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Why do we count down to the New Year?

Zocalo Originally Posted: Jan. 1, 2022 Few people counted down to anything until the 1960s and 1970s—and yes, that included the new year. Celebrations and midnight kisses on December 31, of course. Countdowns, no. How, then, did the countdown go from almost nonexistent to ubiquitous in the latter half of the 20th century? And why […]

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Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences Dedman College Research Faculty News Psychology

Personalities Can Change Even When People Are Unmotivated To Change, Say Psychologists

Forbes Originally Posted: December 8, 2021 A new paper appearing in the Journal of Research in Personality bolsters the argument that personality is more changeable than previously thought — even suggesting that personality can be changed when people aren’t necessarily committed to change. “A growing body of research suggests that personality traits can be changed through intervention,” say the […]

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Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences Dedman College Research Earth Sciences Faculty News

Geothermal energy could mean a renewable future for Colorado’s oil fields

KUNC Originally Posted: December 8, 2021 The grasslands north of Fort Morgan in eastern Colorado are a hive of energy production. Clusters of spinning wind turbines mark the horizon. And, of course, oil and natural gas operations are everywhere. As far as oil fields go, this one is roughly middle-aged. Wells here are still comfortably […]

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Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences

SMU research aims to better understand how molecules interact and bond

SMU News Originally Posted: Nov. 17, 2021 Researchers and students in the Computational and Theoretical Chemistry Group (CATCO) at Southern Methodist University (SMU) are using vibrational spectroscopy to gain new insights into molecules with the help of SMU’s powerful high performance computer. CATCO is led by Elfi Kraka, the Dedman Family Distinguished Professor and chair […]

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Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences English

Congratulations to Jonathan McGregor

Jonathan McGregor, a lecturer in the SMU Writing and Reasoning Program, recently published a new book titled, Communion of Radicals: The Literary Christian Left in Twentieth-Century America. Tune into the virtual launch event on Facebook Live, Tuesday, 11/23, at 2 pm: https://fb.me/e/eojq4vHOU. More information below:

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Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences Dedman College Research Earth Sciences Faculty News

SMU professor Brian Stump appointed Chair of TexNet Technical Advisory Committee

SMU News Originally Posted: November 11, 2021 DALLAS (SMU) – Gov. Greg Abbott has named SMU seismologist Brian Stump as chair of the TexNet Technical Advisory Committee, which is charged with providing oversight and advice on the operation of the Texas wide seismic network, TexNet. Research by scientists in SMU’s Roy H. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences and the University of Texas at Austin pioneered the connections […]

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Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences Dedman College Research Faculty News Psychology

Research finds prescription drug misuse among college students most common during weekdays

SMU News Originally Posted: October 28, 2021 DALLAS (SMU) – College students who misuse prescription drugs do so more often during the week and when they are alone at home, according to a recent study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence. The longitudinal study, “College-based social and situational predictors of real-time prescription drug misuse in daily […]

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Research Roundup

Collaborative outreach and interdisciplinary research Research on earthquakes in Haiti. Drs. Hornbach, Magnani and Hayward (Earth Sciences) have deployed off-shore of Haiti to collect high-resolution seismic reflection data on the fault linked to the recent Haiti earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The work is joint with colleagues at Scripps and other institutions and is funded […]

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Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences Dedman College Research Faculty News History Mathematics Psychology

Faculty Awards and Recognition

Congratulations to the following faculty: Ken Hamilton: Living Legacy Award. At its annual meeting and virtual conference, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (the founders of Black History Month), presented Ken Hamilton with a Living Legacy Award. Priscilla Lui: Early career award and invited talk. Priscilla Lui (Psychology) was awarded […]

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Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences Dedman College Research Earth Sciences Faculty News

Dinosaurs once roamed the Arctic. What can they tell us about adapting to a changing climate?

Alaska Public Radio Originally Posted: October 8, 2021 Scientists are learning more about how dinosaurs adapted to the climate in Alaska. Studying what these prehistoric giants left behind may reveal clues to help better adapt to warming temperatures brought on by climate change. Lori Townsend discusses ongoing research with paleontologists Anthony Fiorillo and Patrick Druckenmiller. […]