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Women’s sports rule at this revamped Arlington bar
The Washington Spirit, the Mystics and D.C. Divas are among the teams whose games will get priority at the reimagined Westover Taco.
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
When the CEO Becomes the Brand
Research suggests that Elon Musk’s political stance appears to have reshaped how different groups perceive Tesla. Overall sales trends hint at trouble. The company’s growth stalled in 2024, and deliveries fell 8.5% in 2025. But those headline numbers hide what is happening beneath the surface. When the data is broken down by political orientation and by changes in views of Musk, a more complicated pattern emerges. Among right-leaning respondents and those whose opinion of Musk has improved, Tesla’s brand appeal is significantly higher and willingness to pay exceeds that for many competing brands, including Ford, Chevrolet, and Rivian. Among left-leaning consumers and those whose view of Musk has worsened, the opposite is true: Preference and willingness to pay for Tesla drop sharply. The outcome is not a uniform decline but a polarization of demand. Some consumers appear to feel alienated, while others feel more aligned with the brand. This raises an important strategic question of whether companies can influence purchasing decisions across these divided segments by strengthening the underlying value proposition.
Romania Coalition Nears Collapse as Top Party Spurns Premier
Romania’s government has been thrown into turmoil after the top ruling party withdrew its support for Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, whose own bloc is now rallying to salvage his control of the four-way coalition.
Defender knocks back Barcelona contract offer
Barcelona are gearing up for a huge summer, but before the transfer window opens, they have a number of contract situations to resolve. The big one centres on Robert Lewandowski, but another whose cur...
$3 million prize goes to duo whose research led to first sickle cell CRISPR therapy
Dr. Swee Lay Thein and Dr. Stuart Orkin won the $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for their work toward a functional cure for the deadly blood disorders sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.
$3 million prize goes to duo whose research led to first sickle cell CRISPR therapy
Dr. Swee Lay Thein and Dr. Stuart Orkin won the $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for their work toward a functional cure for the deadly blood disorders sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.
Braylon Mullins is back: UConn G whose epic 3-pointer beat Duke in Elite Eight returning for sophomore season
Dan Hurley keeps another key piece, which should again give UConn a chance to be among college basketball's best teams
Texas Medical Board sanctions three doctors for delayed care that led to the deaths of two pregnant women
The Texas Medical Board has disciplined three doctors ProPublica previously investigated whose patients died after receiving delayed or inappropriate pregnancy care under the state’s strict abortion ban.
Gina Procaccio to be Inducted to the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
PHILADELPHIA—Villanova women's track & field and cross country head coach Gina Procaccio earned a top honor on Thursday morning when she was announced as part of the 23rd inductee class to the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. Procaccio will be recognized along with other top athletes, coaches, contributors, and teams whose legacies have shaped the rich history of Philadelphia sports when the 2026 Inductee Class is celebrated on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at Live! Casino & Hotel Event Center. The public is invited to join in honoring these remarkable individuals and teams.
Stony Brook School of Health Professions Honors Alumni Leaders
The Stony Brook University School of Health Professions (SHP) celebrated a group of graduates whose careers reflect both professional excellence and a commitment to service, mentorship and innovation in healthcare. At the School of Health Professions Outstanding Alumni Awards, held March 25 in the Health Sciences Center (HSC) Galleria, nine alumni were recognized for achievements
Catching up with Stars GM Jim Nill: Unfinished business, injury updates, playoff format and more
Nill, whose team has gone to three straight conference finals, signed a two-year extension recently: "We haven’t finished what we’re doing."
I Don’t Blame NATO for Skipping Out on Our Greedy President’s Strait of Hormuz Blockade
Trump, whose most profound desire is to make money, is essentially running an extortion scheme.
Italy's surprise rise in exports to US masks deep fragility to tariffs
Italy was the only major EU country whose exports to the United States grew last year despite Donald Trump's tariffs. The result was hailed by Rome's government, but a closer look at the data shows one-off factors at play and little underlying resilience.
Shelby Russ, whose 50-year-old company furnishes offices, sees positive signs for economy
"The things that are wrong with New Orleans can be fixed. The things that are right about the city, no one else could recreate. We have to start from that, and this self-deprecation that we culturally do has got to stop."
Chamber of Commerce Presents Achievement Awards
Event also marked 110th of the chamber’s presence in Oswego [caption id=attachment_10469 align=alignright width=450] Abby Waever and Keara Patterson (in the middle) receive the Community Leadership & Legacy Award, presented to The Alberts Group.[/caption] The Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GOFCC) on March 4 hosted its 2026 Annual Meeting, presented by Constellation, at the Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center in Oswego. The event’s theme, Rooted in Community. The meeting celebrated the GOFCC’s 110th anniversary in the Oswego community and 10th anniversary of integration with CenterState CEO. The chamber also unveiled a new logo. “I am proud to say the GOFCC has been a force for business success, growth and opportunity, supporting organizations of every size, connecting neighbors and entrepreneurs and ensuring that every voice in Oswego County is heard,” said GOFCC Executive Director Sara Broadwell. The event featured keynote remarks from Novelis’s Kevin Schutt, vice president, manufacturing and production support at Novelis North America. [caption id=attachment_10454 align=alignright width=450] Maria Hudson of Constellation, holding the award, receives the Nancy L. Premo Woman of Distinction Award.[/caption] The GOFCC recognized the following organizations and individuals with achievement awards: • Oswego County Impact & Excellence Award, presented to Oswego County Office of Mobility Management. This award Honors a small business or nonprofit organization that demonstrates outstanding achievement through innovation, growth and measurable positive impact on Oswego County’s economy or quality of life. • Community Leadership & Legacy Award, presented to The Alberts Group. This award recognizes an individual, business or organization whose long-term leadership, investment or philanthropy has significantly advanced the vitality, resilience and future of Oswego County’s communities. • Nancy L. Premo Woman of Distinction Award, presented to Maria Hudson of Constellation. This award honors a woman in business who has made a meaningful impact on her community, inspired others through her leadership, and exemplified the values of service, integrity and empowerment. This award is presented in tribute to the late Nancy Premo, CenterState CEO’s former vice president of Human Resources.
Seniors: John Lemp, 70
Has been working for more than 50 years in the business — M. Lemp Jewelers in Syracuse — that his great-grandfather started in 1890 By Mary Beth Roach Don Lemp owns and represents the fourth-generation of the family business, M. Lemp Jewelers, but he still calls himself “a counter guy.” “I love interacting with couples. It’s a wonderful business. You’re celebrating marriages, engagements, births, anniversaries — all these different significant moments that people invite you into their lives for whatever brief period of time it might be to help them celebrate whatever their important occasion is,” he said. This is one of several reasons why Lemp, at 70, has been working for more than 50 years in the business that his great-grandfather started in 1890. Always located in the downtown Syracuse area, the store has been situated in the building that the family owns on East Fayette and Warren streets since 1971. He jokes that he’s been in the business so long he is now selling engagement rings to the second generation in some families. He also loves the opportunity to learn about the ever-changing industry and gemstones. “You have to know not only diamonds, but all the colored stones, from A to Z, from andalusite to zircons,” he said. Lemp said he had originally thought he wanted to become an attorney, but while working part-time in the store while attending college at Syracuse University, he decided to follow in the family business. His father, Walter D. Lemp Sr., and his mother tried to discourage their son from pursuing retail, reminding him of the hectic hours and lifestyle intrinsic in this business. But the younger Lemp [whose full name is Walter D. Lemp Jr.] prevailed. So, over the years, father and son got to work together in the family business for 35 years. And while many other jewelers retreated from downtown to suburban malls in the 1970s, the Lemps decided to stay downtown. And it’s a decision that Lemp Jr. feels it has worked out well. As he explained, downtown Syracuse is seeing a rebirth. One website, Point2Home.com, has noted that more than 6,000 people live there and the median income is about $62,000. In addition, according to the website that Lemp built years ago, the store can cater to customers throughout the country. His customers, whether from across the country or across Onondaga County, are just one reason that Lemp stays engaged in the business. His employees, the opportunity to continue to learn in an industry, and the challenge to continue to improve business are all other reasons, he noted. He’s also been able to travel to India to buy diamonds and he enjoys buying and selling estates. “I’d rather gallop in the corral than ride into the sunset,” Lemp said.
Seniors: Carol Watson, 72
Owner of Carol Watson Greenhouse and Landscaping in LaFayette enjoys her growing business — still puts in six-, seven-day weeks By Mary Beth Roach Carol Watson, the owner of Carol Watson Greenhouse and Landscaping, has been in gardens since she could walk. Literally. She said she learned to walk in her grandfather’s garden, which was next door to her current home and business in LaFayette. Today, at 72, she is running the business that her mother, Claire, opened in 1981 as Watson Greenhouse. Watson worked part-time for her mom until 1990, when she joined her full time. While she may not have had any formal horticultural experience, she said she learned so much about growing and raising plants from her mom, who had an abundance of energy and talent. Now, after 35 years in the business full time, Watson has no plans to retire, although she joked that she’d like a couple of days off a week. On her seven-acre site, complete with four greenhouses, Watson said her favorite parts of the job are working with and educating her customers; helping some of her young customers build terrariums; conducting occasional class field trips; and supporting local art by decorating the shop with an eclectic mix of pottery from at least four area craftspeople. A one-time employee of the former Dey Bros. department store in Syracuse, Watson said she loves merchandising and enjoys displaying unique pieces of art on shelves and even suspending from ceilings. “We’re creative. We also had top quality plants. We got a reputation of quality plants and unusual products,” she said. It’s tending to her customers and her plants, showcasing the unusual products, and hosting special events to benefit the community that keep her motivated to work six to seven days a week. “I just love it. I love taking care of the plants. I’m one of the few people that really enjoys watering,” she said. And while she has cultivated a solid customer base over the years, she remains savvy in her marketing efforts to draw in new customers. For example, she does a gardening segment on CNY Central television; her active Facebook page has thousands of followers; and she hosts a number of unique events and classes that not only introduce her shop to potential new clients, but some benefit nonprofits as well. About 13 years ago, when the local symphony orchestra was struggling, she said she wanted to help. So, partnering with the group, she began offering concerts, called Soirees, featuring the Syracuse Orchestra’s string quartet. Following up on a suggestion from a customer whose brother is a deejay in retirement, specializing in sock hops, she hosted the greenhouse’s first sock hop. Plants got moved back toward the walls to make room for dancing; a caterer was brought in, offering diner-like food; guests came in period outfits; and proceeds went to the Food Bank of CNY. She is excited about doing it again in October. Via her website, she promotes the greenhouse as an “oasis in the snow,” offering visitors the opportunity to pick up some decorating and gift ideas while taking in the floral and citrus scents. And she also caters to her four-legged friends. Over this past winter, she said, she came up with a “brilliant idea,” although at the time she didn’t appreciate just how brilliant it would become. Feeling it too cold outside to take her dog for a walk, she opted to bring it into the greenhouse. And before long, she was inviting people to bring their dogs into the big greenhouse as well. She looks forward to extending that invitation again this upcoming winter season. For Watson and her customers, the greenhouse is always in season.
U.S. Moves to Deport Son of Prominent Figure in Iranian Revolution
Federal agents arrested a man whose mother served as a spokeswoman for the Islamist embassy captors during the hostage crisis that began in 1979.
Watch out for college sports 'reforms' that shortchange student-athletes
If the system is constrained for those whose labor actually generates the revenue, that is not reform — it is codified inequality.
Stony Brook School of Health Professions Honors Alumni
The Stony Brook University School of Health Professions celebrated alumni whose careers reflect professional excellence and commitment to service in healthcare
School of Business receives AACSB Global Impact Award for use of AI in teaching and learning
The School of Business has been recognized as a winner of AACSB’s inaugural Global Impact Awards for creative and effective use of generative AI in teaching and learning. The Global Impact Awards honor individuals and institutions whose initiatives exemplify innovation, leadership, and measurable impact in business education and [...]
3L Rachel Sadler Charts Path in Brain Health, Technology, and Policy Through UC Law SF’s Health Law Concentration - UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings)
3L Rachel Sadler studies health law and policy at UC Law SF while researching the legal implications of neurotechnology and other emerging tools that may affect human cognition. 3L student Rachel Sadler shares how UC Law SF’s Health Law Concentration prepared her for a career focused on the intersection of brain health, government policy, and technology. Gained a detailed understanding of how U.S. health care is regulated and where policy reform is needed through coursework and research. Interned with state and federal agencies that regulate health care services and worked with a major health care provider’s bioethics department. Plans to pursue a career focused on protecting cognitive liberty and mental privacy as new technologies reshape healthcare. 3L Rachel Sadler: The Health Law Concentration has given me fluency in one of the most complex regulated industries and the tools to become an effective advocate for better health policy. Before coming to law school, I spent a decade teaching and working with teachers and administrators on high school programming for multilingual learners. Healthcare kept emerging as the most powerful driver of student outcomes. I wanted to understand how to make effective policy change in this area and how to use existing law to defend people’s health rights in California. Through the concentration’s coursework, I gained a sophisticated understanding of how U.S. healthcare is regulated. I also learned where the pressure points for reform exist. The courses gave me space to develop what became my central research interest: how law and policy can be built to protect human cognition and healthy brain development, particularly regarding new technologies such as generative AI and neurotechnology. The health law faculty were instrumental in that process, genuinely invested in helping me and other students define and pursue our own intellectual vision. During law school, I interned at the General Counsel’s Office for Region IX of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I also externed at the California Department of Justice’s Health, Education and Welfare Division. Additionally, I externed at Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s Bioethics Department. Alongside those placements, I conducted extensive independent research on mental privacy and emerging neurotechnology, working closely with Professors Emily Murphy and George Horvath. That research became the throughline of my law school experience and the foundation of my current policy focus. I must also credit Nicole Ozer of the Center for Constitutional Democracy (CCD), whose deep knowledge of California privacy law and the public-interest privacy landscape deeply informed my work. I currently serve a research assistant with the CCD, where I spearhead the development of K-12 educational resources in partnership with law faculty and students. I’ve found UC Law SF to be an ideal place for second-career, nontraditional students. There is a tremendous diversity of life and career experience here, and I felt fully welcomed into the community, despite returning as a student at a different stage of life. I came to law school wanting to promote equity in California’s healthcare system. I am leaving with a sharper and more specific ambition: to build a policy career focused on protecting cognitive liberty and mental privacy from technological intrusion. This is both an urgent and underserved area of law, and I want to be part of defining this landscape going forward. Whether as a practicing attorney or a policy advisor, I plan to work on these issues after law school. I strongly recommend UC Law SF and the Health Law Concentration. When I arrived in law school, I worried the concentration would be narrow and that my non-clinical background would be a disadvantage. The opposite was true. The health law faculty thinks about health expansively, encompassing social determinants of health, structural inequity, and emerging technologies alongside the regulatory mechanics of the industry. The faculty are accessible, intellectually generous, and genuinely invested in students’ development. I found my research vision here, and I deeply appreciate the concentration’s role in this. The Evidence of Success series highlights UC Law SF students as they share how the College’s opportunities equip them with the experience, skills, and confidence to excel in the legal profession.
IT’S SCIENCE. IT’S SURREAL. IT’S THE SIBILANCE OF KIM SALMON
KIM SALMON APPEARS on my screen intact, in motion, but not, I assure him, infected by any filters adding bunny ears, cat whiskers or fish scales. Dignity is appropriate for the man who emerged from the most isolated punk scene of all in late ‘70s Perth to become a force of nature, and whose early swamp-rock take on life after punk was to spawn a decade and a half later – for better and worse – the more earnest, less thrilling grunge movement.Yes, somehow that mega selling, decade-defining scene
Mitchell Fink Dead: Gossip Columnist, Entertainment TV Personality Was 82
Mitchell Fink, a writer whose gossip columns and entertainment news was found on outlets like People and the New York Daily News, has died at 82.
Science comes to life for Philadelphia students whose names are on board Orion for Artemis II
GRAIL Announces Integration of the Galleri® Test into Epic Electronic Health Record Platform to Expand Access Nationwide
/PRNewswire/ -- GRAIL, Inc. (Nasdaq: GRAL), a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early when it can be cured, today announced a collaboration...
Democrat whose parents fled Iran moves to oust Hegseth
Democratic Rep. Ansari, daughter of Iranian immigrants, moves to impeach Secretary of War Pete Hegseth for alleged war crimes in the Iran conflict.
Copying Farage and Polanski Is the Road to Political Oblivion
As John Major came to the lectern to deliver the annual Attlee Foundation Lecture in London recently, he acknowledged the incongruity of a Conservative ex-prime minister offering up a paean to the man whose legacy is honored at the event. Clement Attlee is considered Labour’s greatest occupant of 10 Downing Street.
Earthquake science unites threatened scholar with Cornell researchers
A team of geophysicists from Cornell, Cameroon and South Africa is using machine learning tools to unearth new information from earthquake data collected by Cornell 15 years ago – providing a lifeline for a scholar whose career was upended by conflict.
Penn State Health introduces new treatment for movement disorder patients
Penn State Health is now offering focused ultrasound, an advanced, incisionless treatment option for patients with essential tremor or tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease whose symptoms have not…
AI That Forecasts Hurricanes Years Ahead: Inside BU Research
At Boston University, research is the driving force behind innovation that spans industries and shapes the future. BU empowers faculty and students to tackle complex global challenges, producing thousands of publications each year and fueling breakthroughs that extend far beyond campus. Learn more about the innovators whose work powers discoveries on and off campus. Boston […]
Connecticut bars getting business boost from UConn basketball tournament runs
The UConn men’s basketball team run to the national championship is also bringing a lot of customers to local bars across Connecticut for watch parties. “We had the audio running and everything and as soon as the final buzzer hit, everyone was going crazy. We had a nice little UConn chant going at the end,” Yash Ramchandani, whose family owns…
10 Wickedly Cool Carroll Shelby Cars That Made The Man A Legend
Carroll Shelby was an iconic figure in American automotive culture whose cars spoke for themselves. Here are 10 of coolest car he helped create.
Missing crew member rescued by US forces after jet downed in Iran, Trump announces
A missing US crew member whose fighter jet was shot down over Iran has been rescued by US forces, President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post early Sunday.
Dodgers’ $102 million bust signs with surprising New York team
Trevor Bauer is back. The Long Island Ducks have signed the former National League Cy Young Award winner, whose $102 million, three-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers was interrupted when Bauer was assessed the largest penalty ever given under…
Your Party to focus local election efforts on backing independent candidates
The party, whose parliamentary leader is Jeremy Corbyn, will back 250 candidates, focusing on urban areas
ENTERTAINMENT: Hot Springs festival celebrates cherry blossoms
Samurai sword demonstrations by Yoshi Amao, whose presentations combine history, discipline and storytelling; drumming by Dallas Kiyari Daiko; and performances and demonstrations highlighting martial arts, traditional music and cultural storytelling are part of the Hot Springs National Park Sister City Foundation’s Arkansas Cherry Blossom Festival.
Call for Applications: APSA Diversity and Inclusion Advancing Research Grant for Early-Career Scholars | Deadline: May 3, 2026 -
The APSA Diversity and Inclusion Advancing Research Grant supports the advancement of research goals and professional development of early-career political science scholars. The grant will award scholars whose research areas focus on one of the [...]
The Hidden Garden: Science, profit and the human cost of ‘HeLa’ cells
“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” tells the story of an ordinary African-American whose cells were taken without her knowledge.
Sorrell celebrates Odyssey Award
Cherokee author Traci Sorrell, whose audio book “Clack, Clack! Smack! A Cherokee Stickball Story” won a national award, celebrated March 23 with Cherokee Immersion School students and teachers who helped
Memorial fund honors patient whose life was saved by Vanderbilt Health neurosurgeons
Charlotte Davis underwent groundbreaking brain mapping surgery at Vanderbilt Health in 1995 to treat a deep-seated brain tumor. The procedure preserved areas controlling speech and movement. She lived 30 more years after her surgery.
High schoolers muscle up their exercise science, nutrition know-how
“Ahh! He’s in a lot of pain!” declares Michael McKenney, eyeing a high school student whose injured arm needs to be in a splint. Knowing […]
Charlie Kirk highway got vetoed in Arizona. Elected officials are citing politics
There will be no Charlie Kirk highway in his home state of Arizona. The reason: politics. Exactly whose politics is to blame has become a point of debate.
Mark Sanford makes a bid to return to Congress a third time from South Carolina
Mark Sanford, the former South Carolina congressman and governor whose political ascendency was stalled by a 2009 affair, wants to return to Congress — again.
Ranking MLB's five remaining undefeated teams: Whose early success is most believable?
The MLB record for winning streak to open a season stands at 13
Concrete’s distinct microbial zones could change how building health is assessed
Concrete harbors distinct microbial zones whose signatures survive the heat of routine core sampling, a discovery researchers say could one day put structural health diagnostics within reach of general maintenance staff and even residents.
Understanding protein motion could greatly aid new drug design
For many of us, “protein” is the key element of a food order. However, beyond your preferred choice of meats or plant-based alternatives, proteins encompass a large class of complex biomolecules whose chemical structure is encoded in our genes. Proteins have critical functions in living cells: They help repair and build body tissues, drive metabolic reactions, maintain pH and fluid balance, and keep our immune systems strong.
Ashley Benson Signs With Strand Entertainment
EXCLUSIVE: Strand Entertainment has signed Ashley Benson, an actress and producer whose work spans studio features, independent film, and television, for management. Benson was most recently seen star...
VA Department of Health investigating male remains; seeking public’s help to identify
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY)– The Virginia Department of Health is seeking the assistance of the public in identifying a man whose remains were found in Virginia Beach. The Office of the Chief …
Good Morning, Nashville! Talking Immigration Data Politics at Vanderbilt University
After a busy day on Capitol Hill yesterday, I landed in Nashville, Tennessee, last night for an exciting two days on campus at Vanderbilt University. Carwil Bjork-James, an anthropologist whose creative use of database construction to support critical scholarship resonates strongly with my own work, generously invited me to give a talk today about the politics of immigration data and to join a Wikipedia edit-a-thon tomorrow on the topic of immigrant detention. I encourage you to check out Carwil’s database project “Ultimate Consequences” about political deaths in Bolivia after 1982, and his book The Sovereign Street: Making Revolution in Urban Bolivia. My talk today is titled “Untangling the Messy Politics of Immigrant Detention Data.” I’ll focus on how immigrant detention data (not just detention centers themselves) become sites of controversy—from the collection and classification choices that shape what we can know, to the strategic withholding and distortion of data for political ends. Drawing on research spanning multiple administrations, I’ll trace how current data controversies in the second Trump administration connect to long-standing tensions in how we measure, interpret, and communicate about immigration. My goal is to move beyond simple partisan narratives and offer a practical guide for anyone working with immigration data to explore both the pitfalls to avoid and the creative opportunities for more transparent, rigorous public communication about immigration realities. If you are on campus, please stop by. Tomorrow I will join Carwil and Vanderbilt students for a Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon to edit and update Wikipedia entries related to immigrant detention with the latest robust information and data. This event is designed to orient participants into how to edit on Wikipedia, provide them with data-driven starter templates on detention facilities, and allow each person to produce an initial article on one element of the network of ICE facilities or one death in custody this year. The workshop is also a demonstration of how to use open data sources to build public knowledge—something I am deeply passionate about. Thank you to Vanderbilt University, the Spatial Histories series, and Carwil for hosting me. I would love to be a part of conversations and workshops related to immigration data on your campus. Students are really eager these days to have informed, critical, and data-driven explorations of our current immigration system. Reach out anytime if you want to discuss the possibility of bringing me to your campus. Subscribe
Quantum science outreach program sees Golden State expansion
Since its creation in 2022, SparCQS has introduced thousands of individuals to the not-so-small world of quantum science. Housed within the Center for Materials Interfaces in Research and Access (¡MIRA!), the workforce development initiative, whose name is an acronym for Sparking Curiosity in Quantum Science, delivers a trailer’s worth of colorful, approachable quantum science demonstrations to K-12…
UK moves closer to ban on crypto cash in politics
Official recommendation for a pause will be seen as a blow to Nigel Farage, whose Reform UK is the only party so far accepting donations using the technology.
Thank God for Wyoming — the un-Colorado
Years ago, I interviewed a Canadian health-care broker whose job was helping his countrymen escape their own failing system. When their “free” health care turned into “free to wait until you die,” he’d save his clients by routing them to doctors in the U.S. who’d accept cash and rescue their lives. I asked him what […]
Chuck Norris, action hero and ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’ star, has died
Chuck Norris, veteran, martial arts world champion, action hero and early 2000s Internet meme inspiration, whose rugged demeanor was immortalized on hit show “Walker, Texas Ranger,” has died.
Markiplier to Microdramas: The Ankler x NAB Show’s Future of Entertainment
Share Subscribe Vegas, baby! The Ankler is heading back to NAB Show for a second year in a row — and doubling down on conversations with the smartest people in the industry. From April 18–22, we’re partnering again with the industry’s biggest media and tech gathering to break down the Business of Media and Entertainment as it’s actually evolving: faster, riskier and increasingly driven by new formats, new audiences and new power players. This curated series will bring together top creators, executives and innovators to tackle the forces reshaping the industry — from the AI disruption of Hollywood’s creative ecosystem to the rise of the creator economy, shifting audience behavior and the changing economics of production. We’ll be rolling out more programming in the coming weeks — including top speakers from leading AI studios, prediction markets and beyond — so keep an eye on the Business of Media and Entertainment hub. But first up, we’re announcing two panels about what’s actually working in Hollywood: The Scary-Smart Business of Horror A good scare has become one of the entertainment economy’s most reliable engines. With disciplined budgets, built-in fandoms and global box office upside, horror consistently outperforms. From theatrical releases to streaming-first originals and creator-driven IP, the genre is artistically flexible and financially durable — and one of the last truly communal experiences for Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences. Join YouTube creator Mark Fischbach, aka Markiplier, whose independent feature Iron Lung earned more than $50 million at the global box office, Atomic Monster president Michael Clear and screenwriter Akela Cooper (M3GAN, Malignant) for a conversation moderated by Like & Subscribe’s Natalie Jarvey about why horror travels so effectively across platforms and borders, how studios and independents are building sustainable genre pipelines and why the next wave of breakout franchises may emerge from unexpected sources. Inside the Microdrama Boom Short-form serialized storytelling is having a major moment. Microdramas, social-native series and creator-led narratives are capturing massive audiences with low-cost, rapid production cycles and direct-to-fan distribution. What was once dismissed as niche or experimental is now attracting major platform investment. Moderated by Jarvey, this panel of microdrama creators and executives — including one of the format’s top stars and producers, Kasey Esser, and Dhar Mann Studios’ head of vertical content, Erin McFarlane — examines how format innovation, fandom dynamics and algorithmic discovery are reshaping the economics of scripted storytelling and what traditional studios can learn from these agile models. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Lynne@theankler.com Share
F.B.I. Investigates Joe Kent, Whose Resignation Over Iran War Angered Trump
Mr. Kent is under investigation for a possible intelligence leak, according to people familiar with the situation. The inquiry is said to predate his resignation this week as the top U.S. counterterrorism official.
NASA’s Hubble Unexpectedly Catches Comet Breaking Up
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope witnessed comet K1, whose full name is C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), in the act of breaking apart.
OpenAI Reportedly Pivoting to a Focus on Business and Productivity Only
An all-hands meeting, whose details leaked to the Wall Street Journal, made the AI juggernaut sound a bit desperate.
Identity of Banksy, Oscar-nominated graffiti artist, proven 'beyond dispute'
The identity of Banksy, the notoriously elusive graffiti artist whose work now sells for millions and was the subject of an Oscar-nominated documentary, has finally been proven 'beyond dispute.'
The scientist who warned that profit, not science, decides which drugs reach patients
In a Genomic Press Interview published in Brain Medicine, Dr. Gabriella Gobbi, Professor of Psychiatry at McGill University, Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Therapeutics for Mental Health, and President-Elect of the Collegium Internationale of Neuropsychopharmacology (CINP), delivers a pointed warning: the greatest threat to drug discovery is not scientific failure but a financing system that abandons effective, affordable treatments whenever they cannot promise sufficient returns to investors. Across a career that began in central Italy and moved through Sardinia and Montreal, Dr. Gobbi has generated landmark research linking adolescent cannabis exposure to depression, identified novel melatonin receptor mechanisms in sleep and pain, and launched psychedelic neuroscience before it became fashionable. The interview reveals a scientist whose best questions have always begun at the bedside, and whose most urgent fears concern the structures that stand between discovery and patients.
Trump Claims to Have Reversed a House Republican’s Terminal Diagnosis
The president leaned on House Speaker Mike Johnson to name a Florida Republican whose grave prognosis was imperiling the party’s already slim voting margin. Both said his prospects had improved.
Markwayne Mullin, Trump’s Homeland Security Pick, Got Wealthier Stock Trading in Congress
Markwayne Mullin’s financial dealings take on new importance as the Senate considers his nomination to lead an agency whose budget has vastly expanded.
Belinda M. Paschal covers features, entertainment for the Dispatch
Dispatch features reporter Belinda M. Paschal, whose focus is arts and entertainment, gives an update on what's happening on her beat.
That’s a first: a dog chewed on an AMD Ryzen 7 7700X CPU, but the warranty will not cover it
Dog vs. CPU Redditor Acceptable_Stress295, whose username was clearly put to the test, says his dog chewed on an AMD Ryzen CPU. According to the post, it
Havana is expected to allow Cubans in Miami, elsewhere to own businesses on the island
The economic opening for Cuban exiles comes after president Donald Trump said he wanted Cuban Americans to be able to go back and helped rebuild the country, whose infrastructure is crumbling by a severe economic crisis.
Nicole Kidman Names The Star Whose 'Bad Breath' Ruined Their Kissing Scene
“I have to recoil, yikes! I’m out. You could not offer me enough money,” the Oscar winner said.
How to Solve One of the Most Expensive Problems in Employer Healthcare
A small share of employees drives a disproportionate share of employer health-care spending: They are patients whose complex conditions go undiagnosed as they cycle through a fragmented care system. A diagnostic-focused “center of excellence” model—such as the Mayo Clinic Complex Care Program—offers a different approach: coordinated, multidisciplinary evaluations that identify the right diagnosis quickly. Evidence from employer claims shows that earlier, accurate diagnoses can improve outcomes, reduce unnecessary procedures, and lower costs by shifting care from repeated testing toward targeted treatment.
ICE is keeping tabs on American citizens
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been using a variety of tools to keep tabs on not just immigrants the agency intends to deport but also U.S. citizens who publicly oppose the agency’s tactics. We discuss what that surveillance looks like and what the impact is for people whose activity the agency has tracked. This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, reporter Kat Lonsdorf, and power and influence reporter Jude Joffe-Block.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.
Death of North Kingstown police officer highlights mental health strains
Police departments across the region are mourning the loss of a North Kingstown officer whose career was cut short by tragedy just months after it began.
Messi has long steered clear of politics. Does his visit to Trump's White House mark a change?
Although Messi was silent throughout, his appearance seemed to speak volumes for a player whose politics have largely been shrouded in mystery.
No more Noem mess. But don't pop the champagne yet
It's easy to celebrate the abrupt firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose tenure was marked by chaos and cruelty. But there's no reason to think her replacement will be better.
Remembering Elaine Ingham, whose soil science research informed the modern gardener
Dr. Elaine led the movement to replace the use of salt-based fertilizers with a microbiological based system.
Football bowl exec with ties to Syracuse interviews to be school’s next athletic director
A longtime college sports executive whose career launched in Syracuse is among the candidates the school has interviewed to become its new AD.
Irvine whiz kid says FBI probe sparked by science experiment was a ‘surprising situation’
A 17-year-old whiz kid whose Irvine home was at the center of an FBI and hazmat squad probe last week said the search was all because of his science experiment. Federal authorities said they were l…
Rewriting the Playbook on Athlete Health: Kier named RWJF Scholar
UNCG's Lexi Kier has been named a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholar, a prestigious national distinction for doctoral students whose research has the potential to shape health policy across the United States.
Has Your Business Been Affected by Immigration Policies? We Want to Hear From You.
The New York Times is looking to talk to business owners whose work forces are changing because of immigration policies.
Alysa Liu's Advice to Parents Whose Kids Want to Quit Sports: EXCLUSIVE
"Trying new things will definitely give you a different outcome."
Trump Spent Years Denouncing U.S. Intervention. Now He’s Toppling Foreign Leaders.
The operation in Iran marked a sharp reversal for a president whose political rise was fueled by American fatigue with regime change.
Forget steamy sex scenes, ‘SNL’ is Connor Storrie’s boldest move yet
Connor Storrie’s meteoric rise — which has seen him go from the world of food service to an internet-dominating television series in just a few months — has left endless possibilities open for the Texas-born actor, whose name is surely being uttered in many a Hollywood casting room these days.
Neil Sedaka, the singer-songwriter behind dozens of hits of the 1960s and ‘70s, dies at age 86
Neil Sedaka, the hit-making singer-songwriter whose boyish soprano and bright melodies made him a top act in the early years of rock ‘n’ roll and led to a second run of success in the 1970s, has died.
Umpiring legend Bruce Froemming, lifelong Milwaukeean, dies at 86
Bruce Froemming, a Milwaukeean whose umpiring career lasted a record 37 Major League seasons, has died according to a report.
New York sues video game developer Valve, says its 'loot boxes' are gambling
New York's attorney general sued Valve, a video game developer whose franchises include Counter-Strike, Team Fortress and Dota, accusing it of violating state gambling laws and threatening to addict children through its use of "loot boxes."
These are the 2026 CNBC Changemakers: See the full list of women transforming business
CNBC reveals the 2026 Changemakers list, an annual list spotlighting women whose accomplishments have left an indelible mark on the business world.
WA Democrats drop push for business tax to cover Medicaid costs
Washington Democrats are likely abandoning plans for a tax on employers like Walmart, whose workers get health care through Medicaid.
Which team do you hate the most?
For me this is an easy question. Anyone who has a vested interest in the Tampa Bay Rays success knows there’s one team whose presence looms over the franchise, and soon the new owners will seek to undo decades of damage when they build a stadium that shadows over big brother. Yes, I’m talking about […]
CFO whose business fell 10% from tariffs cheers Supreme Court ruling: ‘No single person should have unilateral authority over tariffs’
Matt Totsch, the CFO of manufacturer Trim-Tex, said businesses like his have been dealing with crippling uncertainty caused by Trump’s chaotic tariff policies.
Minneapolis business struggles continue after federal immigration surge
Just ask Gavin Kaysen. "It's usually the slower time of year," Kaysen, whose Soigné Hospitality restaurant group owns several Minneapolis restaurants. The City of Minneapolis estimates an impact of ...
Gov. Abigail Spanberger Will Deliver Democratic Response to Trump’s State of the Union
In selecting the Virginia governor, Democrats turned to a centrist former congresswoman whose winning campaign last year showed how their party’s candidates can succeed in the Trump era.
Their Transgender Child’s Health Care Had Ended. What Now?
In many ways, the parents whose adolescents had been receiving treatment at NYU Langone Health had been expecting this call. Still, they were stunned.
From mom-and-pops to Goldman Sachs, Jesse Jackson’s vision for American business sparked a revolution
The civil rights leader, whose dealmaking skills pushed Wall Street to invest in minority-owned businesses, died on Tuesday.
Yvette Huet named dean of the College of Health and Human Services
Longstanding UNC Charlotte administrator and faculty member Yvette Huet has been named dean of the University’s College of Health and Human Services. Huet has led the college since July 2025 as interim dean. Her appointment is effective immediately. “Yvette is a strategic academic leader whose decades of service at Charlotte reflect a deep commitment to […]
Jeffrey Epstein's ties to politicians, business titans and other figures
Here are some of the prominent people whose ties to Epstein were revealed in the newly released material.
Vanderbilt Health remembers C. Leon Partain, former chair of Radiology
Clarence Leon Partain, MD, PhD, professor emeritus of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, whose work in nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging helped shape the field of academic radiology, died Jan. 28 in Brentwood, Tennessee. He was 85. After beginning his career as a nuclear engineer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and as faculty at the University of Missouri and the University of North Carolina, Dr. Partain joined the ranks at Vanderbilt Radiology in 1980 and was promoted to professor in 1984. He later became the first Carol D. and Henry P. Pendergrass Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences and chair of the department (1992-2000), and subsequently the director of the Center for Imaging Research. Shortly after arriving in Nashville, Dr. Partain began to lead Vanderbilt Radiology’s nuclear medicine division. He remained in this role until he was named the department chair. Dr. Partain specialized in multiple fields, including nuclear medicine, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography. Following his time as chair, Dr. Partain shifted his focus to research and spent time working clinically with radiology’s chest imaging section. In 2015, he retired and was honored for his years of service and named as emeritus faculty. Dr. Partain also held an appointment as professor of Biomedical Engineering. A Tennessee native, Dr. Partain was born in Memphis and later graduated from high school in Clarksville. He then received his BS in nuclear engineering from the University of Tennessee, his MS and PhD in nuclear engineering from Purdue University and his MD from Washington University. He completed his residency training in diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Partain was clinically trained and certified in diagnostic radiology and nuclear radiology by the American Board of Radiology (ABR) and the American Board of Nuclear Medicine. Throughout his career, Dr. Partain contributed to the growth of Vanderbilt Radiology and received many academic and research accolades across the specialty through various associations. During his time leading the department, clinical studies increased from 180,000 to 260,000 cases per year, emerging technological imaging equipment expanded the department’s capabilities, and units for angiography and fluoroscopy were added to the tool kit. The department also expanded its footprint with outpatient imaging in Nashville, Bedford County and more. Research continued to expand with continued growth in scientific findings and millions in grant funding for radiopharmaceuticals, functional MRI, nuclear medicine, X-ray, ultrasound and more. Dr. Partain is celebrated for being instrumental in bringing the first MRI and PET/CT machines to the Medical Center. His efforts helped build Vanderbilt Radiology’s prestige in the world of academics and research both nationally and internationally. His society affiliations included the American College of Radiology, the American College of Nuclear Medicine, and the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM). He served as president of the Radiological Research Alliance of the Association of Academic Radiologists and has held executive roles as a member of many radiological society boards. Dr. Partain was editor-in-chief of the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging from 2000 to 2013 and a member of the editorial boards of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, the American Journal of Roentgenology, Academic Radiology, the Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Investigative Radiology. He has authored/co-authored/edited six textbooks, including one of the first comprehensive textbooks on MRI, “Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Imaging.” Dr. Partain has also authored/co-authored/edited approximately 100-plus book chapters and 200-plus journal articles. In 2000, Dr. Partain received the Distinguished Service Award from the ABR. In 2014, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the ISMRM. In 2016, he received the Alumni Achievement Award from Washington University for his “contributions to advance the fields of nuclear medicine and medical imaging.” Dr. Partain served the ABR as an examiner for 20 years, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education as a member of the Nuclear Medicine Residency Review Committee, and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in multiple capacities. A devout Baptist deacon and man of committed faith, he is survived by his wife of 62 years, Judy; children, David (Rebecca), Teri (Bland), and Amy; brother, Larry (Deb); brother-in-law, Tom (Cathy); grandchildren, Sarah (Brandon), Amy, Luke, Tucker, Alex, Ryan and Jake; cousins and a host of nieces and nephews. Vanderbilt Health is grateful to Dr. Partain for his decades of service and major contributions to clinical and research imaging.
Vanderbilt Health patient receives tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy
The highly personalized treatment is currently approved for patients with advanced stages of melanoma whose tumors have grown despite immunotherapies and/or targeted therapies.
Documenting a ‘Drastically Changing’ Scientific Landscape
In the Lost Science series, scientists whose jobs or funding have been cut by the Trump administration tell their stories.
Colbert slams CBS for canning interview with Trump critic
Stephen Colbert, whose "Late Show" is ending this year, wasted no time laying into CBS over a canned James Talarico interview: "FCC you."
DEVELOPMENT: Business-building demolition north of Morgan Junction, for residential replacements
) Demolition is under way at 5435-5437 California SW [map], where 12 townhouses will replace a business building. Former tenants in the teardown building included Canna West Culture Shop (which closed after two crash-and-grabs), whose parent store Canna West Seattle (WSB sponsor) is still very much open across the street, and the Filigree & ...
The New York Times
Casey Wasserman, an entertainment executive and chair of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics whose name recently surfaced in the Epstein files, said on Friday he has started the process of selling his...
Proposals for exploring viruses and skin as the next experimental quantum frontiers share US$30,000 science award
Viruses exist at the boundary between living and non-living matter, while skin is a living interface between physics and biology, making them perfect—but until now overlooked—arenas for testing the interplay between quantum physics, biology and life. That’s according to arguments made by Connor Thompson, a PhD student in microbiology and immunology at the University of British Columbia, in Canada, and Samuel Morriss, a medical doctor based in Melbourne, Australia, whose two essays share the US$30,000 first prize in FQxI’s latest essay competition, presented in partnership with the Paradox Science Institute. The eight winners of the $53,000 competition—which asked “How Quantum is Life?”—were announced on 14th February, 2026.