Topic: Research

Displaying 19 - 36 of 740

Find Your Sustain Ability: Britt Wray on the age of climate anxiety
Aug. 2, 2024
Host Laura England, associate director of App State’s Quality Enhancement Plan and practitioner-in-residence in the Department of Sustainable Development, talks with Dr. Britt Wray, a researcher and storyteller focused on the mental health impacts of climate change. Wray, director of the CIRCLE initiative at Stanford Psychiatry, explores the intersection of climate science, psychology and communication, and shares her journey in navigating interdisciplinary fields — including conservation biology, science communication and the ethics of synthetic biology. She highlights the importance of storytelling in climate communication.

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Scuba-diving scientists capture rare underwater footage of prehistoric-looking hellbenders in North Carolina [faculty featured]
BBC Wildlife Magazine
June 25, 2024
Work is set to begin to remove Shull’s Mill Dam on the Watauga River in July in order to restore a healthy river ecosystem. The project will involve the relocation of eastern hellbenders, a species of special concern in North Carolina, who live in the river near the dam. Dr. Mike Gangloff, professor in App State’s Department of Biology, speaks to the importance of hellbenders, including how they can increase water and habitat quality in rivers. Gangloff is the aquatic lead researcher for the Shull’s Mill Dam removal.
Dr. Cynthia Liutkus-Pierce featured in documentary about ancient footprints in Tanzania
June 14, 2024
Research led by App State professor and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Cynthia Liutkus-Pierce is the focus of a new documentary titled “Footsteps: A Journey to the Engare Sero Footprints.” The film follows a pilgrimage to the site of early human footprints in northern Tanzania.
Is Non-Alcoholic Beer a Good Sports Drink? [faculty featured]
GQ
May 19, 2024
Health experts and athletes explore the benefits of non-alcoholic beer as a post-workout recovery drink in this GQ magazine feature. Dr. Laurel Wentz, associate professor in App State’s Nutrition and Foods Program, explains that non-alcoholic beer provides hydration effects similar to water, but also has the benefit of carbs, which the body needs to help recover after workouts. Wentz explains how pairing non-alcoholic beer with a high-protein snack can achieve similar results to sports drinks.
What to Eat Before and After Your Workout [faculty featured]
TIME
May 17, 2024
In this feature in TIME magazine, health experts explain why people should focus on foods in addition to proteins before and after workouts. Dr. David Nieman, professor in App State’s Department of Biology, notes that carbohydrates matter just as much as protein when working out, as well as fruits, nuts, dark greens and other plants. Nieman is director of the Human Performance Lab at App State’s North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis.
NCInnovation Approves $5 Million to Support Eight University Research Projects [faculty featured]
NCInnovation
May 16, 2024
NCInnovation approved $5.2 million in funding for eight research projects at seven North Carolina public universities. One of the projects to receive funding is App State’s beehive improvement and monitoring system, developed by Dr. Rahman Tashakkori, professor and chair in the Department of Computer Science. The Beemon system presents a unique and innovative tool for decreasing honeybee die-off and increasing hive production by allowing beekeepers to monitor hives with efficient and accurate data.
Faculty at App State and Ghanaian university explore sustainable solutions for rural communities
Collaboration between the rural-serving institutions focuses on teaching and research, encourages cultural exchanges
May 13, 2024
App State’s partnership with the University for Development Studies in Ghana continues to connect underserved students and communities in the Appalachian and Northern Ghana regions. The partnership focuses on teaching and research collaborations and encourages cultural exchanges.
Are cold plunges and saunas safe for kids? What parents need to know about the benefits and risks [faculty featured]
Fortune Well
May 4, 2024
In this article in Fortune Well, health experts dive into the science behind trending hot and cold therapies, like saunas and cold plunges, and whether or not they are safe for children. Caroline Smith, associate professor in App State’s Department of Public Health and Exercise Science, helps explain the benefits of these types of therapies and how to manage the risks. Smith is director of App State’s Thermal and Microvascular Physiology Laboratory.
App State MSN alum awarded first place in graduate research category by Preventative Cardiovascular Nurses Association
Feb. 21, 2024
Steven Cuzmenco ’23 was awarded first place in the Graduate Capstone category by the Preventative Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) for his thesis “Registered Nurses’ Perception of Plant-Based Dietary Patterns: Self-Efficacy, Health Beliefs and Behaviors.” His abstract will be published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, and he is invited to present his findings at the PCNA’s annual cardiovascular symposium in April in Orlando.
Appalachian Today: Episode 3
Dec. 20, 2023
On this episode of Appalachian Today, University Communications’ Dave Blanks provides a quick rundown of some of the latest news stories available at today.appstate.edu. Story topics include: App State’s economic impacts on the regional and state economies during the 2021–22 fiscal year; the blooming of App State’s rare corpse flower, Mongo — its first bloom in over a decade; a $531,902 National Science Foundation grant supporting a three-year App State study on aerosols and their effects on Earth’s climate; the newest student recipient of the Jerri Kent Heltzer and Harry Heltzer Endowed Scholarship; App State’s recognition by Military Times as a 2023 “Best for Vets” school; and a significant gift donated by alumnus and Board of Trustees Vice Chair Robert Thomas “Tommy” Sofield Jr. ’76 and his family in support of App State Athletics facilities enhancements.

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“Lighting the Way: The Remarkable Story Behind a North Carolina Treasure” Held at the Executive Mansion [faculty featured]
NC Office of the Governor
Dec. 12, 2023
More than 50 years ago, a crystal chandelier was delivered in a nondescript box to the North Carolina Executive Mansion. The chandelier was a gift from Karoline Horowitz, a state resident who settled in Western North Carolina in the 1940s with her husband, Peter, and six-year-old son, Bob, after a daring escape from Europe and the Nazis. On Dec. 12, Bob joined North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper at a special event at the Executive Mansion to share stories of his family’s history and the incredible journey of this chandelier. Dr. Chris Patti, a professor in the Department of Communication at App State who specializes in oral history interviews of Holocaust survivors, led the discussion.
App State faculty awarded $531,902 National Science Foundation grant to study aerosols’ effects on the climate
Dec. 7, 2023
Supported by a $531,902 grant from the National Science Foundation, a team of App State researchers in the Appalachian Atmospheric Interdisciplinary Research (AppalAIR) program will conduct a three-year study on aerosols and how they affect Earth's climate.
App State’s rare corpse flower, Mongo, blooms in Biology Greenhouse
Nov. 30, 2023
App State’s rare corpse flower, Mongo, bloomed on Nov. 24, marking the plant’s first bloom since it arrived in Boone more than a decade ago. The public was invited to the Department of Biology Greenhouse to witness the bloom firsthand.
Glacial lake outburst floods in Alaska and the Himalayas show evolving hazards in a warming world [faculty featured]
The Conversation
Oct. 9, 2023
This article in The Conversation about glacial lake outburst floods cites a new study conducted by Dr. William Armstrong, an assistant professor in App State’s Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, which finds that of the 120 glacier-dammed lakes in Alaska, 106 of them have drained at least once since 1985. The study finds that due to globally rising temperatures, these lakes have decreased in volume over time. New lakes have the potential to develop in mountain valleys from glacier melt, resulting in new potential hazards.
Ancient Footprints Affirm People Lived in the Americas More Than 20,000 Years Ago [faculty featured]
Scientific American
Oct. 5, 2023
New research suggests that fossilized human footprints found in New Mexico’s White Sands National Park were made more than 20,000 years ago. The study, conducted by geologists in the U.S. Geological Survey, challenges decades of thinking about when humans arrived in North America. Cynthia Liutkus-Pierce — a professor in App State’s Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences who has studied ancient human footprints in Tanzania — explains how this study further supports the presence of humans in North America during the last ice age.
Recover Smarter. Run Stronger [faculty featured]
Runner’s World
Sep. 6, 2023
In this Runner's World article, health experts offer advice on how to become a stronger runner and speak to the importance of recovery after exercise. Dr. David Nieman, professor of biology and director of App State's Human Performance Laboratory, talks about his study of competitive runners who took ibuprofen during a race, and about his findings showing that it did not aid in their recovery, but instead may have hampered it.
Tiny brains, big data: App State-led project aims to prepare the neuroscientists of tomorrow
Aug. 14, 2023
Undergraduate students across the U.S., including those at App State, have greater access to enriched neuroscience education — and are engaging in real-world research — as part of an App State-led project funded by nearly $500,000 from the National Science Foundation.
What a decline in rural colleges means for rural communities [faculty featured]
WBUR
Aug. 10, 2023
App State professor of higher education Dr. Andrew Koricich, who is executive director of the App State-based Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges, is the featured guest on NPR's nationally syndicated program "On Point." Koricich shares insights about why rural students have historically had fewer choices in higher education than suburban students and about the benefits of rural colleges to their communities, including increased economic opportunities and stability.