On selecting Marc Parlange as URI’s 12th president:Thomas M. Ryan, URI trustee and chair of the presidential search committee
“Parlange has advanced global scholarly research, navigated financial challenges, built strong industry partnerships and developed a depth of experience in creating more diverse and inclusive communities, especially for the most historically marginalised members of our society.”
The Canberra Times
On the findings of outside researchers who reported the existence of “forever chemicals” and other pollutants around the summit of Mount Everest:Rainer Lohmann, professor of oceanography and director of the URI Superfund Research Center on Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances
“Everest is treasured very highly as a unique monument for the globe. It’s kind of sad to see very high concentrations at some places on the mountain. We say, ‘Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints,’ but we leave chemicals.”
The Washington Post
On the value of increased fat stores and the many fascinating ways birds’ bodies change to prepare for seasonal migration:Scott McWilliams, professor of wildlife ecology and physiology
“Flying is the most energy-intensive form of locomotion. But it’s also more efficient if you want to go farther, faster. You actually get better fuel economy when you use fat as fuel for a flying animal compared to a runner.”
Audubon
On how the pandemic has tested long-held notions that work is best performed in a traditional workplace and reliant on face-to-face interactions:Aimee Phelps, teaching professor of management and human resources
“From what I know, engagement of employees is the key to successful organizations. If employees are engaged, they’re going to do what is necessary to collaborate, to reconnect, to be in touch with other employees when they need to be.”
Providence Business News
On early small-scale efforts suggesting that dogs can be trained to sniff out COVID infections:Otto Gregory, professor of chemical engineering
“There seems to be evidence that COVID patients might emit ammonia at trace levels that dogs could be sniffing.”
Scientific American
On a paper that, if proven correct, would not only challenge Einstein’s theory of general relativity but also prove the existence of near-extremal black holes:Gaurav Khanna, professor of physics and director of URI Research Computing
“We would love to know if nature would even allow for such a beast to exist. It would have pretty dramatic implications for our field.”
Wired
On the effectiveness of treating clothing with permethrin to protect against tick-borne diseases including Lyme:Thomas Mather, professor of entomology and director of the URI Center for Vector-Borne Disease and the TickEncounter Resource Center
“We’ve done tests with clothing, and we can watch the ticks fall off and die. So there is good scientific evidence that this works and it actually works pretty well.”
The New York Times