts of academia into distorted drivel, and parts of the media then sensationalize the published drivel once more. Was the Research Aimed at a Desired Result? How badly this can influence academia and public perception is demonstrated by one of the most-discussed studies on AI’s effects: “Your Brain on ChatGPT.” The MIT study by Nataliya Kosmyna also gets plenty of space in the SPIEGEL cover story. What was measured and interpreted: lower brain activity in people who write with AI assistance, compared to people who only google or write without any tools. As is common with preprints, the study has not yet been peer-reviewed, and it contains substantial weaknesses that experts have sharply criticized. The first round had 54 participants in three groups, the second only 18, who reportedly also came from MIT’s own orbit. There was no preregistration (committing in advance to what you want to find out with which data). In their analysis, Stanković et al. even discovered an opposite effect that the study does not further explain. Some measurement data has not (yet) been published. And the EEG analysis method used is considered too imprecise to support such far-reaching conclusions. The biggest criticism, though, is the suspicion of an activism-driven study. In an interview with Time, lead author Kosmyna said she published the study immediately, rather than after full peer review, because she feared politicians might otherwise decide to put ChatGPT in kindergartens. She considers that absolutely harmful. It is legitimate to hold such a view. It just seems unscientific to approach a study with it, and then to design the setup so that the chance of a fitting desired result remains as high as possible. Ideologies Collide It is not easy to separate genuine AI insights from studies that trivialize and weaken well-founded AI criticism. The same goes for the opposing, AI-enthusiastic narratives, because the pro-AI side works against it with billions in resources. Ideologies collide, fed by egos, PR strategies, moral posturing, and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Doomsday marketing makes the search even harder: AI companies can profit from warnings about the dangers of AI, whether through the notoriety of apocalypse narratives or because, in some target groups, danger translates into power. Some seemingly negative findings are therefore quite welcome in the AI industry. If you try to get at the findings presumably less influenced by interest groups, the picture in education seems relatively clear: AI can improve educational outcomes when the right AI is used the right way, namely pedagogically. Simply dumping an AI chatbot into a classroom, by contrast, accomplishes little. Huge surprise. But something else is also obvious: whether they are allowed to or not, kids use AI for school, which is why the controlled integration of AI tools into education is, in the medium term, entirely without alternative. In the world of work, the landscape of findings is more complex and requires more differentiation. A series of serious studies points to an AI effect that suits neither the alarmists, regulation fetishists, and AI opponents, nor the trillion-dollar corporations with their armada of paid scientists, PR professionals, and ecosystems: working with AI helps the inexperienced (at least for now) considerably more than it helps the pros, in certain fields of work, and provided they know how to use it correctly. Missing Domain Knowledge Among the experienced, the professionals, and the high flyers, by contrast, despite frequent time savings, partially negative effects and new problems are emerging. Take the jagged frontier problem: AI solves task A brilliantly and fails completely at task B, even though both look similar even to professionals. Or the verification-cost problem, in which AI’s greater productivity gets eaten up by the enormous effort of checking its output. Or the illusion of competence, because AI makes new domains seem easily penetrable, until you painfully discover that deep domain knowledge is missing. Taken as a whole, the effects of working with AI do lean positive. But the promise that AI works as a turbocharger for everyone and boosts practically everything simply refuses to materialize. The AI magic the world has been feeling since ChatGPT arrived in late 2022 has so far barely shown up in most companies’ numbers. The consulting firm McKinsey has coined a term for this, the “gen AI paradox,” and believes that work processes and corporate structures would have to be rebuilt quite fundamentally to realize AI’s benefits at scale. Reuters just reported that only 3.3 percent of Microsoft’s customers have subscribed to the AI package Copilot. That may be down to the product; in other areas we continue to see soaring successes and new AI triumphs. But after the first quarter of 2026, disillusionment is the word for all too many AI projects at traditional companies: because the promised revolution of AI agents has so far failed to arrive or been postponed, and because of the leveling effect that many of the studies cited here suggest. Against Inequality The societal effects, on the other hand, appear rather encouraging. Many previous technologies operated on the Matthew principle, named for the Gospel verse about giving to those who already have: they tended to reward the more competent and more privileged. AI, however, seems more often to have an equalizing effect once a threshold of access and education is crossed. Some anecdotal insights point in this direction, for example, how an unemployed man in Leipzig successfully defended himself in court in 2025 against fraud accusations from Germany’s federal employment agency — without a lawyer, armed only with ChatGPT. The AI made mistakes and cited invented court rulings, but in the end the man walked away unpunished. And a key capability of artificial intelligence is its capacity to learn: set up correctly and fed with data, it can keep getting better. It is a question of time, or more precisely of AI innovations and training data, until even free AI chatbots write better legal briefs than law graduates with perfect exam scores. Whether that will make anyone dumb is something the world’s press will surely inform us of in due time. Subscribe Leave a comment
McCurdy Named Head of Ag. Science
Jay McCurdy has become the new head of Mississippi State’s Department of Agricultural Science and Plant Protection. The multidisciplinary academic unit in MSU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences offers an undergraduate degree in agricultural science, and master’s and doctoral degrees in entomology, plant pathology and weed science. “Dr. McCurdy’s enthusiasm, productivity and leadership make […]
Learn about saffron and more at NMSU field day in Los Lunas
PHOTO CAPTION: Participants in the 2023 field day hosted by New Mexico State University’s Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas tour the center’s various plots, including native grass plots....
MAD: DoorDash Appoints WME AOR For Entertainment
WME's Entertainment Marketing & Advisory (EM&A) will represent DoorDash and lead the process across the brand's entertainment initiatives with a focus on building the brand's cultural relevance.
Oprah Said Life Begins at 44. Here's All the Science Proving She's Right
Cultural expectations for midlife haven’t kept up with new research and changing demographics of what it looks like to be 40+.
Jimmy Smith: Entertainment value
Amusement Park Entertainment’s Chairman, CEO and Chief Creative Officer discusses cultural storytelling, fearless ideas and why advertising must earn people’s attention.
Business Briefcase: Chamber boosts efforts with PSU Schuylkill
POTTSVILLE — The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce has announced an “exclusive chamber benefit discount on cultural intelligence and grant writing courses.” The offer is via a “Developing a Cultural Intelligence” initiative with Penn State Sch…
Why creative leadership drives business growth
Ndidi Oteh explains why creativity isn’t just a cultural value—it’s a critical force behind innovation, transformation, and long-term business success.
Giants Coaching Holdover Named Potential Breakout Candidate in 2026
John Harbaugh has a knack for developing elite coaching minds, and ironically one of the New York Giants' best is a guy who has been in the facility for years. Outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen, who has spent the past two years coaching the Giants' edge unit, was named as an assistant coach to watch by The Athletic. Bullen was initially hired by since-fired head coach Brian Daboll, yet he survived the cultural purge from Harbaugh, who even added "run-game coordinator" to his title.
Lessons from the wild
Plant scientists at Washington University in St. Louis organize research on wild plant diseases that could help agricultural systems endure climate change.
Let’s Fight About Art So We Can Talk About Politics
Philosopher Hannah Arendt Saw Cultural Disagreement as a Path to Bridging Deeper Divisions
Parker Arts celebrates 15 years with new entertainment lineup
From memorable performances and inspiring exhibitions to educational classes and cultural events, Parker Arts has become an integral part of the Parker community over the last 15 years, creating unique
How Going to the Movies and Museums May Help Slow Biological Aging
A recent study found that regular cultural engagement, such as attending the cinema, theater, or museums, may help slow biological aging. These activities can also improve mental health and build social connections in older adults.
Photos: Afrifest: Taste of Africa at Sawyer Point 2026
The festival features Africa and the Caribbean traditional drumming and cultural dance performances, music, attire and food at Sawyer Point Park.
Bloomington prioritizes community and creativity at second annual Arts and Health Day
"Arts and health are not separate," said Angelique Racki, co-chair of the Cultural Commission for the city. "Art is health."
Jim Parsons says he wouldn’t star on ‘The Big Bang Theory’ again ‘for any amount of money’
Despite the fame and accolades, ‘The Big Bang Theory’ star Jim Parsons says that the show’s cultural peak was ‘stressful’ and ‘miserable,’ admitting that he wouldn’t do it again ‘for any amount of money.’
Japanese business culture focus of new study abroad offering at MSU
BOZEMAN — This summer, the inaugural faculty-led trip to Japan was jam-packed with new experiences for Montana State University students, helping instill valuable business and cultural knowledge about a unique
Ranking Member Markey, Senator Hirono Reject Trump’s SBA Policy Proposal that Harms Underserved Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs
Letter (PDF) (Washington, July 17) – Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) submitted a comment letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA) opposing a proposed rule change by Trump’s SBA to the 8(a) Business Development Program that would harm underserved small business owners and entrepreneurs. The 8(a) Business Development Program was created by Congress more than 50 years ago to level the playing field for small business owners and entrepreneurs who have faced discrimination in starting and operating their businesses. The SBA’s proposed change ignores the existence of historic discrimination that minority and underserved small businesses have faced and continue to face. In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “SBA’s proposed rule ignores present-day barriers that entrepreneurs from minority and underserved communities face. Discrimination is not dead; minority entrepreneurs continue to face reduced access to contracting opportunities and capital, as well as racial threats and targeting, including unequal treatment, refusal by others to work with minority-owned firms, being called racial slurs, and bias in the workplace. These barriers lead to wide underutilization of, and less revenue for, minority-owned businesses compared to majority-owned businesses, as supported by decades of disparity studies. The proposed rule diminishes the history of systemic racial and ethnic discrimination in the United States by claiming that remedies for discrimination create discrimination in and of themselves.” The lawmakers continued, “The program has always been open to anyone who can prove they have experienced prejudice or cultural bias in education, employment, entrepreneurship, and other facets of our society. Nonetheless SBA has moved forward with the proposed rule. It lacks a reasoned basis, purporting that the federal government has discriminated against White Americans, but offering no substantive qualitative or quantitative data or research in support. If the examples provided in the proposed rule are the only basis for what constitutes discrimination to the agency, they are woefully insufficient. The final rule must provide strong evidence that there is discrimination against White individuals and show how the rule is narrowly tailored to address it. The record remains devoid of evidence of discrimination against White individuals on the basis of race.” Ranking Member Markey is fighting to protect federal programs that address historic discrimination against small business owners from minority and underserved communities, and for a small business agenda that ensures economic opportunity for all. In June, Ranking Member Markey released a statement condemning the SBA’s proposed changes to the 8(a) Business Development Program. Also in June, Ranking Markey released a new report highlighting Trump’s drastic reduction in federal contracting dollars awarded to American small businesses, including minority-owned small businesses. In February, Ranking Member Markey, alongside Senators Hirono and Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Representative Ayanna Pressley (MA-7), introduced the Strengthening Place-based Access, Resources, and Knowledge (SPARK) Act to spur entrepreneurship and increase access to capital and resources for underserved entrepreneurs nationwide. Ranking Member Markey previously held a field hearing in Roxbury, Massachusetts, to discuss how government and the private sector can come together to make entrepreneurship more accessible for underserved communities. Earlier in February, Ranking Member Markey secured funding with the Appropriations Committee for Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, SCORE Chapters, and Veterans Business Outreach Centers and provisions to rein in the Administration’s attempts to eliminate programs that support women, veterans, and underserved entrepreneurs. In January, Ranking Member Markey sent a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to oppose rule changes that would gut protections against discriminatory lending practices that harm small businesses. In December 2025, Ranking Member Markey sent a letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler expressing significant concerns with the SBA’s overly burdensome request and unclear guidance for extensive financial documentation over the holidays, as a part of their sweeping attempts to dismantle the 8(a) Business Development Program. In July and December 2025, Ranking Member Markey sent letters to the SBA Administrator demanding answers about the Trump administration’s efforts to limit economic opportunity for American entrepreneurs, including immigrants. In May 2025, Ranking Member Markey sent a letter to the SBA Administrator rejecting President Trump’s FY 2026 budget proposal and calling on SBA to immediately release funding for the entrepreneurial development programs, which include programs like the Women’s Business Centers and the Veteran’s Business Development Centers that support underserved small business owners. In April 2025, Ranking Member Markey introduced the New Start Act of 2025 to establish a five-year pilot program providing grants to support entrepreneurial development training for currently or formerly incarcerated individuals. In February 2025, Ranking Member Markey sent letters to the SBA Administrator and Government Accountability Office (GAO) condemning President Trump’s war on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) policies and asking how the SBA intends to implement Trump’s anti-DEIA executive orders. ###
Animal science head named president of Society for the Study of Reproduction
Rebecca Krisher, professor of reproductive biology and head of the Department of Animal Science in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, was named president of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, effective July 22. She is the third Penn Stater to hold the gavel and lead the organization.
MAHA is rewriting the vocabulary of American mental health care
“‘Deprescribing’ elevated into a movement, and a cultural default, is a clinical hazard,” writes Sunny Patel.
Hochul drums up support for data center moratorium
The roundtable included perspective local government leaders, those in the agricultural industry, and utility advocates who stressed the need to plan ahead
Mark Shapiro on Why Live Entertainment Has No Ceiling
TKO Group Holdings president and COO Mark Shapiro discusses the thriving economy of live sports, the cultural necessity of shared physical experiences, and the strategic vision driving major entertainment properties like the UFC, WWE, and the WNBA.
Entertainment: Air Quality Dependent, A Weekend of Fun Awaits
Frida Fest, Armeniasn Fest and Incredible Indian Festival promise a diverse weekend of cultural experiences.
Land-Grant Research Impact Fellows named in the College of Ag Sciences
Penn State scientists Michela Centinari and Adrian Barragan have been named Land-Grant Research Impact Fellows in the College of Agricultural Sciences.
Tech Briefs: Regional business accelerators combine for program focusing on agricultural, forestry and rural concerns
Plus: Emerging Tech Conference seeks proposals for this year’s event; professor emeritus at Virginia Tech makes seven-figure donation to support undergraduate research.
Going to museums, movies, and theater may help your body stay younger
Going to the cinema, visiting museums, or attending concerts may do more than entertain. Researchers found that older adults who regularly participated in cultural activities tended to have bodies that functioned like those of people about three years younger. They believe stronger social ties, better mental health, and healthier habits could help explain the link, although more research is needed to determine whether cultural activities directly slow aging.
'The Oprah Podcast' is coming to Prime Video on July 21, with new episodes twice weekly
New episodes featuring today's thought leaders and cultural changemakers will air twice weekly on Prime Video.
Opinion | Why China is seriously cultivating AI entertainment
With rules and support, policymakers appear to be positioning AI and its entertainment nexus as the foundation for a new cultural economy.
M+C Saatchi NA launches entertainment arm as branded content booms
Jen Bacchus, a former WME executive, is leading the specialized offering that aims to help clients drive deeper cultural relevance.
When regulation is good for business
By now, I think I have established both my view that I am a fan of ESG investing and the benefits of regulating what is and isn’t a sustainable investment, and my view that in Europe, ESG regulation has gone too far and become too costly. It almost feels like the old Aristotelian maxim of doing things in moderation that leads to the best outcomes is valid in regulatory efforts as well. To give you an example, let’s look at a study by the National Bank of Belgium on the impact of the EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) on fund flows of conventional and ESG funds. The SFDR was announced on 27 November 2019 and came into effect on 10 March 2021. It was implemented in several stages and split funds marketed in the EU into three broad categories: (i) Art. 6 funds that are basically conventional funds without any specific ESG integration, (ii) Art. 8 funds that ‘promote environmental or social characteristics’, which must provide additional reporting how they do that, and (iii) Art. 9 funds that are impact funds. The gaps between the announcement and the phased implementation give us an idea of how fund flows were affected by the regulation. It is clearly visible in the figure below that once the new regulation was announced and when it was initially implemented, fund flows in Art. 8 and Art. 9 funds increased significantly. Conventional Art. 6 funds also saw more inflows, but the increase was not statistically significant. I should add that the data below is pure fund flow, cleaned of performance effects and of any reclassified funds that moved from one classification to another. Note also that once the initial rush in ESG funds was over, additional, stricter regulatory requirements didn’t create that many new flows. This implies that with additional regulation, the funds incurred higher costs to comply but didn’t benefit in terms of new inflows and higher assets under management. Fund flows as the SFDR regulation was implemented in the EU Source: Emiris et al. (2026) When examining the drivers of these flows, the authors of the study found that institutional investors were more likely to switch to ESG funds and particularly so in countries where concerns about sustainability are culturally more accepted. In a society where buy-in into environmental and social risks is higher, private investors were shifting more of their assets into ESG funds as the regulation made it clear which funds are really green and which ones are not. And institutional investors in these countries did so as well, given the societal pressures and reputational risks of sticking with conventional funds. Meanwhile, fund managers reacted to the changing regulatory environment as well. Many funds that were mildly green before the regulation was announced became greener and more sustainable as the regulation was introduced to attract new assets and new investors. Cleverly, and unsurprisingly, these ESG funds also charge on average higher fees, which means that not only did fund managers gather fresh assets, but their profitability increased as well.
‘Moana’: It’s déjà vu all over again ...
Impressive cultural authenticity can’t obscure an uneven storyline
What experts say about fermented foods and gut health
Fermented foods are trending, but experts say they are not all the same. They're a staple of cultural food traditions worldwide and research shows they’re healthy.
Ag Progress Days showcases college research, AI tool and animal health updates
Visitors to the College of Agricultural Sciences Exhibits Building during Penn State’s 2026 Ag Progress Days, Aug. 11-13, will have the chance to learn more about the college’s cutting-edge research driving innovation in modern agriculture.
Culturally tailored maternity care lifts healthy birth rates for First Nations families
The Baggarrook Yurrongi or "Women's Journey" model ensures women having a First Nations baby are cared for by a known midwife throughout pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period.
David I. Backer on the Hidden Politics of School Finance | Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.
The author of As Public as Possible: Radical Finance for America’s Public Schools talks about why we must begin to look at the dismantling of public education not just from a cultural and racial standpoint but from an economic standpoint to truly understand the innerworkings of school financing.
Hungary moves to overhaul university models banned from Horizon Europe
Hungary’s new government is aiming to overhaul the governance model of the institutions and universities that lost access to Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ funds “in a short timeframe,” according to Péter Horváth, the new state secretary for science policy and innovation. “As of today, the two non-university foundation-controlled institutions under my remit have been transformed,” he told Science|Business. “We hope the universities will follow and that this will be enough to satisfy the EU’s demands.”Under the previous government, led by Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party, many academic and scientific institutions were restructured and made into special public trust foundations, with members strongly linked to the government given lifelong mandates and significant decision-making powers with little oversight. The European Commission deemed that this undermined academic freedom and transparency in the country, leading to a ban on 34 institutions in 2022, including 21 universities, which saw academics in Hungary lose access to Horizon Europe grants. The new Hungarian government, elected in May and led by Péter Magyar and his Tisza Party, has promised to dismantle this governance model and restore the institutions to EU programmes. As a result, the European Commission has promised to return access to the Erasmus+ education mobility programme, but so far no concrete agreement has been made on the Horizon Europe programme for research and innovation. Hungary has already made legislative changes in June to allow the institutions to be reformed and set a timeline for the implementation.The non-university foundations, which are mainly cultural centres such as the Foundation for Hungarian Culture or the Makovecz Campus Foundation, will all be dissolved by August 31 this year, a date tied to EU-set milestones that Hungary must meet to unlock frozen funds, with control transferred to relevant ministries. Meanwhile, the universities will have until 31 August 2027. For each university foundation, the government will set the dissolution date and the body to take over operations. There is no final decision on a permanent new model for the universities, according to Hungarian MEP Eszter Lakos, who is shadow rapporteur for the Horizon Europe specific programme, a separate piece of legislation detailing implementation rules for the EU’s next research programme, due to start in 2028. “The aim of the transition year is to settle this with [the universities], not to impose a model, and not to put them under state control,” she told Science|Business. “The goal is to give academic independence back to universities.”There are three models that are most likely to be implemented. One would be a return to a traditional, state-run model. Another could be a newer, more self-standing public institution. A third option would be a reformed version of the foundation models that meet EU standards. According to Lakos, the dismantling of the system put in place by the Orbán government is well underway and if all goes according to plan, Hungary could regain access to EU research money by the start of the next academic year in 2027. “I believe that the Hungarian government is doing the necessary changes so the universities could return as beneficiaries to Horizon from the next school year,” she said. In the meantime, “the universities, institutes and cultural assets carry on under proper public stewardship rather than a handful of unaccountable trustees,” said Lakos. The laws passed in June impose new safeguards: board terms are capped at four years and renewable only once, appointments are made through open competitions and sitting politicians cannot join joining these boards.It remains unclear whether a domestic science funding programme set up as a back-up scheme by the former government following the EU funding ban, called HU-rizon, could be continued. “This programme should never have had to have been established in the first place, but it has proven to be quite popular,” he said. “I am considering continuing this programme with a refined focus on helping international collaborations.”Re-organising the research network One of the first priorities for Horváth and his cabinet is to resolve questions over the future of the Hungarian Research Network, Hun-Ren. The network of academic institutes was taken away from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2019 and turned into a quasi-private organisation, with similarities in its governance to the public trust foundations.Horváth and his team have consulted over 5,000 representatives from the network and the conclusion is broad unhappiness with the directors of all the institutes involved. “We have presented the results to the president and the chief executive of the network and this is currently being discussed,” Horváth said. The plan is to re-integrate the network back into the Academy of Sciences but in an improved way, “learning from mistakes of the past,” he added. The government also wants to reintegrate four humanities and social science research centres into the network that the previous government had transferred to Eötvös Loránd University. The transfer brought sharp criticism from the academic community, with a group of Hungarian research heads, including European Research Council grant recipients, sending an open letter to Orbán warning that the transfer would “cause historically significant harm to the entirety of Hungarian scientific life.” The transfer was “one of the biggest shames in Hungarian research in the past 20 years,” Horváth said. “We want to immediately re-integrate them back into the research network and to regain the trust of these institutions, because the way they were treated was really unfair.”Another pressing issue is the Élvonal Excellence Research and Talent Development Foundation, led by Nobel laureate Ferenc Krausz. The foundation signed a financing agreement with the former government earlier this year for a budget of over €730 million over the next five years. The goal is to create a world-class centre to attract top talent from abroad and to develop local researchers. But there was little transparency about this foundation, and news of its huge budget, which is nearly as much as Hungary’s entire research budget, caused a stir in the media following the recent elections. Another issue is that, as with the foundation boards of the institutes banned from Horizon Europe, there was little-to-no oversight of decisions led by Krausz. “It was an excellent idea but an unacceptable execution,” Horváth said of the foundation. “The fact that this is out of the Hungarian funding scheme, mostly concentrating on one person who decides on the budget is unacceptable for us.”The government plans to merge the centre with the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, the country’s R&D funding agency, with a reduced budget. Horváth is hopeful that Krausz will still be involved. The new government’s R&D goalsA phrase that crops up regularly during the discussion with Horváth is “democratic process.” The new state secretary is determined to involve Hungary’s research community in shaping future policies. This marks a departure from the previous government’s approach, and several people in Hungary’s research community have commented on the openness of the new government. In terms of concrete goals, Horváth and his team already have plans. He wants to create a new science fund in Hungary, based on the best practices of other European countries. The fund would not be tied to annual government budgets and would provide long-term, stable financing. “If we were to succeed in creating this fund, then I think it would be one of the biggest achievements for me in this period of government,” Horváth said. On the innovation side, he is looking into how best to bring in the private sector. “We want to make sure that we are working with the private sector to support innovation,” Horváth said. One of his big aims is to introduce entrepreneurship teaching into high schools. Hungary already has a reputable national academy offering research and innovation training in the field of natural sciences, and Horváth wants to expand this to all disciplines and across the whole country. “One of the main ways to elevate our innovative businesses is to teach our children to be innovative,” he said. “This will probably need ten years to pay off, but this is what we should do. Our aim is to make Hungary strong in our region, and this is what is needed.” Related articlesHungary’s Horizon Europe performance in numbersCommission unlocks Erasmus+ cash for Hungary, Horizon could be next‘Academic Huxit.’ Hungarian researchers speak out on impact of EU ban A more difficult task will be funding. The new government is aiming to increase research spending to 2% of the GDP by 2030, and then increase it to 3% in line with EU objectives. Currently, spending sits around 1.3%. But according to Horváth, the current budget, inherited from the previous government, is “heavily in the negative,” so any plans to increase research spending will have to start next year. Achieving 2% by 2030 already needs a big push, almost doubling the research budget. “This is something we’d definitely like to reach, and something I can see us achieving,” he said. “From the 2030s, I’d like to see an innovative generation growing up that can help us reach the 3% target.” Positivity in the new governmentDespite the many challenges facing Horváth and his team, the mood is positive. “It feels a bit like a start-up right now. Everyone is working 24/7, day and night, trying to do as much as they can. There is a lot of energy,” he said. It is a big change for the state secretary who, like many in his cabinet, is coming from a background in research or business, and not in politics. “Six weeks ago, I was sitting with my microscope and my research PhDs, so it’s been a big change for me,” said the computer scientist, who was previously the director of the Institute of Biochemistry at the Hun-Ren Biological Research Centre in Hungary and worked at the Institute for AI for Health at Helmholtz Munich. But he is relishing the task to transform the country’s R&D landscape. “We feel enormous support from the Hungarian people, but also from Europe,” he said. “We’ve received a lot of letters of support from around Europe. There is big trust there, and huge responsibility on our side. We want to get everything back on track, and there’s a lot to do.”
Game On! Culture Fest unveils entertainment, sports lineup for free family summer celebration in Elizabeth
Game On! Culture Fest announced July 7 a lineup of entertainment, cultural performances, youth activities, and special guests.
Culture Fest unveils entertainment, sports lineup for free family summer celebration in Elizabeth
Game On! Culture Fest announced July 7 a lineup of entertainment, cultural performances, youth activities, and special guests.
Central Avenue to Host Two-Day Celebration With Business Crawl, Live Entertainment, World Cup Watch Party
The Central Avenue Special Improvement District (CASID), in partnership with the City of Jersey City’s Office of Cultural Affairs, will transform Central Avenue from July 10-11 with a two-day…
White House report brands Smithsonian leadership as radical activists who can't be trusted
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'How Do I Keep Going:?' Farmer Mental Health Solutions Available In South Dakota
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England enter the Azteca - where football kings are crowned
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Urbanowski: Teamwork amplifies arts, culture and entertainment
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Best of the Valley 2026: Our Favorites in Lifestyle & Entertainment
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The 4 Skills That Matter Most In Global Business Today
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England maternity commissioner role would be ‘fundamentally dangerous’, says campaigner
Founder of Maternity Safety Alliance says recommendation in Amos report will not solve wider cultural problems
How Penn State Beaver is helping farmers respond sooner to animal health challenges
Penn State Beaver is helping strengthen animal health and agricultural resilience across western Pennsylvania through the Keystone Animal Diagnostic Center, which gives farmers and veterinarians closer access to critical and timely testing.
The Dallas Teen All-Access Pass is back. Here's what it includes
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Colorado’s regulations should address policy challenges only as truly needed
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J. William Fulbright, proponent of cultural exchange, left complex legacy across politics, education
As the Vietnam War heated up, U.S. Sen. J. William Fulbright became uncomfortable with American involvement in the conflict.
J. William Fulbright, proponent of cultural exchange, left complex legacy across politics, education
As the Vietnam War heated up, U.S. Sen. J. William Fulbright became uncomfortable with American involvement in the conflict.
Texas A&M horticultural sciences students, faculty earn national recognition
Students and faculty within the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences received national awards for research, outreach and academics.
University of Tennessee at Martin offers 4 day science camp for rising 6th to 8th graders
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Poppi founder speaks about building a billion-dollar soda business
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Commentary: Why Archie Bunker voters are disillusioned with U.S. politics
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The Business of Beauty Global Forum: Our Place in Culture
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MentalHood Cultural Initiative improving men's mental health
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Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association Presents the 3rd "Future Animation - AI-Assisted Animation Production Support Scheme"
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New Science Education Resource Helps Youth Explore Agriculture in Their Local Communities and Globally
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Athletes and Entrepreneurs Discuss Sports' Growing Influence on Business and Culture
At a TIME100 Talk in Cannes, panelists reflected on how athletes are becoming entrepreneurs, storytellers, and cultural leaders—and what that means for the future of sports and society.
Athletes and Entrepreneurs Discuss Sports' Growing Influence on Business and Culture
At a TIME100 Talk in Cannes, panelists reflected on how athletes are becoming entrepreneurs, storytellers, and cultural leaders—and what that means for the future of sports and society.
N.C. A&T College of Education Earns Top National Rating in Science of Reading Teacher Preparation
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SAFES grants to address Critical Issues Initiatives in College of Ag Sciences
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France restricts public drinking and outdoor sports as heat wave bakes parts of Europe
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Young performers to bring 'The Jungle Book' to life in Temple
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Juneteenth Cultural Festival celebrates community but also highlights Black-owned businesses
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World Refugee Day 2026
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UMass Amherst Ag and Food Science Programs Ranked Among the Best in the World
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The "dad bod," explained by science
The term is more than a cultural phenomenon.
Bath House Cultural Center celebrates Juneteenth with food and live entertainment
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What if there is no one to farm? Scientists reveal a hidden risk to future food security
The cause of future food shortages may not be a lack of farmland, but a shortage of agricultural workers. Amid low birth rates and rural decline, a joint international research team from KAIST has developed ...
Earn Special Rewards in GTA Online with the Fine Art Collector Program
Prepare to target the city's cultural centerpiece in The Kortz Center Heist by first enrolling in the new Fine Art Collector program to earn special rewards in GTA Online, including up to GTA$1,500,000 in bonus cash, now through July 13.
Earn Special Rewards in GTA Online with the Fine Art Collector Program
Prepare to target the city's cultural centerpiece in The Kortz Center Heist by first enrolling in the new Fine Art Collector program to earn special rewards in GTA Online, including up to GTA$1,500,000 in bonus cash, now through July 13.
The pressure to have baby boys can harm African mothers’ health
In Congo and other parts of Africa, some women are having baby after baby under cultural pressure to produce a male heir, even risking their health.
The pressure for baby boys affects Africa's mothers and their health
In Congo and other parts of Africa, some women are having baby after baby under cultural pressure to produce a male heir, even risking their health.
ArtBeat: Spotlight on the local arts events and entertainment
Here’s a closer look at what you can expect from the area’s events: June 18– June 24: The weekly preview of arts and culture events in the Greater Knoxville area is included in the Arts & Cultural Alliance. June 22: Broadway subscriptions on sale: Subscriptions to the Tennessee Theatre’s highly anticipated Broadway lineup go on […]
Small Business Owner and Former Cultural Affairs Commissioner Jeannine Wisnosky Stehlin Launches Bid for Culver City Council
Small Business Owner, Former Cultural Affairs Commissioner, and longtime community volunteer Jeannine Wisnosky Stehlin today declared her candidacy for the Culver City Council. Wisnosky Stehlin is running to be a voice for residents and community members who want strong, collaborative leadership at City Hall. "People come to Culver City because the...
Survey reveals political and cultural factions shaping the midterms
Examine Pew’s survey on types of voters and analyze differences across key political demographic groups
The Next Big Score
Perched on the hills of Pacific Bluffs, the world-famous Kortz Center looms large over the Los Santos cultural scene. Priceless international works of art have adorned its hallways for years, and now the time has come to raid this prestigious gallery’s...
UMass Amherst agricultural, food science programs again rank among world’s best
UMass Amherst’s agricultural sciences and food science programs have once again been ranked among the top 10 in the world in the 2026-27 U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities…
Farm Science Review honors Hall of Fame inductees
Every year, Farm Science Review attracts over 100,000 visitors to central Ohio from across the United States and Canada to explore agricultural research, technology and education. Behind that effort are individuals whose work over decades has helped shape the event and expand its reach. Three of
Encantos Media Cracks The Code On Authentic Latino Entertainment
Encantos Media give the marketplace a glimpse of how media and content creators can leverage the country’s demographic and cultural trends to grow their businesses
Global Science and Intercultural Impacts: Celebrating Experiential Learning in STEM
Syracuse Abroad students reflect on community-engaged science opportunities they have undertaken.
Business Monday: New small business network offers support for aspiring entrepreneurs on the Big Island
The new network seeks to cultivate local businesses grounded in cultural values and shared prosperity through mentorship, funding and resources.
Xbox Game Studios boss Craig Duncan steps down
The head of Xbox Game Studios Craig Duncan has stepped down after more than 18 months in the role. Duncan replaced former Studios boss Alan Hartman in November 2024, and oversaw Halo Studios, The Coalition, Flight Sim, Turn 10, Playground Games, Rare, Obsidian, Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games, The Initiative, Double Fine, InXile, Undead Labs, World’s Edge and XGS Publishing. He departs the organization this week. His studios will report to Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty until a replacement is found. Duncan has been part of the Xbox organization since 2011 and is best known for running highly regarded UK developer Rare for nearly 14 years. He oversaw the developer’s Kinect and Sea of Thieves eras. Prior to that, he held various senior roles at Codemasters, Midway and Sumo Digital, and worked cross titles such as Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing, Wheelman and Colin McRae. He's also VP of the charity SpecialEffect. Subscribe Meanwhile, Xbox Game Studios chief of staff Louise O’Connor will also be leaving the company. O’Connor joined Rare in 1999 beginning as an animator on cult favourite N64 game Conker’s Bad Fur Day. She’s worked in numerous art and production roles at the UK studio, and even won an AIAS award for voicing the character Leafos in Viva Piñata. She left Rare following the cancellation of Everwild in 2025, before becoming chief of staff in September that year. In an email to staff, Duncan wrote: “When I stepped into the role of leading XGS 20 months ago, my purpose was to serve our studios, our teams, and the people making our games. Together, we set out to deliver high-quality games, strengthen the cultural fabric across our studios, and help shape the future of the business. I’m proud to say we delivered many flawless launches that drove business success for the company.” On O’Connor, he added: “Louise has been a thoughtful, creative, and trusted partner who has consistently championed the craft and supported our studios with clarity and care. I’m grateful for everything she’s brought to XGS, and I’m sure she’ll be successful in whatever comes next for her.”
Xbox Game Studios boss Craig Duncan steps down
The head of Xbox Game Studios Craig Duncan has stepped down after more than 18 months in the role. Duncan replaced former Studios boss Alan Hartman in November 2024, and oversaw Halo Studios, The Coalition, Flight Sim, Turn 10, Playground Games, Rare, Obsidian, Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games, The Initiative, Double Fine, InXile, Undead Labs, World’s Edge and XGS Publishing. He departs the organization this week. His studios will report to Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty until a replacement is found. Duncan has been part of the Xbox organization since 2011 and is best known for running highly regarded UK developer Rare for nearly 14 years. He oversaw the developer’s Kinect and Sea of Thieves eras. Prior to that, he held various senior roles at Codemasters, Midway and Sumo Digital, and worked cross titles such as Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing, Wheelman and Colin McRae. He's also VP of the charity SpecialEffect. Subscribe Meanwhile, Xbox Game Studios chief of staff Louise O’Connor will also be leaving the company. O’Connor joined Rare in 1999 beginning as an animator on cult favourite N64 game Conker’s Bad Fur Day. She’s worked in numerous art and production roles at the UK studio, and even won an AIAS award for voicing the character Leafos in Viva Piñata. She left Rare following the cancellation of Everwild in 2025, before becoming chief of staff in September that year. In an email to staff, Duncan wrote: “When I stepped into the role of leading XGS 20 months ago, my purpose was to serve our studios, our teams, and the people making our games. Together, we set out to deliver high-quality games, strengthen the cultural fabric across our studios, and help shape the future of the business. I’m proud to say we delivered many flawless launches that drove business success for the company.” On O’Connor, he added: “Louise has been a thoughtful, creative, and trusted partner who has consistently championed the craft and supported our studios with clarity and care. I’m grateful for everything she’s brought to XGS, and I’m sure she’ll be successful in whatever comes next for her.”
Julien Planté has been appointed as Head of Entertainment at MIRAMIS
Miramis, the international hospitality company, has appointed Julien Planté as Head of Entertainment, a role focused on strengthening live entertainment and cultural programming across the company’s portfolio.
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The latest NBC News poll tested Americans’ feelings about broad cultural issues shaping politics on the eve of the country’s 250th birthday.
Trump’s birthday UFC fight is a seminal moment in US politics
Politicians are increasingly asked to function as cultural icons. That’s why a cage fight on the White House lawn represents a seminal moment in American politics.